statism

Estonia launches national car-charging network

"Estonia’s reputation as one of the most wired-up countries in Europe has been boosted further with the opening of what is being billed as the world’s first nationwide electric car charging network. The network of charging points, which was opened officially on Wednesday but has been running for several months, uses direct current (DC) to charge cars in less than 30 minutes, rather than the alternating current (AC) technology used by most which can take up eight hours to recharge a car’s battery. There are believed to be around 650 electric cars in Estonia, more than 500 of which were Mitsubishi i-MiEVs given to social workers by the government in 2011." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEstonia launches national car-charging network

How the Taxman Cleared the Dance Floor

"Clubs that provided strictly instrumental music to which no one danced were exempt from the cabaret tax. It is no coincidence that in the back half of the 1940s a new and undanceable jazz performed primarily by small instrumental groups—bebop—emerged as the music of the moment. How differently might bebop have been expressed if it had been allowed to develop organically instead of in an atmosphere where dancing was discouraged by the taxman? The cabaret tax was finally eliminated in 1965. By then, the Swing Era ballrooms and other 'terperies' were long gone, and public dancing was done in front of stages where young men wielded electric guitars." Continue reading →

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Government investigating whether free app games target children for commercial gains

"A watchdog has launched an investigation into whether children face 'unfair pressure' to spend money on apparently free web and app-based games, it said Friday. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is asking parents to get in touch with any examples of possible 'commercially aggressive' practices which encourage children to buy virtual currency like coins, gems or fruit, or upgraded membership. It is unlawful to make a 'direct exhortation' to children to make a purchase or persuade their parents to do so under consumer protection regulations." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment investigating whether free app games target children for commercial gains

Microsoft and Oracle ask European Union to ‘protect competition’ against Google Android

"Google was in the firing line again on Tuesday after a group of major companies, including Microsoft and Oracle, complained to the European Commission over Google’s offerings for Android-powered mobile phones. 'We are asking the Commission to move quickly and decisively to protect competition and innovation in this critical market,' said Thomas Vinje, Brussels-based counsel for FairSearch, which groups 17 high-tech companies, including also Nokia, Expedia and TripAdvisor. FairSearch said it had filed a complaint with the Commission, charging that the Internet giant wanted Android operators to use its leading applications such as Maps or YouTube." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMicrosoft and Oracle ask European Union to ‘protect competition’ against Google Android

Mark Zuckerberg Launches Political Campaign Group

"The 28-year-old billionaire is forming a political campaign group that is expected to focus initially on liberalising the US immigration and visa system. Work on the group will reunite him with Joe Green, his room-mate at Harvard University, who also went on to be a successful technology entrepreneur. His new campaign group is to be fronted by Jon Lerner and Rob Jesmer, political consultants from the Right wing of the Republican party. Rob Jesmer was the campaign manager for John Cornyn for US Senate; the John McCain Presidential campaign and the Southeast Regional Political Director, RNC; Chief of Staff, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.)" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMark Zuckerberg Launches Political Campaign Group

Hacking an Airplane With Only an Android Phone

"So it looks like someone could hack a jetliner. With an Android smartphone. Awesome. At the Hack In The Box conference in Amsterdam, security consultant Hugo Teso demonstrated PlaneSploit, an app he developed that can take control of certain systems aboard an airplane and cause it to change direction or just crash itself into the ground. Hugo’s no terrorist, mind you. He developed the app to point out the glaring, frightening, insane security holes in most planes’ onboard flight systems. His demonstration was done in a simulated environment, but the methods and effects, he says, are exactly the same as what could happen with a real plane." Continue reading →

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White House confirms NASA plan to ‘lasso’ and bring asteroid near Earth

"President Barack Obama’s administration will seek $100 million in funding for a mission to tow an asteroid closer to Earth for the purpose of helping future expeditions to Mars. NASA’s mission proposal, adapted from a scenario (PDF) designed by the Keck Institute for Space Studies, calls for a robotic probe to grab an asteroid measuring approximately 500 tons and 25 to 35 feet in width in 2019 and bringing it into orbit near the moon, which would shorten future asteroid expeditions by months, on top of providing access to the asteroid’s natural resources." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House confirms NASA plan to ‘lasso’ and bring asteroid near Earth

Maryland Gives Up On Traffic Camera Reform After $100,000 In Industry Contributions

"Nearly $100,000 in direct contributions to Maryland lawmakers from speed camera companies paid off with the state dropping a proposed reform bill. Maryland's General Assembly adjourned for the year on Monday with balloons and confetti showering delegates. Governor Martin O'Malley (D) made the rounds, congratulating lawmakers on for a job he considered well done. Photo enforcement firms also ended the day with a celebration after their investment paid off with the defeat of all legislation that might have imposed limits or quality checks on their ticketing operations." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaryland Gives Up On Traffic Camera Reform After $100,000 In Industry Contributions

Bitcoin Should Get Ready for an Attack

"The coming attacks will be publicized rapidly – with stories and releases prepared ahead of time – and will paint the worst possible picture. Afterwards it will be seen that the first loss estimates were wildly high, but that won't matter to the people who see the headlines on the evening news. Joe and Jane Obedient will believe the worst. This is all manipulation, obviously, since people are being ripped-off in government money, on gigantic scales: millions of thefts at once. But, such is the state of the West at this sad moment: The large abusers are sanctified and the innovators are demonized." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBitcoin Should Get Ready for an Attack

For Most Homeowners, Gov’t Foreclosure Deal Brings A Few Hundred Bucks

"The government’s largest effort to compensate victims of the banks’ foreclosure practices is finally sputtering to an end. But for most of those eligible – nearly three million borrowers – it won’t be much of an ending: they’ll be receiving a check for $300 to $500. For many borrowers, it’s a likely an unsatisfying end to a process defined by years of frustration. Only about 11 percent of eligible borrowers filled out complaints, a low response rate both consumer advocates and the Government Accountability Office attributed to borrower confusion and poor outreach by regulators and the banks." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFor Most Homeowners, Gov’t Foreclosure Deal Brings A Few Hundred Bucks