Comment Re:The fines are a pittance (Score 1) 138
As commented above, see paragraph 39 in the report:
39. First, to ensure that a proposed forfeiture is not treated as simply a cost of doing business,
As commented above, see paragraph 39 in the report:
39. First, to ensure that a proposed forfeiture is not treated as simply a cost of doing business,
As you'll see from paragraph 39 in the report, the FCC adjusted the base forfeiture of $182,000 after considering, amongst other things, the annual sales of M.C.Dean:
39. First, to ensure that a proposed forfeiture is not treated as simply a cost of doing business, the Commission has determined that large or highly profitable companies should be subject to proposed forfeitures that are substantially above the base forfeiture amount.116 Industry publications state that M.C. Dean had over $700 million in sales in 2013 and list M.C. Dean as one of the largest electrical contractors in the county.117 Thus, to ensure that the forfeiture is an effective deterrent for M.C. Dean as well as to protect the interests of consumers, an upward forfeiture adjustment based on M.C. Dean’s relative ability to pay is justified.
This was roughly my thinking. From the article:
“The High Court agreed with us that Government acted unlawfully. It is vitally important that fairness for songwriters, composers and performers is written into the law,” UK Music CEO Jo Dipple commented on the ruling.
The moral argument being made here is fairness for the artists/composers/authors. They can't benefit after their death so such an argument does raise the question of why the copyright term extends so far beyond their death: 70 or 90 years is excessive. Extending a single generation - 25 years - after death seems sufficiently respectful recognition of the work done.
FTA
It might well be that extraterrestrial intelligence is already somewhere in our data. Re-interpreting certain star systems as macroscopic living things is one example.
I'd be interested to hear arguments that stars are not intelligent life forms.
The screenshot in that first link (http://www.wired.com/2014/09/exercism/) appears to be a screenful of SML... Respect to whoever sourced that picture!
Now, thanks to Google, bad news is no news! But, as no news is good news, we could conclude that bad news is good news. Is this good, bad or newsworthy?
It's inevitable that the vehicle intranet will have a connection to the internet. Time to regulate the use of electronic systems for critical vehicle functions.
FTA:
Arizona Public is required to buy solar power from customers with rooftop panels, and the commission agreed with its argument that the policy unfairly shifts some of the utility’s costs to people without panels.
Come on, comrades, everyone should be supporting one power generation collective. What Arizona Public needs is some solidarity and loyalty from you people of the state. We don't want any individuals breaking away and spending money on fancy solar panels to make their own electricity.
I find it ironic that an American company is wheeling out communist-like arguments to protect their business.
The article is slightly confusing because, in some places, it cites the maximum speed in testing during development (where the world records are set) but appears to be ranking in order of maximum speed in service. In some cases the significance of the cited speed is not clear, e.g. "TGV Réseau 236 mph capability".
World record speeds are interesting but not particularly useful for passengers. The TGV that holds the world speed record for a conventional (wheeled) train operated under conditions that do not occur in normal use: it had larger wheels fitted and the overhead catenary had a higher voltage and a higher tension (to ensure that waves resulting from displacement due to the pantograph travelled faster than the train). An impressive feat, all the same.
FTFY:
Actually, the University of California is 'owed' money.
Well, it was entertaining to see Darwinism in action.
There is no constitutional right to privacy, nor to work.
If you say so.
Therefore employers, including the government, have a right to know what you post on Facebook.
This is not a valid inference from the previous statement.
How many surrealists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? One to hold the giraffe and one to fill the bathtub with brightly colored power tools.
