October 7, 2003
Amazon checks into Microsoft's Office | CNET News.com
This is powerful stuff and will enable all sorts of valuable, dynamic linkages form MS Office. As I've believed ever since I learned about it, XML is one of the most powerful facilities spawned by the Internet gurus.
Court Rules F.C.C. Erred in Decision on Net Access
So difficult to establish a rational national policy when disruptive communications technologies create market opportunities. The FCC and courts have always been at odds over the competitive rules of the game. In the long run, little or no regulation is probably the best approach, but who will solve the dilemma of rural availability vs. urban, business vs. residence pricing, and all the other 'inequities' resulting from deployment schedules and market forces?
Dare I say regulators??
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6 — In a setback for the Federal Communications Commission, a federal court issued a ruling on Monday that may force cable companies to share their high-speed Internet, or broadband, networks with competing Internet service providers.
The decision, issued by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, found that the F.C.C. erred in an earlier ruling that effectively absolved cable companies of any obligation to make their lines accessible to competitors.
Despite claims of victory by the cable industry's competitors, telecommunications lawyers said the implications of the 39-page ruling might not be clear for some time. They said the decision did not specifically require cable companies to lease their lines to competitors. Rather, the court ruled that the F.C.C. was wrong in the way it categorized cable broadband services for regulatory purposes.
In March 2002, the commission ruled that it would regulate cable broadband providers as "information services," a definition that applies to companies that process data. Companies that fall under that definition are subject to much less stringent regulation.
The F.C.C.'s approach toward broadband regulation — for both cable companies and telephone companies — is to permit the major players to build their high-speed Internet infrastructure without requiring them to open their networks to competitors. The F.C.C. has said the best way to expand deployment is to give the big companies incentive to invest in new networks.
The appellate court, however, found that cable broadband service providers were in part providing "telecommunications services," a definition that could subject them to the greater obligations of "common carriers" under federal law.
Dare I say regulators??
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6 — In a setback for the Federal Communications Commission, a federal court issued a ruling on Monday that may force cable companies to share their high-speed Internet, or broadband, networks with competing Internet service providers.
The decision, issued by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, found that the F.C.C. erred in an earlier ruling that effectively absolved cable companies of any obligation to make their lines accessible to competitors.
Despite claims of victory by the cable industry's competitors, telecommunications lawyers said the implications of the 39-page ruling might not be clear for some time. They said the decision did not specifically require cable companies to lease their lines to competitors. Rather, the court ruled that the F.C.C. was wrong in the way it categorized cable broadband services for regulatory purposes.
In March 2002, the commission ruled that it would regulate cable broadband providers as "information services," a definition that applies to companies that process data. Companies that fall under that definition are subject to much less stringent regulation.
The F.C.C.'s approach toward broadband regulation — for both cable companies and telephone companies — is to permit the major players to build their high-speed Internet infrastructure without requiring them to open their networks to competitors. The F.C.C. has said the best way to expand deployment is to give the big companies incentive to invest in new networks.
The appellate court, however, found that cable broadband service providers were in part providing "telecommunications services," a definition that could subject them to the greater obligations of "common carriers" under federal law.
October 6, 2003
Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage
The end game, perhaps only 15-25 years in the future for auto makers...to take "automobiles out of the environmental debate altogether" suggests that petroleum will NOT be the critical commodity in the US as it is today. Instead, other countries may become dependent on petroleum as we begin to wean ourselves off it, except perhaps as the raw material for plastics.
Whole industries will suffer significant dislocations and it will require a few decades to accommodate this huge change.
All things considered, this is good news. As long as my grandchildren have eay acces to a hydrogen station!
Whole industries will suffer significant dislocations and it will require a few decades to accommodate this huge change.
All things considered, this is good news. As long as my grandchildren have eay acces to a hydrogen station!
Burlington Free Press - Top Stories
Vermont still needs an 'upstream' policy for wind farms. Should wind farms be encouraged or not. Case-by- case review by the PSB is not the best way to proceed. If it is deemed the best way, then Vermont should consider approving cell towers in thee same fashion.
AP Analysis: Israel's strike on Syria threatens to widen Israel-Palestinian conflict
Dangerous ground here, but terrorists cannot be allowed any sanctuary. Let's hope their intelligence is accurate.
White House to Overhaul Iraq and Afghan Missions
This signals frustration with the way things are going and while creating a tighter control structure in the White House, this move also increase the political exposure of President Bush if Iraq progress is slow or failure ensues.
October 5, 2003
Christopher Lydon Interviews... :
Here's a quote (from Jay Rosen, head of Journalism school at New York University) about The Blog Effect:
"Blogs are undoing the system for generating authority and therefore credibility of news providers that's been accumulating for well over 100 years. And the reason is that the mass audience is slowly, slowly disappearing. And the one-to-many broadcasting model of communications--where I have the news and I send it out to everybody out there who's just waiting to get it--doesn't describe the world anymore. And so people who have a better description of the world are picking up the tools of journalism and doing it. It's small. Its significance is not clear. But it's a potentially transforming development... I like [it] when things get shaken up, and when people don't know what journalism is and they have to rediscover it. So in that sense I'm very optimistic."
"Blogs are undoing the system for generating authority and therefore credibility of news providers that's been accumulating for well over 100 years. And the reason is that the mass audience is slowly, slowly disappearing. And the one-to-many broadcasting model of communications--where I have the news and I send it out to everybody out there who's just waiting to get it--doesn't describe the world anymore. And so people who have a better description of the world are picking up the tools of journalism and doing it. It's small. Its significance is not clear. But it's a potentially transforming development... I like [it] when things get shaken up, and when people don't know what journalism is and they have to rediscover it. So in that sense I'm very optimistic."
The Real Patriot Act
Mr. Friedman proposes a $1.00/gallon gasoline tax as a way to reduce the revenue to Saudi Arabia and other OPEC countries. Interesting idea, but the American people would have Mr. Bush's head. Easy for a journalist to propose a theoretical idea because he world not have to deal with the fallout. Instead he could write about it.
Besides. having just bought a new RV, I'm not interested in adding 7-8 cents per mile to my recreation travel.
Any other ideas, Thomas, perhaps a BTU tax, not only on gasoline but all forms of energy?
d-
Besides. having just bought a new RV, I'm not interested in adding 7-8 cents per mile to my recreation travel.
Any other ideas, Thomas, perhaps a BTU tax, not only on gasoline but all forms of energy?
d-
Israeli Warplanes Bomb Target Deep Inside Syrian Territory
The world community will likely be aghast at this response by Israel to the recent Haifa suicide bombing. Nevertheless, Israel is engaging in a very similar action to the preemptive strike policy of the United States.
Terrorists must be attacked and destroyed. I have no viable input from anywhere suggesting a reasonable and immediate alternative to stopping terrorists.
Terrorists must be attacked and destroyed. I have no viable input from anywhere suggesting a reasonable and immediate alternative to stopping terrorists.
October 1, 2003
Spy: Writing: Weblogging (Spiked)
"Nico Macdonald puts Weblogging in the context of the history of online publishing, explaining its novelty and value, and indicating where it needs to innovate. He concludes with a proposal encouraging publishers to properly embrace the Weblogging model."
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