I’m thinking that negotiating a secret treaty that will strip rights from internet users to pacify movie studios is a pretty good way to make sure that it’s eventually rejected by the American people.
Archive for the ‘technology’ Category
If the law is a secret, do you have to obey it?
Posted in copyright, dissent, economics, ethics, first sale doctrine, free speech, internet, media, politics, technology on November 5, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
is it legal to make backup copies of your DVDs?
Posted in contracts, copyright, economics, fair use, first sale doctrine, free (or not) software, media, property, technology on April 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This is one of those questions that has bothered me ever since the DeCSS thing went down way back in 2001. The crux of the problem is this: the movie industry wants to sell you a DVD like it’s a physical object, and then use technology to restrict your use as though you have [...]
Alternate Title: 65% of Internet Users Have Never Searched For Their Own Name
Posted in education, internet, media, privacy, public domain, technology, tagged pew research on March 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Seriously. There is essentially no other way to interpret this data from Pew Research, which emphasizes the number of people who haven’t yet realized that their photos are somewhere on the web. Much more revealing than the photo statistic is the one about “Home Address.” If you have ever had a phone line or a [...]
And No One Is Surprised
Posted in constitution, criminal law, dissent, ethics, free speech, hypocrisy, internet, politics, privacy, technology on February 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
After all, this sort of thing is exactly why the GOP seated Roberts and Alito. Got to keep the rabble in their place, don’t you know- can’t have just anyone standing up for their rights.
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court rejected a challenge Tuesday to the Bush administration’s domestic spying program. . . . The American [...]
Sure, Tell Yourself That It’s The Ads
Posted in advertising, dissent, economics, education, free speech, internet, media, technology, tagged adblock, Facebook, Market Saturation, MySpace on February 7, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Never mind that MySpace is stupid, and that Facebook is for people who don’t have real websites. And never mind that if you don’t like ads on the internet, YOU CAN BLOCK THEM. Ad-blocking is not new or surprising. I’ve been using it on every computer we own for at least the past six years. [...]
When Xenu Sees This, He’s Going To Be Pissed
Posted in copyright, education, ethics, fair use, free speech, hypocrisy, internet, media, politics, private press, property, technology, tv, tagged cults, fishman affidavit, OTIII, religion, scientology, Xenu on January 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The kids at Digg have noticed that someone posted a huge collection of Scientology documents on the web. And from digg, someone posted a torrent of the file to PirateBay. As I suggested last week, this is the obvious and natural consequence of drawing attention to that silly Tom Cruise video- people will yank the [...]
Awesome
Posted in economics, education, ethics, internet, media, property, technology, tagged circuit breakers, Dow, NYSE on January 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Checked my 401K at Fidelity today for the first time in two weeks or so:
Personal Rate of Return from 01/01/2008 to 01/18/2008 is -9.1%
And those prices were calculated at close-of-market on Friday. Thank goodness we have a long weekend for the markets to rest, so that they can be ready for a big day on [...]
