from roaming around a bit, it seems that there is an explicit federal law covering pre-texting when it comes to financial data (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act). but, when it comes to telephone records, there seems to be some debate on if current statues make it illegal and there's discussion on passing laws to make it explict. since they went after telephone records and not financial data, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act does not apply. another thing to note is that Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act makes it illegal to ask someone else to fraudulently obtain financial data on your behalf. so, my take away is that since there is not a corresponding statue that relates to telephone records, even if it was illegal for the hired investigators to pre-text, it probably was not illegal for HP to ask the investigators to obtain the information.
while there seems to be some question as to the legality of HP's behaviour (assuming it was only pre-texting and not HP divulging SSN's), i don't see that there is much of a question on how ethical this was.
good idea. it seems like once you have another entity interested in the patent, one should be able to gather the relevant background more quickly. i'm curious if anyone has data on how many patents withstand challenges.
seems like an easy change would be to require a full review by the patent office once a lawsuit has been brought. the lawsuit would not be allowed to proceed until a final determination has been made. that would seem to address the RIM case where the patents are well on their way to being rejected.
my understanding is that they have not sold off a substantial % of their stock. i wouldn't take take that to mean they are divesting as fast as they can. all they've done is to assure their personal well being regardless of what happens to google. they still have plenty of skin the game. i'd worry more if all of their personal wealth was tied up in it. they would be more inclined to make poor decisions to preserve their wealth. you'd have the same problem with having any senior person in a firm being independently wealthy.
if they can be compensated that well without taking any money out of their operating reserves, good deal. it can't continue forever, but then again, they can invest those billions elsewhere and just keep doing what they are doing for fun.
personally, if i scored that well, i'd run off on a world tour and screw working. of course, that could explain why i haven't scored that well with that kind of work ethic.
Instead of repairing hubble, NASA should use the money to train monkeys to work at the USPO. They could evaluate software patents more accurately than anyone currently working there.
That's it, I'm going to my bank and demanding that the ATM's dispense $2 bills and $1 coins. I want to load up on these and go out and educate the masses.
I think congress should conduct a study on the cost of having everyone wear night vision goggles instead of paying for lighting. You could even have a hand pump for generating the power. All the wankers out there would already be prepared to supply enough power for their units as well as their friends.
I control it. What web servers let me download is a suggestion of what to display. I am free to take it and manipulate it however I see fit. Just because a website wants to feed something up does not mean that as a user I have to take it.
Google's approach gives me one way to manipulate it. If I like how it works, I'll use it, otherwise I don't have to. Sounds like an interesting tool. There's nothing wrong with something that gives more power to the user. As long as the user maintains control of how the manipulation occurs, there's nothing scary about it.
Slashdot Mirror
from roaming around a bit, it seems that there is an explicit federal law covering pre-texting when it comes to financial data (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act). but, when it comes to telephone records, there seems to be some debate on if current statues make it illegal and there's discussion on passing laws to make it explict. since they went after telephone records and not financial data, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act does not apply. another thing to note is that Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act makes it illegal to ask someone else to fraudulently obtain financial data on your behalf. so, my take away is that since there is not a corresponding statue that relates to telephone records, even if it was illegal for the hired investigators to pre-text, it probably was not illegal for HP to ask the investigators to obtain the information.
while there seems to be some question as to the legality of HP's behaviour (assuming it was only pre-texting and not HP divulging SSN's), i don't see that there is much of a question on how ethical this was.
Dr. Moreau
good idea. it seems like once you have another entity interested in the patent, one should be able to gather the relevant background more quickly. i'm curious if anyone has data on how many patents withstand challenges.
seems like an easy change would be to require a full review by the patent office once a lawsuit has been brought. the lawsuit would not be allowed to proceed until a final determination has been made. that would seem to address the RIM case where the patents are well on their way to being rejected.
my understanding is that they have not sold off a substantial % of their stock. i wouldn't take take that to mean they are divesting as fast as they can. all they've done is to assure their personal well being regardless of what happens to google. they still have plenty of skin the game. i'd worry more if all of their personal wealth was tied up in it. they would be more inclined to make poor decisions to preserve their wealth. you'd have the same problem with having any senior person in a firm being independently wealthy.
if they can be compensated that well without taking any money out of their operating reserves, good deal. it can't continue forever, but then again, they can invest those billions elsewhere and just keep doing what they are doing for fun. personally, if i scored that well, i'd run off on a world tour and screw working. of course, that could explain why i haven't scored that well with that kind of work ethic.
China opposes individuals rights, suppresses free speech and attempts to rewrite history. I'm shocked, just shocked.
Instead of repairing hubble, NASA should use the money to train monkeys to work at the USPO. They could evaluate software patents more accurately than anyone currently working there.
That's it, I'm going to my bank and demanding that the ATM's dispense $2 bills and $1 coins. I want to load up on these and go out and educate the masses.
Let's redefine miles to be 2640 feet! Who needs a hybrid?
I think congress should conduct a study on the cost of having everyone wear night vision goggles instead of paying for lighting. You could even have a hand pump for generating the power. All the wankers out there would already be prepared to supply enough power for their units as well as their friends.
I control it. What web servers let me download is a suggestion of what to display. I am free to take it and manipulate it however I see fit. Just because a website wants to feed something up does not mean that as a user I have to take it. Google's approach gives me one way to manipulate it. If I like how it works, I'll use it, otherwise I don't have to. Sounds like an interesting tool. There's nothing wrong with something that gives more power to the user. As long as the user maintains control of how the manipulation occurs, there's nothing scary about it.