I find it a pity that the 'US of A' and my home country, the 'UK of GB & NI', is falling so far behind.
I'm here in Japan in Niigata out on the edge of the countryside. I have a 100Mbps fiber from the company '@nifty', and the first 6 months were free, and is now costing about 17 or 18 pounds (sterling) per month for the continuing service. Fixed IP address.
I don't know what the problem is back in Europe - particularly in the UK, and also in the US. I am coming to the conclusions that it is not due to lack of competition, but actually lack of goverment drive pushing these companies to offer higher speed. In Japan and Korea there has been a lot of pressure from the governmnet to build high quality fast backbones reaching every city, and now almost any company may take advantage of this.
Never mind safety, what about using the conventional train toilet (ie. A hole in the floor, or a conventional curved pipe toilet holding some water to stop direct air flow)...
Has no one yet imagined?
I wouldn't like to sit on that kind of toilet with the estimated pressure difference. It could be dangerous for my health.
(I expect constipated me be advised to ride this train in the future)
This is indeed one very good solution - to allow contribution to come only from individuals, and for those over a certain cost to be publicly disclosed. This is called the 'Open-funding system'.
In contrast, the 'Closed-funding system' is one where any body or entity may make any donation to the government for their own desires and no information beyond the two parties may ever know.
So in an open-funding system, for a company to make a lobbying contribution they would need to do it via an individual, and this would be more transparent and accountable, and it would be visible to shareholders and the public through publicly accessible accounts.
The only problem is the transition to a more open system would be lobbied against by the large corporations out there.
Yeah, its pretty normal for power to become centralised over time within a nation. It has happened so many times before throughout history.
This happened in Ancient China, in the Roman Empire (The Roman Republic turned into the Roman Empire with an all-powerful Emperor (President)), in the British Empire (The Parliamentary (Republican-like) system was largely to the wayside of the Queen (Emperor), and now in the US of A, the Federal Republic power is being centralise on the President (Emperor).
More and more laws are made until there is very little flexibility (the term 'freedom' changes meaning), change and innovation, and 'stability' is
Often at a moment in history laws seem obvious, such as, the first born son must follow the father's profession (Of course this is obvious - Technique and expertise would be lost otherwise woudln't it!). But of course, we know a different system today with greater flexibility and competition and innovation. But again 'obvious' patent laws are being created. It is 'obvious' that patents protect people's ideas. But then this also reduces competition and the ultimate rate of innovation.
Power is naturally centralised for 'stability' reasons and 'obvious' laws tightened.
But this over a long period of time ultimately leads to the nation's downfall or dramatic change.
that should have read "the fiber comes in through the roof"! Ah, been in Japan too long!...Actually, paid nothing for the first 6 months too, didn't mention that either;) Beat that!
I'm living in a residential zone in Japan in Niigata, pretty near to the edge of the countryside really... Anyhow, I've got a 100Mbps fiber that only costs me 17pounds per month. Account with the company 'Nifty'. Can watch TV channels on it regularly while VoIP and video phoning back to UK.
For my 1Mbps line back in the UK, its more expensive.
Its a pity the UK is so far behind. Japan and Korea know where the future is, and the goverment has organised a very competitive system, there are so many companies trying to offer the service.
BTW, the fiber comes in through the rough on telegraph-like lines, the same way as the power in Japan. So no expensive costs digging holes!
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I find it a pity that the 'US of A' and my home country, the 'UK of GB & NI', is falling so far behind. I'm here in Japan in Niigata out on the edge of the countryside. I have a 100Mbps fiber from the company '@nifty', and the first 6 months were free, and is now costing about 17 or 18 pounds (sterling) per month for the continuing service. Fixed IP address. I don't know what the problem is back in Europe - particularly in the UK, and also in the US. I am coming to the conclusions that it is not due to lack of competition, but actually lack of goverment drive pushing these companies to offer higher speed. In Japan and Korea there has been a lot of pressure from the governmnet to build high quality fast backbones reaching every city, and now almost any company may take advantage of this.
Never mind safety, what about using the conventional train toilet (ie. A hole in the floor, or a conventional curved pipe toilet holding some water to stop direct air flow)... Has no one yet imagined? I wouldn't like to sit on that kind of toilet with the estimated pressure difference. It could be dangerous for my health. (I expect constipated me be advised to ride this train in the future)
This is indeed one very good solution - to allow contribution to come only from individuals, and for those over a certain cost to be publicly disclosed. This is called the 'Open-funding system'. In contrast, the 'Closed-funding system' is one where any body or entity may make any donation to the government for their own desires and no information beyond the two parties may ever know. So in an open-funding system, for a company to make a lobbying contribution they would need to do it via an individual, and this would be more transparent and accountable, and it would be visible to shareholders and the public through publicly accessible accounts. The only problem is the transition to a more open system would be lobbied against by the large corporations out there.
In addition to the number of good IM clients for Linux (especially GAIM), if you want voice chat (VoIP) on Linux then you have a good selection too: PhoneGaim : http://www.phonegaim.com/ ( http://cockatoo.mozdev.org/ ( http://www.gizmoproject.com/ ( http://www.linphone.org/ KPhone : http://www.wirlab.net/kphone/ Skype : http://www.skype.com/ ( http://www.minisip.org/ SFLphone : http://www.sflphone.org/ SIPfoundry : http://www.sipfoundry.org/ Twinkle : http://www.twinklephone.com/ openwengo : http://www.openwengo.com/ Yate : http://yate.null.ro/ shtoom : http://www.divmod.org/projects/shtoom Best to get one that connects via 'SIP' and is entirely standard-compliant, then you can connect to anyone on other standard networks (except those in closed networks like Skype(???)).
Yeah, its pretty normal for power to become centralised over time within a nation. It has happened so many times before throughout history.
This happened in Ancient China, in the Roman Empire (The Roman Republic turned into the Roman Empire with an all-powerful Emperor (President)), in the British Empire (The Parliamentary (Republican-like) system was largely to the wayside of the Queen (Emperor), and now in the US of A, the Federal Republic power is being centralise on the President (Emperor).
More and more laws are made until there is very little flexibility (the term 'freedom' changes meaning), change and innovation, and 'stability' is
Often at a moment in history laws seem obvious, such as, the first born son must follow the father's profession (Of course this is obvious - Technique and expertise would be lost otherwise woudln't it!). But of course, we know a different system today with greater flexibility and competition and innovation.
But again 'obvious' patent laws are being created. It is 'obvious' that patents protect people's ideas. But then this also reduces competition and the ultimate rate of innovation.
Power is naturally centralised for 'stability' reasons and 'obvious' laws tightened.
But this over a long period of time ultimately leads to the nation's downfall or dramatic change.
that should have read "the fiber comes in through the roof"! Ah, been in Japan too long! ...Actually, paid nothing for the first 6 months too, didn't mention that either ;) Beat that!
I'm living in a residential zone in Japan in Niigata, pretty near to the edge of the countryside really... Anyhow, I've got a 100Mbps fiber that only costs me 17pounds per month. Account with the company 'Nifty'. Can watch TV channels on it regularly while VoIP and video phoning back to UK.
For my 1Mbps line back in the UK, its more expensive.
Its a pity the UK is so far behind.
Japan and Korea know where the future is, and the goverment has organised a very competitive system, there are so many companies trying to offer the service.
BTW, the fiber comes in through the rough on telegraph-like lines, the same way as the power in Japan. So no expensive costs digging holes!