Then I'd have to figure out what services are European. As it stands, I really have no idea where the various services originate (and, frankly, don't care). I use services that serve my purposes and don't use services that don't serve my purposes, no matter what "country code" the service has.
I "cut the cord" years ago. If I wanted to create services equivelent to what cable TV "offers", it would be expensive; but why would I do that? The main reason I cut the cord was I didn't want cable TV offered.
While I don't have a problem with the idea of taking the profit out of crime - isn't this exactly what they (LEOs) are doing? profiting from theft? I would stipulate that for there to be an "asset forfiture", two things should happen: (1) there should be a conviction for a crime that directly resulted in the aquisition of the asset, and (2) the original "owner" (victom) can be identified so that the entire "asset" can be returned to the "rightful" owner (no withholding or "fees" by the LEO). If either of these conditions fail, then they should not be able to seize the asset. This type of rule is the only way to prevent the very corruption we are seeing so much of now.
It really doesn't matter what congress says or what the courts say - they're data junkys and they aren't going to stop. Ever. They'll just take steps to ensure they have "plausable deniability".
I don't buy music. I don't download music. (I can't HEAR music.) I have a 70+db hearing loss; by legal standards, I'm deaf. Why should I be forced to support people that choose a profession that has zero value to me? (Note to Tech-Dirt: I was really interested in your podcasts. Unfortunately, I can't hear those either.)
There appear to be some syntax errors there, including the use of an assignment operator instead of a comparison one, which would make every "guy" register as "good" automatically.
That's not an error - it's a feature. Afterall, only "good guys" would use it, right? /s
"Biotech company patent genes found in donated sample, then sue doner for patent violation"
In "discovering" genes, the biotech company did nothing to develop them, so why should they be able to patent them? Tests and procedures? OK .. but not, under any circumstances, naturally occuring genes from anything.
The color tells me who is subject to overage charges
On my iPhone, all incoming messages have grey background. iMessage outbound have blue backgrounds and SMS has green backgrounds. The difference? iMessage will send over wifi (if available), avoiding usage caps from my cell carrier while SMS is ALWAYS through my cell carrier. I appreciate knowing who isn't subject of overage charges!
of the “Broken Window Economics” concept – a logical fallacy. With or without this agreement, the total number of car sales made between the EU and NA remains about the same. With this agreement, the total net change in car sales is zero; that translates to no real growth. (So .. why should we be doing this again?)
The report says that US persons serving overseas were not targeted and that conversations were not shared "solely for entertainment purposes". That's not quite the same as saying "We didn't listen in" or that "We didn't pass recorded conversations around". This phrasing suggests that they both do listen in (for non-entertainment reasons) and that, when they get a "good one", they possibly do pass it around.
Next, she'll sue all young women who are relatively slender, have longish blonde hair, wear red a bikini and the audacity to make a peace sign while holding a cell phone. Personally, I find the resemblance to be pretty superficial. I've heard of the game; until this lawsuit, I'd never heard of HER.
After I started reading the comments here, I checked my iPhone - and sure ehough, there was this "U2" album that I knew absolutely nothing about. I'm not a U2 fan - in fact, I don't think I've ever listed to a single track they've ever produced. What U2 suffers from most of all in this household isn't piracy, isn't "free" .. it's obscurity. And that is far, far worse! (Took three hours to get U2 off my iPhone. My time is worth something to me, so that is no where near "free".) Artists (and musicians) produce their art because they're artists, not because they make money. Artists have no "right" to make money; they DO have a right to try. Once the focus is money, however, they're not longer artists, but, rather, they become businessmen. Some people assert that you can be both artist and businessmen. As a rule, I tend to disagree. An artist produces a representation of what they feel. A businessman produces things that sell. It's very rare that these attitudes co-exist.
On the post: EU Official Says It's Time To Harm American Internet Companies Via Regulations... Hours Later Antitrust Charges Against Google Announced
Re: Re:
On the post: Cord Cutting Denial Is Alive And Well
Same experience?
On the post: IOC Forces School To Remove Rings From Crest For Some Reason
Enforcement is absolutely necessary
On the post: Senator Wants To Know Why The US Marshals Asset Forfeiture Division Is Blowing Money On $10,000 Tables
Profit from crime?
I would stipulate that for there to be an "asset forfiture", two things should happen:
(1) there should be a conviction for a crime that directly resulted in the aquisition of the asset, and (2) the original "owner" (victom) can be identified so that the entire "asset" can be returned to the "rightful" owner (no withholding or "fees" by the LEO). If either of these conditions fail, then they should not be able to seize the asset. This type of rule is the only way to prevent the very corruption we are seeing so much of now.
On the post: Even If Congress Lets Section 215 Expire, The NSA May Be Able To Keep On Collecting Phone Metadata
They aren't going to stop. Period.
On the post: How The Copyright Industry Wants To Undermine Anonymity & Free Speech: 'True Origin' Bills
On the post: Portland Police Bravely Defend Public From Homeless Woman Looking To Charge Her Cell Phone
Re: Re: Re:
Of course, they're not allowed to do that either...
On the post: Court Rejects Argument That The Music Industry Deserves 'Pirate Tax' On Every Internet Connection
Re: Re: Why should I be forced to pay?
On the post: Court Rejects Argument That The Music Industry Deserves 'Pirate Tax' On Every Internet Connection
Why should I be forced to pay?
I don't download music.
(I can't HEAR music.)
I have a 70+db hearing loss; by legal standards, I'm deaf.
Why should I be forced to support people that choose a profession that has zero value to me?
(Note to Tech-Dirt: I was really interested in your podcasts. Unfortunately, I can't hear those either.)
On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
Syntax Error
That's not an error - it's a feature. Afterall, only "good guys" would use it, right? /s
On the post: Myriad Genetics Finally Gives Up Its Gene Patent Fight... Just As The Patent Office Opens The Doors Up To More Gene Patents
I can see the headlines now
On the post: State Attorney General Won't Fight Court's Block Of Law Curtailing Sex Offenders' First Amendment Rights
A correction
On the post: Green Bubbles: How Apple Quietly Gets iPhone Users To Hate Android Users
The color tells me who is subject to overage charges
I appreciate knowing who isn't subject of overage charges!
On the post: Why We Should Rename TAFTA/TTIP As The 'Atlantic Car Trade Agreement'
Re:
On the post: Why We Should Rename TAFTA/TTIP As The 'Atlantic Car Trade Agreement'
Car sales is, indeed, an excellent example
(So .. why should we be doing this again?)
On the post: Inspector General's Report Says Accusations NSA Listened In On Military Personnel's Phone Calls 'Baseless,' Hints At Other Misconduct
Maybe I read it wrong, but ....
This phrasing suggests that they both do listen in (for non-entertainment reasons) and that, when they get a "good one", they possibly do pass it around.
On the post: Roca Labs Story Gets More Bizarre: Senator Threatens Bogus Defamation Lawsuit, While Nevada Quickly Rejects Bogus Bribery Charge
The Sequel
On the post: German Publishers Grant Google A 'Free License' Google Never Needed To Post News Snippets
Re: Don't do it, Google!
On the post: Amended Complaint From Lindsay Lohan Against Take Two: Now With Five Times More Paper!
Personally, I find the resemblance to be pretty superficial.
I've heard of the game; until this lawsuit, I'd never heard of HER.
On the post: U2 Still Insists No Value In 'Free' Music, Despite Making Millions From It
Not so Free
Artists (and musicians) produce their art because they're artists, not because they make money. Artists have no "right" to make money; they DO have a right to try. Once the focus is money, however, they're not longer artists, but, rather, they become businessmen.
Some people assert that you can be both artist and businessmen. As a rule, I tend to disagree. An artist produces a representation of what they feel. A businessman produces things that sell. It's very rare that these attitudes co-exist.
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