John Fenderson 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (17316)

• On the post: French Restaurants: Home Cooking Really Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 01 Nov, 2015 @ 10:43am

  Re: Re: Re: Catering is regulated

  So then the AC's concern about this being complicated is without merit. The online service itself is not cooking anything for anybody, therefore they aren't catering, and whether or not the cook offering their services is catering depends on their circumstances.
  
  Sounds like the existence of this service changes nothing in this area.

• On the post: French Restaurants: Home Cooking Really Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 01 Nov, 2015 @ 10:34am

  Re: Re: Re: We can't compete with that!!!!!

  Here's the interesting thing: I am an excellent baker, and I do know the basic skills of cooking.
  
  My poiint, though, is twofold. One is what you discussed here -- yes, nearly everyone can become a competent cook if they are willing to put in the time and energy. I am not so willing, because I dislike cooking. I love baking, hate cooking.
  
  However, you can't discount talent. One of the reasons that I hate to cook is because I don't have the talent of being able to know how flavors and textures work together.
  
  Like most other activities, you can learn rules about that sort fo thing -- that's why it's possible to become competent. However, no amount of book learning will teach you the talent or instinct to rise above the rules.
  
  Therefore, I will never be able to produce a meal that is as good as what a decent restaurant can produce. I can certainly cook healthy meals that are edible, but that's a whole different thing.
  
  At a restaurant, I personally am not paying for atmosphere. A couple of my favorite restaurants of all time have the ambiance of truck stops. I am paying for expertise.

• On the post: Cities Make Public Their Accomplices In Wrongdoing By Issuing Settlements Tied To Gag Orders

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 01 Nov, 2015 @ 10:21am

  Re: Sailing down 'de Nile'

  "rather denying it to their collective selves"
  
  The denial is purely for legal purposes. Nobody is expected to actually believe it.

• On the post: French Restaurants: Home Cooking Really Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 31 Oct, 2015 @ 07:21am

  Re: Catering is regulated

  What is "catering", legally speaking? If I cook a meal for my sick friend, is that catering?

• On the post: French Restaurants: Home Cooking Really Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 31 Oct, 2015 @ 07:19am

  Re: We can't compete with that!!!!!

  "There is nothing made at any restaurant, anywhere, that you cannot make for yourself at home"
  
  You are forgetting skill. There is no way that I am capable of cooking a restaurant-quality meal at home. I just don't have the skilllset or talent required.
  
  That's what a restaurant gives me that I can't get at home: excellently prepared food.

• On the post: French Restaurants: Home Cooking Really Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 31 Oct, 2015 @ 07:17am

  Re: Re:

  "completely greek catholic on the issue"
  
  What does this mean?

• On the post: Fox News Anchor's Suit Over Toy Hamster Likeness Results In Hilarious Point-By-Point Hasbro Rebuttal

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 31 Oct, 2015 @ 06:54am

  Re: I think this is a blatant attempt to make money off her celebrity

  "make money off her celebrity"
  
  Maybe, but her celebrity is pretty narrow. I'd never heard of her before this story, and neither had my friends.

• On the post: Canadian Judge Says Asking For A Copy Of A Legally-Obtained But Paywalled Article Is Circumvention

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 11:14am

  Re: Re:

  "He has the right to be honest."
  
  Of course he does. But that doesn't change the fact that increasingly being unnecessarily forthcoming will expose you to harm. The smarter move is to be very careful about what you reveal to anybody.

• On the post: UK Prime Minister Apparently Last To Realize New EU Net Neutrality Rules Mean No Porn Filtering

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 11:11am

  Re: Re: Re:

  "you're saying we shouldn't bother at all?"
  
  Depends on who you mean by "we". Concerned parents can install their own controls. But should the law require ISPs to do this? No.

• On the post: EFF Discovers More Leaky ALPR Cameras Accessible Via The Web

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 11:09am

  Re: Re: Re: Smart-glass license plate

  In my area, any license plate cover at all is illegal, even if it is 100% transparent and does not obstruct the visibility of the plate.
  
  And that law is enforced.

• On the post: French Restaurants: Home Cooking Really Is Killing The Restaurant Industry!

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 11:04am

  Re:

  "When has a bar or any place serving alcohol ever been held responsible for selling legal alcohol to someone that went on to drive while drunk?"
  
  Very frequently, in my state. If someone is busted for drunk driving, the driver is asked where they got their last drink. Whoever that was (whether a bar, a party, friend's house, whatever) is on the hook too.
  
  If a bar or restaurant is named too frequently, it loses its liquor license in addition to whatever other penalties were levied.

• On the post: Law Enforcement: Traveling From Anywhere To Anywhere Is Suspicious Behavior

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 10:57am

  Re:

  Are you the sort of loner who never leaves your house? You're probably plotting a terrorist act of some sort.

• On the post: Court: Your Fourth And Fifth Amendment Rights No Longer Exist If You Leave The Country

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 06:00am

  Re: Re: Re: Re: And of course...

  Yes, this. Things people often don't understand about the IRS: they are the most powerful law enforcement agency in the nation. They are the only law enforcement agency to have their own seperate court system. Many of the rights you have with law enforcement agencies don't apply with the IRS.

• On the post: EU Parliament Calls On EU Countries To Drop All Charges Against Snowden, Protect Him From Extradition

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 05:51am

  Re: Re: Ah the government's favorite logic, 'We weren't doing anything wrong until you revealed that we were'

  "The public's vocal desire for privacy doesn't match up with their actions."
  
  You are equating two very, very different things here. This is like saying that because people are fine with donating money, they should also be fine with someone stealing their money.

• On the post: EFF Discovers More Leaky ALPR Cameras Accessible Via The Web

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2015 @ 05:38am

  Re: Holy 1986, Batman!

  That caught my eye as well. "Telnet interface" and "secure" are two things that don't go together at all. Telnet has been a security risk for years, and the generally accepted practice is to disable it entirely.

• On the post: Canadian Judge Says Asking For A Copy Of A Legally-Obtained But Paywalled Article Is Circumvention

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2015 @ 02:18pm

  Re: Hold it

  "Why would the news service ask the guy they quoted where/how he got a copy of the story?"
  
  The more burning question is why did the guy answer the question?

• On the post: Canadian Judge Says Asking For A Copy Of A Legally-Obtained But Paywalled Article Is Circumvention

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2015 @ 02:15pm

  Re: Good for the judge!

  You're so angry with the government that you're eager to punish your friends and neighbors because of it, huh?

• On the post: Yahoo Pumps Up Viewership Numbers For NFL Game By Autoplaying It On Your Yahoo Home Page

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2015 @ 09:50am

  Re:

  "Does anyone actually have a problem with this?"
  
  Tons of people have a problem with autoplay video, yes.

• On the post: Lego Tells Political Artist To Hit The Bricks, Refusing To Sell Him Legos

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2015 @ 09:45am

  Re: Purpose Served

  "I think the point was to keep the public image of the company politically neutral."
  
  If that's the point, it completely failed. "Politically neutral" would mean that they would sell him the bricks regardless of what type of speech he was going to engage in with them.
  
  By refusing to sell them to him, they have staked out a political stance. Therefore, they have publicly declared that they are not politically neutral.

• On the post: 'Hate Speech' Laws Are Just Another Way For Governments To Punish People They Don't Like

  

  John Fenderson ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2015 @ 07:51am

  Re: Re: Re: Re:

  "Should people be allowed to promote or defend that?"
  
  As awful as it is, yes, people should be allowed to promote or defend it. Expressing your opinion should never be against the law, no matter how objectionable that opinion is.

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