ralph_the_bus_driver 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Google Publishes Another Batch Of National Security Letters, Updates Its Transparency Report

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 12 Dec, 2017 @ 07:27pm

    Is Google a perfect company? Of course not. They are however a benevolent company. That doesn't mean they are stupid and don't give a poop about America's security.

    Those that don't care about stopping terrorists at our borders can continue yelling "But, but, SNOWDEN said ..."*. As long as the NSA is doing the best job they can to monitor terrorist traffic at as little intrusion as possible on me and other innocents, then have at it.

    * For those that didn't pay attention, Snowden didn't know what he had on that flash drive that our enemies got a hold of. He is now living in the nation that interfered with our national election.

  • On the post: State Board That Fined Man For Criticizing The Government Without A License Admits It Was Wrong

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 07:28pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: e e cummings

    They took a previous design and adapted it to to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Then they made a few alterations. The original bridge was four lanes with a strengthening divider down the center of the roadway. On the original bridge the railings were more solid whereas they were open on the TNB.

    The bridge was expected to move in the wind. As said above, they just didn't take into account the degree of resonance. But that was mostly because it had never happened like this before. But then it happens in most long bridges. Most suspension bridges are self dampening so people don't realize it there is some resonance.

    Was the TNB poor engineering? Nope, it just succumbed to the weather. But lesson learned and no bridge has done that since. They learned a lot from the Challenger blowing up. The aircraft tragedy that gave the most lesson in design? The DH Comet, first commercial jet, kept falling out of the sky in the early 1950s. They soon learned not to have square windows or square joints as that only sets up fatigue points.

  • On the post: State Board That Fined Man For Criticizing The Government Without A License Admits It Was Wrong

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 07:01pm

    Re: Re:

    The State AG represents all State government employees, agencies, and boards in court.

    The Board members are protected with personal immunity. The State violated his civil rights, they didn't. While some conspiracies can be a felony, believe it or not, this Board is within its rights to do what they did. They may be wrong as heck, but they were within their right to decide who is an engineer.

    The AG is trying to get off with just a return of the fine. That won't fly as the Board did violate his rights. He did expend a fair bit fighting the fine and suing for the violation of his rights.

  • On the post: State Board That Fined Man For Criticizing The Government Without A License Admits It Was Wrong

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 06:47pm

    Re: Re:

    .... or has a degree that confers "Doctor" on the degree. Such as Chiropractor, Optometrist, Podiatrist, and Dentist. Then there are guys like my brother that studied History for 8 years, wrote a few books and earned a PhD.

  • On the post: Court Holds NYPD In Contempt For Refusing To Hand Over Documents Related To Black Live Matter Surveillance

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 01:46pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

    "If the ruling was against a citizen, the judge would not be issuing a contempt order with a 30 days grace period"

    Not quite how it works.

    The plaintiff (BLM) would have sent a DISCOVERY request for the material eight months ago. After some time has passed and the NYPD has not responded, they will ask the court for an order. That request will take a month or two to schedule a hearing and could be another month or two in the future. Then during the hearing the Judge will ask why the NYPD did not respond.

    The NYPD may even argue that the discovery request is unreasonable. That may end up involving separate hearings. Usually, the Judge will give the other party some time to respond.

    This stuff can take well over a year, especially depending on how busy the court is. This is a tactic well used by many unscrupulous businesses, such as Trump. They drag out the process until the poor shmuck that is suing goes broke.

    Some judges will cut through the BS, but not all.

  • On the post: Court Holds NYPD In Contempt For Refusing To Hand Over Documents Related To Black Live Matter Surveillance

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 07:22am

    Re: Re: Re:

    A court must allow time for the other side to respond. Currently, the ultimate authority for releasing the documents and video is with the Commissioner. If he is indisposed then the Deputy Commissioner is responsible. And so on. A court wouldn't be able to just jail people that have no responsibility here. They need the responsibility before they can be targeted.

    I think the current record for being jailed for contempt is 14 years. In a divorce, the husband refused to disclose where his wealth was hidden. The judge jailed him for contempt until he revealed where the money was. http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=8101209&page=1

  • On the post: Court Holds NYPD In Contempt For Refusing To Hand Over Documents Related To Black Live Matter Surveillance

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 05:51am

    Re: Re:

    Maybe if this was two years ago I would agree. However, does anyone really think that the FBI, and even the DOJ Civil Rights Division, would even want to get involved here? The DOJ leadership under AG Sessions and Trump would rather kiss the cops butts than tell them to comply with a judicial order.

  • On the post: FBI Director Complains About Encryption, Offers To Sacrifice Public Safety In The Interest Of Public Safety

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 07:07am

    Current encryption of phones is directly attributable to the use of those phones. As everyone from banks to ISPs and the cell phone manufacturers to the Operating Systems offer financial applications, they must, at the same time, also offer the requisite safety.

    If the police can bust into my phone through a back door, then so can anyone else. The Fourth Amendment is not just a bunch of words.

  • On the post: Court Holds NYPD In Contempt For Refusing To Hand Over Documents Related To Black Live Matter Surveillance

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 11 Dec, 2017 @ 05:07am

    I am all in favor of the Commissioner being found in contempt and forced to spend a few days in jail until the documents and video are turned over. After two days then the top Deputy Commissioner can join him. And two days after that the next in line. Then the next in line after that.

    The Judge could also borrow some space from the Federal Manhattan Detention Center to insure that they aren't given the luxury treatment while detained.

  • On the post: The Sad Legacy Of Copyright: Locking Up Scientific Knowledge And Impeding Progress

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 06:43am

    Re: Re: Re: "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning."

    Prior to the copyright, yes, many inventions were kept secret. The telescope was a secret invention, until the secret got out.

    Eli Whitney perfected the cotton gin. It was copied and he made extremely little money off of it. Similar to the ease of copyright in the digital era, the cotton gin was so simple to build that it was just home built by farmers.

    The French inventor of photography, Niepce, gave his invention to the world, except for Britain. He made them pay royalties (France and Britain were still enemies). The patent didn't last as the English inventor, Talbot, invented a different method at the same time. Secretly.

  • On the post: The Sad Legacy Of Copyright: Locking Up Scientific Knowledge And Impeding Progress

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 06:32am

    Re: science-technology-industry-investment-stocks

    • Stocks don't rise and fall on chemistry.
      - They rise on inventions that look promising.

      There is little relationship between the price of a stock and its actual value. Stock prices are almost always a perceived value.

  • On the post: The Sad Legacy Of Copyright: Locking Up Scientific Knowledge And Impeding Progress

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 06:25am

    Re: Re: Re: First, your Socialist slant simply doesn't apply to entertainments.

    Just because you can do something does not mean it is right.

    I do photography. My photos are my work. You do not get any right to copy them for your benefit while denying me of my reward. Sure, you can, but there is no difference between you copying them on a printer and copying them digitally. You are still stealing my work.

    BTW, Fair Use and stealing are not synonymous.

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 06:03am

    Re:

    Allowing the TSA to grope you is voluntary; there is no right to fly. You may take alternate modes of transportation.

    Children are obligated to attend school so they don't have an option. Children do not leave their Constitutional rights at the school door.

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:59am

    Re:

    The lawyers get 15% of the settlements. That is a low amount, even for a class action suit. That is what they would have gotten even if this went to trial and spent several years before the courts.

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:52am

    Re: Re: Hmmm

    That is why municipalities have liability insurance; for when they are at fault.

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:35am

    Re: School

    The school was not complicit. The Sheriff conducted the search without the schools permission. The Principal most likely could have asked them leave and return with a search warrant. They most likely have an agreement of cooperating with police in reducing drug abuse in the school.

    However, if you ever feel the police are in the wrong, I don't suggest you walk up to them and tell them to stop. You will most likely find yourself "obstructing police".

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:22am

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Sucks

    The ramifications on their families should never be a factor in the punishment of a criminal.

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:17am

    Re: The obvious next step (for someone who has learned nothing)

    The Sheriff is currently under a criminal indictment. I believe that that requires he resign.

  • On the post: Sheriff's Office To Pay $3 Million For Invasive Searches Of 850 High School Students

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:15am

    Re: Re: Re: Re:

    Being held on the lock down was an unlawful arrest. The students were not allowed to use the washrooms, congregate, go to classes, call their parents, etc. All that was illegal.

    The students should still hold out for more; bankrupt the Sheriff and deputies. This was not done under any color of law, the taxpayers should not be paying the bill.

  • On the post: Drone-Maker DJI Offers Bug Bounty Program, Then Threatens Bug-Finder With The CFAA

    ralph_the_bus_driver ( profile ), 21 Nov, 2017 @ 05:05am

    Re: Rule #1 in security research

    Any company offering a reward or bounty to find bugs has also opened the door to legitimate searching of it's proprietary IT systems as well as their code. They have surrendered their "color of law" right of privacy and can not later come along and claim it is illegal, trespassing, or hacking.

    Smart companies have an office that receives notices of bugs. Rewards and bugs are handled quietly but fairly. Companies that screw over those who report bugs, end up not getting tips.

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