6 ms·

YC, you might want to slow down your own growth. Your unicorns aren't fairing well. Gotta keep your game tight. -says someone who doesn't know much but can spo

YC, you might want to slow down your own growth. Your unicorns aren't fairing well. Gotta keep your game tight. -says someone who doesn't know much but can spot obvious trends.

geofft 11y ago
Ohhhh I would be fascinated to see a RICO case against YC for every startup they've funded that's broken laws. That seems entirely in the spirit of RICO, the more I think about it: it's specifically about organizations that make money off of other people breaking the law at their direction, and who might otherwise avoid liability because they themselves didn't break the law.
- apsec112 11y ago
  RICO cases are limited to a small number of serious crimes, like kidnapping, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and so on. They don't cover breaking insurance regulations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act#RICO_predicate_offenses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corru...
  - dragonwriter 11y ago
    > RICO cases are limited to a small number of serious crimes, like kidnapping, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and so on. Mail and wire fraud, which can include pretty much any knowing misrepresentation for commercial gain using the covered media, are among the predicate acts for RICO, along with the offenses you list. So, it may not be as far out as you seem to think to imagine RICO applying.
  - gertef 11y ago
    fraud?
    - thomasjudge 11y ago
      Intentionally dishonest or not completely honest -> "intent to defraud" + computer = "Wire Fraud" ianal
  - greenyoda 11y ago
    "kidnapping, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, ..." Interestingly, "criminal copyright infringement" also somehow got on the list of RICO predicate offenses. Guess someone had a good lobbyist...
    - nostrademons 11y ago
      Also, apparently holding Magic: The Gathering tournaments where ante is allowed falls under RICO. Sponsoring underage gambling. I recall that being used as the reason why none of the major tournaments used the ante rule - they were all afraid of being prosecuted as racketeers.
  - tedmiston 11y ago
    I took the parent comment as a RICO case metaphorically. There are quite a few interesting undeveloped analogies across the greater hip hop industry vs. startups.
- vasilipupkin 11y ago
  you don't seem to believe in the concept of punishment must fit the crime? There are fines for breaking certain regulations. There is a reason they are just fines and not beheadings.
  - geofft 11y ago
    I didn't mention anything about beheadings. Did you reply to the wrong comment?
    - vasilipupkin 11y ago
      you mentioned your desire to inflict disproportionate punishment. I am pointing out that there is a reason fines are levied as opposed to more severe punishments, in case of certain violations. also, I did not say that you mentioned beheadings. I mentioned beheadings to illustrate a point.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]

YC, you might want to slow down your own growth. Your unicorns aren't fairing well. Gotta keep your game tight. -says someone who doesn't know much but can spot obvious trends.

geofft 11y ago

Ohhhh I would be fascinated to see a RICO case against YC for every startup they've funded that's broken laws. That seems entirely in the spirit of RICO, the more I think about it: it's specifically about organizations that make money off of other people breaking the law at their direction, and who might otherwise avoid liability because they themselves didn't break the law.

apsec112 11y ago
RICO cases are limited to a small number of serious crimes, like kidnapping, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and so on. They don't cover breaking insurance regulations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act#RICO_predicate_offenses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corru...
- dragonwriter 11y ago
  > RICO cases are limited to a small number of serious crimes, like kidnapping, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and so on. Mail and wire fraud, which can include pretty much any knowing misrepresentation for commercial gain using the covered media, are among the predicate acts for RICO, along with the offenses you list. So, it may not be as far out as you seem to think to imagine RICO applying.
- gertef 11y ago
  fraud?
  - thomasjudge 11y ago
    Intentionally dishonest or not completely honest -> "intent to defraud" + computer = "Wire Fraud" ianal
- greenyoda 11y ago
  "kidnapping, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, ..." Interestingly, "criminal copyright infringement" also somehow got on the list of RICO predicate offenses. Guess someone had a good lobbyist...
  - nostrademons 11y ago
    Also, apparently holding Magic: The Gathering tournaments where ante is allowed falls under RICO. Sponsoring underage gambling. I recall that being used as the reason why none of the major tournaments used the ante rule - they were all afraid of being prosecuted as racketeers.
- tedmiston 11y ago
  I took the parent comment as a RICO case metaphorically. There are quite a few interesting undeveloped analogies across the greater hip hop industry vs. startups.
vasilipupkin 11y ago
you don't seem to believe in the concept of punishment must fit the crime? There are fines for breaking certain regulations. There is a reason they are just fines and not beheadings.
- geofft 11y ago
  I didn't mention anything about beheadings. Did you reply to the wrong comment?
  - vasilipupkin 11y ago
    you mentioned your desire to inflict disproportionate punishment. I am pointing out that there is a reason fines are levied as opposed to more severe punishments, in case of certain violations. also, I did not say that you mentioned beheadings. I mentioned beheadings to illustrate a point.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]