__Maad__ - Slashdot User

Canada's Copyright Cops Give Go-Ahead For iPod Tax 230

Posted by Zonk on Thursday July 19, 2007 @07:19PM from the pay-for-your-piper dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Michael Geist reports that the Canada's Copyright Board has given the go-ahead for a new copyright tax on iPods, despite an earlier court decision blocking the fee. The Board apparently ruled that not including iPods would make criminals of millions of Canadians and that the levy could conceivably be applied to cellphones and personal computers. 'If we're going to make P2P legal through a levy system, the system must (1) address both downloading and uploading; (2) consider addressing non-commercial use of content; (3) cover audio and video; and (4) more closely link the copying to those paying the levy. The government has yet to play its hand on this issue, but with the prospect of an unpopular levy and mounting pressure for a Canadian fair use provision, it will have to take a stand sometime soon.'"

Submission + - Rainfall patterns near major cities changed. (go.com)

Submitted by

Ant

on Thursday July 19, 2007 @06:45PM

Ant writes: "This ABC News article (one page print version) reports that two very different studies have found evidence that rainfall patterns near major cities have changed over the last few decades, and not because of greenhouse gases. But the changes have some things in common with the greenhouse effect: Both result from human activities that are having a significant impact on the entire planet. And both demonstrate that we are in for some major changes in the years ahead, many of which will probably catch us by surprise. Seen on Blue's News."

Submission + - Hotels equip mini-fridges with weight sensors (com.com) 1

Submitted by

prostoalex

on Thursday July 19, 2007 @06:17PM

prostoalex writes: "Hotel mini-fridges, known for carrying mini-bottles of various beverages for non-mini-prices, are now getting weight sensors that charge the hotel customer as soon as any item is picked up: "...the fridges are now equipped with motion sensors, the helpful woman at registration told me. That is, if I move a drink to make room for something of my own, it'll charge me. If I accidentally knock something over, it'll charge me. If I put something of my own on top of something, it'll charge me.""

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