Shaun Wilson 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (65) comment rss

  • On the post: The Unintended Consequences Of The Shutdown Of Silk Road

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 11 Oct, 2013 @ 12:04am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    Woops looks like I mixed up crack with regular cocaine, pity it US government wouldn't do that (in the opposite direction), the sentences are still 18x higher for crack vs powder cocaine - and that's an improvement from the previous 100x.

    What I was thinking of was neuroscientist, Dr Carl Hart, who referenced a 1914 New York Times editorial "Negro Cocaine Fiends Are New Southern Menace" which represented some of the racist hysteria that led to drug prohibition early on. You should look into him for more (and accurate) information about drugs and drug policy.

  • On the post: The Unintended Consequences Of The Shutdown Of Silk Road

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 07 Oct, 2013 @ 11:43am

    Re: Re:

    Actually drug laws were generally put in place in order to oppress minorities associated with them. You had crack to lock up the "Negro's" who were getting uppity after no longer being slaves, "Marijuana" (a new name for the corner store drug Cannabis) to go after Mexican workers "stealing" whites jobs and psychedelics in general to lock up those damn unpatriotic, anti-war hippies.

    Any other professed reason for the war on drugs for the majority of proponents is a (extremely thin) smokescreen.

  • On the post: PA School Being Sued For Suspending 7-Year-Old Student 'Armed' With A Novelty Buzzing Pen

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 27 Sep, 2013 @ 06:16am

    "Weapon - the term shall include ... cutting tools .... and shall include any item that is represented to be a weapon"

    Or in other words "Weapon - the term shall include ... scissors .... and shall include any item that is represented to be scissors". It used to just be "don't run with scissors", now it appears you get a 10 day suspension or expulsion for simply holding scissors at any time (or anything that looks like scissors).

  • On the post: MN State Rep Joins 17 Others In Suing State For Illegally Accessing Drivers License Data

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2013 @ 11:34pm

    Re:

    Exactly, if a police officer or any other government official breaks the law they should be the one to face the consequences just like and private citizen. Similarly if they break into the wrong house serving a warrant they should be treated exactly as if anyone else illegally broke into someone's house, being liable for trespass, breaking and entering, assault with regards to anyone they detain or threaten and murder if they kill anyone.

  • On the post: Conan Doyle Estate Is Horrified That The Public Domain Might Create 'Multiple Personalities' Of Sherlock Holmes

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 16 Sep, 2013 @ 09:41am

    Derivative works

    If ongoing works by the original creator of a character are not derivative works then neither are works created by other authors using those characters. Therefore these (non)derivative works can't be blocked by copyright - you can't have it both ways.

  • On the post: Feds Had Court Reverse Ban On Warrantless Searches On Americans Because 'We Wanted To Be Able To Do It'

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 09 Sep, 2013 @ 08:22am

    But we don't allow it because the Constitution says you can't do that.

    The constitution was torn up long ago, they just put it through a shredder as well post September 11. Your federal government would just settle disputes between the states and help organise resistance to repel foreign invaders when and if necessary and pretty much nothing more if it actually followed the constitution. Constitutionally the US federal government should be tiny, one of the smallest governments around, but instead it is the largest and most powerful in the world.

  • On the post: Brooklyn City Council Member Wants The Police Invited To Any House Party

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 10 Jul, 2013 @ 07:38am

    It could almost be legitimate if it was an issue of parties happening in dense residential neighborhoods causing noise complaints... thing is if there's a noise complaint then the cops know where to go and don't need to be notified in advance - and if there's no noise (or similar) complaint then a 300+ person party isn't a problem.

  • On the post: Ohio AG Gets Urban Outfitters To Pull Satirical Prescription Coffee Mugs From Stores, Citing His Own Lack Of Humor

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 03 Jul, 2013 @ 07:30am

    Re: Missing it.

    Well it could have something to do with the fact that caffeine is more addictive than about half the illegal drugs out there, maybe they just want to be consistent and add it to the list - just say no to "drug paraphernalia"!

  • On the post: Eric Holder Claims Terrorists Are Involved In 'IP Theft'

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 16 May, 2013 @ 11:59am

    Doesn't lying to congress = prison time?

    I believe people who have been convicted of lying to congress in the past have been sent to prison on occasion. Wouldn't it be interesting to see a response to a change.org petition requesting Holder be prosecuted?

    Of course such a petition would most likely be ignored like all the other ones that said more than "We love Obama!" but it might help to get some media attention to those lies at least.

  • On the post: Monsanto Wins Case Of Seed Patents; Planting Your Own Legally Purchased & Grown Seeds Can Be Infringing

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 13 May, 2013 @ 01:55pm

    The computer program part is the complete opposite of the seed part:

    another copy or adaptation of that computer program provide[d] that such a new copy or adaptation is created as an essential step in the utilization of the computer program

    If you replace "computer program" with "seed" then it would be allowed - obviously "a new copy or adaptation is created as an essential step in the utilization of the" seed - that's simply describing the whole process of growing plants - especially with seed crops.

  • On the post: Bestselling Author Of Children's Books Accuses Public Libraries Of Stealing His Paychecks

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 19 Feb, 2013 @ 07:45pm

    Re:

    I'm pretty sure it's the same in Australia, I used to work in a library and I remember some mention being made of a fee that had to be paid based off how often a particular work was loaned out.

  • On the post: NZ Copyright Tribunal: Accusations Are Presumed Infringement, Despite Denials

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 30 Jan, 2013 @ 08:37am

    Try assuming that infringement = theft

    Lets just assume for the sake of argument that the record labels arguments are correct: there is absolute proof that the accused downloaded $6.57 worth of songs and that it is the equivalent of theft.

    Basically the real world equivalent of a kid stealing a drink and a pack of chips from a corner store and being caught on a HD security camera. Obviously the kid would have to pay cost of their stolen goods and I would suggest perhaps doubling the value as punishment - but if the kid admits their crime and pays up it should end there. If they decide to fight the charge and are then found guilty then they should clearly incur costs, but how much? If the store owner hires million dollar lawyers then that would be clearly unjust to force the kid to pay for them. I would suggest that the costs should bring the damages up to no more than triple value ie 300%, $19.71 in this case. Instead the alleged infringer is expected to pay 9385% in damages? How does this make any sense at all, even remembering that we are taking the accusers claims at face value in this case?

  • On the post: Canadian Universities Agree To Ridiculous Copyright Agreement That Says Emailing Hyperlinks Is Equal To Photocopying

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 21 Feb, 2012 @ 08:42am

    Sense to laws

    If someone has read much of this site and hasn't already come to the conclusion that copyright is "a law that makes no sense at all" then I seriously question their reading comprehension.

  • On the post: Lamar Smith & MPAA Brush Off Wikipedia Blackout As Just A Publicity Stunt

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 17 Jan, 2012 @ 09:04pm

    MPAA skews facts?

    I thought it was more the politicians campaign funds that the MPAA typically "skews"

  • On the post: YouTube Now Helping Artists Sell The Scarce

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 17 Oct, 2011 @ 11:17pm

    Loooots of posters!

    This is definitely a good thing. I've been thinking for a while now that it would be good to get some posters and/or t-shirts of a few of the bands I like, who's video clips I often watch on youtube. The reason I haven't so-far is that it's too much of a hassle to track down the artists site, find their store, sign up for a payment system, figure out international postage (if it's even avaliable) etc. If it's right there on youtube I'll definitely be much more likely to buy things - assuming they're reasonably priced of course.

  • On the post: Cocaine Ring Used Universal Music's Interscope Label To Ship Drugs & Cash

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 21 Sep, 2011 @ 02:54am

    Learn from each other

    Each group in this story can learn something from the other.
    The music labels from the drug dealers: how to sell something people want to buy instead of trying to force them to buy what they don't want.
    The drug dealers from the music labels: how to properly buy politicians, so your competitors get thrown in jail instead of you.

  • On the post: Koch Brothers Can't Abuse Trademark & Hacking Laws To Sue Satirical Critics

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 11 May, 2011 @ 03:34pm

    Re: Re: More than an apology

    Exactly, they don't owe an apology, they owe back every cent they were paid. They sold a service (anonymous hosting) that they did not provide. That is fraud.

  • On the post: Patent Office Wants To Open Up Shop In Silicon Valley… But Doesn't Want The Press To Know

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 18 Apr, 2011 @ 02:32pm

    Patent problems

    ...intimately familiar with the problems of the patent system.

    Such as the fact that it exists?

  • On the post: DailyDirt: You Have Won Second Prize In A Beauty Contest! Collect $10.

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 31 Mar, 2011 @ 04:21am

    Re: Re:

    Actually from the sounds of things they're comparing it to fake chicken:

    Judging of taste and texture will be performed by a panel of 10 PETA judges, who will sample the in vitro chicken prepared using PETA's own fried "chicken" recipe. The in vitro chicken must get a score of at least 80 when evaluated in order to win the prize.

    I was liking the sound of it too but another of their conditions also makes me quite dubious about their honesty:
    Manufacture the approved product in large enough quantities to be sold commercially, and successfully sell it at a competitive price in at least 10 states.

    It would seem likely that a company would have to be quite some size to be selling in 10 states. They'd also likely be making 10's or even 100's of millions a year competing on an ethics standpoint (ie to vegetarians etc) without being able to "sell it at a competitive price" compared to "real" meat. And this needs to happen in 2 years to qualify for the award???

  • On the post: PayPal Latest To Cut Off Wikileaks

    Shaun Wilson ( profile ), 06 Dec, 2010 @ 04:47am

    Re: No, there's a drawback!

    You can still donate by credit card and I would encourage everyone who is able to do so, this will be a protest of paypal folding under pressure and wikileaks itself could certainly do with the money as you have pointed out.

Next >>