07 Jan 2005
Software firms want copyright law rewrite

Yeah, copyright is too weak now ... um, I wonder what planet these people have been living on?

I sometimes wonder if corporate legal departmnents will ever be satisfied with anything less than perpetual copyright. I don't think that they've seriously considered the social and cultural consequences of such a draconian regime, but, given their political power at the moment, they're very likely to get their way despite the lack of forethought.

All I can say to them is what my mom used to tell me: be careful what you wish for, because your wish might come true.

Their new white paper could incite a tussle with Internet service providers, which historically have been loath to act as online cops.

(link) [CNET News.com]

00:00 /Copywrongs | 0 comments | permanent link

Weather Report

We survived the ice storm last night with little damage: one hen stayed out too long and drowned/froze to death, but that was our only livestock loss. We didn't lose power for more than a few seconds at a time, although that happened often enough to ensure that we kept our computers turned off. And the roads weren't coated, so Kris could work today, which is a good thing.

But limbs were down all over the place. One large one crashed against the gate by the henhouse, springing it open, and the cattle grazed our yard for a short time this morning. I managed to get them back in OK, and nobody else was roaming (getting the horse back in would've been a nightmare).

A huge cedar tree crashed across my sister-in-law's driveway: I went down and helped my father-in-law remove it about noon. Another tree came down on his porch roof, but there's still so much ice that climbing to remove it would be impossible. So that'll have to wait.

We've had 6 inches of rain in the first six days of January here: the paddocks are so deep in mud that it's nearly impossible to walk across them unless the temperature drops. We've been hovering right around the freezing mark, but it's supposed to get cold this weekend, then soar to the upper 50's next week. Insane.

I guess I'm a real farmer: I haven't left yet! Everybody wants to be out on the land in spring, summer and fall, even though the work is hard, but the true measure of dedication comes in December, January and February.

00:00 /Home | 0 comments | permanent link

Losing the faith in France

Not just France, but all of Europe is becoming "post-Christian". What, if anything, is going to replace Christianity - not only as the religion but as the cultural binder? We'll see ...

Robert Pigott visits the dwindling congregations and the over-stretched priests in south-west France.

(link) [BBC News | World | UK Edition]

00:00 /Asatru | 0 comments | permanent link

Monsanto fined $1.5m for bribery

It's how business is done in the Third World ... but unfortunately, in this case, the business being done could lead to the destruction of entire species of domesticated plants. Give the company history,

Monsanto also has admitted to paying bribes to a number of other high-ranking officials between 1997 and 2002.

I wonder if the fine ios large enough: it's less than a single day's profits for the company.

Agrochemical giant Monsanto agrees to pay $1.5m in US penalties for bribing a high-level Indonesian official.

(link) [BBC News | World | UK Edition]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link