Daily Archives: August 21, 2004

Hollywoods Tax on ALL of us

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Wisconsin Public Radio’s Home page tells the story:

NOTICE: Due to rights issues, the Ideas Network internet streaming service cannot carry the BBC and CBC programming from 11:30pm to 6am weekdays and 12am to 6am on weekends until the conclusion of the Olympics on September 1st. Our live streaming for the Ideas Network will be off the air during these periods.

This absurdity, due to NBC’s broadcast rights deal with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), is yet another example of how the media has had its way with our politicians.

Enlightened New Mexico – Free Courthouse WiFi

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New Mexico’s Bernalillo County once again sets a great example for Dane County: Free WiFi (Wireless internet access) throughouth the 10-story courthouse. The WiFi network is intended to reduce juror frustration with waiting to be called for cases and to provide fast internet access for lawyers and judges as well. VOIP (Voice over internet protocol, or internet phone calls will also be supported on this wireless network).
North Carolina plans to install WiFi in all 100 of its courthouses. New York has similar plans.
Albuquerque provides free airport WiFi – while Dane county plans to eventually offer fee based WiFi access at MSN. This is a great example of our political leaders failing to embrace important new technologies that benefit everyone. Wisconsin needs pervasive true highspeed internet access. I’ve written extensively on this problem here and here.