The EFF filed a FOIA request yesterday with the FBI and other offices of the US DOJ regarding expanded powers granted by the USA PATRIOT Act. The EFF is making the request in an attempt to find out whether or not Section 216 is being used to monitor web browsing without a warrant. The DOJ has already stated they can collect email and IP addresses, but has not been forthcoming on the subject of URL addresses. It seems the EFF is seeking any documentation to confirm such activity is taking place. One can only hope the automated FOIA search doesn’t produce any false negatives or cost the EFF $372,999.”
SBC & AT&T: A Merger of Disappointment with Disaster?
What happens if you merge a disappointment with a disaster?
You get SBC-AT&T.
In most corporate mergers, the shareholders of at least one company rejoice. But it’s hard to find a clear winner in the proposed acquisition of AT&T by SBC Communications.
AT&T, the nation’s once-proud phone monopoly, is a shadow of its former self. It lost $6.1 billion last year, and its sales have shrunk for five consecutive years as it has shed most of its operations except for business services. Its stock has fallen by almost 72 percent during the past five years.
I have a hard time seeing much good coming from this, other than a more concentrated lobby machine which ultimately works against the public…
Ivey takes a look at Madison (Verona’s) Epic Systems
Mike Ivey takes a useful look at Madison’s quiet technology giant (I don’t think there’s really any competition in the local tech sector), Epic Systems:
The company remains privately held by its employees – shares are repurchased when anyone leaves – and maintains it has no intention of ever making a public stock offering. The share price has gone from $14 in 1996 to over $100 today, making Faulkner one of the most successful, if not wealthiest, businesswomen in the state.
Still, Faulkner rarely grants interviews, doesn’t schmooze with the local tech crowd and has no intention of changing her approach. Faulkner has said the focus should always remain on the company and its mission to serve patients.
Software is a difficult business. Judy Faulkner and everyone at Epic deserve a great deal of credit for their success. Having said that, this next step is a big one, filled with sharks. I wish them well!
K-12 Sports: Friday Night Lights
I just finished reading Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights.
The bestselling story of life in the football-driven town of Odessa, Texas, explores how the town’s passion for the team inspires–and sometimes shatters–the young men who wear the Panther uniform.
Having lived in Texas some years ago, Bissinger presents a very accurate picture of Texas High School Football. Read David Bernhardt’s thoughts on K-12 sports for another perspective.
Mining Music Industrials from the 50’s & 60’s
A humorous way to start the week: John Kalish on industrials, those broadway tunes that promoted shop grease, tractors and other industrial products:
From the 1950s through the 1970s, large companies regularly commissioned original musicals for their annual conventions and sales meetings. Some employed reknowned Broadway composers for these shows.
audio
Wisconsin DPI Candidate Madison Forum Video/Audio
2009 Primary Candidate notes and links can be found here.
Three of the four candidates for Wisconsin DPI Superintendent participated in a Madison Forum Saturday morning. The League of Women Voters Melanie Ramey kindly moderated. Watch the forum here (video and audio clips). You can also read individual questions and watch/listen to the candidate responses.
Incumbent Libby Burmaster was unable to attend, though the three candidates mentioned that she has not participated in any primary events to date. I find this disappointing. These challenging education times require more debate, a more engaged citizenry and leadership.
I was impressed with the three participating candidates. They addressed the issues and were willing to put their names on a position.
In days long gone, it was likely sufficient to rely on special interests and avoid direct public interaction. Our current President certainly avoids any sort of critical engagements. Russ Feingold, to my knowledge, has always mingled easily with the public. [Melanie mentioned that incumbent non-participation in the primaries is a growing problem around the state.]
The internet era is dramatically changing the way in which we all communicate, are informed and express our points of view. Any candidate seeking office would do well to participate in the conversation.
I also want to thank the local media for their extensive coverage:
- 3, 15 and 27. Their coverage enabled these three candidates to have a few broadcast words with Madison voters.
- Isthmus posted the event in their weekly calendar.
- Sheryl Gasser emailed and mentioned that Wisconsin Public Radio will be interviewing the four DPI candidates individually starting this Monday morning from 7 to 8a.m. through Thursday morning. I’ll post audio links to these conversations.
Take a look at the forum page and email the candidates with questions. The primary is Tuesday, February 15, 2005. Vote!
Tool for Thought
Steven Berlin Johnson discusses the software he uses to organize his research, Devonthink.
This week’s edition of the Times Book Review features an essay that I wrote about the research system I’ve used for the past few years: a tool for exploring the couple thousand notes and quotations that I’ve assembled over the past decade — along with the text of finished essays and books. I suspect there will be a number of you curious about the technical details, so I’ve put together a little overview here, along with some specific observations. For starters, though, go read the essay and then come back once you’ve got an overview.
EFF: Endangered Gizmos
The Electronic Freedom Foundation is making a list of technologically advanced, otherwise desirable gizmos threatened by folks who don’t understand that intellectual property protections are supposed to spur innovation, not suppress it. Support the EFF. Via Virginia Postrel.
Why Wilco is the Future of Music
Lessig summarizes Wilco’s unique role in the online music wars:
The band Wilco and its quiet, haunted leader, Jeff Tweedy, is something different. After its Warner label, Reprise, decided that the group’s fourth album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, was no good, Wilco dumped them and released the tracks on the Internet. The label was wrong. The album was extraordinary, and a sold-out 30-city tour followed. This success convinced Nonesuch Records, another Warner label, to buy the rights back – reportedly at three times the original price. The Net thus helped make Wilco the success it has become. But once back in Warner’s favor, many wondered: Would Wilco forget the Net?
This is what democracy looks like
Lessig visits brazil and encounters old fashioned democracy…..
But more striking still was just the dynamic of this democracy. Barlow captured the picture at the top, which in a sense captures it all. Here’s a Minister of the government, face to face with supporters, and opponents. He speaks, people protest, and he engages their protest. Passionately and directly, he stands at their level. There is no distance. There is no “free speech zone.” Or rather, Brazil is the free speech zone. Gil practices zone rules.
Even after the speech was over, the argument continues. At no point is there “protection”; at every point, there is just connection. This is the rockstar who became a politician, who became a politician as a rockstar.