G Thompson 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (3140) comment rss

  • On the post: TorrentFreak Pulls The Switcheroo On Copyright Troll That Cited Them In Threat Letters

    G Thompson ( profile ), 28 Nov, 2012 @ 07:44pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Does make a point, though

    If I provide you a direct link to infringing content[...]

    Ah but here's the rub.. Infringing where? Just because something is unlawfully infringing (which in itself needs to be proven under lawful process - but that's a separate issue) in one jurisdiction (most likely the USA) does NOT mean it is somewhere else, and also linking to that unlawful content (in one jurisdiction) might not be unlawful (whether knowingly or vicariously or not) either.

    The intent (mens rae) in context with all elements that need to be fulfilled for the action to be considered unlawful (or illegal even) is a pure and absolute doctrine that has to be looked at when considering third party liability no matter what the US DoJ state or you may think. Also you need to understand, I will make the informed assumption that you are an American, or even Canadian citizen. Litigious liability that someone needs to always answer for butthurtness of REASONABLENESS is a purely US export.. sadly Germany has, due to its association with the USA after WW2 tries to outdo this doctrine of "someone needs to pay for my boo boo".

    As for your analogy regarding Drugs - Since high category illicit drugs (not marijuana) come under international criminal statutes/treaties and are classified as major crimes (not like IP is even in its criminal area) the analogy is not just irrelevant but absolutely misleading. Unless your talking about the purchasing of LEGAL medicinal drugs online from lawful Canadian pharmacies/chemists by US citizens? BUt again that is a purely US quirk of stupidity and coporate/political pandering.

  • On the post: Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Over Law Banning Recording The Police

    G Thompson ( profile ), 28 Nov, 2012 @ 04:38am

    Re: Well, Timmy, if anyone knows "poorly-written", it's you.

    Always check rare words; dictionaries are online now.

    Here's a word for you, even has a dictionary mention of it, and it's all about you!

    IGNORANUS - adj: A person who is not only ignorant, but is also an asshole (ie: out_of_the_blue)

    And in the context of Techdirt it seems your an ubiquitous ignoranus too!

  • On the post: Apparently All That Stuff About Needing SOPA To Go After Foreign Sites Was Bogus

    G Thompson ( profile ), 27 Nov, 2012 @ 08:39am

    There's something else strange here when talking about International sites and Trademark law.

    Unlike copyright which is basically a worldwide coverage (Berne Convention covers it) Trademark is a per country situation and has to be actually applied for in EACH individual country, There is no worldwide registry (same as patents actually).

    So what might be "unlawful" (or counterfeit) in one country is NOT unlawful in another. I don't think the Mexican iPhone is legal under trademark laws anywhere else in the world other than Mexico, but on the same thing Apple Inc's trademark on their iPhone is unlawful in Mexico.

    This is the whole problem with cross jurisdictional warrants and seizure orders from Federal judges. the 'copyright' holder (or IP owner) who resides in the USA has NO nada nix jurisdiction in the rest of the freakin world. And this is even more telling if there is actually NO trademark at all for that product from anyone - like ummm professional sports jerseys and jewellery for example.

  • On the post: Early-Morning Raid Sent To Confiscate 9-Year-Old's Winnie The Pooh Laptop For Downloading Music

    G Thompson ( profile ), 26 Nov, 2012 @ 08:25pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    Hey Mine was an Apple IIe and I still fondly remember AppleDos and AppleBasic and then learnt, and still know to this day (somewhat) 6800 Assembler language.. Scary!

  • On the post: Early-Morning Raid Sent To Confiscate 9-Year-Old's Winnie The Pooh Laptop For Downloading Music

    G Thompson ( profile ), 26 Nov, 2012 @ 08:21pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    what the???? where the hell did that bottom bit about "and Samsung and other things" come from...

    hmmmm. Disregard

  • On the post: Early-Morning Raid Sent To Confiscate 9-Year-Old's Winnie The Pooh Laptop For Downloading Music

    G Thompson ( profile ), 26 Nov, 2012 @ 08:19pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    No, you've never pointed out that Apple is no angel. And if you have, when you rarely have, it's been followed by something along the lines of, "EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT!"

    Crap!!!

    Wally and I have had numerous discussions regarding Apple v Samsung etc, and he has always come across as yes someone who likes Apple but also someone who also thinks that they are being complete iDiots (pun intended) in a lot of situations to do with the patent wars (and other marketing weirdness too)

    Looking at the public comments he has left on ARS, in this context (I do not have access to anything else that may have or may not of occurred) I am left with a sense that ARS has been absolutely unreasonable based on Wally2 actually providing cited and reasonable critical discourse on the current situation.

    In fact for ARS to have actually moderated one of the specific posts he made based on "trollike behaviour" is freakin ridiculous and inequitable in the extreme having seen some of the other comments on the same thread and others throughout ARS by others who absolutely are trolling and never ever get sanctioned... ARS is NOT the best community if you have a differing (and backable) opinion.

    Why we have had a whole thread just to discuss this 'wally likes TD better than ARS" is strange, though a testament to his original claim that ARS is better than TD in respect to the community allowing and wanting discourse.









    and Samsung and other things

  • On the post: Is Malibu Media About To Become The Righthaven Of Porn Trolls?

    G Thompson ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2012 @ 11:40pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Is it even copyrightable?

    Ah the money shot, the pool boy, the moustache, the cheesy music!


    Bwhahahahahahaha I hereby claim the film rights to the court room hearing of it all LOL

  • On the post: One Step Closer To Real Medical Tech Breakthrough… If Immigration Law Doesn't Get In The Way

    G Thompson ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2012 @ 06:44pm

    If the US doesn't want this I for one invite the company and the whole team to come to Australia. Then we could have this under our national banner.. like we have the Cervical cancer vaccine, cochlear implants, bionic eye (very new and first implant just recently performed) and other medical/technological marvels too many to mention.

  • On the post: One Step Closer To Real Medical Tech Breakthrough… If Immigration Law Doesn't Get In The Way

    G Thompson ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2012 @ 06:40pm

    Re: Off into Mike's futuristic fantasies: McCoy's medical tri-corder.

    Go over here to this comment from Marc Randazza, he has a quick and easy solution (option C) in his last paragraph for the stupidity that is you.

  • On the post: Is Malibu Media About To Become The Righthaven Of Porn Trolls?

    G Thompson ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2012 @ 06:27pm

    Re: Re: Re: Is it even copyrightable?

    Of course it's USEFUL.. without porn the Video Player (VHS or BETA), 8mm Camera, or Internet would not have sold like they did.

    Though on a more serious note: define art and more to the point define pornography. The community (not legal - which is freakin ambiguous in the extreme) definition keeps changing as community mores and values change. What was pornographic 200, 100, 50, 20 yrs ago is not pornographic today for the reasonable person. the Statue of David at one time was considered pornographic (and I'm led to believe some moronic idiots still think it is) but isn't today.. so Is David art? or only now is it art? who decides and how do you tell?

  • On the post: Is Malibu Media About To Become The Righthaven Of Porn Trolls?

    G Thompson ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2012 @ 06:21pm

    Re: Re: Righthaven, Randazza, Fraud....

    Another time, in another arena, we will clash again.

    Bugger.. now I need to watch Highlander again ;)

  • On the post: Is Malibu Media About To Become The Righthaven Of Porn Trolls?

    G Thompson ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2012 @ 06:18pm

    Re: Re: Is it even copyrightable?

    Whereas I actually agree with you that Copyright should absolutely apply to pornography, I was always lead to believe that though different states had different 'obscenity' interpretations (with exceptions being Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, West Virginia - though that might be old info) due to your 18 USC Chapter 71 obscenity itself therefore a US Federal matter too.

    Though you then have the problem of trying to define what "Prurient Interests" *eyeroll* means in this day and age especially remembering that Miller & Roth especially were decades ago and mores (hopefully) have changed somewhat.

    Other than that good luck to both you and Jordan and the Does in this matter. And wishing you and your family a great Thanksgiving - take a break, think about nothing, and have a beer on me. ;)

  • On the post: Holiday Deals In The Techdirt Insider Shop

    G Thompson ( profile ), 20 Nov, 2012 @ 07:04pm

    Re: Re:

    Zazzle Inc might disagree with you

  • On the post: Holiday Deals In The Techdirt Insider Shop

    G Thompson ( profile ), 20 Nov, 2012 @ 07:01pm

    Re: Testimonial

    So what happens if your a "Dark Helmet" then?

    Enquiring minds are waiting!

  • On the post: Lord McAlpine, Wronged By BBC, Demands 10,000 People On Twitter Pay Up

    G Thompson ( profile ), 20 Nov, 2012 @ 06:56pm

    Re: A few points

    I keep hearing from the back of my mind this little birdy tweet out this word that keeps getting louder and louder in reference to this "Lord of Effluence".

    At first I thought it was bullshit, then It formed itself into the real word.

    Barratry

    though being one of those Aussie upstart colonialist I'd still say Bullshit also fits this Toff. ;)

  • On the post: President Obama Is Not Impressed With Your Right To Modify His Photos

    G Thompson ( profile ), 20 Nov, 2012 @ 06:42pm

    Re:

    By the very nature of you commenting about this "story" and stating that it is a "non story" but still analysing and giving your input into it all is to put it mildly bloody hilarious.

    Did you mean to be Ironic (Socratic even) or it's really total ignorance ?

  • On the post: Yes, A Domain Name Can Be Protected By The First Amendment

    G Thompson ( profile ), 19 Nov, 2012 @ 09:51pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    Actually if I allow a whole range of books from a .com (or other registered US domain name) that I own and operate from here in Australia which might include such books by George Orwell, Mark Twain (Autobiography and newspaper Articles), F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby) and many moree that investigator you describe would have NO fucking authority to destroy my domain name even though those books are infringing on US works. Why? because its legal in Australia to distribute those Public Domain titles.. Just Awsk Project Guttenberg.

    If they did remove my domain name and re-point it to some moronic sight full of Eagles and other propaganda (and propaganda is EXACTLY what it is) then they would be committing a criminal offence ... yes not just civil.

    Oh and under the US law, in this situation there is no fair use argument, but it is NOT even piracy.. why? Because it's legal to do this in my country. And Project Gutenberg do this every single day, and believe me they are NOt authorised via your US license holders to distribute the items like you suggest.

    So your analogy fails. Next

    hmmmm shades of Roja hey?

  • On the post: Yes, A Domain Name Can Be Protected By The First Amendment

    G Thompson ( profile ), 19 Nov, 2012 @ 09:31pm

    Re: "Commercial speech" protected only up to a point, Mike.

    Wow, I mean wow..

    The absolute awesome construction of your sentences leaves Vogon poets aghast at your majestic usage of the English language.

  • On the post: That Was Fast: Hollywood Already Browbeat The Republicans Into Retracting Report On Copyright Reform

    G Thompson ( profile ), 19 Nov, 2012 @ 07:36pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Stand Firm

    Ah well.. in that case forget everything I state above..

    It never happened, You're getting sleepy.. sleepy.. forget!

  • On the post: That Was Fast: Hollywood Already Browbeat The Republicans Into Retracting Report On Copyright Reform

    G Thompson ( profile ), 17 Nov, 2012 @ 09:56pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Stand Firm

    So you post the actual text and not the pdf.. even breaking the text up into talking points.

    Then if they want to claim copyright they have to show the original work which WAS written by govt and therefore not copyrightable in that sense (pure fair use defence for public interest) though they are then admitting that copyright is fallacious by actually claiming they own a copyright on a govt property that they also claim doesn't exit.

    Would very much back the whole premise and reason for the report in first place. The Govt and your political parties (and esp the **AA's) are in a lose-lose situation here

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