burningwoodchipper 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (35) comment rss

  • On the post: Potentially Big News: Top CEOs Realizing That 'Maximizing Shareholder Value' Isn't A Great Idea

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 22 Aug, 2019 @ 06:03am

    Not surprised Dan Amos is a signatory

    Dan Amos is front and center of the signatory list - hardly surprising, as Aflac treat their employees (apart from the sales team, for the most part) very well, and treats their customers as well.

    Aflac stock is up 80% over the past 5 years, and is consistently recognized as a best place to work, most ethical, eco-friendly company.

    Now, if only the CEOs of the the Toxic 500 would learn these lessons...

    disclosure: worked there for 5 years and only left because the family moved.

  • On the post: After Missing Cord Cutting Trend, Nielsen Falls Apart

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2019 @ 11:49am

    Re: As a one time Nielsen household

    Nielsen has been going door-to-door in my neighborhood for months. I've told at least three reps face-to-face that i'm not interested, I don't support what they do, I'm not going to fill out logs, and they can't remotely monitor what I'm watching. Still, every few weeks a new team of reps (always two people) ring my doorbell, freak out about my large, loud (and overly friendly) dog, and then have to listen to my diatribe. Evidently they're paying people now (not enough, no matter how much it is), and I'm "perfect" for them as I stream and watch locals OTA. Having spent my career in marketing and having relied on Nielsen ratings in the past, they can burn and all their employees can find work at Wal-mart.

  • On the post: Unsealed Warrant Shows SFPD Officer Misled Court About Journalist's Occupation

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 26 Jul, 2019 @ 05:02am

    So, what did they find?

    Surely, with 5 warrants, phone records, physical searches, and all this investigatory activity the police have uncovered who the journalist got his tip from.

    Of course, they can't actually prosecute or even reprimand whoever they caught, because:
    a) Badge and/or government employee
    b) fruit of the poisoned tree

    Or are they incompetent, in addition to being unethical perjurors?

  • On the post: Researchers Build App That Kills To Highlight Insulin Pump Exploit

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 22 Jul, 2019 @ 10:04am

    SOMEtimes connectivity is a good thing for patients

    Those who say an insulin pump should only be adjustable at the doctor's office have (1) never had a pump, and (b) never had to choose between working (i.e., collecting a paycheck) and taking unpaid time off to see a doctor.

    Or have never tried to get a doctor appointment, much less catch a bus crosstown, with neuropathy.

    There are some very good reasons to allow remote monitoring of insulin dosages (and A1C levels), but at the very least there should be some sort of 2-factor authentication before a change can be made.

  • On the post: Obtained Records Show ICE Is Using ALPR Databases To Reconstruct Targets' Lives

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 11 Jun, 2019 @ 06:55am

    Re: Covering your plate

    Bikers used to hang helmets, jackets, bandannas, etc. over their plates when they parked, but the cops would either just move them or cite them for parking a vehicle without visible proof of registration on a public thoroughfare. But that was OK with the straights, because who cared what they did to the dirty bikers? Martin Niemöller was as prescient as Orwell or Huxley.

  • On the post: The Impossibility Of Content Moderation Plays Out, Once Again, On YouTube

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 07 Jun, 2019 @ 08:04am

    Evidently "humiliating but not life-threatening" is OK sometimes

    Followed the twitter link into the rabbit hole ... holy crap.

    Deeper in the comment thread is the discussion of "milkshaking" - throwing milkshakes at people you don't like. One of Maza's supporters said throwing food at people was acceptable social commentary, because it doesn't actually hurt anyone.

    Evidently, saying bad things is literally violence, but throwing food at people isn't actually hurtful.

    How do these clowns deal with the cognitive disonance?
    DragonTamer
    ‏
    https://twitter.com/DragonTamer1992/status/1136743565516689408

    @DragonTamer1992
    18h18 hours ago
    More
    No this is throwing a milkshake on someone.

    No knives involved. Can't milkshake someone to death by repeatedly throwing shakes at them. It's humiliating and disrespectful, but not life threatening.

    It's literally not life threatening.

  • On the post: Government Prosecutor Caught Sending Emails With Tracking Software To Reporters And Defense Attorneys

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 29 May, 2019 @ 10:11am

    Navy Times is not part of the Navy

    For those who don't know, the Navy Times is NOT part of the Navy, or the DoD in any way. Sightline Media Group publishes the Navy Times, the Army Times, and the Air Force Times - and frequently goes head-to-head with the powers that be in the military.

    As a former sailor ... the Navy Times was most often a realistic counterpoint to the propaganda the official Navy channel published.

    Just in case you thought it was OK for a navy prosecutor to go after a Navy publication because they're both DoD - they're not.

  • On the post: Consensus Quietly Builds That 5G Was Overhyped, Rushed To Market

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 16 May, 2019 @ 09:36am

    You have your expert,someone else has theirs

    https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/industry-voices-5g-and-potential-for-widespread-healthcare-disruption

    Historically, the healthcare industry has been slower to adopt new and emerging technologies—partially due to regulatory boundaries and legacy IT infrastructure. But as of late, the healthcare industry is rapidly becoming one of the most technologically advanced in the world.

    New and emerging technologies are becoming established tools that help healthcare companies and professionals provide exceptional customer service and patient care. This is also spurring new startups that are entering the fray with innovative ideas to disrupt this industry with data, analytics, robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence. The range of benefits includes the complete value chain of healthcare, everything from administrative duties, such as triage and payments, to medical diagnostics, advanced medicine, clinical trials and collaborative initiatives at life sciences organizations.

    This recent surge in technological adoption could not be more perfectly timed, as 5G comes to the forefront, causing waves of disruption across a wide variety of industries. The potential for 5G integration is limitless. 5G has the potential to revolutionize and reinvent car connectivity, manufacturing and supply chain automation, and more. But a less discussed topic—and potentially one of the most impactful use cases for the technology—exists in healthcare.

    Is it even possible to get more buzzwords in three paragraphs?

  • On the post: Impossible Content Moderation Dilemmas: Talking About Racism Blocked As Hate Speech

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 01 May, 2019 @ 09:52am

    Re: Marginalized people

    Doesn't (or shouldn't) matter who says it. If a statement makes an ugly, sweeping generalization about all members of a race of people, it's racist and wrong. Marginalized, under-represented people don't get free pass to denigrate "non-marginalized" people, just because they're passionate about it, or there's a history of oppression. The generalization is wrong, regardless of origin. Personally, I think silencing it is wrong also - the cure to bad speech is more speech, not silence.

  • On the post: Want A Box At The Grammies With Two Bigshot Congressmen? That'll Be $5,000 (Entertainment Lobbyists Only)

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 18 Dec, 2018 @ 07:56am

    Publish the link!

    I want the actual link from the article. I'm going to set up a gofundme to raise the $5k plus travel expenses, then broadcast as much of the event as I can get before I get kicked out of the box.

    Better yet, a Kickstarter: sign up and your question gets asked, live.

    Oh, wait. I'm just a voter. Even if I WANTED to go, and had the disposable cash, they'd never let me in the door, because i can only vote once (in my county).

  • On the post: To Prosecute A Single Bombing Suspect, FBI Demands Identifying Info On Thousands Of YouTube Viewers

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 26 Nov, 2018 @ 01:28pm

    Re: IF you're not going to complain that Youtube HAS the data...

    IF you're not going to complain that ~YouTube~ ~AT&T~ Experian HAS the data... **... then why the hell do you think it can be kept from gov't -- which at least in this case has legitimate cause for a wide dragnet? You who constantly carry around gadgets ~call your friends and family members using telephones~ use credit or debit cards~ that you know can spy on you, which ~Google~ ~Ma Bell~ every credit agency and every other corporation attempt to identify person and track you all over including collate with financial records (which you NEVER worry about), just WHAT THE HELL FANTASY WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN? Anyone who can read saw this coming since 1950s in science-fiction! Sheesh.
    (Why doesn't ` work for strikethrough? Makes it hard to FTFY) Because there needs to be some kind of limit on the Guys With Guns(tm), however ephemeral or weak, lest ... well, lest another revolution break out. Nah ... no one will look up from their phone long enough to march, much less fight.

  • On the post: Congressman Introduces Legislation To Criminalize Protesting In A Mask

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 13 Jul, 2018 @ 12:01pm

    Re: I like this law

    This is the part I like:
    Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law,... including while wearing a mask, injures, oppresses, threatens, or intimidates any person ... in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution

    https://matrixbob.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/police-wiyh-masks.jpg

  • On the post: Senators Wyden and Schatz Wants To Know Why The FCC Made Up A DDOS Attack

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 13 Jun, 2018 @ 09:39am

    This is why "anonymous government sources" should be avoided

    Not banned - that's too far.

    But the media needs to go back to the fundamental principle of, "If you won't say it on the record, we need to verify your story" (And even if they WILL say it on the record.)

    Quoting "a high ranking authority who is not authorized to speak about the subject" denies the readers the ability to judge bias and credibility, fosters laziness in reporters, and removes accountability for spreading falsehoods.

    I'd like to see Wyden subpoena anyone from the FCC who was named/can be identified as spreading the story to the media.

    Shielding sources is important for issues like the Pentagon papers and Snowden's revelations, but it's an overused crutch these days.

  • On the post: The US Government Is Considering Drafting Middle-Aged Hackers To Fight The Cyberwar

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 12 Mar, 2018 @ 10:59am

    Real source documents

    Rather than post links to nextgov.com and some rando's documentcloud, why not link directly to the Federal Register? Your readers might be interested in actually submitting comments (before April 18), although based on the FCC's recent response to public input, maybe silence would be a better option?
    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/02/16/2018-03261/request-for-information-on-improving-the-military-selective-service-process-and-increasing

    You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. 05-2018-01, by any of the following methods:
    Email: national.commission.on.service.info@mail.mil. Please include the docket number in the subject line of the message.

    Website: http://www.inspire2serve.gov/​content/​share-your-thoughts. Follow the instructions on the page to submit a comment and include the docket number in the comment.

    Mail: National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service, Attn: RFI COMMENT—Docket 05-2018-01, 2530 Crystal Drive, Suite 1000, Room 1029 Arlington, VA 22202.

    All submissions received must include the docket number. If the Commission cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the Commission may not be able to consider your comment. Late comments will be considered.

  • On the post: Hollywood Accounting Back In Court: How Has Spinal Tap Only Earned $81 In Merchandise Sales For Its Creators?

    burningwoodchipper ( profile ), 01 Nov, 2016 @ 11:09am

    Termination rights

    2019 is right around the corner, and knowing how slowly the wheels of "justice" turn, it's not surprising that they are acting now to preserve termination rights down the road.

    Once they own the copyright, they can force licensing terms on the studio(s) and distribution companies.

    Maybe they'll even earn more than $100 on the deal.