5 Takeaways From the Ancient DNA Research Story
What can genes tell us about who we are? Millions of people around the world have begun using consumer ancestry services like 23andMe in an attempt to peer into their personal origins and understand where they came from.
Meanwhile, though, in a handful of elite genetics labs around the world, scientists have begun analyzing ancient DNA — which can now be extracted from skeletal remains that are thousands or even tens of thousands of years old — to ask, and try to answer, even more fundamental questions about the human past.
In only the past few years, as a new report in The New York Times Magazine describes, this burgeoning science of “paleogenomics” has begun to offer surprising revisions to the story of humanity. But at the same time, this research has generated significant controversy, including among some of the archaeologists, anthropologists and other academics who have collaborated with geneticists on this work.
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 18 2019, @12:34PM (3 children)
( https://lkml.org/lkml/2019/1/17/52 [lkml.org] )
( https://slashdot.org/submission/9087542/author-recinds-gpl [slashdot.org] )
[Notice: the revocation of the "Geek Feminists"'s license /just/ occurred. 2019. January.]
The original author, after years of silence, notes that the "Geek Feminist" changed[1] a bunch of if-then statements which were preceded by a loop waiting for string input to a switch statement. The author reportedly noted that to use a switch statement in such an instance is no more preformant than the if-thens. Switch statements should be used where the input to the switch statement is numerical, and of a successive nature, for most efficient use of the jump table that is generated from said code.
The author reportedly was offended, after quiet observation of the group, that the "Geek Feminists" mocked his code, mocked his existence as a male, and never did any work on the code afterwards and never updated to include new slot machines added to the original code by author subsequently.
The author notes that he neither sought nor received any compensation for the granted license, that is was a gratuitous license, and that there never was any refutation of his default right to rescind given. (A right founded in the property law of licenses.)
The copyright owner has reportedly watched quietly as each year the "Geek Feminists" published a recount of their heroic efforts regarding his code.[2][3] Presumably he has now had enough of it all...
The author notes that the SF Conservancy attempts to construe a particular clause in the GPL version 2 license text as a "no revocation by grantor clause", however that clause states that if a licensee suffers and automatic-revocation by operation of the license, that licensees down stream from him do not suffer the same fate. The author of "GPC-Slots 2" reportedly notes that said clause does only what it claims to do: clarifies that a downstream licensee, through no fault of his own, is not penalized by the automatic revocation suffered by a licensee he gained a "sub-license" from (for lack of a better term.)
The author reportedly notes that version 3 of the GPL did not exist when he published the code, additionally the author notes that even if there was a clause not to revoke, he was paid no consideration for such a forbearance of a legal right of his and thus said clause is not operative against him, the grantor, should it exist at all.
(Editor's note: GPL version 3 contains an explicit "no-revocation-by-grantor" clause, in addition to a term-of-years that the license is granted for. Both absent in version 2 of the GPL)
The author reportedly has mulled an option to register his copyright and then to seek damages from the "Geek Feminists" if they choose to violate his copyright post-hence.
(Editors note: Statutory damages for willful copyright infringement can amount to $150,000 plus attorney's fees for post registration violations of a differing nature to pre-registration violations.)
[1]https://geekfeminism.org/2009/10/19/
[2]https://geekfeminism.org
[3]http://geekfeminism.wikia.com
GPC-Slots 2 is a text console mode casino game available for linux with various slot machines, table games, and stock market tokens for the player to test his luck. For the unlucky there is a Russian Roulette function.
[Notice: the revocation of the "Geek Feminists"'s license /just/ occurred. 2019. January.]
Addendum: Statements from the program author:
"It's my right to rescind the permission I extended.
I have done so.
You speak as if me controlling my property is a criminal act.
And to you people, perhaps it is.
If the "geek feminists" wanted a secured interest, they would have to pay for one."
"I did rescind the license, yesterday"
>Reportedly
"I did rescind the license, yesterday
Not "reportedly" anymore."
"
>Then you should have used them.
Not necessary, the language used in the press release identifies them easily.
>should
As if I somehow can't just rescind using their names either.
License to use/modify/etc the GPC Slots 2 code is hereby terminated for. Alex "Skud" Bayley, and Leigh Honeywell.
(Note: this termination is not to be construed as a lifting of the previously issued termination regarding the "Geek Feminism collective", this termination is an addendum)
"
"
You will just keep saying that I cannot rescind permission to use my property.
And you are wrong.
I can and _I HAVE_ (from the previously identified people). I have that power as the owner of the work. It is not YOUR work, it is not THE WORLD's property (I did _not_ dedicate it to the public domain), it is M I N E.
I know this very well. I am studied in the law. I know the bullshit defenses non-owners try to pull against owners (mostly equity "pleees not fair judge" - usually when they don't like an increase in payments)
There is no K, I am not bound by the terms that I require people using my property to follow. If they do not follow the terms they are simply violating MY copyright and I sue for damages. If I decide I don't want them to use my property I can revoke permission at any time, then if they continue to use it: again they are violating MY copyright and I sue them for damages.
"
------------------------------------------------------------
>p46 "As long as the project continues to honor the terms of the licenses under which it recieved contributions, the licenses continue in effect. There is one important caveat: Even a perpetual license can be revoked. See the discussion of bare licenses and contracts in Chapter 4"
--Lawrence Rosen
>p56 "A third problem with bare licenses is that they may be revocable by the licensor. Specifically, /a license not coupled with an interest may be revoked./ The term /interest/ in this context usually means the payment of some royalty or license fee, but there are other more complicated ways to satisfy the interest requirement. For example, a licensee can demonstrate that he or she has paid some consideration-a contract law term not found in copyright or patent law-in order to avoid revocation. Or a licensee may claim that he or she relied on the software licensed under an open source license and now is dependent upon that software, but this contract law concept, called promissory estoppel, is both difficult to prove and unreliable in court tests. (The concepts of /consideration/ and /promissory estoppel/ are explained more fully in the next section.) Unless the courts allow us to apply these contract law principles to a license, we are faced with a bare license that is revocable.
--Lawrence Rosen
>p278 "Notice that in a copyright dispute over a bare license, the plaintiff will almost certainly be the copyright owner. If a licensee were foolish enough to sue to enforce the terms and conditions of the license, the licensor can simply revoke the bare license, thus ending the dispute. Remeber that a bare license in the absence of an interest is revocable."
--Lawrence Rosen
Lawrence Rosen - Open Source Licensing - Sofware Freedom and Intellectual property Law
>p65 "Of all the licenses descibed in this book, only the GPL makes the explicity point that it wants nothing of /acceptance/ of /consideration/:
>...
>The GPL authors intend that it not be treated as a contract. I will say much more about this license and these two provisions in Chapter 6. For now, I simply point out that the GPL licensors are in essentially the same situation as other open source licensors who cannot prove offer, acceptance, or consideration. There is no contract."
--Lawrence Rosen
----
>David McGowan, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School:
>"Termination of rights
>[...] The most plausible assumption is that a developer who releases code under the GPL may terminate GPL rights, probably at will.
>[...] My point is not that termination is a great risk, it is that it is not recognized as a risk even though it is probably relevant to commercial end-users, accustomed to having contractual rights they can enforce themselves.
Discussions with author of program involved:
" rel="url2html-15263">http://8ch.net/tech/res/1013409.html
" rel="url2html-15263">http://8ch.net/tech/res/1017824.html
" rel="url2html-15263">http://8ch.net/tech/res/1018729.html
(Score: 0, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Friday January 18 2019, @01:03PM (2 children)
A Casino can be a big money maker. I always put in the Penny Slots. For those guys that don't have enough scratch to hire a Hooker. And, for the "ladies" that can't get work as one.
Trump Taj Mahal, we offered a prize of $25,000. For the winner to spend on her choice of plastic surgery. Could be a boob job, could be ass, could be lipo or Botox or the nose. Up to her!!! foxnews.com/health/trump-casino-offers-25k-plastic-surgery-prize [foxnews.com]
By the way, stay away from the so-called Indian Casinos. They don't look like Indians to me, they look like the Mob. And we have a new Ruling from SC. Where those so-called Indians can lock you up for whatever!!!
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday January 18 2019, @06:39PM (1 child)
A Casino can be a big money maker.
That does require halfway competent management. How's your casino doing, Mr. President?
I always put in the Penny Slots.
Who's that, your new girlfriend? Send me a pornhub link, I'll rate her for you.
For those guys that don't have enough scratch to hire a Hooker.
And you know exactly how much scratch is required, don't you?
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday January 19 2019, @03:36AM
People are saying I made Gary, Indiana what it is today. So many Blacks there -- I have a great relationship with them. We made Trump Casino Hotel a real peach, a real success. And sold it at the perfect time -- before the 2008 Financial Crisis. The lawyers said, "oh, call it bankruptcy." So we called it bankruptcy. It wasn't bankruptcy. But I could see the crisis coming when so many folks couldn't -- just like I see the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border. And "bankruptcy" was the quickest way to cash out.
By the way, I always hear "oh, please open a Casino in Vegas!" In Fabulous Las Vegas. And I'm thinking about doing it. I already have the land -- I bought the busiest lot on the Strip. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people pass it. And wonder, "oh, where's the Trump Casino Las Vegas, it belongs right here!" But the regulations on that are absolutely crippling. Too many regulations. Nice way of saying, too many Dems in the government. The Cosmopolitan, they applied for the permits in 2004. And they didn't open until 2010. Vote Republican!!
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Friday January 18 2019, @12:53PM
For me it's either the Woolly Mammoth chow-mein, or the Moa Tikka Masala.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 18 2019, @03:41PM (4 children)
Do not volunteer your data to anyone who you cannot trust. You do not know how it can hurt you or your children in the future. 23andMe is almost completely (unofficially) owned by google and you know they are up to no good. They will screw you over any day. The vermin that inhabits such places is to be avoided.
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 18 2019, @04:01PM (2 children)
Anyone giving up personal information knowing the past 20-30 years of abuses (nevermind abuses further in the past during even less enlightened times) should realize the dangers of this knowledge not only to yourself and your offspring, but to anyone even tangentally related to you. This is the kind of stuff that allows extremely specific targetted genetic purges of whatever ethnic group or genetic background one wants, and within the next 50 years I expect to see the genetic diversity of humans on this world go down dramatically except for groups who manage to stay isolated, or genetically immune via obscurity.
Watch and see, people in control of these databases of knowledge will eventually come to dominate or decimate the world. Now is your time to fight back, if only by obscuring oneself.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday January 19 2019, @03:57AM (1 child)
So true. And I wish I'd seen your Tweet a long time ago. Before certain people (family) sent in the DNA "kits."
By the way, did you ever notice about AIDS? Africa, so much AIDS, it's all over the place. Big mess. Norway, places like that, very little AIDS. Because of DNA. The Berlin Patient, he had AIDS. And also cancer -- so many times they come together. But he got a transplant from somebody with the very special DNA. The kind that protects. And his AIDS went away. And many people are saying, whoever designed AIDS, whoever made it, wanted to do a real number on Africa. And on Africans all around the World. Who knows? I know this, we'd love to have more immigrants from Norway. We want them to come to our Country with their incredible DNA. And make big beautiful babies. That can never get AIDS. Or carry it. No more Condom!!!
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday January 19 2019, @05:31AM
(cont) By the way, Henrieta Lacks. Or Lax. One of our wonderful African Americans. She went to the Hospital to get checked for Pussy Cancer. And she had that one. Very special Pussy Cancer, because it grew very very fast. They cut out the Cancer. And Henrieta died very quickly. But, they grew her Cancer. Something she had no idea of. And grew it and grew it some more. And they're growing that one all around the World. By the ton. Literally by the ton. It's very famous, big money maker. But, not for Henrieta's family. Not for her heirs. When you go to the Doctor, always always bring your Lawyer!!!
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday January 19 2019, @12:58AM
The fact is you can't trust people with your information, period.
Plus what they give you in return is mostly useless nonsense as well, but that's another story.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 19 2019, @02:49AM
This is a fraud, DNA doesn't exist, and if it did it certainly wouldn't be a made-up shape like a double helix. You just can't fit it all in there even if you tried.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 19 2019, @06:40PM
cia propaganda front. not clicking on their shit. not enough meat in the summary to comment on the story. buh-bye now