Alien Rebel 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (209)

• On the post: AT&T Warns FCC Of A Parade Of Horribles That Wouldn't Actually Happen If FCC Reclassifies Broadband

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 12 May, 2014 @ 02:36pm

  Yeah, That's the Ticket

  "You can't make ships out of steel; steel sinks!!" said the lumber company owner.

• On the post: Pakistani Musicians Claiming Piracy Is Worse Than The Taliban

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 06 May, 2014 @ 08:40am

  Target Confirmed

  Given the level of force used against the Taliban, U.S. interests arguing that piracy is worse than the Taliban can only mean one thing; MPAA and RIAA have assembled a fleet of armed drones that are now warmed up and ready to deploy.

• On the post: FCC's Wheeler Says That If These Lame Net Neutrality Rules Don't Work, He'll Implement The Real Rules Next Time

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 30 Apr, 2014 @ 11:34am

  I Dunno

  Aren't Americans required to try all the wrong solutions first until finally getting to the right one? Maybe Wheeler is just following the established protocol.

• On the post: How The FCC Plans Neuter The Net, Even As The FCC Insists Everyone's Got It All Wrong

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 25 Apr, 2014 @ 09:07am

  Sure, Calm Down, . .

  Hey all you frogs in the pan, no need to get out; it's just your imagination that the temperature's rising.

• On the post: Weasel Language In Proposal For FCC's New 'Open Internet' Rules Actually Opens The Door To An End To Net Neutrality

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 24 Apr, 2014 @ 01:42pm

  Re: My commercial reasoning....

  Careful, now. Wouldn't 56K be a step up for the bunch of them who still don't know what that tubes thingy is all about?
  
  And wouldn't our dumbest congress-critters just love to pass such a thing to even the playing field with their smartypants peers, who have all them smart doohickeys?

• On the post: Revolving Door: MPAA Hires Chief USTR Negotiator Behind ACTA And TPP's IP Chapter

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 24 Apr, 2014 @ 09:17am

  Re: Re: Smoke+Mirrors Illustrated

  Yup, "non-partisan" when one takes a superficial look at the party affiliations of supporters, which of course is nearly useless in discerning an organization's true agenda in D.C. The specifics of the Copyright Alliance's founders and personnel tell the real story- most of the original staff and founders were close associates of former Sen. Nickles (R-OK), who's about as far right-wing Republican as they come. The financial records of at least one Alliance member organization show contributions to the CA being sent directly to the Nickles Group LLC offices. That should pretty much dispense with the "non-partisan" veneer.

• On the post: Why Do So Many People Describe Aereo 'Complying' With Copyright Law As The Company 'Circumventing' Copyright Law?

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 23 Apr, 2014 @ 11:15am

  Re: Re: I See a Butterfly of Money

  Absolutely. Copyright law has been weaponized.

• On the post: Why Do So Many People Describe Aereo 'Complying' With Copyright Law As The Company 'Circumventing' Copyright Law?

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 23 Apr, 2014 @ 10:45am

  I See a Butterfly of Money

  Since so much of copyright law has the precision of a Rorschach inkblot test, it's not surprising that so many simply react with a "well, it looks like infringement to me." Particularly when those who stand to profit have such a loud megaphone to make suggestions.

• On the post: Revolving Door: MPAA Hires Chief USTR Negotiator Behind ACTA And TPP's IP Chapter

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 22 Apr, 2014 @ 03:39pm

  Re: Smoke+Mirrors Illustrated

  For further reading about the MPAA and its minions, here's a report from CREW / Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Best Supporting Industry.
  
  OH, NOZ! the report states that poor Sen. Nickles and his Nickles Group LLC have been canned by the MPAA, along with a few other outside lobbyists. Gosh darn it.

• On the post: Revolving Door: MPAA Hires Chief USTR Negotiator Behind ACTA And TPP's IP Chapter

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 22 Apr, 2014 @ 03:02pm

  Smoke+Mirrors Illustrated

  For giggles, here's a press release from the Library of Congress about a 'Copyright Matters' event taking place tomorrow in D.C., as part of the WIPO Intellectual Property Day nonsense. 2014 World Intellectual Property Day Celebration to Focus on Movies
  
  The LoC announcement contains the often repeated and fine description of the Copyright Alliance, which will be presenting at the event:

  The Copyright Alliance is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest and educational organization representing artists, creators and innovators across copyright industries.

  
  This of course is just the usual incestuous song and dance that goes on in D.C.; LoC Director of Communications Gayle Osterberg, listed as the press contact on the announcement, just so happens to be one of the founders of the Copyright Alliance. And oh yeah, as for non-partisan; excuse me while I throw up in my mouth, she's former VP of communications at MPAA, and longtime staff member for former Sen. Don Nickles, right-wing loon and lobbyist to the maximalists.

• On the post: Copyright Alliance Attacks ChillingEffects.org As 'Repugnant,' Wants DMCA System With No Public Accountability

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 18 Mar, 2014 @ 10:45am

  Re: Pure idiocy.

  Actually, people such as Sandra Aistars are not doing any of this based on ego. It's money. The only egos here are those of artists, musicians, and authors who naively buy the propaganda over so-called "theft," and are just being used as foot soldiers by industry interests that see dollars in reducing the market share of anyone not them.

• On the post: Copyright Alliance Attacks ChillingEffects.org As 'Repugnant,' Wants DMCA System With No Public Accountability

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 18 Mar, 2014 @ 09:54am

  501(c)4

  The Copyright Alliance is just another purely artificial astroturf organization, doing what it's paid to do by a select group of special interests. It therefore shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the words uttered by Sandra Aistars are just nonsensical crap thrown at a wall in the hope that some of them will stick, and have some political effect. Look no further than who the Alliance founders and staffers have been; either MPAA execs, Nickles Group LLC lobbyists, or alumni from the Progress & Freedom Foundation, which played a role in Newt Gingrich's ethics troubles back in the 90's. Copyright Alliance Staff, 2008. archive.org
  
  I had the displeasure of spending quality time on the phone with Ms. Aistars; "hack attorney" is exactly right, IMO. Former Time-Warner VP, attorney from Weil, Gotshal, & Manges. Defender of "creative individuals"? Yah, sure.

• On the post: Will Cheese Derail TAFTA/TTIP?

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 14 Mar, 2014 @ 03:18pm

  Re: Re: Cheese Melt

  We appear to have a slight misunderstanding; I did not suggest in any way that "free trade" is a valid concept. I merely pointed out the absurdity of applying it to, of all things, something that would raise trade barriers. You humans really crack me up sometimes.

• On the post: Will Cheese Derail TAFTA/TTIP?

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 14 Mar, 2014 @ 10:49am

  Re: Re:

  Of course Philly cheese steaks will have to use American cheese, made in America. Ruh-roh, aren't we now in violation of NAFTA?

• On the post: Will Cheese Derail TAFTA/TTIP?

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 14 Mar, 2014 @ 09:10am

  Cheese Melt

  O.K., let me get this straight- this kerfluffle is about erecting new trade barriers? Damn, I guess that does it for all pretense of "free trade."
  
  Oh, wait, I'm forgetting I'm on the stupid planet, . .

• On the post: If You Want To Fix U.S. Broadband Competition, Start By Killing State-Level Protectionist Laws Written By Duopolists

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 13 Mar, 2014 @ 09:38am

  ALEC

  One large element missing from this story is mention of ALEC, (American Legislative Exchange Council) which has been a huge driver in all this state and local protectionist nonsense. ars technica, June 29, 2012. South Carolina passes bill against municipal broadband.
  
  This leads me to call out yet again former Sen. Don Nickles, patron of the Copyright Alliance and ALEC supporter, who's lobbying firm The Nickles Group LLC, serves COMCAST, AT&T, MPAA, Walmart, and Intellectual Ventures. My first thought is that it's really too bad he's facing a headwind these days. But on second thought, increasing resistance probably just means more lobbying work and gravy coming his way. Shiny.

• On the post: Student Points Finger Like Gun, Gets Suspended Under Zero Tolerance Rules

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 11 Mar, 2014 @ 10:56am

  Re: Re: Re:

  FYI- I did write "so called adults."
  
  Anyhow, I grew up watching lots of John Wayne war movies, and drew plenty of graphic battle scenes during class-time. One of my teachers did get to see my notebook, chock-full of violence and gore. (Leaky, smeary red ballpoint pens made for some awesome blood!) She just commented that I had talent.
  
  If I was a kid now I'd be doing hard time.

• On the post: Comcast: Throwing Money At Congress To Approve Our Merger Is Ok Because Congress Represents The People!

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 11 Mar, 2014 @ 10:32am

  Nickles Again

  My favorite denizen of the D.C. swamp, former Senator Don Nickles, got his pic and honorable mention in this article on COMCAST's lobbying team. Eric Lipton. COMCAST?s Web of Lobbying and Philanthropy. NY Times, Feb. 20, 2014
  
  Caption of photo accompanying the article:

  Comcast?s team includes six former government officials. From left, former Senator Don Nickles, former Representative Robert Walker, former Senator Blanche Lincoln, former Representative Ron Klink, David Cohen of Comcast and former F.C.C. member Meredith Attwell Baker.

• On the post: Comcast: Throwing Money At Congress To Approve Our Merger Is Ok Because Congress Represents The People!

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 11 Mar, 2014 @ 10:09am

  Sad

  Unfortunately, expecting anyone to make sense these days is just plain unrealistic. All it takes now is having well-dressed "serious" people move their mouths and spew the right buzzwords; making logical sense is optional. Like the Gary Larson cartoon of an old woman talking to her dog, all they need to say is "bla-bla-blah, business, bla-bla, . . good for consumers, . . "bla-bla-blah, . . democratic process, bla-bla blah, . . "
  
  And of course, handing out cash to all the right people makes the deal happen while the public sits waiting patiently for the doggie treat they think is coming. Job done. We live in an idiotocracy.

• On the post: Student Points Finger Like Gun, Gets Suspended Under Zero Tolerance Rules

  

  Alien Rebel ( profile ), 10 Mar, 2014 @ 08:01pm

  Re:

  "An easy way to stop this sort of crap would be to get all the students to do the same thing."
  
  I like it; though a foolish doubling down by the so-called adults would of course be a distinct possibility.
  
  The nice thing about this idea is that while morons can easily disregard the opinions of other adults (a big reason they're morons more than likely), there's no escaping the humiliation when even children recognize what dopes they are. I can't imagine many things inflicting more hurt to the ego than a school full of kids snickering, "that's the stoopid teacher!!!" And then with fingers drawn, blast away- "Pew, . . Pew-Pew!!!"

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