Do we need a national broadband plan?

Universal broadband access is a major technology goal of President Obama. As part of Congress’ agreement to include broadband grants and loans in its stimulus bill, it mandated the FCC to figure out what else it would take to hook up every home to the Web.

A Federal Communications Commission task force has begun to outline hurdles to universal access. FCC broadband planners have identified three of many hurdles:

1. There is not enough spectrum for mobile broadband.

2. A federal fund for phone service needs to be restructured to include broadband.

3. Consumers should be told the truth about the Internet access speeds they pay for.

The debate essentially boils down to one question: Should the FCC mandate “net neutrality” and regulate Internet fair play?

Some say the answer is yes. They cite service providers who can intentionally disrupt Internet traffic—selling fast service to favored sites and slowing or blocking others. Regulation would mean that a service provider could not favor certain forms of data traffic over others. "Net neutrality" advocates say that's wrong. They cite free speech and commerce.

In a recent story, the Washington Post summarized some of the challenges:

One hurdle for users is a lack of transparency by providers, he said. Internet network operators such as Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T will have to be a lot more transparent about the services, prices, and speeds they offer. And consumers should be able to get a clear sense of the options they have among those and other telecom, cable and satellite broadband providers before signing up for a service.

Still, critics insist that the government has no business meddling in the Internet market. They argue that rules would be a dangerous overreaction to a phenomenon that doesn't exist and that such regulations would stifle investment.

The economic stimulus package gives the FCC has until Feb. 17, 2010 to deliver its plan to Congress. Also included in that package is $7.2 billion for broadband grants. The FCC has teamed up with the Agriculture Department to solicit comments about the development of a separate rural broadband plan.

On the issue of technology, President Obama said, "To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative."

To learn more about the White House's technology initiative, click here.

Staying safe on Facebook

Recently, the question of scams came up in association with some Facebook games and applications. The maker of one popular game, Farmville, has agreed to change its practices.

It pays to be safe when it comes to Facebook games and apps. As third-party applications are developed and downloaded—and as their popularity continues to increase—so do the chances that you'll be hit with malware. If you're not careful, your account could even be hacked. CIO offers four great tips for staying secure:

1. Limit the information in your profile.

2. Create a false profile.

3. Monitor your privacy settings.

4. Update your Web browser.


Related: Zynga harvests the cyberfarmer

Political humor

David Letterman: "You know, it's interesting what former presidents do when they leave office. George W. Bush is now working as a motivational speaker. ... And if you want to be motivated, who better to turn to than the guy who invaded the wrong country and started a depression?"

Jay Leno: "Lou Dobbs has quit CNN. And here's the weird part: He didn't want to quit, his work visa expired."

Stephen Colbert: "Harry Reid presented the Senate's version of the healthcare bill. It's 2,074 pages, in honor of the year in which they'll pass it."


Source: U.S. News & World Report

The eyes have it

I've finally dug my winter clothes out of the closet, and I'm quite aware that the holidays are not far away. I could use a little "something" to give me a fresh look -- something that's a little fun without putting a dent in my budget.

I've decided that a pair of red holiday fun eyeglasses could help me "glam" up my image. My daughter, the fashionista, can change frames in an instant and still keep that "Vogue" look. I might as well give it a try.

My timing couldn't be better in seeking a new look. Zenni Optical has a line of new arrivals. There's even an entire line of $8 prescription Zenni glasses.

Maybe there's room for two fashionistas in the family.

The downside of texting

College age students text the most. Many prefer texting to calls or e-mail. I should know. My kids fall in this category.

New research suggests that the large amounts of texting could lead to overuse injuries -- once only reserved for older adults who have spent years in front of a computer. The discomfort associated with repetitive text messaging gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "pain in the neck," as Science Daily reports.

Honoring our military women and men

Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day

Soldiers of the 353rd Infantry near a church at Stenay, Meuse in France,

wait for the end of hostilities.

This photo was taken at 10:58 a.m., on Nov. 11, 1918,

two minutes before the armistice ending World War I went into effect.

The history of Veterans Day

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.

President Dwight Eisenhower signed House Resolution 7786, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day. An act approved in 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday - a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day."

Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history. After American forces had fought in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Today we honor America's military men and women for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

How important it is for us to recognize and

celebrate our heroes and she-roes!

~Maya Angelou~

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget

that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,

but to live by them.

~John Fitzgerald Kennedy~

Political humor

David Letterman: "The health-care reform bill has passed by the House. Well, that was easy. And you know what that means, it's just one step away to being defeated by the Senate."

Jay Leno: "Now it gets tricky because the bill goes to the Senate, where Senator Lindsey Graham vowed it would be dead on arrival. That's what he said. In fact, right now, Graham is leading a Southern white coalition against the bill called the Graham Crackers."

Jay Leno: "It was reported today 237 members of Congress are millionaires. Almost half of Congress are millionaires. Isn't that unbelievable? So, apparently, Congress is pretty good at managing their own money, it's just our money they suck at managing."

Source: U.S. News and World Report

Some Facebook games accused in Internet scams

Do you or your kids play FarmVille, Mafia Wars, or Restaurant City? Then you may well have some unpleasant surprises on your cellphone bill.

Zynga, the company that makes Mafia Wars, claims that it has more than 25 million players. According to a report in Time magazine, accusations have surfaced that the games can lead some more naïve players, including children, into Internet scams. It pays to read the fine print before playing any Internet game.

Related: The Odd Popularity of "Mafia Wars"

Best Buy to offer video on-demand

Best Buy, the world’s largest electronics retailer, will start an online store for movies and television shows that will compete with Apple Inc.’s iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon.com. The service will offer a variety of downloadable content. Consumers could buy, rent and download movies and television shows.

The system, based on Sonic Solutions' Roxio CinemaNow service, would be built into devices sold at Best Buy stores, including television sets, portable media players, computers, mobile phones and other devices from a variety of manufacturers.

DVR, once seen as TV's foe, boosts ratings

Network television executives apparently have fallen in love with the enemy -- the digital video recorder. TV execs long thought that the DVR would "kill" television. It seems that the device has done just the opposite.

According to a New York Times report, more viewers seem content sitting through commercials. About 33% of American households now own DVRs. According to the NYT, several factors are helping some marginal shows become hits and even boosting the ratings of popular programs. Read more.