Mike Mixer 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (52) comment rss

  • On the post: Diebold Hid Faulty Machines From Elections Board

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 26 Oct, 2006 @ 08:09pm

    It doesn't take a Diebold to ruin an election

    Many years ago I lived and worked in a small town where emotions ran high at election time. One concerned citizen took it upon himself to stake-out City Hall the night of the election to see if he could catch the powers that be in any shenanigans. Lo and behold, at about 12:30 am, a light went on in the supposedly sealed ballot counting room. This concerned citizen went ballistic to say the least. Aside from all of the conspiracy talk generated the one pertinent question was" Why was the cleaning crew allowed into a sealed room with uncounted ballots the night of an election?". explanations from those involved(some of whom were incumbants in the election) ranged from" it was a minor mistake" clear up to "you have to wonder about somebody who thinks he has to guard the ballots" trying to impugn the integrity of the concerned citizen. As it turned out , none of the challengers won(insert gasp of amazement here) and all of the winners hailed Oregon's new vote-by-mail ballots a rousing success. Moral: It doesn't take a Diebold to ruin an election, it only takes an opportunity.

  • On the post: Google Decides YouTube Is Worth $1.65 Billion In Play Money Plus Any Additional Legal Hassles

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 09 Oct, 2006 @ 07:48pm

    Re: Mark Cuban

    Mark Cuban does't speak out of had or unwisely, i fact he says what needs to be said when others won't and points out absurdities that need to be addressed and we should all try to emulate his genius.

  • On the post: Enjoying Live Music Is Expensive

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 09 Oct, 2006 @ 07:33pm

    Cover tunes

    There is not a band in existence who doesn't cover other bands material at one time or another. I have it on very good authority that Jimi Hendrix played them when he was playing clubs in Seattle and now you need to pay for the privilege. you know, it was one thing for the music industry to step on it's dick with all of the RIAA stuff but this qualifies as standing there and pointing out the fact that your doing it. I read where Tower records was in trouble. May that be the first in a long line of well established entertainment industry outlets to die flopping like fish out of water

  • On the post: Allofmp3 Doesn't Really Care If Russia Joins The WTO Or Not

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 06 Oct, 2006 @ 06:33pm

    This ,I like

    Well this is refreshing,. The goons have leaned as hard as they can, pulled laws out of their asses and the beat goes on. First Piratebay, now Allofmp3, who's next on the "ignore 'em and they'll disappear" train? I personally hope that the experiment on Myspace selling music takes off and every artist goes there to sell themselves. The traditional music industry with all of it's bloodsucking leec-I mean lawyers will be as fashionable as piss stains on a toilet seat in a few years

  • On the post: Belgian Publishers Trying To Milk Google Ban For All It's Worth

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 04 Oct, 2006 @ 08:31pm

    this has gone on long enough

    Google should be to the point where they're ready to give these arrogant pencil-necks what they deserve, A google page with a big middle finger and nothing else. Screw Belgium.

  • On the post: Can We See The Actual FCC Data On Broadband Penetration?

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 26 Sep, 2006 @ 07:27pm

    Re: Not a conspiricy

    More than that, it's gullible too

  • On the post: Lawsuit Claims Kid Never Would Have Killed Abusive Father Without Playing GTA

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 26 Sep, 2006 @ 02:40pm

    Re: Oh crap!

    No we don't need the government to babysit lawyers, we simply need to remove the single largest incentive for being a lawyer. I know you know what I'm talking about. The money,all the stinking money. Eliminate that and pay every one 40,000 a year and don't pay judges a dime.

  • On the post: What Does It Say When The World's Largest Patent Holder Sees Problems With The System?

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 26 Sep, 2006 @ 02:25pm

    Much ado about little

    It is helpful that IBM is doing this but you have to wonder how much it will act as an object lesson. Most patent trolls will want to keep their booty top secret so they can pick a juicier fish to go after if a lot of people stumble on to the "patently" obvious and infringe on it

  • On the post: After Conquering Space, X-Prize Group To Reward Inner Exploration

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2006 @ 04:19pm

    Sorting out the gene pool

    The problem with finally nailing down the markers for all disease processes isn't time or money, It's rampant sentimentalism that seems to infect even the clearest thinkers in the human race. Nobody would ever be allowed to use this information effectively because as soon as someone starts acting on the information(ie. aborting defective fetuses) a lynch mob will carry them away to a handy oak tree and do what lynch mobs do best. Of course, the way the country is turning into a religious nut-bag ruled tyranny it would more likely be government troops doing the hanging.

  • On the post: The Growing Backlash Against Automated Cheating Detectors

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 23 Sep, 2006 @ 08:44am

    Re: secrecy breeds corruption

    That won't work. That would be forcing the people to choose between grades and privacy, we don't even force suspected murderers to give that up. the only way to combat cheating is to allow the work to only be done in the teachers presence. If that is too hard for the teacher to handle maybe there has to be some thought put into how much work is being required by everybody. Most of the plagiarism problem today is caused by the teachers wanting too much work out of the students. When I graduated from High school it was already starting. The students who were bearing the load were cheating at least a little bit and the honest ones soon started to keep up. Even in the community college I went to there were teachers who were fresh out of school with a masters scroll in their hand and nothing but teaching jobs to fall into so they were expecting the same work they did out of us at a much lower level. Expecting a solid education is reasonable but simply piling on more and heavier asignments is not the way to achieve it, there has to be a kind of free-learning that is not outcome based or all you'll get out of schools are burned out cheaters.

  • On the post: Dunn's Really Done Now At HP

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 22 Sep, 2006 @ 05:33pm

    The Patricia Dunn Show

    Well now that the dust will begin to settle you have to ask these important questions if you own HP stock, Firstly, did some of the other board members know about this business and support it? If they did they should be canned for not stopping it. If they didn't, can them because they they're too damn stupid to deserve a seat on the board or even on a thundermug. In short the whole board should be hung out to dry except for the one that was the focus of the "investigation", that may be the only person in this whole mess who isn't criminally stupid. Secondly, How fast can I get rid of this chancre-ridden stock? Thirdly, Can I sue that stupid bitch into the poorhouse for torpedoing the company the way she did? Lastly, If suing will cost too much can I track her down and make her life miserable? It will always stick in my craw that Ken Lay died before the government could send him to a free proctology school (prison for those of you in Rio Linda)

  • On the post: Belgian Courts Insist Google Post Legal Ruling

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 22 Sep, 2006 @ 03:39pm

    dumbass europeans

    This is all about the Europeans despising Americans and any chance they have to humiliate or degrade us is used with the same relish as drinking a fine wine. I would ignore the bastards, what'll they do? annoy us more. If they don't shut up just cut the whole shebang off, don't accept any queries from Belgium so they can find out what isolation is about.

  • On the post: Band Just Notices That Run DMC Sampled Their Song Twenty Years Ago; Files Lawsuit

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 20 Sep, 2006 @ 02:50pm

    Infringement ?

    Well a band that was famous for 2 minutes got ripped off by a band you couldn't listen to for 30 seconds finally gets justice 20 years later, a statute of limitation should be put on those lawyers being able to breath. I know I know, too violent, but the flipside is they are already braindead, we just need to unhook the respirator

  • On the post: Justice Department Says Free Speech Not Stifled By Web Labeling Bill

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 19 Sep, 2006 @ 07:33am

    Re: Wide Open Web

    For your information sir(I use the term loosely), There are a vast number of people who are not afraid of human sexuality and even celebrate the ease of which you can explore it on the web today. All of this fear of sex comes down to one thing and it isn't fearing for the safety of children. The real reason for you're fear of sex is that as long as it is visible and open you cannot control it. You can't tell your the people in you congregation that it is evil and gross to have sex because anybody can find it on the web and see that it is fun and exciting and there are hundreds of ways to do it too. Quit trying to tell me how to live and watch yourself and how you conduct your life because it seems to me that over the last twenty or thirty years the main abusers of children have been religious fucksticks like yourself. Seeing a sexual act never hurt anybody unless they were told there eyes would fall out if they ever saw it so lay off and crawl back into your hole you parochial simpleton.

  • On the post: A Look At Indecency Complaints To The FCC

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2006 @ 01:27pm

    Re: Try thinking of others for once

    Julius Ceasar also diddled little boys on his many campaigns to conquer the uncivilized tribes of Europe and extend the Empire. Which man shall be remebered?

  • On the post: A Look At Indecency Complaints To The FCC

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2006 @ 01:10pm

    Re: the real issue

    You just hit the nail on the head. We have a definition of what should be considered indecent on the air. Anything that is illegal in the real world should be regulated on the airwaves. So simple, You really are a pretty fart smeller. Let's see now, depictions of rape,incest, murder,robbery,police brutality, speeding yelling at little kids,and kicking dogs should be heavily regulated if not outright banned while images of two or more consenting adults engaging in sexual intercourse in private regardless of gender or proclivity should be just fine.

  • On the post: A Look At Indecency Complaints To The FCC

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2006 @ 06:52am

    Re: The Alternative

    It always comes down to the worst case scenario with you pseudo-religious types doesn't it? But, just for a moment, let's go with this line of reasoning.You think the worst case is homosexuals engaging in intercourse and marathon incest on tv. Now that we eliminated what you find offensive it's somone else's turn.What shall we protest?Hmm, I know, how about being subjected to hearing preaching on tv as I am cycling through the channels to find something to watch? Who knows who the perpetrator might be, Beni Han or some other bible thumper, doesn't matter though, they need to get that programming which is offensive to me off the air. What do you mean freedom of religion, you just took away something I liked because you didn't like it now it's my turn. And don't say we'll vote,your choice wasn't put to a vote so mine isn't either. Fair's fair. Now who is next? how about overweight people on a diet wanting to shut down all cooking shows and food commercials so they won't be tempted or somebody who detests sports getting all televised sports eliminated? You can't have your freedom to the detriment of somebody else's, differences must be tolerated because the brush of censorship is wide and fickle. One day you might just need your freedom so be careful how you allow yourself to be used as a tool to abridge others.

  • On the post: RIAA Still Feels Entitled To Scour Everyone's Hard Drives

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 01 Sep, 2006 @ 11:01pm

    The answer to all of this

    I've been thinking about this for some time now and my conclusion is that we need to buy only from indy labels that are not represented by the RIAA. I know that there are killer bands and solo performers who can only get limited distribution from small labels that really kick ass and we all lose when only the big label pablum forces them to quit. I can't remeber the last time a Metallica song rocked and the Simpson sisters should stick to lipstick lesbian porn.

  • On the post: California Taking Steps To Outlaw WiFi Piggybacking?

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 31 Aug, 2006 @ 02:36pm

    Re: How is this binding?

    I thought that was the purpose of the state of California, a testbed for new and creepier ways to make lawyers rich.

  • On the post: AOL Goes Digging For Gold (Yes, Literally)

    Mike Mixer ( profile ), 16 Aug, 2006 @ 12:11pm

    gold

    I would be surprised if AOL has to use a shovel to search.All they need is a metal detector. Even with the sensativity turned way down they should get a hit on a gold bar even 6 feet down. Ground penetrating radar will also tell the story so the shovels can be put where they are the most useful, dead center in AOL's exhaust pipe.

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