September 30, 2000

A friendly, non-partisan reminder:

A friendly, non-partisan reminder: If you haven't done so already, you've exactly 10 days left to register to vote. If you've had a change of address recently, you'll need to register again. Remember, this election isn't simply about the presidency. Depending on where you live, every office from congressperson to school board president could be up for grabs. Register now, and make a difference in November!
posted by aladfar at 11:41 PM PST - 16 comments

Looks like this guy is using the web to spread even more disinformation about sexism. No wonder he has to GIVE his book away for free. Among the gems of wisdom, "If women really made 59 cents on the dollar for the same work as men, what business could compete by hiring men at all..."? Sheesh!
posted by murray_kester at 10:53 PM PST - 1 comments

Register.com and Staples are offering $1 domains

Register.com and Staples are offering $1 domains for a limited time. What's the catch?
posted by mathowie at 9:30 PM PST - 10 comments

Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic

Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic Jakob Nielsen says "to take the Internet to the next level, users must begin posting their own material ... the vast wasteland of Geocities confirms this. Giving users a home-page editing program does not turn them into good writers." Meg takes Nielsen to task: "his recommended approach is crazy ...Why bog kids down with HTML?" Blogs, of course, are her solution. But for some folks this simply doesn't add up. Saying kids shouldn't learn HTML because Blogger exists is like saying they shouldn't learn to add because calculators exist.
posted by webchick at 8:16 PM PST - 122 comments

Who owns your name?

Who owns your name? I could not find this story on the web. I saw it in print. It appeared in an article by Geoffrey Vanderburg in the Friday Sept. 29th Edmonton Journal.
Here's an excerpt. "An internet company with links to the National Firearms Association has been ordered to give up a Web site using Justice Minister Anne McLellan's name. Smartcanuk Internet Services has been told to transfer control of annemclellan.com to Canada's justice minister, McLellan's Edmonton lawyer said Thursday"
Al Green, owner of Smartcanuk... says the ruling sets a "very very dangerous precedent."
"Sandra Sellers, an eResolution arbitrator...., decided Monday to grant transfer of annemclellan.com and annemclellan.org to McLellan."
McLellan was able to demonstrate that the domain name was identical or similar to a trade-mark, that Green had no legitimate interests in the name, and that the name was being used in bad faith....
Green argues McLellan is not a trademark, she's not famous and his use of the Web site does not constitute "bad faith"

I think I have to agree with the arbitrator on this one. If there is one last sacred domain we should be entitled to it is our own names. Although in the case of the John Smiths of the world that position is likely to take some heat. Any thoughts people?
posted by daddyray at 6:40 PM PST - 8 comments

"It is important that we show the diversity of the University of Idaho."

"It is important that we show the diversity of the University of Idaho." And we'll do whatever it takes to show it. [more inside]
posted by Steven Den Beste at 5:45 PM PST - 16 comments

The Tecno AO

The Tecno AO electromagnetic bioprotectionoscillator is an almond shaped disk that is 1.2 inches long and attaches to the casing of your cell phone or pager. It emits a magnetic oscillation that may counter the potentially harmful effects of the radiation produced by cell phones.
(quoted from the FAQ)
posted by tamim at 2:46 PM PST - 11 comments

Spud left in sun goes bad

Spud left in sun goes bad... when Rhode Island Tourism did its version of the faddish "funny statues on parade" promotion (q.v. New York, imitating Chicago, imitating Zurich), they chose Giant Mr. Potato Head statues dressed in a variety of outlandish themed costumes. One of them seems to have sparked a racist imagery controversy ... you be the judge. (See them all at the official site.)
posted by dhartung at 12:30 PM PST - 18 comments

Gnutella -- DeCSS Redux?

Gnutella -- DeCSS Redux? Anyone catch the Salon article on gnutella? Speculation by Cary Sherman, general counsel of the RIAA, on how to bring gnutella down includes the following:
"...There are also people disseminating the program, and people who are using it to disseminate materials. There could be legal strategies to address that."
Once again people merely "disseminating" an otherwise legal program are -- the phase I believe is -- actionable.
posted by leo at 1:34 AM PST - 8 comments

"The vice president says he would rather protect this refuge than gain the energy, but this is a false choice ..."

"The vice president says he would rather protect this refuge than gain the energy, but this is a false choice ..."
~G.W. Bush (on Gore's plan to keep the protected status of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while Bush plans to open up parts of the protected land to oil prospecters.)
posted by tamim at 1:32 AM PST - 25 comments

FBI focuses on McKinnon staffer Lozano in the debate tape probe.

FBI focuses on McKinnon staffer Lozano in the debate tape probe.
"A federal source said the label on the Express Mail package received by Downey also directly corresponds to the date and time Lozano was filmed by a security camera mailing a package in the Austin post office." (via Washington Post)
posted by tamim at 12:28 AM PST - 1 comments

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