JohnG 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (179)

• On the post: Fixing Copyright: Is Copyright A Part Of Free Market Capitalism?

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 04 Dec, 2012 @ 02:12pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re:

  How could you possibly make monopolies illegal when monopolies are economic snapshots of a given market at a given point in time? Microsoft had a monopoly on the internet browser for a number of years (after starting out as the underdog in that market). That certainly isn't the case today.

• On the post: Fixing Copyright: Is Copyright A Part Of Free Market Capitalism?

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 04 Dec, 2012 @ 12:30pm

  Re: Re:

  Just because 1 player in a market does it better than anyone else does not mean competition is broken. And there's nothing inherently wrong with a monopoly so long as that monopoly's position is not aided by government.

• On the post: NSA Whistleblower Explains How The NSA Is Collecting Data On All Of You (And He's Sorry About It)

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 29 Aug, 2012 @ 09:06am

  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

  I don't reject the possibility of an alternative -- I'm a libertarian myself. The reality is the established parties (D and R) will work tirelessly, joined with a compliant media, to marginalize any candidate that isn't one of them. Just look at how CNN has stacked the polling criteria against Gary Johnson, the same criteria used to get into the Presidential debates.

• On the post: NSA Whistleblower Explains How The NSA Is Collecting Data On All Of You (And He's Sorry About It)

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 29 Aug, 2012 @ 05:12am

  Re: Re: Re: Re:

  When's the last time the LP got a Congressman or Senator elected?

• On the post: If You're Going To Leak Classified Info About The White House, It Better Make Them Look Good

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 04 Jun, 2012 @ 12:43pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Man...

  Opening trade with another country will never be a bad thing. Trade only improves the lives of individuals. Now, structuring your tax and regulatory structure to incentivize the out-migration of businesses is a totally different story, but that's not China's fault.

• On the post: If You're Going To Leak Classified Info About The White House, It Better Make Them Look Good

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 04 Jun, 2012 @ 09:00am

  Re: Re: Re: Re: Man...

  While I agree with some of those things in the list, moving to a completely fiat currency would not be one of them.

• On the post: If You're Going To Leak Classified Info About The White House, It Better Make Them Look Good

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 04 Jun, 2012 @ 08:58am

  Re: Re: Re: Man...

  You could always vote for Gary Johnson

• On the post: Boston Pays $170,000 To The Guy Police Arrested For Filming Them

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 28 Mar, 2012 @ 11:20am

  Re:

  and until the offenders have to pay themselves, they'll keep on offending

• On the post: 96% of Congressmen Agree: Bad Legislation Is Easier To Craft In Secret

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 12 Dec, 2011 @ 09:46am

  Re: Re: Chilling effects

  That's because if people do anything more than just speak, they'll likely be labeled a terrorist and be indefinitely contained. Funny ho that works, huh?

• On the post: Breaking News: Feds Falsely Censor Popular Blog For Over A Year, Deny All Due Process, Hide All Details…

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 08 Dec, 2011 @ 11:55am

  Re: Gotta wonder...

  Gotta love that sovereign immunity

• On the post: Disney 'Analyst': My Lack Of Imagination Necessitates Passage Of PROTECT IP

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 29 Sep, 2011 @ 11:41am

  Re:

  I know that this was said in jest, but it's not that far off from a real solution. Patents and copyrights are gov's way of attempting to introduce scarcity into an area where it wouldn't otherwise exist (ideas). Would people suddenly stop innovating just because someone else might be able to take and expand upon their idea? Would music stop being created or books stop being written just because those authors wouldn't have artificial monopoly on the distribution of their work?
  
  Is there a real, actual justification for the continued existence of copyrights and patents?

• On the post: Details Emerging On Stingray Technology, Allowing Feds To Locate People By Pretending To Be Cell Towers

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 27 Sep, 2011 @ 06:08am

  Re: FCC

  When has the legal status of something ever stopped the police or any governmental agency?

• On the post: Would We Have Art Without Copyright Law?

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 30 Aug, 2011 @ 12:05pm

  Re: Re:

  I agree... if property law doesn't exist, IMO freedom does not exist.

• On the post: How Low Has MySpace Sunk? It's About To Be Sold For Less Than $30 Million

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 29 Jun, 2011 @ 01:52pm

  I'm shocked MySpace is worth even that much... what of value do they have to offer? A few million dormant accounts?

• On the post: Once Again, The Freedom Of Information Act Is Proving To Be Just That: An Act

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 13 Jun, 2011 @ 10:20am

  Re: Let sleeping dogs lie

  We're inciting far more violence against the US by being involved in the business of all these countries than if we were simply to release the picture of a dead guy.

• On the post: Once Again, The Freedom Of Information Act Is Proving To Be Just That: An Act

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 13 Jun, 2011 @ 10:17am

  Re: What if...? And who?

  "The guilt would have to fall upon the one requesting the picture."
  No, the guilt would be on those who committed the act.

• On the post: Should Young People Have Their Votes Count More?

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 17 May, 2011 @ 01:48pm

  Re:

  but wouldn't that lead to a system of tyranny of the majority, aka full democracy? That's why we don't have democracy here -- everyone's voice deserves to be represented, no matter how small

• On the post: Should Young People Have Their Votes Count More?

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 17 May, 2011 @ 01:37pm

  I like the concept, but I would look at it from the perspective that everyone's vote is worth "1", but younger people have a multiplier on top to increase their vote's worth. Maybe then politicians wouldn't look so much at only catering to the senior vote.

• On the post: Utah Legislators Want Extra Tax For Owners Of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 04 May, 2011 @ 01:14pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re:

  Let's say I live in MA or NJ and spend the great majority of my commute driving on the local Turnpike. That is essentially a private road to which I'm paying more money to access. Should I still be taxed on mileage driven?
  
  The fact is there's very little chance for a silver bullet to exist and any tax will adjust incentives and therefore behavior.

• On the post: The Copyright Industry Is Not A Stakeholder In Copyright Policy, It's A Beneficiary

  

  JohnG ( profile ), 02 May, 2011 @ 01:47pm

  And what will it take for him to realize that he's not just wrong, but that he's harming the actual stakeholders?

  
  
  You (incorrectly, IMO), assume that Biden is ignorant and not deliberate in his use of terminology. I would imagine he understands the difference between stakeholder and beneficiary quite well, it's just that he desires to put up a front to the American people that he's doing something to benefit them, when in fact everything he's doing is to harm them (us). Besides, he can get more money from the Content Industry than the American people.

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