"Cameras will only observe and record that which a police officer or private citizen could legally see."
So, why not let the public "watch" the network as well? Arguments that this could be used to allow criminals to get away with crimes are ridiculous -- if the police are watching, then they have a responsibility to respond.
Or better yet, let the public watch the watchers -- set up a facility (television channel) so that folks could see what is currently being monitored.
The other thing that bugs me -- the whole concept that "you're in a public place, you have no privacy." Okay, so my actions are not private, but my identity should be.
Finally, the whole concept of "we're at war" -- we have lost the war on terrorism. We have allowed our fundamental freedoms to be sacrificed in the name of "security". Monitoring the actions of innocent Americans equates to surveilance, which is worse than living scared. Being watched all the time inhibits action, free thinking, and most importantly -- dissent.
The biggest problem is that folks like me and you -- the average Slashdot reader -- have enabled this. WE are the ones that have designed the tools to allow this to happen. We should have known better.
The way I see it, a the tax will be due on the substitute communications system, i.e. your monthly VOIP bill. Since the LAN is not a substitute for an existing switched system (hence the word "local"), it is not a "substitute communications system". Perhaps a VPN traversing the Internet would be?
Given the definition of an SCS...
(16) "Substitute communications system" means any telephone system, or other system capable of providing communications services, which a person purchases, installs, rents, or leases for his or her own use to provide himself or herself with services used as a substitute for any switched service or dedicated facility by which a dealer of communications services provides a communication path.
Taxing the use of a LAN to provide access to an existing Internet service is not the intent of this. Taxing the use of a VOIP carrier is the intent of this bill, as you avoid paying the existing communications tax when you use a VOIP provider.
BTW, you do not currently pay this tax on your Internet access, as Internet access is not a defined communications service.
I can also see this taxing a mobile repair service's dispatch radio, now given the prevalance of cell phones and walkie-talkie type devices.
I think the whole trick to understanding this is that you must think like a politician in order to understand it. Things like this only come about because people try to avoid taxes. As I understand the history of this legislation, it was levied on organizations that had the capacity to build a substitute communications network that could effectivly bypass the taxation of existing telecommunications services. If you're already paying taxes on your communications services, then you cannot be taxed again - but if you're not (i.e. Internet service is not taxed in FL), then you may have to begin paying it.
No Good. I'd have to move to Delaware to fully take advantage of that. I _think_ Florida has a better tax climate for individuals. Delaware definitely has a plus over FL for businesses.
Here in Florida, the purchaser is required to report sales tax on all goods purchased from a foriegn corporation (i.e. a corporation in a different county or state).
See for yourself: Florida DOR
1. Government mandates what you can watch (ala v-Chip).
2. Government installs super-high-bandwidth pipes to every home in America.
3. Government mandates that your consumer electronics contain "monitoring equipment" to ensure that you are not harboring terrorists.
Too much government.
ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT BIG GOVERNMENT. Take action in your community. Compete with the government for provision of social services. Ween your weaker neighbors off of Government handouts! Support personal responsibility and individual freedoms!
This is precisely what the article is trying to bring to everyone's attention: up until now, the definition has been nebulous at best.
Here's what we all can do:
1. If you live in Florida, locate your state representative.
2. Contact s/he once each via email, fax, and telephone. Lodge your dissatisfaction with this particular legislation.
3. Channel your rage into being an active participant in your democracy. WAKE UP AMERICA.
If you live outside of Florida, do the same thing but tell them how you feel about technoogy legislation in general.
if the code is the same, then why did they only obfuscate one side??? if it is not the same, then i can see why they would obfuscate - what is their claim here - copied comments?
Slashdot Mirror
"Cameras will only observe and record that which a police officer or private citizen could legally see."
So, why not let the public "watch" the network as well? Arguments that this could be used to allow criminals to get away with crimes are ridiculous -- if the police are watching, then they have a responsibility to respond.
Or better yet, let the public watch the watchers -- set up a facility (television channel) so that folks could see what is currently being monitored.
The other thing that bugs me -- the whole concept that "you're in a public place, you have no privacy." Okay, so my actions are not private, but my identity should be.
Finally, the whole concept of "we're at war" -- we have lost the war on terrorism. We have allowed our fundamental freedoms to be sacrificed in the name of "security". Monitoring the actions of innocent Americans equates to surveilance, which is worse than living scared. Being watched all the time inhibits action, free thinking, and most importantly -- dissent.
The biggest problem is that folks like me and you -- the average Slashdot reader -- have enabled this. WE are the ones that have designed the tools to allow this to happen. We should have known better.
www.myflorida.com/dor/rules/12a19substitute.pdf
IANAL.
The way I see it, a the tax will be due on the substitute communications system, i.e. your monthly VOIP bill. Since the LAN is not a substitute for an existing switched system (hence the word "local"), it is not a "substitute communications system". Perhaps a VPN traversing the Internet would be?
Given the definition of an SCS...
(16) "Substitute communications system" means any telephone system, or other system capable of providing communications services, which a person purchases, installs, rents, or leases for his or her own use to provide himself or herself with services used as a substitute for any switched service or dedicated facility by which a dealer of communications services provides a communication path.
Taxing the use of a LAN to provide access to an existing Internet service is not the intent of this. Taxing the use of a VOIP carrier is the intent of this bill, as you avoid paying the existing communications tax when you use a VOIP provider.
BTW, you do not currently pay this tax on your Internet access, as Internet access is not a defined communications service.
I can also see this taxing a mobile repair service's dispatch radio, now given the prevalance of cell phones and walkie-talkie type devices.
I think the whole trick to understanding this is that you must think like a politician in order to understand it. Things like this only come about because people try to avoid taxes. As I understand the history of this legislation, it was levied on organizations that had the capacity to build a substitute communications network that could effectivly bypass the taxation of existing telecommunications services. If you're already paying taxes on your communications services, then you cannot be taxed again - but if you're not (i.e. Internet service is not taxed in FL), then you may have to begin paying it.
No Good. I'd have to move to Delaware to fully take advantage of that. I _think_ Florida has a better tax climate for individuals. Delaware definitely has a plus over FL for businesses.
Here in Florida, the purchaser is required to report sales tax on all goods purchased from a foriegn corporation (i.e. a corporation in a different county or state).
See for yourself: Florida DOR
Hmm.
1. Government mandates what you can watch (ala v-Chip).
2. Government installs super-high-bandwidth pipes to every home in America.
3. Government mandates that your consumer electronics contain "monitoring equipment" to ensure that you are not harboring terrorists.
Too much government.
ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT BIG GOVERNMENT. Take action in your community. Compete with the government for provision of social services. Ween your weaker neighbors off of Government handouts! Support personal responsibility and individual freedoms!
Actually, use categorized views and categorize documents.
Here's what we all can do:
1. If you live in Florida, locate your state representative.
2. Contact s/he once each via email, fax, and telephone. Lodge your dissatisfaction with this particular legislation.
3. Channel your rage into being an active participant in your democracy. WAKE UP AMERICA.
If you live outside of Florida, do the same thing but tell them how you feel about technoogy legislation in general.
if the code is the same, then why did they only obfuscate one side??? if it is not the same, then i can see why they would obfuscate - what is their claim here - copied comments?