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Stealing the Internet
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Domain names a really heating up. What is also interesting is that the legal issues around domain names are heating up right alone with them. Microsoft has a aggressive program to stop people from holding domain names that are closely related to their product offerings. The university of Iowa recently bought a bunch of domains related to their athletic program, more directly having to do with firing and negative information about their coaches. Companies threaten to sue and do sue over trademark issues having to do with domain names each day. My issue is that these companies can just go to ICANN and say that this person has a domain name that is close to our trademark and that person usually loses that domain name even though they paid for it. The company in most cases doesn’t even reimburse the owner for the registration fees nor is there a refund from the registrar.
I guess my real problem is that companies are using laws that weren’t nessasarily written for domain names to capture what comes down to internet property. Items that do have value to people other than the companies that own the trademarks. It is one thing if it is blatant infringement but these companies are strong arming misspellings. Now it is also one thing if the person is trying to capitalize on the other companies brand but I know of cases where domain names were taken from people and companies who were not harming the company.
I believe that in the next 5 years this will come to a head and there will be some big court cases and hopefully some changes in the law. If it is going to be like this than it should be put on the registrars to check trademark issues or to atleast warn the person registering the domain name that there is a possible issue and that they could lose their registration fees or could be taken to court and loss much more than that.
I listened to an interview with the lawyer leading the team for Microsoft working to “recover” trademarked domain names. He said that in a lot of cases the domains were given to Microsoft without any legal action and most without the exchange of money and that any money paid was paid to Microsoft.
So basically the Domain registering companies and ICANN are the companies making money on this. New laws are needed to help protect the consumer and to further define what infringement is and to define what is squatting, which honestly I think is a bunch of crap, and what is legal. I look at this a lot like the land rush for the late 1800’s. I didn’t see too many Oklahoma Sooners going to jail or having their land taken from them, some may have gotten shot over it, but other than that the worst thing that happened was they got a college to use them as their mascot. But in the early 2000’s you get your property torn from you and given to large companies. Now it might be a little different, but like I said before if it isn’t blatant then I don’t see the issue.Labels: Technology
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Is Traditional News Better than the Internet
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I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher last night. Dan Rather was on and they were talking about Fox News and it obvious slant toward the Republican Party. Mr. Rather said that people should use the internet as a supplement to TV, Radio and News papers because the tradition news outlets are more reliable. I can see his point, but at the same time, all of these outlets are just as susceptible to opinion.
It is becoming more and more obvious that reports and news organizations are more and more influenced by partisan politics and different special interests. So how are the traditional outlets more reliable than new outlets such as the internet? True you have to be very selective with the information that you base your decisions on when reading something on the internet, but you get more points of view on each topic.
Honestly I have next to no confidence in the information presented by the traditional outlets. Mr. Rather noted that the news business has been moved more toward the entertainment business. TV News shows are more like watching a reality TV show than a show that you should be getting important information from.
News has always been used to shape people’s opinions and to shape this country. I believe that the internet and information presented on the internet will help produce a better informed public. People just have to be very selective about the information that they believe, but hey now days you have to do that with the traditional methods as well.Labels: Politics
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Jake "the fake" Part 2
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So it turns out that Jake can't make quick desicions. He has now changed his mind and decided to play accept the trade to Tampa. Too bad for their fans. If he starts they have a solid chance of being a middle of the pack team for what ever period of time he is there.
If Jake actually studies the defenses and learns to read them then maybe he has a chance to go out with more touchdowns than interceptions for his career.
Hopefully for all the Tampa Bay fans, Jake will change his mind and retire before they have to endure the pain of him leading their team to loss after loss.Labels: Football
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Jake "the fake" Plummer
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So rather than be traded to a team that he could actually start on and possibly have some success, Jake Plummer is retiring. But what else should we expect from him. Jake has been a cry baby since he became a NFL player. Jake should grow up. If he wants to retire, then do it. My bet is that he will retire and will comeback either right before the season or the following season.
The other issue with Jake is that he not a good quaterback. He has never been a good quaterback. He has had moments of glory, but he makes so many bad desicions. Last season it was reported that the Broncos did so many rollouts with Jake throwing the ball because Jake can't read defenses and when he rolled out it would break the defense down so that Jake could hit a wide reciever. If that is true and I honestly think it is, why has he started so many games? Maybe he has the physical skills and just isn't smart enough to be a quaterback. His own brother said that Jake doesn't want to go to a new team because he doesn't learn a new system.
Really, what ever Jake wants to do he should just do it. Either way I am happy, he is no longer a 200 Lbs weight around the neck of the Broncos.
Jake has been over rated since he came into the league. People compaired him to Montana, Marino and Elway when he came to the Cardinals. He was going to be the next great QB. I guess that is why those people aren't running football teams.
Retire Jake, do football a favor.Labels: Football
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