"Well, for sex-crimes in general, they're dropping, and fairly significantly so. In the last 20 or so years, the United States has seen a 15% drop in forcible rape rates. That's despite the growth of internet use, and likewise the growth in viewing pornography..."
There are many who think that porn provides an outlet for sexual and violent tensions. It may be that the drop is because of the growth of Internet use, rather than despite it. Or at least in part.
I used to get bullied when I was a kid. I'm pretty sure I knew who those bullies were, considering that we were face-to-face at the time. (Yes, I'm old enough to remember when there wasn't an Internet.) Lack of anonimity didn't seem to slow them down.
"besides the witless assertion that piracy is due to corporate decisions: "pirates gonna pirate" so WB must try to minimize that rather than pirates follow simple rules in the area of copyright."
That's why I bought the special edition of the Avengers instead of downloading it via bittorrent. Because anybody who violates copyright in any fashion is a filthy pirate, and once a pirate, always a pirate. It doesn't matter if all I've done is Xerox a page from a library book in 1969; everything I've done since then (and before then; why not make it retroactive?) is piracy, because "pirates gonna pirate" and there's nothing else to know.
And Paramount still treats me like a criminal and, simultaneously, like a capitive audience; they abuse my attempt at honesty by shoving 20 minutes of advertisements and warning down my gullet every time I try to watch the movie. (Including an advertisement for the movie I'm trying to watch.)
So I ripped the DVD and stripped out the bullcrap so that I could actually watch the movie I paid for.
But of course, according to your accounting, that just makes me a filthy pirate and I've just stolen trillions of dollars from Paramount.
When I was a kid my father made me an L&M costume for halloween. (L&M was the brand he and Mom smoked at the time.)
He should not only be sued for violating their trademark, but he should be thrown in jail for child abuse. Even though smoking wasn't seen as a big deal at the time, HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
About 8 years ago I had an interview with a fellow named Joe who had a company that made a nifty little device: it would alert parents when their child's bus arrival was imminent, also providing current distance. (I forget Joe's last name and the company name. I'm sure I have it written down somewhere. Doesn't matter.)
It was based on a short-range radio technology in an unlicensed band, required an installation in the bus, and each client needed to buy a receiver. If you had two children on different busses, you'd need to buy one of his dual receivers.
(At the time it was a pretty good idea, though by now about 95% of you have come up with more modern alternate solutions. There's probably an app for that. :)
Meantime, and to the point, during the interview Joe bragged that his was the only one on the market; any time another company tried to compete, he'd managed to find some way to crush them or otherwise drive them out of the business. Even at the time I thought that was completely in violation of the spirit of proper capitalism. You're supposed to compete on merit, or price, or advertising, or... well, anything. The point is that you're supposed to compete. Of course, not being completely stupid, I STFU and figured, if I end up working here, maybe I can influence him later. I would have taken the job; I needed to feed my family. Idealism takes second place.
I didn't get the chance; I blew the second interview because I couldn't sleep the night before. (Or maybe I wouldn't have made it anyway.) The job went to one of the other two finalists.
But I think back with a certain amount of grim satisfaction knowing that, one way or another, his expensive, limited product, for all his protectionist practices, has become irrelevant in the face of technological advances. Either he learned to adapt or, more likely, had to find another business to monopolize.
FWIW, I own two Steam accounts. One has a paid-for version of TF2, one free. Both have paid-for versions of Killing Floor.
I am able to set up a new system, anywhere, and install Steam. Once I log into one of my accounts I can download and install any content that the account is authorized for.
Both accounts have physical access to the same content, but if account #1 owns e.g. a DLC character and account #2 doesn't, I can't play that character on account #2, even though it's present on my hard drive. Log back into account #1 and there it is, fully accessible.
My first copy of KF was a gift, my second was the Gold Box (which I installed on my first account). Of course I ended up with duplicates of the game and several DLC characters, so I gifted them to my second account. (I also ended up gifting my extra copy of HL2 to the original gifter's husband.)
I have my issues with Steam's DRM but I have to admit that if you're going to have it, they've done a pretty darned good job of making it transparent. You CAN buy stuff and give it away to other people... and they just own it.
My biggest complaint is that once you own a game, you can't transfer it to another account; and you can't transfer an account to another person.
On the post: Anti-Pornography Guy Politicizes 10 Year Old Girl's Murder
There are many who think that porn provides an outlet for sexual and violent tensions. It may be that the drop is because of the growth of Internet use, rather than despite it. Or at least in part.
On the post: Faulkner Estate Keeps Suing: Sues Washington Post Over Ad That Quoted One Sentence
-- Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
On the post: Looking Beyond TPP: US & EU Planning More Bad IP Rules In 'US-EU Free Trade Agreement'
Just sayin'.
On the post: UK Officials Duel Over Social Media Personal Data
On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
Yeah. I remember what my mom used to say when I asked for a toy and argued that Johnny had one:
"So if Johnny jumped over a cliff, you would jump over a cliff?"
Of course, this was the same mom who complained that I didn't get as good grades as Johnny.
On the post: Warner Brothers And Redbox Sign New Deal: Rental Blackout Window Cut From Ridiculous 56 Days To Equally Ridiculous 28 Days
Re: "Warner opens itself up to more piracy..."
"besides the witless assertion that piracy is due to corporate decisions: "pirates gonna pirate" so WB must try to minimize that rather than pirates follow simple rules in the area of copyright."
That's why I bought the special edition of the Avengers instead of downloading it via bittorrent. Because anybody who violates copyright in any fashion is a filthy pirate, and once a pirate, always a pirate. It doesn't matter if all I've done is Xerox a page from a library book in 1969; everything I've done since then (and before then; why not make it retroactive?) is piracy, because "pirates gonna pirate" and there's nothing else to know.
And Paramount still treats me like a criminal and, simultaneously, like a capitive audience; they abuse my attempt at honesty by shoving 20 minutes of advertisements and warning down my gullet every time I try to watch the movie. (Including an advertisement for the movie I'm trying to watch.)
So I ripped the DVD and stripped out the bullcrap so that I could actually watch the movie I paid for.
But of course, according to your accounting, that just makes me a filthy pirate and I've just stolen trillions of dollars from Paramount.
On the post: Philip Morris Sends Cease & Desist To Artist For Using Marlboro Box In His Art
He should not only be sued for violating their trademark, but he should be thrown in jail for child abuse. Even though smoking wasn't seen as a big deal at the time, HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.
On the post: Economist's Defense Of Perpetual Copyright: It's Best To Just Ignore The Economics
Re: Re: Re: Re: It doesn't make sense
On the post: Icelandic Citizens Support Crowdsourced Constitution
(My wife agrees -- I should move to Iceland. *rimshot*)
On the post: US Steadfast In Its Stand For Publishers Against The Disabled
On the post: Amazon Wipes Customer's Account, Locks All Ebooks, Says 'Find A New Retailer' When She Asks Why
They're doing a great job at convincing me to take my money elsewhere.
...Meantime, if anybody wonders why I like plastic and dead tree editions of movies, music and books, this is yet another reason.
On the post: Studio To Amazon Instant Video Customer: Thanks For The $$$. Enjoy Your Blank Screen.
And this is why I haven't bought a Kindle
In the end, I'd prefer a reader that doesn't have a direct line to and control by an abusive content provider.
On the post: Canadian DJ's New Album Comes With Cardboard Turntable That Plays Included 3-Track Bonus Disc
Re:
...
Oh wait, no it doesn't. You're not a real cynic, you're just trolling. Never mind.
On the post: Font Designed To Help Dyslexic Individuals Gets Legal Threat, Becomes More Open In Response
It was based on a short-range radio technology in an unlicensed band, required an installation in the bus, and each client needed to buy a receiver. If you had two children on different busses, you'd need to buy one of his dual receivers.
(At the time it was a pretty good idea, though by now about 95% of you have come up with more modern alternate solutions. There's probably an app for that. :)
Meantime, and to the point, during the interview Joe bragged that his was the only one on the market; any time another company tried to compete, he'd managed to find some way to crush them or otherwise drive them out of the business. Even at the time I thought that was completely in violation of the spirit of proper capitalism. You're supposed to compete on merit, or price, or advertising, or... well, anything. The point is that you're supposed to compete. Of course, not being completely stupid, I STFU and figured, if I end up working here, maybe I can influence him later. I would have taken the job; I needed to feed my family. Idealism takes second place.
I didn't get the chance; I blew the second interview because I couldn't sleep the night before. (Or maybe I wouldn't have made it anyway.) The job went to one of the other two finalists.
But I think back with a certain amount of grim satisfaction knowing that, one way or another, his expensive, limited product, for all his protectionist practices, has become irrelevant in the face of technological advances. Either he learned to adapt or, more likely, had to find another business to monopolize.
(Hah! I think this is it. My interview was in Reading, PA.)
On the post: Xbox DRM Punishes More Paying Customers And Actually Restricts Purchasing Options
I am able to set up a new system, anywhere, and install Steam. Once I log into one of my accounts I can download and install any content that the account is authorized for.
Both accounts have physical access to the same content, but if account #1 owns e.g. a DLC character and account #2 doesn't, I can't play that character on account #2, even though it's present on my hard drive. Log back into account #1 and there it is, fully accessible.
My first copy of KF was a gift, my second was the Gold Box (which I installed on my first account). Of course I ended up with duplicates of the game and several DLC characters, so I gifted them to my second account. (I also ended up gifting my extra copy of HL2 to the original gifter's husband.)
I have my issues with Steam's DRM but I have to admit that if you're going to have it, they've done a pretty darned good job of making it transparent. You CAN buy stuff and give it away to other people... and they just own it.
My biggest complaint is that once you own a game, you can't transfer it to another account; and you can't transfer an account to another person.
On the post: Sony Sues Actor For Trademark Infringement For Looking Too Much Like Himself In Another Commercial
On the post: Time Warner Cable Suddenly Forced To Compete In Kansas City; Complains Google Has 'Unfair Advantage'
Re: Re: Re: 'seems to misunderstand what the word
FTFY.
On the post: Time Warner Cable Suddenly Forced To Compete In Kansas City; Complains Google Has 'Unfair Advantage'
Re: Sacrifices
If Google came here I'd switch so fast the sonic boom would break every window in the neighborhood.
On the post: Band Gives Away Latest Album After Label Attempts To Shelve It Until 'Sometime Next Year'
Epic fail!
On the post: Guyana Resorts To Buying Pirated Textbooks Because Legal Copies Are Too Expensive [Updated]
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