According to Reuters, FCC commis­sioners voted 5–0 today to proceed with crafting a “net neutrality” rule, sending the current language (which would strip telecom companies of the right to control how they use their own property) to the printing office for public comment. Comments will be accepted until January 14th. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is available online here [PDF]. You can upload your comments using ECFS here, using proceeding number 09–191. You can read others’ comments on ECFS here. I’m writing comments to submit right now. I’ll post my comments here when I finish. I encourage everyone who loves the Internet [ . . . ]

Read the Rest...

Via Prawfsblawg, a story from Reuters India reports that a British official has asked California Governor Schwarzenegger to shut down a Website that she says encourages pros­ti­tution in the UK. Prostitution is legal in the UK. Quoth the official, Surely it can’t be too difficult for “The Terminator” to terminate Punternet and that’s what I am demanding that he does. Patently, Ms Harman is not acquainted with our First Amendment, which is precisely what prevents “The Terminator” from “termi­nating” such a Website. The Website’s owner responds with a brief lesson in free speech, then thanks Ms Harman for the bene­ficial effects of her ignorance: In closing, I would [ . . . ]

Read the Rest...

Just remem­bered I forgot to comment on the recent capture in Switzerland of notorious inter­na­tional fugitive and child rapist Roman Polanski, who appar­ently also has directed a number of quite good movie-​​​​films. Lessons Polanski should learn from this affair: Don’t rape children. Don’t skip bail. Don’t plead guilty if you aren’t willing to do the max. DON’T RAPE CHILDREN!

A town in PA has decided that trick-​​​​or-​​​​treating, something children look forward to all year, is too unsafe for children. KDKA, via Popehat, via Overlawyered. The Popehat article title sums up my thoughts precisely: “To Save Childhood, It Is Necessary To Destroy It.”