My thinking is less focused on the idiot "adult" who did this scam as it is on her parents.
Megan did not survive long enough to reproduce. Fault? Blame Darwin or Megan's parents. Take your pick. Or, perhaps parents in general nowadays.
Let me explain. Megan had problems and felt bad about herself? Why? (actual question, not a setup) She was beautiful. Where were her parents? How in the fcuk could a beautiful girl like that grow up not believing, *knowing* she has value.
I tell you waht (sic), when I felt bad about myself going through puberty, and kids do, I was *corrected* by my parents. Corrected as in almost short of discipline in a way. I was corrected for not thinking. That was followed by a very understanding and thoughtful teaching by my parents. They did what they were supposed too do and taught me self respect, correct body image (with what I had to work with) with proportional value in what a pimple actually means in the grand scheme of things. What an adult should be thinking.
It is unfathomable to me that what someone said could bring a person to suicide. And, I blame Megan's parents. Megan, at 13, was on psychotic drugs? WTF!? Sure, the "adult" who perpetrated this scam needs psychiatric help but the suicide I put on her parents.
My son was only on loan to me. And I took my parenting job very seriously. It was the most important achievement I was tasked with as a human being. On a scale of 10 with parenting on top, even paying the mortgage falls in at about 2. Nothing comes before raising a child. At least for me. (Thank you Mom and Dad).
What I returned was a happy, well adjusted, contributing member of society. Someone who thankfully doesn't understand the need for plastic surgery. I guarantee there's nothing, not one thing you could say, even as a teenager, that would even bring him close to suicide. Knowing my son, I suspect you're more likely to get a polite and understanding "thank you" after rejecting him than any other response. He understands that rejection, in the long run, is a blessing. Why didn't Megan understand this? Their little snowflake is gone. And I blame them; they can blame Darwin and you can think whatever you want too. As far as I'm concerned, they fcuked up IM,NOH,O.
He's the heir to the Seagram's fortune. He wouldn't remember the milk man, but his servants might. The men running these corporations live in different worlds.
These men don't have a clue what the common person wants. They've never bought a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread in their lives. They end up giving us what we want by watching profits. They're guessing that if profits go up they must be doing something right. If profits go down they shoot in the dark until profits go back up again. But understand what we want? No.
I've been playing around with PGP as far back as when Zimm was collection donations for his defense. I know I've got 3.5 diskettes collecting dust in my collection that have encrypted files for which I have no clue what the pass phrase would be. I wouldn't be able to give up the keys if I wanted too.
I know what I'd do as a juror if asked to judge someone on this law. Nullification. But I can't count my chances as good I get someone like me when my time comes. It's time I pick a weekend and do some house keeping and clean-up just in case.
On my way driving to work I see all the time people driving like idiots and when I get close, sure enough, they have a cell phone to their ear.
My co-worker gets 20 calls a day from family/friends on his cell. Whenever I go over to discuss business or even a "how was your weekend" conversation his cell phone inevitability goes off. I'm left standing there while he takes his call. Maybe I'm old fashined but I think it is so unbelievable rude to cut someone off mid-sentence to take a cell call.
The only reason I haven't ordered a blocker sooner is the cost. Now that I've order this one it looks like it may not work on all carriers here in the USA. I'll find out if it works on my co-workers cell as soon as it arrives. I'm turning it on each and every time I walk over to talk with him. If it doesn't work with his carrier, then I'm going to go suck up and pay for the $500 models that do work.
If fact, I may go ahead and buy the expensive model anyway. I'm going to become a traveling no-cell zone. When I'm driving, it's going on my dash. This is going to be my Christmas gift to myself. I've had it with rude people and I'm going to fix it.
All you cell phone attics complain all you want. You only sound like the smokers did when we forced them into private spaces to do their thing.
The establishment, hair salon, restaurant, whatever, still has phones. If there's an emergency it's better they call 911 on a land line anyway. Life will go on even if you temporarily loose coverage.
I expect employees give their employer in equal measure. Companies seem totally out of touch with customer satisfaction (cough Comcast). Something as simple as answering the phone or giving the customer what they paid for is beyond their comprehension. I can't believe these same companies suddenly get it when it comes to treating their employees with dignity.
They see executives getting multiple millions in bonuses but their raise is capped at 1.6%. Then this same company wants their employee to be vigilant, always keeping the companies best interests at heart? Protect us and keep us from harm? Not likely.
Sure, some of it is ignorance on the part of the employee. But, what I see most is employee interference. Or, better stated, employees seem to care about the company's network in equal measure with how the company treats them.
I see both extremes. I can directly correlate how much network damage there's going to be that's caused by employees with how my client treats them. The worse my client treats their employees, the more money I make.
I am a believer in Jury nullification. In this case, nullifying the judges instructions.
First he ruled that making available did not amount to infringement, then at the last minute decided it was. The judges decision and his instructions was pivotal and perhaps the entire crux of the defense along with user identification.
The "system" gets pissed, especially judges (read ego), when all their years studying in college and dedication to their craft gets squashed by a laymen like me using common sense (read Jury nullification). Oh well... They want respect but when the "system", manufactures a product like this, they appear blind or at least dismissal to what it looks like to the outside world.
My lawyer friends my disagree with my opinion but they can't have it both ways. The system can't ask for my respect and at the same time expect me to swallow this Elephant.
I don't know about the rest of you but after September 2001, IT took a dump in my area. I was laid off and other associates I know were laid off and then 3 days later offered their jobs back at half what they were making. It's like they used the opportunity to clean house.
I'm currently making a little more than half what I was in the '90s. So, when I mentally compare where I'm at now, I compare it to then. If I get a hefty raise (hasn't happened to me yet) it may be high compared to a sales clerk but in my head I'm still saying another 70% to go and we'll be even.
I'm looking at pay raises as if I'm in recovery and still have a way to go. Sure I'm going to be dissatisfied. What'd they expect? I wonder if those in the survey are in the same boat. It's all relative.
The privacy issue he's discussing could possibly be limited only to Ohio. I've voted in Ohio and they're checking ID and manually writing down on a sheet of paper who votes in the order they walk in the door. The machine spits out vote results in the same order. Duh.
This "problem" has nothing to do with a "machine paper trail". It's not even related. I hope this argument isn't used to stall the progress we're making in fixing the vote system.
In Georgia where I'm at now a list of voters, in the order they vote, doesn't exist. In my county they check your ID then line through your name on a print-out. Who voted in what order cannot be determined. A machine paper trail wouldn't change that.
This is an Ohio problem not a voting machine paper trail problem.
I don't think the format war will ever be *settled*. Instead, there will be a universal player/writer that solves the format problem.
I was at a MicroCenter and decided to grab some DVD D/L. There was this guy holding two CD spindles looking at one and then the other then back again. He asked me, "Do you know the difference?".
I went through the CD+ versus CD-, CDR / CD R/W and then the Audio CDs where they were exactly the same except a flag (and tax) preventing it from working in some players... The look I got was a Deer staring into headlights.
Do any of us really have a format loyalty or do we just want it to work? I can understand this crap and even I'm waiting for the universal player/writer. Maybe two formats is a good thing. I might use one format for active data and another for archiving.
I'll use neither until there's a universal player/writer.
Googling the Judge, he seems to be well liked. He gives lectures at Law Schools and he vacated a $35,000 judgement against a defendant in another RIAA case (Santangelo) so the case could continue. If anything he seems to be "for the little guy". His average rating is 9.2 out of 10. Here's one comment:
Civil Litigation - Private
Comment #: 4118
Rating:8.6
Comments:
A real pleasure. A smart, funny man who treats everyone with respect. If anything, a little too tolerant of pro se civil litigants. Straight shooter.
One the surface he appears to be a Judge who respects the public, has a passion for Law who doesn't automatically default to corporations. And, most importantly, he hasn't called the Internet a bunch of Tubes.
I'm all for taking responsibility for ones actions. There's nothing that bothers me more than someone falling from a ladder and suing the manufacturer. I'm also for protecting the innocent.
If in fact all this was taking place behind her back and without her knowledge I feel she has every right blaming whomever. Blame the people who wrote the software. Blame the person who installed it. Blame the ISP for not blocking it. She's entitled to an aggressive defence. If she didn't do it, had no idea it was happening then go right ahead and blame everyone else. It seems to me all she's saying is if someone's at fault, it's not me, let's find out who.
I'll sign up for the $15. Their announcement was honest and direct. They expect a $20 a year cost but they need to "over-charge" the first quarter to help guarantee coverage of their start-up costs. I understand that. I've started a business before. It's a gamble. It's a gamble for me too to support them.
For me, it's only $15 to "see what will happen" and to support the community. If the cost drops to $20 a year like they anticipate I'll gladly pay a reliable data feed. 5 cents a day to "stick-it" to the cable companies and the advertisers and at the same time supporting the OSS community? It's a no brainer.
If the costs stay at $5 a month then I'll need to re-think my cable needs. But still, if I'm going to pay $5 for Tivo with commercials, why not $5 for MythTV without commercials? Either way, I'll pay the $15 to get started and to see what happens. I've spent that much buying a friend and I coffee at Starbucks. I'll continue to support them if the cost drops to $20 a year. That's cheep for the return I'm getting.
I was watching one of those cops TV shows. The police were following a car they wanted to search but the driver wasn't breaking traffic laws. As they pulled the man over I heard one of the cops say "He has a cracked windshield, that gives us probable cause."
I thought probable cause of what? A drug dealer? A criminal? Every computer on this planet has encryption tools on it. Mine does.
My Grandmother used to pray that an illness would not deplete her retirement savings. My generation needs to pray that they stay under the State's radar. I've also added to my prayers I be called to sit on as many juries as possible. It's one of the few ways I have to give insert some sanity back into the community I live in.
I grew up in a world where the HR director (wasn't call HR back then) had a 20 foot bull whip decoratively coiled on her wall with a sign that read, "Sexual harassment will not be reported. It will, however, be evaluated." And she was hot. I thought to myself whomever made a pass at her had better make it good. Fast forward to today... I'm not sure what I would think. First the decoration wouldn't even be there but if it was I'd probably be thinking in terms of how long before a lawsuit happened. In the future, I see a day where I'll probably be thinking how long before the police arrive.
Every complaint I've read in this forum is true about how absurd it is to legislate to the lowest common denominator.
Are we Sheepeople or Lemings. I haven't figured out which. I live in the United States. The mens strength of charactor that formed this country is no more. Rather I see an apathy, not just in the US but all around the world, that mimics Germany in the '30s and '40.
Maybe too in a few years I'll read your complains of injustice when your Grandson is taken off to prison for what you did as a youngster that would have only caused a Father/Son talk. Maybe this isn't the correct forum. In other words, maybe this is just the complaint department and the managers meeting is down the hall.
It's the missing comments in this blog that speak the loudest.
Give credit where credit is due. Congress has already passed the laws that make crimes like these felonies. It's the Executive branch charged with prosecuting those crimes and the Legal branch to punish the offenders if found guilty.
I'll admit to enjoying digg and the mindless Top 10 Coolest...whatevers. On a slow news day it's a great way to kill time.
But I lost it for digg when they started threatening lawsuits and issuing their own take down notices to any website that had the word digg in it. I know it's just business but that's the point. I think it was then I realized the sell out had already happened. My epiphany that digg was now a corporation.
TFA wasn't clear about the sequestration byproduct. What are they going to turn it into? We currently dump some 70 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere a day. Each and every day.
If all we do is turn that into some, even mildly toxic or useless power, what are we going to do with 70+ million tons of byproduct generated daily?
To address the article, sending porn from an IP is sufficient probable cause, in my mind, for a search warrant.
I took the article out of context and supposed a jury trial with all evidence present. As the definition of reasonable is subjective, I feel comfortable defending my sensibilities.
If you were ever in trouble, you'd want me on your jury. When it comes to removing someone's liberties and effectively destroying their lives, I take "beyond doubt" very seriously.
In possession of something, in my mind, implies a certain level of ownership. I've lived with roommates and personal items get mixed up all the time both in personal and in common areas. I've dropped and left articles in other peoples cars, some of which rolled under seats. I've found things in my car I don't know where they came from or who they belonged too. The owner of the car does not, 100% of the time, translate to the owner of an item.
The "not always" interjects doubt in my mind that I believe is reasonable. Finding the CDs within his close proximity is a good start but not proof. Because the porn was sent from his roommates IM account, that interjects someone else as a possible offender. Because of that, as a juror I would require supporting evidence that the CDs belonged to him before I'd render a conviction. Labels in his handwriting, personal files on the CD, just about anything would do. Maybe if it had gone to trial they'd have that evidence. This fantasy is based purely on assumptions from an article lacking facts.
I think my whole point was that I don't take destroying a life lightly, even if I believe that life is probably a waste of Oxygen. And that proximity does not equal proof of possession without supporting evidence of some level of ownership.
I'm not sure what "conditional" means in Texas but the man pleaded guilty. Only later did he try and get his conviction overturned by appealing his own guilty plea?
Maybe a child porn case isn't always the best to take to jury because of the lynch mob mentality we have right now about electron dots and thought crimes...
But I can tell you this, if I were on his jury it would have been hung or he would have been acquitted. Even with the CDs they found in his room. They'd have to prove they were his and not his roommate's who owned the IM account sending the porn. And they'd have to prove his roommate didn't access the open WiFi. Without that proof, there's doubt in my mind he's guilty and I believe that doubt to be reasonable.
Why should we wait for it in small chunks? We should all go down now and have microchips implanted. They should be able to transmit location, sound and video 24/7.
There are a few bedrooms I wouldn't mind logging onto. I wonder if it would be like that mirror echo effect in pictures. I'm logged on and watching a chip, someone is logged onto me; someone is logged onto them and so on and so on. I for one would think this would be a hellava lota fun.
Sarcasm and fantasies aside... We've lost it. I'm glad the human race isn't going to survive. We don't deserve life.
Working for a fortune 250 company our bonus was based on performance. One year our objective was 32% gross margin. We finished the year with 32.4% gross margin. That meant we made or objective and qualified for a year end bonus. A good one too, like 10% of annual pay.
The rub. The bonus was considered an expense. To pay the bonus and add it to the B&E would drop us to 31.8% gross margin. So, although we busted our collective asses that year and met our objectives, they wouldn't pay the bonus because to do so would drop us below our objective.
It gets better.
Then came a brilliant idea from the management. What if they only paid the exempt managers? A percentage of the managers bonuses were paid from a corporate account. Wa-la. That would only drop our numbers to 32.1%.
I'll let you guess what happened that year. It was also the year I learned the meaning of corporate.
I get it. Dots are not illegal, only dots that are arranged in a particular order are illegal. And it has nothing to do with the thoughts of people based upon their interpretation of those dots. Thanks for explaining it to me.
Counterfeiting? There's nothing wrong with that. Just another thought crime. I should be able to paint a dollar bill on my wall anytime I like. Use Photoshop and a stylist testing and improving my artistic skill with how close I can come to the real thing. Print sheets of counterfeit bills and wallpaper my office.
Except, the closer I come to the real thing the more illegal it is. In fact, it's not the creation of counterfeit bills that's a crime. They have rules on how to do it. But, if I am an artist and create a bill that is "too" real, I will be imprisoned for my artistic ability. Artists, poets, intellectuals are usually the first to go.
A real crime I agree with is using non-legal tender in commerce. But to be imprisoned for artistic ability? No. They use other thought crimes like "intent" if my artistic ability is too good and I make a bill that's "too" real. It's just more of the same. Illegal dots with thought crimes like intent. Whether I use it to wallpaper my office or use it in commerce is irrelevant.
I pray you do not fall victim to your naivety and live a full and safe life. I can say this, if I were ever in trouble I would not want you on my jury. I suspect, however, if it were ever reversed you'd want me on your's.
So, it's FUD even when you agree it's real. There's no such thing as a thought crime even when you concede there's too much leeway prosecuting it. You're back and fourth agreeing with and then counter arguing what you just said is real with arguments that it's not and then back again. I can't tell if this is just wishful thinking on your part or if I'm being trolled.
Either way, this thread is finished. Have a safe life. And remember, think happy, joy-joy thoughts. Anything else can get you 15-20.
First:
Also I acknowledge [snip] until after a damaging and costly trial Please don't accuse me of FUD when you agree with my warning.
Second:
...not automatically illegal, but you might still get arrested for it Huh? I get it, more philosophy. Not illegal until the jury says so? Bullshit. I told the parent to protect themselves from the same felony others have fallen victim to who are now in prison.
Third:
SCOTUS didn't leave the definition open [snip] (but) legitimate argument that there are issues with "contemporary community standards". Don't tell me it's been defined when they left it up for others to decide. They offered meaningless and in practice, ignored guidlines.
Fourth:
I'm not sure what your referring to... "those about wanting our government to change policies,"... I can't think of any thing... thoughtcrime - enlighten me. Conspiracy
You're comfortable going to prison for some dots on a piece of paper and you think that's great. So be it. You're okay that the reason you're going down is because of what you and others are thinking about those dots. Dots on paper are not illegal until in your mind those dots cause you to think something "bad" and that's enough for 15 years of rape in prison as you debt to socity for those thoughts. I'm not.
By statute, our country is no less fascist than Germany was in the 30's. It's only by practice the majority have not been arrested. That, however, is changing fast.
Listen, it's been fun. But I'd rather spend time stopping child abuse than chasing dots. A much more productive discussion IMHO.
Thanks. Have a good life and I hope you never have to defend your philosphy in real life. My guess is you'd get screwed. In more ways than one.
What happens on the street, in the jails and in the courts is completely separate of your ability to seek law opinion in a library. You have immense and superior book learning. As compared to reality however, it is philosophy.
I don't have to go into more detail about the picture. It was what it was, some dumb kid leaning against a tree. Don't assume it "had to be more than that". It wasn't. SCOTUS left open the definitions and I'll define for you what they are.
The content of the photograph is irrelevant. A photograph of an unclothed minor is automatically illegal punishable by many years in prison. It is further, obscene and/or lascivious if they think that you think it is obscene and/or lascivious. I apologize; you're going to probably have to read that more than once.
How would I change it? If I had the authority, I'd eliminate thought crimes. All thought crimes. Not just limited to those about dots on a piece of paper but include those about wanting our government to change policies. I don't believe in thought crimes yet our jails are full of offenders. Second, I'd try to educate persons like yourself the difference between philosophical views versus the reality of the USA we live in today.
As with paranoia, I don't believe its spreading FUD just because you find the truth fearful, the future uncertain and that reality causes you to doubt your values. The parent has more in his possession than others who are now in prison. I love your optimistic, if not naive, outlook. If it weren't so damaging it would be refreshing. Damaging in that it is not unlike apathy. The end results are the same.
As I do not have the authority to eliminate thought crimes my challenge is to not let my heart not be troubled, as these things must come to pass.
Then again, this is only my opinion. Have a good day citizen.:)
Slashdot Mirror
My thinking is less focused on the idiot "adult" who did this scam as it is on her parents.
Megan did not survive long enough to reproduce. Fault? Blame Darwin or Megan's parents. Take your pick. Or, perhaps parents in general nowadays.
Let me explain. Megan had problems and felt bad about herself? Why? (actual question, not a setup) She was beautiful. Where were her parents? How in the fcuk could a beautiful girl like that grow up not believing, *knowing* she has value.
I tell you waht (sic), when I felt bad about myself going through puberty, and kids do, I was *corrected* by my parents. Corrected as in almost short of discipline in a way. I was corrected for not thinking. That was followed by a very understanding and thoughtful teaching by my parents. They did what they were supposed too do and taught me self respect, correct body image (with what I had to work with) with proportional value in what a pimple actually means in the grand scheme of things. What an adult should be thinking.
It is unfathomable to me that what someone said could bring a person to suicide. And, I blame Megan's parents. Megan, at 13, was on psychotic drugs? WTF!? Sure, the "adult" who perpetrated this scam needs psychiatric help but the suicide I put on her parents.
My son was only on loan to me. And I took my parenting job very seriously. It was the most important achievement I was tasked with as a human being. On a scale of 10 with parenting on top, even paying the mortgage falls in at about 2. Nothing comes before raising a child. At least for me. (Thank you Mom and Dad).
What I returned was a happy, well adjusted, contributing member of society. Someone who thankfully doesn't understand the need for plastic surgery. I guarantee there's nothing, not one thing you could say, even as a teenager, that would even bring him close to suicide. Knowing my son, I suspect you're more likely to get a polite and understanding "thank you" after rejecting him than any other response. He understands that rejection, in the long run, is a blessing. Why didn't Megan understand this? Their little snowflake is gone. And I blame them; they can blame Darwin and you can think whatever you want too. As far as I'm concerned, they fcuked up IM,NOH,O.
-[d]-
He's the heir to the Seagram's fortune. He wouldn't remember the milk man, but his servants might. The men running these corporations live in different worlds.
These men don't have a clue what the common person wants. They've never bought a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread in their lives. They end up giving us what we want by watching profits. They're guessing that if profits go up they must be doing something right. If profits go down they shoot in the dark until profits go back up again. But understand what we want? No.
-[d]-
I've been playing around with PGP as far back as when Zimm was collection donations for his defense. I know I've got 3.5 diskettes collecting dust in my collection that have encrypted files for which I have no clue what the pass phrase would be. I wouldn't be able to give up the keys if I wanted too.
I know what I'd do as a juror if asked to judge someone on this law. Nullification. But I can't count my chances as good I get someone like me when my time comes. It's time I pick a weekend and do some house keeping and clean-up just in case.
-[d]-
On my way driving to work I see all the time people driving like idiots and when I get close, sure enough, they have a cell phone to their ear.
My co-worker gets 20 calls a day from family/friends on his cell. Whenever I go over to discuss business or even a "how was your weekend" conversation his cell phone inevitability goes off. I'm left standing there while he takes his call. Maybe I'm old fashined but I think it is so unbelievable rude to cut someone off mid-sentence to take a cell call.
The only reason I haven't ordered a blocker sooner is the cost. Now that I've order this one it looks like it may not work on all carriers here in the USA. I'll find out if it works on my co-workers cell as soon as it arrives. I'm turning it on each and every time I walk over to talk with him. If it doesn't work with his carrier, then I'm going to go suck up and pay for the $500 models that do work.
If fact, I may go ahead and buy the expensive model anyway. I'm going to become a traveling no-cell zone. When I'm driving, it's going on my dash. This is going to be my Christmas gift to myself. I've had it with rude people and I'm going to fix it.
All you cell phone attics complain all you want. You only sound like the smokers did when we forced them into private spaces to do their thing.
The establishment, hair salon, restaurant, whatever, still has phones. If there's an emergency it's better they call 911 on a land line anyway. Life will go on even if you temporarily loose coverage.
-[d]-
I wonder how much of this is: "I don't care".
I expect employees give their employer in equal measure. Companies seem totally out of touch with customer satisfaction (cough Comcast). Something as simple as answering the phone or giving the customer what they paid for is beyond their comprehension. I can't believe these same companies suddenly get it when it comes to treating their employees with dignity.
They see executives getting multiple millions in bonuses but their raise is capped at 1.6%. Then this same company wants their employee to be vigilant, always keeping the companies best interests at heart? Protect us and keep us from harm? Not likely.
Sure, some of it is ignorance on the part of the employee. But, what I see most is employee interference. Or, better stated, employees seem to care about the company's network in equal measure with how the company treats them.
I see both extremes. I can directly correlate how much network damage there's going to be that's caused by employees with how my client treats them. The worse my client treats their employees, the more money I make.
-[d]-
I am a believer in Jury nullification. In this case, nullifying the judges instructions.
First he ruled that making available did not amount to infringement, then at the last minute decided it was. The judges decision and his instructions was pivotal and perhaps the entire crux of the defense along with user identification.
The "system" gets pissed, especially judges (read ego), when all their years studying in college and dedication to their craft gets squashed by a laymen like me using common sense (read Jury nullification). Oh well... They want respect but when the "system", manufactures a product like this, they appear blind or at least dismissal to what it looks like to the outside world.
My lawyer friends my disagree with my opinion but they can't have it both ways. The system can't ask for my respect and at the same time expect me to swallow this Elephant.
-[d]-
I don't know about the rest of you but after September 2001, IT took a dump in my area. I was laid off and other associates I know were laid off and then 3 days later offered their jobs back at half what they were making. It's like they used the opportunity to clean house.
I'm currently making a little more than half what I was in the '90s. So, when I mentally compare where I'm at now, I compare it to then. If I get a hefty raise (hasn't happened to me yet) it may be high compared to a sales clerk but in my head I'm still saying another 70% to go and we'll be even.
I'm looking at pay raises as if I'm in recovery and still have a way to go. Sure I'm going to be dissatisfied. What'd they expect? I wonder if those in the survey are in the same boat. It's all relative.
-[d]-
The privacy issue he's discussing could possibly be limited only to Ohio. I've voted in Ohio and they're checking ID and manually writing down on a sheet of paper who votes in the order they walk in the door. The machine spits out vote results in the same order. Duh.
This "problem" has nothing to do with a "machine paper trail". It's not even related. I hope this argument isn't used to stall the progress we're making in fixing the vote system.
In Georgia where I'm at now a list of voters, in the order they vote, doesn't exist. In my county they check your ID then line through your name on a print-out. Who voted in what order cannot be determined. A machine paper trail wouldn't change that.
This is an Ohio problem not a voting machine paper trail problem.
-[d]-
I don't think the format war will ever be *settled*. Instead, there will be a universal player/writer that solves the format problem.
I was at a MicroCenter and decided to grab some DVD D/L. There was this guy holding two CD spindles looking at one and then the other then back again. He asked me, "Do you know the difference?".
I went through the CD+ versus CD-, CDR / CD R/W and then the Audio CDs where they were exactly the same except a flag (and tax) preventing it from working in some players... The look I got was a Deer staring into headlights.
Do any of us really have a format loyalty or do we just want it to work? I can understand this crap and even I'm waiting for the universal player/writer. Maybe two formats is a good thing. I might use one format for active data and another for archiving.
I'll use neither until there's a universal player/writer.
-[d]-
Googling the Judge, he seems to be well liked. He gives lectures at Law Schools and he vacated a $35,000 judgement against a defendant in another RIAA case (Santangelo) so the case could continue. If anything he seems to be "for the little guy". His average rating is 9.2 out of 10. Here's one comment:
Civil Litigation - Private
Comment #: 4118
Rating:8.6
Comments: A real pleasure. A smart, funny man who treats everyone with respect. If anything, a little too tolerant of pro se civil litigants. Straight shooter.
One the surface he appears to be a Judge who respects the public, has a passion for Law who doesn't automatically default to corporations. And, most importantly, he hasn't called the Internet a bunch of Tubes.
This may prove helpful.
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I'm all for taking responsibility for ones actions. There's nothing that bothers me more than someone falling from a ladder and suing the manufacturer. I'm also for protecting the innocent.
If in fact all this was taking place behind her back and without her knowledge I feel she has every right blaming whomever. Blame the people who wrote the software. Blame the person who installed it. Blame the ISP for not blocking it. She's entitled to an aggressive defence. If she didn't do it, had no idea it was happening then go right ahead and blame everyone else. It seems to me all she's saying is if someone's at fault, it's not me, let's find out who.
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I'll sign up for the $15. Their announcement was honest and direct. They expect a $20 a year cost but they need to "over-charge" the first quarter to help guarantee coverage of their start-up costs. I understand that. I've started a business before. It's a gamble. It's a gamble for me too to support them.
For me, it's only $15 to "see what will happen" and to support the community. If the cost drops to $20 a year like they anticipate I'll gladly pay a reliable data feed. 5 cents a day to "stick-it" to the cable companies and the advertisers and at the same time supporting the OSS community? It's a no brainer.
If the costs stay at $5 a month then I'll need to re-think my cable needs. But still, if I'm going to pay $5 for Tivo with commercials, why not $5 for MythTV without commercials? Either way, I'll pay the $15 to get started and to see what happens. I've spent that much buying a friend and I coffee at Starbucks. I'll continue to support them if the cost drops to $20 a year. That's cheep for the return I'm getting.
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I was watching one of those cops TV shows. The police were following a car they wanted to search but the driver wasn't breaking traffic laws. As they pulled the man over I heard one of the cops say "He has a cracked windshield, that gives us probable cause."
I thought probable cause of what? A drug dealer? A criminal? Every computer on this planet has encryption tools on it. Mine does.
My Grandmother used to pray that an illness would not deplete her retirement savings. My generation needs to pray that they stay under the State's radar. I've also added to my prayers I be called to sit on as many juries as possible. It's one of the few ways I have to give insert some sanity back into the community I live in.
I grew up in a world where the HR director (wasn't call HR back then) had a 20 foot bull whip decoratively coiled on her wall with a sign that read, "Sexual harassment will not be reported. It will, however, be evaluated." And she was hot. I thought to myself whomever made a pass at her had better make it good. Fast forward to today... I'm not sure what I would think. First the decoration wouldn't even be there but if it was I'd probably be thinking in terms of how long before a lawsuit happened. In the future, I see a day where I'll probably be thinking how long before the police arrive.
Every complaint I've read in this forum is true about how absurd it is to legislate to the lowest common denominator.
Are we Sheepeople or Lemings. I haven't figured out which. I live in the United States. The mens strength of charactor that formed this country is no more. Rather I see an apathy, not just in the US but all around the world, that mimics Germany in the '30s and '40.
Maybe too in a few years I'll read your complains of injustice when your Grandson is taken off to prison for what you did as a youngster that would have only caused a Father/Son talk. Maybe this isn't the correct forum. In other words, maybe this is just the complaint department and the managers meeting is down the hall.
It's the missing comments in this blog that speak the loudest.
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Give credit where credit is due. Congress has already passed the laws that make crimes like these felonies. It's the Executive branch charged with prosecuting those crimes and the Legal branch to punish the offenders if found guilty.
I'll admit to enjoying digg and the mindless Top 10 Coolest
But I lost it for digg when they started threatening lawsuits and issuing their own take down notices to any website that had the word digg in it. I know it's just business but that's the point. I think it was then I realized the sell out had already happened. My epiphany that digg was now a corporation.
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TFA wasn't clear about the sequestration byproduct. What are they going to turn it into? We currently dump some 70 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere a day. Each and every day.
If all we do is turn that into some, even mildly toxic or useless power, what are we going to do with 70+ million tons of byproduct generated daily?
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To address the article, sending porn from an IP is sufficient probable cause, in my mind, for a search warrant.
I took the article out of context and supposed a jury trial with all evidence present. As the definition of reasonable is subjective, I feel comfortable defending my sensibilities.
If you were ever in trouble, you'd want me on your jury. When it comes to removing someone's liberties and effectively destroying their lives, I take "beyond doubt" very seriously.
In possession of something, in my mind, implies a certain level of ownership. I've lived with roommates and personal items get mixed up all the time both in personal and in common areas. I've dropped and left articles in other peoples cars, some of which rolled under seats. I've found things in my car I don't know where they came from or who they belonged too. The owner of the car does not, 100% of the time, translate to the owner of an item.
The "not always" interjects doubt in my mind that I believe is reasonable. Finding the CDs within his close proximity is a good start but not proof. Because the porn was sent from his roommates IM account, that interjects someone else as a possible offender. Because of that, as a juror I would require supporting evidence that the CDs belonged to him before I'd render a conviction. Labels in his handwriting, personal files on the CD, just about anything would do. Maybe if it had gone to trial they'd have that evidence. This fantasy is based purely on assumptions from an article lacking facts.
I think my whole point was that I don't take destroying a life lightly, even if I believe that life is probably a waste of Oxygen. And that proximity does not equal proof of possession without supporting evidence of some level of ownership.
MHO
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I'm not sure what "conditional" means in Texas but the man pleaded guilty. Only later did he try and get his conviction overturned by appealing his own guilty plea?
Maybe a child porn case isn't always the best to take to jury because of the lynch mob mentality we have right now about electron dots and thought crimes...
But I can tell you this, if I were on his jury it would have been hung or he would have been acquitted. Even with the CDs they found in his room. They'd have to prove they were his and not his roommate's who owned the IM account sending the porn. And they'd have to prove his roommate didn't access the open WiFi. Without that proof, there's doubt in my mind he's guilty and I believe that doubt to be reasonable.
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Why should we wait for it in small chunks? We should all go down now and have microchips implanted. They should be able to transmit location, sound and video 24/7.
There are a few bedrooms I wouldn't mind logging onto. I wonder if it would be like that mirror echo effect in pictures. I'm logged on and watching a chip, someone is logged onto me; someone is logged onto them and so on and so on. I for one would think this would be a hellava lota fun.
Sarcasm and fantasies aside... We've lost it. I'm glad the human race isn't going to survive. We don't deserve life.
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How's this for a non-bonus, bonus.
Working for a fortune 250 company our bonus was based on performance. One year our objective was 32% gross margin. We finished the year with 32.4% gross margin. That meant we made or objective and qualified for a year end bonus. A good one too, like 10% of annual pay.
The rub. The bonus was considered an expense. To pay the bonus and add it to the B&E would drop us to 31.8% gross margin. So, although we busted our collective asses that year and met our objectives, they wouldn't pay the bonus because to do so would drop us below our objective.
It gets better.
Then came a brilliant idea from the management. What if they only paid the exempt managers? A percentage of the managers bonuses were paid from a corporate account. Wa-la. That would only drop our numbers to 32.1%.
I'll let you guess what happened that year. It was also the year I learned the meaning of corporate.
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Republicans are to Democrats what Islamics are to Christians. Many common goals, different tactics.
I get it. Dots are not illegal, only dots that are arranged in a particular order are illegal. And it has nothing to do with the thoughts of people based upon their interpretation of those dots. Thanks for explaining it to me.
Counterfeiting? There's nothing wrong with that. Just another thought crime. I should be able to paint a dollar bill on my wall anytime I like. Use Photoshop and a stylist testing and improving my artistic skill with how close I can come to the real thing. Print sheets of counterfeit bills and wallpaper my office.
Except, the closer I come to the real thing the more illegal it is. In fact, it's not the creation of counterfeit bills that's a crime. They have rules on how to do it. But, if I am an artist and create a bill that is "too" real, I will be imprisoned for my artistic ability. Artists, poets, intellectuals are usually the first to go.
A real crime I agree with is using non-legal tender in commerce. But to be imprisoned for artistic ability? No. They use other thought crimes like "intent" if my artistic ability is too good and I make a bill that's "too" real. It's just more of the same. Illegal dots with thought crimes like intent. Whether I use it to wallpaper my office or use it in commerce is irrelevant.
I pray you do not fall victim to your naivety and live a full and safe life. I can say this, if I were ever in trouble I would not want you on my jury. I suspect, however, if it were ever reversed you'd want me on your's.
So, it's FUD even when you agree it's real. There's no such thing as a thought crime even when you concede there's too much leeway prosecuting it. You're back and fourth agreeing with and then counter arguing what you just said is real with arguments that it's not and then back again. I can't tell if this is just wishful thinking on your part or if I'm being trolled.
Either way, this thread is finished. Have a safe life. And remember, think happy, joy-joy thoughts. Anything else can get you 15-20.
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First: Also I acknowledge [snip] until after a damaging and costly trial
Please don't accuse me of FUD when you agree with my warning.
Second:
Huh? I get it, more philosophy. Not illegal until the jury says so? Bullshit. I told the parent to protect themselves from the same felony others have fallen victim to who are now in prison.
Third: SCOTUS didn't leave the definition open [snip] (but) legitimate argument that there are issues with "contemporary community standards".
Don't tell me it's been defined when they left it up for others to decide. They offered meaningless and in practice, ignored guidlines.
Fourth: I'm not sure what your referring to... "those about wanting our government to change policies,"... I can't think of any thing... thoughtcrime - enlighten me.
Conspiracy
You're comfortable going to prison for some dots on a piece of paper and you think that's great. So be it. You're okay that the reason you're going down is because of what you and others are thinking about those dots. Dots on paper are not illegal until in your mind those dots cause you to think something "bad" and that's enough for 15 years of rape in prison as you debt to socity for those thoughts. I'm not.
By statute, our country is no less fascist than Germany was in the 30's. It's only by practice the majority have not been arrested. That, however, is changing fast.
Listen, it's been fun. But I'd rather spend time stopping child abuse than chasing dots. A much more productive discussion IMHO.
Thanks. Have a good life and I hope you never have to defend your philosphy in real life. My guess is you'd get screwed. In more ways than one.
What happens on the street, in the jails and in the courts is completely separate of your ability to seek law opinion in a library. You have immense and superior book learning. As compared to reality however, it is philosophy.
I don't have to go into more detail about the picture. It was what it was, some dumb kid leaning against a tree. Don't assume it "had to be more than that". It wasn't. SCOTUS left open the definitions and I'll define for you what they are.
The content of the photograph is irrelevant. A photograph of an unclothed minor is automatically illegal punishable by many years in prison. It is further, obscene and/or lascivious if they think that you think it is obscene and/or lascivious. I apologize; you're going to probably have to read that more than once.
How would I change it? If I had the authority, I'd eliminate thought crimes. All thought crimes. Not just limited to those about dots on a piece of paper but include those about wanting our government to change policies. I don't believe in thought crimes yet our jails are full of offenders. Second, I'd try to educate persons like yourself the difference between philosophical views versus the reality of the USA we live in today.
As with paranoia, I don't believe its spreading FUD just because you find the truth fearful, the future uncertain and that reality causes you to doubt your values. The parent has more in his possession than others who are now in prison. I love your optimistic, if not naive, outlook. If it weren't so damaging it would be refreshing. Damaging in that it is not unlike apathy. The end results are the same.
As I do not have the authority to eliminate thought crimes my challenge is to not let my heart not be troubled, as these things must come to pass.
Then again, this is only my opinion. Have a good day citizen.