Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 11 Oct 2010 @ 11:59am
Not learning their lesson
".05 a mb"
".05 for overages"
"0.25 a mb."
Units are important. This is where they got in trouble the first time, mixing the units between dollars and cents. Completely leaving off units is arguably worse.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 11 Oct 2010 @ 11:19am
Re:
Yes, it has been verified. This is actually a pretty well known issue and as stated, was fixed years ago. I'm kinda surprised this has gotten some press. People running around with years-out-of-date patching on a 10-year-old operating system is the norm.
Maybe you should get your system up-to-date, preferably with something other than a decade old OS, before you start calling others idiots for not knowing hwo to secure their systems. Also, your "testing" missed the key element of actually connecting to an ad hoc network first.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 11 Oct 2010 @ 7:13am
Re: Re: Re: Re:
"Generally, the way proof works, is you have to prove that something IS not prove that something ISN'T. Giant purple dancing unicorn-bears are not accepted to exist until someone provides evidence they do not."
Generally speaking, that is correct. However, there are certain pieces of evidence that highly suggest there is no god or gods. One of the most convincing is that the average energy density of the universe is zero; in essence the universe started from nothing.
Additionally, you can take individual properties of a god and show that those properties are either logically impossible or do not match up with our observations of the universe.
About the only type of god you cannot definitively rule out is a 'Cartesian demon' - one that can control everything you can perceive (think being plugged into the Matrix without Neo to unplug you). But no one I know who believes in any form of god would accept a Cartesian demon as the god they believe in.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 10 Sep 2010 @ 1:28pm
Re: Re: Laughable
The biggest argument against democracy is a five minute discussion with the average voter. - Winston Churchill
I don't really disagree with your comment. Every time I go vote, I'm either picking the least worst candidate, knowingly selecting someone who doesn't have a chance of winning, or eventually disappointed by my choice (even though I should know better).
Decent, intelligent people with convictions are mostly ruled out of being successful in politics by what is required to get into a position to do any good.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 2 Sep 2010 @ 3:08pm
Not quite black/white
I don't think we can place all the blame for either the financial collapse, or even just Lehman Brothers collapse on Lehman's execs. That would be far too simplistic.
I am NOT defending Dick Fuld or any Lehman exec. They did some extremely risky and stupid things and deserve to be grilled in front of these kinds of hearings. They were just as much a part of it as others, but they're not entirely to blame.
Imagine if you could buy insurance on your neighbor's house...
Credit Default Swaps - buying something akin to insurance that said if a firm went out of business, you got money. But there was no requirement you actually had to own any part of the firm.
... and then burn it to the ground. And get paid. With no consequences.
Short selling - specifically naked short selling. Selling stock you don't own with the promise that you would have the stock in x number of days. Naked short selling where you haven't borrowed the stock that you're shorting. More short selling than actual demand drives the stock price down. But you fail to deliver the stock on the promised day, even though this is illegal in most circumstances, but nothing is ever done.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 1 Sep 2010 @ 8:42am
Re: Unfortunately for the innovators
"The innovators in this space who aren't patenting their works are probably going to get sued soon enough by patent trolls if they don't stockpile now."
Stockpiling patents only help (as deterrance) in a patent nuclear war, where both sides make products that infringe on the other sides overly broad patents. Stockpiling doesn't help against a patent troll, because there's nothing to counter-sue against if the troll only owns a few pieces of paper that say they own an idea.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 31 Aug 2010 @ 2:49pm
Re: Re: Maybe a change is at hand
Just because he does not control the majority of shares does not mean he can't change the direction the company moves in.
Saying that he couldn't change the company because he only owns a fraction of it is like saying that your favorite or most hated news talk show host can't influence an election because he only has 1 vote on election day.
If Warren Buffet owned a signle share of a company, I'd pay more attention to what he said than a mindless board member who owned 10% of it.
All that being said, I'm reserving judgement on this until I see what happens.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 27 Aug 2010 @ 12:41pm
Precedent
At this level of seperation from the infringement, wouldn't WB/Disney winning the case set a precedent that would allow someone to sue WB/Disney for actually making a movie that is used to facilitate copyright infringement?
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 17 Aug 2010 @ 10:31am
Re:
"it isnt a money grab, way to change it from what it is, people are getting around paying the legal taxes they owe, just because you purchased it over the internet doesnt exempt you from state taxes"
There is a case to be made that collecting taxes on out-of-state purchases are against the Due Process and Commerce clauses of the Constitution. Whether it is called a sales tax or use tax doesn't disguise what it really does.
I'm not against taxes - in fact I think taxes should be generally higher and various loopholes closed. Taxes being levied unfairly is the problem, and a much higher percentage of the total tax burden paid by the poor and middle class comes as a result of these kinds of taxes.
Don't take my word for it. Here's a recent article on Minnesota's various tax burdens.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 17 Aug 2010 @ 10:07am
Re:
Also agree.
Like many other states, NC is trying to make up big holes in the budget. Charlotte/Mecklenberg has already had to lay off 500+ teachers, cut the budget for the libraries by about half, and same for parks and recreation and other services.
However, instead of making intelligent decisions, they've decided to over reach and make a short sighted money grab without fully understanding the implications of the amount of data they are asking for.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 27 Jul 2010 @ 4:47pm
Re: Re:
In addition to being facts based on actual data, many of the studios included in these stats would be in a very difficult legal position with their shareholders if they lied about their profits.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 27 Jul 2010 @ 2:44pm
Re: Re: Win/Win
"The forensic teams would just claim to have used router information to determine IP addresses. It would be pretty easy to setup logs on the router to record IP addresses for activity."
I was thinking more along the lines of encryption of the song/movie to require a password (easy to do with a RAR file, for example).
Without circumventing the encryption (cracking the password), they can't prove the song or movie is the same work that is covered under copyright. Properly encrypted files are nearly indistinguishable from random noise.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 27 Jul 2010 @ 1:41pm
Win/Win
"This, again, seems like a reasonable request. Forensic investigators may need to access and review data or software that is locked down with DRM or other technical protection methods. Making it infringement just to get around those protection measures, even for legal forensic investigations doesn't make much sense."
+1000 Internets to the first 'pirate' service to use DRM against the RIAA/MPAA by suing their forensics team for copyright infringement under the anti-circumvention clause of the DMCA.
Backup copies are frequently ruled as illegal, even if for personal use, even if obscene safeguards are put in place to prevent them being distributed.
Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 22 Jul 2010 @ 10:12am
I should patent an algorithm to identify and weed out ridiculous patent lawsuits. Then I can put out a press release like this:
"The court system as we know it would essentially stop working if it weren't for my invention," says Josh... "More than 80 percent of patent lawsuits are ridiculous, which is why the court system uses my invention rather than forcing judges to wade through billions of useless lawsuits. Unfortunately, the defendants appear to be profiting from this invention without any consideration for my legal patent rights."
On the post: Verizon Wireless Math Strikes Again: Pay Much More For Less!
Not learning their lesson
".05 for overages"
"0.25 a mb."
Units are important. This is where they got in trouble the first time, mixing the units between dollars and cents. Completely leaving off units is arguably worse.
.05 what per MB? Dollars? Cents? Potatoes?
On the post: The History Of The (Fake) 'Free Public WiFi' You Always See At Airports
Re:
Maybe you should get your system up-to-date, preferably with something other than a decade old OS, before you start calling others idiots for not knowing hwo to secure their systems. Also, your "testing" missed the key element of actually connecting to an ad hoc network first.
On the post: China Tries To Scrub The Internet Of All Information About Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Re: Re: Re: Re:
Generally speaking, that is correct. However, there are certain pieces of evidence that highly suggest there is no god or gods. One of the most convincing is that the average energy density of the universe is zero; in essence the universe started from nothing.
Additionally, you can take individual properties of a god and show that those properties are either logically impossible or do not match up with our observations of the universe.
About the only type of god you cannot definitively rule out is a 'Cartesian demon' - one that can control everything you can perceive (think being plugged into the Matrix without Neo to unplug you). But no one I know who believes in any form of god would accept a Cartesian demon as the god they believe in.
On the post: IBM Patents Guessing How Many Kids Are On A School Bus
Re: Re: Laughable
I don't really disagree with your comment. Every time I go vote, I'm either picking the least worst candidate, knowingly selecting someone who doesn't have a chance of winning, or eventually disappointed by my choice (even though I should know better).
Decent, intelligent people with convictions are mostly ruled out of being successful in politics by what is required to get into a position to do any good.
On the post: IBM Patents Guessing How Many Kids Are On A School Bus
Re: Re: Re: Re:
On the post: Lehman Brothers ex-CEO Wants Everyone To Know That It Was Everyone Else's Fault Lehman Failed
Not quite black/white
I am NOT defending Dick Fuld or any Lehman exec. They did some extremely risky and stupid things and deserve to be grilled in front of these kinds of hearings. They were just as much a part of it as others, but they're not entirely to blame.
Imagine if you could buy insurance on your neighbor's house...
Credit Default Swaps - buying something akin to insurance that said if a firm went out of business, you got money. But there was no requirement you actually had to own any part of the firm.
... and then burn it to the ground. And get paid. With no consequences.
Short selling - specifically naked short selling. Selling stock you don't own with the promise that you would have the stock in x number of days. Naked short selling where you haven't borrowed the stock that you're shorting. More short selling than actual demand drives the stock price down. But you fail to deliver the stock on the promised day, even though this is illegal in most circumstances, but nothing is ever done.
On the post: Companies Not Rushing To The Patent Office For Accelerated Review Of Green Patents
Re: Unfortunately for the innovators
Stockpiling patents only help (as deterrance) in a patent nuclear war, where both sides make products that infringe on the other sides overly broad patents. Stockpiling doesn't help against a patent troll, because there's nothing to counter-sue against if the troll only owns a few pieces of paper that say they own an idea.
On the post: Bill Gates Foundation Investing In Monsanto?
Re: Re: Maybe a change is at hand
Saying that he couldn't change the company because he only owns a fraction of it is like saying that your favorite or most hated news talk show host can't influence an election because he only has 1 vote on election day.
If Warren Buffet owned a signle share of a company, I'd pay more attention to what he said than a mindless board member who owned 10% of it.
All that being said, I'm reserving judgement on this until I see what happens.
On the post: Disney, WB Claim Ad Firm Working With Pirate Sites Is Guilty Of Contributory Infringement
Precedent
On the post: John Mellencamp: The Internet Is An Atomic Bomb For Music
Escalating metaphores
Boston strangler -> Pirates -> Terrorists -> atomic bomb.
What's next? Extinction level asteroid impact? Gamma ray burst directly hitting Earth?
On the post: ACLU Allowed Into Lawsuit Over North Carolina's Demands To Hand Over Amazon Purchase History
Re:
There is a case to be made that collecting taxes on out-of-state purchases are against the Due Process and Commerce clauses of the Constitution. Whether it is called a sales tax or use tax doesn't disguise what it really does.
I'm not against taxes - in fact I think taxes should be generally higher and various loopholes closed. Taxes being levied unfairly is the problem, and a much higher percentage of the total tax burden paid by the poor and middle class comes as a result of these kinds of taxes.
Don't take my word for it. Here's a recent article on Minnesota's various tax burdens.
http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2010/08/06/20311/minnesotas_overall_tax_burden_is_increa singly_regressive
On the post: ACLU Allowed Into Lawsuit Over North Carolina's Demands To Hand Over Amazon Purchase History
Re:
Like many other states, NC is trying to make up big holes in the budget. Charlotte/Mecklenberg has already had to lay off 500+ teachers, cut the budget for the libraries by about half, and same for parks and recreation and other services.
However, instead of making intelligent decisions, they've decided to over reach and make a short sighted money grab without fully understanding the implications of the amount of data they are asking for.
On the post: Why The Oracle Java Patents Were Literally A Joke Played By Sun Engineers
Re: Re: Re: Mudak
Mythical little guy holds
Make believe patent
It is worthless cricket poop
On the post: Rupert Murdoch Suing The Sky Out Of Skype
Pe?
I almost want Murdoch to win this one.
On the post: For An Industry Being Destroyed By 'File Sharing,' Film Industry Keeps Reporting Record Numbers
Re: Re:
On the post: So What DMCA Exemption Requests Got Rejected?
Re: Re: Win/Win
I was thinking more along the lines of encryption of the song/movie to require a password (easy to do with a RAR file, for example).
Without circumventing the encryption (cracking the password), they can't prove the song or movie is the same work that is covered under copyright. Properly encrypted files are nearly indistinguishable from random noise.
On the post: So What DMCA Exemption Requests Got Rejected?
Win/Win
+1000 Internets to the first 'pirate' service to use DRM against the RIAA/MPAA by suing their forensics team for copyright infringement under the anti-circumvention clause of the DMCA.
On the post: Copyright Finally Getting Around To Destroying Player Piano Music... One Century Late
Re:
http://techdirt.com/articles/20100303/1638438400.shtml
http://techdirt.com/articles/201005 11/0657169375.shtml
Backup copies are frequently ruled as illegal, even if for personal use, even if obscene safeguards are put in place to prevent them being distributed.
On the post: Spam Filtering? Patented! 36 Companies Sued
"The court system as we know it would essentially stop working if it weren't for my invention," says Josh... "More than 80 percent of patent lawsuits are ridiculous, which is why the court system uses my invention rather than forcing judges to wade through billions of useless lawsuits. Unfortunately, the defendants appear to be profiting from this invention without any consideration for my legal patent rights."
On the post: Quackwatch Sued For Suggesting Medical Lab Quackery
Re: Re: Gee, it sure looks like quackery to me, and probably anyone else with a brain
You think the people falling for these scams are going to trust the government, when they won't even trust scientists or real doctors?
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