Wow. JuicyFruit shows us decisively what blogs aren’t. [Tags: blogs]

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There’s a slick anti-“trusted computing” ad here. I only wish it went into more detail. (Warning: The servers are slow because it’s been boingboinged.) [Tags: DigitalRights]

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A reminder: I’m starting up this year’s Web of Ideas discussion series at the Berkman Center, and our first guest will be David Isenberg. I’ll interview him about the current telco situation and how to keep the Internet open and free, something David has been thinking about for a long time. There’ll be open discussion, the event is open to everyone, and I think there will be pizza. It’ll be sometime in the early evening (6:30?) on September 14 at the Berkman Center at Harvard, in Cambridge, MA. [Map] [Tags: WebOfIdeas berkman]

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One of the arguments being used to prop up the existing telephone system (and, more important, the existing telephone system companies) is that we need big ol’ companies to guarantee reliable service in an emergency.

So, Jeff Pulver has pulled together a bunch of stories about how effective VOIP has been in the areas Katrina hit hardest. (As you know VOIP, or voice over IP, uses the Internet to transmit calls.)

And Cringely is proposing putting portable Wimax hotspots at the fringes of a disaster area to enable VOIP where the Net is otherwise unavailable.

What network has been shown to be more resilient than the Net? (Thanks to emails from Tom Evslin and Kevin Marks for the links.)

Tom Evslin blogs about Stuart Henshall‘s idea, already a week old, that the telephone companies make the phone numbers of the victims of Katrina available as VOIP numbers. Then the people whose phone lines are literally under water could use VOIP wherever they are — and presumably, VOIP phones would be made available to them — to make calls, check phone mail, etc. (Normal phone numbers lead to a particular socket in a particular location, even if that location is now underwater. VOIP numbers are virtual and can be accessed wherever there’s an Internet connection.)

It’s a great idea and it’s dismaying that a week later — even though the FCC took the first step of waiving some waiting periods for transfers — those in charge are still thinking that the transfer should be to a new hardwired phone rather than to VOIP number that a displaced person could use wherever she is.

And while we’re talking about real steps that would make us more secure, Michael Moore wonders how even the people who voted for Bush feel now that we’ve learned he appoints leaders of FEMA the way presidents appoint ambassadors to Luxembourg.

I can tell you honestly that I feel less safe with Bush in office than I would have with Kerry, Dean, McCain or Sean Penn. And when I say “I feel less safe,” what I actually mean is “My kids are more at risk.” [Tags: HurricaneKatrina voip wimax fcc security MichaelMoore]

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War-profiteer Halliburton — after $1.5B in “questioned” and “unsupported” costs in its Iraq bonanza — has been awarded $29.8M to start rebuilding naval bases in Louisiana and Mississippi.

I know $29.8M is nothing to a company like Halliburton, but, can’t we get even a semblance of propriety? [Tags: HurricaneKatrina]

Bush has also taken this opportunity to allow companies doing repair work in the Katrina-stricken areas to pay lower than minimum wage to their employees.

According to Slate, Bush wrote to Congress that he’s taking the action because of the state of emergency:

Bush wrote that his decision is justified because Davis-Bacon increases construction costs, and suspension “will result in greater assistance to these devastated communities and will permit the employment of thousands of additional individuals.”

This is basically the Republican argument against minimum wage overall. In this case, it means that the cost of Bush’s tax cuts and reckless war-mongering, which resulted in the largest deficit in our history, will once again be born disproportionately by working people.

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Andrew Rasiej’s campaign for NYC Public Advocate is heading towards the big moment on Tuesday. Public Advocate has not been a powerhouse of a position – which makes it even odder that the NY Times half-heartedly endorsed the incumbent who has failed to make much of the position – but Andrew wants to use it to bring the Net’s power to bear on the city’s problems. He’s not looking for technological solutions. Rather, he wants to use the technology to enable neighborhood and citizen solutions. He will do some cool stuff with the position, which is more than can be said about the incumbent.

Doc‘s got a good write-up about Andrew’s quest. If you’re in NYC, why not give Andrew a chance to show how the Net can help make government more responsive and more human…

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Andrew Davidson has created a random generator of corporate boilerplate. Quite amusing. [Tags: humor]

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In the UK, the Open Rights Group has been established to be the hub of digital rights efforts.

In the US, the Berkman Center has published a report. From the NY Times article by Steve Lohr:

In a report to be presented at the World Bank today, a group that includes senior government officials from 13 countries will urge nations to adopt open-information technology standards as a vital step to accelerate economic growth, efficiency and innovation.

The 33-page report is a road map for creating national policies on open technology standards, and comes at a time when several countries – and some state governments – are pursuing plans to reduce their dependence on proprietary software makers, notably Microsoft, by using more free, open-source software.

[Tags: DigitalRights]

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Gov. Arnold, is vetoing the California gay marriage law. Here’s a place where you can let him know that you disagree with him.

PS: It seems to be working out pretty well here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. [Technorati tags: GayMarriage california schwartzenegger]

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Until September 16, Pfizer is offering free prescriptions for people affected by Katrina. This is the message they sent to Britt Blaser:

From: Huw Gilbert
Subject: Pfizer Katrina Relief
Date: September 8, 2005 3:40:44 PM EDT Britt, We are trying to get the information below out as widely as possible. Would you be willing to find a way put it on Escapable Logic and/or New York Done Right? The information below is on our site here. Thanks!!! Hurricane Katrina Survivors: Visit a nearby pharmacy to receive an emergency supply of your Pfizer medicines. Victims of Hurricane Katrina who have lost access to their Pfizer medications can receive an emergency supply at any Walgreens, Rite Aid, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club or CVS pharmacy. From now until September 16th, Pfizer and these pharmacies are helping survivors obtain their Pfizer medicines. No matter where patients may be residing, if they are from the affected areas, they can go to any Walgreens, Rite Aid, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club or CVS pharmacy and ask the pharmacist for help. Many independent community pharmacies will also be participating. Patients without prescription drug coverage will get their medicines for free. Pfizer and our partners will continue to do all we can to support the efforts of healthcare providers in the area. We are expediting donations of our medicines to relief organizations and local hospitals, and we urge any hurricane victims who do not have their Pfizer medications to contact or visit a pharmacy right away to receive an emergency supply during these difficult days. For more information, please visit a nearby pharmacy.

Let’s get the word out. [Technorati tags: HurricaneKatrina]

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