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Comment: Re:Result (Score 1) 809

by agrippa_cash (#30557414) Attached to: Man Tries To Use Explosive Device On US Flight
I don't disagree in principle, but there are very sound arguments for not allowing people to be armed in a pressurized compartment with 200+ people crammed in it. Additionally I wonder if the type of person who arms himself for flight would have risked bodily injury by wrestling this guy to the ground or if he would have 'subdued' the perp perminantly, thus depriving the alphabet agencies of a valuable intelligence resource.

Comment: Re:Result (Score 1) 809

by agrippa_cash (#30557120) Attached to: Man Tries To Use Explosive Device On US Flight
We'll see, I suppose. What I've heard is consistent (to the extent I know anything about the subject) with a primer charge failing to detonate some poorly manufactured explosive. I certainly prefer to think that some important plot was foiled, since on some level it seems that there is a practical maximum number of serious plots, but an essentially unlimited number of idiots.

Comment: Re:Too bad the US can't comprehend this concept (Score 1) 204

by agrippa_cash (#30441006) Attached to: Microsoft Fined In India For Using "Money Power" Against Pirates
Again, the problem is that for a corporation, like paypal, it is entirely reasonable to spend $100k to preserve the enforceability of a user agreement, therefore the corporation would be able to recover $100k from the Plaintiff, even if the Plaintiff's demand was $1k.

Comment: Re:Proves my point (Score 4, Interesting) 150

by agrippa_cash (#29584809) Attached to: Professor Wins $240K In Fair Use Dispute
This case illustrates the value of having copyright extend beyond the life of the author, since it was his daughter who seemed to suffer for Joyce's art. A better example is US Grant, who was near penniless and diagnosed with cancer and wrote his well regarded memoir hoping to providing for his wife and daughter.

Comment: Re:CA also has a history of unconstitutional laws. (Score 1) 265

by agrippa_cash (#29480407) Attached to: California Publishes Television Efficiency Standards For 2011
Although most of the BoR is now applied against the states, even the most ardent States Rightist must concede that the 10th Amendment reservation of powers suggests that it has always been anticipated that the states would (and should be permitted to) do things that the either expressly forbidden or not iplicitly permitted to Federal Government.

Comment: Re:See the D before the Patent Number? (Score 1) 390

by agrippa_cash (#29301763) Attached to: Google Patents Its Home Page
You may be sick of it, but it is the key point. My recollection is that design patents always seemed not worth pursuing and when pursued not worth granting; I imagine most "just a design patent" commentators have the same impression. I understand your frustration at the lack of citations and half-assedly looked up design patents.

Emmanuel Outlines are not legal authorities, but p C-14 of Margreth Barret's IP outline states that 1) the standard for infringement is similar to trademark infringement and 2) when a patented design encompasses both functional and ornamental elements it must be common ornamental features that confuse Joe User. FWIW. IANLTPLIAJ.

Comment: Re:I can't be the only one (Score 1) 705

by agrippa_cash (#29094927) Attached to: "District 9" Best Sci-fi Movie of 09?
I haven't seen the movie and your review semi-confirms the suspicions that made me not want to see it. I'm always glad when SF takes on Big Ideas, but if you are going to lecure me I expect the same level of care in mechanics as in message. This means aliens burned by water do not invade a planet with rain and oceans and squirtguns without at least putting on some clothing. Children of Men suffered from similar logical flaws, as did the sequel to 28 Days Later. Aliens in posession of superior technology should use it to their advantage, or failing that, a minimally competant government should deliver a whole assload of buttermilk (sorry) catfood to completely disarm the aliens. Maybe the filmmakers address this point with a global catfood shortage, fair enough. The last film that engendered this level of loyalty was Equilibrium: a steamy load of allegory made outside Hollywood that was, if nothing else, at last as sloppy in its message as in its mechanics. Maybe District 9 is better than Equilibrium, but if the commercials suggests WTF-level plot holes it will take more than a creamy review from Knowles to get me in the theater. I'm glad to read one post that allows that I may not be completely wasting my life between now and whenever I get the movie from Netflix.
