Analysis: First Amendment Applies to Internet

 law and order

"A California appeals court ruled Friday that online reporters are protected by the same confidentiality laws that protect traditional journalists, striking a blow to efforts by Apple Computer to identify people who leaked confidential company data." – New York Times.

This is good news. Reporters should have these freedoms: It's necessary to be a watchdog for the government and big business.

 big brother.jpg

Bush gives NSA power to exempt corporations from SEC rules and regulations

 Nature

I wish this Al Gore movie would come to this town 😦 An Inconvenient Truth

In the meantime… gas has reached $4 a gallon in some parts of the country http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0526/p03s03-ussc.html?s=itmthumb 

I nervously watch the gas pumps around here. Although it's down to $2.65 a gallon here (which still isn't cheap), it won't take much to shoot back up to the near $3 it loomed at for months. http://www.illinoisgasprices.com

Silly AT&T…

May 26, 2006

AT&T

AT&T leaks sensitive info in NSA suit!

Capitol Hill

" A bipartisan majority on the House Judiciary Committee yesterday passed the "Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act" — a good bill that would use antitrust law to protect Network Neutrality. Special thanks to those of you who called the key members who cast the deciding votes." – freepress.net

Now is a time to write your representatives telling them to pass the network neutrality laws!

Capitol Hill

Don't be fooled!

DontRegulate.org and hands off the internet are advocating anti-net neutrality. They claim to be "nationwide coalition of Internet users." However, it appears to be just a ploy from the big telecommunication companies.

 Dontregulate.org claims that YOU will have to pay for the internet instead of big companies like Google and Yahoo with net-neutrality laws. I find this to be highly deceiving. Google and Yahoo, etc already pay for the internet. They pay for servers and BANDWITH! Consumers then pay to access the internet. Net Neutrality won't make consumers pay more, it just makes big business pay more for services they already use. If they don't pay the extra charges, then SBC and the big telcos just slow down their services (or don't deliver them at all). This is totally unfair. 

    Bloggers and individuals will then be forced to pay for the amount of bandwidth they use for their person sites in addition to the fees and hosting charges they already pay (for bandwidth).

     These "grassroot" campaigns against net neutrality make it seem like the government will be controling the internet, incorrect. It is just keeping big telephone companies from controling the internet. The government will not control anything, other than the amount of power the telephone companies have (which is plenty as it is). Don't be fooled. Advocate FOR net neutrality!

    It comes down to this:

Big telco wants to get paid twice for their services. Net neutrality laws will stop them from forcing websites and other companies to pay more. This will prevent telecommunication companies from slowing down or limiting access for those who don't pay more.  Net neutrality means freedom on the internet, without having to pay double (or more) for your content to get through.

Net neutrality laws are probably not enough. Big Telcos need breaking up, but this can be a start to controlling their power. 

Sign this petition for net neutrality. 

Some Justice

May 25, 2006

 law and order

Enron – Skilling and Lay found GUILTY

Sorry.

May 23, 2006

I'll post more entries soon.

davinci v man

I saw The DaVinci Code Friday. It was almost like the book. Pretty good. If you haven't heard of the Gnostic Gospels or other things like that, then you'll find it interesting.

In the meantime, check out http://www.nationstates.net/ and make a nation
You can even visit my nation: http://www.nationstates.net/chlamydia_rash

While you're out on the net, check out the band Chumbawamba at http://www.chumba.com/
Watch their video in the download section: "Homophobia"

I'll blog at ya later!

Some more NSA shite

May 18, 2006

big brother.jpg

EFF gets a boost in NSA wiretap case vs. AT&T (Yay!)

Legal Loophole Emerges In NSA Spy Program

 big brother.jpg

Phone Companies Distance Themselves from NSA

Having to confess to being one of the companies that gave the NSA everyone's phone logs is a PR nightmare… but I don't think PR problems is all they should be worrying about. 

They should have to deal with every angry customer. They owe it to every one of them whose records they just handed over. As customers, we should demand retribution and make these companies more responsible.  They were too willing to give up personal data. I wouldn't mind free service for a while. I really wouldn't mind if some of these big telco companies could possibly split up.

Who you gonna call?
Trustbusters! 

News of the Day

May 16, 2006

Join the Blue Ribbon Online Free Speech Campaign

US releases 9/11 video of Pentagon jet crash

Update on (somewhat) rich guy who's fighting the MPAA in court

Prosecution Lambastes Enron Defendants in Closing Arguments

Bush Calls for Border Troops, Guest Workers

Firefox continues to gain ground

Coming to my blog soon: I will be doing a better job organizing my posts by topic…

Nature

http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=239

This house produces as much energy as it consumes in a year and combines "renewable energy technologies with advanced energy-efficient construction."

Everything from solar power, to ground source heat pumps, to a tankless water heater. It's designed to be efficient and use natural resources to draw power.

If modern houses could use just some of the techniques used to make this house efficient, we'd be saving a ton of energy.

I can't say that I use too many energy saving techniques, but I do use flouresent light bulbs and don't really use all that much energy. My laptop only draws as much power as a regular light bulb. But, it's not like I can buy solar panels and a ground heat pump because I rent. However, it is something I'd consider for when I do have a house.  Sometimes small things like good insulation and turning lights out when you aren't using them save lots of energy and money! With rising gas and energy prices, it pays to be a little more conservative (environmentally, not politically). 

Here's the specs of the house.

That's one title that needs a catchier name.

Nature

http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/060510c.asp

"Today the House Appropriations Committee approved a resolution already passed in the Senate that recognizes the problem of global warming and declares the U.S. needs mandatory limits to cut the pollution that causes it."

 Capitol Hill

This is a good time to call your representative and tell them you support the environment.

Here's some points you can advise them on:

  • Reduce pollution, especially greenhouse gases
  • Encourage studies about global warming
  • Research alternative energy sources
  • Reduce America's dependence on oil
  • Discourage oil drilling in Alaska
  • Protect endangered species and their habitats

Here are some resources for information

Thanks!

I’m a Socialist

May 15, 2006

You are a
Social Liberal
(73% permissive)

and an…

Economic Liberal
(11% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Socialist

You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness. lo

   
   

Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

That sounds about right.

It had a little diagram of where I fall on the chart, but that didn't render for whatever reason. 

I'll have more great posts coming soon!