It's being a dick to point out that people are flagging things because they don't agree with them, rather than using the flagging for spam and malware?
Always fun when the Techdirt censors come through and mess up a thread.
Hopefully for 2018 Techdirt can finally fix the flagging so it can't be used as a tool of petty censorship. It's a glaring problem for a site that claims to be all for freedom of speech.
"implies one specific outlook: “Stop hoping things can get better, you damned fool.”"
Nope, it implies the exact opposite, keep hoping things can get better, but have the guts and intelligence to make your own choices.
Don't "believe"... understand and go forward.
"even if we disagree on our definition of “a better world”."
My point only ever is that you should make that choice for yourself. Take your own steps to make things better in the ways you see fit and appropriate. Don't worry about a message or a belief system, worry about what you personally think is right.
You can change the world. You cannot change it unless you are your own man (or woman, cisgender, or what have you).
Look back at what Mike has written before. Happiness. Optimism. Innovation. Heck, one year is titled ": From Pessimism To Optimism... And The Power Of Innovation"
I wrote a whole long post, and then deleted it. I am not trying to drag anyone down. I am pointing to the change in tone. Honestly, I am surprised. Mike is usually a cheerleader and a man who can find positive in a shit sandwich. This year the message is much more messiah than reality.
Mike I think is experiencing his first real personal letdown, this year grinded on him personally as he dealt with legal issues, and with many of the things he was optimistic about falling by the wayside. It's been a hard couple of years that have really come to a head in 2017. The tide hasn't just turned, it's pushed the boat out into rough seas.
For me, "keep believing" is the "hopes and prayers" for a group of people, it's an empty stock phrase that generally doesn't say much at all.
Mike actually usually writes interesting year end stuff. Most of it (even by the titles) is about optimism. This one? Not optimistic, much more like the half time speech for a football team that is down 80 already, and just lost their only quarterback to injury. I don't smell the optimism, I smell a much more pessimistic message.
Usually your year end messages are a little more deep and meaningful. This one sort of comes off more along the lines of a preacher begging his flock to ignore reality and "believe" in him some more.
Consider Jim Jones, the preacher who so kindly created the concept of "drinking the koolaid". His basic message was believe in me, no matter what. His basic belief system started with the idea that socialism (through communism) was the will of god, and that all should believe this. They moved to their compound in Guyana specifically to build the world that god had instructed him to make. To go there, you had to believe.
The kool aid was, in the end, just the final proof of devotion to a concept and man over logical thought.
Trumpkins are kool aid drinkers. They believe, even when their man is clearly wrong or heading in the wrong direction, they believe.
Believe is the message of "don't think about it, just accept it". A better message for 2018 is "think for yourself". Stop worrying about fitting in with a social group or being politically correct, and start worrying about things actually being right and making sense.
Believing is for religions. Thinking is for yourself. Move boldly into 2018 with your brain on, and stay away from the Kool Aid dispenser.
Since we have already established in the past that Comcast has increased their investments based on choices they made 3 to 5 years ago, to support their X1 box. So:
"if Comcast continues increasing capital expenditures by the same rate as it did with net neutrality rules in place, the company would easily break the $50 billion figure that Roberts attributed to the net neutrality repeal and tax break."
There is no indication that they will do so. They are 3 years or so into rolling out the X1, which required more IP network speed to support. However, at the point that the roll out is complete, that invest will be done and things will likely return to normal.
So the entire piece is based on ignoring the concept that technology investments at this level are made far in advance, in this case long before NN came around the bend.
But hey, keep going. It's fun to watch you build your castle on such a wobbly foundation.
You have to be careful with this. I have three different valid passports, and you have to make sure that you use the same one "in and out" of a country or all sorts of bad things can happen.
There are also a few places that do not like you having multiple citizenship status. The US immigration service isn't really happy about it in many cases, and they can (and do) demand that you make a single citizenship declaration for a visit to the US.
The true hypocrisy here is forcing internet companies into title II and then getting pissed off because they claim the benefits. Sort of like pushing your elderly parents into a retirement castle and then being upset that they learned how to play shuffleboard.
" At some point, the state decided to step in. What the teen did was demonstrably stupid, but should it be criminal?"
Quite simply, it needs to be - and more important, the "boyfriend" who pushed them off to others should be up the creek for distributing the images.
Why? I see this as a potential dodge for people looking to produce CP. Imagine if you can get the "victim" to take pictures of themselves and send them to your "underage son". Now you have completely dodged any charge of producing CP, because, well, it's just kids being kids, right?
The images of this 14 year old will almost certainly be out there circulating forever in the perv communities, and she will be victim of her own stupidity, and that of her boyfriend.
The problem is in modern times, It's not like a naked Polaroid that he might have shown to a couple of his friends. it's a perfect digital image, shared as a perfect copy, which is the in turned shared along.
Put another way: CP was certainly produced and distributed. A crime, however unintentional, was committed.
Many countries use an "in and out" system for their customs, requiring that you are tracked both coming and and leaving. It makes it easier to spot who didn't leave.
"two part" immigration forms are very common, some places will scan your passport in and out of the country at the airport as a matter of standard operations.
Arguing that it's pointless to track who is leaving is entirely missing how a good tourist / visitor visa system should work (not saying the US has a clue, just saying in general).
"Thing is, the FCC cannot magically pass new rules prohibiting states form passing their own laws. That is something only Congress can do and even then, it's doubtful they could do such a thing."
Actually, the sort of can. Interstate communications is a federal prerogative, not a state one. States cannot pass regulation onto how an interstate communications company would operate their communications network, that is for the Feds.
The states can do things for consumer privacy protections, provided it's framed as being for all industries and not narrowly set only for internet companies. Otherwise, there would be enough wiggle room in there for lawsuits that would keep the law in the freezer for years.
Also, you need to understand that there is at least one (and possibly more) "net neutrality" laws pending on congress that will very, very specifically ban the states from trying to override federal jurisdiction in the matter. No matter what those NN rules are, it's better to have a national standard than a state or municipal level patchwork of contradictory laws and mindless reporting.
Normal thinking would be that you are correct, but it's never that simple.
Consider the "special election" held recently in Alabama. For all of the bad stuff that came out about the Republican candidate, the election is still close enough that this guy won't concede. That means that even in the Metoo world we live in, being an accused multiple sexual attacker isn't strong enough to sway "conservative" voters.
Democrats would likely squeak out a narrow Senate majority (but not as likely in the house) but as soon as they try to flex their muscles, the will get shut down. That leads to 2 years of the Republicans going on about how the Democrats are fucking things up, and Trump ends up with a second term.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Re: Re: Re: Re:
Re: Re:
You aren't very good at trolling, are you?
(untitled comment)
Hopefully for 2018 Techdirt can finally fix the flagging so it can't be used as a tool of petty censorship. It's a glaring problem for a site that claims to be all for freedom of speech.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Oh well, 2017
Nope, it implies the exact opposite, keep hoping things can get better, but have the guts and intelligence to make your own choices.
Don't "believe"... understand and go forward.
"even if we disagree on our definition of “a better world”."
My point only ever is that you should make that choice for yourself. Take your own steps to make things better in the ways you see fit and appropriate. Don't worry about a message or a belief system, worry about what you personally think is right.
You can change the world. You cannot change it unless you are your own man (or woman, cisgender, or what have you).
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Oh well, 2017
"Goddamn, son, this has been a shitty year!"
Look back at what Mike has written before. Happiness. Optimism. Innovation. Heck, one year is titled ": From Pessimism To Optimism... And The Power Of Innovation"
I wrote a whole long post, and then deleted it. I am not trying to drag anyone down. I am pointing to the change in tone. Honestly, I am surprised. Mike is usually a cheerleader and a man who can find positive in a shit sandwich. This year the message is much more messiah than reality.
Mike I think is experiencing his first real personal letdown, this year grinded on him personally as he dealt with legal issues, and with many of the things he was optimistic about falling by the wayside. It's been a hard couple of years that have really come to a head in 2017. The tide hasn't just turned, it's pushed the boat out into rough seas.
2018 will be interesting.
Re: Re: Oh well, 2017
Happy New Year to you.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Oh well, 2017
Mike actually usually writes interesting year end stuff. Most of it (even by the titles) is about optimism. This one? Not optimistic, much more like the half time speech for a football team that is down 80 already, and just lost their only quarterback to injury. I don't smell the optimism, I smell a much more pessimistic message.
Hoping your 2018 is better, mine should be :)
Re: Re: Oh well, 2017
Believing that the world can be remade into the image you project for it is sort of pseudo religious.
Don't believe. Think.
Re:
Oh well, 2017
Consider Jim Jones, the preacher who so kindly created the concept of "drinking the koolaid". His basic message was believe in me, no matter what. His basic belief system started with the idea that socialism (through communism) was the will of god, and that all should believe this. They moved to their compound in Guyana specifically to build the world that god had instructed him to make. To go there, you had to believe.
The kool aid was, in the end, just the final proof of devotion to a concept and man over logical thought.
Trumpkins are kool aid drinkers. They believe, even when their man is clearly wrong or heading in the wrong direction, they believe.
Believe is the message of "don't think about it, just accept it". A better message for 2018 is "think for yourself". Stop worrying about fitting in with a social group or being politically correct, and start worrying about things actually being right and making sense.
Believing is for religions. Thinking is for yourself. Move boldly into 2018 with your brain on, and stay away from the Kool Aid dispenser.
Wow.
"if Comcast continues increasing capital expenditures by the same rate as it did with net neutrality rules in place, the company would easily break the $50 billion figure that Roberts attributed to the net neutrality repeal and tax break."
There is no indication that they will do so. They are 3 years or so into rolling out the X1, which required more IP network speed to support. However, at the point that the roll out is complete, that invest will be done and things will likely return to normal.
So the entire piece is based on ignoring the concept that technology investments at this level are made far in advance, in this case long before NN came around the bend.
But hey, keep going. It's fun to watch you build your castle on such a wobbly foundation.
Re: Re: Re:
There are also a few places that do not like you having multiple citizenship status. The US immigration service isn't really happy about it in many cases, and they can (and do) demand that you make a single citizenship declaration for a visit to the US.
Some places don't care, some places freak out.
Re: Re: Re: Ah blatant hypocrisy
Re: Ah blatant hypocrisy
They did what you told them to do.
(untitled comment)
Quite simply, it needs to be - and more important, the "boyfriend" who pushed them off to others should be up the creek for distributing the images.
Why? I see this as a potential dodge for people looking to produce CP. Imagine if you can get the "victim" to take pictures of themselves and send them to your "underage son". Now you have completely dodged any charge of producing CP, because, well, it's just kids being kids, right?
The images of this 14 year old will almost certainly be out there circulating forever in the perv communities, and she will be victim of her own stupidity, and that of her boyfriend.
The problem is in modern times, It's not like a naked Polaroid that he might have shown to a couple of his friends. it's a perfect digital image, shared as a perfect copy, which is the in turned shared along.
Put another way: CP was certainly produced and distributed. A crime, however unintentional, was committed.
(untitled comment)
"two part" immigration forms are very common, some places will scan your passport in and out of the country at the airport as a matter of standard operations.
Arguing that it's pointless to track who is leaving is entirely missing how a good tourist / visitor visa system should work (not saying the US has a clue, just saying in general).
Re:
Actually, the sort of can. Interstate communications is a federal prerogative, not a state one. States cannot pass regulation onto how an interstate communications company would operate their communications network, that is for the Feds.
The states can do things for consumer privacy protections, provided it's framed as being for all industries and not narrowly set only for internet companies. Otherwise, there would be enough wiggle room in there for lawsuits that would keep the law in the freezer for years.
Also, you need to understand that there is at least one (and possibly more) "net neutrality" laws pending on congress that will very, very specifically ban the states from trying to override federal jurisdiction in the matter. No matter what those NN rules are, it's better to have a national standard than a state or municipal level patchwork of contradictory laws and mindless reporting.
Re:
Consider the "special election" held recently in Alabama. For all of the bad stuff that came out about the Republican candidate, the election is still close enough that this guy won't concede. That means that even in the Metoo world we live in, being an accused multiple sexual attacker isn't strong enough to sway "conservative" voters.
Democrats would likely squeak out a narrow Senate majority (but not as likely in the house) but as soon as they try to flex their muscles, the will get shut down. That leads to 2 years of the Republicans going on about how the Democrats are fucking things up, and Trump ends up with a second term.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Someone played a naughty trick. Got it. Noted. Move on.
Against the FCC? For what? Malicious hosting of comments?
You Techdirtians will need to be careful about the logical knots you have tied yourselves in.
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