p2pnet World Headlines – Aug 11, 2009
Geek Squad Certification Test Is Absolutely Stupid Gizmodo
If you thought that Geek Squad employees were kind of dumb, well, you may be right. At least, that`s the impression I get by looking at the absolutely stupid multiple-choice answers in their CompTIA A+ preparation test:
UK ISP That Used To Cut Off Users On Accusation Now Wants Court Order TechDirt
A few weeks ago, we wrote about Karoo, an ISP in the UK that wasn`t just taking claims of unauthorized file sharing from the entertainment industry against its customers at face value, but was cutting them off on the very first accusation, with no real recourse. Except, after all the publicity from the original BBC report and others discussing it, Karoo quickly caved in, and said it would switch to a three strikes policy. Now, a few weeks later, the company is admitting that it will only disconnect someone over file sharing if it gets a court order. So in the period of just a few weeks, a little publicity turned a bad situation into a much better one. [Comment: I don't know about you but if that was my ISP I would dump them fast]
Lions Gate to distribute its DVDs through Redbox Reuters
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp said on Tuesday that it had reached a deal to distribute its DVDs through Coinstar Inc’s Redbox kiosks. On a conference call with analysts, the company said it believed the Redbox model would ultimately expand the business by increasing the number of impulse rentals and making its titles available in more places, without having a dramatic impact on sales. Lions Gate President Steve Beeks said the multiyear deal should generate about $200 million. The company follows in the footsteps of Sony Corp, which recently struck a deal with the kiosks company to supply Redbox with product directly. But many Hollywood studios believe the chain’s $1 rentals are hurting both rental revenue and DVD sales.
Facebook buys social media aggregator FriendFeed Associated Press
Facebook is buying a Web service called FriendFeed that gives users a view of what their friends are doing on all sorts of social media sites, including Facebook’s rivals. In an interview, FriendFeed co-founder Bret Taylor said the two services will eventually merge, though FriendFeed will operate separately for now. He said FriendFeed was drawn to Facebook’s much larger base of 250 million users. “Facebook has a really unique opportunity for our team to reach a significant percentage of the world, and that was an opportunity I think everyone on our team was extremely excited about,” he said.
Laptop Magazine Rescinds `Best Of Show` Award For Zer01 TechDirt
A well-known and well-trusted tech publication, had given Zer01 a Best of CTIA award. Except that`s now gone. Last week, LAPTOP rescinded the award for the first time in its history, noting not just the ethical questions raised by others, but the fact that the company did not live up to much of what it had promised the magazine LAPTOP concludes its retraction saying: At this time we can only urge extreme caution to those interested in using or selling Zer01`s service.
MPPs demand answers after $25,000 speech The Star
A $25,000 speech by former eHealth Ontario CEO Sarah Kramer was the last straw. Progressive Conservative and New Democrat MPPs want to shine the light on spending excesses at the beleaguered electronic health records agency by hauling its officials before a legislative committee to answer in public about $16 million in untendered contracts, limousine rides and big executive bonuses. [Comment: Ehealth sure is a huge waste of money and a lot of nothing]
More nations bid to block Internet Canoe
Opponents argue money allocated to filter the Internet would be better used to fund child protection authorities and police – More governments are looking at ways to censor Internet content. Australia and China have plans to install Internet filters to block access to certain sites. [Comment: Meanwhile, Quebec's Videotron (ie Quebecore media who owns the media this article is written for), is blocking content within Emails now (censor based on Email content and Email attachment). But they don't report on that do they? Wonder why?]
In a move I`m calling too little, too late, too proprietary, major labels are introducing their own file format Tech Crunch
While I respect the initiative being shown by our friends in the music industry (a few years late, but still), I have a question: how exactly do you see this little foray succeeding without that music device which has risen in prominence since the day of the compact disc â I think it`s called an i-Something?
Websense yanks censorware from Yemen The Register
Filter spat highlights repressive regime dilemma – Websense has blocked two ISPs in Yemen from receiving updates after it emerged that they were using its filtering technology in a government-mandated censorship scheme.
Two convicted for refusal to decrypt data The Register
Up to five years in jail after landmark prosecutions – Two people have been successfully prosecuted for refusing to provide authorities with their encryption keys, resulting in landmark convictions that may have carried jail sentences of up to five years. The government said today it does not know their fate.
How to hack a Sony Reader The Register
Inside the Linux-based e-book viewer
Big Pharma Abusing Patent Laws To Seize And Destroy Legal Indian Generic Drugs TechDirt
The deeper you look at how pharmaceutical companies use and abuse the patent system, the worse it looks. It`s much more horrifying than what`s happening in the tech industry in many ways (especially since lives are often at stake). The latest such example highlights the desperate lengths that Big Pharma will go to, in attempts to stamp out perfectly legal competition.
Adobe: Once you license software in France, you can only use it in French BoingBoing
I`m submitting this because it`s a blatant example of a stupid licensing policy and limits to software related to licenses. My son wants to use Adobe CS4 – that I bought as an education version – in English, but we live in France, and the serial number they sent after registration only lets him use the software in French
Off the clock? Hyperconnected workers sue employers Ars Technica
The Wall Street Journal today noted a lawsuit that was filed last month in the Eastern District of New York against T-Mobile, alleging that the wireless carrier required employees to be on call and respond to customer issues outside of work hours, but without paying overtime. The employees in questionâformer and current retail associates and supervisorsâwere required to carry company-issued smartphones and were required to review and respond to numerous T-Mobile-related e-mails and text messages at all hours of the day and night, whether or not they were logged into T-Mobile`s computer-based timekeeping system, according to the law firm representing the plaintiffs.
Recommendations for Federal Web Privacy Policy EFF
To see the extent to which the current cookie policy creates confusion and allows invasions of citizens` privacy, one need look no further than the ongoing episode surrounding WhiteHouse.gov`s use of embedded YouTube videos. In the current WhiteHouse.gov privacy policy, a waiver grants YouTube the right to use persistent cookies, but only to help maintain the integrity of video statistics. In contrast, YouTube`s privacy policy allows for much broader use, claiming license to permanently store data gleaned from WhiteHouse.gov for use in marketing campaigns. (In June, Google privately told EFF that it had halted this practice and was ignoring cookies from visitors to WhiteHouse.gov â but, since then, we`ve been waiting for a clear, public statement from Google to confirm or clarify this.)
DNA research in N.W.T. sparks genetic sampling concerns CBC
`It`s my DNA` – But some in Inuvik have refused to participate, saying they don`t want their DNA in the hands of others, said Ruth Wright, a local resident who was hired to recruit participants. Some have told Wright, `It`s my DNA, I don`t know what they`re going to do with it` [and] `The government is trying to say we`re not natives so they don`t have to give us land claims` â there`s another one that I got maybe three times now, she said.
Marc – p2pnet
August, 2009
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August 11th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
pirate bay is back online.
BayImg is NOT back online.
BayWords is NOT back online.
August 11th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
DNA research in N.W.T. sparks genetic sampling concerns CBC
Interesting. I see nothing on this from the privacy commissioner of Canada’s website.
She should be involved.