::: bisonium.com :::

I have had a long-time beef with Verizon (for reasons I won't go into here) and here is yet one more story that gives me reason not to ever even consider the thought of using them.  For those of you who have ever been to some kind of Photoshop conference (especially the NAPP ones), you most certainly probably know who Ben Willmore is.  Over the past year, Ben had decided to sell his home and live aboard a motor-home full-time.  Ben has been blogging his travels and experiences throughout the entire process and it's been fun to watch where he is going and what he's doing.  I can't help but feel green with envy at him being able to do something so cool! :-)

In any case, in these days we all need to be connected and Ben is no exception.  Ben decided to get his broadband fix by using Verizon's EVDO broadband service.  So apparently "unlimited" access is not really "unlimited" in today's corporate contracts or advertising.  This is actually not unusual, but it doesn't make it right.  Corporate America is fast and furious to take your money and hold you to ridiculous contracts when it is in their favor, but lord help you if you try to actually use the service you are paying for in any kind of "unlimited" capacity.

"I've been using a Verizon EVDO card since I started living on the bus. It seems that they don't like people who actually need to use the net for their daily business life. I just received notice that they will cut off service for my card starting on 9/6/2006 because I used 10 Gigabytes of bandwidth over the last 30 days. I guess they have no idea that some people actually have to upload/download high resolution photography and do business on the net. I guess getting the satellite dish has become a major priority right now."

This is just WRONG.  It's time that the public began to hold these corporations to their advertising.  If you don't really mean UNLIMITED, then dammit, DO NOT say it is and then cry wolf when someone attempts to actually use it for business.  If you are going to cut someone off, at least have the common courtesy to give them a warning before just canceling their contract.  So the funny thing is that I am sure there are many of you out there that signed up for that EVDO service with "unlimited" data, yet for some reason need to or want to cancel, but are afraid to get hit with the penalties for doing so.  Why not give Verizon a taste of their own medicine and start jamming that pipe?  ;-)  Now I am not advocating violating the terms of your service agreement, but surely they can't prevent you from say...uploading content via FTP to your server, or some other creative use of mega-sized files that need to be sent somewhere right?  Let Verizon cancel you and you just got out of your contract.  They like games?  Just play them right back people.

You can check out the rest of the story on Ben's site and while you are at it, go ahead and subscribe to his feed!  Let him know bisonium.com sent ya and you support him in the fight for what's right.

Technorati Tags: Clueless, EVDO, Mobility, Peripherals, Stupidity, Verizon, Wireless

Posted by Frank Bisono at 3:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are you tired of dropping your paycheck at the pump these days?  Yeah, well...I am too.  Ya know...recently I purchased two new vehicles.  I was seriously considering a hybrid, especially something like a Prius.  Problem is that it was too small for my needs.  I also wanted an SUV for the wife and kid.  There just wasn't anything on the market that was decent, and to make matters worse, you had to pay a pretty steep premium which in the long run, for those don't hold on to their cars for long, it came out as a losing proposition.

So what about all those predictions that every car would be electric by the year 2000?  What ever happened to all those cars GM was testing?  That's a great question.  My buddy Digital Bill, over at the Wizards of Technology, and I were having a little chat about this very thing tonight.  He clued me in to a few interesting sites I wanted to share with you.  I think these will open your eyes just a tad bit and make you wonder why the hell we are having to pay close to $4 /gallon for fuel these days.  All I can say is that I'm ticked off as hell.  We really need to start questioning our elected officials as to why we are in the current state of fuel crisis when we have had the ability to change things for over a decade.  I know the answer...GREED.  The question is what are we going to do about it?

You can start by checking out these sites:

http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/
http://www.stefanoparis.com/piaev/acpropulsion/eBox/ebox.html
http://www.pluginamerica.com/
http://www.stefanoparis.com/piaev/pml-mini/pml-mini.html
http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?section=article&storyid=1084

Technorati Tags: Automobiles, EV Automobiles, Green Energy, Hybrid Vehicles, Politics, Video

Posted by Frank Bisono at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A blogger in Maine gets slapped with a lawsuit because he didn't like the ad campaign and basically posted it for the world to see.  Wow, this is really sad.  Last time I checked, we  lived in the United States of America and as a citizen of this great nation, I was under the assumption that I was entitled to our constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech.  Apparently that doesn't apply if you piss off a big corporation with more money than you and a legal team.

What I find even more disturbing is the ease in which such groundless lawsuits can be filed in todays legal system.  When are we going to enact penalties against parties who file groundless lawsuits for their personal gain?  When is enough enough?  It isn't a crime to lawfully state your opinion in public.  If big companies with teams of attorneys use this tactic to silence bloggers, what comes next?  I am utterly sick to my stomach and cannot believe what this country has come to.  This kind of retaliation against free speech is despicable, incomprehensible and legal action against the ad agency should be taken with extreme prejudice for wasting tax payers money and the courts time on such rubbish.  Be sure to follwo the links in the story below and read the full scoop.

[ via Recently ]

Lance Dutson was just doing what bloggers do: reporting when they see something stupid. In this case, he thought his home state of Maine was flushing his tax money down the drain with a poor PR campaign for the state's tourism. Tourism is the number one money maker for the state.

But apparently that's not OK with Warren Kremer Paino Advertising , a New York-based ad agency who the State was hired to draft the campaign.

When Dutson reposted images that were currently viewable for public inspection on the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development website, and critiqued them... that was the final straw, and he was sued by Warren Kremer Paino Advertising claiming defamation, libel, and copyright infringement. To the tune of more than a million dollars.

Lance is a man who is a web designer and who has a family, and is a self-described "middle of the road" Maine citizen. But if he's looses, they'll be in the poor house.

All because Warren Kremer Paino Advertising is miffed that Lance didn't like their work.

I'm going out on a limb here... I don't like it either .

Technorati Tags: Stupidity, Blogging, Legal

Posted by Frank Bisono at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hellooo Everybody....yep - I am still around, just busier than ever.  So the postings have become less frequent, but the quality is still great! ;-)  I don't know about you, but I am just about sick and tired of the price of gas these days.  The kick in the ass is that it doesn't have to be that way.  If you think the oil industry is hurting, you need to wake up and smell the crude oil baby.  Times have never been better and you can thank the oil tycoons running the White House for it.  I assure you, this is no coincidence.  If you have the stomach to read it, check out this article on the south FL iCoast Website.  Here's a little taste:

"Skyrocketing energy prices propelled Exxon Mobil Corp. to the top of the 2006 Fortune 500 list, and consigned Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to the No. 2 spot on the magazine's annual ranking of the nation's largest publicly traded companies.

Fortune compiled its list based on companies' 2005 revenues. Exxon Mobil raked in $340 billion in revenue, a 25.5 percent increase over 2004, and had $36.1 billion in profits, the most by any U.S. company in history.

Exxon Mobil last appeared at No. 1 in 2001. Only Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil and General Motors Corp. have topped the list since its inception in 1954.

Wal-Mart had $315.654 billion in revenue, a 9.5 percent increase from last year. Because of its pervasive U.S. presence, the world's largest retailer has struggled to sustain profit growth in the high teens as it had in previous years.

Other oil producers also rose in the rankings, boosted by crude prices that topped $70 a barrel and gasoline prices that surpassed $3 a gallon after hurricanes battered the Gulf Coast.

Both ChevronTexaco Corp. and ConocoPhillips saw their revenues jump in 2005, increasing by 28 percent and 37 percent, respectively. Chevron climbed two spots to No. 4, while Conoco edged up to No. 6 from No. 7 last year."

Still think we need to be paying $3 a gallon?  No?  Then do something about it!  STOP purchasing gas from Exxon or Mobil.  All it takes is one of the big boys to break and ALL the comanies will lower their prices.  No need to have an embargo and stop purchasing fuel for a day, that's just impossible.  But you CAN stop buying from the biggeest of the dirtballs.  Let them feel some pain and tell them bisonium.com said to STFU and lower their prices!

Technorati Tags: Rant

Posted by Frank Bisono at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As if US auto-makers don't have enough problems right now, it looks like Ford will be adding to the unemployment rate by shipping even more US jobs overseas to India.  This is exactly the kind of actions that will eventually lead to a MAJOR technology crisis in this country in the not too distant future. I am a veteran and have always believed in buying American, but it seems that even American made products aren't American anymore.  I love my Ford F-150, but my next car is going to be a BMW and I don't feel an ounce of regret.  By the time American corporations feel the effects of what they are doing now to save a buck, it will be all but too late to recover.

[ via Information Week ]

Report: Ford to Outsource IT, Engineering to India:

A newspaper in India says Ford Motor Company is planning to dramatically increase its use of outsourced IT and engineering labor.

[ UPDATE ]

The Information Week link seems to be having some issues.  The story can also be found at the Business Standard.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The morons in charge of the federal government  have yet again fallen victim to the brain flatulance that impedes progress in this great nation of ours.  As if it isn't already difficult enough to find a good job and make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd, the federal government has just added some additional barriers to helping you find a job.

New federal guidelines meant to standardize how employers track data on the diversity of their job-applicant pool are taking effect starting today for jobs at federal contractors -- and similar rules will kick in later this year at U.S. companies with more than 50 employees. And resumes and search approaches that worked perfectly well before may no longer do the trick.

Continue reading "Looking for a job by using the net? Read this..." »

Posted by Frank Bisono at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yet another addition to the idiots that are the reason we have so many problems in the USA.  Litigation happy attorneys and morons who file this kind of lawsuit should themselves be thrown in jail for wasting tax dollars on foolish things like this.

So this idiot files a law because Apple doesn't adorn their product with warning labels that playing your iPod too loud is bad for your hearing.  Does any normal competent adult actually need to be told this?  Like everyting else in this society, people just refuse to accept any responsibility for their own actions and expect others to pay for their stupidity.  So wait, I guess I should go sue the US Navy for exposing me to all the jet noise for the years I served in the Navy huh?  Or wait, maybe I should sue the National Guard because firing my weapon made too much noise and scared me.  Come on people....when are we going to say enough is enough and just slap these morons silly and be done with it?  The full story is after the jump...

Continue reading "Apple sued over hearing loss in iPod buyers" »

Posted by Frank Bisono at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Please, please please....SOMEONE tell me that this is a BAD joke.  This DEMOCRAT did NOT just say that we Americans must just "learn to deal with it" when it comes to losing our jobs to overseas companies in the name of CORPORATE GREED.  I would expect this from a Republican.  Did someone actually vote this idiot into office?  So now that we must deal with being unemployed because we actually want to be able to afford a home and feed out children, where is this training, education and tax incentive he is talking about?  What about those people who are out of work NOW because of this?  Don't those tax paying AMERICANS have a right to work and not live in fear that their job will be outsourced? 

"Critics in the West say outsourcing puts skilled people out of work just so big companies can save money. But supporters argue that it actually creates jobs by helping companies grow faster. "

Are you seriously kidding me?  So now that these companies have "grown faster", where are the jobs?  Are we supposed to believe that those put out of work by outsourcing were re-hired into better positions?  Who the hell are we kidding here?

This is the most classic example of why each and every American on this planet needs to get out and VOTE.  If we only let the rich and corrupt have a vote in society, you have no right to bitch and complain about losing your job.

Senator calls outsourcing of white-collar jobs a fact of life:

Sen. Max Baucus, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, said Friday that outsourcing white-collar jobs to low-wage countries such as India has become a global fact of life -- and that America must learn to live with it.

Read the rest after the jump...

Continue reading "Senator calls outsourcing of white-collar jobs a fact of life" »

Posted by Frank Bisono at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here we go again with more legal stupidity.  So let me get this straight...now WE are supposed to HELP the studios preserve evidence of something that has never happened, so that THEY can win a case against us?  Lately, this country has become a land of "GUILTY until proven innocent".  It seems that only large organizations and corporations with huge money, legal teams, and political influence get any "justice".  Something is just fundamentally WRONG here.  You know it's getting really bad when there is now a TV show on ABC, In Justice,  based on this very concept.  The show is VERY good by the way, the pilot was excellent last night.  It's just a shame that there are actually innocent people in prison because the very system that is supposed to protect them, and give them life and liberty, has FAILED them.  Does the constitution even exist anymore?  As of lately, it just seems that anyone from the President on down can make (or break) the law as they please.

[ via Tech Republic ]

| Police blotter: Alleged eDonkey pirate gets trial | Latest Technology News from TechRepublic.com:

"Police blotter" is a weekly report on the intersection of technology and the law.

What: A Philadelphia man with a cable modem is sued by Paramount Pictures for alleged copyright infringement of a movie through the eDonkey file-sharing network.

When: U.S. District Judge Thomas O'Neill in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled on Dec. 2.

Outcome: O'Neill denied each side's requests for summary judgment, clearing the way for an eventual civil trial.

Summary: Paramount detected a copy of its Jim Carrey movie "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" on the eDonkey network on Dec. 23, 2004. That was a week after it was released in theaters.

More after the jump...

Continue reading "Alleged eDonkey pirate gets trial" »

Posted by Frank Bisono at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the past few weeks there have been an enormous amount of stories about the tech boom that has been happening in India.  As someone who works in IT, this is obviously a huge concern.  I can honestly say that I have been a huge advocate against outsourcing and placing the blame on the wrong people.  These articles should serve as a WAKE UP CALL for America.  Our jobs are leaving the US and heading east due to nothing more than corporate GREED.  The folks in India are merely taking advantage of an opportunity that has been literally handed to them on a silver platter.  The formula is quite simple: Go to school, excel at your chosen major, walk out with a degree AND an education, get paid a ton of money (at least it is for them) to do what you love.  Perform well and you will be rewarded.  Unfortunately that formula no longer works in the USA.  Corporate America is simply concerned about their bottom line and nothing else.  Loyalty is a word that no longer exists in ANY form when it comes to dealing with American corporations.

All too often here in the US there is no recognition for hard work.  The harder you work, the more they expect out of you.  And as I have been a victim of myself, if you do your job TOO WELL, then you are too valuable to promote and your opportunities to advance up the corporate ladder will pass you by as some less than qualified idiot takes your position, all thanks to the fear of litigation involved in letting someone go (ie FIRING THEM) for simply being incompetent.  This is today's corporate mantra.

Corporate executives expect that you will work for wages that would have been considered "fair" over 10 years ago.  It seems like we cant get past that mentality these days, even though our economy and cost of living has skyrocketed over the same period of time.  In south Florida for example, the price of real estate has more than tripled in the last 5 years.  Yet the average salary for the very people living in this area has stayed the same or declined.  So tell me this corporate geniuses, how can we afford to buy a new home if you are still paying us wages from 10 years ago in today's economy?  The answer is simple.  The average person CANNOT.  Now lets take a look at India.  If you follow the link to this multimedia flash presentation, it will seriously open your eyes.  Here are the very same folks taking our jobs, getting paid 1/10th or LESS than what we get here in the states, yet they are living the life with beautiful homes, chauffeured cars, maids and cooks.  Their education system is significantly better and their wireless infrastructure leaves us looking like amateurs in the almighty US of A.  How is this possible?  CORPORATE GREED and a corrupt political system.

Folks, you can either be part of the problem or part of the solution.  If you vote for officials that support outsourcing, you are part of the problem.  If you do business with companies that outsource labor overseas, you are part of the problem.  If you are lazy and try to skate by at work by doing as little as possible, you are part of the problem.  The money ship has set sail and it's on its way to India.  It's going to be hard to turn that ship back, but not impossible.  It's up to you...just don't complain later when it's too late and say nobody told you so or that you didn't see it coming.

[via Silicon Beat ]

Bangalore boom:

Matt already mentioned the stories that colleague John Boureau has written about the Bangalore tech boom. But I'll call special attention to the multimedia Flash presentation that our crack photo staff produced. It really brings the story to life with photos and narration by the people at the center of the stories. One slide show features an upscale Bangalore neighborhood that's become home for many Indians returning from the U.S. One person in the piece says that 80 percent of his neighbors are from the Bay Area. And then there's the contingent of young Americans who went to work for Ifosys in India to jumpstart their careers, and found many slices of America. "I never imagined I would move to India and be able to order Dominos,'' says one.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

More news on the Cobb County homefront. As of Tuesday evening, Superintendent Redden has resigned.  This is just frickin unacceptable.  I am saddened to see that one of the few people who "got it" has been ousted by a bunch of idiots that couldn't see beyond their petty politics to do what was in the best interest for the kids.  Thinking Different was obviously beyond the scope of these people.  Chief Redden, a former Air Force General was grossly overqualified for the position, and that is now obvious.  Chief Redden....hold your head up high and march on.  You've still won the respect of many others and will do well in another district.  Although, why you would want to deal with the crap is beyond me.  Enjoy your retirement and thanks for your service to our great nation.

For the full story via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 9:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ahhhh...the stupidity tirade continues full force. This one is pretty interesting as it seems to be legit. The problem I am having is....how does a foreign national have the right to file a patent (or anything for that matter) in the United States? I am no attorney and totally ignorant to patent and trademark law, but it just seems silly that we let any idiot around the world file for anything here in the US. Does this mean I can go to Hong Kong and file for a patent over there? I say give him a nickel and tell him to have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up!

For the full scoop on continuous stupidity, follow the link to AppleInsider:

AppleInsider | Apple, Sony among those named in new DRM lawsuit:

Posted by Frank Bisono at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It seems that all I am posting about lately is the stupidity of people and large organizations, like our government for example. I just read on CNET that the US Copyright Office is soliciting feedback on whether they should create an "IE Only" website for registering your copyrights. This is absolutely the most idiotic thing I have seen yet. As a tax paying citizen of the United States, I should not be forced to use ANY particular platform in order to access what I am entitled to by law. What about those who choose not to contribute to a monopolistic anti-competitive and convicted antitrust violating company like Microsoft? America is about freedom of choice, yet I am being forced to use a Microsoft product in order to do what should be available to EVERYONE? What the hell is that? To add insult to injury, there is no electronic means of voicing your feedback to the government. Is it so damn hard to create an electronic form? And how about using plain english? Does everything have to look like a damn legal document to get anything done? You have to jump through all sorts of hoops and hurdles just to get your voice heard. Yeah, I feel like they really care and want to hear my opinion. NOT.

This kind of stupidity makes me sick to my stomach. It further confirms the incompetence of the so called "professionals" that run the IT organizations within our government. They clearly know nothing about Open Standards and how to code to compliance so that EVERYONE can have equal access via products that are both commercial and FREE like Mozilla based browsers. There is an overabundance of inept, lazy and just plain BAD programmers within our government, I have worked with them firsthand, and it is sad. It is mind-boggeling how some of these people are able to get jobs in IT, much less call themselves "professionals" in the trade. Yet this is what our tax dollars are going towards.

The majority of this snafu is a result of Siebel's incompetence and inability to write proper code themselves. Apparently Siebel is being quite selective in what browsers they will support, and is it a surprise Apple's Safari is NOT one of them? Don't we as tax payers deserve a voice in this? I think so. I would urge you to write your congressman and voice your opinion about the stupidity of IT in our government today. Stand up for your rights and don't let the clueless dictate how we should be able to communicate within our government!

[ Update ]

Looks like a lot of folks have found out about this and are up in arms. Check out the slashdot trail of comments.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Something is just terribly wrong with our government and elected officials. It seems that we are losing more and more rights in this country by the minute. CNN Law Center is reporting that "the US Supreme Court just ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses - even against their will - for private economic development."

Ok, so just wait a second. Am I to understand that even though I am the legal owner of my home and the property it sits on, my local government can decide to uproot me and my family, in the name of putting in a profitable shopping center for some rich land developer? Yes, that is exactly what it means. The full story is disturbing to say the least.

When are WE as voting tax payers, going to finally stand up to the rich and powerful and tell them we are not going to take it anymore? This is absolutely insane. Nothing in this world is beyond corruption and immorality in the name of making a dollar in corporate America. Unbelievable...just friggin unbelievable.....

Posted by Frank Bisono at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thank God that there is a judge and jury with some common sense on this planet! I hope this is a new trend we will see more of. These spammers need to be taught a lesson and this looks like it might finally get the point across. WE DON'T WANT YOUR SPAM!

[via Slashdot]

Spammer Sentenced to 9 Years in Jail:

Iphtashu Fitz writes "Jeremy Jaynes of Raleigh, NC now has the dubious honor of being the first spammer sentenced to jail for the felony of spamming. Virginia judge Thomas Horne sentenced Jaynes to 9 years in prison based on a jury recommendation after he was convicted of sending out 10 million e-mails a day. Jaynes, who sent out much of his spam using the name "Gaven Stubberfield", has held a position on the SpamHaus Registry of Known Spam Operations for a long time. Unfortunately the sentence has been postponed while the case is being appealed." Commentary on the sentence available at Forbes as well.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 9:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are just some things in life that people must take a stand on. Big business playing dirty is one of them. It appears that Monster Cable, makers of those ridiculously expensive audio and video cables for your home entertainment systems, is on a legal rampage. Someone forgot to send their attorneys to the class on trademark law.

Monster has recently been filing lawsuits against pretty much any company that uses the name "monster" in their product, regardless of whether that company or product is competing in the same space. How someone can confuse the movie Monster's Inc. with Monster Cable is beyond me, but that is what is happening folks. They are going after companies big and small. Companies such as Disney can afford to do legal battle with Monster, but the little mom and pop shops cannot. This is just one more example of our legal system gone wrong. It is time that these big business bullies be taught a lesson.

What needs to happen is for the judicial system to not only toss out every one of the cases that are frivolous, but to file charges against the company for filing such a frivolous lawsuit in the first place, and wasting tax payers money. Penalties should not only include the legal and court costs, but carry a sentence of no less than 90 days confinement in a nice state penitentiary for the CEO and legal staff. Suspension from their state bar would be a good bonus for the attorneys as well. If we stepped up to the plate and responded to these lawsuits in this fashion, I can guarantee you that companies the likes of SCO would think very hard before filing their lawsuits.

For the time being however, it is my recommendation that you - the people, stand up against this ridiculous company in the form of boycotting their product. Help the little guy trying to make a living survive and stand up for your rights.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 3:37 PM | Permalink

FBI Ordered to Turn Over Lennon Files:

CatDogLordOfTheRoot writes "CNN is reporting that a U.S. District Judge rejected the governments arguements to keep the secret records of John Lennon sealed. The FBI argued that releasing the last ten pages would pose a risk to national security as a foreign government (not identified) secretly gave information to the US Government. Looks like another big step in the Freedom of Information Act."

Posted by Frank Bisono at 4:44 PM | Permalink

Piracy Deterrence and Education Act passes; whatever you do, don't bring a video camera to the movies:

Apparently, it’s illegal to use video cameras to record movies in movie theaters.  We had no idea, and watching movies recorded on screens featuring the back of some dude’s head is such a great viewing experience! The fun must all end now, though, as a bill passed by the House on Tuesday has made the Seinfeldian act illegal. While that’s no surprise, the bill contains some hidden little goodies that are more worrisome. For instance, the bill offers copyright protections for video playback technologies that helps parents prevent their children from seeing scenes depicting sex, violence or foul language.  We can’t wait to see a Tarantino flick with that technology turned on.  It would last - what - ten minutes?  “No, really, Billy.  The movie is about hamburgers and dancing and a glowing briefcase.  It’s a short film.”

Posted by Frank Bisono at 2:21 PM | Permalink

4,280 RIAA Lawsuits and Counting.:

In this season of Induce, let's not forget that the RIAA is using existing laws to make thousands of American families miserable. Of course, just as the Induce Act won't solve the P2P dilemma, the lawsuit campaign doesn't seem to be working, either. For a recap on the RIAA lawsuit campaign, as well as EFF's suggestion for what they should be doing instead, read the editorial published today in Law.com:

Four thousand two hundred and eighty lawsuits and counting.

That's how many lawsuits have been brought by the major record labels against music fans for using peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing software (like Kazaa or Morpheus) to swap music over the Internet. This month marks the one-year anniversary of the recording industry's unprecedented litigation campaign against its own customers. The campaign appears to have hit its stride, with the Recording Industry Association of America announcing roughly 500 new suits each month.

Link.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 12:58 PM | Permalink

Micro-management with GPS/cellphone:

That crafty mid-level manager has been watching you over your work-cellphone for awhile now, so it’s probably best to resist the urge to head over to O-Malleys for a quick tipple. The GPS-cellphone as employee-monitor has been the cause of endless privacy vs. security squabbles, and confused workers might be best off tossing their spying handsets in a ditch. While the leader of the mobile-monitoring pack has been Nextel with their Mobile Locator, recently the mobile tracking firm Xora has released services like “geofences” which sets off an alarm when the employee goes to a previously no-no designated area (we bet 80% of these are bars). The technology should remind you of that pet GPS collar which sends email alerts to the pet owner when Rover dashes outside of the confines of his monitored fenced-in yard. Though since the E911 mandate (which says that cellular carriers must enable 95% of their cellphones to be tracked when the user dials 911, by the end of 2005) has been creating the boon for GPS/cellphone systems, then we guess that most employers using GPS/cellphone tracking are just trying to look out for their employee’s safety - right? Though that excuse doesn’t really hold up with the geofences alert system, unless the employer’s going to claim it’s aiding with employee alcohol abuse.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 11:22 PM | Permalink

Beyond Re-Animator: PATRIOT II Rises Again:

It looks like death was just the beginning for the never-introduced "Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003," otherwise known as "PATRIOT II." As the Associated Press, LA Times, and Washington Post reported last week, lawmakers are circulating draft legislation that breathes new life into some of the most threatening provisions in PATRIOT II. The draft legislation is meant to implement intelligence reforms as recommended by the 9/11 Commission Final Report, but goes far beyond those recommendations -- including giving federal agents the power to use secret foreign intelligence warrants and wiretap orders against people unconnected to any terrorist group or foreign nation. In other words, it proposes lowering the legal standards for surveillance so that the government has the same leeway to spy on people like you and me as it does those suspected of being international agents or terrorists.

EFF has acquired a copy of the draft legislation (PDF), introduced this past Friday. Peter Swire offers a brief analysis of the bill on the Politech list, echoing our concerns:

Without the requirement of a link to a foreign power, there are grave constitutional questions about whether this secret wiretap is allowed under the Fourth Amendment. Furthermore, the "lone wolf" provision opens the door wide to surveillance of citizens for domestic surveillance and law enforcement purposes. Searches within the US should still presumptively be done in compliance with the Fourth Amendment.

Presumptively, indeed.

Posted by Frank Bisono at 9:46 PM | Permalink