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Tag: news

  • May 16th, 2014 1:25pm

    Twenty-eight House members—including its top-ranking leaders who this week warned the Federal Communications Commission that regulating broadband like a public utility “harms” providers, would be “fatal to the Internet,” and could “limit economic freedom”—have received more than twice the amount in campaign contributions from the broadband sector than the average for all House members.

    —

    Bankrolled by broadband donors, lawmakers lobby FCC on net neutrality | Ars Technica

    Wow. That’s shocking. It’s … it’s almost like they were paid off by the broadband providers or something. But, that would NEVER happen in America, right? Truth, justice, equality, and all that, right?

    (via wilwheaton)

  • November 30th, 2012 9:35am

    America’s Internet started out as No. 1 in speed. It now ranks 26th, far behind the networks in Bulgaria, Ukraine and Lithuania. Americans pay the sixth highest median price in the modern world for Internet data — 16 times the rates paid by South Koreans, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Just as serious is the problem of coverage: in France, South Korea and other modern countries a superfast Internet is or will soon be available everywhere. In America, AT&T’s fiber optic lines stop short of homes and small businesses, while Verizon plans to end its fiber-optic installation work once it reaches 18 million residences. As of now huge parts of the United States will never get on the information superhighway but will rather slog along on the digital equivalent of a country road. This presents a genuine economic threat to America: the future industries and jobs that require a universal ultra-high-speed network, after all, will most likely be developed somewhere else.

    — Break Up the Telecom Cartels – NYTimes.com (via rickwebb)

  • October 27th, 2012 12:26pm

    thedailywhat:

    Dear Ann Coulter of the Day: After Ann Coulter referred to President Obama as a retard in a tweet during Monday night’s presidential debate, Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens penned her this open letter:

    Dear Ann Coulter, 

    Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult? 

    I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night. 

    I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have. 

    Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next. 

    Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift. 

    Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more. 

    After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV. 

    I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash. 

    Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. 

    No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. 

    Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged. 

    A friend you haven’t made yet, John Franklin Stephens Global Messenger Special Olympics Virginia

    [specialolympicsblog]

  • August 3rd, 2012 12:25am


    newsflick:

    Kofi Annan has resigned as the international envoy on Syria, with effect from the end of the month. At a press conference in Geneva, Annan complained of “finger-pointing and name-calling”. UN seceretary-general Ban Ki-moon says he is looking for someone to replace Annan. Read his full statement here.

    read more.

    Clearly proof that politics works. 

  • July 25th, 2012 2:45am

    wherethemindroams:

    Aerogel, also know as frozen smoke, is the world’s lowest density solid, clocking in at 96% air. If you hold a small piece in your hand, it’s practically impossible to either see or feel, but if you poke it, it’s like styrofoam. It supports up to 4,000 times its own weight and can withstand a direct blast from two pounds of dynamite. It’s also the best insulator in existence.

    I would like to get acquainted with Aerogel one day.

    Aerographite is what’s really up.