Free Capitalist 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Does The White House Have Any Legal Right To Demand No Modifications To Its Photos?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 06 Nov, 2009 @ 01:41pm

    Re: Re:

    we're a fascist nation, no two ways about it...


    I'm going to have to disagree with you somewhat. Wikipedia has slathered the definition up with some post-modern philosophizing, but the classic definition of fascism includes true authoritarianism which requires a single dictator a la Hitler / Mussolini / that dude in Spain who ruled until the 70's that I can't remember right now.

    If the PotUS has absolute power without being beholden to the congress or SCoTUS, then they make a pretty good show of covering up the process.

    That's not to say I want to blow sunshine up anyone's CEO, on the contrary, we do give all appearances of being a Corporate Republic (by large corporations, for large corporations). When Congress talks about the People they seem to talk about "consumers" a lot more than they talk about "citizens" these days... to me that's the tip-off.

    There is a lot similar to fascism in the way things are run, but it doesn't come off as fascism as defined in the classic sense. We would need someone like The Helmet to abscond with the Presidency and dissolve (i.e. replace) an elected congress and the SCotUS before we reach that pinnacle.

  • On the post: Comcast Exec: We Need To Change Customer Behavior, Not Our Business Model

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 06 Nov, 2009 @ 06:23am

    Re:

    I thought "Marketing Myopia" was pretty much required reading at any business school.


    I think so. But since every "noteworthy" college has switched to a strictly for-profit business model, any Animal, Pauly Shore or Mr. Magoo can buy a diploma.

    Myopia is pandemic in times of significant change. Then again some "older" folks are just really, really delusional about the world around them. I should know...

  • On the post: UK Law Firm Sets Up Special Team To Hunt Down Anonymous Commenters

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 05 Nov, 2009 @ 06:23am

    Wragge & Co are Wanking Pond Scum and I have Photos to Prove it

    Free speech isn't an absolute.


    And neither is the willingness of a population to be governed under any specific set of laws or "civil" precedents an absolute.

    Unabashedly marketing a service such as this speaks very poorly to the state of things today.

    Corporations are not individuals with feelings. The over-entitled, puerile wankers running this disgusting program would do well to "drop it" when it comes to vitriolic comments without criminal content or intent.

  • On the post: Why Kicking Fans Off The Internet Won't Make Them Buy

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 04 Nov, 2009 @ 12:05pm

    Re: It's the Media Gnomes

    The "Underpants Gnomes" have announced their intention to file copyright infringement and trademark violation lawsuits against the "Gnomes" for use of their patented, federally protected business model. The "Gnomes" have been unable to reply to this intention to file as their Internet connection was disabled pursuant to accusations levied by the Keebler Elves.

  • On the post: More ACTA Details Leak: It's An Entertainment Industry Wishlist

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 04 Nov, 2009 @ 09:24am

    Write you Senators

    For U.S. citizens, our Senate will have to ratify this agreement to make it go into effect. The text of the agreement should be public record when it is handed over to the Senate for debate.

    I urge everyone to craft their own letter and write their senators (with your real name and mailing address, of course) to express your concerns.

  • On the post: Guy Who Helped Mod Cable Modems Arrested By The FBI

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 03 Nov, 2009 @ 10:00am

    Wire fraud sounds pretty specific...

    and this guy probably did not commit wire fraud himself. If they were able to prove he instructed people on how to illegally tap services, then maybe the conspiracy charges would stand up to scrutiny. But it seems like wire fraud is an act one must commit in order to be found guilty... in a perfect world.

    I think the Feds are making a good case for dismissal by having an overzealous hard-on for this guy.

  • On the post: Judge Lets Gene Patent Lawsuit Move Forward

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 03 Nov, 2009 @ 07:06am

    Re: Re: Sweet for SCotUS

    What would stop security wings of Meridian Life Sciences Inc. from picking up those people and holding them if they refused to allow further research on the genes and/or extraction of genetic material?


    I really need to make time to return to my reading list. I still have not read Crighton's Next.

    Another thing, though, since The Human Genome Project was publicly funded, why the hell did they permit any particular sequence, without so much as an application, to be privately patented?

    I understand they may have correlated the sequence to a disease, but as far as I can see they had no process or application to patent other than the information itself... which was mapped with taxpayer funds.

  • On the post: Judge Lets Gene Patent Lawsuit Move Forward

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 03 Nov, 2009 @ 06:25am

    Sweet for SCotUS

    This is most welcome "good news". This is a fascinating use of the the First Amendment, classifying research as expression, and I hope it plays out.

    Besides the obvious stagnation created by holding back research on gene sequences, I still have near "conspiracy theory" fears of having allowed information that is naturally carried within our bodies to be patented in the first place.

    The defense presented a very familiar, and very hollow, argument I find very similar to some of the weaker rebuttals I've seen in the comments here:

    In defense, Myriad argued that, among other things, the lawsuit should be tossed because the plaintiffs have no legal standing to bring the case, even though they were “ready. willing and able to infringe.”


    Here is to hoping that Myriad grows no brain cells during the course of the trial.

  • On the post: German Chancellor Proposes Special 'Save Newspapers' Copyright Law

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 02 Nov, 2009 @ 08:35am

    Re:

    There is no instantaneous "fix" to copyright infringement in the "real world" either, and that is a good thing. In fact physically tracking down copyright issues probably takes longer than hiring a staff of torrent searchers.

  • On the post: German Chancellor Proposes Special 'Save Newspapers' Copyright Law

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 02 Nov, 2009 @ 07:47am

    Re: A message from us hateful grammar Nazis...

    My brain also stumbled on the "proposed created" sentence.

    However...

    Especially because you normally right so well


    I get the impression that Mike, in general, is more of a political agnostic on this blog when it comes to the "two parties"...

  • On the post: NJ Gubernatorial Candidate Using Monty Python Video Without Authorization In Campaign Commercial

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 02 Nov, 2009 @ 06:33am

    Re: Simple really

    I almost agree with you after the last U.S. presidential election, and it is quite absurd considering the best ideal an artist could strive for is reaching the masses with truth. If I were an artist, I wouldn't want my work associated with any brand of politics.

  • On the post: City Council Can't Take Blogger Criticism And Resigns?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 02 Nov, 2009 @ 06:15am

    Re:

    I suspect it is easier to lob verbal bombs from behind an anonymous blind than it is to actually do something about it.


    I have no doubt you are correct. In any case the city is better off without the departing council. Volunteer or no, they do not belong in the role if they cannot deal with the vitriol.

  • On the post: It Doesn't Matter How Many Twitter URLs Are Malware… Only If People Are Clicking

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2009 @ 09:28am

    Re: Re: Not sure what the issue is here, Mike...

    This article did not come off as being intended to generate a panic about Twitter, at least not to me.

    I might complain that the article seems more like advertising for Kaspersky, which seems to get a lot of coverage lately.

    However, once again, the article seemed to advise caution while using the trending tools to look into hot topics, not so much to stop trusting those you know and follow or to stop using Twitter.

    In the end it should be no news to those already using restraint with e-mails and links, the same logic applies on Twitter, as others have pointed out here.

    However, there are still plenty of gullible people out there opening malware e-mails, so it follows that an occasional cautionary article about targeted services is appropriate and worthwhile.

    I don't see why the content of this article is any kind of issue at all. And as for the misuse of statistics, I'm still not seeing it in this case.

  • On the post: Brooklyn Law School No Fan Of Due Process; Apparently Handing Names Over To MPAA [Updated]

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2009 @ 08:26am

    I didn't think they were cannibals, but...

    more legal actions = larger market for legal professionals. Larger market for legal pros = greater opportunity for law schools.

    Voila!

    And I really should have known they were cannibals... what was I thinking.

  • On the post: Sanford Wallace Loses Again; Owes Facebook $711 Million

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2009 @ 07:53am

    Re: A helpful suggestion from Lord Helmet

    I approve of the porcine meatsicle remedy.

  • On the post: It Doesn't Matter How Many Twitter URLs Are Malware… Only If People Are Clicking

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 30 Oct, 2009 @ 05:53am

    Not sure what the issue is here, Mike...

    I'm not sure why you take issue with the article. As the writer points out, the greatest potential for exposure to the spam-malware is while using the trending tools to explore current topics. Since there are a lot of people I would assume are curious and explore current topics, I would say the article is apropos and a useful bit of cautionary information.

    Unnecessary knee-jerk?

  • On the post: Grammar Nazis: Useful Language Experts, Or Elitist Snobs?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2009 @ 10:47am

    Re: Re: Nukeyoular Gramer Natsees

    Its OK GN. This is all a part of fighting an uphill battle while trying not to seem combative.

  • On the post: Grammar Nazis: Useful Language Experts, Or Elitist Snobs?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2009 @ 09:42am

    And while we might not all be speaking to foreign dignitaries and the like, if communication, both written and spoken, is in large part what makes us human, then shouldn't we at least make a passing effort at excellence in its regard?


    Good point.

    I would add that worst chronic offenders should be punishable by creative and painful means at the discretion of the listener. After all, being forced to listen to some of the more annoying grammatical slackers out there is no different than being subjected to a SYN ACK attack.

  • On the post: Grammar Nazis: Useful Language Experts, Or Elitist Snobs?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2009 @ 09:18am

    Nukeyoular Gramer Natsees

    Grammar rules are mostly to make people feel elite, not to make them any clearer, according to the book.


    Their are sum basic problematics with there fundamentalist BASIC statements.

  • On the post: As Expected, Mandelson To Introduce Plan To Kick File Sharers Off The Internet

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 29 Oct, 2009 @ 07:08am

    Re: Re: Re:

    yet remarkably, when they do get removed from the net, their file sharing stops altogether! AMAZING!

    Most importantly, when they disappear off the net, that is one less peer, one less potential seeder, one less person enabling others to take what isn't rightfully theirs.

    That's the point.

    Virtual shoplifting is still shoplifting. The sooner the general public clues back in to what they are actually doing, the quicker piracy becomes a nuisance rather than a death sentence for music and movies.


    OK if that is your point, sure, disconnecting people will temporarily stop that individual's filesharing (assuming they are using a method that can be monitored and have not set up another account or share another account).

    But back to the point. How does creating civil disobedience positively affect the bottom line of the music industry?

    What I see gives me the impression there will be much more lost by alienating the people at large, both from the music industry and from their governments, with such public cronyism.

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