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As a member of the Church of FSM, I am insulted. If they are allowed to teach ID in the classroom, then the story of the Flying Spaghetti Monster should be allowed as well. Blessed be his noodly greatness!

The French companies are laughing until they're sued by the raw goods producing companies and told they can't distribute their handbags.

penciling_in writes "The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved the relaxation of the rules for the introduction of new Top-Level Domains — a move that could drastically change the Internet. 'We are opening up a new world and I think this cannot be underestimated,' said Roberto Gaetano, an ICANN board member. The future outcome of this decision was discussed on Slashdot a few days ago. It also seems, based on this post on CircleID from last month, that ICANN was already in preparation mode of mass TLD introductions. The new decision will allow companies to register their brands as generic top-level domain names (TLDs). For instance, Microsoft could apply to have a TLD such as '.msn', Apple apply for '.mac', and Google for '.goog'... The decision was taken unanimously on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the 32nd ICANN Meeting in Paris."

The RIAA threw in the towel, all right, but was only doing it in preparation for throwing a 'sucker punch'. After dropping its 'making available' case, Warner v. Cassin, before Judge Robinson could decide whether to dismiss or not, it was only trying to do an 'end run' (if I may mix my sports metaphors) around the judge's deciding the motion and freezing discovery. It immediately, and secretly, filed a new case against the family, calling this one 'Warner v. Does 1-4'. In their papers the lawyers 'forgot to mention' that the new case was 'related'. As a result, Does 1-4 was assigned to another judge, who knew nothing about the old case. The RIAA lawyers also may have forgotten that they couldn't bring any more cases over this same claim, since they'd already dismissed it twice before. Not to worry, NYCL wrote letters to both judges, reminding them of what the RIAA lawyers had forgotten.
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2008/06/riaa-files-new-action-against-cassin.html

Stony Stevenson writes "Microsoft has filed 21 lawsuits in US Federal courts as part of an effort to stop those who continually pirate its software. The suits span 14 states and target people and businesses that have allegedly sold pirated copies of Microsoft software. Eight of the suits target companies that Microsoft refers to as 'repeat offender software pirates.' The eight firms had already been sued by Microsoft for selling counterfeit software."

And a shutdown, while incovenient, is not a catastrophe. In fact, it speaks well for the plant's safety that it did automatically shut down when faced with bad data.

Slashdot readers may recall the story this week about the 15 year old who was under threat of prosecution for calling Scientology a cult in the recent demonstration. The CPS have decided ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7416425.stm ) that there is no case to answer and issued new guidance to the City of London police clarifying when they can use their public order powers.

From the article:
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesman said: "In consultation with the City of London Police, we were asked whether the sign was abusive or insulting.
"Our advice is that it is not abusive or insulting and there is no offensiveness (as opposed to criticism), neither in the idea expressed nor in the mode of expression."
A spokeswoman for the City of London Police said: "The CPS review of the case includes advice on what action or behaviour at a demonstration might be considered to be 'threatening, abusive or insulting.
"The force's policing of future demonstrations will reflect this advice."

Barence writes "A team of experienced IT journalists have discovered just how ambiguous and poorly written today's GSCE ICT exams are — by taking one themselves. Five members of PC Pro's editorial team sat the exam — intended for 16 year-olds — and found some of the questions downright baffling. PC Pro has also bravely/cruelly outed the embarrassed performers in a separate blog post, so if even these professionals are struggling to meet the stringent (and sometimes downright incorrect) mark schemes it's no wonder many pupils are also having difficulties."
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2008/05/23/whos-top-of-the-pc-pro-class/

An French user asked for a refund after buying a ASUS computer that came with Windows XP and other softwares pre-installed. ASUS tried to apply a procedure which cost more money to the consumer that they will give back ... The court ruled in favor of the user who received back 130 Euro (~200 $) for the softwares. Here is the ruling (PDF, French). In France, this is the fourth victory for refund during last two years, and many persons are now starting procedures (in French). Two French associations (AFUL and April) published a press release on this victory the same day a important hearing happened.
http://racketiciel.info/

Tbex writes "Is this not a serious digital free speech issue?: 'In what some observers claim is a shocking violation of the First Amendment, a California court has ordered the domain name of the most prominent voice for homeowners to be turned over to the biggest homeowner association law firm, Peters and Freedman. ... Despite admitting in her ruling that "plaintiff's motives in seeking the domain name are likely mixed; i.e., that plaintiff is likely motivated in part by a desire to close down the web site", Jane D. Myers , a lawyer employed as Commissioner by the Orange County Superior Court, ordered the web site to be turned over to them. As the website gets over 100,000 hits a day (almost 3 million a month)and is recognized by search engines such as Google as being the number one wesbite devoted to homeowner associations, the commissioner's ruling silences this independent voice. As Congress grapples with ways to address the crisis which has shaken the very foundations of the American financial system, many argue that Congress needs to affirm — with legislation if necessary — the importance of the First Amendment. They say that vital, robust journalism is essential to America. If that vital, robust journalism is stifled in any way — such as the taking of the AHRC.com domain name by powerful corporate interests — crimes and abuses will go unreported. Hence, the ramifications of a decision in a court case in California could be immense. AHRC has had the courage to publish without fear or favor the unblemished truth about lawyers, politicians, judges and others who have been involved in homeowner associations. To kill that voice sends an unmistakeable message to all similar voices that powerful corporate interests will be allowed to prevail — at the expense of the country.'"
http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/news/sub/article/action/ShowMedia/id/4395

Ravi Garla, ACLU of No. Calif. writes "Think about when your teacher confiscated and read that note you passed in class (hopefully not too far in your past). Enter cell phones. Imagine yourself in class again, but this time the teacher confiscates your phone and reads all the notes, pictures, and videos you've created or passed, even outside of class, for the last year?

A teacher in a California school did something just like that. However, in response to a March letter from the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC), the Linden Unified School District has now agreed not to read private text messages stored on students' cell phones unless there is good reason to believe that the search will show that a law or school rule was violated. The District's new policy also limits the scope of the search to the alleged infraction leading to the seizure of a cell phone.

The revised policy stems from an incident involving Justin Tomek, a senior at Linden High School. Justin's cell phone was confiscated by a teacher after he was caught talking on it to his mother on October 25, 2007. Although school officials had no reason to believe that Justin was violating any other school rule, they still accessed and read approximately three weeks worth of text messages, many of which contained personal communications with others, including messages to and from his mother.

"Students' cell phones are like a diary of their daily lives, including some of their most personal thoughts and feelings expressed in the text messages stored on a cell phone," said ACLU-NC staff attorney Ann Brick. "School officials should only be allowed to search a student's cell phone in strict accordance with the law."

On March 3, the ACLU-NC wrote to the School District on behalf of Justin Tomek and his family, explaining that the District's policy concerning cell phone searches violated the Fourth Amendment and the California Constitution. The ACLU asked the District to revise the policy to conform to constitutional requirements and instruct school personnel that no student's cell phone may be searched other than in compliance with the revised policy. The School Board adopted the policy on Wednesday, April 16.

"We applaud the Linden Unified School District for revising its policy to reflect state and federal law," said ACLU-NC staff attorney Nicole Ozer. "We hope that other school districts will follow their example in respecting the privacy rights of students."

To read a copy of the ACLU letter visit http://www.aclunc.org/docs/youth/3-03-08_aclu_ltr_to_linden_school_district.pdf (includes the legal arguments behind student privacy in this realm)"
http://www.aclunc.org/news/press_releases/school_district_agrees_to_protect_students_privacy.shtml

Lxy writes "After Xiotech purchased Seagate's Advanced Storage Architecture division, rumors circulated around what they were planning to do with their next-generation SAN. Today at Storage Network World, Xiotech answered the question. The result is quite impressive, a SAN that can practically heal itself, as well as prevent common failures. There's already hype in the media, with much more to come. The official announcement is on Xiotech's site."

DragonFire1024 writes "Wikinews.org — Wikinews has learned that The Church of Scientology has warned the documents leaking site Wikileaks.org that they are in violation of United States copyright laws after they published several documents related to the Church. Wikileaks has no intentions of complying, and states that in response, they intend to publish thousands of Scientology documents next week.
In the letter to Wikileaks, lawyers for the Church's Religious Technology Center (RTC), which oversees the use of the their logos, writings and religious content, states that the site "placed RTC's Advanced Technology works on Wikileaks.org's website without the authorization" of the Church.
"I have a good faith belief, and in fact know for certain, that posting copies of these works through your system was not authorized by my client, any agent of my client, or the law. Please be advised that your customer's action in this regard violates United States copyright law. Accordingly, we ask for your help in removing these works immediately from your service," states the letter from Ava Paquette of Moxon & Kobrin which was published by Wikileaks.
"Wikileaks will not comply with legally abusive requests from Scientology any more than Wikileaks has complied with similar demands from Swiss banks, Russian off-shore stem cell centers, former African Kleptocrats, or the Pentagon. Wikileaks will remain a place where people of the world may safely expose injustice and corruption," stated Wikileaks in a statement on their website.
Wikileaks further states that "in response to the attempted suppression, Wikileaks will release several thousand pages of Scientology material next week.""
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology_warns_Wikileaks_over_documents

justice4claire writes "Our daughter Claire was expelled from Immaculata Academy in Hamburg NY after she was reported to the office for her role in some remarks made on Facebook in a conversation with 2 classmates who were unhappy with another classmate. We asked for a conference with the Principal to discuss some of the context of the remarks. She avoided meeting with us from Monday until Thursday when she called to tell us we had until Monday to change our attitude. Instead we asked to meet in an hour and within 20 minutes or so of meeting, Claire was expelled because she and we had an "unsupportive attitude." Here is what Claire said that was used to give her 3 days of In School Suspension : "Wow! That's f****** lame. the stupid b**** should learn to stick up for herself as opposed to sending her family members after people who have the nerve to make fun of her. It's her only fault for being such a joke." Bowdlerized for your protection by the Principal of IA."
http://myimmaculataacademy.com/

eldavojohn writes "While we made light of it before, the MIT Review is taking a serious look at China's plans to prevent rain over their open 91,000 seat arena for The Olympics. From the article: 'China's national weather-engineering program is also the world's largest, with approximately 1,500 weather modification professionals directing 30 aircraft and their crews, as well as 37,000 part-time workers — mostly peasant farmers — who are on call to blast away at clouds with 7,113 anti-aircraft guns and 4,991 rocket launchers.' They plan on demonstrating their ability to control the weather to the rest of the world, and expanding on their abilities in the future."