You missed the whole point and just ranted about your so called superior wines and anti-French sentiments. Your whole post is a troll!
You do realize this has no impact on the wines sold in Australia or outside Europe? This is in regards to wines from Australia that are to be sold in the European Union!
The EU decides what names they may carry there, that's reasonable, and it applies to all producing countries including France.
Protected names are reserved for specific regions of each country of origin.
This does help consumers by assuring them that cheap knock offs may not abuse centuries old names and traditions. The products are what they say they are. They come from the advertised region or country.
French producers in general don't like this any more than Italians or Bulgarians. French Champagne is only produced in a small patch of land, the producers in the surrounding area are not eligible to call their products "Champagne".
It applies similarly to products of all kinds in each and every European Union country. From Hungarian Tokai to German sausages. This has nothing to do with France you dimwitted fool!
What monopoly does France have on other countries' products!!! Your whole reasoning is pointless and stupid.
Australian wine makers may label their bottles "Not wine" all they like in Australia, but they may not sell it under registered and reserved namesin Europe. End of story.
Sorry, but you really don't understand this. This has nothing to do with the French despite the number of wines and products from France involved.
Did you notice the mention of Port and Tokay? Those are Portuguese and Hungarian products. They're every bit as interested in protecting their unique products and names.
However the central issue here is trade within the European Union. The external markets are really just secondary to the internal trade within the EU.
The EU is working hard to create a level playing field between the different EU nations [and companies within the region]. To ordinary consumers and citizens this might seem strange sometimes, however I can assure you that the reasoning is very sane.
You might not care about where they come from, but as producers and consumers we certainly do care. What you call "common names" is in reality not that, a Port has it's origins in Portugal, you might not understand this but I can assure you many Europeans do.
In many ways it's both a matter of national and regional pride, and a matter of preserving culture and jobs. It's especially interesting in the context of globalization but also within the increasingly unified European Union. In the face of ever increasing competition centuries old names suddenly need to go from merely respected names to actual legal trademarks.
This has nothing to do with the freedom to create similar products, but you may not abuse the names in the European market. If you wish to sell your [for example Australian] product in Europe you must respect our laws on the matter.
And in case you don't know this these laws have had a much greater effect in Europe where the competition has already been forced to stop using these names. One example is the huge Danish dairy products corporation, Arla, that had to rename all kinds of cheeses that were suddenly reserved for Greek and Italian regions.
Did I hurt your feelings? I'm only trying to be objective here, I don't have any feelings for or against Brazil. I believe it will become a fully developed country within a few decades.
Israel is clearly a developed nation in every aspect of the word. A structured society, ruled by law, organized and effective, high income status, high GDP levels, high levels of education and research all speak in favor of this status.
I assume you object because of the nature of the conflict with/over Palestine? That fact does not detract from the fact that Israelis enjoy a higher quality of life [on average] than say Brazilians. Please, remember I'm not referring to the top echelons of either society.
Freedom House's American origins not withstanding it still produces solid reports, I doubt you can find factual faults with that report?
At least I provided sources and arguments for my claims, you just dismissed the source without providing any counterarguments.
You also seem to have skipped criticizing all the other international sources I named from the OECD to the UN? Do you at least approve of them?
I did my homework, you on the other hand have nothing but hot air.
"Brazil has been historically marked by social, economic and cultural inequalities. Both society and government are increasingly aware of the need for changing that scenario by creating mechanisms of social participation and control, programmes, projects, and actions that represent a movement towards positive changes."
"Although it has a large number of poor people Brazil is not a poor country, but still has to overcome social injustice and inequality. The social injustices are are reflected in a medium rank in the Human Development Index (HDI), which means that difficulties are still to be overcome in education, health, income distribution and employment conditions."
How about a report from Brazil itself (Ministério da Educação)?
I quote:" In spite of these undeniable advances, Brazil still needs to make great improvements in these indicators. In terms of HDI in the Latin America and Caribbean region, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Cuba and Mexico all have higher scores than Brazil."
"In spite of Brazil having the eighth largest economy in the world, the extreme inequality in income which still typifies the country means that problems of social exclusion running alongside economic growth continue to exist."
"These data show that, in spite of the progress made, the defects in the Brazilian school system are still producing large numbers of people with insufficient levels of education,"
"The situation of socio-economic exclusion and insufficient provision of basic education are also reflected in the opportunities for lifelong learning."
I hate to break it to you but there is no such agreement.
The exact scope of the Western world is somewhat subjective in nature, depending on whether cultural, economic, spiritual or political criteria are employed.
From a cultural point of view Brazil could very well belong to the West, however that is not what is being challenged here [in my opinion].
The obvious cultural, economic and political differences between Brazil and what is known today as described by the term "the West" (Western Europe, North America, Israel, Australia and New Zealand) are clear. Corruption is endemic, the justice system incapable, crime rates sky high, racial discrimination heavy, wealth distribution skewed.
It would perhaps be more pertinent to discuss this in light of Brazil's present and futureeconomic situation.
As of today Brazil is not a developed country according to the IMF, OECD or the UN.
I think the report speaks for itself: "By looking at some of the most fundamental aspects of people’s lives and opportunities the HDI provides a much more complete picture of a country's development than other indicators, such as GDP per capita."
I wonder how you can read my comment and still write what you did.
The key words were "usually" and "no other means".
Assange has no public address, how are they going to locate him? He's a foreigner that will leave the country at some point.
So they used an option to publicly call for his arrest to get hold of him!
The accusers and victims names were not given.
Do you see the logic involved? There's no reason for any outrage, the police will answer to the press. There's no injustice or any wrong doing here that demands any government intervention.
You might believe an employer should have those rights, however here in Europe we actually believe in protecting and putting our citizens above corporations.
This is not the first example of Europeans placing more emphasis on citizens' rights than the US.
It is fascinating how even the average American believes that corporations are entitled to treat their employees as [wage] slaves! It's as if you think employees sell their dignity when they take a job!
In my country overtime is frowned upon, if you don't leave at the end of the day people will wonder why you haven't finished your tasks in time. Staying after hours is just seen as inefficient. So while we work fewer hours than the average American we're still more productive and efficient according to the OECD.
I think you're all semi-brainwashed by decades of anti-communist, nationalist [capitalist] propaganda. I hope it wears off soon for your own sakes, the average American could use some decent jobs, rights and protections. Contrary to popular American beliefs the United States of America is not the best country in the world.
Your literal intepretation is unreasonable and silly.
The whole point is to avoid unreasonable monitoring. If the primary purporse of a camera is to monitor employees actions it would illegal.
However a camera installed to monitor the work place for safety reasons (such as a bank) would be perfectly legal.
The purpose and coverage area would determine the legality, and remember the employer would not be the one to decide the legality (or if the supposed "purpose" is in fact in violation of the law).
Oh, and they are not "criminals" [the accusers] never claimed rape, they actually asked police for clarification if the alleged "actions" were criminal!
Under Swedish law false accusations of rape would most likely have lead to one year in prison, these accusations were less clear and the prosecutor would be looking for more information from Assange.
You see that's the beauty of the charges, they're not likely to lead to punishment for the accusers, the only damage would be to Assange'sgood name and standing. He could try for damages, but what would that help his name? It's perfect [for the people looking to smear him]!
It is not in the Scandinavian justice tradition to name accusers, victims or indeed criminals. Warrants are usually not public unless they have no other means of locating the suspect. Assange has no address.
HTC has manufacturing facilities in China as well:
HTC Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. engages in research, development, design, manufacture and sale of computer, personal digital assistant (PDA) handsets. The company also engages in design and development of computer software and also provides related technical consultancies and services. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Shanghai, China. HTC Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of HTC Corporation. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=53425025
A quantum memory may be all scientists need to beat the limit of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, according to a paper published in Nature Physics.
According to a group of researchers, maximally entangling a particle with a quantum memory and measuring one of the particle's variables, like its position, should snap the quantum memory in a corresponding state, which could then be measured.
This would allow them to do something long thought verboten by the laws of physics: figure out the state of certain pairs of variables at the exact same time with an unprecedented amount of certainty.
It should be obvious that it's for tax purposes and to defeat illegal activity connected with gambling (money laundering).
Tax information is collected automatically here and so are your taxes. Any income from gambling is obviously taxable as well, so the government needs a way to collect that information.
Gambling is strictly regulated in the Scandinavian countries and Finland. We don't like gambling [politically] and it's not wide spread.
I don't think we even have a casino in Norway at all, the lottery is state run and private gambling outfits are banned. It's only a tax on stupid people anyway, I think my government is right to ban it. However if you want to blow your money on horse races you're free to do so.
Paintbrush is a simple [and free] paint program for Mac OS X, reminiscent of Microsoft Paint and Apple’s own now-defunct MacPaint. It provides users with a means to make simple images quickly, something which has been noticeably absent from the Mac for years.
Norway did this a century ago and is currently 100% hydro powered. So while Norway is the world's 3rd largest exporter of oil, and natural gas, we don't use it to power our houses.
Denmark decided to build wind parks, and now the Scandinavian countries exchange power using a power market (NordPool). Dips in wind power at night can be compensated with hydro power.
We just signed a contract to build a subsea power line to the European mainland, by way of Germany, that will let them take part in our power surplus/exchange mechanism.
P.S. Russia and Norway are Europe's biggest power suppliers, yet both remain outside the European Union. The EU is working on securing their power supplies for the future, the North African addition is part of that plan.
I would like to correct some popular myths that suicide rates are supposedly high in Scandinavia.
The following material illustrates that Scandinavia is at approximately the same levels as the US. In fact in some aspects the rates are lower in some Scandinavian countries. Norway has lower rates for male suicides than the US (15.7 vs 17.7).
Scandinavian countries: Denmark 11.9 Norway 11.5 Sweden 13.2
North American countries: United States of America 11.0 Canada 11.3
Nordic countries: Iceland 11.2 Finland 18.8
P.S. Finland is not Scandinavian because of its ethnic, historical and cultural background. In my opinion Finland has much more in common with its eastern neighbor, Russia, and the Baltic states. The supposedly higher alcohol consumption and cultural differences could be explanations for their higher suicide rates.
Like Finland Iceland is not considered part of Scandinavia but the wider "Nordic" category due to differences in geography and language. The three Kingdoms (DK/NO/SE) share closer ties in a historical political, economic and cultural union.
This is where "free markets" are supposed to regulate the prices keeping any one company from raising their prices above the rest. If you raise your prices, you become uncompetitive.
This fine is not going to raise prices at all, they know perfectly well that the buyers won't accept any increases. I'm not talking about consumers here, the biggest purchasers are likely the PC makers.
There will be a dip in their profits for this or last financial year.
Do you consider the US fines to be a tax to fill your empty American coffers? Or are you just attacking European actions?
In case you didn't notice the chip makers committed the crime, the EU is acting to punish them in accordance with law. What's your excuse? I'm just saying... [that you're wrong]
You have it backwards. The European markets are "golden geese" to the chip makers! There will always be yet another competitor that would happily sell and profit in the European market(s) should the competition die off. This is basic economics, but I don't expect more on Slashdot.
And what tax revenue are you referring to? These companies sell their products in Europe, but the profits are sent back home. The majority of the companies mentioned are not European. The only tax revenue Europe sees in this case is sales tax on the items and a limited tax on the profits, after deductions, of the European branches.
The real issue is abusing the markets you operate in, if you want do business in Europe or the US you have to follow the local rules. I really hate the way ignorant Slashdotters rant when they talk about the EU and fines! Never mind that the US does exactly the same thing, however when Europe and the EU decides to act according to our identical laws "you" dare criticize and pass judgment on matters you have no understanding of!
The EU is acting to regulate markets in accordance with law, the motive is clearly to keep markets healthy for producers and buyers alike. The guilty parties are the chip makers!
I don't think most Americans understand how fervently nationalist they sound on the web.
Sorry, but you have totally misunderstood the case. There was no law against Open Wifi, in fact there was no fine or damages involved.
However due to the copyright infringement that did occur on the user's network he was liable for the [capped] lawyer fees involved in sending him the cease-and-decist letter.
The law in question actually stops copyright holders from demanding damages and limits this kind of cases to a maximum of 100 Euros in compensation [to the complainant].
The judge stated that users have a responsibility under German law to secure their networks, simply turning on encryption and changing the default password, based upon the existing legal situation.
Even if the user fails to secure it, properly or not, he could not be held liable for damages.
"Wer folglich ein nach diesen Kritierien unzureichend gesichertes oder gar gänzlich offenes WLAN betreibt, kann künftig für jede Urheberrechtsverletzung auf Unterlassung in Anspruch genommen werden, die über den Anschluss begangen worden ist. Allerdings dürften nunmehr die zu erstattenden Abmahnkosten auf 100 Euro beschränkt sein, außerdem muss kein Schadensersatz an den Rechteinhaber geleistet werden."
It has a lot to do with the unique nature of the supranational, non-Federal nature of the European Union.
Each nation still retains sovereignty and national justice systems, EU directives have to be implemented within existing national frameworks.
To quote the EU: "EU directives lay down certain end results that must be achieved in every Member State. National authorities have to adapt their laws to meet these goals, but are free to decide how to do so. Directives may concern one or more Member States, or all of them".
Each nation's police and government will act according to local custom and law. A nation can be more proactive and might interpret the actions of Google in conflict with local laws, while others don't.
The German case you refer to was not about "fines" imposed by the government.
In fact it was clearly not a fine, but a liability for the expenses the complainant had issuing the cease-and-decist letter (Abmahnung). The money goes to the complaining party as compensation, the government received nothing. See where you went wrong?
The Germans even have a law clearly limiting the amount the complaining party may demand in compensation to 100 Euro. This is a pittance compared with the actual cost of hiring a lawyer and the Germans simply wanted to stop the creation of an "industry"of cease-and-decist letters issued to everyone with a BitTorrent client.
Foolish, foolish anonymous coward. The German case you refer to was not about "fines" imposed by the government.
In fact it was clearly not a fine, but a liability for the expenses the complainant had issuing the cease-and-decist letter (Abmahnung). The money goes to the complaining party as compensation, the government received nothing. See where you went wrong?
The Germans even have a law clearly limiting the amount the complaining party may demand in compensation to 100 Euro. This is a pittance compared with the actual cost of hiring a lawyer and the Germans simply wanted to stop the creation of an "industry"of cease-and-decist letters issued to everyone with a BitTorrent client.
The case is very interesting in fact, the judge was very reasonable and only clarified the responsibilities private users have (turn on encryption, change the default password). The person in question was not guilty of copyright infringement and no damages were awarded.
Yes, of course, the social systems did make all the difference.
I don't disagree with you that both sides of the Atlantic have felt the recession, however I do believe the fall out was worse and bigger in the US. The sheer size of the US economy dictates that it had to be.
Major banks in Europe did need bailouts, no doubt about that, and so did even larger American banks. This is does not mean European countries experienced the exact same effect. I believe over 100 banks collapsed in the US in total.
The unemployment rate in Spain is the result of their unrealistic spending spree and construction boom. They really didn't build an economy, they simply financed an artificial construction boom. It's a bad example of a healthy European economy. That bubble would have burst soon anyway.
The average EU unemployment rate is not really an accurate measure of anything. What is the EU? A loose group of nations that barely cooperate. It's not like British and German, or Spanish and Swedish, workers enjoy the same conditions.
The fall out was indeed greater for the average American citizen. While the UK certainly suffered, I follow your news closely, it did not hit with the same impact or for the same reasons.
You are quick to point out that the social systems are expensive for Europeans, yet you have no opinion of the fantastic debt the US is in? It's not like their spending is any better, have you read about California's woes?
The social systems did help dampen the effects, some countries are financed not by borrowing but by taxation... Leaner times indeed.
While certain nations will no doubt feel the debt for some time, I question your claim that "EU citizens" will feel the debt. Each nation still controls its own economy after all, I doubt the Danes will be paying for Greek debt in the future.
And while Europe will take longer to "recover" it is not at the expense of the people, unlike the US where a quick turn around is possible at the cost of people's homes, jobs and savings.
It's a fair price to pay for a measured and controlled turn around. You always have the option of moving to the US if you want higher risk and higher [possible] gains.
Actually, Norway is larger than New Mexico, that's your 5th largest state.
I'm just going to point out, again, that the oil revenue is sent directly to the sovereign fund. It's not included in the tax basis for our national budget.
While the oil sector does generate 25% of GNP, it does not fund our welfare state. The biggest contributor to our budget is in fact general sales tax [on consumer goods].
And why are Americans always so quick to point out that European nations are "smaller" than your own? Europe as a whole is twice the size of the US in terms of population, and even has the bigger economy! That's not including Russia or Turkey.
Furthermore if a "small" nation can do it, why can't a bigger and more resourceful nation do even more!
Slashdot Mirror
Whoever labeled you "insightful"?
You missed the whole point and just ranted about your so called superior wines and anti-French sentiments. Your whole post is a troll!
You do realize this has no impact on the wines sold in Australia or outside Europe? This is in regards to wines from Australia that are to be sold in the European Union!
The EU decides what names they may carry there, that's reasonable, and it applies to all producing countries including France.
Protected names are reserved for specific regions of each country of origin.
This does help consumers by assuring them that cheap knock offs may not abuse centuries old names and traditions. The products are what they say they are. They come from the advertised region or country.
French producers in general don't like this any more than Italians or Bulgarians. French Champagne is only produced in a small patch of land, the producers in the surrounding area are not eligible to call their products "Champagne".
It applies similarly to products of all kinds in each and every European Union country. From Hungarian Tokai to German sausages. This has nothing to do with France you dimwitted fool!
What monopoly does France have on other countries' products!!! Your whole reasoning is pointless and stupid.
Australian wine makers may label their bottles "Not wine" all they like in Australia, but they may not sell it under registered and reserved names in Europe. End of story.
Who cares if your American diplomats sign any agreements, it's your government that created and is forcing ACTA on the majority of the world!
It's not "treason" when your country desires it, at least your court system still believes the US is a republic. For how long is another question.
Sorry, but you really don't understand this. This has nothing to do with the French despite the number of wines and products from France involved.
Did you notice the mention of Port and Tokay? Those are Portuguese and Hungarian products. They're every bit as interested in protecting their unique products and names.
However the central issue here is trade within the European Union. The external markets are really just secondary to the internal trade within the EU.
The EU is working hard to create a level playing field between the different EU nations [and companies within the region]. To ordinary consumers and citizens this might seem strange sometimes, however I can assure you that the reasoning is very sane.
You might not care about where they come from, but as producers and consumers we certainly do care. What you call "common names" is in reality not that, a Port has it's origins in Portugal, you might not understand this but I can assure you many Europeans do.
In many ways it's both a matter of national and regional pride, and a matter of preserving culture and jobs. It's especially interesting in the context of globalization but also within the increasingly unified European Union. In the face of ever increasing competition centuries old names suddenly need to go from merely respected names to actual legal trademarks.
This has nothing to do with the freedom to create similar products, but you may not abuse the names in the European market. If you wish to sell your [for example Australian] product in Europe you must respect our laws on the matter.
And in case you don't know this these laws have had a much greater effect in Europe where the competition has already been forced to stop using these names. One example is the huge Danish dairy products corporation, Arla, that had to rename all kinds of cheeses that were suddenly reserved for Greek and Italian regions.
As opposed to the exact same thing from Microsoft on Windows Phone 7?
Did I hurt your feelings? I'm only trying to be objective here, I don't have any feelings for or against Brazil. I believe it will become a fully developed country within a few decades.
Israel is clearly a developed nation in every aspect of the word. A structured society, ruled by law, organized and effective, high income status, high GDP levels, high levels of education and research all speak in favor of this status.
I assume you object because of the nature of the conflict with/over Palestine? That fact does not detract from the fact that Israelis enjoy a higher quality of life [on average] than say Brazilians. Please, remember I'm not referring to the top echelons of either society.
Freedom House's American origins not withstanding it still produces solid reports, I doubt you can find factual faults with that report?
At least I provided sources and arguments for my claims, you just dismissed the source without providing any counterarguments.
You also seem to have skipped criticizing all the other international sources I named from the OECD to the UN? Do you at least approve of them?
I did my homework, you on the other hand have nothing but hot air.
Sources
How about an official UN report from the High Commissioner for Human Rights on your country and crime, corruption and violence?
How about the UNESCO's official page for Brazil:
"Brazil has been historically marked by social, economic and cultural inequalities. Both society and government are increasingly aware of the need for changing that scenario by creating mechanisms of social participation and control, programmes, projects, and actions that represent a movement towards positive changes."
"Although it has a large number of poor people Brazil is not a poor country, but still has to overcome social injustice and inequality. The social injustices are are reflected in a medium rank in the Human Development Index (HDI), which means that difficulties are still to be overcome in education, health, income distribution and employment conditions."
How about a report from Brazil itself (Ministério da Educação)?
I quote:" In spite of these undeniable advances, Brazil still needs to make great improvements in
these indicators. In terms of HDI in the Latin America and Caribbean region, Argentina,
Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Cuba and Mexico all have higher scores than Brazil."
"In spite of Brazil having the eighth largest economy in the world, the extreme inequality in
income which still typifies the country means that problems of social exclusion running
alongside economic growth continue to exist."
"These data show that, in spite of the progress made, the defects in the Brazilian school
system are still producing large numbers of people with insufficient levels of education,"
"The situation of socio-economic exclusion and insufficient provision of basic education are
also reflected in the opportunities for lifelong learning."
Nationmaster further provides details and sources on the crime rates in Brazil:
http://www.nationmaster.com/country/br-brazil/cri-crime
And so on...
I hate to break it to you but there is no such agreement.
The exact scope of the Western world is somewhat subjective in nature, depending on whether cultural, economic, spiritual or political criteria are employed.
From a cultural point of view Brazil could very well belong to the West, however that is not what is being challenged here [in my opinion].
The obvious cultural, economic and political differences between Brazil and what is known today as described by the term "the West" (Western Europe, North America, Israel, Australia and New Zealand) are clear. Corruption is endemic, the justice system incapable, crime rates sky high, racial discrimination heavy, wealth distribution skewed.
It would perhaps be more pertinent to discuss this in light of Brazil's present and future economic situation.
As of today Brazil is not a developed country according to the IMF, OECD or the UN.
It is perhaps most clear when considering the unequal nature of Brazilian society and Brazil's ranking according to the Human Development index. Brazil is ranked far below the average OECD country (Figure #1).
I think the report speaks for itself: "By looking at some of the most fundamental aspects of people’s lives and opportunities the HDI provides a much more complete picture of a country's development than other indicators, such as GDP per capita."
I wonder how you can read my comment and still write what you did.
The key words were "usually" and "no other means".
Assange has no public address, how are they going to locate him? He's a foreigner that will leave the country at some point.
So they used an option to publicly call for his arrest to get hold of him!
The accusers and victims names were not given.
Do you see the logic involved? There's no reason for any outrage, the police will answer to the press. There's no injustice or any wrong doing here that demands any government intervention.
You might believe an employer should have those rights, however here in Europe we actually believe in protecting and putting our citizens above corporations.
This is not the first example of Europeans placing more emphasis on citizens' rights than the US.
It is fascinating how even the average American believes that corporations are entitled to treat their employees as [wage] slaves! It's as if you think employees sell their dignity when they take a job!
In my country overtime is frowned upon, if you don't leave at the end of the day people will wonder why you haven't finished your tasks in time. Staying after hours is just seen as inefficient. So while we work fewer hours than the average American we're still more productive and efficient according to the OECD.
I think you're all semi-brainwashed by decades of anti-communist, nationalist [capitalist] propaganda. I hope it wears off soon for your own sakes, the average American could use some decent jobs, rights and protections. Contrary to popular American beliefs the United States of America is not the best country in the world.
Your literal intepretation is unreasonable and silly.
The whole point is to avoid unreasonable monitoring. If the primary purporse of a camera is to monitor employees actions it would illegal.
However a camera installed to monitor the work place for safety reasons (such as a bank) would be perfectly legal.
The purpose and coverage area would determine the legality, and remember the employer would not be the one to decide the legality (or if the supposed "purpose" is in fact in violation of the law).
Oh, and they are not "criminals" [the accusers] never claimed rape, they actually asked police for clarification if the alleged "actions" were criminal!
Under Swedish law false accusations of rape would most likely have lead to one year in prison, these accusations were less clear and the prosecutor would be looking for more information from Assange.
You see that's the beauty of the charges, they're not likely to lead to punishment for the accusers, the only damage would be to Assange's good name and standing. He could try for damages, but what would that help his name? It's perfect [for the people looking to smear him]!
It is not in the Scandinavian justice tradition to name accusers, victims or indeed criminals. Warrants are usually not public unless they have no other means of locating the suspect. Assange has no address.
We don't believe in scapegoating.
HTC has manufacturing facilities in China as well:
HTC Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. engages in research, development, design, manufacture and sale of computer, personal digital assistant (PDA) handsets. The company also engages in design and development of computer software and also provides related technical consultancies and services. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Shanghai, China. HTC Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of HTC Corporation.
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=53425025
You really don't know Taiwanese companies, do you? They usually have facilities in both countries due to the labor costs. They're no different than American/European companies.
http://www.chinasourcingnews.com/2010/06/11/012276-htc-plans-new-china-electronics-investment/
A quantum memory may be all scientists need to beat the limit of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, according to a paper published in Nature Physics.
According to a group of researchers, maximally entangling a particle with a quantum memory and measuring one of the particle's variables, like its position, should snap the quantum memory in a corresponding state, which could then be measured.
This would allow them to do something long thought verboten by the laws of physics: figure out the state of certain pairs of variables at the exact same time with an unprecedented amount of certainty.
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/08/quantum-memory-may-topple-heisenbergs-uncertainty-principle.ars
It should be obvious that it's for tax purposes and to defeat illegal activity connected with gambling (money laundering).
Tax information is collected automatically here and so are your taxes. Any income from gambling is obviously taxable as well, so the government needs a way to collect that information.
Gambling is strictly regulated in the Scandinavian countries and Finland. We don't like gambling [politically] and it's not wide spread.
I don't think we even have a casino in Norway at all, the lottery is state run and private gambling outfits are banned. It's only a tax on stupid people anyway, I think my government is right to ban it. However if you want to blow your money on horse races you're free to do so.
You mean besides Paintbrush?
Paintbrush is a simple [and free] paint program for Mac OS X, reminiscent of Microsoft Paint and Apple’s own now-defunct MacPaint. It provides users with a means to make simple images quickly, something which has been noticeably absent from the Mac for years.
http://paintbrush.sourceforge.net/
And there are other equally FREE alternatives Seashore (GIMP-based) or Pixen 3.
Norway did this a century ago and is currently 100% hydro powered. So while Norway is the world's 3rd largest exporter of oil, and natural gas, we don't use it to power our houses.
Denmark decided to build wind parks, and now the Scandinavian countries exchange power using a power market (NordPool). Dips in wind power at night can be compensated with hydro power.
We just signed a contract to build a subsea power line to the European mainland, by way of Germany, that will let them take part in our power surplus/exchange mechanism.
P.S. Russia and Norway are Europe's biggest power suppliers, yet both remain outside the European Union. The EU is working on securing their power supplies for the future, the North African addition is part of that plan.
I would like to correct some popular myths that suicide rates are supposedly high in Scandinavia.
The following material illustrates that Scandinavia is at approximately the same levels as the US. In fact in some aspects the rates are lower in some Scandinavian countries. Norway has lower rates for male suicides than the US (15.7 vs 17.7).
Suicides per 100,000 people per year:
Scandinavian countries:
Denmark 11.9
Norway 11.5
Sweden 13.2
North American countries:
United States of America 11.0
Canada 11.3
Nordic countries:
Iceland 11.2
Finland 18.8
P.S. Finland is not Scandinavian because of its ethnic, historical and cultural background. In my opinion Finland has much more in common with its eastern neighbor, Russia, and the Baltic states. The supposedly higher alcohol consumption and cultural differences could be explanations for their higher suicide rates.
Like Finland Iceland is not considered part of Scandinavia but the wider "Nordic" category due to differences in geography and language. The three Kingdoms (DK/NO/SE) share closer ties in a historical political, economic and cultural union.
This is where "free markets" are supposed to regulate the prices keeping any one company from raising their prices above the rest. If you raise your prices, you become uncompetitive.
This fine is not going to raise prices at all, they know perfectly well that the buyers won't accept any increases. I'm not talking about consumers here, the biggest purchasers are likely the PC makers.
There will be a dip in their profits for this or last financial year.
Do you consider the US fines to be a tax to fill your empty American coffers? Or are you just attacking European actions?
In case you didn't notice the chip makers committed the crime, the EU is acting to punish them in accordance with law. What's your excuse? I'm just saying... [that you're wrong]
You have it backwards. The European markets are "golden geese" to the chip makers! There will always be yet another competitor that would happily sell and profit in the European market(s) should the competition die off. This is basic economics, but I don't expect more on Slashdot.
And what tax revenue are you referring to? These companies sell their products in Europe, but the profits are sent back home. The majority of the companies mentioned are not European. The only tax revenue Europe sees in this case is sales tax on the items and a limited tax on the profits, after deductions, of the European branches.
The real issue is abusing the markets you operate in, if you want do business in Europe or the US you have to follow the local rules. I really hate the way ignorant Slashdotters rant when they talk about the EU and fines! Never mind that the US does exactly the same thing, however when Europe and the EU decides to act according to our identical laws "you" dare criticize and pass judgment on matters you have no understanding of!
The EU is acting to regulate markets in accordance with law, the motive is clearly to keep markets healthy for producers and buyers alike. The guilty parties are the chip makers!
I don't think most Americans understand how fervently nationalist they sound on the web.
Sorry, but you have totally misunderstood the case. There was no law against Open Wifi, in fact there was no fine or damages involved.
However due to the copyright infringement that did occur on the user's network he was liable for the [capped] lawyer fees involved in sending him the cease-and-decist letter.
The law in question actually stops copyright holders from demanding damages and limits this kind of cases to a maximum of 100 Euros in compensation [to the complainant].
The judge stated that users have a responsibility under German law to secure their networks, simply turning on encryption and changing the default password, based upon the existing legal situation.
Even if the user fails to secure it, properly or not, he could not be held liable for damages.
"Wer folglich ein nach diesen Kritierien unzureichend gesichertes oder gar gänzlich offenes WLAN betreibt, kann künftig für jede Urheberrechtsverletzung auf Unterlassung in Anspruch genommen werden, die über den Anschluss begangen worden ist. Allerdings dürften nunmehr die zu erstattenden Abmahnkosten auf 100 Euro beschränkt sein, außerdem muss kein Schadensersatz an den Rechteinhaber geleistet werden."
http://www.focus.de/digital/computer/bundesgerichtshof-wlan-betreiber-muessen-ihr-netz-schuetzen_aid_507474.html
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/BGH-schraenkt-Folgen-der-Stoererhaftung-fuer-WLAN-Betreiber-ein-998591.html
It has a lot to do with the unique nature of the supranational, non-Federal nature of the European Union.
Each nation still retains sovereignty and national justice systems, EU directives have to be implemented within existing national frameworks.
To quote the EU:
"EU directives lay down certain end results that must be achieved in every Member State. National authorities have to adapt their laws to meet these goals, but are free to decide how to do so. Directives may concern one or more Member States, or all of them".
Each nation's police and government will act according to local custom and law. A nation can be more proactive and might interpret the actions of Google in conflict with local laws, while others don't.
The German case you refer to was not about "fines" imposed by the government.
In fact it was clearly not a fine, but a liability for the expenses the complainant had issuing the cease-and-decist letter (Abmahnung). The money goes to the complaining party as compensation, the government received nothing. See where you went wrong?
The Germans even have a law clearly limiting the amount the complaining party may demand in compensation to 100 Euro. This is a pittance compared with the actual cost of hiring a lawyer and the Germans simply wanted to stop the creation of an "industry"of cease-and-decist letters issued to everyone with a BitTorrent client.
Foolish, foolish anonymous coward. The German case you refer to was not about "fines" imposed by the government.
In fact it was clearly not a fine, but a liability for the expenses the complainant had issuing the cease-and-decist letter (Abmahnung). The money goes to the complaining party as compensation, the government received nothing. See where you went wrong?
The Germans even have a law clearly limiting the amount the complaining party may demand in compensation to 100 Euro. This is a pittance compared with the actual cost of hiring a lawyer and the Germans simply wanted to stop the creation of an "industry"of cease-and-decist letters issued to everyone with a BitTorrent client.
The case is very interesting in fact, the judge was very reasonable and only clarified the responsibilities private users have (turn on encryption, change the default password). The person in question was not guilty of copyright infringement and no damages were awarded.
Yes, of course, the social systems did make all the difference.
I don't disagree with you that both sides of the Atlantic have felt the recession, however I do believe the fall out was worse and bigger in the US. The sheer size of the US economy dictates that it had to be.
Major banks in Europe did need bailouts, no doubt about that, and so did even larger American banks. This is does not mean European countries experienced the exact same effect. I believe over 100 banks collapsed in the US in total.
The unemployment rate in Spain is the result of their unrealistic spending spree and construction boom. They really didn't build an economy, they simply financed an artificial construction boom. It's a bad example of a healthy European economy. That bubble would have burst soon anyway.
The average EU unemployment rate is not really an accurate measure of anything. What is the EU? A loose group of nations that barely cooperate. It's not like British and German, or Spanish and Swedish, workers enjoy the same conditions.
The fall out was indeed greater for the average American citizen. While the UK certainly suffered, I follow your news closely, it did not hit with the same impact or for the same reasons.
You are quick to point out that the social systems are expensive for Europeans, yet you have no opinion of the fantastic debt the US is in? It's not like their spending is any better, have you read about California's woes?
The social systems did help dampen the effects, some countries are financed not by borrowing but by taxation... Leaner times indeed.
While certain nations will no doubt feel the debt for some time, I question your claim that "EU citizens" will feel the debt. Each nation still controls its own economy after all, I doubt the Danes will be paying for Greek debt in the future.
And while Europe will take longer to "recover" it is not at the expense of the people, unlike the US where a quick turn around is possible at the cost of people's homes, jobs and savings.
It's a fair price to pay for a measured and controlled turn around. You always have the option of moving to the US if you want higher risk and higher [possible] gains.
Actually, Norway is larger than New Mexico, that's your 5th largest state.
I'm just going to point out, again, that the oil revenue is sent directly to the sovereign fund. It's not included in the tax basis for our national budget.
While the oil sector does generate 25% of GNP, it does not fund our welfare state. The biggest contributor to our budget is in fact general sales tax [on consumer goods].
Norway's economic planning has certainly been credited by the OECD and major economics experts from around the world.
http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,3343,en_33873108_33873681_44704905_1_1_1_1,00.html
And why are Americans always so quick to point out that European nations are "smaller" than your own? Europe as a whole is twice the size of the US in terms of population, and even has the bigger economy! That's not including Russia or Turkey.
Furthermore if a "small" nation can do it, why can't a bigger and more resourceful nation do even more!