The magical shroud of technology. ..affecting the truth, your rights, your money, your life:
From the article: "For security reasons, Coffey would not go into detail about how effective the wireless devices have been. He would disclose only that the device is another tool tied to the overall Logan Airport security plan. "In a nutshell, some of our anti-terrorist and security tactics are visible to the public and some are not, but this (device) will allow us to find exactly who is traveling through the airport.""
I, for one, am glad I don't know about the effectiveness! I would like to know even less! I think government entities should continue to hide and obfuscate the technology they use to make my life better! I've got more important things to worry about than how technology may be eroding my rights. The less I know, the better!
Okay, enough sarcasm. Jeez-o-pete! The first thing the public should know is the effectiveness of a security tool! And 98%? What does that number mean? If they know who you are, are we somehow safer? If they can't figure out who you are, are we in danger? How much of this uses federal funds?
Thanks for not castigating me. I actually submitted it as an "Ask Slashdot." Honest. I tried to do research too and when I couldn't find anything I decide to submit it under Ask Slashdot. For some reason though, somehow, it got changed to a "Your Rights Online." I couldn't find it for over a week. I thought the editors were holding onto it for some reason.
Absolutely nothing gets said before this hearing happens and then all we get to hear is Sen. Hatch ridiculous comments.
As a note to others, I submitted this last week in an attempt to raise intelligent discussion *before* the hearing, because I was fairly certain there wasn't going to be any *during* the event.
This is one of those times when I hate being right.
Every good club should dedicate part of their time to working on or promoting issues that matter to them. Even if the club is a science club, there are still policies and laws that effect your ability to do research, experiments, projects, etc. Taking a stand on an issue or raising a new issue does three things:
1. It keeps your senators and reps informed (there's strength in numbers) let's them know that you're a group that they speak for. They may even invite you to sit-in on hearings or attend sessions on certain education or computer issues. 2. It's a good lesson in civics that college admission offices take into account. 3. Get involved in your local schoolboard! Most of the district schoolboard reps in my area wanted to see every program but "Readin', Writin' and 'Rhythmatic" dissolved to save tax dollars for the more important programs like football and baseball.
I would make it the responsibility of one member, maybe two, perhaps the club's president or secretary to find an issue or two that the other members can write letters (and email) directly to senators and reps about.
I would also suggest setting aside one meeting to pick an issue that you're going to fight for and then make a plan to write letters, make a website, conduct polls, and then see how computer science can fit into your gameplan. From then on, make the issue a background thing as you do your regular projects, but do a little work on it every week.
This doesn't have to be a national thing either. Again, making your voices heard at the state level or local schoolboard level is also extremely important - affecting change at that level direcly impacts you, your classmates, the teachers who support you, and also looks good to college admission offices.
Others haven't been so lucky. Carla Tomino, a secretary at Northwestern University, said she was fired last summer for violating a policy prohibiting personal use of company equipment by storing 2,000 MP3 files on her computer.
She was a secretary. How "severe" your music sharing indiscretion is from the company standpoint (nevermind RIAA for a moment) depends on where you are. If you rank high in the IT department, or you're a respected employee, chances are you're too valuable to fire for music sharing. You'll find someway around the policy, or you'll get a "heads-up" from a high-up friend before you get busted (if you get busted at all).
As upset as RIAA is - the crackdown will never be as severe as they want it. They will always have to accept some degree of higher-ups enjoying MP#'s while they work. But knowing that they think networking is illegal, they probably too thick-headed to accept anything that challenges their beliefs.
Think about it. Play Satation, Play Station 2, Home Station or Station. It's the next logical tech and marketing step.
Did you know that a few years ago, the playstation was the third most purchased entertainment appliance, right after TV/VCR? It was above stereo. For guys AND GIRLS in the 18-30+ group.
With all of the peripherals able to be readily added to the PS2, they will try a few out, then they will launch the "Home Station or Station:
and with the SONY Name, (and similarity to the old name) it will generate more trust and make more sense in the living room or den then anything MS will put out - ever. (Unless they merge. Which will one day happen. I swear.)
Changing Econonomies demand Changing Unions
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It's not just the tech sector! If anyone gets a chance they should go see "Live Nude Girls Unite" it's this awesome documentary about how a grad student working striptease organized the dancers against unfair and _dangerous_ practices.
If it plays in your area (art houses, schools) GO SEE IT!
East Coast/West Coast thing?
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Why does it seem like getting DSL service to the average person on the West Coast is much more difficult than getting a reliable DSL connection on the East Coast. I know Verizon customers in New York frequently have problems, but when I was in Philly and now in Pittsburgh, my friends and I had very reliable DSL connections. The only problems we had were with confised billing departments and antiquated customer service systems - but that's another story.
Is it the fact that Verizon has such a strangle-hold on the DSL market out here? Can they squash out competition or problems quickly? Are end users the only people not paying them? Are they too afraid to drop providers who won't pay them due to the class-action lawsuit (check out: http://www.ihatethephonecompany.com)
that's trying to be waged against them? Someone please elaborate.
I think these guys should find supporters to explain to the prosecution and the police just what happened. These students need someone on campus with enough clout to be able to get the cops (and the prosecuter remember) to sit down and listen to reason. The problem with this is that once police officers get into a bad situation they never want to admit that they made a mistake. They stay behind their actions and dig deeper. Maybe these guys should simply call the ACLU and get ready to sue.
Anyone from Kent State want to give us an update as this unfolds? This is insane.
I hope posters are using the free link to actually read the article before firing off their posts.
Call me foolish, but I am not as upset after reading about the ruling of the judge. By ruling that identifying information about users be removed from the logs before they are turned over, he's protecting personal privacy and obeying the FOI Act.
When this father's crusade is said and done, I belive he's going to find nothing that justifies his censorware. In fact, he's probably going to create another problem. He's going to find some consistant evening or early morning "dirty" surfing going on - there's going to be a scandal over which faculty member or administrator (or stupid sysadmin who forgot to remove that from the logs) visits the sites and the censorware will be forgotten or the shouts of "family values!"
Someone else will step forward with information about how screwed up filtering software is (not only ethically, but even under it's own standards, by blocking political or inocuous info). And maybe, just maybe, enough people will admit that they too, have surfed for porn, and that maybe this is all ridiculous.
I'm not pushing a transparency critique here, I'm just acknowledging that once some info escapes through a crack in the dam, it's only a matter of time before it breaks and intelligent and relevant decisions can be made.
Besides this is Vermont. We get this guy some Ben and Jerry's and we'll have no problem!
I heard that it takes about 25 years for any new technology to find broad commercial application. It seems to only apply to the 19th and 20th centuries, but it's still kind of spooky. It seems to hold true for things like the camera, movies, tv, color tv.
Now the mouse is one more example: inception in the mid sixties, widespread use in the Mac by the mid eighties
I for one one think this is the coolest theory, but I wonder if it's speeding up. . .
Check out ihatethephonecompany.com and join the class action lawsuit against Bellatlantic. I, like many others was horribly inconvienced by Bell Atlantic when they rolled out their DSL. I lost money by taking half days to wait for modems and technicians that never showed. On top of that, I was down for at least one solid week a month.
The net definitely brings consumers together against corporate power faster and more powerfully than any group of phone lines, newsletters, or fax machines could ever have done.
I'm not saying that the net is going to destroy corporations, I'm just saying that the same consumers who feel like the net is owned by "big businesss" are now realizing that they can own a piece of it too. People are finally feeling empowered against corporations.
I applaud the fool for pointing out the hypocrisy of RIAA and the MPAA, and the absurdity of these lawsuits. Let me explain.
The DMCA is one of the most important bills to hit capital hill in a while. Why isn't it receiving more coverage in the media?
The DMCA is subtly undermining how the general populace understands their constitutional rights. Maybe I'm being a tad dramatic here, but why is it that people are simply throwing up their hands and letting someone else's money solve their problems? Why do they believe that money is the only thing that can solve problems?
I like the fool, but what I'm getting at is the irony underlying the issues in that column. The same invisible hand that entertainment industry is trying to slap or shackle, is the one that also allowed the biggest entertainment mergers in history. Those mergers have limited all televised, thoughtful, discussion on the DMCA, EULA's, and technology in general. Everything is a 20 second soundbite makingthe EFF sound like either a cult of terrorists. In the sixties and seventies, mass media conveyed the idea that computers and mass communication were powerful toold that could change the world for the better. Now, mass media feeds us the impression that these objects/concepts are nothing more than sleek tools, or toys.
What better way to protect your toy chest than to have people forget about it - claim that people don't even have the right to question you about it. For those few fringe people that know it exists and just want to expose it's guts, you can call them criminals and no one will care.
So the hand. The members of MPAA and RIAA used the metaphor of the hand to justify their insanly gigantic unions, but now they're not letting the market do it's job. Corporate rhetoric always sites "the market forces," but the Fool aptly points out that this only happens when it suits them. At all other times - complete ownership of market forces is what's best for business.
Technology is not going to protect you from lawsuits because technology did not cause the lawsuits. Just because it is easier for employees to keep in contact with people from outside the office throughout the day does not mean that your chances of getting sued increase. When it was fax machines and snail mail, wasn't there also still butt-slapping and memo-boards? The situations in which a sexual harrasment or other company damaging claims could occur weren't able to be stopped by technology back then, and they aren't going to be stopped by technology now.
Some of the solutions were already in your question. (1) Hire dependable, hard-working, trust-worthy people. (2) As your company grows don't let them lose touch with each other or resources for help in case something does happen to them. In other words, get a strong, honest, HR director or department, someone your employees feel is on their side and not the company's. (3) Talk to a good consulting firm that handles HR issues like workplace grievances and see what they recommend (4) and since it will happen someday, get a good team of lawyers.
The solution to the issue of unwanted lawsuits lies not in controlling outside contact, but strengthening contacts inside the office.
Hello?! This movie is a must see in Japan. I mean that. Growing up, children in Japanese schools watch this horribly graphic account of one little boys experience during the bombing of Hiroshima. The creator of this movie actually did live through the bombing and this is how he decided to tell his story. A must see! I have a Japanese student who is trying to learn English. This was one fo the few things that we connected on!
The minute I heard DSL was coming to Philly I grabbed it. I went with Bell Atlantic because it was the only game in town last year. I recommend going with them for DSL. I know BA works with Qwest, Covad, and others in supplying me with my service, but as far as I'm concerned, they're behind the scenes and BA has the clout and *obligation* to resolve problems with my service, no matter who caused them. BA was offering a service called InfoSpeed DSL and having CS friends who were involved in trial service offers back in college, I knew it would be great. Boy, was I worng. Like any new technology, there are plenty of bugs to work out when it comes time to actually apply it to custmers and business models. From the first time (there were three) they told me the "card is on it's way" to the first day I had more than 48 hours of uninterrupted service was almost 10 weeks. Here are some tactics I used to help me get the great service I now enjoy from BA: 1. as other posters said, communication, communication, communication. Get names, ask for explanations, ask for understanding, make calls to that CO, and always ask for the next level of tech support. You're not stupid, but BA thinks you are. 2. Ask for satisfaction. After 4 months of service, I had been down for so many weekends and 2 or three day stints, I added it all up and asked what they were going to do about it. It added up to 14 days. They gave me a month of totally free service. 3. Accept that DSL, no matter who the provider is, is not going to be perfect, yet. Just by having DSL, you are on the cutting edge of consumers who are connected to the internet. The trials you go through are learning experiences for you and your provider. 4. Since that free month, 5 months ago. Service has never gone down for more than 18 hours and BA knew the answers to my questions when I called. Yes, this is more expensive than cable modem service, but if you can do the setup yourself, you're saving some money. 5. Finally, is all of this unfair? Probably, but go with what makes the most sense to you as a purchaser of these services. Don't support a company just because you think it's a good idea. If they can't deliver the service you need, dump them. Go with a company who can be reliable. If you still want to go with the original provider, switch when they catch up (if they're still around). . .
If anyone saw The News Hour with Jim Lehrer last night, there was an excellent discussion with Harry Wu, a spokesperson for the AFL-CIO, and a spokesperson for Eastman Kodak.
The most heated debate is whether or not "Permanent Normal Trade Relations" status will make human rights (LIKE FREE SPEECH) more of a reality in China and less of a concept. Kodak argued that American companies are the ones whose pay is better, whose benefits are better, whose working conditions are better, and that Chinese workers would love to work at the Chinese based American plants. Wu argued that although conditions are better for those employees, the companies and their workers are still under Chinese law which does not allow strikes, critical government speech, and other basic human rights. The argument continued to the end of the segment.
The truth is that they're both correct. The PNTR will go through. American corporations, for as lousy as the jobs are, are offering better jobs to Chinese laborers. BUT, the Chinese government will continue it's hold on free speech that attacks the government.
Yes, GeoCities may dig some ground in the next few years, and people will say, "Oh look at China opening up." But this will happen only after the Chinese government has put into place monitoring agents and systems (be they obvious or suggestive) that will keep citizenry from expressing critical viewpoint (for more than a few days or hours).
If the controversy over Taiwan doesn't bring us to Nuclear War, over the next few years, China will see its standard of living rise, but many will inaccurately equate that with a rise in the protection of human rights. There is a big difference.
I can't believe the attitude of the gallery of observers (or at least the people quoted). I always wince at robot demonstrations. The display is tightly controlled - not in any way indicative of the enviornemt. What would happen if we changed the quality of the beef? The batter? How well can it adjust cooking time? What if we raised or lowered the grill? On top of all this is the simple fact that this is an incredibly inefficient way to fry a burger or make a pancake. If a restaurant actually purchased this to save money, they had better rethink their business.
It always excites people to see robots with humanoid mobility, and that's fine, but the practicality in terms of worker replacement in this situation is weak at best. It's frustrating to see the article slanted that way. It was just a demo. If you're just tuning in, this link from last week, was fairly interesteing for me.
More Corporationss are offering incentives, not handouts, and there's a big diference. Incentives to own and get connected ARE a win-win situation.
Corporations offer many different ways to get connected. Katz cited the high profile ones, the ones seeking publicity. Many corporations (I work for Harcourt) simply offer computer and connection discounts through their supplier and encourage customers to take advantage of those discounts. The discounts are availible to all employees at all levels.
That does create a win-win situation. The computer supplier gets more customers and first-time users get low monthly payments on top-of-the-line machines. Many of them are also taking advantage of the full and extended warranties offering 24 hour phone support or on-site help and repair.
These incentives (they are not handouts) are the most common way companies aid their employees in getting connected.
Katz is tapping into a larger effort that companies are making to get their employees computer and web savvy and he's damn right in saying that it's a very positive ethical decision. Ethical.
A good deal of thought and research is going into how people translate ideas between languages. This would make one heck of an AI project and could prove very valuable to the web. As far as books on the subject go, I'm thinking of Le Ton Beau de Marot by Douglas Hofstadter.
How deeply were you affected as you did the work that went into Last Chance to See and do you think you will be writing any more books along the lines of either enviornmental awareness or first-hand exploration?
I brought this up last week. I'm glad the idea finally got moderated to a place where people can see it. Get involved locally. When we forget that governements have the ability to control corporations we turn our lives over to the corporations.
What about North Carolina? (Score:1) by marshall11 (mw6g@yahoo.com) on Tuesday April 04, @04:05PM EDT (#386) Everyone is behaving as if the Pinkertons have already won this insane battle. The truly insane thing here is why our state governments support the idea of anonymous reporting on minors by minors! THE STATES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BUYING THIS PROGRAM. They are the consumers whose demand will make it successful or not. For the Pinkertons: "Why do you think North Carolina supports the idea of a society where kids report other kids for being different? Are other states eager to sign onto this gestapo mentality? Let me know which ones so I can be sure not to visit.
Everyone is behaving as if the Pinkertons have already won this insane battle. The truly insane thing here is why our state governments support the idea of anonymous reporting on minors by minors! THE STATES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BUYING THIS PROGRAM. They are the consumers whose demand will make it successful or not.
For the Pinkertons: "Why do you think North Carolina supports the idea of a society where kids report other kids for being different? Are other states eager to sign onto this gestapo mentality?
Let me know which ones so I can be sure not to visit.
The idea of encouraging peers to let counselors know when they think that a classmate or friend might be in trouble (or ready to cause it) is a fine idea. Too often, problems are never reported to the people who may be able to solve them. Granted the problem also lies with administrators and counselors who don't or can't act on that information, (we've all seen and been a part of that situation) but getting kids to talk about concerns is an important step. There are several very good issues here, but one that is important to me is: who is behind this, why have the Pinkertons Services Group (obviously part of the infamous Pinkertons) decided to take up this cause? (NOT MY "OFFICIAL QUESTION!) Why did _we_ wait until it was white kids killing other kids? Is this as big of a problem as it seems like? I once had a professor argue (this may even be an established theory in social science) that "the news" reports things that are rare or uncommon. That's why it's news. Consequently, the more you hear about something (up to a point) the more rare it is. Anyway, getting back to the Pinkertons, I see three problems: 1. Once again we're seeing public (and yes, private)institutions of learning turning to the private sector for solutions to supposed "problems." If you don't know where this is headed already, think about Utah's recent measure to reduce or kill funding for libraries that don't use filtering software. North Carolina sees different, "at-risk" kids as the problem and is calling on Pinkerton to provide the solution. Is the private sector the place to go when human rights are an issue, perhaps even, at stake? The Pinkertons first interest is self-interest - not the public interest. 2. How will North Carolina get it's schools to fall in line with Pinkerton's WAVE program? Are we looking (once again) at public funds being dangled like a carrot? Why can't schools implement their own programs? Why can't NC give funds to promote local action? Charter schools work similarly - public funds, but with a private-sector mentality on results. 3. I think the history of the Pinkertons speaks poorly on it's ability to serve the public good. As citizens of America protected their lively-hood by forming unions and organizing to shut down factories and industries that were cruel or unfair, the Pinkertons were hired by the owners to break picketlines, re-open factories, protect private-interests. My official questions is, "How can the Pinkertons solve the problem of violence in schools, better than the schools and communities themselves?"
Slashdot Mirror
The magical shroud of technology. . .affecting the truth, your rights, your money, your life:
From the article: "For security reasons, Coffey would not go into detail about how effective the wireless devices have been. He would disclose only that the device is another tool tied to the overall Logan Airport security plan. "In a nutshell, some of our anti-terrorist and security tactics are visible to the public and some are not, but this (device) will allow us to find exactly who is traveling through the airport.""
I, for one, am glad I don't know about the effectiveness! I would like to know even less! I think government entities should continue to hide and obfuscate the technology they use to make my life better! I've got more important things to worry about than how technology may be eroding my rights. The less I know, the better!
Okay, enough sarcasm. Jeez-o-pete! The first thing the public should know is the effectiveness of a security tool! And 98%? What does that number mean? If they know who you are, are we somehow safer? If they can't figure out who you are, are we in danger? How much of this uses federal funds?
Check out the caedefensefund.org
Thanks for not castigating me. I actually submitted it as an "Ask Slashdot." Honest. I tried to do research too and when I couldn't find anything I decide to submit it under Ask Slashdot. For some reason though, somehow, it got changed to a "Your Rights Online." I couldn't find it for over a week. I thought the editors were holding onto it for some reason.
Absolutely nothing gets said before this hearing happens and then all we get to hear is Sen. Hatch ridiculous comments.
As a note to others, I submitted this last week in an attempt to raise intelligent discussion *before* the hearing, because I was fairly certain there wasn't going to be any *during* the event.
This is one of those times when I hate being right.
Every good club should dedicate part of their time to working on or promoting issues that matter to them. Even if the club is a science club, there are still policies and laws that effect your ability to do research, experiments, projects, etc. Taking a stand on an issue or raising a new issue does three things:
1. It keeps your senators and reps informed (there's strength in numbers) let's them know that you're a group that they speak for. They may even invite you to sit-in on hearings or attend sessions on certain education or computer issues.
2. It's a good lesson in civics that college admission offices take into account.
3. Get involved in your local schoolboard! Most of the district schoolboard reps in my area wanted to see every program but "Readin', Writin' and 'Rhythmatic" dissolved to save tax dollars for the more important programs like football and baseball.
I would make it the responsibility of one member, maybe two, perhaps the club's president or secretary to find an issue or two that the other members can write letters (and email) directly to senators and reps about.
I would also suggest setting aside one meeting to pick an issue that you're going to fight for and then make a plan to write letters, make a website, conduct polls, and then see how computer science can fit into your gameplan. From then on, make the issue a background thing as you do your regular projects, but do a little work on it every week.
This doesn't have to be a national thing either. Again, making your voices heard at the state level or local schoolboard level is also extremely important - affecting change at that level direcly impacts you, your classmates, the teachers who support you, and also looks good to college admission offices.
Others haven't been so lucky. Carla Tomino, a secretary at Northwestern University, said she was fired last summer for violating a policy prohibiting personal use of company equipment by
storing 2,000 MP3 files on her computer.
She was a secretary. How "severe" your music sharing indiscretion is from the company standpoint (nevermind RIAA for a moment) depends on where you are. If you rank high in the IT department, or you're a respected employee, chances are you're too valuable to fire for music sharing. You'll find someway around the policy, or you'll get a "heads-up" from a high-up friend before you get busted (if you get busted at all).
As upset as RIAA is - the crackdown will never be as severe as they want it. They will always have to accept some degree of higher-ups enjoying MP#'s while they work. But knowing that they think networking is illegal, they probably too thick-headed to accept anything that challenges their beliefs.
Think about it. Play Satation, Play Station 2, Home Station or Station. It's the next logical tech and marketing step.
Did you know that a few years ago, the playstation was the third most purchased entertainment appliance, right after TV/VCR? It was above stereo. For guys AND GIRLS in the 18-30+ group.
With all of the peripherals able to be readily added to the PS2, they will try a few out, then they will launch the "Home Station or Station: and with the SONY Name, (and similarity to the old name) it will generate more trust and make more sense in the living room or den then anything MS will put out - ever. (Unless they merge. Which will one day happen. I swear.)
It's not just the tech sector! If anyone gets a chance they should go see "Live Nude Girls Unite" it's this awesome documentary about how a grad student working striptease organized the dancers against unfair and _dangerous_ practices.
If it plays in your area (art houses, schools) GO SEE IT!
Why does it seem like getting DSL service to the average person on the West Coast is much more difficult than getting a reliable DSL connection on the East Coast. I know Verizon customers in New York frequently have problems, but when I was in Philly and now in Pittsburgh, my friends and I had very reliable DSL connections. The only problems we had were with confised billing departments and antiquated customer service systems - but that's another story.
Is it the fact that Verizon has such a strangle-hold on the DSL market out here? Can they squash out competition or problems quickly? Are end users the only people not paying them? Are they too afraid to drop providers who won't pay them due to the class-action lawsuit (check out: http://www.ihatethephonecompany.com) that's trying to be waged against them? Someone please elaborate.
I think these guys should find supporters to explain to the prosecution and the police just what happened. These students need someone on campus with enough clout to be able to get the cops (and the prosecuter remember) to sit down and listen to reason. The problem with this is that once police officers get into a bad situation they never want to admit that they made a mistake. They stay behind their actions and dig deeper. Maybe these guys should simply call the ACLU and get ready to sue.
Anyone from Kent State want to give us an update as this unfolds? This is insane.
I hope posters are using the free link to actually read the article before firing off their posts.
Call me foolish, but I am not as upset after reading about the ruling of the judge. By ruling that identifying information about users be removed from the logs before they are turned over, he's protecting personal privacy and obeying the FOI Act.
When this father's crusade is said and done, I belive he's going to find nothing that justifies his censorware. In fact, he's probably going to create another problem. He's going to find some consistant evening or early morning "dirty" surfing going on - there's going to be a scandal over which faculty member or administrator (or stupid sysadmin who forgot to remove that from the logs) visits the sites and the censorware will be forgotten or the shouts of "family values!"
Someone else will step forward with information about how screwed up filtering software is (not only ethically, but even under it's own standards, by blocking political or inocuous info). And maybe, just maybe, enough people will admit that they too, have surfed for porn, and that maybe this is all ridiculous.
I'm not pushing a transparency critique here, I'm just acknowledging that once some info escapes through a crack in the dam, it's only a matter of time before it breaks and intelligent and relevant decisions can be made.
Besides this is Vermont. We get this guy some Ben and Jerry's and we'll have no problem!
I heard that it takes about 25 years for any new technology to find broad commercial application. It seems to only apply to the 19th and 20th centuries, but it's still kind of spooky. It seems to hold true for things like the camera, movies, tv, color tv.
Now the mouse is one more example: inception in the mid sixties, widespread use in the Mac by the mid eighties
I for one one think this is the coolest theory, but I wonder if it's speeding up. . .
Check out ihatethephonecompany.com and join the class action lawsuit against Bellatlantic. I, like many others was horribly inconvienced by Bell Atlantic when they rolled out their DSL. I lost money by taking half days to wait for modems and technicians that never showed. On top of that, I was down for at least one solid week a month.
The net definitely brings consumers together against corporate power faster and more powerfully than any group of phone lines, newsletters, or fax machines could ever have done.
I'm not saying that the net is going to destroy corporations, I'm just saying that the same consumers who feel like the net is owned by "big businesss" are now realizing that they can own a piece of it too. People are finally feeling empowered against corporations.
Just in time, I say
I applaud the fool for pointing out the hypocrisy of RIAA and the MPAA, and the absurdity of these lawsuits. Let me explain.
The DMCA is one of the most important bills to hit capital hill in a while. Why isn't it receiving more coverage in the media?
The DMCA is subtly undermining how the general populace understands their constitutional rights. Maybe I'm being a tad dramatic here, but why is it that people are simply throwing up their hands and letting someone else's money solve their problems? Why do they believe that money is the only thing that can solve problems?
I like the fool, but what I'm getting at is the irony underlying the issues in that column. The same invisible hand that entertainment industry is trying to slap or shackle, is the one that also allowed the biggest entertainment mergers in history. Those mergers have limited all televised, thoughtful, discussion on the DMCA, EULA's, and technology in general. Everything is a 20 second soundbite makingthe EFF sound like either a cult of terrorists. In the sixties and seventies, mass media conveyed the idea that computers and mass communication were powerful toold that could change the world for the better. Now, mass media feeds us the impression that these objects/concepts are nothing more than sleek tools, or toys.
What better way to protect your toy chest than to have people forget about it - claim that people don't even have the right to question you about it. For those few fringe people that know it exists and just want to expose it's guts, you can call them criminals and no one will care.
So the hand. The members of MPAA and RIAA used the metaphor of the hand to justify their insanly gigantic unions, but now they're not letting the market do it's job. Corporate rhetoric always sites "the market forces," but the Fool aptly points out that this only happens when it suits them. At all other times - complete ownership of market forces is what's best for business.
Technology is not going to protect you from lawsuits because technology did not cause the lawsuits. Just because it is easier for employees to keep in contact with people from outside the office throughout the day does not mean that your chances of getting sued increase. When it was fax machines and snail mail, wasn't there also still butt-slapping and memo-boards? The situations in which a sexual harrasment or other company damaging claims could occur weren't able to be stopped by technology back then, and they aren't going to be stopped by technology now.
Some of the solutions were already in your question. (1) Hire dependable, hard-working, trust-worthy people. (2) As your company grows don't let them lose touch with each other or resources for help in case something does happen to them. In other words, get a strong, honest, HR director or department, someone your employees feel is on their side and not the company's. (3) Talk to a good consulting firm that handles HR issues like workplace grievances and see what they recommend (4) and since it will happen someday, get a good team of lawyers.
The solution to the issue of unwanted lawsuits lies not in controlling outside contact, but strengthening contacts inside the office.
Two visions for the future: http://www.theonion.com/onion3618/the_future.html
Or, are they happening now?
Enjoy.
Hello?! This movie is a must see in Japan. I mean that. Growing up, children in Japanese schools watch this horribly graphic account of one little boys experience during the bombing of Hiroshima. The creator of this movie actually did live through the bombing and this is how he decided to tell his story. A must see! I have a Japanese student who is trying to learn English. This was one fo the few things that we connected on!
The minute I heard DSL was coming to Philly I grabbed it. I went with Bell Atlantic because it was the only game in town last year. I recommend going with them for DSL. I know BA works with Qwest, Covad, and others in supplying me with my service, but as far as I'm concerned, they're behind the scenes and BA has the clout and *obligation* to resolve problems with my service, no matter who caused them. BA was offering a service called InfoSpeed DSL and having CS friends who were involved in trial service offers back in college, I knew it would be great. Boy, was I worng. Like any new technology, there are plenty of bugs to work out when it comes time to actually apply it to custmers and business models. From the first time (there were three) they told me the "card is on it's way" to the first day I had more than 48 hours of uninterrupted service was almost 10 weeks. Here are some tactics I used to help me get the great service I now enjoy from BA:
1. as other posters said, communication, communication, communication. Get names, ask for explanations, ask for understanding, make calls to that CO, and always ask for the next level of tech support. You're not stupid, but BA thinks you are.
2. Ask for satisfaction. After 4 months of service, I had been down for so many weekends and 2 or three day stints, I added it all up and asked what they were going to do about it. It added up to 14 days. They gave me a month of totally free service.
3. Accept that DSL, no matter who the provider is, is not going to be perfect, yet. Just by having DSL, you are on the cutting edge of consumers who are connected to the internet. The trials you go through are learning experiences for you and your provider.
4. Since that free month, 5 months ago. Service has never gone down for more than 18 hours and BA knew the answers to my questions when I called. Yes, this is more expensive than cable modem service, but if you can do the setup yourself, you're saving some money.
5. Finally, is all of this unfair? Probably, but go with what makes the most sense to you as a purchaser of these services. Don't support a company just because you think it's a good idea. If they can't deliver the service you need, dump them. Go with a company who can be reliable. If you still want to go with the original provider, switch when they catch up (if they're still around). . .
If anyone saw The News Hour with Jim Lehrer last night, there was an excellent discussion with Harry Wu, a spokesperson for the AFL-CIO, and a spokesperson for Eastman Kodak.
The most heated debate is whether or not "Permanent Normal Trade Relations" status will make human rights (LIKE FREE SPEECH) more of a reality in China and less of a concept. Kodak argued that American companies are the ones whose pay is better, whose benefits are better, whose working conditions are better, and that Chinese workers would love to work at the Chinese based American plants. Wu argued that although conditions are better for those employees, the companies and their workers are still under Chinese law which does not allow strikes, critical government speech, and other basic human rights. The argument continued to the end of the segment.
The truth is that they're both correct. The PNTR will go through. American corporations, for as lousy as the jobs are, are offering better jobs to Chinese laborers. BUT, the Chinese government will continue it's hold on free speech that attacks the government.
Yes, GeoCities may dig some ground in the next few years, and people will say, "Oh look at China opening up." But this will happen only after the Chinese government has put into place monitoring agents and systems (be they obvious or suggestive) that will keep citizenry from expressing critical viewpoint (for more than a few days or hours).
If the controversy over Taiwan doesn't bring us to Nuclear War, over the next few years, China will see its standard of living rise, but many will inaccurately equate that with a rise in the protection of human rights. There is a big difference.
I can't believe the attitude of the gallery of observers (or at least the people quoted). I always wince at robot demonstrations. The display is tightly controlled - not in any way indicative of the enviornemt. What would happen if we changed the quality of the beef? The batter? How well can it adjust cooking time? What if we raised or lowered the grill? On top of all this is the simple fact that this is an incredibly inefficient way to fry a burger or make a pancake. If a restaurant actually purchased this to save money, they had better rethink their business.
It always excites people to see robots with humanoid mobility, and that's fine, but the practicality in terms of worker replacement in this situation is weak at best. It's frustrating to see the article slanted that way. It was just a demo. If you're just tuning in, this link from last week, was fairly interesteing for me.
More Corporationss are offering incentives, not handouts, and there's a big diference. Incentives to own and get connected ARE a win-win situation.
Corporations offer many different ways to get connected. Katz cited the high profile ones, the ones seeking publicity. Many corporations (I work for Harcourt) simply offer computer and connection discounts through their supplier and encourage customers to take advantage of those discounts. The discounts are availible to all employees at all levels.
That does create a win-win situation. The computer supplier gets more customers and first-time users get low monthly payments on top-of-the-line machines. Many of them are also taking advantage of the full and extended warranties offering 24 hour phone support or on-site help and repair.
These incentives (they are not handouts) are the most common way companies aid their employees in getting connected.
Katz is tapping into a larger effort that companies are making to get their employees computer and web savvy and he's damn right in saying that it's a very positive ethical decision. Ethical.
A good deal of thought and research is going into how people translate ideas between languages. This would make one heck of an AI project and could prove very valuable to the web. As far as books on the subject go, I'm thinking of Le Ton Beau de Marot by Douglas Hofstadter.
How deeply were you affected as you did the work that went into Last Chance to See and do you think you will be writing any more books along the lines of either enviornmental awareness or first-hand exploration?
I brought this up last week. I'm glad the idea finally got moderated to a place where people can see it. Get involved locally. When we forget that governements have the ability to control corporations we turn our lives over to the corporations.
What about North Carolina? (Score:1) by marshall11 (mw6g@yahoo.com) on Tuesday April 04, @04:05PM EDT (#386)
Everyone is behaving as if the Pinkertons have already won this insane battle. The truly insane thing here is why our state governments support the idea of anonymous reporting on minors by minors! THE STATES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BUYING THIS PROGRAM. They are the consumers whose demand will make it successful or not.
For the Pinkertons: "Why do you think North Carolina supports the idea of a society where kids report other kids for being different? Are other states eager to sign onto this gestapo mentality? Let me know which ones so I can be sure not to visit.
Everyone is behaving as if the Pinkertons have already won this insane battle. The truly insane thing here is why our state governments support the idea of anonymous reporting on minors by minors! THE STATES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BUYING THIS PROGRAM. They are the consumers whose demand will make it successful or not.
For the Pinkertons: "Why do you think North Carolina supports the idea of a society where kids report other kids for being different? Are other states eager to sign onto this gestapo mentality?
Let me know which ones so I can be sure not to visit.
The idea of encouraging peers to let counselors know when they think that a classmate or friend might be in trouble (or ready to cause it) is a fine idea. Too often, problems are never reported to the people who may be able to solve them. Granted the problem also lies with administrators and counselors who don't or can't act on that information, (we've all seen and been a part of that situation) but getting kids to talk about concerns is an important step. There are several very good issues here, but one that is important to me is: who is behind this, why have the Pinkertons Services Group (obviously part of the infamous Pinkertons) decided to take up this cause? (NOT MY "OFFICIAL QUESTION!) Why did _we_ wait until it was white kids killing other kids? Is this as big of a problem as it seems like? I once had a professor argue (this may even be an established theory in social science) that "the news" reports things that are rare or uncommon. That's why it's news. Consequently, the more you hear about something (up to a point) the more rare it is. Anyway, getting back to the Pinkertons, I see three problems: 1. Once again we're seeing public (and yes, private)institutions of learning turning to the private sector for solutions to supposed "problems." If you don't know where this is headed already, think about Utah's recent measure to reduce or kill funding for libraries that don't use filtering software. North Carolina sees different, "at-risk" kids as the problem and is calling on Pinkerton to provide the solution. Is the private sector the place to go when human rights are an issue, perhaps even, at stake? The Pinkertons first interest is self-interest - not the public interest. 2. How will North Carolina get it's schools to fall in line with Pinkerton's WAVE program? Are we looking (once again) at public funds being dangled like a carrot? Why can't schools implement their own programs? Why can't NC give funds to promote local action? Charter schools work similarly - public funds, but with a private-sector mentality on results. 3. I think the history of the Pinkertons speaks poorly on it's ability to serve the public good. As citizens of America protected their lively-hood by forming unions and organizing to shut down factories and industries that were cruel or unfair, the Pinkertons were hired by the owners to break picketlines, re-open factories, protect private-interests. My official questions is, "How can the Pinkertons solve the problem of violence in schools, better than the schools and communities themselves?"