techdescartes 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Larry Lessig's Latest Big Challenge: Fixing The Way We Elect A President

    techdescartes ( profile ), 26 Sep, 2017 @ 05:47pm

    Politicians for the Ethical Treatment of Americans

    He's making big gestures that may have a low probability of success, but these aren't campaigns that have just been thrown together on a whim—they have a clear purpose and fit in with a larger theme, often trying to game the system in some clever way. They're gimmicky, but in ways that at least make you think.

    So he's basically PETA for elections? Maybe they could team up and have Naruto vote in 2020.

  • On the post: Members Of Trump's Admin Team Using Private Email Accounts Because Of Course They Are

    techdescartes ( profile ), 26 Sep, 2017 @ 09:49am

    We Need to Get the Facts Right

    This is sloppy reporting:

    Kushner used the private account through his first nine months in government service, even as the president continued to criticize his opponent in the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton, for her use of a private email account for government business.

    Actually, Trump criticized Hillary's handling of classified information (Jul. 6, 2016):

    Crooked Hillary Clinton and her team "were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information." Not fit!

    As I have written before, the issue with Hillary's email server was that it contained classified information on a server in her basement. Even PolitiFact knows that:

    The results of an FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state shredded Clinton’s most oft-recited defense — that she never sent or received information marked classified.

    I'm not excusing Kushner any more than Mike Pence from using a personal email account for concealing Indiana's classified recipe for Hoosier pie. But we need to get the facts right.

  • On the post: Velcro's Hilarious Trademark Lesson Video Actually A Good Lesson In Just How Stupid Trademark Law Has Become

    techdescartes ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2017 @ 03:58pm

    "Hook and Loop" Won't Stick

    If they want to get all technical about it, according to their registration certificate, this ain't no mere "hook and loop." It's:

    molded and extruded plastic material having a surface of hooks or loops, for use in manufacture as components of hook and loop fastening systems; hook and loop fastening systems for use in manufacture

    Now put that in a lyric.

  • On the post: Appeals Court Tells Patent Trolls' Favorite Judge He Can't Just Ignore The Supreme Court To Keep Patent Cases In Texas

    techdescartes ( profile ), 25 Sep, 2017 @ 02:14pm

    Short-Form Citation

    In Re Cray-Cray

  • On the post: Company CEO Pleads Guilty After Forging Judge's Signatures On Bogus Court Orders Sent To Google

    techdescartes ( profile ), 22 Sep, 2017 @ 05:21pm

    Certificate of Authenticity

    Now Arnstein awaits sentencing in the same court he impersonated.

    Where he will receive a 100% genuine order.

  • On the post: WhatsApp Reportedly Rejected UK Government Demand For Encryption Backdoor

    techdescartes ( profile ), 21 Sep, 2017 @ 01:06pm

    Lies and Statistics

    Sky News understands that 80% of investigations into terrorism and serious crime are now impacted by encryption.

    This statistic is obviously false.

    The answer is 117%. Because they bring it up every. single. time. there is a terrorist attack and also times when there is not, just for good measure.

  • On the post: Insanity: Theresa May Says Internet Companies Need To Remove 'Extremist' Content Within 2 Hours

    techdescartes ( profile ), 21 Sep, 2017 @ 08:37am

    This post will self-destruct in seconds. Good luck, Dan/Jim.

  • On the post: With Court Ruling, Fan Subtitles Officially Copyright Infringement In Sweden

    techdescartes ( profile ), 20 Sep, 2017 @ 07:16pm

    Med domstolsregleringen, Fläktens undertexter Officiellt upphovsrättsintrång i Sverige

    För flera år sedan, i en olycklig polisvisning som knäböjde knäet till upphovsrättsindustrin, slogs den svenska brottsbekämpningen undertexterens kontor, en plats som främst ägde rum till fanöversättningar för filmtexter. Medan dessa fläktöversättningar har handbojsats till filmpiracy - mestadels genom film- och tv-innehållsproducenternas meddelandehantering - registrerades raid som en extrem eskalering i slaget om undertexter. De flesta människor har svårt att förstå varför en sådan åtgärd togs, med de flesta fläktöversättningar är endast användbara på grund av innehållsskaparna som underskrider delar av jorden som talar en mängd olika språk. Dessa fläktöversättningar öppnar mestadels de marknaderna för film- och tv-tillverkare som annars har valt att inte översätta sitt arbete till relevanta språk.

    För sin del lovade Undertexter att bekämpa den rättsliga åtgärden och förklarade sitt arbete icke-kränkande genom att tjäna upp bara dialogrörelser.

    Undertexter.se har haft en polisattack i morse (9 juli) och servrar och datorer har beslagtagits och platsen är därför nere. Vi som arbetar på webbplatsen anser inte att en tolkning av dialogen är något olaglig, särskilt inte när den delas gratis. Henrik Pontén [upphovsrättsbranschens främsta hantverkare i Sverige], som står bakom razzin, är oense. Tyvärr Hollywood, det var det helt fel kortet att spela. Vi kommer aldrig att ge upp. [...] Vi måste göra allt i vår makt för att stoppa dessa anti-pirater. [...]

    Nå är kampen nu över och tyvärr har mannen bakom Undertexter dömts för upphovsrättsintrång.

    Attunda tingsrätt dömde den nu 32-årige operatören till prövning. Dessutom måste han betala 217 000 svenska kronor (27 000 dollar), vilket kommer att tas från reklam- och donationsintäkterna som han samlat in via webbplatsen.

    Medan det fanns miljontals undertexter på Undertexter, hänvisades bara 74 filmer av åklagaren. Dessa var noggrant utvalda för att säkerställa ett starkt fall som det verkar, eftersom många av titlarna inte var kommersiellt tillgängliga i Sverige vid den tiden.

    Under försöket hade försvaret hävdat att de fanatiska undertexterna inte kränker eftersom filmerna består av video och ljud, med undertexter som extra. Domstolen var emellertid oenig med denna resonemang, domen visar.

    Vad som till sist hände här är att Undertexter hade översättningar för några filmer som lagligen finns i Sverige och åtalet fortsatte att väsentligen låtsas som om filmerna var hela historien. Verkligheten är att webbplatser som Undertexter är främst användbara eftersom de legitima alternativen, inklusive relevanta språköversättningar, inte är tillgängliga. Sidor som detta används av många som köper filmer och tv och sedan tillämpar fan-subs efteråt. Kunder som med andra ord inte kunde vara kunder om inte för fan-subs. Piratkopieringsdelen av dessa undertexter är oavsiktlig för uppdraget, med andra ord, men upphovsrättsbranschen i Sverige hävdade att piratkopiering verkligen var hela punkten.

    Å andra sidan undrar man exakt hur mycket svenska skattepengar spenderades för att få en kille som körde en undertextsplats till låneprov och 27 000 dollar? Är detta verkligen den bästa användningen av allas tid?

  • On the post: HP Brings Back Obnoxious DRM That Cripples Competing Printer Cartridges

    techdescartes ( profile ), 19 Sep, 2017 @ 04:01pm

    HP Multifunction

    Print/Fax/Scam

  • On the post: EFF Resigns From W3C After DRM In HTML Is Approved In Secret Vote

    techdescartes ( profile ), 18 Sep, 2017 @ 08:16pm

    trans·par·ent

    So much for transparency.

    Origin from Latin transparere, from trans- ‘um’ + parere ‘no’

  • On the post: When Godwin's Law Met The Streisand Effect

    techdescartes ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2017 @ 08:46pm

    So if Godwin's law meets the Streisand Effect...

    ...does that mean Mike literally is Hitler? I'm so confused.

  • On the post: Trump Administration Says It's Classified If They Can Let The NSA Spy On Americans

    techdescartes ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2017 @ 08:18am

    And the Internet responded...

    I want to stress that the Intelligence Community takes seriously its obligation to faithfully execute collection under Section 702 consistent with the Constitution and statutory requirements.

    ...srsly?

  • On the post: House Passes Amendment Rolling Back Jeff Sessions' Civil Asset Forfeiture Expansion

    techdescartes ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2017 @ 01:16pm

    Bye, partisan!

    Amendment number 126 was sponsored by a bipartisan group of nine members...

    It's amazing what can happen when you look beyond the labels "Democrat" and "Republican".

  • On the post: Lawyer: Without The Monkey's Approval, PETA Can't Settle Monkey Selfie Case

    techdescartes ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2017 @ 10:18am

    Fair summary?

    Everyone told them the lawsuit was dumb and told them to give it up. They refused.

    Now, they want realize that the suit was dumb and want to vacate the bad ruling and get out. We refused.

  • On the post: Charles Harder Loses Again: You Can't Just File Defamation Lawsuits In A Random State Because You Like Its Statute Of Limitations

    techdescartes ( profile ), 14 Sep, 2017 @ 08:00am

    That's Not Technically Correct

    Scottsdale’s reputation in New Hampshire cannot be impacted by the statements allegedly published in New Hampshire if no one in New Hampshire saw the statements.

    No one in New Hampshire saw the statements...until Charles Harder brought a lawsuit in New Hampshire ensuring that they would see the statements.

  • On the post: Dear Government Employees: Asking Questions – Even Dumb Ones – Is Not A Criminal Offense

    techdescartes ( profile ), 13 Sep, 2017 @ 08:14am

    Is one of these things not like the other?

    Neither party looks good in Scene 3, but it doesn't seem to follow Scenes 1 and 2. Scene 3 would fit the pattern only if the Secret Service actually called Jetton and then later decided to drop the investigation.

  • On the post: Las Vegas Police Union Fire Off Whining, Flag-Dripping Request To The NFL To 'Investigate' Michael Bennett For Saying Things

    techdescartes ( profile ), 12 Sep, 2017 @ 06:49pm

    Re: Re: Policing the Details

    No need to apologize. So...apologize for apologizing and we'll call it even.

  • On the post: Tesla Remotely Extended The Range Of Drivers In Florida For Free… And That's NOT A Good Thing

    techdescartes ( profile ), 12 Sep, 2017 @ 12:10pm

    Re: Re: Tesla (Re)Coil

    I'd giver you half a funny if there was one.
    Just hack the LOL button so that it doesn't fully charge when you press it.

  • On the post: Another Craft Beer Brand Gets Bullied To Death Over Shaky Trademark Claims

    techdescartes ( profile ), 12 Sep, 2017 @ 06:58pm

    The USPTO Didn't Stop the PTA

    ...I'm going to keep shouting about this until the USPTO finally listens...

    Tim is so worked up over trademarks and beer that he apparently forgot Fredericton is in Canada.

    BTW, why was the PTA selling beer?

  • On the post: Las Vegas Police Union Fire Off Whining, Flag-Dripping Request To The NFL To 'Investigate' Michael Bennett For Saying Things

    techdescartes ( profile ), 12 Sep, 2017 @ 03:28pm

    Policing the Details

    Despite these shrugs at fairly apropros questions, the LVPD did manage to fire off one of the whiniest letters to the NFL asking them to "investigate" Bennett for... saying things?

    The letter was written on letterhead for the Las Vegas Police Protective Association Metro, Inc. (the union for LVMPD police officers), not the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

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