Lawyer Puts $10k Bounty on Blogger's Identity

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "Raymond Niro of Niro Scavone Haller & Niro is fighting back against criticism from the Patent Troll Tracker blog by offering a $10,000 bounty for the identity of the person behind it. He thinks the blogger might work for Microsoft, Intel, or has connections to a 'serial infringer' and that could 'color' what they say."

Oota Goota, Troll Tracker?

[eldavojohn]

This reminds me of the time Richard Stallman offered a half eaten french fry and all the change he could find in all the couches of MIT's student commons area for the identity of an Anonymous Coward on Slashdot that called him a "tree hugging bearded hippie."

Re:

[cdrdude]

It was half eaten? Stallman said it came that way :(

Re:

[mrmeval]

I'll give a half eaten tortas and a bag of doritos if someone posts the lawyers home address and phone number. I'll through in some guacamole dip if you can get his cell phone number.

El tortas no es una mentira!

Re:Oota Goota, Troll Tracker?

[Anonymous Coward]

Niro, Scavone, Haller & Niro, Ltd.
Business address: Suite 4600, 181 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60602-4515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Unfortunately, he has the same name as the firm's president and senior partner (Raymond P. Niro, Sr.), so it's hard to separate out their records.
They appear to have homes in Barrington, IL, Arlington Heights, IL, Chicago, IL and Snowmass Village, CO (perhaps they like to ski).
For some reason, even though the law firm is in Chicago, the president's address in its corporate filing shows his home as 2401 Spanish River Road, Boca Raton, FL 33432, phone [phone].
Another address seems to be 1005 N Arlington Heights Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60004-5669, phone [phone].

Their addresses within Chicago are likely to be:
Raymond P. Niro, Sr. - 181 W Madison St, Ste 4600, Chicago, IL 60602-4635, phone [phone]
Raymond P. Niro, Jr. - 25 E Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604-2201, phone [phone]

Oh, and just in case Raymond P. Niro, Sr., his wife Judith, or Raymond P. Niro, Jr., are reading this - all this information is publically available, so don't even think of suing.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

You idiot. You posted anonymously. Now how are you going to get your Doritos?

Re:

[russotto]

for the identity of an Anonymous Coward on Slashdot that called him a "tree hugging bearded hippie."

That was me. I pushed the "Post Anonymously" button by accident. Also I am Spartacus.

Re:

[Fallen Seraph]

No I'm Troll Tracker!

Re:

[secolactico]

Which half?

The outer half.

So long as said blogger is truthful....

[KublaiKhan]

Truth is a defense for libel. So long as the blogger in question has not made any actual false statements, and has couched all opinions as such, rather than as facts--then he should STFU and GBTW.

But then, if he's a patent troll, he's rather defined as "not being able to STFU and do something useful," now, is he?

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[eldavojohn]

Truth is a defense for libel.

Yeah, but what about 'truthiness'? If Niro, Jabba, Hutt & Niro hope to pursue litigation, how do they deal with someone who has a gut feeling that what they are doing is generally wrong?

After reading his blog [blogspot.com] it's evident that this bounty is the only thing this lawyer can do. This blogger is good with what he writes and knows his limits. They won't be able to force blogspot into divulging that info without a warrant in my opinion though I am not a lawyer, I still have a soul.

Have they tried asking Mr. Troll Tracker nicely? He lists his e-mail as [e-mail] ...

Re:

[KublaiKhan]

Perhaps I could email Mr. Troll Tracker and let 'im know that I could use the $10k, and could I have his contact information to pass onto this sad sack of a lawyer who apparently is unable to engage any of the numerous detective firms out there who could find his information for much less--or even to take the time to ask nicely?

Whaddaya think, would it work? I really could use the $10k...trying to save up for a wedding, and it's slow going.

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[eldavojohn]

... lawyer who apparently is unable to engage any of the numerous detective firms out there who could find his information for much less ...

Unable? I thought exactly the opposite when I read this. I think this Niro lawyer probably wants people to know he's taking this route. I figured it was a lawyer showing his true colors. He's making a public announcement that typically comes from gangsters who have grown too powerful. It is something to the effect of:

"I am the law. I have so much money and disposable income that I pay any problem away without batting an eye. You want to start a blog criticizing me? Well, this is how I deal with you. I don't have time for warrants and regular channels. I will find out who you are and make you pay. Let this be a lesson/example for the rest of you."

And that, my fellow Americans, is the stench of corruption. Fix it or face becoming a victim yourself.

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[rtb61]

For $10,000 dollars and to be able to mock the lawyer even more, the blogger in question is most likely quite willing to sell them self out, although he/she better make sure he/she has a good attorney, because undoubtedly he/she will end up needing to sue them to get the money ;).

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[TheSkyIsPurple]

I was involved in a libel suit awhile back, and the court was not thrilled with the whole anonymous thing.

That court at least was of the opinion that if I was doing something anonymously then I clearly knew I was doing something wrong.
(Completely missing the argument that what I did was legal, and I was trying to avoid being in court making the argument that it was legal because I knew one of the other parties was a litigious psychopath... in my opinion ;-) )

Re:

[rk]

Thus spake the Anonymous Coward...

Re:

[krunk7]

If you don't want to be punched, kicked, or litigated, then don't line up against them.

If you line up against a murderer, expect to be murdered! Oh wait, there goes the entire penal system's reliance on the people standing up for themselves.The fact is, in all of the situations you list... no, you shouldn't expect to be "anythinged". Punching, kicking, litigating, and murdering without cause is not ok.

I also suggest you read up on the whole freedom of the press and anonymous sources thing.

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[sumdumass]

Freedom of speech without freedom of response is meaningless.

No, it is just as powerful as any free speech.

I can say anything without "giving" you the ability to respond. You have to locate and do that on your own. But more importantly, free speech cannot happen if there is fear of repercussion. I'm sure that plenty of people have seen things that they though were wrong in their life but failed to speak out against it because they though it would cause bodily harm, financial harm, or some other harm. I could easily get into the holocaust and other hot topics but lets just say that there are people who see things happen at their job that is illegal or unethical but fail to say anything because they would lose their job and probably be blackballed out of the business. Anonymous reporting of things like this is key to speech about it.

Anonymous tips to the police and news stations about drive by shootings that manage to miss everything but the three year old kid inside a neighbors house playing with the family cat is key to getting heinous crimes solved without fear of retaliation from the thugs who did the shootings.

Free speech without freedom of response is not only meaningful, without it is detrimental to a safe and working society.

Re:

[norton_I]

Well, so far there is no legal action. He is just offering $10,000 to anyone who can tell him who the guy is.

Presumably if he had a legitimate case, he wouldn't bother with that, he would file suit against the anonymous blogger and try to get the courts in force the ISP to release the records. Since he apparently hasn't done so, presumably he thinks nothing illegal is going on, he just wants to out the blogger publicly.

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[antifoidulus]

Look at the list(and pockets) of the companies that he thinks the blogger may work for. More than likely what he is hoping for is that the blogger works for big company X, and then he can sue big company X for a lot, and in order to avoid (potential) embarrassment and/or the potential for a huge loss, he assumes that big company X will settle out of court for a handsome sum.

Re:

[multisync]

he just wants to out the blogger publicly

Or dig up dirt with which to discredit the blogger. If you can't beat him with facts, get him with his own dirty laundry.

Re:

[networkBoy]

Yes, but mounting that defense can be cost prohibitive if you don't live in a SLAPP, state. [wikipedia.org]
-nB

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[russ1337]

this post [blogspot.com] has a list of what he's said and why the Blogger has a 'bounty' on him. Here's the summary:

Here is a grand summary of my posts about Ray Niro (you can click on the Niro Scavone labels [blogspot.com] to read them all):

1) I posted Fish & Richardson's allegations against him. But those were F&R's words, not my own. By the way, the judge granted expedited discovery to allow F&R to determine whether to add Ray Niro personally as a defendant. And if F&R does sue Niro, personally, I'll report about it here. Which is not disparaging him, just reporting.

2) I posted about how Niro secured a permanent injunction that was stayed in light of BMC v. Paymentech. True!

3) I dared Niro to sue the New York Yankees in Boston on the '341 patent. But I don't think he wants to litigate out of state. C'mon Ray, if you want to stay in Chicago, at least add the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings as defendants, too. (They have JPEG [detroitlions.com] images [vikings.com]).

4) I reported that he represents Acacia in a bit of patent litigation. All true.

5) I speculated that he actually represents non-practicing entities as a fair amount of his overall practice. Also, true.

Re:

[Basehart]

If someone wrote that shit about me I'd want to know wtf they were talking about!

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[(H)elix1]

Truth is a defense for libel.

True... but you still have pay for *your* defense - even if you 100% in the right. That sucks.

That's what I do

[markov_chain]

So long as the blogger in question has not made any actual false statements, and has couched all opinions as such, rather than as facts--then he should STFU and GBTW.

I print out all my opinion blog posts and keep them on my sofa.

Re:

[arizwebfoot]

Yeah, truth IS a defense for libel, but not an absolute defense. If you hold someone up to public ridicule, regardless of the level of truth, you can still be guilty of either libel or if it's spoken, slander.

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[Romancer]

Uh, no.

"In law, defamation (also called vilification, slander, and libel) is the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressively stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation."

notice the "false claim" and "implied to be factual" parts.

even the law websites out there classify libel as: "A false and defamatory statement concerning another." Notice again the "false" part.

Re:So long as said blogger is truthful....

[Chris Mattern]

The parent post is correct for US law. The grandparent post is correct for UK law, which is why libel lawyers have a lot more fun in the UK.

Re:

[russotto]

Truth IS an absolute defense for libel in the United States.

Unfortunately, truth is not a good defense

[dscho]

These days, a good attorney is a good defense, not the truth. You can have all the truth on your side, but if you cannot afford a good lawyer, proper procedures will not be followed (because you do not know them), and the judge will think you are wrong.

In our times, it is money, not the truth, that shall set you free.

Except...

[nwbvt]

...he isn't accusing him of libel. RTFA. And no, I'm not going to sit here and explain to you why he wants the guy's identity, you are just going to have click on the link and READ THE F****** ARTICLE! Its not particularly long, it shouldn't be that hard to read it. And don't give me any "You must be new here" responses. I know /.ers have a habit of writing before reading, but thats not something to be proud of.

Re:

[schon]

Can't someone from the EFF claim to be the blogger, and have them collect $10,000 or whatever.

Why would the EFF have to claim to be the blogger?

I guess this twonk can try and sue them if he wants...

Considering the general consensus of this is that a lawsuit is the likely outcome, why not simply finger a lawyer you don't like to collect the $10K?

You know, I heard that the anonymous lawyer is Kevin McBride... Or was it David Boies?

It's obvious who it is

[ProteusQ]

CowboyNeal. Isn't that the answer to everything around here?

(Attention lawyers: I'm _kidding_! Put the subpoena down!)

Re:

[willfe]

I really hate to point out the obvious, but couldn't a legitimate reason for desiring anonymity simply be "I can't afford the litigation that would come from this litigious windbag if he knew who I was?"

I'm not a big fan of "if you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to fear" reasoning, especially used like this. You damn well *do* have something to fear: you can be completely right, speaking nothing but truth and exposing a genuine fraud, con, or scam, and get sued into the stone age by the very people

Re:

[UncleTogie]

No. Would you feel safer insulting a 260 pound rugby all-star in a pub, in his neighborhood, just because you're anonymous? Of course not. You would assess the situation and decide, ahead of time, that maybe insulting a 260 pound rugby all-star in his home pub is probably not a good idea regardless of anonymity.

If you're face-to-face with someone, you can be identified... That's not anonymous. Try another example.

If you start posting logs, with pictures, of all the pr0n that Slashdot users have ever looked at, and you get a bunch of bible-thumpers at your site, you'll quickly create a mob of people who think that Slashdot is one of the most horrible deviances on the planet (which it very well may be)--especially if you include goatse.cx. Except that, if you put a similar blog in sight of other Slashdot users, they say,"Yeah, so? That's weak. We've got pr0n archives twice as large, and twice as varied, on our local hard drives."

...and?

The logs would still be accurate. You can't say it didn't happen, which is what's happening here: revisionist history.

So one lawyer's blog attempts to defame another lawyer for *gasp* things that lawyers do all the time and you're all taking the bait like the target conspired with Saddam Hussein and ObL to nuke all of north America.

Ye gads, man. Look at the definitions of "libel" [m-w.com] and "slander"... [m-w.com]

You'll note they mention "false charges or misrepresentations" and "unjustly unfavorable impression(s)"... in little words, a lie.

Weird world you live in where an ugly truth is trumped by a pretty lie.

This is getting rediculous

[Alexx K]

It's not even been a week since The smartphone was patented [slashdot.org], and now we've got people wanting to sue for criticising patent trolls. I thought America was the "land of the free". Oh wait, it is, if you've got millions of dollars in your pocket and a lot of lawyers.

What's saddening is that this stuff never makes it to the mainstream media.

Re:This is getting rediculous

[riseoftheindividual]

I thought America was the "land of the free"

That's a common mondegreen... it's actually "Land of the FEE". Don't sweat it, I used to believe it was "free" myself.

Re:

[MightyMartian]

Just remember, Jesus loves patent trolls. He wants greedy non-innovating lawyers to flood the patent office with useless and obviously ludicrous patents. Jesus loves lawyers, and wants them to make vast sums at the expense of the public, because Jesus hates the common man.

(See previous references as to why Jesus hates the poor. Let's remember, Jesus only loves money, and those with lots of it).

Re:

[Viceroy Potatohead]

I thought America was the "land of the free".

In short:
Don't believe the hype.

IMO, freedom is never something you have (despite what someone else or some piece of paper says), but always something you fight for (despite what someone else or some piece of paper says). Tyranny isn't the enemy of freedom, complacency is. But then again, I'm a pretty cynical bastard.

Quick Fix For This Sue Happy Society

[servognome]

The biggest flaw with the current civil litigation system is that punitive damages have become as much about making the winning plaintiff rich, as its original purpose to chastise the defendant.
The simple solution is a plaintiff is only entitled to actual damages and make all punitive damages awarded to the government. This gets the punitive portion back to it's original purpose punish the loser to protect the public. It also forces the plaintiff to demonstrate they have been materially impacted to get ac

Re:

[LordEd]

Its not "Land of the Free", its 'Land of the Free'*

* Some restrictions apply. Company may alter terms of the agreement without notification. No purchase necessary; for freedom without purchase, place a self marked voting ballot in the box. Freedom is provide as-is. User takes full responsibility for use of freedom. Approximate cash value is 1/10 cent. Freedom is subject to all Federal, State, Provincial and Municipal laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.

Scam him!

[Anonymous Coward]

Find some random guy i thailand, cut a deal with him to admit it's him.
Laugh at said lawyer.
Untill he realises it and offers another 10k bounty for your identity.

great publicity

[nguy]

Thanks! I hadn't heard of this blog before, but now that the $10k bounty has been offered, I know about it. Great publicity!

Re:

[russ1337]

The Anonymous Blogger has already offered (on their blog [blogspot.com]) to turn themselves over to Niro if the bounty hits $50K.

Tu quoque

[MyNymWasTaken]

A position isn't false, or wrong, because its proponent fails to consistently act in accordance with said position.

ad hitlerum

[BorgCopyeditor]

You know who else thought that a position isn't false, or wrong, because its proponent fails to consistently act in accordance with said position? That's right!

Re:

[cuantar]

Oh my Godwin!

Doosh...

[caspper69]

"Is he an employee with Intel or Microsoft? Does he have a connection with serial infringers? I think that would color what he has to say."

This is douchebag lawyer speak for "companies that spend money researching, developing and selling products." Unlike his clients who think up obvious ideas and rush to file a patent, without ever doing a bit of work. It's scumbags like this that exacerbate the terrible state of our patent system. I for one can't wait until there's real reform and this guy's out of business.

Re:

[Dr Caleb]

"Raymond Niro of Niro Scavone Haller & Niro"

And of such girth that he needs his name mentioned 3 times on every business card.

Re:Doosh...

[canuck57]

I for one can't wait until there's real reform and this guy's out of business.

Don't hold your breath. For the most part it were elected lawyers who made the law in the first place. Make a problem like the patent system, then profit by it.

I too would like to see all software patents expired. It is hindering innovation and diversity in this business. Even if a patent is blatantly prior art, frivolous and meaningless, it can bankrupt most in just defending off an attack by the vultures. Thus, kicks the little guys out.

Re:

[SethJohnson]

I'm no fan of the patent lawyers, but simply reading your wish of "I too would like to see all software patents expired. It is hindering innovation and diversity in this business" makes me think we would lose a lot. Companies invest a lot developing not-fun-to-code stuff that ends up being lucrative. To get rid of software patents would mean large companies would have little R & D incentive in software.

Seth

Re:

[cduffy]

Companies invest a lot developing not-fun-to-code stuff that ends up being lucrative. To get rid of software patents would mean large companies would have little R & D incentive in software.

Software is still protected by copyright, so the difficulty of writing code ("not-fun-to-code") is still there for anyone doing a reimplementation; what's made easier is coming up with the ideas.

Thing is, though, that ideas in software aren't all that they're made out to be -- getting the implementation right, and ha

Re:

[TheGratefulNet]

Does he have a connection with serial infringers?

note that connections to serial infringers require less wires than parallel ones.

he's not so dumb...

Re:

[caspper69]

There is no good answer, but I would say that it should be a much more open process, and as a condition you should have to actually develop your idea, or partner with a commercial firm that will (i.e. have a sponsor).

Eliminating patent examiners, as they are now, would also be a great start. Have people volunteer from various fields of expertise, and when reviewing a patent, pick 12 randomly to review the application and vote on whether to approve or deny the patent. This would eliminate stuff like "s

Re:

[QuantumRiff]

I think you mean the $3Billion for new drugs. $700Million or so to actually develop it, and the rest for marketing. You know, the "Ask your doctor if $Drug is right for you" without ever mentioning what the hell the drug does... If their drugs are so miraculous, why would they need to advertise them? Shouldn't the results speak loudly enough? Oh, and don't forget the "tweaking" the drug and filing a new patent. Zyban was a anti-depressant that had a side effect of people not wanting to smoke. Near th

Re:

[jmauro]

Raising the fees won't help since most of the fee is not put into hiring and keeping patent examiners, but put into the general fund to spend on other things. Also, even at 100x times the current fee, I doubt it'll make much of a dent in the trolls business since their only real expense is the fees and the lawyers. If you try to make something it'll hit you harder since your costs need to calculate in the higher fees your going to have to pay per widget that you make.

Re:

[symbolset]

Has anyone worked out a good way to sell fixing the patent system as an issue to the general public, as well as most businesses?

I have. Still working on the patent application for the method, though. More later.

No Harm, No Foul

[Mansing]

I would hope an attorney of Mr. Niro's stature and experience would realize he has no right nor legal recourse against this anonymous blogger. I suspect that had the blogger written anything libelous, Mr. Niro would have already brought suit.

Since Mr. Niro has not brought legal proceedings against this blogger, I can only quote the next best legal authority on this matter:

Ha, Ha!

Re:

[Shados]

What this attorney realizes, is that laws, in practice, are just suggestions, and that how the legal system works, is that you have to throw money at problems until you can bend the meaning of one of these suggestions with the purpose of getting a dumb judge to create a precedent.

Re:

[icepick72]

The article doesn't mention anything legal proceedings against the blogger. Mr Niro states he wants to find out who the blogger is. Anything else read into it is speculation. The part about "the blogger should take responsibility for his or her views" does not infer legal action either -- it just means posting anonymously is not taking responsbility ... much like Slashdot AC postings.

Re:

[shadowbearer]

  He's hoping to save himself that $10k by publicly posting a bounty on this poor chap's head, scaring the blogger into quitting.

  IANAL, but isn't that sort of practice illegal?

SB

Copyright Solution

[rxmd]

The blogger could write them a letter disclosing his own identity, cash in the $10k himself, and when they publish the letter sue them for infringing upon his copyright on the letter.

Re:

[pla]

The blogger could write them a letter disclosing his own identity, cash in the $10k himself, and when they publish the letter sue them for infringing upon his copyright on the letter.

Not a bad idea, actually... I'd skip the last half of that, but the blogger should turn himself in for the bounty. The patent-troll lawyer has nothing. He would not only have to (incorrectly) prove the claim false, but also demonstrate that the phrase "patent troll" itself has some specific legal or technical meaning that

Re:

[MLease]

The patent-troll lawyer has nothing. He would not only have to (incorrectly) prove the claim false, but also demonstrate that the phrase "patent troll" itself has some specific legal or technical meaning that would distinguish it from clearly expressing a matter of opinion.

While that's true, what the lawyer is probably counting on is that the blogger doesn't have the resources to raise a defense against any lawsuits. Unfortunately, money often matters much more than the law in the US legal system.

-Mike

Re:Copyright Solution

[Kozz]

I think it'd be better to use the Spartacus technique. Imagine ten thousand geeks emailing him, "No, I'm the blogger." :)

Is it Rumplestilskin?

[blanchae]

Can I have the $10,000 now?

$10k is next to nothing

[oldsaint]

The identity of the blogger will lead to accusations and lawsuits, and the legal fees for the blogger will dwarf $10k. And the threat will shut down the criticism, which is the point. The identity of the blogger should be worth a lot more to Niro, say $100k. And then let the blogger win by revealing his identity.

we can win this.

[DingerX]

Go to questionable startup rate your prof^H^H^H^Hlawyer [lawyerratingz.com] and pull up their list of IP and Patent lawyers. Send "registered" emails from separate accounts for each name on the list. Then, if he should ever determine the identity, chances are it's on the list, and whoever sent the email will have a good claim on the money. That is provided, of course, said mouthpiece doesn't accuse the snitch of participating in a conspiracy to do exactly that. So the flipside is that if we spam the address with false positives, either the real stoolie will have little hope of making any money off of it, or we get in on the action.

I'm just speaking hypothetically, of course. I'm pretty sure someone else holds a patent on this sort of spam, and the lawyer involved has set an elaborate trap for an infringement suit.

Nothing to worry about ...

[golodh]

Well, nice mr. Niro probably wants to know the identity of the anonymous blogger to have a chance to have an intimate legal conversation with him. Lawyer talking shop to lawyer as it where, in a private setting.

I really don't see the problem, do you? I'm certain it will all be legal, so there's nothing to worry about. No. Really.

Say it with me:

[MMC Monster]

"I am Sparticus!"

Re:

[Chris Mattern]

You...need a spell checker.

By the way, I am Spart a cus.

Can we cut to the chase?

[Associate]

And just call for Niro's head?

If I were the blogger...

[twistedcubic]

I'd out myself, and be $10,000 richer.

Excellent

[Vexorian]

1. Criticize Mr. Niro with an anonymous blog
3 ????
4. Profit!

Flip this shit around.

[Cadallin]

We already know who this Lawyer is, and who his firm is and who they work for. There is an exceptionally expedient way for society to deal with this. It is unfortunate that it is necessary, but we must reconcile ourselves to fact that societal institutions have been corrupted. We must search for means to enact reform, and if they have forced us to take plays from their books, then so be it.

Vigilantism is not only necessary, it is justified. We need to seek out the personal information of this lawyer, his entire firm, and the President and board of directors of the companies that employ them. Publish their names, home addresses, any phone numbers that can be found, their license plate numbers, the names of their family members, the schools their children attend. Everything. This is War, ladies and gentlemen. Of a more dire and extreme sort than any in history. Only by securing true strategic objectives can the enemy be worn down. We must destroy not just his willingness, but his ability to fight. Destroy the ability of those who drive the conflict to live their lives in the most basic way and victory is assured.

We, the greater whole of society, are everywhere. We surround them. We can destroy them. All that is required is the will.

I admit it...

[clambake]

It's me. I'll take a personal check.

Huh...

[Richard.Tao]

If the blogger was really suave, he'd reveal his identity to the lawyer and then ask for the 10k. What would they do then? Seems like they'd come out looking like fools.

The importance of what is said vs. who says it

[merc]

I hate to steal karma, but there's a comment on PTT's blog that was so insightful that I felt it serves as useful food for thought. It was a comment left last thursday by one using the pen name "ipreactionary", all credit goes to him:

[http://trolltracker.blogspot.com/2008/01/j-carl-cooper-and-technology-licensing.html]:

"As a practicing patent attorney with a large corporation, I can see why PTT and other commentators might want not to divulge their name. His anonymity works for me, because the subject of our interest shouldn't be who PTT is, but rather whether the US patent system is functioning effectively and fairly. And PTT's remarks on patent predators aren't any less germane because the sharks are identified by name, and he/she isn't. Forget that it's Niro (or Acacia, or whoever) that PTT comments on, and focus on the fact that they and others are manipulating an imperfect system to the detriment of both the system and its participants.

BTW, there are those who might defend the abuses written of here as nothing more than "arbitrage". I don't agree. Arbitrage smooths out market irregularities caused by assymetrical information or unbalanced supply and demand. It is ethical, and even helpful, where a market is efficient and the market rules are clear and fairly enforced. The swamp of legal, political, technical and economic uncertainties that trolls are rooting around in (and helping muddy up) is more like an armed prospectors' land-grab than what the patent system set out to be: A reward of exclusivity in return for the useful sharing of information. Vigorous enforcement of patents on trivial or useless "inventions", by contingency-fee opportunists, doesn't make them any less trivial and useless. And bundling or accumulating them under shell corporations, the better to leverage them against companies for whom the expected value of a loss at trial (however unlikely) exceeds the price of a settlement, does nothing to better the "market" for IP. It doesn't promote adoption or commercialisation of technology. It doesn't raise capital in support of yet more innovation. It doesn't improve the function of the patent system. It's extortion, pure and simple.

This isn't an abstract, theoretical discussion. It won't be long before Congress, made up of individuals who understand neither the purpose nor the functioning of the US patent system, begins to tinker with it as if it were a tax code with which additional revenues could be extracted and assets could be more equitably redistributed. Trolls cheapen the patent system in a way that makes legislative erosion even more likely. The abuses PTT writes about call the patent monopoly and its proponents into disrepute, and thereby weaken the rights appropriately reserved under other patents to those who really have made a technical contribution to society. As far as I'm concerned, PTT can call the trolls by name. The moneys they've extracted from productive members of society should be enough consolation for them.

Blog on, PTT!
"

Bulverism strikes again

[Oloryn]

Sounds to me like yet another exercise in Bulverism [wikipedia.org]. Rather than actually try to argue with your opponent on the merits, you fantasize some motive on the part of your opponent, and assert that that motive must be throwing your opponent's reasoning off. You saw the same thing with SCO insisting that Groklaw must be being paid by IBM. Actually, this reasoning is irrelevant. Even if the opposition actually is motivated by the fantasy motive, their reasoning could still be correct. You find out if their reasoning is correct by examining it logically, not by speculating about their psychology.

I confess

[kevinkitching]

I am Spartacus.
Gimme my ten grand, punk!

Well

[bigsexyjoe]

His number is [phone]. Call him and give him theories. I think everyone should.

ethical quandary

[f1055man]

I don't believe in imaginary property either, but I do believe in $10,000. ....I'll take the case!

I'm the blogger

[Rob T Firefly]

and so is my wife.

Re:

[networkBoy]

Horseshit.

I'm Spartacus.
$10K please.

Re:

[The Master Control P]

I admit it, I broke the dam.

Re:Reality check

[ScrewMaster]

You mean that Americans (who happened to be black) invented them. I don't mean anything derogatory by that, but making such distinctions only serves to demean those individuals and their works. The implication is that there's something so noteworthy about a black person achieving anything of substance that their race must be mentioned. Of course black people have made significant contributions to our society, our culture and our technology. So have French, Greeks, Germans, Italians, Russians, Czechs and millions of others of all nationalities. Why does their ethnic background matter so much to some people? They were all citizens of this great nation, all helped to make it what it is today. That should be enough.

My girlfriend is a true African-American ... she came to the U.S. about twenty-five years ago from that continent, earned her citizenship, and has the right to call herself an African-American. But she doesn't. She calls herself an American and she's proud of that. This is her country now. As for me, I was born here, but I don't go around brandishing my ethnic roots. That would be complicated, since I'd be something like a "Greek-Irish-German-with-some-other-stuff-mixed-in-American". Not so easy on the ears.

She told me flatly that she could cure all of them of their desire to be called "African Americans" by the simple expedient of sending them to her home country for a few months. Most of them would come back here and would count themselves lucky to be Americans. Bad as things can be for many people in the United States, there are places that are worse. Much worse.

Re:

[somersault]

I thought you were going to point out that people all over the world advance technology, culture and so on, but apparently it's only the ones that are american citizens ;) I don't really get patriotism to be honest, though if I went to certain parts of Africa which you point out are far worse to live in than parts of the 'western' world, then perhaps I'd understand why people think it's worth dying for a country..

Re:Reality check

[cptdondo]

A friend of mine was born and raised in Africa, by white parents who were also born and raised in Afica. He has now moved to the US. Does that qualify him as African-American?

Re:

[twistedcubic]

A friend of mine was born and raised in Africa, by white parents who were also born and raised in Afica. He has now moved to the US. Does that qualify him as African-American?

A friend of mine had gas because he ate some poison. So they took him to the hospital and pumped his stomach. Does that make him a gas pump?

Re:Reality check

[Propaganda13]

If a person is born in Africa then becomes a US citizen, they're African-American.
If a person is born in America and stays a US citizen, they're American.

Heritage is all screwed up. How many generations have to be born in America before you consider it part of your heritage?

Re:Reality check

[Anonymous Coward]

I would have reservations if I was a Native American.

Re:

[Chris Mattern]

I would have reservations if I'd remembered to phone ahead.

Re:Reality check

[snickkers]

You're totally right. We've all got so caught up in all the arguing and bickering that we've forgotten what's really important. What's really important is which god you believe in.

Re:

[AoT]

Actually, race does not come down to those finer points, race isn't a real category. It is a made up class that people are assigned to.

Re:

[conlaw]

This story about Dr. Drew's death is an urban legend. A biography of him, Charles Richard Drew : the man and the myth by Charles E. Wynes, sets forth what really happened:

Dr. Drew suffered fatal injuries in the wreck. Despite the immediate attentions of the three other physicians who were with him (two of whom were substantially uninjured), and prompt attention at a nearby mixed-race (segregated) hospital, where he was attended by three other physicians, one of whom was the co-owner of the hospital, Dr. Dr

Re:Reality check

[zappepcs]

the next time that you are called a 'white' by someone that insists blacks are African Americans, you might find it fun to insist that they call you 'slave trader' American, or remind them that the abbreviation for African American is AA. Perhaps reminding them that Lincoln tried to ship them back to Africa will give them some humility? History is so full of fun facts. If they pull out the term caucasian, you would do well to remind them that 'whites' are NOT from the caucasus islands. Another fun little fact of life: in Africa they are also prejudiced against one another by skin color. Yes, light vs dark, or one tribe versus another, one country vs. another. That kind of solidarity of dark skinned people ONLY happens in North America, so exactly what kind of African American are they? and what tribe do they support? Personally, I'm Anglo-Saxon American, I'm listed in the DAR (revolutionary American), and I just prefer that you call me by my name...

On those little quizzes, always select 'other' as the discussion as to why you chose other can be lots of fun. Its a racial question that does not account for South Americans, mulatto etc. If your grandfather was black, your grandmother was chinese and your mother was south american, what race do you belong to? How do you answer the quiz? select 3 or more categories?

ALL PC terms are insulting.

Re:

[Lane.exe]

Antisocial personality disorders mixed in with a liberal dose of schizophrenia or Asperger's.

Re:Counter-Offer

[aussie_a]

I'll arrest anyone who doesn't tell me who this Anonymous Coward is.

- The D.A.

Re:

[Architect_sasyr]

That would be the "Charity for Anti-Social Humans". I am a serving member and will gladly pass any funds along to the appropriate coffers...