DISQUS

I was disappointed to see that Senator Obama voted Yea and McCain did not vote!

You both put a little spin on it guys.

Senator Obama has lost my respect after his 'flip-flop' on the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. When I e-mailed his office, I did get a response. It was not the response I wanted or thought Senator Obama had been campaigning for-Change. So what is the change that Senator Obama promises? All I have seen him do, by altering his decision on this bill, is to run towards the middle to pick up as many votes as possible.

He should learn from his elders in the US Senate, such as Senator Durbin from Illinois who is opposed to the bill. Of course Senator Durbin is not trying to pander to receive votes either.

Obama's and Durbin's responses to me are at my blog. I don't mean to advertise, but you can click on my name and get there.

"Pew makes a great deal out of the fact that broadband use isn’t rising among America’s poor, but that’s hardly surprising."

They were calling attention to the historical trend. I would urge you to read the earlier reports to notice the trend that was developing until this latest report.

Also, a lot of the poor do use the Internet. They use it at the most American of institutions, the public library.

Your synopsis did have a smaller amount of spin than the liberation front.

Finally!

It is now both the government and the companies. Companies cannot create policy directly, they have to use the government. Even if they are firmly on the payroll.

Interesting, but let me tell you about my perspective as a reference librarian/student. I work in a library, which will remain anonymous. What I see from day to day is a great deal of frustration and anxiety surrounding users that are researching. In general if they cannot find anything useful by searching Google, they are at an end. They have absolutely no idea how to proceed. It is as if releasing a domesticated animal into the wild to fend for themselves. The way I interpret this is that for some, reliance on a single source of information has become an issue. For these few, books and libraries are the LAST resort and unfortunately that means librarians need to come to the rescue. Not a terrible situation, but also not the best situation either.

On the Net making us stupid. That is just silliness. We make ourselves stupid, or in my observed cases information illiterate, not the technology.

To some up:

Net is good.
People relying solely on the Net for all information is bad, VERY BAD.

Cheers

I am of the mind of holding those responsible for the data breach accountable. If we were able to control our information that private groups collect, my opinion would differ. However, a person really has little say as to how their information can be used or deny an organization's request to obtain personal information.

However, I am so glad I did not go to Oklahoma State University...See the URL below:
http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3010/s...

Carme

I think I can see what you were trying to express with the Starbucks example. There is one large difference that I am not sure was considered. ISPs are more like public utilities than corporations.

The parents should be aware, but for whatever reason that knowledge is not presented to the children.

Maybe we can ask Nancy Regan to start a "Just Say No" campaign concerning social networking sites and releasing personal information. (Sorry grew up with the "Just Say No" era; so I could not resist).

It is a problem that requires more than the typical legislative and technological solution. The problem requires more personal commitment. The commitment of the parents first and foremost and the commitment of society to educate persons about providing personal information.

It is not only the children that need education pertaining to information literacy. I dare say the parents are in just as much need.

Also, putting information literacy on the school examinations may be required and probably should be included on the assessment exams.

Tim, some random discussions I and some people at CableTechTalk had a bit ago.
(http://www.cabletechtalk.com/news-items/2008/02...)

Also this report came out of the same discussion:
(http://www.phoenix-center.org/pcpp/PCPP29Final.pdf)

With the apparent flaws of the OECD numbers, I still think that they are the best measurement we have at this time. That is to say there is a lot of room for improvement.

Exactly the profits should go to the taxpayers. It is their system that the FCC manages for them.