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Thursday, February 9, 2006
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They Saved the Internet's Soul
Wired: "In some alternative universe out there, the world is using a very different internet. It's a network without sex and violence, devoid of four-letter words and racy ideas, subject to constant monitoring by censors and harsh punishment to those who cross the line into controversy.
"It's the Taliban internet; the Kansas internet. It's the internet in a world in which the U.S. Supreme Court never overturned the 1996 Communications Decency Act -- the web's first and still most-sweeping U.S. censorship law, struck down after a legal challenge filed by civil liberties groups 10 years ago Wednesday.
"'It was big stuff,' said Marc Rotenberg, head of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, one of the groups that filed the case. 'We were fighting to save the soul of the internet.'
"The Communications Decency Act, or CDA, was passed by Congress as part of the Telecommunications Act and signed into law by President Clinton on Feb. 8, 1996. The law aimed to extend to the internet the same "decency" standard that applies to broadcast TV and radio, and is now most famous for leading to fines for Howard Stern and CBS television for explicit language and a wardrobe malfunction respectively."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:55:03 PM 
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Evangelical Environmental Network
Non-Prophet: "The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) recently announced the formation of a new coalition called the Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI) at the National Press Club in Washinton. They are a large group of influential evangelicals who are urging Washinton to take the dangers of global warming seriously. I applaude them with all of my heart."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:43:27 PM
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Immigration
People are lining up to oppose any guest worker program for illegal immigrants, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "As the Senate prepares to take up immigration legislation, members of a citizen border-watch group rallied outside the Capitol on Wednesday, pledging to torpedo any bill granting legal status to undocumented workers.
"'If the president of the United States really wanted to, he could secure the border tomorrow,' Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., one of several speakers, told the Minuteman Project rally to loud cheers. '...The unfortunate, dirty truth of the matter is, he has no desire to do so.'"
More coverage from the Rocky Mountain News.
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:16:33 AM
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Big Tent for Dems?
The Denver Post editorial staff is urging state Democrats to avoid polarization over abortion. They write, "Instead of shadow boxing over abortion, Coloradans need to hear what their next governor will do to improve education, rebuild our crumbling highway network, strengthen health care and develop 'win-win' solutions on water issues.
Diane Carman speaks out on the issue in her column in today's Denver Post. She writes, "So it's come to this. The right to privacy in a fundamental health-care decision is trivialized as a petty, narrow, political litmus test. With women making up 58 percent of Democratic voters in the state, Salazar's threat is a risky strategy...
"For the first time in 40 years, the pro-choice majority in Colorado may not be represented by a candidate for governor this year. And while Salazar may be able to browbeat pro-choice Democrats into voting for Ritter over a Republican, convincing them to contribute to the campaign will be tough.
"Like the business community, the farm lobby or any other special interest group, pro-choice activists most certainly will impose a litmus test before writing any checks."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:02:50 AM
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Preferred Storage Options Plan
The Lower Arkansas Conservancy District is asking Colorado Springs and Aurora to wait until the Preferred Storage Options Plan is complete to file for permanent exchanges of water from the river, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "The district is negotiating with the two cities and other Preferred Storage Options Plan participants over its concerns about water and development in the Arkansas Valley east of Pueblo...
"The 'thing' this time appeared to be December filings for exchanges in Division 2 Water Court by Colorado Springs and Aurora. An exchange moves the point of diversion of a water right.
"Aurora, filing jointly with the High Line Canal, is asking for permanent exchange rights of leased water in 2003 and 2004. Colorado Springs Utilities filed two exchange applications related to leased water or water it owns and the Southern Delivery System, a proposed water-supply pipeline from Pueblo Dam.
"Singletary said the Colorado Springs filings could be an obstacle to the proposed Arkansas Valley Conduit, while Aurora's filing could hurt the Lower Ark's attempts to put together a valleywide land management plan.
"Both cities are open to Singletary's suggestion...
"The Arkansas Valley Conduit would provide drinking water to communities east of Pueblo. A study is under way to determine if the towns and water districts can fund it and if there is enough water to fill it.."
Category: Colorado Water
5:56:02 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 8:00:40 PM.
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