Internet Zen Master (profile), 6 Mar 2013 @ 2:16pm
Enough Euphemisms Mike
Just come out and say what everyone's thinking:
Monday's looking to be a legalese bloodbath, and at this point Prenda, especially Brett Gibbs in particular, looks right and proper fucked (to use the technical phrase).
The Zen Master says, "Someone get the popcorn ready. This should be good."
Internet Zen Master (profile), 6 Mar 2013 @ 1:54pm
They give the body but keep the soul
Okay, I've taken (well, currently am in the process of taking) Business Law as a college course, and we already covered the wonderful wacky world that is the IP trifecta of copyright/trademarks/patents.
I get that, legally, Disney can make the perfectly reasonable argument that they're basing it off the book (which is in the public domain), just like the one Warner Bros made back when dinosaurs walked the earth, so they're in the clear on that.
But under what bizzaro, Twilight Zone, parallel dimensional logic does a company get to claim all rights to filmed depictions of characters from a book which has been freed into the wild blue public domain?
Wouldn't it make more sense if a body of work enters the public domain, it should enter entirely. Not this "oh, you get the body, but we get to keep the soul for Infinity-1 years" silliness.
The only semi-plausible argument I could see being made here is that people could mix up Disney's version of the characters with WB's version of the characters from TWWOz, and that seems like a rather weak argument to make.
Could anyone who has a better insight on this legalese logic please explain it to me?
Internet Zen Master (profile), 28 Feb 2013 @ 8:06pm
Re: update
Like I said before, it probably because Benedict's not the current Pope, and since account is for the Papal office aka the position of being the Pope, it kinda makes sense that they'd clean out the last guy's tweets and filing them away in an archive. Pretty sure they'll do the same for the next Pope when he kicks the bucket (this of course assumes twitter will still be around at that point).
It's simple spring cleaning, that's all.
Oh, and to the ACs who keep making pedo priest jabs at Benedict: get some new material. A jab at the RCC over the pedo priest scandals is good every so often, but when you do it, at least try to do it with a little style.
Internet Zen Master (profile), 28 Feb 2013 @ 2:28pm
Just speculating here but...
It's possible that the Pontifex twitter account is the official twitter account of the office of the Pope, so it's possible they deleted all of His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus' tweets in order to make room for tweets from the upcoming Pope?
Then again, I don't (nor ever plan) to use Twitter. Never saw the appeal of being able to make a fool out of yourself in front of the entire world in 140 characters or less.
If the new Pope sets up a completely different account, then its likely someone at the Vatican was deliberately tossing tweets in the memory hole. Why they'd do that I have no clue.
Internet Zen Master (profile), 27 Feb 2013 @ 6:27pm
Re: No, it's plausible
Considering that EVIL EMPIRE is commonly (though not exclusively) used to refer to the fucking Yankees, and especially given the designs shown here, it is possible that people who want to buy sports apparel of a level of quality associated with those bastards might get some of this, perhaps thinking that it is sort of self-deprecating humor.
Uh, what? If referring to the Yankees as the Evil Empire is a common occurrence then it must be an East Coast thing, because as a West Coaster this is the first time I've ever heard that.
(Disclaimer: I'm a life-long Seattle Mariners fan, so my opinion of the Yankees is rather low. don't really mind the players [a lot of them are actually former Mariners], except for that lyin' sonuvabitch A-roid.)
Also, for Star Wars, it was usually referred to as "the Empire" (formally "the Galactic Empire"). If memory serves, there was no evil in the name.
But yeah, Chubby Checker's lawsuit against HP for a defunct app makes more sense than the TTAB's decision.
What is the Trademark Trials & Appeals Board smoking, and where can I get some?
How long will it take for the Yankees to accuse Evil Empire, Inc. of trademark violation?
It should be noted that this particular bully (Carmen Ortiz), was making Swartz's life unbearable in ways that make highschool look like kindergarten in comparison.
Giving a kid a swirlie? Bitch please. Carmen Ortiz will throw you in prison for potentially 50 years just because the DOJ screwed up on arresting you (even though JSTOR wasn't pressing charges).
I can see why Aaron Swartz was pushed to suicide. A lot of people can only take so much abuse...
Now the bigger question is this: will heads roll for this travesty? One of them preferably belonging to a certain overzealous prosecutor...
Internet Zen Master (profile), 25 Feb 2013 @ 9:22am
Something just occurred to me
You know those "casual downloaders" the CCI says that the Six Strikes Scheme is supposed to deter?
Uh, from my experience, "casual downloaders" tend to go the cyberlocker route instead of the torrent route (don't want the hassle of torrenting software, don't understand how it even works, etc, etc.)
As for 'casual torrenters' (more like people who download stuff and then never seed it/don't bother using VPNs), they're likely to follow the majority of the torrenting crowd, or start downloading their stuff from the cyberlockers as well.
In other news, MEGA probably just got an increase in membership because of what Hollywood's trying to force down people's throats...
Internet Zen Master (profile), 23 Feb 2013 @ 12:51pm
Re: Re: They never learn
Hmmm... You've got a point.
The Streisand Effect, when you think about it, can potentially have the unintended positive effect of reminding people that you still exist, and getting the curious to look into just who you were when you were still relevant to pop culture.
Exhibit A: Chubby Checker. While it made Mr. Evans look like an idiot because he was defending his brand or risk losing the trademark to the phrase Chubby Checker. (Stupid law, yes, but that's how the system works these days.) While it no doubt made him the butt of many jokes in many circles on the Internet, there are probably quite a few curious folks who actually decided to look at the music he made when he was still relevant to the music world. Hell, they might have even purchased the tracks through Amazon/Google/itunes, which may have sent the man a little money (although given the era Chubby Checker was active, he may be getting screwed out of any proceeds by his old record label).
So the Streisand Effect can (in theory) hurt and benefit someone at the same time.
But in this case, there is no possible benefit for the Geo Group. Only bad things can come from trying to delete content from the entire Internet.
Perhaps there should be a subcategory for the Streisand Effect. Maybe something like "Streisand Effect: Internet Boomerang Protocol?"
Internet Zen Master (profile), 22 Feb 2013 @ 4:31pm
Re:
People are against this for a few reasons:
>>Most netizens like our Internet fine just the way it is, and corporations/politicans should stop trying to "fix" what wasn't broken in the first place! Leave the Internet in the hands of the geeks, the nerds, the techies, the (whitehat/blackhathackers, the script-kiddies, the casual browsers, and most importantly, the network engineers. Leave it in the capable hands of those who understand how it works, not in those of greedy, over-enforcing groups like the RIAA or some incompetent bureaucratic entity like the ITU.
So you'll have to forgive people for not being exactly warm to the idea of having their internet access monitored by some entity like CCI, who's been identified as having deep ties with Hollywood.
Also, a lot of people are frankly insulted by the whole thing. We're adults, stop treating us like children who can't be trusted and installing a country-wide Net Nanny program to look over our shoulder.
Internet Zen Master (profile), 22 Feb 2013 @ 3:58pm
Re: Do I get kicked off after six?
That's what I'm wondering as well. I heard mitigation, so I'm assuming they're saying that after 6+ strikes, rightsholders are cleared to sue away (which directly contradicts their claim of "we won't share your personal info".)
And yeah, I'd like a way to challenge the first alert as well.
As for the review system, its run by an arbitration organization (can't remember which one), but I have a strong feeling a certain collection of businesses (*cough*MPAA/RIAA*cough*) are funding the arbitration...
Internet Zen Master (profile), 22 Feb 2013 @ 3:32pm
God this video is bad
It makes Aperture Science's videos look good by comparison (granted, that's a rather high bar to set, but whatever). Is the CCI's video team trapped in the 1990s or something?
I mean, good Lord, I've seen POWERPOINTS that are less cheesy/more effective at conveying information than this video.
Internet Zen Master (profile), 22 Feb 2013 @ 3:23pm
Yeah, I was pretty much flipping off my computer screen for 2 minutes
Pointless gesture? Yes, but it made me feel good.
Also, that voice was almost as irritating as "Rachel from Cardholder services".
And the kicker is that this comes on the heels of yet another judge stating the obvious of IP addresses not equaling people.
I predict an increase in people visiting their local libraries, armed with proxies, tor and vpns.
On the other hand, it'll be interesting to see if anything actually happens on Monday. I mean, how will we know if the Six Strikes plan is active or not?
Internet Zen Master (profile), 22 Feb 2013 @ 8:56am
Re: Re: And this is why...
There's a reason Saint/Sir Thomas More is the patron saint of politicians. He refused to compromise his religious convictions, even at the cost of his job [in this case, was he refused to accept Henry VIII as the "Supreme Head of the English Church" and reject the Vatican as having control of Engladn.] The man lost his head because he stuck to his beliefs.
St. Thomas More is like the embodiment of an honest, idealist politician than politicians in general. Hell, I have a feeling that if he were a Senator in the U.S. Congress, he'd actually (and genuinely) work for the benefit of his constituents instead of the corporations/Hollywood/[insert lobbyist group here].
That said, he'd have a hard time lasting more than one term in office...
On the post: 9th Circuit Appeals Court: 4th Amendment Applies At The Border; Also: Password Protected Files Shouldn't Arouse Suspicion
Wait, a sane circuit court?!
Oh, it's from the 9th Circuit you say? Well that explains everything!
The West Coast of the United States tends to be saner when it comes to things involving computer-related tech. [Exhibit A: Ron Wyden]
With the exception of California and their constant "We must violate everyone's privacy FOR TEH CHILDRENS" routine.
Now the big question is whether or not this'll get appealed on the grounds of "But, but, TERRORISM!"
The Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: Aaron Swartz's Partner Accuses DOJ Of Lying, Seizing Evidence Without A Warrant & Withholding Exculpatory Evidence
Re: and there it is again
On the post: What To Expect When You're Expecting Prenda Law To Get A Judicial Beat Down
Enough Euphemisms Mike
Monday's looking to be a legalese bloodbath, and at this point Prenda, especially Brett Gibbs in particular, looks right and proper fucked (to use the technical phrase).
The Zen Master says, "Someone get the popcorn ready. This should be good."
On the post: The Insanity Of Making A 'Wizard Of Oz' Film In Today's IP Climate
They give the body but keep the soul
I get that, legally, Disney can make the perfectly reasonable argument that they're basing it off the book (which is in the public domain), just like the one Warner Bros made back when dinosaurs walked the earth, so they're in the clear on that.
But under what bizzaro, Twilight Zone, parallel dimensional logic does a company get to claim all rights to filmed depictions of characters from a book which has been freed into the wild blue public domain?
Wouldn't it make more sense if a body of work enters the public domain, it should enter entirely. Not this "oh, you get the body, but we get to keep the soul for Infinity-1 years" silliness.
The only semi-plausible argument I could see being made here is that people could mix up Disney's version of the characters with WB's version of the characters from TWWOz, and that seems like a rather weak argument to make.
Could anyone who has a better insight on this legalese logic please explain it to me?
On the post: White House Turns Star Wars / Star Trek Mistake Into Funny Meme
Been Saved,
On the post: Vatican Deletes All Of Pope Benedict's Tweets
Re: update
It's simple spring cleaning, that's all.
Oh, and to the ACs who keep making pedo priest jabs at Benedict: get some new material. A jab at the RCC over the pedo priest scandals is good every so often, but when you do it, at least try to do it with a little style.
On the post: Vatican Deletes All Of Pope Benedict's Tweets
Just speculating here but...
Then again, I don't (nor ever plan) to use Twitter. Never saw the appeal of being able to make a fool out of yourself in front of the entire world in 140 characters or less.
If the new Pope sets up a completely different account, then its likely someone at the Vatican was deliberately tossing tweets in the memory hole. Why they'd do that I have no clue.
The Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: Ridiculous: Trademark Board Lets Yankees Control 'Evil Empire' Despite It Being An Insult Used By Another Team
Re: No, it's plausible
Uh, what? If referring to the Yankees as the Evil Empire is a common occurrence then it must be an East Coast thing, because as a West Coaster this is the first time I've ever heard that.
(Disclaimer: I'm a life-long Seattle Mariners fan, so my opinion of the Yankees is rather low. don't really mind the players [a lot of them are actually former Mariners], except for that lyin' sonuvabitch A-roid.)
Also, for Star Wars, it was usually referred to as "the Empire" (formally "the Galactic Empire"). If memory serves, there was no evil in the name.
But yeah, Chubby Checker's lawsuit against HP for a defunct app makes more sense than the TTAB's decision.
What is the Trademark Trials & Appeals Board smoking, and where can I get some?
How long will it take for the Yankees to accuse Evil Empire, Inc. of trademark violation?
The Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: British Politician Tells Local Paper It Can't Quote Him Because He Dislikes Its Readers' Comments
Another day...
Did someone declare it Streisand Effect month and not tell me?
How many more people are going to Streisand themselves into the public spotlight before the month is over?
As the Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: DOJ Admits It Had To Put Aaron Swartz In Jail To Save Face Over The Arrest
Re: Re: Re:
[really wish there was a way to edit these posts...]
On the post: DOJ Admits It Had To Put Aaron Swartz In Jail To Save Face Over The Arrest
Re: Re: Re:
http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide.html
It should be noted that this particular bully (Carmen Ortiz), was making Swartz's life unbearable in ways that make highschool look like kindergarten in comparison.
Giving a kid a swirlie? Bitch please. Carmen Ortiz will throw you in prison for potentially 50 years just because the DOJ screwed up on arresting you (even though JSTOR wasn't pressing charges).
I can see why Aaron Swartz was pushed to suicide. A lot of people can only take so much abuse...
Now the bigger question is this: will heads roll for this travesty? One of them preferably belonging to a certain overzealous prosecutor...
As the Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: Six Strikes Officially Begins On Monday
Something just occurred to me
Uh, from my experience, "casual downloaders" tend to go the cyberlocker route instead of the torrent route (don't want the hassle of torrenting software, don't understand how it even works, etc, etc.)
As for 'casual torrenters' (more like people who download stuff and then never seed it/don't bother using VPNs), they're likely to follow the majority of the torrenting crowd, or start downloading their stuff from the cyberlockers as well.
In other news, MEGA probably just got an increase in membership because of what Hollywood's trying to force down people's throats...
As the Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: Prison Sponsor Tries To Delete Wikipedia Information After Sponsoring NCAA Football Stadium
Re: Re: They never learn
The Streisand Effect, when you think about it, can potentially have the unintended positive effect of reminding people that you still exist, and getting the curious to look into just who you were when you were still relevant to pop culture.
Exhibit A: Chubby Checker. While it made Mr. Evans look like an idiot because he was defending his brand or risk losing the trademark to the phrase Chubby Checker. (Stupid law, yes, but that's how the system works these days.) While it no doubt made him the butt of many jokes in many circles on the Internet, there are probably quite a few curious folks who actually decided to look at the music he made when he was still relevant to the music world. Hell, they might have even purchased the tracks through Amazon/Google/itunes, which may have sent the man a little money (although given the era Chubby Checker was active, he may be getting screwed out of any proceeds by his old record label).
So the Streisand Effect can (in theory) hurt and benefit someone at the same time.
But in this case, there is no possible benefit for the Geo Group. Only bad things can come from trying to delete content from the entire Internet.
Perhaps there should be a subcategory for the Streisand Effect. Maybe something like "Streisand Effect: Internet Boomerang Protocol?"
On the post: Prison Sponsor Tries To Delete Wikipedia Information After Sponsoring NCAA Football Stadium
They never learn
Reddit should be talking about this soon.
The Streisand Protocol has been initiated. The Geo Group is in for a rude awakening.
On the post: Six Strikes Officially Begins On Monday
Re:
>>Most netizens like our Internet fine just the way it is, and corporations/politicans should stop trying to "fix" what wasn't broken in the first place! Leave the Internet in the hands of the geeks, the nerds, the techies, the (whitehat/blackhathackers, the script-kiddies, the casual browsers, and most importantly, the network engineers. Leave it in the capable hands of those who understand how it works, not in those of greedy, over-enforcing groups like the RIAA or some incompetent bureaucratic entity like the ITU.
The other big reason is:
SOPA. SOPA SOPA, SOPA SOPA SOPA SOPA, SOPA! SOPA SOPA SOPA SOPA! TPP SOPA, SOPA ACTA SOPA, SOPA SOPA PIPA SOPA SOPA SOPA.
So you'll have to forgive people for not being exactly warm to the idea of having their internet access monitored by some entity like CCI, who's been identified as having deep ties with Hollywood.
Also, a lot of people are frankly insulted by the whole thing. We're adults, stop treating us like children who can't be trusted and installing a country-wide Net Nanny program to look over our shoulder.
On the post: Six Strikes Officially Begins On Monday
Re: Do I get kicked off after six?
And yeah, I'd like a way to challenge the first alert as well.
As for the review system, its run by an arbitration organization (can't remember which one), but I have a strong feeling a certain collection of businesses (*cough*MPAA/RIAA*cough*) are funding the arbitration...
On the post: Six Strikes Officially Begins On Monday
God this video is bad
I mean, good Lord, I've seen POWERPOINTS that are less cheesy/more effective at conveying information than this video.
On the post: Six Strikes Officially Begins On Monday
Re:
...Okay, yeah, it's pretty bad. Could be worse though. It could've been Beiber or Wayne...
On the post: Six Strikes Officially Begins On Monday
Yeah, I was pretty much flipping off my computer screen for 2 minutes
Also, that voice was almost as irritating as "Rachel from Cardholder services".
And the kicker is that this comes on the heels of yet another judge stating the obvious of IP addresses not equaling people.
I predict an increase in people visiting their local libraries, armed with proxies, tor and vpns.
On the other hand, it'll be interesting to see if anything actually happens on Monday. I mean, how will we know if the Six Strikes plan is active or not?
As the Zen Master says, "We'll see."
On the post: Satan Finally Reveals Himself As A Legal Employer
Re: Re: And this is why...
St. Thomas More is like the embodiment of an honest, idealist politician than politicians in general. Hell, I have a feeling that if he were a Senator in the U.S. Congress, he'd actually (and genuinely) work for the benefit of his constituents instead of the corporations/Hollywood/[insert lobbyist group here].
That said, he'd have a hard time lasting more than one term in office...
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