En Passant

A footnote to the Internet Era

is that many people have begun spelling words and phrases as they appear in domain names, which don't allow for spacing between words.  E.g., "lawschool," rather than "law school," and "lawfirm," rather than "law firm." 

Just a minor foot note.

Verizon's broadband card is still better than Sprint's

I've tried both while Amtrak-ing between NYC and D.C., and only the Verizon card delivers consistent coverage.  I'm now watching live CNBC on my laptop over the Verizon network (by Slingbox and through TiVo), even though I'm on a train, somewhere under the Hudson River.

Live by the computer,

die by the computer.

Verizon already controls what you can see on the Internet

There has been much written lately about the possibility that AT&T, Verizon and other Internet providers might charge Google or Vonage or LawSchool.com for bandwidth, or might otherwise restrict data providers.  The "Big Boys" could pay to be on a superhighway (although they would likely pass the costs on to us, the consumers), but the average website would likely not be able to afford comparable speed.  Thus, many websites would be relegated to the "slow lane" and would be at a serious competitive disadvantage.

What much of the media has missed is that Verizon is already controlling access to the Internet.  The fine print of many Verizon contracts prohibits VoIP over "its" Internet connection.  And PDA cellphones sold by Verizon Wireless already block the use of a Slingbox or other streaming video that Verizon has not already approved, and in which it presumably has a financial interest.

At 9:00 tonight, in the middle of the Super Bowl,

my TiVo informed me that it was changing channels to record its recommendation -- the proceedings of the British Parliament. 
Who says that TiVo doesn't have a sense of humour?

Google has finally added a dedicated "delete button" to its Gmail website.

Now if it would only get rid of its confusing "conversations" format.

Why I would never advertise on Yahoo or Google:

Click fraud.

An amazing amount of American time and talent has been wasted

filling out and mailing in rebate forms.  It seems like a conspiracy among computer hardware and software manufacturers to force us to submit or feel like suckers by paying unrebated prices.

If the airlines believe that cellphones and pagers are dangerous when activated during flight,

why do the airlines allow them onboard?

The new Slingbox is beyond belief

I can now sit in a hotel room in Tokyo or Paris and access my TiVo in Manhattan.  I can watch the U.S. version of CNN and CNBC, and can copy and replay any movie while I'm thousands of miles away.  [Slingbox link] 
I love the 21st Century.