A couple of weeks ago, Walmart raised hackles when it announced it was going to turn off the servers that allowed people who had purchased music protected by digital rights management from their online music store to actually play the music they had purchased. In fact, they were instructing their users just how to circumvent their own DRM. (Eventually they did the right thing and decided to keep their servers on.)

DRM does nothing for consumers, and really does very little for suppliers. The most recent XKCD points out in black and white just how stupid DRM is.



Via: WWdN: In Exile

Today it became official, Jack Thompson, the ranting madman and anti-game crusader was disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court...forever.



Judging from court records and his own press, the man was a horrible example of being an attorney, and also a horrible example of what it means to be a Christian.

If you don't like video games, that's cool. If you want to work to change the system, I suppose you're welcome to do that too, though I believe our Constitution may have something to say about your efforts. However, don't be a total and complete git about it. Thompson was an expert at being a git. He deserves his derision, he deserves his disbarment, he should be ashamed that he has caused other's to look with contempt upon his faith, and thereby the faith of others who ostensibly share it.

Game Over.

Via: Kotaku

Some categories of human garbage are to despicable to be described using polite language. Fred Phelps, his daughters and the members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas are one such class of people. These are the "Christians" who go around the country picketing at the funerals of our fallen troops with signs that read things like "God Hates Fags," "Thank God for 9/11," "Your Pastor is a Whore," and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers."

There have been several responses to this group of hate-filled bigots. One of the more interesting ones to me (since I ride a motorcycle and all) was the formation of the Patriot Guard Riders who will form a human shield, separating the protesters from those paying their last respects at the funerals of our fallen soldiers.

The father of one of those soldiers filed a civil lawsuit against the church and just won an $11 million judgment against them.

When I first heard the news I rejoiced. Something needs to be done about these despicable pieces of human filth. Upon further review, however, I'm torn. Not over my belief that these people are sick twisted fucks, but over the fact that they could lose a civil suit for exercising one of the freedoms granted to us in our Bill of Rights. One of the things that makes this country great is that we are able to say things, we're able to take issue with our government. There are many places in this world where I could be arrested for saying the equivalent of "George Bush is a dangerous moron and does not deserve to be President." So far the brownshirts haven't come knocking on my door though. These funerals are public events. The sidewalks and streets used to hold the demonstrations are public venues, and like it or not. That pesky First Amendment protects speech, all speech (yes, I do know there are a few limitations), even abhorrent speech.

While I sympathize with the jury that returned this verdict. While I sympathize with the father and the family that filed the suit, I'm not sure that this is a road I want to go down. What happens when someone decides that "George Bush is a dangerous moron" is abhorrent speech and not worthy of First Amendment protections?

The best I can hope for is that when these pathetic excuses for human beings stand before God, they will see a bit of their theology played out. I hope He will look at them and say "Get away from me I never knew you."

Thank god for the third branch of our government, a judge with some common sense, and for Portland's own Brandon Mayfield.

Yesterday U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken slammed part of the the so-called Patriot Act. If you remember those bunglers, who under the guise of protecting us from terrorists, arrested Brandon Mayfield, and held him in solitary and secret confinement for an extended period of time, used the Patriot Act as their excuse for illegally and secretly searching his home and office.

Mr. Mayfield has successfully sued and beaten a government that was making an un-Constitutional power grab.

Whether you believe it or not, all Americans owe Mr. Mayfield and Judge Aiken a debt of thanks.

Yesterday, along with a hundred or so other citizens of Multnomah County, I spent my day serving as a juror. It's always a fascinating process to me, I've been called three times, but have never served on a Jury. I find that disappointing in some strange way.

I must not be the only one who finds it disappointing. I was one of 36 selected for the jury pool for one trial. The judge actually apologized to those who didn't "make the cut." I was quite impressed with the regard the judges and the court employees show to jurors.

I was in the pool for a civil case, a man who was suing his insurance company. The Voire Dire process was fascinating to me, because it appeared to me that the attorney for the insurance company knew he had a stinker on his hands and was doing his best to make sure any empaneled jury would mitigate the damages his client was facing not find in favour of the defendant.

I would have loved to make the panel just to see if my instinct was correct on that.

I am not a lawyer, and boy am I glad...

Today we were stood up for the second time by our intellectual property attorneys. Once, I understand, twice, I'm pissed off. I think it may be time to find a new attorney, but that is a huge pain in the rear.

Intellectual property is a huge part of any software company's life. We are using code from projects under the GPL, we are writing our own code and have no idea how we are going to license it yet. We are using code from another company that is completely proprietary.

We need our IP attorney to "get it" and then guide us through all the thorny issues that arise on this path. Unfortunately he's not coming through for us.

On the bright side of the IP front, we got some test logos from our graphic designer this week. Some of them were quite excellent and he is now hard at work refining two or three. It's exciting to decide on the new look for the new endeavour.