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Comment Re:Sharing text is not caring text (Score 2) 61

Look at someone's text-only status updates. See the options at the bottom: "Like - Comment". Compare that to the options at the bottom of a photo: "Like - Comment - Share".

You can't "Share" someone else's text-only status update. You can post your own status updates as text only, and that is a form of sharing, but that's not what's being talked about.

Comment Re:Neither? (Score 1) 354

You don't have to choose. The Six Strikes plan actually provides you with both!

http://torrentfreak.com/six-strikes-scheme-may-lead-to-lawsuits-against-pirates-121212/

The entire premise of TFA's so-called defense is that this is an alternative to being sued. In reality, it's creates the infrastructure and agreements to make lawsuits easier and more likely.

"While it is true that the MPAA and RIAA can use monitoring companies to track alleged infringers, from a legal perspective they have a much stronger case when itâ(TM)s done as part of the copyright alert system."

Comment Re:Personal medical information (Score 5, Informative) 286

...MS says Outlook.com does not scan emails...

Microsoft is very grateful that you paraphrased what they actually said. You see, they actually do scan Subject headers, but not the body itself. But they don't mention that in their campaign and they're very happy that you assumed that they weren't scanning your email at all. But they are.

And Microsoft is certainly profiling you. Here's what they say:

"The extraordinary profile and behavioral targeting on Hotmail, combined with customizable advertising packages and Rich Media solutions, enable you to connect with your audience at the point of influence."

And I'd assume if you didn't want any computer (not people) scanning (not reading) your emails, I'd assume you didn't want a computer tracking your profile/search history. But that's exactly what Microsoft does.

Comment Re:Speaking of "Smear Campaigns"... (Score 1) 513

Of course, Microsoft does have a machine parse your email (unless you have spam filters off). And Microsoft does target advertising based on personal details about you that they've identified. And they cross-reference your searches as well. But no, they don't mechanically scan for keywords in the contents of the email itself and use that to target ads.

Oh, and they do target ads based on the subject line of the email. But that's a completely different thing.

Comment Re:Unauthorized export resale? (Score 1) 936

Stop pretending like these people are standing around doing nothing when cops walk up and taser them out of the blue for shits and grins.

Except, of course, in the very first of your links: "The problem with this whole mess, other than the fact that a man was beaten to death, is that a student nearby actually filmed the whole thing. And Thomas wasn't resisting arrest at all. He was actually crying out for his dad."

So it's not really limited to "resisting arrest" (although they will ALWAYS say so after the fact), but being tased also doesn't mean they still won't beat you to death. But maybe you're right, maybe the only other method the police have for arresting middle-aged Chinese women is to break their ribs and beat them to death. Thank god they had this perfectly safe, never lethal alternative to subdue this dangerous fugitive and store-policy scofflaw.

Oh, and here's some video (victim from your first link) where he "resists" arrest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDGGsq8dsWo&t=14m30s

Comment Re:He's right (Score 1) 780

So if you can afford to buy a house, but instead take a mortgage (where you can deduct the interest payments), are you stealing from other taxpayers? What about if you wait until a tax-free weekend to buy back-to-school supplies? Are Health Spending Accounts or Roth 401(k)s also stealing? What if you choose to live in a state that has a lower income tax rate?

All of these are unquestionablly legal and ethical choices that citizens make every day. Why should google -- or any other company -- not try and reduce their taxes? That money that they save can either be re-invested (good for all) or paid out in dividends (where it gets taxed anyways). It's true that large multinational corporations have more choices, but the person who could afford a house but chooses to take a mortgage instead also had more choices than a renter.

Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands.

    -- Judge Learned Hand;U. S. Court of Appeals; Gregory v. Helvering

Comment Re:I do not understand (Score 5, Insightful) 249

Moto offered a price. Apple thought it was too high and refused to negotiate. Then they sued. They asked the court to set the rate. The court was skeptical, thought the bargaining should be between the companies, but was will to go to trial anyways. Then Apple told the court that Moto should be bound by the court's decision, but that if the rate was too high, Apple would NOT be bound to the decision. Oh, and whatever the rate is, Apple only wants it to apply going forward. All the past patent violations should be free. The court dismissed the suit with prejudice.

Which part was Apple treated unfairly? The initial offer? Apple should go to eBay and sue every seller with a high "Buy it Now" price. Is it unfair to Apple to ask them to pay for years of past violations?

It is true that Apple uses the Moto-licensed Qualcomm MDM6610 chips in the iPhone 4S (which was explicitly excluded from Moto's suit in Germany), but why would that license apply to other iPhones that aren't using the MDM6610 chips (the iPhones that Moto actually sued over)? Or is that unfair to Apple, too?

Comment Re:Angry Birds (Score 1) 368

Success is actually quite reproduceable. Google for the walkthroughs and you'll see where they suggest targeting. To get 3 stars on a difficult level, you need to develop a strategy, make adjustments, and implement that strategy in multiple layers.

You *could* play it like a slot machine and just hope it hits right (which probably helps attract non-gamers to it), but that doesn't mean that's all there is to it.

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