Tim Cushing 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: John Elway No Fan Of Punk Band Elway; Asks It To Change Name

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 08:29pm

    Re:

    Kathleen Turner Overdrive, one of my all-time favorites.

    Related, but not quite: REO Speedealer.

  • On the post: John Elway No Fan Of Punk Band Elway; Asks It To Change Name

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:17pm

    Of course, this trend kind of makes you wonder if more and more bands are naming themselves or their albums after celebrities in an attempt to get a publicity boost from any potential legal shenanigans.

    I'm forming a Krautrock-meets-shoegazer trio named The Ryan Giggs Experience featuring Ryan Giggs.

  • On the post: The Maximalist Future: Be Sure To Pay Off Your Lawsuits Before Heading For The School Bus

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:16pm

    Re:

    Wouldn't it just be simpler to stab your eyes out? I mean, as compared to the logistical nightmare of creating multiple custom RSS feeds?

  • On the post: The Maximalist Future: Be Sure To Pay Off Your Lawsuits Before Heading For The School Bus

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:14pm

    Re:

    Goddamnit. You're right.

    The only advantage we have is that we already know what they'll be using next. I'm not really sure what kind of advantage that is, but at least we've got... well, we haven't really got anything, have we?

  • On the post: The Maximalist Future: Be Sure To Pay Off Your Lawsuits Before Heading For The School Bus

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:10pm

    Re: Re: Re:

    I'm going to cede the "prescient/plausible" argument. After review, "plausible" appears to be a better fit. However, I'll need a new modifier as "eerily plausible" doesn't seem to roll off the tongue quite as smoothly...

  • On the post: The Maximalist Future: Be Sure To Pay Off Your Lawsuits Before Heading For The School Bus

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:08pm

    Re: From The Laughingstock Department

    It's been a long time (some would say "too long" but we had them shot) since we've had a visit from The Laughingstock Department. Thanks for stopping by.

    Your metaphor has been forwarded to the proper department for approval. Please allow 4-6 weeks for a response.

  • On the post: The Maximalist Future: Be Sure To Pay Off Your Lawsuits Before Heading For The School Bus

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:04pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Really?

    1. You should totally write that story. One of the Tims can write up commentary on it. Let us know when you've got it in the bag.

    Really, it is just pathetic anti-copyright propaganda. It has no basis in fact or even potential.

    Don't forget anti-patent, anti-trademark, anti-nanny state and anti-frivolous/vindictive lawsuit.

  • On the post: The Maximalist Future: Be Sure To Pay Off Your Lawsuits Before Heading For The School Bus

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:02pm

    Re: Re:

    I mean, come on. Cushing? Who really believes that's a last name?

    I know. I can hardly believe it myself.

  • On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 04:51am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yeah, I am very comfortable over here NOT on your side, Big Content

    OK. I'll go start digging around for receipts I'm sure I never kept just as soon as you post your name.

  • On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 03:08am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yeah, I am very comfortable over here NOT on your side, Big Content

    Everyone knows people like you have terabytes of content that you are aware was obtained illegally.

    Wrong.

    You assume this about anyone who disagrees with your arguments. Not pro-copyright = thief.

    If that's all you've got, then save yourself the typing and just respond with "Thief." It does the same thing as your longer responses, which should leave you free to go waste those extra letters somewhere else.

  • On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 31 May, 2011 @ 02:20am

    Re: Re: Re: Yeah, I am very comfortable over here NOT on your side, Big Content

    This is more of the same. Trying to drag the the good part of the internet down with the bad.

    That's exactly what I was saying, and yet you're trying to turn it into an argument against what I was saying?

    And as for the rest of my response, Eejit already has it handled.

  • On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 30 May, 2011 @ 12:45pm

    Re: Yeah, I am very comfortable over here NOT on your side, Big Content

    That post and the comment you're sort of quoting have nothing to do with "taking for free."

    The problem is that you assume everyone in here is pirating whatever they can get their hands on, rather than pointing out the faults of a system that rewards certain industries for failing to adapt.

    Saying that chasing down piracy is a waste of time and money IS NOT the same thing as saying piracy is cool and go do more of it, etc.

    Yes, it's a free country... to a point. I don't have to watch Big Content. But whether or not I patronize Big Content, I still have to deal with the laws put in place solely to benefit Big Content.

    Liking or not liking Big Content is no longer the issue. I may have zero interest in anything Big Content creates, but their legislative power affects me anyway.

    Quick example: plenty of indie bands put their stuff up for download (for free, if you can believe it!) on torrents or at digital storage lockers. Big Content would like these shut down as they can't find any legitimate way to police them. ("Legitimate" is a fake term, meaning they haven't been able to twist the law into doing this... yet.) However, under the broad name of "infringement," they're working hard to get these blocked or shut down. Google already omits them from searches.

    So, what happens when you have a site that hosts links to both "infringing" content and non-infringing content? Well, the government isn't going to sort that out. They'll just seize the domain. Now, I can't get to the legitimate stuff I wanted (temporarily, something else always takes it place -- another reason why this sort of action is short-sighted and moronic) because it got swept in with the "bad stuff."

    I don't have to be a "thief" to be harmed by legislation and other anti-piracy actions. I get shit on with DRM even though I'm not stealing software. I get to pay a tariff on blank media even if I'm not ripping rented movies or downloading Big Content's products.

    So, get over this "if you're against Big Content, you're a thief." It's a bullshit argument. People can still be for copyright laws but realize that 100+ years is way too long to keep something tied to one person and their heirs. Conversely, someone can argue for abolishing or reducing copyright length without being a "thief."

  • On the post: Waiting 100+ Years For Version 2.0

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 28 May, 2011 @ 07:00pm

    My apologies for being severely late for the party being held in my honor. (Well, scrolling back through the comments, it actually seems to be about 50% dishonor, but I'll take what I can get.)

    I'd also like to take a moment to thank Marcus, Mike, Jay, Jeni, the Eejit and the many others (including various AC's [I'm sorry. I don't know your names.]) who waded into the comment threads to bust heads (metaphorically speaking, presumably) in my absence. I appreciate all your efforts, especially Marcus, who went toe-to-toe with the AC also known as ALL CAPS for so long he was reduced to typing something resembling an eye chart on the right side of the page.

    I can't answer everything brought up here (and most of it has been tackled already, and by people who are more qualified to, um... tackle...[?]), but I'll try to tackle a few:

    1. The first commenter answered my question with a logical answer (cover versions), using one of the few instances of copyright law that actually seems to be built on common sense. There are a few snags keeping it from being a blanket answer (see also: the epic Marcus v AC subthread), and it only handles one aspect of copyright law affecting only one form of artistic expression, music. See also: Fair Use, sampling/remixing -- issues that generally get resolved in the courtroom.

    2. AC @9:05pm - Don't give up your day job Tim, because damn you suck at comedy.

    Heckling is more effective when you target it properly. If you want to insult my comedy skills, you may want to try one of these pieces, which were written in a comedic style:

    http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110524/17205614418/uk-injunction-process-revised-to-better-fit-realities-internet-communication.shtml

    http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110522/15562714383/open-letter-to-sony-ceo-howard-stringer.shtml

    Have at it.

    3. Buck Lateral - You can call me out on IDEA if you'd like. That was poorly worded on my part. However, you're just jumping on miswording to avoid the bigger issue: Why does copyright need to last more than lifetime? We're looking at 70+ years minimum pretty much all the way across the board. Between you and ALL CAPS, plenty of wordy hay was made about cover tunes and not being able to copyright an idea, but neither of you want to respond directly to the question I asked.

    Buck, you mention "legitimate debate" and accuse me (well, Mike first and then me) of "whipping up hysteria." If I concede your point that I did this intentionally, where was all the "hysteria"? You're the only one beating this one word to death. If anyone caught any freetardian koolaided hysteria, it was you.

    As for the Koolaid (and the welcome return of the word "freetard" after its self-imposed banishment)? I'm sure you'll find this hard to believe, but it is possible for multiple people to come to the same conclusions without having to attend some sort of mass brainwashing or webinar or whatever. It would stand to reason that Mike would bring in like-minded writers. DailyKOS does it. The Drudge Report does it. Reason does it. Pretty much any site with a distinct viewpoint brings in people who are like-minded. Stop trying to drum up hysteria of your own by painting everyone involved with this site (writers, readers and commenters) as blank-eyed zombie drones in service to Masnick. It gets you nothing but half-assed pats on the back from like-minded AC trolls and instantly marginalizes whatever point you were trying to make.

    (Yet another) AC:

    "Tim is one person among millions encouraging these lazy remakes and reboots."

    Do me a favor: click on my profile and grab as many links to comments or posts I've written showing my encouragement of lazy remakes and reboots. Then post them here.

    "What kind of grown man calls watching children's Disney movies a "pleasure"? Seriously, do you have the intellectual capacity and interests of an 8 year old girl?"

    I'm guessing Jeffrey Tucker of the Mises Institute is one of those grown men who does. I'm quoting his piece. He certainly seemed to enjoy it.

    And I'll go ahead and paint a big target on my back for you: I enjoy watching Disney movies. It helps that I have kids, so I actually see more of them then I would on my own. Pretty much everything Pixar has done under Disney's banner has been excellent. "The Emperor's New Groove" was a blast. If I'm not mistaken, "Tron" is a Disney flick. Did you check that one out? Or were the theaters overrun with 8-year-old girls? How about "National Treasure?" "Pirates of the Caribbean?"

    Now, go ahead and pound the hell out of that target. When you get to the point in the beating where you answer my question about the absurd length of copyright protection, wake me up and let me know.

  • On the post: Recent Law School Grad Gets Berated By Judge, Then Sues Nearly Everyone Who Discussed The Case

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 27 May, 2011 @ 03:01pm

    [Throws a handful of loaded wording on the rails]

    that used an unfortunate choice of the word "trick" -- which, as BEAN knew only too well, was a shorthand word that meant only that Bean should underplay the fact that he worked for the defense...

    Sounds like the same sort of revised wording used to explain away climate scientists' use of "Mike's Nature trick."

    [Walks casually away from possibly ensuing wreckage. In slow motion. Looking casually but determinedly forward.]

  • On the post: International Lulz: Anonymous Aids Rebellions in Tunisia, Algeria and Libya

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 27 May, 2011 @ 11:34am

    Re: Re: Re:

    I'm sure there are plenty people in Anonymous that have good intentions but there are just as many who are retarded little fucks that just want to wreak havoc.

    Oddly enough, the same asshat who wrote the sentence that turned you off completely made pretty much that same point further down in the article.

  • On the post: International Lulz: Anonymous Aids Rebellions in Tunisia, Algeria and Libya

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 27 May, 2011 @ 11:33am

    Re:

    Excellent comment, Steven, and one that I pretty much agree with. Two things:

    1. I think the "vigilante" part is key. I'm in full agreement that just as many structured organizations are capable of evil. But vigilantism hasn't earned its lousy reputation for nothing. If the prime motivation is revenge (often mistaken for justice), then it tends to get out of hand if no one's willing to say "Enough." And a "no-one-knows-who-we-are" group would (generally) be less likely to pull back before it goes to far. (Again, not that structured organizations aren't prone to overreach, but at the very least, there's usually a name or a face to attribute the rogue behavior to, even if said organization is nigh untouchable.)

    2. This goes back to point 1, but purely hypothetical situation: fully justified hackathon (like HBGary) in progress. Someone comes across personal files or completely unrelated data. Is the tendency in this situation to pull back and leave it undisturbed? Or is it more of a "keep digging until you reach the bottom" thought process? Not everything needs to be unearthed and hung out to dry to make a point. It's impossible for me to say since I'm not privy to the inside. This is all based on 2nd hand accounts and observation.

    The risk is larger in large organizations, if the "culture" begins to slide in a negative direction. All of the CYA maneuvering only makes things worse. But once again, they usually lack the protection of anonymity.

  • On the post: International Lulz: Anonymous Aids Rebellions in Tunisia, Algeria and Libya

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 27 May, 2011 @ 11:20am

    Re:

    Call me Ishmael.

    I stopped reading at this point, because the hell I will!

  • On the post: Did Less Than 10% Of Access Copyright's Income Go To Authors Last Year?

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 27 May, 2011 @ 07:42am

    The view from on top is:

    Authors do less than 10% of the work. The rest of their success can only be attributable to marketing, middle management and endcap placement. Innate talent is negligible and it is hoped that with further effort by marketing and middle management (especially middle management), it should be eliminated altogether within 5-10 years.

    Besides, don't ebooks write themselves? That's what I've been hearing from the Real Authors, who still use good old fashioned typewriters, whiteout and absinthe to craft their literary gems.

  • On the post: Can We Just Admit That The Idea Of A 'Privacy Policy' Is A Failed Idea?

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 26 May, 2011 @ 06:05pm

    Re:

    Talisman of Binding Agreement +4

    Binds when "I Agree" is clicked

    +3 Time Wasting
    +5 Social Networking
    +8 "Productivity"
    +24 Angry Bird Levels
    +24 Bikini Wallpaper
    -14 Actual Working
    -7% Available Storage Space

    Requirements:

    Level 30 or higher
    Classes: Wizard, Dark Elf, Early Adopter, Charlatan/Middle Manager

    Equip: Sends personal geodata along with A/S/L to ChatRoulette, Groupon & Foursquare. Auto-generates unbeatable deals on mutually pleasurable adult bookstore items/Mother's Day Cards.

    Cannot be unequipped. All data collected is the sole property of Apple, Disney and 4chan.

  • On the post: John Perry Barlow Tells Copyright Maximalists That They've Got The Fundamentals Wrong

    Tim Cushing ( profile ), 26 May, 2011 @ 07:40am

    Re: Re:

    Seems like the successful artists are doing rather well.


    Successful artist is successful.

    That's a powerful argument.

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