tom 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Verizon Lobbies FCC To Block States From Protecting Broadband Privacy, Net Neutrality

    tom ( profile ), 01 Nov, 2017 @ 12:53pm

    The real problem is that Verizon considers the real consumers are the companies purchasing the vast troves of data that Verizon collects on folks paying for ISP/Cable/Cell service. The folks purchasing the ISP etc services are just data generators that are funding the data collection infrastructure. Anything that limits the ability to collect and market data is a direct threat to Verizon's bottom line. The profit margin on the data sales is probably near 100%, The profit margin on providing ISP etc services is a lot less.

  • On the post: Court Has No Problem With All House Residents Being Forced To Hand Over Fingers To Law Enforcement

    tom ( profile ), 23 Oct, 2017 @ 05:39am

    Smart phone owners need the following fingerprint app:
    One finger gives "Warning - permanent erase in 10-9..., press to abort." Not aborting just unlocks the phone.
    A different finger does the silent reset to factory specs.

    In this case, it would be the Police that erased the phone, since the owner was compelled to provide the finger and the police did the actual pressing.

  • On the post: Sheriff, Deputies Indicted After Subjecting Entire High School To Invasive Pat Downs

    tom ( profile ), 07 Oct, 2017 @ 09:13am

    Re: Doesn't anybody call bullshit on this tidbit?

    If the prosecutors are serious, they should add a Conspiracy charge. This had to have been planned and coordinated by the Sheriff, his head deputies and school officials. The advance planning by several people to commit a crime pretty well defines Conspiracy.

  • On the post: The Vegas Shooting Makes It Clear More Surveillance Isn't The Answer

    tom ( profile ), 07 Oct, 2017 @ 09:31am

    Cameras aid in the after the fact investigation. Even if a camera is pointed at the perfect place at the perfect time and the video is seen and acted on in seconds by a human, the reaction time of LEO's will still likely be minutes.

    Given this guy's wealth and time spent planning, we are lucky he chose to use guns. He could have easily rented a truck, filled it with explosive, and drove it into the crowd and detonated it. Or purchased a used jet, filled it with fuel and dove it into the crowd. In either case, we would likely be talking about thousands of deaths, not a number in the 50s. Speaking as one who felt, from a safe distance, the explosion of the truck at the Murrah building.

  • On the post: Former Revenge Porn Site Operator Readies For Senate Run By Issuing Bogus Takedown Requests To YouTube

    tom ( profile ), 04 Oct, 2017 @ 09:59am

    I looked over his Senate campaign site. Several of his stated positions are pretty good and will likely attract a fair number of Libertarian party followers. Given his documented past history, there is no certainty that if elected, he would pay any attention to his stated platform.

    From his website since it seems relevant to the topic in this post.

    "Craig believes the First Amendment protects all speech without limits. He will repeal many unconstitutional regulations on speech."

    Seems rather at odds with his use of courts to limit other's free speech.

  • On the post: DHS To Officially Require Immigrants' Files To Contain Social Media Info

    tom ( profile ), 27 Sep, 2017 @ 02:07pm

    Re: Re:

    Both major parties qualify. Both want to strip rights from other citizens but leave themselves unfettered. The main difference is which rights are most threatened by which party.

  • On the post: HP Brings Back Obnoxious DRM That Cripples Competing Printer Cartridges

    tom ( profile ), 19 Sep, 2017 @ 05:50pm

    One solution is to trash the ink jet printer and buy a laser. Bought a HP LJ1200 many years ago and it is still working fine. Depending on type of documents printed, get 2000~4000 sheets per toner cartridge. Picked up a Dell CN3100 color laser from their outlet store for $295 delivered. Came with a set of full toners. Years later, still on original set. Big advantage of laser printers is the toners don't dry out between print jobs. Printer can set there months before the next job and print just fine. Neither printer is allowed access to the Internet so no unexpected updates to foul up the works.

  • On the post: Is There A Single Online Service Not Put At Risk By SESTA?

    tom ( profile ), 19 Sep, 2017 @ 10:30am

    Any bank that offers online banking. Most sex traffickers expect to turn a profit and will deposit those profits somewhere. If they ever use the online portal to make a payment to their ISP or domain registrar, that bank is now assisting with sex trafficking.

    Verizon - Yahoo - Tumbler - Porn - Sex Trafficking.

  • On the post: Moral Muppets At Harvard Cave In To The CIA; Rescind Chelsea Manning's Fellowship

    tom ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2017 @ 01:51pm

    Manning, whatever you think of the espionage laws, was convicted, sentenced and jailed. When he joined the military, he gave up some of his rights as part of the deal. One of the rights limited is the right to disclose information to the press. When he disclosed the information in question, he violated both Military law and Federal Law. Don't like the law, bug your Congress critter to change it.

    If Harvard wants to invite Ms Manning to speak, that is their right as a private organization. I would like to hear her justifications for breaking the laws she did. If the high mucky mucks at Harvard thought offering her a Fellowship, limited or not, wasn't going to cause controversy, they probably need to consider other lines of employment.

  • On the post: ATF Ran Illegal Mixed-Money Slush Fund For Years With Zero Oversight, Auditing, Or Punishment

    tom ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2017 @ 01:08pm

    There were no penalties of any consequence over the Fast and Furious debacle years ago and many people have been murdered from that mess. Why would simple financial gain be any different?

  • On the post: Lawyer: Without The Monkey's Approval, PETA Can't Settle Monkey Selfie Case

    tom ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2017 @ 01:05pm

    Does anyone know if the monkey in question, Naruto, is still alive?

    In any case, does PETA have a signed(hand printed?) contract and retainer(a banana?) showing that Naruto retained them as attorney of record for this legal proceeding?

    If not, can PETA be charged for false representation?

  • On the post: Equifax Security Breach Is A Complete Disaster… And Will Almost Certainly Get Worse

    tom ( profile ), 09 Sep, 2017 @ 03:02am

    Re:

    Someone beat you to it: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/08/suspect-trading-in-equifax-options-before-breach-might-have-generated-millions-in-profit.html

    Have to wonder if a janitor or secretary got a bright idea after overhearing the 3 executives discuss selling stock.

  • On the post: IOT Devices Provide Comcast A Wonderful New Opportunity To Spy On You

    tom ( profile ), 28 Aug, 2017 @ 06:26pm

    Re: Depends on the setup, doesn't it?

    If you have a default rule in your Tomato router that blocks all traffic from the internal LAN to the external Internet, then you should be good. This way, the only traffic that escapes your network is traffic you have specifically allowed.

    I find a lot of attempted traffic in my default block everything rule on my firewall logs.

  • On the post: Trump Rolls Back Ban On Transfer Of Military Equipment To Law Enforcement Agencies

    tom ( profile ), 28 Aug, 2017 @ 06:35pm

    The problem is not the equipment. It is how the local organizations use it. If it is used for rescue, think Houston TX, then it is good. If it is used to create a military police army, then it is bad. We the people need to visit our city council meetings and ask questions.

  • On the post: Sonos Users Forced To Choose Between Privacy And Working Hardware

    tom ( profile ), 24 Aug, 2017 @ 06:15am

    Re: Alternatives?

    Bluetooth enabled playback device and bluetooth speakers should do the trick.

    But really, powered speakers still require mains rated cords and are tied to being close to mains power. Normal speakers only need low voltage speaker wire which is easily ran to where it is needed. And they don't require software updates, recharging, extension cords or replacing dead batteries. Still using several bookshelf speakers purchased 30 years ago as my prime PC sound system speakers. Still better then most 'high grade' computer speakers.

  • On the post: Chateau Marmont, Hotel For Celebrity Humans, Sends Trademark C&D To Cateau Marmont, Hotel For Cats

    tom ( profile ), 24 Aug, 2017 @ 06:20am

    So the Chataeu is worried potential guests might get confused by the cat chow and litter boxes provided to guests at the Cataeu and think the two are similar? Seems more like a quality control problem to me.

  • On the post: Border Device Searches Continue To Increase, Threatening More Than Just The 4th Amendment

    tom ( profile ), 23 Aug, 2017 @ 12:52pm

    Be sure to take ten 128G flash drives full of cat videos that all contain puppy videos concealed inside via steganography.

    Make sure all files are further encrypted with 1024 character keys. If asked for the keys, provide hand written paper copies.

    And you forgot which keys go with which flash drive. Oops! How silly of you.

  • On the post: Sonos Users Forced To Choose Between Privacy And Working Hardware

    tom ( profile ), 23 Aug, 2017 @ 12:43pm

    Just remember kids, 'Smart' devices are dumb, Dumb devices are smart.

  • On the post: Tech Journalists Keep Completely Missing The Point Of Cord Cutting

    tom ( profile ), 22 Aug, 2017 @ 07:11am

    Most cord cutting people aren't doing without TV which is what a lot of cord cutting stories imply. Most are replacing corded cable with a cell data plan and/or land based ISP and one or more streaming plans. Chances are, if you add up the cost of the data plan, fees, ISP, more fees, and streaming plan(s), the cost of the substitute TV plan isn't much cheaper then cable, just sourced differently.

    True cord cutting would be OTA TV supplemented as desired with DVD/BR of shows and movies.

  • On the post: Contractor Exposes Personal Information Of 1.8 Million Chicago Voters On AWS

    tom ( profile ), 19 Aug, 2017 @ 09:37am

    How else are folks in Chicago supposed to vote early and often if they don't have a list of names to use?

    What TFA didn't mention was how much of that info was already public knowledge. In most states, voter information like name, party affiliation, address, recent voting history is publicly releasable and often made available to anyone who asks. Guessing that drivers license number shouldn't have been in the file but the rules vary from state to state.

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