Skeptical Cynic 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Apple Accused Of 'Violating The Rights' Of Iconic Swiss Railway Clock

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 24 Sep, 2012 @ 08:49am

    Not defending but really...

    Is Apple that "aggressive" in defending it's trademarks? I am not talking about the patents. But about trademarks. Is Apple doing anything any other company would not do? Trademarks are a different beast than patents. There are rules to keep them enforceable.

    Now don't get me wrong I think that a clock face like the above really should have no way of being trademarked nor should an Apple with a stem on top. But when you add the bite out of it.....

  • On the post: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 09:54am

    Re:

    And our freedoms look for a place to hide in dark.

  • On the post: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 09:30am

    Re: Re:

    I agree TAC (formerly known as THC) protesters should always be allowed to express their opinions. But in most cases those causes are used to further agendas that are not in the spirit of the protest.

  • On the post: New Yorker Demands Licensing Fee To Repost 'Nipplegate' Comic On Facebook

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 08:05am

    And how much is it worth to the New Yorker for the free publicity?

    Look if they bought and paid for the comic I can see asking for attribution which I do not think is unreasonable.

    I re-post article excerpts all the time but always direct people to the full article. The people that paid for the article creation should get some benefit.

    But if they are smart they will understand that the any lost revenue is minor to the free publicity they get from those re-postings.

    Had a run in with a BS site about re-posting article excerpts from their site and when I stopped they lost at least 1400+ click-thru's from my site a day. I know not a huge number but it could add up.

  • On the post: Hachette Hits Libraries With 220% Price Increase On Its Ebooks

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 07:56am

    Say it with me!!!!!

    Infinite Goods!!!!

  • On the post: How The Royal Family Got The World To Look At Naked Photos Of Kate Middleton [Updated]

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 07:54am

    The new marketing Paradigm

    Forget spending big money on TV ads or SMM or Google Ads.

    Spent 100 times less by just suing somebody. You will get everything you need to get people looking at your product by just suing.

    Of course it will help if you have boobs involved

  • On the post: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 07:34am

    Re: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    And in Canada everything the government does is copywrited.
    http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120914/09423020383/royal-canadian-mint-claims-copyright-one-cent-piece-threatens-indie-musician-over-album-art.shtml

  • On the post: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 05:24am

    Re: Re: I've found catrering to tantrums effective

    No they are just mad about the video.

  • On the post: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 05:21am

    Re: I've found catrering to tantrums effective

    While at first I was just pissed that again America the country was blamed for something one person did. I was 'these stupid violent extremists' just need to find their paradise and quit screwing up our world', but then I thought about it.

    If you have grown up in a country where your life is controlled by the government, the TV you view is made by the government, then you would think that the US is responsible for the content of the video.

    They are reacting based on a perception that is their reality, but not the actual reality. I know I get angry (and I am sure most Americans do) when we see some propaganda video put out by some foreign government that tells lies about America.

    So in their eyes the video was made in America, by an American so therefore America made the video and all Americans must die.

  • On the post: White House Goes Too Far In Asking Google To Pull Controversial Video

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2012 @ 05:12am

    Not defending anyone...but

    I can guarantee not one single person at this politically focused White House even took a second to thing about any free-speech implications of asking for the video to be taken down.

    They are too worried about getting reelected and like that overly eager kid they want everyone to like them.

  • On the post: Testing 'The Most Transparent Administration in History'

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2012 @ 07:26am

    Eric Holder is the Attorney General

    You expected anything else from his DOJ?

    House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa and Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley sent Holder a letter in May 2011 asking for details about Operation Fast and Furious, a botched federal firearms sting operation that allowed weapons to reach Mexican drug gangs.

    In October 2011, 7,600 pages of documents were released that Issa believes may have indicated Holder was sent memos in regard to Operation Fast and Furious earlier than he at first claimed, contradicting Holder's sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee in which he said he only recently became aware of Operation Fast and Furious in the first half of 2011. In April 2012, Issa announced that his committee was drafting a Contempt of Congress resolution against Holder in response to the committee being "stonewalled by the Justice Department."

  • On the post: Do We Really Want The UN In Charge Of Cybersecurity Standards?

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2012 @ 07:01am

    The UN may do nothing at first, but...

    when they do I will bet my right leg that it will not be good for us citizens of the world, and especially bad for the US.

  • On the post: Judge Says Sniffing Unencrypted WiFi Networks Is Not Wiretapping

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2012 @ 07:34am

    Secure by default

    Secure by default should be the standard. Why is it not?

    Nuff said.

  • On the post: White House Preparing Executive Order As A Stand-In For CISPA

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2012 @ 07:27am

    Re: Re: executive order

    Might want to check this link (http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/orders.php)
    so that you can look at the reality of how many EOs were issued by which President before you claim someone abused it.

    Also remember the Democrats control the Senate and had control of the House for the first 2 years (which is why we have the massive extension of government control on your life and health called Obamacare). Obama can't get the Senate to pass anything now. Seems like even his own party is scared to follow him.

  • On the post: White House Preparing Executive Order As A Stand-In For CISPA

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2012 @ 06:45am

    Re: Re: Re: executive order

    Yep, also it seems that the Republicans are starting to use them more. Which just show how much the two parties are becoming alike.

  • On the post: White House Preparing Executive Order As A Stand-In For CISPA

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2012 @ 06:00am

    Re: executive order

    It is exactly that. It is a way for the President to do what he wants (within shady, uncertain limits) without having to deal with those pesky constitutional restraints.

    EO totals by President:
    http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/orders.php

    First price to the first person who can see the pattern in the totals.

  • On the post: White House Preparing Executive Order As A Stand-In For CISPA

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2012 @ 05:55am

    Re:

    Loki,
    You hit the nail right on the head.

    What has me concerned is that it really is freaky how much the tactics of the MPAA et al, and Big Government parallel each other.

    They both push for new rules, regulations, and laws that ultimately do nothing to curb the real or perceived problem but instead do the most harm to those that are supposed to be helped by them.

    It makes you really wonder how many of the people in government have been bought or have been 'educated' by the people in the IP industries.

  • On the post: French Publishers Want In On German Plan To Force Everyone To Pay To Link To News

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 07 Sep, 2012 @ 06:36am

    And Google is in a catch 22

    Either they pay these ridiculous fees for sending traffic (thus more Ad revenue)to these sites or they stop indexing those sites and lose traffic as people find more and more often that the news they were looking for is not showing up in the search results.

  • On the post: Think Tank Behind SOPA Says USTR Should Make Sure TPP Includes IP Maximalist Positions

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 31 Aug, 2012 @ 05:52am

    Article Edit

    Entering into a sub-standard Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement that offers only weak intellectual property (IP) protections or permits countries to maintain mercantilist practices would be far worse than not joining the agreement

    It should have said...

    Entering into any Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement that offers intellectual property (IP) protections permits countries to maintain mercantilist practices and would be far worse for everybody but the IP holders than not joining the agreement.

  • On the post: TripAdvisor's Rankings Of 'Dirtiest Hotels' Is Not Defamation

    Skeptical Cynic ( profile ), 31 Aug, 2012 @ 05:20am

    Sounds like this is the Judge we need for...

    Patent lawsuits, File sharing lawsuits, Copyright lawsuits, etc...

    This judge seems to be able to discern facts from assertions so he might not buy the BS the MPAA, and Patent trolls are selling.

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