DV Henkel-Wallace’s Techdirt Profile

On the post: Remember Claims That Cord Cutting Was On The Ropes? It's Actually Worse Than Ever

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 18 Aug, 2016 @ 10:09am

Even more than the numbers show

(Clearly "worse" is the wrong word for everyone but the cable industry). My only choice is COMCAST. It's cheaper to buy internet + TV, so that's what I got. Slightly cheaper still if I chose cablecard which of course I did. So have a cablecard taped to the modem (mine, not theirs) for when I cancel internet service.

I'm in their stats as a cable subsriber but there are no cable advertisers getting any "benefit" from my subscription. This is simply COMCAST cooking the books.

The numbers are even worse: my vacation house was selected by Nielsen to be monitored for TV viewership. Every couple of months the local rep tries to get me to sign up, but then when they realize I haven't bought a TV "yet" they go away and my house is not in the numbers. That's right: if I purchased a TV, even if I never used it, I'd be counted. So national subscriber percentages are artifically inflated too.

On the post: Comcast Tells The FCC It Should Be Able To Charge Broadband Users A Premium For Privacy

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 04 Aug, 2016 @ 01:07pm

They probably don't want to win this...

In addition to trying to argue that the FCC doesn't have the authority to police such behavior

They should be careful raising this: if they win it, there's a whole raft of FTC lawyers ready to rain down brimstone on them -- with more teeth than the FCC. In fact it might lead to more comprehensive consumer protection. Trust me, Comcast, you have a sweet deal already.

On the post: Why Is Twitter Sending Legal Letters Warning People About Tweeting About The Gagged Topic Of A 'Celebrity Threesome'

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 20 May, 2016 @ 11:42am

Deliberate Streisand troll by Twitter?

Twitter has made some dubious decisions over the years -- if they decided to deliberately troll the crazy English libel system it would help redeem them!

On the post: The Erdogan Insult Mess: Dutch Reporter, German Politician Arrested For Mocking Erdogan; Swiss Art Exhibit Targeted Too

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 26 Apr, 2016 @ 02:06pm

thought it was a troll

Until she actually allowed Böhmermann to be arrested I actually thought it was a materful troll by Merkel. Because if it had been a civil suit it would simply have Streisanded the hell out of Erdoğan's complaints and make him look even more like a dick. Perhaps that was the intent and she let it get out of hand.

On the post: EA DMCAs Trump/Mass Effect Mashup Video Claiming Trump Re-Tweeting It Made Its Use 'Political'

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 06 Apr, 2016 @ 08:54am

I think they "had" to

Sure, they don't care if you make a fan trailer and so I assume their lawyers don't think this case threatens Mass Effect either. They just don't want people to think the company supports any candidate in particular -- because that could affect sales.

So it doesn't matter to them if their DMCA claim works or not - it just serves to get their message out to their audience.

Which is the real story here.

On the post: Jim Jefferies 'Official' Clip Of His 'Gun Control' Routine Taken Down Thanks To Copyright

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 04 Oct, 2015 @ 01:39pm

"moral rights" are a bad idea

It's the first sale doctrine: he sold the clip, so the new owners get to do what they want, even if it's stupid. I don't see that this is any different from, say, me buying a piece of software and wanting to be able to resell it -- or buying an iphone and taking it apart (or gluing it to the wall).

On the post: If US Is Really Able To Target ISIS Sites Based On Social Media Posts… Why Is It Trying To Stop ISIS From Using Social Media?

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 05 Jun, 2015 @ 09:52pm

Could be "spy vs spy"

I doubt the story is true. Photo geotagging could be faked (I could construct a tag for the white house and put it in a picture I post to instagram) so is not enough, alone, to reliably locate a site.

But still there are plausible explanations:

But consider that the military already knew the location via other means, and did want to take the building out but didn't want it to get out how they knew. Then this loser posts a photo and "wham" -- now they have a plausible excuse.

Another point: perhaps now some terrorists will strip the location info out...but may will not. So by publicising this, it will encourage the jihadis to avoid social media sites (since the story will become garbled and all social media sites become suspect). This degrades their recruiting and publicity channels, which makes their life harder. If I were a military strategist the trade off might become worth it.

On the post: The FBI's Stingray Secrecy May Be Aimed At Preventing Law Enforcement From Overusing A Key 'Exploit'

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 07 May, 2015 @ 08:04pm

Antibiotics

It's like antibiotics: overuse breeds immunity.

On the post: That 20 Mbps Broadband Line We Promised? It's Actually 300 Kbps. Enjoy!

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 01 May, 2015 @ 09:20am

pedantry, sorry!

AT&T's so disinterested in the DSL market right now...

s/disinterested/uninterested/

AT&T actually has a strong interest -- in eliminating DSL subscriptions.

On the post: Hubris Defined: Dumb Murderer Takes A Selfie With His Dead Victim

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 17 Feb, 2015 @ 09:25pm

But did he use a selfie gun?

selfie sticks can be used for battery

On the post: That Didn't Take Long: UK MP Decides To Put The Blame For The Sony Hack On ISPs, Obviously

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 03 Dec, 2014 @ 07:42pm

Seems very clear to me who should be held responsible.

Piracy, a huge international problem, shouldn't be dealt with directly.

Sounds sensible to me. Piracy is a real problem and people are getting killed. It funds terrorism.

I'm glad Weatherley is on it: "Unfortunately, the attacks on ships – and their subsequent looting – has been facilitated by refineries of marine diesel and, ultimately, shipbuilders who do have to step-up and take some responsibility.”

On the post: School District Security Head Takes Call From NSA, Starts Secret Student Social Media Monitoring Program

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2014 @ 08:29am

wait, a _knife_???

A kid with a knife? Woah, stop the presses!

Unless this were an area of some special interest, like a high level of gang activity, I would expect a kid to have a pocketknife. Hell, I always have one, plus a bigger one in the car (along with a lot of other tools, like tire iron, hammer, screwdriver etc), and I am hardly, as far as I am aware, a terrorist.

On the post: German Court Rules Ex-Lovers Must Disappear Consensual Previously Taken Nude Pictures Of The Other

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 03 Jun, 2014 @ 03:08pm

Wait, what about love letters?

I have a bunch of mushy love notes, in German no less. So should they be destroyed too? And if not, what's the difference?

Luckily I don't live in Germany right now so this is hypothetical.

On the post: Yes, Net Neutrality Is A Solution To An Existing Problem

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 15 Apr, 2014 @ 11:22am

Net Neutrality and the dawn of telephony

Not only is it an existing problem, it's one that goes back at least until the 1880s. Telephone numbers were invented as a way to bypass network control and subversion by telephone operators.

If you don't know about the Strowger switch there's a not very good wikipedia page on it here.

On the post: Security Researchers Find RSA Even More Completely Compromised By The NSA Than Previously Thought

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 31 Mar, 2014 @ 11:43am

Can EMC sue?

Since the government impaired the value of RSA (which was purchased by EMC) could EMC sue the government for destroying their asset? Seems like this would fall after the last clause of the fifth amendment: "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation"

On the post: The TSA's Mental 'Coin Flip' That May Keep You From Traveling

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 28 Mar, 2014 @ 11:41am

Asymmetry of consequence

The worst thing about this is that there is no feedback in the system. If you unfairly prevent someone from traveling you (TSA) don?t suffer at all ? in fact you could be praised. While the innocent traveler is screwed.

On the other hand if you fail to find a gun-carrier, well, there?s an X ray machine to (maybe) find it.

On the post: Judge Highlights Bogus Collusion By ASCAP, Publishers In Rejecting Their Attempt To Jack Up Pandora's Rates

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 25 Mar, 2014 @ 11:00am

Re: Will there be any penalty?

I assume you?re referring the judge?s rather direct appeal to the Justice Department to take a look on the basis of collusion or racketeering:

Either way, the judge makes it quite clear that he views ASCAP's activities as "coordinated" with the major publishers, rather than any sort of independent competitive market,

Sadly, the Obama/Biden administration (referring in particular to Biden) appear to be strongly in favor of supporting the old guard in preference to the upstarts.

On the post: Rep. Mary Bono Freaks Out Both About 'Gov't Takeover' AND 'Gov't Handover' Of The Internet

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 18 Mar, 2014 @ 01:59pm

She is HOPING for the streisand effect

She is suffering from the politician?s nighmare: being forgotten. As long as her name is out there there?s a chance she could be re-elected. So any press is better than no press at all.

On the post: Law Enforcement Agencies All Over California Have Been Secretly Using Stingray Devices

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 14 Mar, 2014 @ 11:14am

I would think the FCC would prohibit this

Perhaps FCC licensing could be used to shut down the sales and use of Stingray.

On the post: Litigious Congressman Trying To Bury History Of His Arrest Through Lawsuits And Bogus Legal Threats

DV Henkel-Wallace ( profile ), 04 Mar, 2014 @ 11:08am

Sounds like he has a new name!

In future he should be referred to in print as Steve ?Streisand? Stockman.

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