Australia has it's own illegal detention centers and was more than happy to help out at gitmo, so that isn't the best example to use.

How can you say Australia is more reasonable? Look at the story you are commenting on. You think the penalties for sending an email as mention in the summary are reasonable? Really?

My comment was more general in regards to Australia and some of the laws that have been being passed and not specific to this story.

Agreed. The US is bad, but not as bad as Australia, which is why I left there.

I can deal with overly eager racist cops, lack of decent social care, lack of regulation in the market, corruption and ignorance and apathy in the general populace.

I'd much rather deal with that then the crazy censorship and rights-stripping laws the commonwealth countries are so eager to introduce.

What are you taking about? You don't belong here and never did.

It's also fraud, if there is no fire in place.

It's not illegal to yell Fire in a theater when the actor knows there is no fire. The law isn't worded so specifically. What is illegal, is creating a panic on false (fraudulent) premises, which can endanger people. That's why it's illegal.

These days, yelling "Fire!" in a crowdedtheater will probably get you ignored at the best, and asked to leave at the worse.

Since Uber drivers are free to work for the competition, than your first point would seem to support mine.

Uber drivers *can* pickup street fares, but you still have to request and pay through the app.

Uber drivers can pick up whoever they want, and cancel any rides requested. There is also no non-compete clause (because they are contractors) so they can work for Lyft and Sidecar at the same time. Many do.

You seem like you really haven't investigated this at all, and are speaking purely from assumptions which happen to be incorrect.

Actually, while that example wasn't great, he makes many valid points, such as calling the parent on his blatant racism.

Most cabbies rely on GPS these days also. Half the yellow cab drivers I get don't know there way around, even in Manhattan unless the location is very obvious.

I've been using Uber for a few years. I don't think it's going to change.

Taxi drivers tend to be stressed and rude...which I get, because they get screwed over so much.

Uber drivers have it much, much better. The amount of uber drivers who switched from driving yellow cabs and now make 3 times as much money is extraordinary.

Uber might have its issues, and we need to find a way to regulate it, but it is far superior to the traditional yellow cab experience for drivers and passengers in every way, short of needing a smartphone to use it.

No, they are closer to a contractor, which is why they are self employed. All Uber provides is the platform.

When I do contract work for a company I may be bound by that companies codes as well. Doesn't make me anything other than a contractor.

Very thin reasoning there.

Getting a taxi can suck in Manhattan. If you want to go to the airport, or to Brooklyn or Queens, or happen to be a minority a lot of the time they won't stop let alone agree to take you to your destination. Forcing you to get a new cab...sure you could report them, but that doesn't help the current situation.

Uber just works. The drivers are nicer, the cars are cleaner, the prices are cheaper. The app takes seconds to smart and is transparent to pay for.

Why someone would prefer a yellow cab is beyond me.

Which is a mistake, IMO. It just negates the benefit in the first place.

That's a stupid type of example since people are hopefully not dumb enough to just believe someone yelling that if there is no evidence of a fire.

However, the example is one of fraud. A fraudulent act is not the same as free speech, and I would argue it has little to do with the issue. It's just fraud.