hij’s Techdirt Profile

On the post: If Something Is Advertised As A Knockoff Product… Is It No Longer Counterfeiting?

hij ( profile ), 13 Oct, 2020 @ 04:13pm

stealing vs. taking the money

Good artists borrow, great artists steal, great business people tell you up front that they are taking your money.

On the post: DOJ Seizes Domains, Claiming They Pushed Iranian Disinformation; Should Raise 1st Amendment Concerns

hij ( profile ), 10 Oct, 2020 @ 03:51am

Seizing websites for misinformation

If it is okay to seize a website for pushing out misinformation does this mean we can sue the government for selective enforcement if they leave facebook alone?

On the post: Inspector General's Report Confirms CBP Contractor Was Hacked, Resulting In Sensitive Info Making Its Way To The Dark Web

hij ( profile ), 29 Sep, 2020 @ 05:27am

DOJ rightly focused on important things

So glad the DOJ is focused on what is truly important, encryption.

On the post: Senator Blumenthal Warns AT&T Not To Make Wireless Privacy A Luxury Option

hij ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2020 @ 05:53am

A letter is nice

Our representatives are very good about sending letters. It is a great way to get attention without actually doing anything. Between a President who thinks that he can govern using executive orders and representatives writing stern letters the people's business is not a priority.

(Disclaimer: My rep. is a member of the so called Freedom Caucus and just loves to tweet out copies of all the letters he sends out rather than doing his damn job.)

On the post: Actual Facts Undercut Media's Narrative That Law Enforcement Task Force Broke Up A Multi-State Sex Trafficking Operation

hij ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2020 @ 04:32am

Helping to fuel Q-Anon

These kinds of headlines only serve to fuel the Q-Anon theories about massive conspiracies to commit the kinds of crimes broadcast in these announcements. In Georgia, it allows the Governor to crow about his efforts to fight these conspiracies without having to do anything. Best of all he gets to do it without actually mentioning Q-Anon so he gets to feed the conspiracy cult while also playing to suburban fears of a dark underworld trying to take their things.

On the post: Paulding County School District Now Trying To Duck FOIA Requests

hij ( profile ), 19 Aug, 2020 @ 07:03pm

Cover thy buttocks

Arrogant administrators would rather throw money away on lawyers rather than provide a more effective educational experience. The top of the bureaucracy is there to serve itself and not the people who pay the bills. Meanwhile the teachers are left to either try and heal from the coronavirus or cope with the sudden shift to an online learning system they were not trained to do.

On the post: Baltimore's Aerial Surveillance Program Has Logged 700 Flight Hours, One (1) Arrest

hij ( profile ), 10 Aug, 2020 @ 09:51am

Better than D.A.R.E

On the plus side, it sounds like it is more effective than the D.A.R.E. program.

On the post: Trump Issues Ridiculous Executive Orders Banning TikTok And WeChat

hij ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2020 @ 10:19am

Re: Definitely not retaliatory

Sounds like they forgot one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well know is this, never go against tik-tok users when false pride is on the line.

On the post: Techdirt Podcast Episode 250: Modeling The Pandemic

hij ( profile ), 05 Aug, 2020 @ 01:29pm

Document your work

They should be careful. People react badly when they hear things they do not want hear. For example, some in the US Congress have called for formal investigations into the models because they predicted bad things.

Investigate the modelers

There is not anything that cannot be politicized these days.

On the post: From The Stupid To The Bizarre: Trump Demands That His Government Should Take A 'Substantial' Cut Of TikTok's Purchase Fee

hij ( profile ), 04 Aug, 2020 @ 09:48am

Bad Business

Maybe this is why he had so many bankruptcies. Most businesses work out the terms of the sale before committing to a set of actions. This is not how to quid pro quo.

On the post: DOJ And Florida Officials Announce Arrests Relating To Twitter Hack

hij ( profile ), 01 Aug, 2020 @ 03:33am

Twitter Taken Seriously

How did we get to the point where a message site specializing in missives a couple sentences long is taken seriously. Even if their security and practices were much better it still specializes in sending what are basically text messages. The idea that anything on such a site is taken seriously or has any impact is shocking.

We cannot even blame it on the kids. They seem to have a better overall understanding what a silly platform it is.

On the post: Facebook Employee Revolt Shows, Yet Again, That There Are Other Incentives Beyond Section 230

hij ( profile ), 29 Jul, 2020 @ 10:50am

Employees should be seen not heard

This cycle has been seen in a number of other industries. Management just reduce's the workforce's options while finding a way to extract their labour. It is even easier with this industry given the ability to use the work from people in other countries where there are fewer protections.

Dang, I am turning into such a pessimist. 2020 is really getting to me.

On the post: DHS Is Engaging In Domestic Surveillance To Protect The Homeland Against Threats To Statues

hij ( profile ), 22 Jul, 2020 @ 11:04am

Statues Good - Nature Bad

From the same people who decried the response to the takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge as being authoritarian.

On the post: Facing Multiple Lawsuits, ICE Decides Not To Punish Foreign Students For Furthering Their Education During A Pandemic

hij ( profile ), 15 Jul, 2020 @ 11:44am

message sent

It was enough to send a very strong message to anybody thinking about coming to the US to study in the future. This should definitely take the US down a couple notches in desirable places to consider with respect to spending any time in the US.

On the post: What That Harper's Letter About Cancel Culture Could Have Said

hij ( profile ), 10 Jul, 2020 @ 10:04am

Do the signatories really mean what they say?

I agree that you cannot accuse all of the signatories of the letter as having the same motives and practices. At the same time they did sign the letter, and they should back up their beliefs with actions. Emily Van Der Werff reacted to the column, and in return a large number of people went on to attack her including physical threats.

Death and rape threats against Emily Van Der Werff

The people who signed that letter should be more proactive in following up their beliefs rather than just standing idly by when something like this happens.

Here is Emily's own take on what happened:
Emily Van Der Werff's twitter statement

(Finally, so disappointed to see Wynton Marsalis signed the letter :-) )

On the post: Harper's Gives Prestigious Platform To Famous Writers So They Can Whine About Being Silenced

hij ( profile ), 08 Jul, 2020 @ 08:57am

Shut up and listen to me

This is the same kind of attitude as those who believe the free market should be left alone to meet the demands of the public, but then turn around and complain that organized boycotts are too manipulative.

Also, is this the same Harper's that seems to think that unpaid internships are great? This is an incredible barrier for people to get experience who have not had the opportunity to be given food and rent from rich parents.

Unpaid Internships at Harper's

It is not surprising to see them lifting the voices privileged blowhards who cannot believe the temerity of the common folk who might question their brilliance.

On the post: In The Middle Of A Pandemic, ICE Says Foreign Students Must Attend Physical Classes If They Don't Want To Be Kicked Out Of The Country

hij ( profile ), 07 Jul, 2020 @ 12:27pm

Try Going Home From The US

To add to the cruelty, a large number of flights out of the US have been cancelled. Many countries have barred travel from the US, and the result is that transit to those countries is very difficult. A student who is forced to leave the US may not be able to find a way to leave the country. It is a perfect storm of pettiness and cruelty.

On the post: I'd Bet Ted Cruz Will Start Supporting Section 230 Once He Realizes He's On The Hook For Parler's Legal Expenses

hij ( profile ), 30 Jun, 2020 @ 11:26am

Re: Thank Parler for the road map.

The folks at Parler know what side their bread is buttered. The probability that they would go after a high profile member like Sen. Cruz is likely quite low. It is the smaller fish in those waters that need to be worried.

On the post: The Coronavirus Laid Bare Our Empty Lip Service To Fixing The 'Digital Divide'

hij ( profile ), 24 Jun, 2020 @ 08:41am

University starts back up in the Fall

In the Fall when the Universities open their doors, the classes will have options for students to go online and take their requisite two weeks away from classes if they show symptoms of COVID. Students from areas that do not have adequate internet access will have to stay on campus because they cannot go home to isolate themselves and do their classwork. This is a public health issue.

On the post: More Schools Are Ending Contracts With Cops Following Protests Over The Killing Of George Floyd

hij ( profile ), 15 Jun, 2020 @ 12:45pm

Administrators Failing To Make Decisions

Another example of the great American tradition of waiting for a disaster to make a decision. The whole point of having administrators is to have someone who will look at data and look at outcomes then make changes to improve the system. Instead their role is to reinforce existing structures and avoid changes. This happens at the expense of the public they are supposed to serve, and that public is deeply divided and living in separate realities.

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