There was a report on slashdot today that I was reading that talked about an ACLU inquest into the pricing structures that law enforcement agencies get from wireless carriers. Basically, the carriers are making money by releasing customer usage records, call logs, emails, texts, pictures, yadda yadda yadda, and they don't want this to stop. Quite a few law enforcement agencies are doing this carte blanche. I can't find the slashdot article at this time, but here is one from msnbc's tech group:
I don't know how many of you live in a small town, or have lived in a small town, but brick and mortar stores are the lifeblood of a small town. They provide more benefits than just a place to shop, they provide community and a return of spending to the area. As an example, I'll use a small town near my hometown, Malone, NY. Look it up. About 20 or so years ago, it was a booming town, filled with life and brick and mortar stores. Now, with the advent of Walmart and other such stores, the downtown area is dead. Almost no open stores besides the larger stores that sell goods like a general store...everything else has shut down because people have gone to Walmart. How does that help an area that is dependent upon small business to stay afloat? When you buy local, you are contributing to local economies in more ways than just purchasing a good. You are supporting local schools, libraries, and other retail businesses, and places like restaurants and such. I have no problem with people making money, but not all of us can afford to live in a city and have access to good paying jobs.
That being said, and now that its out of my system, I do have a problem with business banning this practice/app. We have a wonderful bookstore the next town over that is thriving because it has managed to change its practices to fit the current era. They hold a story-time for kids, where children come in and listen to a store employee read them a story from a large picture book. They support local authors and do book signings, readings, and have branched out into art supplies and other specialty goods...They have connected with their customers and reaped the benefits. Their customers might have found a better deal on amazon for their book, but they know they will get superior customer service from this local shop.
This seems to be a recurring theme within the tech industry...does anyone know if this was ever an issue, or if it is an issue, in other industries like the music (i.e. the resale of purchased musical instruments) or the furniture (resale of purchased furniture, either from a big box store, mom/pop outfit, or national chain/brand) or any other industry that isn't necessarily tech?
I worked for my college's info systems tech desk...the school had the students pay a technology fee, which covered their use of the entire network, as well as basic troubleshooting. part of that technology fee was the email system. Students were not mandated to pay the fee, but without it, they would miss out on the vast majority of teacher-sent emails and college sponsored emails.
most colleges that I know of will not send emails out to a private address unless required to do so by law or some other special circumstance.
Anyone want to join the SRUPBRTWR? The Society to Replace Unethical Politicians by Replacing Them With Robots? Robots couldn't do a worse job than the idiots in the capitol are...With the obvious exception of people like Bernie Sanders and others that Mike has praised, I can't find any reason that robots would be worse for American than those currently in power...
I just posted this on facebook for a friend linking this video. The prosecutors are clearly stupid in this case, as the woman was allowed to do what she was doing by a consent law. In NYS, there is a 1-party consent law, that is to say that only one party involved in a situation needs to consent for recording of any kind to be allowed. Some states have 2-party consent laws, where it is sometimes expanded to include x-size-party, but basically in that version, both included parties have to agree for recording to be legal.
I might have this out of order, or incorrect information, but this is how it was explained by the judge at the court system where I interned...
I'm sure it has been mentioned already, but who is to say that one of the computers that was sent the kill command is not part of some system critical piece of machinery, say a control computer for a nuclear reactor, or a computer that checks to see if the engines on a nuclear missile are non-operating? I'm half sure that the FBI thought of this, but we have definitely seen other cases of the govt doing things that have consequences beyond what they thing is "possible."
Many recent games are stunning in terms of the things they represent. Little Big Planet is unique in the free flow of challenges requiring the player to build his, or her, own solution regardless of outside influences.
Art is by its very nature transient to a specific population, and cannot really be defined clearly, since it is truly in the eye of the beholder.
Its the same old "confusion"
There was a report on slashdot today that I was reading that talked about an ACLU inquest into the pricing structures that law enforcement agencies get from wireless carriers. Basically, the carriers are making money by releasing customer usage records, call logs, emails, texts, pictures, yadda yadda yadda, and they don't want this to stop. Quite a few law enforcement agencies are doing this carte blanche. I can't find the slashdot article at this time, but here is one from msnbc's tech group:
http://www.technolog.msnbc.msn.com/technology/gadgetbox/aclu-police-track-cellphones-too-6 25114
Once again, money trumps responsibility...
Small Town Business
I don't know how many of you live in a small town, or have lived in a small town, but brick and mortar stores are the lifeblood of a small town. They provide more benefits than just a place to shop, they provide community and a return of spending to the area. As an example, I'll use a small town near my hometown, Malone, NY. Look it up. About 20 or so years ago, it was a booming town, filled with life and brick and mortar stores. Now, with the advent of Walmart and other such stores, the downtown area is dead. Almost no open stores besides the larger stores that sell goods like a general store...everything else has shut down because people have gone to Walmart. How does that help an area that is dependent upon small business to stay afloat? When you buy local, you are contributing to local economies in more ways than just purchasing a good. You are supporting local schools, libraries, and other retail businesses, and places like restaurants and such. I have no problem with people making money, but not all of us can afford to live in a city and have access to good paying jobs.
That being said, and now that its out of my system, I do have a problem with business banning this practice/app. We have a wonderful bookstore the next town over that is thriving because it has managed to change its practices to fit the current era. They hold a story-time for kids, where children come in and listen to a store employee read them a story from a large picture book. They support local authors and do book signings, readings, and have branched out into art supplies and other specialty goods...They have connected with their customers and reaped the benefits. Their customers might have found a better deal on amazon for their book, but they know they will get superior customer service from this local shop.
To quote Star Wars
The original quote is:
"So this is how democracy dies: With thunderous applause..."
Today, it is now:
So this is how the internet dies...
Other industries (as Charles Meyer)
This seems to be a recurring theme within the tech industry...does anyone know if this was ever an issue, or if it is an issue, in other industries like the music (i.e. the resale of purchased musical instruments) or the furniture (resale of purchased furniture, either from a big box store, mom/pop outfit, or national chain/brand) or any other industry that isn't necessarily tech?
colleges and email
I worked for my college's info systems tech desk...the school had the students pay a technology fee, which covered their use of the entire network, as well as basic troubleshooting. part of that technology fee was the email system. Students were not mandated to pay the fee, but without it, they would miss out on the vast majority of teacher-sent emails and college sponsored emails.
most colleges that I know of will not send emails out to a private address unless required to do so by law or some other special circumstance.
New Idea (as Charles Meyer)
Anyone want to join the SRUPBRTWR? The Society to Replace Unethical Politicians by Replacing Them With Robots? Robots couldn't do a worse job than the idiots in the capitol are...With the obvious exception of people like Bernie Sanders and others that Mike has praised, I can't find any reason that robots would be worse for American than those currently in power...
Consent laws (as Charles Meyer)
I just posted this on facebook for a friend linking this video. The prosecutors are clearly stupid in this case, as the woman was allowed to do what she was doing by a consent law. In NYS, there is a 1-party consent law, that is to say that only one party involved in a situation needs to consent for recording of any kind to be allowed. Some states have 2-party consent laws, where it is sometimes expanded to include x-size-party, but basically in that version, both included parties have to agree for recording to be legal.
I might have this out of order, or incorrect information, but this is how it was explained by the judge at the court system where I interned...
probably already posted but my time online is short today: (as Charles)
I'm sure it has been mentioned already, but who is to say that one of the computers that was sent the kill command is not part of some system critical piece of machinery, say a control computer for a nuclear reactor, or a computer that checks to see if the engines on a nuclear missile are non-operating? I'm half sure that the FBI thought of this, but we have definitely seen other cases of the govt doing things that have consequences beyond what they thing is "possible."
Art is hard to define, but beautiful in practice (as Charles)
Many recent games are stunning in terms of the things they represent. Little Big Planet is unique in the free flow of challenges requiring the player to build his, or her, own solution regardless of outside influences.
Art is by its very nature transient to a specific population, and cannot really be defined clearly, since it is truly in the eye of the beholder.