Legal Threat Demands Techdirt Shut Down 346
An anonymous reader writes "Earlier this month, the US approved a new law to fight against so-called 'libel tourism,' the practice of suing US companies in foreign jurisdictions (quite frequently, the UK) which do not have the same level of free speech protections. The new law, the SPEECH Act, may now get put to the test, as lawyers for a guy named Jeffrey Morris in the UK, who was upset about some comments on a 2004 blog post on Techdirt, have demanded the entire site shut down due to those unidentified comments."
Re:So much for... (Score:1, Funny)
In fact, it almost seems to be the norm.
Re:First Post (Score:5, Funny)
Neither. In two days you will be visited by an old man with a bowler hat and a handlebar mustache. He will knock on your door and ask if you have any ketchup. The next day the same man will appear dressed as a clown sitting in your car. For your own safety just ignore him. You won't see him for two days, and then he will appear in your living room dressed as a devil. Don't worry. He will leave immediately.
After that I can't be sure what will happen, but it will be one of two things. Either you will never see him again, or he will appear in your bedroom just as you're going to bed. I won't describe his appearance. If you're not going to find out, it's better to not know.
If he does appear that one last time, do not fall asleep or you will never wake up again.
Such are the consequences of a first post.
Sweet dreams.
Re:Jeff Morris (Score:5, Funny)
Oh, great. Now he's going to sue Slashdot!
Keep your comments to yourself next time.
Re:It just goes to show (Score:3, Funny)
Why can the US enforce it's own very restrictive copyright laws and extradite people from oh, I don't know, Australia for example, to face criminal copyright infringement charges; only to turn around and then prevent its citizens (real or corporate) to be shielded from other countries' laws?
Because, the rest of the world can suck it!
[cracks Budweiser]
USA! USA! USA!
Re:First Post (Score:3, Funny)
Neither. In two days you will be visited by an old man with a bowler hat and a handlebar mustache. He will knock on your door and ask if you have any ketchup. The next day the same man will appear dressed as a clown sitting in your car. For your own safety just ignore him. You won't see him for two days, and then he will appear in your living room dressed as a devil. Don't worry. He will leave immediately.
Well, those are the most accurate descriptions of the Slashdot editors I've heard. And it sounds like they are really stepping up their anti-First Post campaign.
Straight from simple filters all the way to the handlebar clown devil treatment. No intermediary steps at all. Now that's how things get done on the internet!
Re:2004? No statute of limitations in the UK? (Score:5, Funny)
I have to say, Jeffrey Morris is a twit, he got my dog pregnant, he pissed in my refrigerator, and I'm pretty sure I saw him talking to Osama Bin Laden and Mel Gibson. Jeffrey Morris smells funny, kind of like fermented horsepiss and turnips. Jeffrey Morris's girlfriend left him for quadriplegic asexual carnival freak.
Ha ha, my plan to shut down /. is practically complete!!!
Re:So much for... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:So much for... (Score:2, Funny)
Not just legal...highly encouraged.
Re:Pot meet kettle (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Pot meet kettle (Score:3, Funny)
Jeff Morris in 1990? (Score:2, Funny)
I read somewhere that some people say Jeff Morris raped and murdered a young girl in 1990. He has yet to publically deny these allegations.