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Submission + - Former FCC Chairman suggests going Nuclear on ISP's (benton.org) 2

Submitted by stox
stox writes: "The time is now for the FCC to classify broadband as Title II. Without this step, we are playing fast-and-loose with the most opportunity-creating technology in all of communications history. Without this step, we are guaranteeing an Internet future of toll-booths, gatekeepers and preferential carriage. Without this step, we stifle innovation, put consumers under the thumb of special interests, and pull the props from under the kind of rich civic dialogue that only open and non-discriminatory communications can provide."

Submission + - NASA extends ISS missions to 2024, but is the science worth it? (orlandosentinel.com) 4

Submitted by spineas
spineas writes: The Orlando Sentinel reports that even though the crew aborad the International Space Station has 1,008 man-hours per week available to them, only 50 man-hours per week is actually used on scientific research, the main purpose of the ISS. The recent decision to extend the life of the ISS to 2024 may not be the best use of funds, especially when the money can be put into future projects, such as manned missions to Mars.

Comment Natural Gas (Score 1) 734

by SrLnclt (#46048805) Attached to: Will Electric Cars and Solar Power Make Gasoline and Utilities Obsolete?
We are currently at today's forcasted high temp of 5 deg. F (-21 deg. C) here in the middle of the US, not even taking into effect the 20+ mph wind. I feel sorry for the people trying to use electric heat for homes or businesses on days like today. I wonder how many solar panels I would need at my house today to still have any juice left over to turn on the lights, TV, or a computer.

Submission + - Federal judge rules NSA data collection legal (foxnews.com) 2

Submitted by CheezburgerBrown .
CheezburgerBrown . writes: A federal judge in New York has ruled the National Security Agency's massive data collection program is legal, one week after another federal judge ruled the opposite.

The conflicting rulings increase the likelihood that the challenges could someday end up before the Supreme Court.

The ruling on Friday came from District Judge William H. Pauley III, in the case of the ACLU vs. James Clapper, the director of national intelligence. The judge agreed with the federal government's request to dismiss the court.

copy and pasted from fox news

Submission + - NSA Phone Program Likely Unconstitutional, Federal Judge Rules (huffingtonpost.com) 3

Submitted by schwit1
schwit1 writes: A federal judge ruled Monday that the National Security Agency's phone surveillance program is likely unconstitutional, Politico reports.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon said that the agency's controversial program, first unveiled by former government contractor Edward Snowden earlier this year, appears to violate the Constitution's Fourth Amendment, which states that the "right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."

“I cannot imagine a more ‘indiscriminate’ and ‘arbitrary invasion’ than this systematic and high-tech collection and retention of personal data on virtually every single citizen for purposes of querying it and analyzing it without judicial approval,” Leon wrote in the ruling.

The federal ruling came down after activist Larry Klayman filed a lawsuit in June over the program. The suit claimed that the NSA's surveillance “violates the U.S. Constitution and also federal laws, including, but not limited to, the outrageous breach of privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and the due process rights of American citizens."

Comment Re:Sports, only thing hold me back (Score 1) 261

by SrLnclt (#45705029) Attached to: Streaming and Cord-Cutting Take a Toll On the Pay-TV Industry

If I could get Big Ten Sports and ESPN streamed I would cut the cord today. That is currently the only thing holding me back. My family never watches "live" TV everything is either streamed or DVR'ed for later viewing.

This describes me exactly. I can't stand watching "live" programming. All of the regular shows I watch I couldn't actually tell you what time they air more accurate than "prime time on Monday". Sometimes I can't even remember what network it is on. The DVR and other services handle all of that for me.

I would have cut out cable/satellite years ago if not for sports. Some networks (like Big Ten Network) have online options, but I believe an account with one of their cable/satellite partners is a prerequisite. Others sports like MLB have all the games online if you buy their subscription... except it is blacked out if you can view it on a channel from your local cable provider - or you can wait something like 24 hours (who watches sporting events two days later?). It's sad, because there could be some serious money to be made if the networks and/or sports leagues started offering true streaming options for their content.

Comment Re:the whole concept is messed up (Score 1) 198

by SrLnclt (#45426386) Attached to: SourceForge Appeals To Readers For Help Nixing Bad Ad Actors

When I want to download software, I want that software, not other piece of software that's going to install itself in my browsers and mine my information.

I know computer savvy users who have refused to give Chrome a try precisely because it has been bundled with so many other things over the years.

If your software is bundled with something I am installing, I assume your software is junk unless I already know otherwise. Even if your software is decent (e.g. Chrome), I can decide independently for myself when or if I want to install it.

Submission + - Google wins digital library legal battle

Submitted by mrspoonsi
mrspoonsi writes: BBC Reports: "Google has defeated a legal action mounted to stop it scanning and uploading millions of books. In 2005, the US Authors Guild sued Google alleging that its plans to create a digital library amounted to massive copyright infringement. In its defence, Google said its plans constituted "fair use" because it was only putting excerpts of texts online. US judge Denny Chin has now sided with Google and dismissed the case brought by the Guild."

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