Dave 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 04 Jan, 2013 @ 06:36am

    Re:

    The US government, and the people of this great country need to take a very hard look at the history of the world. Civilizations, countries, and societies have all failed from essentially the same reasons. The wealthy want more and don't care how they get it or who gets hurt in the process. Eventually the corruption weakens the strength and resolve of the local government and they get overrun by either their own army, their own citizens, or by an external force that sees an opportunity. Take heed, Washington, your day is coming.

    The only fly in the ointment I can see is nuclear weapons. No previous society has had them available. We apparently have enough to destroy the world many times over and are probably stupid enough to use them if threatened. Good thing I'm too old to worry about it. My children and grandchildren, however, are not. I give us maybe ten years, maybe less.

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 04 Jan, 2013 @ 06:24am

    Re: How To Cut Spending: End Corporate Welfare!!! ???? ????

    1. commenter8 - you don't need 5 (five) copies of the same posting on this forum! One will suffice.
    2. While I agree with you entirely, the reason it won't happen is the money those same corporations are spending in DC to continue the welfare. The cash for said welfare has to come from somewhere, and, as usual, it's the little people that pay the bill. Surely you don't expect the rich or the corporations themselves to make any sacrifices. Heaven forfend! Bah!!!

  • On the post: Megaupload Tells Court That DOJ Deliberately Misled Court In Getting Warrant

    Dave ( profile ), 04 Jan, 2013 @ 06:05am

    Review, Please.

    Let's get some real lawyers in this discussion to give us their opinion. Nearly everything the Gummint is doing seems illegal to me, either here or in New Zeeland. I'm not sure I understand why or how the US DOJ is getting away with this crap. Is the rest of our intrepid Government just a bunch of jellyfish with no backbone to stop them, or to stand up to Hollyweird? What ever happened to the Constitution??

  • On the post: Razer Updates Synapse Software With Better 'Offline Mode,' Other Problematic 'Features' Remain Unchanged

    Dave ( profile ), 03 Jan, 2013 @ 08:20am

    Re: Re: Re: I Hate Them Meeses to Pieces!

    Even more to the point, no internet connection is 100% reliable. They drop out all the time, or get slowed way down by local loading. The last time I checked, the USB connections to my computers worked fine every time, no dropouts, no delays. So, what are these idiots thinking? Again, it has to be monitizing the customer data which, as far as I'm concerned, takes them totally off my radar as a mouse source.

  • On the post: Razer Updates Synapse Software With Better 'Offline Mode,' Other Problematic 'Features' Remain Unchanged

    Dave ( profile ), 03 Jan, 2013 @ 05:06am

    Re: Re: I Hate Them Meeses to Pieces!

    If they are truely pulling that, then they deserve to be boycotted or just plain ignored. Who needs their fancy, overpriced rodents anyway. I sure don't.

  • On the post: Razer Updates Synapse Software With Better 'Offline Mode,' Other Problematic 'Features' Remain Unchanged

    Dave ( profile ), 03 Jan, 2013 @ 04:54am

    Re: I Hate Them Meeses to Pieces!

    My apologies to Hanna-Barbera for the quote.

  • On the post: Congress So Dysfunctional, It Can't Even Fix The Errors It ADMITS It Made In Patent Reform

    Dave ( profile ), 03 Jan, 2013 @ 08:51am

    Follow the Money!

    Who benefits from these "errors" not being fixed? The patent trolls, and any corporation that has managed to get a flakey patent through the PTO. Money talks, good intentions walk. 'Nuff said.

  • On the post: Megaupload Tells Court That DOJ Deliberately Misled Court In Getting Warrant

    Dave ( profile ), 03 Jan, 2013 @ 08:08am

    Ain't Gonna Happen!

    You want REAL reform? You want to end the Hollywood mess? Then three things need to happen. First, eliminate the grossly excessive cost of campaigning. In spite of the campaign manager's opinions, traveling around the country is not required. We have superb communications now, so all of this could be done from the Internet. Commercial TV and radio isn't necessary to get the message out. Provide each registered candidate with a fixed, equal amount of money.

    Second, make PACs, of any sort, and lobbying illegal. No one knows where the money comes from, large corporations, foreign governments, criminal organizations, Hollywood, who knows? I do know we don't need that cash running around Washington, or the state governments buying votes and influencing legislation and judicial decisions.

    Third limit all donations to the state or national political parties, with a limit of $50 per year per person, tracked by the person's ID, and eliminate private donations to the individual candidates.

    I know, it won't happen. Too much money already floating around to allow it. It sure would be nice, though.

  • On the post: Razer Updates Synapse Software With Better 'Offline Mode,' Other Problematic 'Features' Remain Unchanged

    Dave ( profile ), 03 Jan, 2013 @ 04:49am

    I Hate Them Meeses to Pieces!

    What I really don't get is why the internet connection at all. And don't feed me that crap about the cost of internal memory. Flash is dirt cheap, especially in the sizes needed here. So much for that excuse. Logitec solved that problem 20 years ago. It's called SetPoint, and works wonderfully.

    Meeses are in an intimate relationship with the computer thay are connected to. PERIOD. If you move the mouse, the relationship follows. The "cloud" nor the internet, has anything to do with it. They must have figured out some way to monitize the cloud connection to want to pull crap like this. Sheesh!

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 02 Jan, 2013 @ 01:21pm

    Re: Re: Our Wonderful Gummint

    IMHO if we continue as we are, we won't have to. Once certain foreign powers get the idea we're too weak from internal corruption to defend ourselves, they'll take care of the problem quickly, at gun point. I give us maybe ten years, maybe less.

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 02 Jan, 2013 @ 09:21am

    Re: How did the President escape blame?

    See "Our Wonderful Gummint" above. All shall be revealed.

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 02 Jan, 2013 @ 09:10am

    Re: Re: Our Wonderful Gummint

    True, but we GOTTA do something. We can't survive, as a country, if this crap continues, you know it and I know it.

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 02 Jan, 2013 @ 09:08am

    Re: Umm, could you EVER mention the 25 or so TRILLION of guarantees Wall Street got?

    I'm not sure what you're smoking, or how long you've been hung over, but Mike and company have repeatedly and vociferously damned Wall Street since 2008 for their actions and Washington for their apparent disregard for the taxpayer in bailing Wall Street out. Wake up, dude!

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 02 Jan, 2013 @ 09:02am

    Re: Point fingers

    And, just as important, who voted for it?

  • On the post: Embedded In The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Hollywood Gets A Big Tax Break

    Dave ( profile ), 02 Jan, 2013 @ 08:46am

    Our Wonderful Gummint

    Let's step back a bit and look at a few things.

    Federal Oath Of Office -

    "The current oath was enacted in 1884:

    I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."

    Each and every one of our esteemed congresscritters, and the members of the Executive branch, are blatantly violating their oaths of office. In most cases, they are also violating the duties of their offices. They are sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution. Instead, they are attacking it at every turn.

    They are sworn to "well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter". Instead, they ignore or directly violate those duties with impunity. They seem to regard Federal service as license to print money, curry favor with the rich and powerful, and directly ignore the reason they were elected or appointed.

    Somebody needs to grab them by the scruff of the neck and shake them up a little. Some prison time wouldn't hurt.

    I don't know, yet, what to do about it. They're pretty deeply entrenched. But there must be an answer somewhere.

  • On the post: Doing Data Journalism Badly

    Dave ( profile ), 28 Dec, 2012 @ 07:01pm

    Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

    I think old Sam had it right. Who knows what this actually means, or where they got their "numbers".

  • On the post: Copyfraud: Copyright Claims On CDs Say It's Infringement To Loan Your CD To A Friend

    Dave ( profile ), 28 Dec, 2012 @ 09:36am

    So, basically they're telling us that if we purchase a physical object, in this case a CD or DVD, that we don't actually own that object. That means we aren't purchasing it, only licensing it, the same as software. Right? That also means it's grossly overpriced, just like software (you listening Microsoft?). And they're trying to STOP piracy? Yeah right! There's much more to this than we're seeing.

  • On the post: Prenda's Latest Bag Of Tricks: Getting Info On IP Addresses By Any Means Necessary

    Dave ( profile ), 21 Dec, 2012 @ 04:31pm

    Re:

    I have often wondered the same thing. I was aghast when Righthaven was allowed to go as far as they were, especially after getting whacked so many times for not having standing to sue. This legal system of ours is far too permissive.

  • On the post: Senator Chambliss Says There's No Reason To Debate FISA Amendments Act; Just Pass It

    Dave ( profile ), 19 Dec, 2012 @ 05:02pm

    Since when has this administration or this congress had ANY regard for the people or the Constitution? I fully expect them to continue stomping on our rights until we stop them. It may take a march on Washington to do that.

  • On the post: Instagram: 'Wait, Wait! That's Not What We Meant!'

    Dave ( profile ), 18 Dec, 2012 @ 07:36pm

    Sorry, I really don't understand what the fuss is all about. Heinlein's TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) principle is alive and well in this digital age. It costs a bunch to host the site and send out all of those bits. ALL of the services, search, news, social, etc., have to pay for the service they provide, and they do that by selling either advertising or your data, or both. If you aren't paying them for it's use, like they say, you ARE the product.

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