Tim Karr Interview

Our guest on January 24 was Tim Karr, of FreePress.net and SaveTheInternet.com. We talked about changes at the FCC which are expected from the Obama Administration.

- Listen to the Interview -

Web Threat Leads to Arrest

From Reuters:

Authorities on Friday arrested a U.S. man on suspicion of threatening to kill President-elect Barack Obama based on statements he posted on a website about UFOs and aliens, the Justice Department said.

Martin Announces Resignation

No surprises here. The FCC chair will step down on Inauguration Day and take a position as a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute.

Jobs Takes Medical Leave

He says he'll be back in June.

Obama's Presidential Portrait

It is the first official White House portrait taken with a digital camera.

China's Boot Camp for Web Addicts

And they take it very seriously.

Here, in addition to military-style discipline, some 60-odd patients at his center undergo a three-month regimen of counseling, confidence-building activities, sex education and in about 60 percent of the cases, medication. The treatment is designed to address underlying family and psychological problems, and boost their self-confidence.

State Dept: Do Not Reply to All

From the AP:

Many "reply all" fiascos result in mere embarrassment, but American diplomats have been told they may be punished for sending mass responses after an e-mail storm nearly knocked out one of the State Department's main electronic communications systems.

29 Suspended Over Facebook Comments

Twenty nine students in England were suspended after "deeply insulting comments" about a teacher were found on a Facebook page.

The New Fail Whale

Karl Rove is the latest to Twitter.

IRS to Tax Linden Dollars?

The IRS now has its eye on Second Life.

"Economic activities associated with virtual worlds may present an emerging area of noncompliance, in part, because the IRS has not issued guidance about whether and how taxpayers should report such activities," Olson wrote in her report. She points out that almost all income is subject to tax—even prizes, winnings, and barter exchange. She also acknowledges, however, that tracking and reconstructing so many tiny transactions would be a huge burden, and that attempting to place a value on virtual transaction could present serious challenges.

Free NIN Album Tops Amazon Charts

Trent Reznor is the latest major artist to prove that giving music away is good for business.

Though fans could grab the music free of charge, Reznor racked up huge amounts of cash by offering limited edition sets with extras like Blu-ray discs and deluxe packaging; this was widely praised as a way to profit from scarcity while simply giving away the stuff that's easily copied (i.e., the digital bits that make up the music).

Hackers Target Progressive Blogs

They were all published using the SoapBlox blog framework, making them all susceptible to the same attack.

Cherry Picking Science

It's a G.O.P. specialty.

Wiretap Lawsuit Continues

From Wired:

A federal judge ruled Monday that "sufficient facts" exist to keep alive a lawsuit brought by two U.S.-based lawyers for a Islamic charity who say they were eavesdropped on without warrants.

Data Breaches Up 50%

Yikes!

Businesses, governments and educational institutions reported nearly 50 percent more data breaches last year than in 2007, exposing the personal records of at least 35.7 million Americans, according to a nonprofit group that works to prevent identity fraud.

Social Sec. Applications Online

From the AP:

The Social Security Administration, envisaging the near-future prospect of 10,000 baby boomers applying for benefits every day, has put together a new online service that will allow people to get their benefits without ever traveling to a Social Security field office.

Dozens of Twitter Accounts Hacked

Including accounts for Barack Obama and others.

First Fox News Twitter followers read a false message about Bill O'Reilly's sexuality Monday morning after hackers launched several attacks.

Then came the attack on pop princess Britney Spears' private parts.

Stephen Cohen on photo l.a.

Our first guest of the year was Stephen Cohen, President and Director of photo l.a. which begins next Thursday in Santa Monica.

- Listen to the Interview -