Author Archives: beastieb

‘BitTorrent’ Gives Hollywood a Headache

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By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES – Bram Cohen didn’t set out to upset Hollywood movie studios. But his innovative online file-sharing software, BitTorrent, has grown into a piracy problem the film industry is struggling to handle.

As its name suggests, the software lets computer users share large chunks of data. But unlike other popular file-sharing programs, the more people swap data on BitTorrent, the quicker it flows ? and that includes such large files as feature films and computer games.

From Yahoo News

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House approves ban on taxing the Internet

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November 19, 2004

CAPITOL HILL – It’s being called a “big win” for Internet users.

The House has given final congressional approval to a bill that bans state and local governments from taxing Internet connections for the next three years.
The bill was approved by a voice vote and now goes to President Bush for his signature.
It prevents any tax on all types of Internet connections, from traditional dial-up services to high-speed broadband lines.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden co-sponsored the original ban.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner calls the bill “a big win for the vast majority of Internet users.”
But he is promising to renew his effort for a permanent ban on taxing Internet access.

From KATU News

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Microsoft warns of lawsuits over Linux

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SINGAPORE (Reuters)—Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer on Thursday warned Asian governments that they could face intellectual rights-infringement lawsuits for using rival open-source operating platforms such as Linux.

Linux is open-code software that is freely available on the Internet and easily modified by users.

Its growing popularity with companies and governments around the world, and particularly in Asia, is a threat to the global dominance of Microsoft’s proprietary Windows platform.

Ballmer, speaking in Singapore at Microsoft’s Asian Government Leaders Forum, said that Linux violated more than 228 patents. He did not provide any detail on the alleged violations, which the Linux community disputes.

From Cnn News via Rueters

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Recording industry sues 761 for music swapping

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LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The recording industry has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 761 computer users, the latest round of litigation in the record companies’ effort to stamp out unauthorized trading of music online.

The latest batch of lawsuits on Thursday also targeted 25 computer users suspected of swapping songs over university networks, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, a trade group for the largest music companies.

The RIAA claims the defendants used peer-to-peer services, including eDonkey, Kazaa and LimeWire to share music.

From USA Today

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Bush signs debt increase into law

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President approves a measure authorizing an $800 billion increase in the nation’s credit limit.
November 19, 2004: 12:35 PM EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Bush Friday signed into law a measure authorizing an $800 billion increase in the credit limit of the United States, the White House said.

On Thursday, the Republican-controlled House voted 208-204 to pass the bill. Senate approval came on Wednesday.

Democrats said the debt limit increase, the third in as many years, was necessitated by Bush’s “irresponsible” fiscal priorities, including what House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California described as tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate handouts. From Cnn Money via Rueters

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Swiss youths smoke most dope in Europe

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ZURICH (Reuters) – Swiss teenagers smoke more cannabis than their peers in every other European country, a survey has said, casting a pall over the country’s prim and wholesome image.

One in three Swiss 15-year-olds has lit up a joint within the past year, while the number of teenagers regularly smoking or getting drunk rose 10 percent between 1998 and 2002, the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse said in their survey.

From Yahoo News via Rueters

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GOP may change rule to aid DeLay

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Charles Babington, Washington Post

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Washington—House Republicans proposed changing their rules Tuesday night to allow members indicted by state grand juries to remain in a leadership post, a move that would benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, according to GOP leaders.

The proposed rules change, which several leaders predicted would win approval at a closed meeting today, comes as House Republicans return to Washington feeling indebted to DeLay for the slightly enhanced majority they won in this month’s elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing re-election. It also triggered a grand jury inquiry into fund-raising efforts related to the state Legislature’s redistricting actions.

From San Francisco Chronicle via Washington Post

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Texas Officials Wary of Plan to Hunt by Internet

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By Jeff Franks

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up in arms.

A controversial Web site, http://www.live-shot.com, already offers target practice with a .22 caliber rifle and could soon let hunters shoot at deer, antelope and wild pigs, site creator John Underwood said on Tuesday.

Texas officials are not quite sure what to make of Underwood’s Web site, but may tweak existing laws to make sure Internet hunting does not get out of hand.

From Yahoo News via Rueters

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MARINE APCs (TANKS) APPEAR AT ANTI-WAR PROTEST IN WESTWOOD

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LOS ANGELES, November 9, 2004 – At 7:50 PM, What were first reported to be tanks and now identified as Marine APCs showed up at an anti-war protest in front of the federal building in Westwood.

The APCs circled the block twice, the second time parking themselves in the street and directly in front of the area where most of the protesters were gathered.

Enraged, some of the people attempted to block the APCs, but police quickly cleared the street.

The people continued to protest the presence of the Marines, but after about ten minutes they drove off. It is still unclear as to why they were deployed to this location.

From LA Indy Media
Video Can Be Downloaded Here

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Palestinians Prepare Arafat Resting Place (No really… he’s dead this time… for real.)

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Wed Nov 10, 8:20 PM ET

Add to My Yahoo! Middle East – AP

By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Bulldozers and dump trucks cleared rubble Wednesday for Yasser Arafat (news – web sites)’s burial at his battered headquarters ? a symbol of Palestinian resistance where he spent his last years in virtual imprisonment.

From Yahoo News

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Ashcroft, Evans Resign From Bush Cabinet

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By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON – Attorney General John Ashcroft (news – web sites), a favorite of conservatives, and Commerce Secretary Don Evans, one of President Bush (news – web sites)’s closest friends, resigned Tuesday, the first members of the Cabinet to leave as Bush heads from re-election into his second term.

From Yahoo News

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