Lieberman-Collins is in trouble! There is apparently some misinformation going around. I’ve seen people claiming that gun control is in the bill, when it’s just an amendment possibly to be added, along with an anti-Obamacare amendment going around. Further, The Hill posted and pulled a story saying Harry Reid postponed the Cybersecurity Act.
But it looks like I was right to respect Republican attempts to modify the bill, because it’s going as it should, according to reports.
The Obama administration is admitting this is about more power for government, as Democrats are scapegoating their apparent coming failure to make that power grab. They clearly had no intent of allowing the bill modified into a compromise, so they’re instead backing off on supporting any compromise. Republicans who voted to proceed called Reid’s bluff, and now even if he’s not postponing the bill, it’s clear his party is ready for the bill to fail.
Pass SECURE IT next Congress, guys. Or some other bill to facilitate critical information sharing, because “Ron Johnson is right” is not a line from Blazing Saddles. It’s the truth.
The libertarian wing of the House GOP continues to take the lead on tech issues with Jason Chaffetz’s SHIELD Act which would target Patent trolling specifically in computer hardware and software patents. I think I like this. Especially with the ABA-friendly first-to-file system in, finding ways to discourage patent litigation is probably good. I suspect if the bill has problems it will be in defining terms.
How about some Google? A barrage of stuff for the Don’t Be Evil company. After the UK found that Google hadn’t destroyed all the fruits of the Wi-Spy Street View program, France is demanding the see the data. Hard to think the keeping of information is accidental though, given reports that Google demands the right to use information of its partners’.
US regulators are busy too, looking to fine Google $22.5 million over the Safari spy hack. However I would have supported a much larger fine. I suspect that they made good money off of the tracking while it lasted. For those who may not recall: Google found a way to defeat Safari’s anti-tracking features to track users. That ought to bother people.
However there is a bright sot for Google customers as they’re starting to impose more Apple-like control over Google Play, the Android answer to the App Store.
Hey Al Gore? Barack Obama? When it comes to the Internet, You didn’t build that. Industry did.
Here’s an interesting news bit: Verizon’s blocking tethering apps apparently violated its C Block license. That’s actually more great news for Android users on Verizon, at least until Verizon alters its terms of service to compensate. AT&T has long been taking countermeasures to block tether abusers, and Verizon will do the same I’m certain. Though actually with the move toward family/group plan communal data, that may be less of an issue now. Pay for what you use: that’s the American way, and how you avoid a Tragedy of the Commons.
So it turns out that the Obama administration’s spectrum consolidation and sharing schemes are all frauds. Mitt Romney must make this a priority: appoint effective, reformist regulators across the board to effect meaningful change at FCC, EPA, NLRB, FTC, and everywhere else, too.
Heh. Anonymous logo to get trademarked in France. I hope the Anonymous people don’t realize that the French government has no patience for radical leftys. Having sank the Rainbow Warrior, they will punch Anontards in the mouth if they have to. Greenpeace, they ain’t.