Thursday, November 13, 2003
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
The FCC is planning a huge givaway to huge networks while ignoring public interest
Now they oppose the FCC requiring new public interest obligations as part of the digital give-away.2 As for broadcasters being in financial harm, the four companies controlling the major broadcast networks generated more than $23 billion in 2002, with TV industry revenues almost $34 billion.3 With this impending FCC decision, the broadcast networks and station groups would also receive a new form of “digital retransmission consent” that would bring them billions of dollars worth of additional cable channels as well.
Now they oppose the FCC requiring new public interest obligations as part of the digital give-away.2 As for broadcasters being in financial harm, the four companies controlling the major broadcast networks generated more than $23 billion in 2002, with TV industry revenues almost $34 billion.3 With this impending FCC decision, the broadcast networks and station groups would also receive a new form of “digital retransmission consent” that would bring them billions of dollars worth of additional cable channels as well.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Fighting the new face of fascism: George Soros puts up 15.5 million to get rid of Bush
"America, under Bush, is a danger to the world," Soros said. Then he smiled: "And I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is."
Soros believes that a "supremacist ideology" guides this White House. He hears echoes in its rhetoric of his childhood in occupied Hungary. "When I hear Bush say, 'You're either with us or against us,' it reminds me of the Germans." It conjures up memories, he said, of Nazi slogans on the walls, Der Feind Hort mit ("The enemy is listening"). "My experiences under Nazi and Soviet rule have sensitized me," he said in a soft Hungarian accent.
"America, under Bush, is a danger to the world," Soros said. Then he smiled: "And I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is."
Soros believes that a "supremacist ideology" guides this White House. He hears echoes in its rhetoric of his childhood in occupied Hungary. "When I hear Bush say, 'You're either with us or against us,' it reminds me of the Germans." It conjures up memories, he said, of Nazi slogans on the walls, Der Feind Hort mit ("The enemy is listening"). "My experiences under Nazi and Soviet rule have sensitized me," he said in a soft Hungarian accent.
[Walmart Spies on its customers] The Chicago Sun-Times uncovered a secret study undertaken by Walmart on its customers without their consent. Walmart embedded smart chips in lipstick products which were tracable when the customers left the stores.
Walmart lied and said that it would not be testing the technology on consumers.
The Sun-Times learned of the trial from a disgruntled Procter & Gamble executive and also from the firm that designed the "smart shelf" system. Researchers concealed "readers" in contact paper placed under the shelves and embedded RFID antenna chips in Lipfinity packaging.
Walmart lied and said that it would not be testing the technology on consumers.
The Sun-Times learned of the trial from a disgruntled Procter & Gamble executive and also from the firm that designed the "smart shelf" system. Researchers concealed "readers" in contact paper placed under the shelves and embedded RFID antenna chips in Lipfinity packaging.
Monday, November 10, 2003
The transcription of Al Gore's speech on Freedom and Security that aired on CSPAN Sunday 2pm that nicely captures the essence of Bush's all-out assault on individual freedoms and common sense.
I want to challenge the Bush Administration’s implicit assumption that we have to give up many of our traditional freedoms in order to be safe from terrorists.
Because it is simply not true.
In fact, in my opinion, it makes no more sense to launch an assault on our civil liberties as the best way to get at terrorists than it did to launch an invasion of Iraq as the best way to get at Osama Bin Laden.
In both cases, the Administration has attacked the wrong target.
In both cases they have recklessly put our country in grave and unnecessary danger, while avoiding and neglecting obvious and much more important challenges that would actually help to protect the country.
In both cases, the administration has fostered false impressions and misled the nation with superficial, emotional and manipulative presentations that are not worthy of American Democracy.
In both cases they have exploited public fears for partisan political gain and postured themselves as bold defenders of our country while actually weakening not strengthening America.
In both cases, they have used unprecedented secrecy and deception in order to avoid accountability to the Congress, the Courts, the press and the people.
Indeed, this Administration has turned the fundamental presumption of our democracy on its head. A government of and for the people is supposed to be generally open to public scrutiny by the people -- while the private information of the people themselves should be routinely protected from government intrusion.
But instead, this Administration is seeking to conduct its work in secret even as it demands broad unfettered access to personal information about American citizens. Under the rubric of protecting national security, they have obtained new powers to gather information from citizens and to keep it secret. Yet at the same time they themselves refuse to disclose information that is highly relevant to the war against terrorism.
I want to challenge the Bush Administration’s implicit assumption that we have to give up many of our traditional freedoms in order to be safe from terrorists.
Because it is simply not true.
In fact, in my opinion, it makes no more sense to launch an assault on our civil liberties as the best way to get at terrorists than it did to launch an invasion of Iraq as the best way to get at Osama Bin Laden.
In both cases, the Administration has attacked the wrong target.
In both cases they have recklessly put our country in grave and unnecessary danger, while avoiding and neglecting obvious and much more important challenges that would actually help to protect the country.
In both cases, the administration has fostered false impressions and misled the nation with superficial, emotional and manipulative presentations that are not worthy of American Democracy.
In both cases they have exploited public fears for partisan political gain and postured themselves as bold defenders of our country while actually weakening not strengthening America.
In both cases, they have used unprecedented secrecy and deception in order to avoid accountability to the Congress, the Courts, the press and the people.
Indeed, this Administration has turned the fundamental presumption of our democracy on its head. A government of and for the people is supposed to be generally open to public scrutiny by the people -- while the private information of the people themselves should be routinely protected from government intrusion.
But instead, this Administration is seeking to conduct its work in secret even as it demands broad unfettered access to personal information about American citizens. Under the rubric of protecting national security, they have obtained new powers to gather information from citizens and to keep it secret. Yet at the same time they themselves refuse to disclose information that is highly relevant to the war against terrorism.
Friday, November 07, 2003
According to the SF Chronicle, your personal financial data is headed overseas as credit agencies begin international outsourcing efforts.
Privacy advocates say the outsourcing of files that include Social Security numbers and complete credit histories could lead to a surge in identity theft because U.S. laws cannot be enforced overseas.
Privacy advocates say the outsourcing of files that include Social Security numbers and complete credit histories could lead to a surge in identity theft because U.S. laws cannot be enforced overseas.
Toxic Immunity [Mother Jones]
Faced with a hazardous-waste crisis, the Pentagon is pushing hard to exempt itself from the nation's environmental laws.
Faced with a hazardous-waste crisis, the Pentagon is pushing hard to exempt itself from the nation's environmental laws.
Beach Boys fan has created his own production of the band's legendary "Smile" album using scraps and outtakes he gathered from the sessions. The whole album is available for download in mp3 format.
In May of 1966, the world was presented with a Beach Boys that had seemingly abandoned its old image of surf and cars. Like Rubber Soul was for the Beatles, this was the Beach Boys' first "heavy" album. And it probably jarred the group (barring Brian) more than anyone else. Such a question may have been rolling through the collective consciousness of the others: How does one bare their soul (i.e. sing those lyrics) for an audience who had up to this point took you for a stalwart individual with the looks of a clean-cut astronaut?
But Brian Wilson didn't concern himself with such a question, this much we know for sure. Undeterred by accusations of writing "ego music", Brian willingly stepped through The Looking-Glass in May of 1966 and returned sometime in the late-spring of 1967.
In May of 1966, the world was presented with a Beach Boys that had seemingly abandoned its old image of surf and cars. Like Rubber Soul was for the Beatles, this was the Beach Boys' first "heavy" album. And it probably jarred the group (barring Brian) more than anyone else. Such a question may have been rolling through the collective consciousness of the others: How does one bare their soul (i.e. sing those lyrics) for an audience who had up to this point took you for a stalwart individual with the looks of a clean-cut astronaut?
But Brian Wilson didn't concern himself with such a question, this much we know for sure. Undeterred by accusations of writing "ego music", Brian willingly stepped through The Looking-Glass in May of 1966 and returned sometime in the late-spring of 1967.
More commentary on George W. Bush's dismal failure at economic policy and how his ignorance and poor judgement will likely harm generations to come. (The Economist)
Thursday, November 06, 2003
So it finally turns out that the Iraqis tried to avert a war as troops amassed on their borders, but so intent was the illegitimate Bush administration on murdering innocent civilians to profit their oil cronies that the Iraqi pleas were ignored. (NYTimes)
"Iraqi officials, including the chief of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, had told the businessman that they wanted Washington to know that Iraq no longer had weapons of mass destruction, and they offered to allow American troops and experts to conduct a search. The businessman said in an interview that the Iraqis also offered to hand over a man accused of being involved in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 who was being held in Baghdad. At one point, he said, the Iraqis pledged to hold elections."
"Iraqi officials, including the chief of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, had told the businessman that they wanted Washington to know that Iraq no longer had weapons of mass destruction, and they offered to allow American troops and experts to conduct a search. The businessman said in an interview that the Iraqis also offered to hand over a man accused of being involved in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 who was being held in Baghdad. At one point, he said, the Iraqis pledged to hold elections."
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
If you're heading out for dinner in NYC, you can go even further than checking with the critics - you can see what the State Board of Health has to say.
Just click the map, see if they've been cited for any really nasty violations, and venture onward if you still have an appetite after reading.
Just click the map, see if they've been cited for any really nasty violations, and venture onward if you still have an appetite after reading.
How's that for a liberal media? Under pressure from Republicans and conservative groups, CBS cancels Reagan miniseries.
Since when did networks become such right-wing appologists that they have to cover for Reagan's lying, corrupt, Ketchup-as-a-vegatable, Republican administration?
Since when did networks become such right-wing appologists that they have to cover for Reagan's lying, corrupt, Ketchup-as-a-vegatable, Republican administration?
Old article, but interesting. Richard Forman studies remoteness, and its affect on transportation and habitat.
The Clinton administration placed a ban on new logging roads in some national forests, and the Forest Service wants to close some roads on federal land. There are good economic reasons for closing some of these roads. "More important," Forman insists, "are ecological reasons. Human access must be limited if these key places and their inhabitants are to survive."
The Clinton administration placed a ban on new logging roads in some national forests, and the Forest Service wants to close some roads on federal land. There are good economic reasons for closing some of these roads. "More important," Forman insists, "are ecological reasons. Human access must be limited if these key places and their inhabitants are to survive."
Monday, November 03, 2003
Philly Catholic Schoolgirls:1 - Flasher: 0
"The girls came and started kicking him and punching him, so I wasn't going to stop them," neighbor Robert Lemons told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"The girls came and started kicking him and punching him, so I wasn't going to stop them," neighbor Robert Lemons told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The jailed Russian head of a Russian oil corporation has resigned this weekend due to the tax and fraud crimes of which he has been accused.
You've got to respect the justice system in Russia that gets guys like this off the street, while over here criminal Bush administration political cronies like Ken Lay are still free, and still very wealthy.
You've got to respect the justice system in Russia that gets guys like this off the street, while over here criminal Bush administration political cronies like Ken Lay are still free, and still very wealthy.
If you didn't already think that spammers were the lowest form of life in the universe, this should do it. They launched a huge virus this weekend to attack anti-spam organizations. Their primary target is spamhaus.org , and the site isn't responding, so apparently the spammers' DDOS attack is working.
The Farber Gravestone Collection is an unusual resource containing over 13,500 images documenting the sculpture on more than 9,000 gravestones, most of which were made prior to 1800, in the Northeastern part of the United States.