Rose M. Welch 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (1727)

• On the post: Preparing New Techdirt CwF+RtB Offerings, And Extending The Crystal Ball For Those Who Bought

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 07 Oct, 2010 @ 02:04pm

  Water bottles, tank tops, zippered hoodies (instead of pullover), mouse pads, and key chains. Those are the items on my wish list. Not that I would buy all of them, but one or two would be nice.
  
  Also, ties might be cool for some Techdirt fans.

• On the post: Winemaker Charles Smith Sues Over Anonymous Blog Comments

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 04 Oct, 2010 @ 02:02pm

  Re: Just left this comment on his/their blog....

  Don't forget to write to Gray and ask him to fight this.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 29 Sep, 2010 @ 10:57am

  Re:

  You're full of crap.
  
  The commenters here act like this is some sort of First Amendment issue...
  
  That's because this is a First Amendment issue.
  
  In fact, libraries have a long history of standing up for patron privacy and civil rights.
  
  In specific areas related to their specific profession, yes. But don't let that fact get into your way.
  
  Many commenters here seem to have a 1950's, Mayberry RFD view of libraries. That's been gone for awhile.
  
  I've spend alot of time in a variety of libraries in a variety of cities over the last 20 years. I understand libraries.
  
  Libraries today tend to attract large numbers of homeless people. Many of the homeless have criminal backgrounds, problems with substance addition, mental instability, or often, a combination of all of the above. ...If the registered sex offender masturbating on the public computers walks out before the police arrive after the librarian calls 911, then at least they can get a shot of him on the security camera. Same for the crazy person threatening another patron.
  
  Let me tell you, public masturbation is uncommon, hit-and-run fistfights amongst the shelves are even more uncommon, and homeless, mentally unstable people usually don't wear sunglasses in Austin. You're stretching like Armstrong there, buddy.
  
  The funding for libraries is small, and is usually the first to get cut in an economic downturn.
  
  Funding for libraries is only small in some areas. The tax isn't the same amount everywhere. Local communities can and do vote up taxes for libraries. Name ten libraries, in different cities, that previously had meat surveillance and have cut to tech because their tax funding was lowered.
  
  Guess what - hiring security guards is expensive! And most police departments lack the manpower to have a patrolman stationed at every library.
  
  If libraries were a mecca of crime, then the city needs to station an officer there, like they did in the inner-city recreation centers of my youth. Libraries are not very crime-ridden, hence the lack of priority that they receive from the police.
  
  I bet the people here complaining about their civil rights being violated are also the loudest to complain if anybody tries to raise taxes to support the library. And also loudest to complain about all those homeless bums who should just go get jobs, without doing anything to improve the situation.
  
  Wow, nice use of baseless insults to try and make it seem like everyone who disagrees with you is a puppy-kicker.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 06:26pm

  Re: Retired Serviceman's League Clubs

  Not by everyone, or there wouldn't be people wearing hats indoors.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 06:24pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

  But the difference here is not that its a different style of clothing it's that it's concealment.
  
  All clothing is concealment.
  
  I doubt many people thought then about the whys of it, they were simply taught to do so.
  
  Yes, let's do go back to a rule that no one actually thought about, and take away religious freedom and physically hurt people because a few people think that headgear is scary.
  
  I find the idea that what was really behind it was removing concealment as part of the social contract compelling.
  
  There is no social contract.
  
  But I will readily agree I have waffled on far too much on this topic and so will finally stop.
  
  You mean you admit that you're wrong, and that there's no good reason to restrict someone's choice of headgear in a public place, and many good reasons not to restrict someone's choice of headgear?

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 06:20pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re:

  It's a total parental fail when people have to be told how to respect the differences in people.
  
  To be clear, I mean your parents, Bart.

• On the post: Our Own Dark Helmet Shares Lessons From Crowdfunding Experiment

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 03:14pm

  Re: Re: DH Contacted

  I almost bought your book, but it was pretty expensive. I forgot what site it was on, but it was like $20. I think you're funny, but I'm not yet sure that you're $20 plus shipping funny. :P Unfortunately, I couldn't find it used on Amazon, so I'm Dark-Helmet-book-less.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 03:12pm

  What about...

  ...those glasses that automatically go dark in bright places? Are people with poor vision going to have to remove their glasses??? And if some people can wear dark glasses, why can't people who get migraines, and people whom are otherwise light-sensitive?
  
  And at that point, how do you know who has a medical condition? Are we going to start requiring library patrons to bring in doctor's note for any ailments?
  
  Seriously, this is stupid.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 03:09pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

  You haven't established that the wearing of sunglasses indoors is unnecessary.
  
  People whom are light-sensitive would absolutely disagree with your characterization of their headgear.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 03:08pm

  Re:

  It's perfectly sane for people with a light sensitivity to wear sunglasses in a library.
  
  There are hundreds of medications that can cause light sensitivity.
  
  Also, people who suffer from migraines, which is an awful lot of people.
  
  Remember, there must be people wearing sunglasses, or there wouldn't be any reason to add it to the 'ban' list.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 03:06pm

  Re: Eye surgery

  Someone who just came from an eye appointment and wants to pick their kids up at the library might.
  
  Also, people who are naturally sensitive to lights or whom are sensitive because of the TONS of medications out there for which light sensitivity is a side effect are going to be pissed.

• On the post: Surveillance Nation: Austin Library Won't Let You Wear Baseball Caps Because Cameras Can't ID You

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2010 @ 10:27am

  Cue harassment of a Muslim woman or someone recovering from a nose job in 3.. 2.. 1..

• On the post: Battle Of The Pod People: Apple & Sector Labs Heading To Court Over Pod Trademark

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2010 @ 01:28pm

  Coffee Pods?

  I wonder if they've gone after the coffee pod companies...

• On the post: Librarians Violating Netflix Terms Of Service To Better Serve Patrons

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2010 @ 01:25pm

  Re: Re: Re: Re:

  First, it says 'unlimited', but it's not. All heavy DVD traffic is throttled.
  
  Second, the larger plans are available to you, as well. All you have to do is click the inconspicuous hyperlink that says 'Show Additional Unlimited Plans'.

• On the post: Another Day, Another Apology From Netflix; Calls Americans Self-Absorbed

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2010 @ 01:21pm

  Re:

  No, actually, not anymore.

• On the post: Another Day, Another Apology From Netflix; Calls Americans Self-Absorbed

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2010 @ 01:08pm

  Re:

  My Canadian friends will be so glad that I finally came to visit!

• On the post: Another Day, Another Apology From Netflix; Calls Americans Self-Absorbed

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2010 @ 08:44am

  Just for the record, this deal is available to Americans as well. My Change Membership screen offers a streaming-only 7.99 option, and I live in Oklahoma.

• On the post: Librarians Violating Netflix Terms Of Service To Better Serve Patrons

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2010 @ 08:42am

  Re: Re:

  No, they don't have unlimited. They have the 8 disc a month plan, which is available to anyone.

• On the post: Justice Department Insists It Should Be Able To Secretly Stick GPS Devices On Cars Without Warrants

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 23 Sep, 2010 @ 05:59pm

  Re: Fine

  Oooh, good point!

• On the post: Justice Department Insists It Should Be Able To Secretly Stick GPS Devices On Cars Without Warrants

  

  Rose M. Welch ( profile ), 23 Sep, 2010 @ 04:38pm

  There are property considerations here as well. If you attach it to my vehicle without my permission, is that vandalism?
  
  If I remove it and throw it away, will I be charged with a crime?
  
  I agree that the privacy considerations are the most important part, but there are many other problems with this 'idea'.

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