Comments on: EFF joins the defense in Charles Carreon v. The Whole Goddamned Internet

By: Fnordius

Fnordius — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:26:00 +0000

I see him sitting there, muttering in disbelief: “I took down sex(dot)com!” he says, over and over again, “why isn’t this punk withering before my awesomeness!?”

EDIT: changed a . to a (dot) to prevent autolinking

By: Rindan

Rindan — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 06:40:00 +0000

The EFF has two very good reasons to jump in on this one.

First, beating the living shit out of Carreon, especially if they can pull some anti-SLAPP magic and ruin the asshole, could help discourage this sort of behavior from other lawyers. That is to say nothing of the kind of chilling effect this could have if this ass hat actually won.

You have to remember that much of what makes Carreon’s tactics effective isn’t courts ruling in his favor, it is the money people spend to defend themselves. If someone threatens to sue for X dollars, and it costs me Y to defend myself, and X < Y, people often surrender, even if they know they will likely win. The EFF is making a statement here and saying that if you pull this kind of shit, the EFF is going to make Y = 0. If people know that walking down this path might bring the wrath of a legal gorilla down on your head, they will be less willing to walk this path.

Second, this is WELL within the EFFs charter and a popular issue. It doesn't hurt to remind the geeks that the EFF is there to defend there asses and that they should cough up some cash on occasion to keep the gorilla in their corner well fed. I know that this little incident reminded me why I love the EFF and reminded me that I have not donated in a while. They are getting a big fat check from me over this intervention from me. I imagine I am not the only person who was reminded to a sizable chunk of change into the collection jar.

By: Rindan

Rindan — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 06:22:00 +0000

The EFF has a very strongly vested interest in this case. They also have some very serious legal firepower, piles of expertise in exactly this sort of case, and a very strong desire to see the line pushed as far as it will go.

Hell, if nothing else, it is good promotion for the EFF. I would be shocked if a case like this doesn’t pay for itself even if they fail to extract the bill directly from Carreon’s pocket. It has certainly reminded me that I am about due for sending a pretty sizable check to the EFF.

By: Halloween_Jack

Halloween_Jack — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 16:07:00 +0000

Isn’t this sort of punching well below EFF’s weight? A content-scraper like Funnyjunk probably hired him in the first place solely because he’s cheap.

By: Chris Recouvreur

Chris Recouvreur — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:08:00 +0000

Now Mr. Carreon is seeking dinosaurs as payment for his lawsuits…. http://charles-carreon.com/

By: smut clyde

smut clyde — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:04:00 +0000

Also to never forget to check his references.

By: That_Anonymous_Coward

That_Anonymous_Coward — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:22:00 +0000

I’m guessing looking into the witness protection program.

By: That_Anonymous_Coward

That_Anonymous_Coward — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:21:00 +0000

I still think it would be nice to see them dismantle them and use them as fine examples of overreaching letters you can ignore.

By: Genre Slur

Genre Slur — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:17:00 +0000

So, in this scenario, if the intertubes are Norris, and Doc Cooper is Carreon — what’s MacReady?
I’m assuming we’re all in agreement that boingers are Palmer — watching it while remarking ‘you have got to be…’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nVRDksE29c

By: Genre Slur

Genre Slur — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:07:00 +0000

Jesus should tell Carreon, “stop playing with yourself!”

By: Robert Drop

Robert Drop — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:48:00 +0000

I’ve suspected they were just as bad, but that the people targeted didn’t have the resources to fight them and gave in, which is how he’s managed to have a career as such a terrible lawyer this long.

By: David Weintraub

David Weintraub — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:37:00 +0000

Where is FunnyJunk in all of this? And, who actually owns or runs FunnyJunk?

By: Editz

Editz — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:35:00 +0000

Woot woot!

By: DevinC

DevinC — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:27:00 +0000

I can’t tell if you are being ironic or not.

By: alfanovember

alfanovember — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:22:00 +0000

I have a mental image of Carreon standing in front of a huge container of Jiffy-Pop, shouting “Come on Lord, Let me have it!”

By: mccrum

mccrum — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:16:00 +0000

I’m sitting here with my feet up and enjoying my popcorn, but with every new move he makes I’m just starting to feel like I should look away before he just gets mowed over by the staggering array of forces against him.

I just feel guilty for enjoying Bambi vs. Godzilla at this point.

By: P.F. Bruns

P.F. Bruns — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:16:00 +0000

I suspect the Internet is going to render Carreon into carrion.

By: Marc Mielke

Marc Mielke — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Overwhelming force is always the proper response.

By: Marc Mielke

Marc Mielke — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:31:00 +0000

Really, just because somebody laughs at your junk doesn’t make it funny.

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:27:00 +0000

Ah ok then, in which case I’m fully behind it!

By: EvilSpirit

EvilSpirit — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:57:00 +0000

If they prevail in an anti-SLAPP action, the “EFF funds” involved all get paid out of Carreon’s pocket, anyway. At which point, yeah, it can be just about publicity.

By: Koyaanisqatsi

Koyaanisqatsi — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:38:00 +0000

I’m now concerned that our first reaction to contacting an alien race isn’t going to be attacking them like in the movies; it’s going to be suing them for having the balls (all five of them!) to give us free energy and antigrav. We’ll probably ask for punitive damages, too.

By: Robert Baruch

Robert Baruch — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:33:00 +0000

Extreme Type A?

By: ImmutableMichael

ImmutableMichael — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:20:00 +0000

“You’re not really here for the hunting, are you?”

By: RJ

RJ — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:41:00 +0000

It’s no coincidence, then, that your mother just left for a camping trip in bear country.

By: IronEdithKidd

IronEdithKidd — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:39:00 +0000

It’s become a gift that keeps on giving.

By: That_Anonymous_Coward

That_Anonymous_Coward — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:18:00 +0000

So here is something I’ve not heard any more about and it has be curious…
Carreon stated early on he had sent plenty of these letters previously, so one wonders to whom were these letters sent and were they as merit-less as the letter to the Oatmeal.

By: ImmutableMichael

ImmutableMichael — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:59:00 +0000

Dude, are you seriously inciting a charitable collection???? I’m seeking injunctive relief as we speak…..

By: angusm

angusm — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:41:00 +0000

I have this mental image of Carreon standing in front of the entire Internet shouting “Come at me, bro!”

If nothing else, this case should provide some lucky judge with the chance to draft one of the most entertaining dismissals in legal history.

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:32:00 +0000

Does Inman need more support? If he does then great, otherwise is this a bit of a waste of EFF funds? Although maybe its about publicity, in which case it’s likely a good thing for the EFF.

3 legal teams fighting against a madman with a grudge just feels a little OTT to me.