Don’t Tax my iPod
There’s a movement afoot by California bureaucrats to tax digital downloads. Read more about it here.
Open Source Community Grows Up
Here’s my column on this week’s Open Source Business Conference.
Free Broadband isn’t free
And when it’s provided by cities it’s a huge mistake. Read my column here.
Terri Schiavo and our growing culture of death
It is shocking and disturbing to me that so many people support ending Terri Schiavo’s life. We have no proof that, as her husband claims, she would want to die. Since we don’t have any proof, the default should be
Obesity Matters
Earlier this month, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his intentions to support a bill outlawing the sale of junk food in schools. Science shows the governor is right to worry about an obesity crisis, but banning candy in schools is
National ID debate
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the REAL ID Act of 2005. Privacy advocates decry the act as move towards a national identification card while others back it as a key national security measure. Both sides miss important
The Future of Communications
I was the keynote speaker for the California Telephone Association’s (CTA) annual conference this year. CTA’s members are mostly small phone companies from around the state. It was interesting to listen to their thoughts about how their small businesses might
RFID rights and wrongs
RFID was a big topic of discussion this week at the RSA conference. The chips can be used to track almost anything from inventory to humans. Indeed, I met Joseph Krull, who has a Verichip implanted in his arm. He
PUC did right thing on bill of rights
Recently the California Public Utilities Commission delayed the so-called “consumer bill of rights,” a courageous move that will benefit all Californians if the decision is made permanent. That’s right, a bunch of regulators actually said that the telecommunications industry did
Broad thinking on broadband
The California PUC recently released a report on broadband deployment in California. It’s worth the read, but if you want a summary and analysis, see my column here.
Information Wants To Be Free
This year will see many important battles in the communications industry, one of which is currently playing out in the Virginia state legislature. On one side are cable companies and on the other telecommunications firms, but both sides should realize
Transforming Humans
William Safire bid farewell to his column at the New York Times this week, but not because he’s retiring. Instead, this Pulitzer Prize-winning, former presidential speech writer is moving on to lead an organization concerned with what some call transhumanism.
Fox blurs a cartoon butt for fear of censors
While American soldiers risk their lives overseas to protect freedom, broadcasters at home are cowering in the shadows of government censors. Here’s my column on the madness.
New Commissioners at the CA PUC
Soon, two new commissioners will take their posts at the California Public Utilities Commission. Here’s a column giving them a heads-up on some of the issues.
Cold Fusion Chill
Will cold fusion ever happen? Not if we don’t try to figure it out. Here’s a column on the problems facing the field.
Done with death
Perhaps someday we can say we really are done with death. Here’s my book review of the Scientific Conquest of Death.
Why broadband shouldn’t be socialized
See my column this week.
On the FCC & Telco Reform
Here’s my column on VoIP and the upcoming TRO decision.
On defining value
Here’s my column on digital economies and the game Second Life. SL has a currency called the Linden dollar that trades against the American dollar.
On E-voting
Here’s my column on e-voting and why it’s humans, not the machines, that matter most.