Free Capitalist 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Can Trent Reznor Reinvent The Video Game Business, Too?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2009 @ 09:08am

    Re: IIRC

    Yes, Quake had one hell of a dark, twisted soundtrack/effects thanks to Reznor. For the time I thought it was groundbreaking.

    However I'm not sure he actually drew inspiration from "Get that humanoid.. Got that Human!"

  • On the post: Lily Allen No Longer in Favor Of Kicking People Offline… Just Cutting Back Their Bandwidth

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2009 @ 08:16am

    This poor, naive girl should really bow disappear from the debate and restore her sense of integrity. Someone close to her should have pointed out that history shows no matter WHAT she does for them, the record companies will never pay "straight" royalties on her work, especially when her fame diminishes.

    Now where is that lawyer tool who claims debate counter-point is bullying?

  • On the post: Having ISPs Fight Piracy Could Cost More Than Claimed 'Losses' From Piracy

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 23 Sep, 2009 @ 07:05am

    Filtering "Illegal" Content is a Gateway Drug

    I think the role and definition of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) needs to be clarified.

    Specifically, to be considered an "Internet" service provider, and organization must deliver "The Internet" -- an uncensored, open-use public information medium.

    Filtering content should require the filtering corporations to recategorize their operation and make clear to their customers that they are not, in fact, providing access to "The Internet", they are a select media access provider.

    There should be no gray area between uncensored access to information, and the new form of "walled gardens" certain providers want to create.

    I think this is necessary as it will become clear that limiting access to "illegal" information and media also enables the recreation of a "faux reality" similar to what we see on broadcast network news. Not that the news is always disinformation, just that it is sensational and (imo) deliberately bereft of useful facts.

    Restricting access to information violates the first amendment rights of those providing the information (or disinformation), and should also be considered a violation of the first amendment rights of the public at large.

    Not that I don't want companies to be able to provide a select media service, I just think its false advertising to call it "Internet" access.

  • On the post: Austin Police Chief To Go After Anonymous Commenters

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 23 Sep, 2009 @ 06:21am

    Re:

    Perhaps the anonymous poster claiming to be a police officer was in fact posting @ someone to "pull over". That would ne a serious, serious offense for a non-police officer.

    On the Internet, the only group more feared and respected than anonymous police are the grammar nazis.

  • On the post: Is It Too Much To Expect Judges In Tech Related Cases To Understand Tech?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 18 Sep, 2009 @ 11:40am

    Re: Re: Answer

    Actually, I should have made my own 'panel-review' reply under Richard's. In general I agree.

  • On the post: Is It Too Much To Expect Judges In Tech Related Cases To Understand Tech?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 18 Sep, 2009 @ 11:23am

    Re: Answer

    Having contemplated epistomology a little, I'm more inclined to want for a 'panel-review' of proposed judicial decisions involving technical assumptions.

    However my distrust of groups of people with power in general leads me to believe that these reviews should be external to "the system".

    How about an open-source style system for allocating reviews of technical assumptions in judgements? There should be some assurance of neutrality and disassociation of those signed on to a specific review.

    If it were even a good idea, the question would be, how could we accredit reviewers without having academia come in and foul the whole system?

  • On the post: Prison Guards Suing For The Right To Bitch About Their Bosses In Private Online Forums

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 18 Sep, 2009 @ 06:21am

    It does seem pretty easy to eavesdrop on Facebook, but to me this is non-sequitur to the topic introduced here.

    I'm generally supportive of the "employment at-will" practice, and supportive of employers being able to hire/fire for most any reason they deem necessary. In general.

    However, "employment at-will" does not correlate 100% to the legal environment here in the U.S. or (as I indirectly understand) in Austrailia.

    Every boss SHOULD know there are potential liabilities for certain kinds of conduct in disciplining employees.

    In the case from the article, this particular "boss" is so monumentally stupid, he actually called out this group "bitch session" as the reason for bringing disciplinary action.

    In light of the expressed ignorance of this "boss" and the company who allowed him into that position, I wholeheartedly support the full litigation of the colon they are about to receive.

  • On the post: ASCAP, BMI Demanding Payment For 30 Second Previews At Web Stores

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2009 @ 11:22am

    Great idea. Charge for window shopping.

    Charge for window shopping a product that is leased, not purchased, and where most everything "browsed" will be unsatisfactory for "take-home" or "lease-at-home" purposes.

    You know what... I think I'd rather just go try a strip club.

  • On the post: Video Games And Influence

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2009 @ 10:58am

    Re: Re:

    Seven is a tender age for MUSHROOM addiction.

    Thank goodness you didn't have concurrent blowupapookatosis as so many of my generation suffered. That could have gotten real ugly.

  • On the post: Video Games And Influence

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2009 @ 10:30am

    I played Spore for a while but then I hurt mitosis on the way to work.

    Jack Thompson once played a lawyer simulator.

  • On the post: Arizona Dumping Redflex Cameras… But Giving Redflex An Award For Innovation?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 16 Sep, 2009 @ 08:06am

    Re: Article is Wrong! (Continued)

    "2. This technology did not exist when these documents were written, so therefore it could not have possibly been addressed. The only way that someone could accurately be accused of a crime in 1776 was to have an officer witness the crime taking place"


    In 1791(or 1792 I forget now) the 6th amendment to the U.S. constitution was ratified, which grants the right of the accused to face one's accuser in a court of law.

    I do not think that just because the technology is there, that we necessarily need to toss out the adversarial system of justice.

    Curtailing unequivocable and explicit rights for the sake of safety or for budgetary concerns of law enforement organizations is an easy road to tyranny that many people seem to think is OK. I do not think this is OK any more than I think it is OK for people to drive wrecklessly.

    I'm sick of the "its too old to be relevant" arguments about the Constitution.

  • On the post: Can't Buy 'Em? Sue 'Em For Patent Infringement!

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 16 Sep, 2009 @ 06:59am

    Re: Re: Somebody sue Mikey already

    "that juicy hot dog under neath the big box tipped on one side, held up by the stick with the string attached to it."


    Woah there... I've got a patent on the "Better Roommate Trap". You can't just put "juicy" in front of "hot dog" and call it innovation.

  • On the post: Arizona Dumping Redflex Cameras… But Giving Redflex An Award For Innovation?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 16 Sep, 2009 @ 06:48am

    Re: This discussion is demagogy in its best

    "It's not like you're punished on baseless accusation - there's actual due process in place. So, what do you mad at - that someone making profit of the crime? It was always the case. "


    Sorry but I cannot correlate an automated justice dispensing mechanism to the 5th or 6th Amendments of the U.S. constitution. Where are you from?

    I could not comprehend the rest of your post as I have been completely desensitized to children, atrocities, corporate greed and blood on the highways.

  • On the post: Jurors Required To Sign Promises Not To Google Details Of Case

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 16 Sep, 2009 @ 06:14am

    Re: The point of the rule

    Good points, and it reminds us that the Justice system has always known that, in spite of the professed ideals, journalism is *biased opinion.

    (Frankly, I think all writing is biased to the author's intent and limited to information (factual or not) the author *chooses to include in the work. )

    Another interesting point about considering only the facts of the case -- Judges admonish juries that any statements made by the LAWYERS are opinions and not fact or evidence. The only evidence juries are supposed to consider is the physical evidence, and testimonies (by material witnesses and subject matter experts).

  • On the post: Recording Industry Insiders Complain About Musicians Who Argue Against Kicking People Off The Internet

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2009 @ 11:40am

    Re: It's not a "business model" Its ILLEGAL

    Fixed subject for you. Check Amendment VI in link, and EU ref on second.

    http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_a_fair_trial

  • On the post: Anti-bullying Laws Don't Work Offline; Why Do Politicians Think They'll Work Online?

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2009 @ 11:06am

    Fuck bullies.

    Decriminalize self-defense.

  • On the post: Why Do We Let Juries Set Patent Award Damages? Appeals Court Throws Out Another Jury Award

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2009 @ 06:18am

    Guiding the Blind

    When I once served on a jury for a civil injury lawsuit, I seem to recall receiving basic information on award calculations from both attorneys along with comments from the judge. There were also suggested 'tiers' of awards involving the potential lost income of the plaintiff, *and potential punitive awards if we found the defendant grossly negligent.

    In the end it seemed more like a 'put the finger in the air and test the wind' process once we got to deliberations amongst the jurors. Try as I might, I couildnt' get anyone to really try the math (very, very limited algrebra involved with basic arithmetic), everyone wanted to simply select from one of the 'ranges' the plaintiff's lawyer suggested.

    I'm curious as to whether these juries discussed in the article were given similar guidelines and in the end decided on the laziest answer?

  • On the post: A Look At The RIAA's Copyright Propaganda For Schools

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2009 @ 11:47am

    Well, this tripe is organized about as poorly as some of the textbooks I remember. Honestly, I think it stands a chance at approval in some districts.

    At least now I know with certainty:
    Music Rules!

    Obey your masters. Bow down to the all powerful Copyright young lessee of inferior recordings!

  • On the post: Got That New iPod Nano? You Might Risk Arrest In Massachusetts

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2009 @ 09:48am

    Re:

    Calling it a wiretapping law is misleading because it is actually a law governing "Interception of wire and oral communications."


    Thanks for clearing that up. I was acutally beginning to wonder how the prosecutor could prove that the wire leading from the defendant was in fact securely anchored in the mechanic's skull.

    Even still, it does sound like a mess of a law.

  • On the post: Next Up For Disruption? College

    Free Capitalist ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2009 @ 07:48am

    Re: Well hell

    Hang in there Jrosen.

    The struggles you illustrate about the feeling of 'unpreparedness' for the "real-world" really just indicate that you were, and are, in fact, observing and *thinking.

    No institution could have better prepared you for the the working world any more than a father talking to his child can prepare them for military basic training. The labs in ITT style courses very rarely closely mimic "real-world" implementations, or convey the sense of urgency your business partners will place upon you. In the end it always comes down to a trial by fire. If you want exposure to a new technology you will most often have to take the research upon yourself (and take advantage of employer sponsored course if available)

    As long as you continue to think, and develop your ability to deal with abstract problems on a daily basis, you will do well.

    You may even find (like I evetually did) that some of the struggles you face actually come from other people in the workforce who choose not to think, but to rest on their credentials, and act (when they act) stupidly.

    Thinking is a choice, and you have so far chosen well.

    As for online vs. brick and mortar education -- the quality of the education will still always rest on the dedication and choices of each individual.

    On topic:
    Education is a business, and old-school universities do not deserve protectionism of their profit-driven business models.

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