Legalize sin (victimless crimes), tax things deemed "harmful" to society, and we'd have enough money to run government.
Profits aren't a dirty word, why would we want to tax people earning a living (income tax), investing (Capital Gains), and providing an inheritance for their kids(Death taxes)??
Taxes are punitive in nature, and when one realizes this, one can offer REAL solutions to societies problems.
And the best thing about "sin" taxes, they are entirely voluntary, if designed right. Don't like cars and big oil? Tax Gasoline, and gas guzzlers. Don't like certain drugs(alcohol)? Tax them.
The only thing making things like this illegal does, is cause crime. We don't need more people in prison, we need less. Meaning less things defined as "crime".
This approach would work except for one thing. That being the busybodies who want to rule everyone and tell them how to live, be they on the right (moral police) and the left (profit police).
And the best thing about such an approach, it would necessarily limit the actions society as a whole as deemed undesired, while at the same time, raising money from those that want to participate in such activities.
Don't want something? Tax it, it will go away. Make it illegal, it doesn't go away, it just becomes a crime. And "crime" should be defined by things like murder, rape, robbery, which have victims.
Everything in Windows was designed for mouse/keyboard combination, and there is no touch UI to behold.
Apple's approach is much better, different products, different approaches, and a different UI for Desktop and touch based items.
The reason why touch screens suck so much, is not because they suck, but the application/OS is always bolted on afterthought, rather than separate approach.
This is why I see Apple and Android being the dominant players in these types of devices. And if HP can pull off a miracle and get Palm functioning, it might prove to be a viable third tier option.
I'm afraid the people running Microsoft can't think outside of the whole "Windows" paradigm long enough to figure out that Windows is NOT a touch screen OS, no matter what they try to bolt on.
Substitute the Title of the show with ObamaCare and the FCC with Congress, Parent Group with the left wingers supporting Universal Health care, and see how many people change their mind about "small minority" speaking for everyone else.
The funny thing is, I'm on the side that makes the most sense, namely that if CBS wants to put funny symbols in a show thinking it will last and be profitable, by all means let them, and keep the government out of my life. And screw ObamaCare, I'm declaring myself to be Amish (exempted from ObamaCare).
I'm sick to death of people telling me what I can or can't do, especially when it doesn't affect them one bit what I do or don't do.
How does HPV become epidemic if everyone is having safe sex?
It isn't an implication, or assumption, it is a given. Anecdotes aren't facts. And it should be part of EVERY discussion about promiscuity, regardless of the fairytale you believe called "safe sex".
I'm not the one clammering for fake security at airports, nor pretending that all is safe in the world.
Actually, if you READ my post with any understanding, you'll no doubt run into this quote: "just learn to be careful knowing the whole time that we can't be careful enough."
You see that? RIGHT THERE? That means something to me. You can't steal my identity and have it be useful, because I've lived a life without a single credit card, or debt. NONE. So Stealing my ID gets you... nothing.
I don't have issue with APPLE or Microsoft either. I shop at Walmar, Costco and also at local shops and farmer's markets. I pay cash for most things, and therefore not trackable.
I'm an IT guy, doing this for nearly 30 years now, so I've been long aware of what it means to be tracked by computers. I help do it. I also know that certain things are inevitable and the only thing we can do, is simply realize that it is never going to be perfect; we cannot be careful enough.
If you're scared of "BIG CORP", then I suggest you stop Patronizing them altogether, and that you go live off the grid in a stone house you built yourself, because that is the only way to be 100% sure that no big company is going to not screw you when you do business with them.
It is real easy to call names for people you disagree with. It is much harder to defend risky behavior in the name of sexual liberties and "feeling good".
And quite frankly, I don't care what fucked up diseases they carry, except now with ObamaCare, all the rest of us who can keep our dicks and vaginas in our pants are going to have to pay for the assholes who get cervical cancer and HIV and other STDs, and unwanted pregnancies (abortions and welfare kids).
Oh yeah, forgot about that did you? Or you just don't care as long as you can get some tail at the local bar on Friday?
Yeah, society is fucked up, because people like you can't stop thinking with your dick long enough to actually give a shit about what the consequences of your actions might be.
She is worse than a whore, for a whore actually gets paid for her services. But that is the Libertarian Capitalist in me speaking.
She is probably more "broken" than you (or her) realize. She probably already carries HPV and is at high risk of cervical cancer. And she is probably already spread her disease to others. But what the heck, as long as she gets to fuck whomever or whatever she wants, it is all good as long as we don't make her feel bad in the process, right? Because that is fucked up, right?
Actually, if Baby Jesus strangled a kitten, he wouldn't be the Messiah. The Bible clearly teaches against cruelty to animals. Not that your average/.er would ever get that far into fables and nonsense without invoking the name of the FSM, Pink Unicorns, or even Cthulhu, who probably could strangle a kitten and not think twice about it.
Both recited by countries who's laws protected them from retribution by people feeling differently. In some countries, saying such a thing might get you killed.
And witty humor aside, I doubt that you'd be willing to speak freely where free speech is not allowed. And when it comes to TRUE patriotism, I have more respect for people in Saudi Arabia (or similar) that are true patriots trying to better their country and getting killed for it in the process.
Which only proves, you're a patriot when it is convenient. Much like the whole "Dissent is patriotism" crowd quashing dissent now that they are in power.
My point, be consistent and apply your principles even when they work against your agenda.
If you don't like the country you're a citizen of, move to another "better" place. Of course, there in lies the rub. Most people LIKE where they live, when compared to other places. And even while complaining they don't like it, they aren't willing to move to somewhere else because they see it as the best place there is.
And wouldn't it all be great is we lived in one big happy world, without petty dictators and/or ObamaCare, Bush's war on terrorism, or whatever it is that ticks you off this week.
The problem is, when you think you can tell someone else how to live, you just done to the world exactly what you don't want done to you, that being others telling you how to live.
This is true patriotism: that I want the best for the country I've chosen to live it. And if that makes me a scoundrel, then so be it. Wearing a flag or whatever doesn't make one a patriot.
But neither does putting your left hand over your heart when you pretend to salute the flag (as Obama did). What it does do, is make it clear you might not be a patriot when you either ignorantly or purposely reject customs of one's nation.
It would be simply better if you don't participate in ANY customs at all, and at least be consistent. but that would mean you couldn't bow before foreign leaders because THEY expect it either.
"Similar to Google's "accidental" sniffing of public wifi -- they didn't use it, so that makes it all right."
I don't get this one. WHY is it wrong? Didn't we/.ers love the stories of wardriving years ago, when people posted the location of open WiFis so we could leach off them?
Look, if you don't want Google Doing it, because they are "BIG CORP", then don't do it yourself. There is no difference between the idea of wardriving individually, and Google doing, except for scale.
I don't have a problem with Google Wardriving. NONE.
Also, Internet is NOT secure. There is no privacy on the internet. NONE. Everything that makes the internet useful to you, is a way to make it easier to track you.
What you put up on the internet is there for everyone else to see, forever. Even if it "delete" it, it probably lives somewhere on some server or another.
We might as well get used to this paradigm and either not do anything on the internet, or just learn to be careful knowing the whole time that we can't be careful enough.
I'm not all that concerned with what is on my facebook, as it is all public info anyways. And I don't fear stalkers, they should fear me.;)
Until I get better internet service, it is a moot point. I don't see AT&T or Comcast (Xfinity) helping Google here.
I do look forward to Google (or someone) getting fiber into my city, and to my door. Yeah, Comcast has fiber running right under my driveway, but getting it that extra 90 ft seems impossible right now.
Well, when people are willing to load themselves up with explosives and kill people for being anything other than... you know... INFIDELS... then yeah, if the worst we do back is a tad assholish then... so be it.
The traders skimming the sub-second trading are angling for very small margins... fractions of a percentage point. So if you sell your $100 worth of AT&T, and these guys might be taking a few pennies of it.. and I say might because if they werent doing what they are doing, you have no idea what the price would be.
Um, you have no idea what you're talking about. RIGHT NOW, I don't know what the value I'll get the moment I put in a sell (or buy) order at market value will be. I have a GOOD idea, but then we have last weeks mess in which... well, I'd be screwed (or elated).
Liquidity is fueled not by current market prices, but by outstanding buy/sell orders that are at prices below or above current market value.
In your case, I can sell AT&T at market, or I can issue a sell order that I sell AT&T at 105. At the same time, I can have an outstanding buy order at say $95.
The problem last week was caused by a misplaced sell order, at Market value, for a HUGE (abnormal) volume, and there simply was not enough buy orders to take up the liquidity requirements and so the price kept falling and falling, picking up the standing buy orders at various prices. As it approached $0 there still wasn't enough buy orders to take up the slack and the problem began to feed on itself.
Combine this on one stock, with the reports coming in from Europe and Greece in particular, on that day, and a general panic started and the herd began to move along with the mistaken sell order.
THIS is how crap like this happens. While the SEC and others involved will unwind a bunch of these trades, the problem still exists.
This doesn't solve liquidity issues at all. Stopping trades on huge swings in value is also not a solution, as often times it just pushes the problem off to another day.
Let's be perfectly clear here, liquidity doesn't equate to value, and value is not measured in liquidity. They are two separate aspects to price. Price is current liquidity measured against value.
Which is why when abnormal conditions arise, it is almost impossible to establish a fair price, simply by definition. And there will always be people who will try to exploit the unfairness of price by manipulating liquidity and/or value.
Light Vegetable Oil is better, if you want to see the sexy bits. And it increases the chance of losing whatever clothing might still be on. Mud just obfuscates things.
Human papillomavirus (pap-ah-LO-mah-VYE-rus) (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. At least 50% of sexually active people will have genital HPV at some time in their lives.
"Most" being all values not fitting your particular viewpoint. I'd say that 50% is close enough to say that MOST people will contract a DANGEROUS disease HPV, which causes (like cigarettes cause) cancer.
Most insightful post yet on this thread. Being modded "funny" is a disservice. You have no idea how people on the left (won't call them liberals) realize that they are just the same as the people they often criticize.
Government intervention should only be as last resort, not as primary source.
Tyranny comes in the name of security and stability. This is the flaw of both GWB and BHO types, who think Government is the BEST solution to almost EVERY problem.
Government is tyranny of the ruling class. And as long as we have professional politicians, we're on the road to perdition.
The problem with most people, is that they don't want to get involved in voting out "their guy(gal)" very often. This year is definitely and hopefully, going to be an exception to that.
Government needs to be necessarily limited, or else it grows to the point of tyranny. It always will, for that is the tendency of ALL governance.
What most people need to realize, is man is not capable of ruling himself, what makes us think man can rule over another?
According to a 2000 report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), correct and consistent use of latex condoms reduces the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission by approximately 85% relative to risk when unprotected, putting the seroconversion rate (infection rate) at 0.9 per 100 person-years with condom, down from 6.7 per 100 person-years.[47] Analysis published in 2007 from the University of Texas Medical Branch [48] and the World Health Organization[49] found similar risk reductions of 80–95%.
The verbiage here supports your claim, almost. It isn't just using a condom it is "correct and consistent use of latex condoms"
Three parts there that MUST be applied, "correct", "consistent" and "latex". Rates go down the moment one doesn't do these things. In addition, these statistics are for normal intercourse only and not for other sexual activities, which don't usually assert condom usage, such as "oral sex", and other activities that have exchange of bodily fluids.
And the transmission rate is for AIDS only, and not other sexually transmitted diseases such as HPV (warts)the cause of Cervical Cancer and Herpes.
Nor does it include having unprotected sex with your normal partner who is having unprotected sex with people you don't know about.
Of course it is really nice of you to paint such a rosy picture of Disease Free Sex, but the reality is that HPV is at epidemic levels, and while most men* don't have to worry about cervical cancer, women do.
*New version of throat cancer due to HPV are being seen, effectively cervical cancer of the throat.
If IBM joined the coalition for Patent Defense, then it would only be able to sue companies suing IBM for patent infringement. Companies inside the coalition would be exempt from such a risk, and would lose their exemption the moment they sued a fellow member of the coalition.
In the case you listed above, using the scenerio that SCO was not a member of the coalition, and IBM was, IBM would not only have its own patents, but all the other members would be able to add theirs to the dogpile of patents that would ensue.
Now, if it were the other way around, and SCO was a member of the coalition while IBM wasn't and SCO sued IBM, then SCO would not be using its patents for defensive measures and would lose the protection being a part of the coalition, and possibly might be kicked out of the coalition as a result.
The only people who would benefit (or at least remain neutral) would be the real patent trolls, the ones that hold patents with no intention of ever making a product, who would not be subject to counter lawsuits by IBM types.
Of course, there is nothing we can do about patent trolls, except ridicule them and their owners every chance we get, or give the area served by District Court of East Texas back to Mexico.
Slashdot Mirror
Legalize sin (victimless crimes), tax things deemed "harmful" to society, and we'd have enough money to run government.
Profits aren't a dirty word, why would we want to tax people earning a living (income tax), investing (Capital Gains), and providing an inheritance for their kids(Death taxes)??
Taxes are punitive in nature, and when one realizes this, one can offer REAL solutions to societies problems.
And the best thing about "sin" taxes, they are entirely voluntary, if designed right. Don't like cars and big oil? Tax Gasoline, and gas guzzlers. Don't like certain drugs(alcohol)? Tax them.
The only thing making things like this illegal does, is cause crime. We don't need more people in prison, we need less. Meaning less things defined as "crime".
This approach would work except for one thing. That being the busybodies who want to rule everyone and tell them how to live, be they on the right (moral police) and the left (profit police).
And the best thing about such an approach, it would necessarily limit the actions society as a whole as deemed undesired, while at the same time, raising money from those that want to participate in such activities.
Don't want something? Tax it, it will go away. Make it illegal, it doesn't go away, it just becomes a crime. And "crime" should be defined by things like murder, rape, robbery, which have victims.
Their vulnerable blind spot is called WINDOWS.
Everything in Windows was designed for mouse/keyboard combination, and there is no touch UI to behold.
Apple's approach is much better, different products, different approaches, and a different UI for Desktop and touch based items.
The reason why touch screens suck so much, is not because they suck, but the application/OS is always bolted on afterthought, rather than separate approach.
This is why I see Apple and Android being the dominant players in these types of devices. And if HP can pull off a miracle and get Palm functioning, it might prove to be a viable third tier option.
I'm afraid the people running Microsoft can't think outside of the whole "Windows" paradigm long enough to figure out that Windows is NOT a touch screen OS, no matter what they try to bolt on.
Says the anonymous coward. oooooh.
^0^
We should be taxing sin, not income.
Then, we would all would be rich, and have a well funded government.
But that is too "Regressive" for the "progressives" who would rather reward failure and punish success.
Substitute the Title of the show with ObamaCare and the FCC with Congress, Parent Group with the left wingers supporting Universal Health care, and see how many people change their mind about "small minority" speaking for everyone else.
The funny thing is, I'm on the side that makes the most sense, namely that if CBS wants to put funny symbols in a show thinking it will last and be profitable, by all means let them, and keep the government out of my life. And screw ObamaCare, I'm declaring myself to be Amish (exempted from ObamaCare).
I'm sick to death of people telling me what I can or can't do, especially when it doesn't affect them one bit what I do or don't do.
How does HPV become epidemic if everyone is having safe sex?
It isn't an implication, or assumption, it is a given. Anecdotes aren't facts. And it should be part of EVERY discussion about promiscuity, regardless of the fairytale you believe called "safe sex".
I'm not the one clammering for fake security at airports, nor pretending that all is safe in the world.
Actually, if you READ my post with any understanding, you'll no doubt run into this quote: "just learn to be careful knowing the whole time that we can't be careful enough."
You see that? RIGHT THERE? That means something to me. You can't steal my identity and have it be useful, because I've lived a life without a single credit card, or debt. NONE. So Stealing my ID gets you ... nothing.
I don't have issue with APPLE or Microsoft either. I shop at Walmar, Costco and also at local shops and farmer's markets. I pay cash for most things, and therefore not trackable.
I'm an IT guy, doing this for nearly 30 years now, so I've been long aware of what it means to be tracked by computers. I help do it. I also know that certain things are inevitable and the only thing we can do, is simply realize that it is never going to be perfect; we cannot be careful enough.
If you're scared of "BIG CORP", then I suggest you stop Patronizing them altogether, and that you go live off the grid in a stone house you built yourself, because that is the only way to be 100% sure that no big company is going to not screw you when you do business with them.
It is real easy to call names for people you disagree with. It is much harder to defend risky behavior in the name of sexual liberties and "feeling good".
And quite frankly, I don't care what fucked up diseases they carry, except now with ObamaCare, all the rest of us who can keep our dicks and vaginas in our pants are going to have to pay for the assholes who get cervical cancer and HIV and other STDs, and unwanted pregnancies (abortions and welfare kids).
Oh yeah, forgot about that did you? Or you just don't care as long as you can get some tail at the local bar on Friday?
Yeah, society is fucked up, because people like you can't stop thinking with your dick long enough to actually give a shit about what the consequences of your actions might be.
She is worse than a whore, for a whore actually gets paid for her services. But that is the Libertarian Capitalist in me speaking.
She is probably more "broken" than you (or her) realize. She probably already carries HPV and is at high risk of cervical cancer. And she is probably already spread her disease to others. But what the heck, as long as she gets to fuck whomever or whatever she wants, it is all good as long as we don't make her feel bad in the process, right? Because that is fucked up, right?
And no, HPV is not fixable.
Actually, if Baby Jesus strangled a kitten, he wouldn't be the Messiah. The Bible clearly teaches against cruelty to animals. Not that your average /.er would ever get that far into fables and nonsense without invoking the name of the FSM, Pink Unicorns, or even Cthulhu, who probably could strangle a kitten and not think twice about it.
Both recited by countries who's laws protected them from retribution by people feeling differently. In some countries, saying such a thing might get you killed.
And witty humor aside, I doubt that you'd be willing to speak freely where free speech is not allowed. And when it comes to TRUE patriotism, I have more respect for people in Saudi Arabia (or similar) that are true patriots trying to better their country and getting killed for it in the process.
Which only proves, you're a patriot when it is convenient. Much like the whole "Dissent is patriotism" crowd quashing dissent now that they are in power.
My point, be consistent and apply your principles even when they work against your agenda.
If you don't like the country you're a citizen of, move to another "better" place. Of course, there in lies the rub. Most people LIKE where they live, when compared to other places. And even while complaining they don't like it, they aren't willing to move to somewhere else because they see it as the best place there is.
And wouldn't it all be great is we lived in one big happy world, without petty dictators and/or ObamaCare, Bush's war on terrorism, or whatever it is that ticks you off this week.
The problem is, when you think you can tell someone else how to live, you just done to the world exactly what you don't want done to you, that being others telling you how to live.
This is true patriotism: that I want the best for the country I've chosen to live it. And if that makes me a scoundrel, then so be it. Wearing a flag or whatever doesn't make one a patriot.
But neither does putting your left hand over your heart when you pretend to salute the flag (as Obama did). What it does do, is make it clear you might not be a patriot when you either ignorantly or purposely reject customs of one's nation.
It would be simply better if you don't participate in ANY customs at all, and at least be consistent. but that would mean you couldn't bow before foreign leaders because THEY expect it either.
Patriotism helps defines a nation.
"Similar to Google's "accidental" sniffing of public wifi -- they didn't use it, so that makes it all right."
I don't get this one. WHY is it wrong? Didn't we /.ers love the stories of wardriving years ago, when people posted the location of open WiFis so we could leach off them?
Look, if you don't want Google Doing it, because they are "BIG CORP", then don't do it yourself. There is no difference between the idea of wardriving individually, and Google doing, except for scale.
I don't have a problem with Google Wardriving. NONE.
Also, Internet is NOT secure. There is no privacy on the internet. NONE. Everything that makes the internet useful to you, is a way to make it easier to track you.
What you put up on the internet is there for everyone else to see, forever. Even if it "delete" it, it probably lives somewhere on some server or another.
We might as well get used to this paradigm and either not do anything on the internet, or just learn to be careful knowing the whole time that we can't be careful enough.
I'm not all that concerned with what is on my facebook, as it is all public info anyways. And I don't fear stalkers, they should fear me. ;)
Until I get better internet service, it is a moot point. I don't see AT&T or Comcast (Xfinity) helping Google here.
I do look forward to Google (or someone) getting fiber into my city, and to my door. Yeah, Comcast has fiber running right under my driveway, but getting it that extra 90 ft seems impossible right now.
Well, when people are willing to load themselves up with explosives and kill people for being anything other than ... you know ... INFIDELS ... then yeah, if the worst we do back is a tad assholish then ... so be it.
aww crap, stripping characters fubard my drawing .Oh well, you get the point
O
/ ^ \
* | -- Mohammad Carrying a bomb
^
/ \
Perhaps now, Pakistan will ban /. and we can stop hearing about stupid Pakistani Muslims who get offended of stick drawings.
Um, you have no idea what you're talking about. RIGHT NOW, I don't know what the value I'll get the moment I put in a sell (or buy) order at market value will be. I have a GOOD idea, but then we have last weeks mess in which ... well, I'd be screwed (or elated).
Liquidity is fueled not by current market prices, but by outstanding buy/sell orders that are at prices below or above current market value.
In your case, I can sell AT&T at market, or I can issue a sell order that I sell AT&T at 105. At the same time, I can have an outstanding buy order at say $95.
The problem last week was caused by a misplaced sell order, at Market value, for a HUGE (abnormal) volume, and there simply was not enough buy orders to take up the liquidity requirements and so the price kept falling and falling, picking up the standing buy orders at various prices. As it approached $0 there still wasn't enough buy orders to take up the slack and the problem began to feed on itself.
Combine this on one stock, with the reports coming in from Europe and Greece in particular, on that day, and a general panic started and the herd began to move along with the mistaken sell order.
THIS is how crap like this happens. While the SEC and others involved will unwind a bunch of these trades, the problem still exists.
This doesn't solve liquidity issues at all. Stopping trades on huge swings in value is also not a solution, as often times it just pushes the problem off to another day.
Let's be perfectly clear here, liquidity doesn't equate to value, and value is not measured in liquidity. They are two separate aspects to price. Price is current liquidity measured against value.
Which is why when abnormal conditions arise, it is almost impossible to establish a fair price, simply by definition. And there will always be people who will try to exploit the unfairness of price by manipulating liquidity and/or value.
Light Vegetable Oil is better, if you want to see the sexy bits. And it increases the chance of losing whatever clothing might still be on. Mud just obfuscates things.
Most people don't get the flu each year, so we shouldn't care about people getting the flu or trying to prevent it?
Just for the record, your information is 100% wrong ..., most "Sexually active people" will contract HPV.
From http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/
"Most" being all values not fitting your particular viewpoint. I'd say that 50% is close enough to say that MOST people will contract a DANGEROUS disease HPV, which causes (like cigarettes cause) cancer.
Yeah!
Same reason xWINDOWS is so screwed up, to taint Microsoft! YEAH!!!
Most insightful post yet on this thread. Being modded "funny" is a disservice. You have no idea how people on the left (won't call them liberals) realize that they are just the same as the people they often criticize.
They are almost as annoying as Hannity. Almost.
Government intervention should only be as last resort, not as primary source.
Tyranny comes in the name of security and stability. This is the flaw of both GWB and BHO types, who think Government is the BEST solution to almost EVERY problem.
Government is tyranny of the ruling class. And as long as we have professional politicians, we're on the road to perdition.
The problem with most people, is that they don't want to get involved in voting out "their guy(gal)" very often. This year is definitely and hopefully, going to be an exception to that.
Government needs to be necessarily limited, or else it grows to the point of tyranny. It always will, for that is the tendency of ALL governance.
What most people need to realize, is man is not capable of ruling himself, what makes us think man can rule over another?
The verbiage here supports your claim, almost. It isn't just using a condom it is "correct and consistent use of latex condoms"
Three parts there that MUST be applied, "correct", "consistent" and "latex". Rates go down the moment one doesn't do these things. In addition, these statistics are for normal intercourse only and not for other sexual activities, which don't usually assert condom usage, such as "oral sex", and other activities that have exchange of bodily fluids.
And the transmission rate is for AIDS only, and not other sexually transmitted diseases such as HPV (warts)the cause of Cervical Cancer and Herpes.
Nor does it include having unprotected sex with your normal partner who is having unprotected sex with people you don't know about.
Of course it is really nice of you to paint such a rosy picture of Disease Free Sex, but the reality is that HPV is at epidemic levels, and while most men* don't have to worry about cervical cancer, women do.
*New version of throat cancer due to HPV are being seen, effectively cervical cancer of the throat.
You're basically missing the point.
If IBM joined the coalition for Patent Defense, then it would only be able to sue companies suing IBM for patent infringement. Companies inside the coalition would be exempt from such a risk, and would lose their exemption the moment they sued a fellow member of the coalition.
In the case you listed above, using the scenerio that SCO was not a member of the coalition, and IBM was, IBM would not only have its own patents, but all the other members would be able to add theirs to the dogpile of patents that would ensue.
Now, if it were the other way around, and SCO was a member of the coalition while IBM wasn't and SCO sued IBM, then SCO would not be using its patents for defensive measures and would lose the protection being a part of the coalition, and possibly might be kicked out of the coalition as a result.
The only people who would benefit (or at least remain neutral) would be the real patent trolls, the ones that hold patents with no intention of ever making a product, who would not be subject to counter lawsuits by IBM types.
Of course, there is nothing we can do about patent trolls, except ridicule them and their owners every chance we get, or give the area served by District Court of East Texas back to Mexico.