Flat rate net access on the way... ComReg (the Communications Regulators' office) announced a few moments ago that a wholesale flat rate internet access offering must be made available by Eircom to other operators by the end of next month, with the goal of having a retail offering avaliable to consumers by June. This is after the Minister for Communications, Dermot Ahern, made a ministerial intervention and required that a flat rate product be put on the table.
11:02:16 AM  #   your two cents []

[Sigh]: George Bush's war on nature. Republicans are pushing the most radical assault on the environment in modern times. But history warns of catastrophe for leaders who trust ideology over science. [Salon.com]
9:36:03 AM  #   your two cents []

Tech doctorates decline 7 percent. The number of science and engineering doctorate degrees awarded in the United States dropped by 7 percent from 1998 to 2001, according to a new survey. [CNET News.com] ... well, yes; that was the point at which the choice was: scholarly pursuits and no money, vs career in tech and close relationship with Mammon. These days it might seem like a doctorate is more worth the time, given that the jobs are gone. Less flippantly, of course the decline in science grads is a serious problem worldwide. Our problem in Ireland is lacking the PhD programs in tech to begin with.
9:34:37 AM  #   your two cents []

Cool satellite photo of massive warplane boneyard. Ernie sez:

"I was reading on mefi about the surplus US aircraft boneyard when someone posted this link to beautiful Terraserver satellite photo of the place. It's like a bizarre art piece or something!"

[from Boing Boing Blog]
9:27:53 AM  #   your two cents []

MSN Messenger outage affects millions. Cause of worldwide service interruption unknown [InfoWorld: Top News]
9:25:18 AM  #   your two cents []

William Ralph Inge. "A nation is a society united by delusions about its ancestry and by common hatred of its neighbors." [Quotes of the Day]
9:23:13 AM  #   your two cents []

Lessig Wagers His Job On Anti-Spam Theory [Slashdot]
9:22:33 AM  #   your two cents []

Avoid big four travel firms, tourists told. The Consumers' Association has launched a scathing attack on the goliaths of the travel industry. [Guardian Unlimited]
9:21:53 AM  #   your two cents []

Jobs' autograph garners high bids. An auction for Apple CEO Steve Jobs' autograph reaches nearly $2,300 on eBay. But bids fail to meet the seller's minimum, and the sale doesn't go through. [CNET News.com]... Hmmm...Steve's John Hancock valued at about same price as a low-end PowerBook laptop...
9:20:10 AM  #   your two cents []

Blair seeks to revive Ulster peace process. Politics: Tony Blair will today begin attempts to revive Northern Ireland's struggling peace process. [Guardian Unlimited]
9:18:21 AM  #   your two cents []

Gibson has a blog. William Gibson -- long gun-shy of setting up any kind of personal Internet site -- has dived into the net with both feet forward, setting up a fantastic blog. Link  [Boing Boing Blog]
9:15:57 AM  #   your two cents []

Microsoft Moves to Strengthen Its Position in Digital Media. Microsoft said on Monday that it would license its Windows Media technology to consumer electronics makers at lower prices than its main competitors. [New York Times: Technology]
9:14:36 AM  #   your two cents []