racoma.com.phJ. Angelo Racoma on technology, economics, writing, problogging, and getting things done

The Chinese government seems to be cracking down on all forms of free Internet use, free meaning freedom to do, read, or write anything. First they shut down “unlicensed” Internet cafes. Then they wanted everyone who runs a website to register their real identities with the authorities. Now they’re requiring everyone with email servers to register for a license first. Of course, they continuously ban potentially sensitive websites and blogs (even the entire blogspot and other domains are banned).

Techdirt was correct in worrying about the costs to the bureaucracy. It must be a nightmare for Chinese officials to have to do every bit of censorship and monitoring big brother wants to implement. And I think it’s pretty silly and downright stupid for a government to suppress the flow and exchange of information.

So ban me, China!

[via Techdirt]

Happy new year to you and your family. May 2006 be a prosperous year!

Today is the 11th of September.

Four years ago, the world was witness to one of the most horrible acts
of terrorism: the plane-crashings at the World Trade center in New York
City.

Thousands lost their lives in yet another mindless act of murder the
perpetrators claim as an act for the faith (a claim many would argue
against).

It was an act that still causes the loss of many lives, this time in a
multitude of areas around the globe: in what’s now dubbed as a global
struggle against terrorism (which many would consider B.S.).

My heart goes to those who lost family members, relatives, and friends.

Kansas is giving away free land.

At least 10 Kansas communities are offering
free land to attract residents to boost school enrollment and fatten
the tax base, report The Associated Press and USA Today. Why? Many
Great Plains towns are desperate to survive. Young people don’t stay.
The old people die.

I think this is one excellent way to decongest the metropolitan areas
of this country of ours and de-centralize development to the regions.

Now if only our government coffers weren’t constantly being bled dry by
corrupt officials, then we’d probably be able to implement some ideas
similar to this one.

(via digg)

Alecks republishes on INSIDE PCIJ Atty. JJ’s blog post on distributing the tape.

Things are getting hotter by the minute as copies of what are allegedly the President’s conversations with a Comelec Commissioner are being distributed through various means: direct download, bittorent, and even audio CDs (at giveaway prices of PhP 5 per disc).

Of course, the NTC has a (not so) friendly reminder about distributing and keeping copies of this stuff, but that’s like asking people to refrain from buying pirated DVDs.

If things go sour for the present Administration, they can blame it
only on themselves.  Of course, the alternative media distribution
channels would have only assisted in the process.

Technoati tags: wiretapgate