Supreme Court upholds First Sale Doctrine

Definite YAY. I buy lots of books, movies, and music second-hand.

The basic story is that a guy from Thailand(?) discovered that, while he was going to university there, books were cheap. He came to the U.S. to complete his degree, and found that the same cheap book was VERY expensive over here. So he set up an import business where his relatives there would buy and ship books to him here, which he would sell.

He was sued by John Wiley & Co., publisher, and judged against, and ordered to pay a fine of $600,000. His appeals finally got to the SCOTUS, where it decided 6-3 for him.

A SCOTUS decision against him could have devastating ripples throughout the economy. Say goodbye to a bulk of eBay. Favorite used book stores would die. Potential problems for public libraries lending DVDs and music.

I'm sure Wiley et al will be all over DC, lobbying for new legislation. I really hope they continue to fail and First Sale Doctrine continues to be upheld.

I don't think that I'll ever understand the book industry. I find a nice book on Python 3 and it's $45. I look at Amazon, and it's $30. I think tech books of all disciplines are the worst offenders.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/scotus-first-sale-decision/

In other legal YAY news, judge finds National Security letters unconstitutional and bans them!

NSL's are investigative tools used by the FBI to "fight terrorism". They go to an internet service provider, or a bank, or a library, and slap down the letter requesting information about a customer/client. The letter not only requires information, but is also a gag order on discussing it.

This particular case has a heck of a twist. An ISP was issued an NSL and appealed. "After the telecom challenged the NSL, the Justice Department took its own extraordinary measure and sued the company, arguing in court documents that the company was violating the law by challenging its authority."

The EFF was working with the ISP to challenge the NSL ASAP, IYKWIM. And a judge said there were lots of problems with them and has banned them, but the government has 90 days to appeal to the 9th Circuit.

I'm sure this will end up in the SCOTUS, one way or another. And it really needs to be exposed there, because unlike a search warrant, the FBI doesn't need a judge or demonstrated probable cause to get an NSL. They've been abused in the past, they're a bad tool, and they should be banned.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/nsl-found-unconstitutional/

I think she's watched too much Three's Company

"You may be as straight as an arrow, and you may have a friend that is as straight as an arrow. Say you had a great job with the government where you had this wonderful health plan. I mean, what would prohibit you from saying that you're gay, and y'all get married and still live as separate, but you get all the benefits?...To me, it's all about a free ride."
—Georgia GOP Chairwoman Sue Everhart, on gay marriage

I'm sure she's right. There probably are some hetero people abusing the system. I'm sure that's less than 1% of the cases, though. And you'll find people who are legally married in order to get someone a green card. Again, probably less than 1% of the cases.

But like they say, 99% of all legislators give the rest a bad name.