PBS hacked in retaliation for Wikileaks story
Over the weekend, PBS was hacked by a group called lulzec, which placed a story on the PBS site claiming that rapper Tupac Shakur was alive and living in New Zealand.
Web Stuff
Does it matter whether you read on paper or on screen?
Barnes & Noble has announced a new version of its Nook e-reader device today, featuring a black and white touch screen and a price tag… Read More »Does it matter whether you read on paper or on screen?
Take reports of Montana’s terrible broadband speeds with a grain of salt
Some news outlets have reported this week that Montana’s Internet access speeds are the worst in the country and that this could leave our rural areas “economically crippled.†While I do not dispute the fact that we have some slow Internet access statewide, I would like to remind everyone to take such pronouncements with all due consideration.
The speed news comes from November 2010 data published by Speed Matters where Speed Matters says, in bold red type, that Montana ranks last in the country in Internet speeds. Its data shows that Montana’s median download speed is 0.4 mbps and that our average is 1.2 mbps — they also note that the FCC defines “broadband†as at least 4 mbps down and 1 mbps up.
Let’s be clear about one thing. If you go to the Speed Matters website and visit the interactive map of Montana’s speed test results, you’ll see that the website lists how many tests were conducted in each county.
The majority of Montana’s speed data comes from counties where fewer than two dozen people have taken the Speed Matters test.Read More »Take reports of Montana’s terrible broadband speeds with a grain of salt
Privacy advocates want the “right to be forgotten”
The Technology Review reports that there is a growing movement, especially among European legislators, calling for some sort of “Internet erase button,” a way to… Read More »Privacy advocates want the “right to be forgotten”
Tester appeals to FCC chairman on behalf of rural broadband
Montana Sen. Jon Tester has sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, asking that plans for encouraging broadband growth in America do not harm… Read More »Tester appeals to FCC chairman on behalf of rural broadband
Judge rules against Google settlement with publishers over book scanning
A New York judge has denied final approval for a proposed settlement between Google and book publishers, saying that the agreement is not fair, adequate and reasonable.
The settlement, referred to in the decision as the “Amended Settlement Agreement,” would have given money to rights-holders whose works Google has already digitized while allowing Google to continue its work scanning books.
In his decision, Judge Denny Chin said the ASA would give Google an unfair advantage over its competition, “rewarding it for engaging in wholesale copying of copyrighted works without permission.”Read More »Judge rules against Google settlement with publishers over book scanning
How does this story make you feel?
I followed a link on Twitter this afternoon to a poorly written story (actually a piece of commentary from a community news site operator, as… Read More »How does this story make you feel?
Libyan protester and UM Grizzly fan?
John S. Adams at the Lowdown politics blog posted this yesterday. A reader sent him a CNN YouTube clip showing the protests in Libya. Clearly visible at the 54-second mark is a man wearing a UM Grizzlies sweater.
Pennsylvania teacher suspended for blog post calling students “lazy whiners”
A high school English teacher in Pennsylvania is fighting for her job after a post to her blog, in which she called her students “disengaged, lazy whiners” and wondered what is wrong with calling them out?
Egypt blocks country’s Internet access during massive protests
Facing massive protests, the government of Egypt today cut off Internet and cell service to almost all of the country’s 80 million residents, hoping to remove the ease with which protesters have coordinated and communicated.