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May 31, 2006

An Internet President in ’08?

If Unity08 has their way, there will be a third viable presidential candidate in 2008, chosen through an online convention.

Imagine a presidential primary where the candidate isn’t decided by a handful of voters in states with early primaries. This idea may become a reality by 2008 if Unity08 has their way. Unity08, a bipartisan and independent political organization, launched earlier this week with the goal of giving voters a viable alternative ticket (split with one Democrat and one Republican or an Independent) in the 2008 presidential race.
 
And by the way, the group plans to determine who will get their nomination through an online convention in the spring of 2008. All registered voters could be virtual convention delegates. The idea is that even if the third-party nominee didn't win, they would wield serious power in the '08 election, and make the two major parties take notice.
 
Check out the Unity08 Web site and while you’re there, play the Democracyland game.
 
Related Articles:
Political Veterans Work to Organize Bipartisan 2008 Ticket With Online Balloting
From the Internet to the White House
 

Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 30, 2006

Indonesia Earthquake Help Blog

In quick response to the earthquake that shocked Indonesia, the Indonesia Help blog sprang into action.

The Indonesia Help - Earthquake and Tsunami Victims blog sprang up in the aftermath of Saturday's earthquake in Indonesia to collect online information and resources from aid to donations and latest news.

http://indonesiahelp.blogspot.com/

 

 

Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 25, 2006

$100 Laptop's Latest Makeover

The first working prototype of the $100 Laptop for developing nations was unveiled at the Country Task Force Meeting on 23 May 2006.

Each of the brightly colored designs are slightly different. Some include speakers and four-way controllers around the screen and some do not.
 
But it's not a final design just yet: the system carries an 800 x 480-pixel display, while the eventual production version is expected to have a 1,200 x 900 display.
 
See more photos at Flickr 
Or learn more at the One Laptop Per Child Home page

Posted by Buzz Webster at 09:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 22, 2006

AWB Podcast with Phil Noble

Listen to Washington Business Weekly Radio show host Terry Corbell interview PoliticsOnline's Phil Noble about the role of the Internet in politics today.

Washington Business Week's Radio Show recently interviewed PoliticsOnline founder Phil Noble for their Technology and Politics theme show. Noble spoke with Host Terry Corbell about the effectiveness of Internet technology in our current political system.
Click here to download the podcast.
 
 
 

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 19, 2006

Net Neutrality Debate Rocks

Rock group R.E.M. has joined Moby and a growing list of musicians pushing Congress to protect the Internet.

As lawmakers on Capitol Hill introduce a bill aimed at preventing broadband providers from abusing their power, people and groups continue to speak out as to where they stand on the net neutrality debate.

Rock group R.E.M. has joined Moby and a growing list of musicians pushing Congress to protect the Internet. The group finds allies in the Save the Internet Coalition made up of non-profits, small businesses, bloggers, church affiliates and video gamers. The group’s online petition  already boasts almost 700,000 signatures.

Meanwhile, resistance to such new laws is also growing. Several of the world's largest hardware makers sent a letter to Congress decrying new Net neutrality laws. Two Republican senators, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Jim DeMint of South Carolina, also sent a letter  to their colleagues warning them not to be "duped" by advocates of network neutrality.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 18, 2006

Rove's Camp Takes Center of Web Storm

Bloggers underscore how Net's reporting dynamics provide grist for the rumor mill

A blog report that Karl Rove was expected to be indicted soon, set off a fire storm, with reporters from newspapers, television and elsewhere seeking to check its veracity, and blog writers seeking comment.
 
But there is no evidence the Bush adviser was indicted last week. His lawyer says it is plain wrong. The denials set off a round of blogging. One site said Mr. Leopold was the victim of White House disinformation. Another cast doubt on whether Mr. Rove's attorney took his cat to the vet.
Read more:
Rove's Camp Takes Center of Web Storm

Posted by Buzz Webster at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 15, 2006

The COPE Act 2006: Infringing on Our Internet Freedoms

Born in the Republican-controlled House Committee on Energy and Commerce (HCEC), the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement (COPE) Act of 2006 is a grim vision of the future of Internet freedom. 

To understand the implications of passing the COPE act into law, one must first  become familiar with the word "net-nuetrality".   Net nuetrality is what keeps the internet a force for economic innovation and free speech; its a highly valued principle of the internet that allows users freedom of access to any number of websites, blogs, etc despite what server or service provider they may be using. 

The COPE Act seeks to change this and it is not suprising to learn who is spear-heading its passage:  chief telecom and Cable-television companies like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, and Bellsouth.  The COPE Act would allow companies to block certain websites to its users; even worse, wealthy political parties or lobbyists could pay to have companies block their rival websites or blogs. 


Currently, the Federal Communications Committee has the power to prosecute companies attempting to block access to certain sites.  HCEC legislators defending the COPE Act assert that the FCC should not have the power to regulate these internet companies' business models.  But what our liberties as users?  Should my service provider really be able to regulate what I can and cannot view, based on its own monetary interests?  I don't think so. 


Stop the COPE Act


The Internet Doesn’t Play Favorites — and Neither Should Congress


Summary of the COPE Act

Posted by Buzz Webster at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 12, 2006

2006: A MySpace Odyssey

A few pioneering U.S. politicians are invading MySpace, a popular social networking site, seeing potential to connect with voters and legislate.

Politicians are venturing into MySpace territory doing what they do best – legislating. A group of Capitol Hill Republicans have endorsed new legislation , aimed at protecting young users, that would cordon off access to commercial Web sites in schools and libraries that let users create public "Web pages or profiles" and also offer a discussion board, chat room, or e-mail service.

Read more from CNET: Congress Targets Social Network Sites

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 09, 2006

Changing the World One Video Game at a Time

Can a video game change the world? A growing number of activists and software developers are hoping that the “games for change” movement can educate while entertaining.

An MTV-backed contest to find a politically charged game has announced its winner. ''Darfur Is Dying," a simple and depressing computer game created by students at the University of Southern California and playable for free at darfurisdying.com. The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict has made a much bigger bet on computer games as a change agent. The group invested $3 million and teamed up with commercial game developer Breakaway Ltd. to create ''A Force More Powerful." It's a complex and clever political simulator designed to teach activists how to get what they want, even from a repressive government, without firing a shot.
 
This week, the University of Southern California’s Center on Public Diplomacy announced that a game called Peacemaker," a cross-cultural game about the Israel-Palestine conflict, won its Public Diplomacey and Virtual Worlds Competition. Other finalists include: "Hydro Hyjinks," which is intended to get people talking about the environment and international water distribution; "Exchanging Cultures," which creates a public space where people from anywhere in the world can trade virtual artifacts from their respective cultures; and "Global Kids," a concept game that will eventually provide virtual hands-on workshops for kids and that's designed to facilitate discussion and cross-cultural meetings.

Related Articles:
In 'Darfur Is Dying,' The Game That's Anything But
Political Activism with a Flick of the Joystick
Contest Held for Peaceful Video Games
Real Diplomacy from the Virtual World

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 08, 2006

California Candidates Invade MySpace

MySpace is playing a supporting role in the campaigns of California Gubernatorial candidates.

Phil Angelides, the Democratic candidate for governor of California, has over 900 friends. MySpace friends that is. The Gubernatorial candidate's MySpace profile is playing an important role in his campaign, as a new means to reach more (especially youth) voters.
Learn More:
Gubernatorial Hopefuls Seek Younger Voters on Teen Chat Site

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 05, 2006

Blogosphere Debates Colbert Speech

The Blogosphere is buzzing with talk of Stephen Colbert's controversial speech at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. 

Bloggers have weighed in on the speech from both left and right, deliberating whether Colbert’s speech was funny or not. Others focused on the mainstream media’s delayed reaction to reporting on Colbert’s performance. A group of pro-Colbert bloggers have started ThankYouStephenColbert.org  as an online place to say “Thank you” – so far 48,000 have.

You be the judge – you can read a transcript from the show here  and NBC has a video of Colbert’s speech here.

Related Articles:
Punchline Politics: Colbert, Bush and the Blogosphere
After Press Dinner, the Blogosphere Is Alive With the Sound of Colbert Chatter

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 02, 2006

Singapore's Gov Gags Online Politics

Podcasts, blogs and other Web sites that could be otherwise used for political discussion for the upcoming parliamentary elections have been outlawed.

Podcasts, blogs and other Web sites that could be otherwise used for political discussion for the upcoming parliamentary elections have been outlawed, preventing the opposition party, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), from having any contact with the nation’s general public. Attempts made by the SDP to engage voters online have been suppressed by the People’s Action Party, which has governed since 1959.
The law has been widely viewed as a grave restriction of free speech that prevents the establishment of a true democratic election process. ’s mainstream media has been “unfailing in their support” for its present administration, making it impossible for the SDP to spread its message to voters without the aid of the Internet.
 
Related Articles:
Opposition Party Ordered to Withdraw Podcast from Website
Party Removes all Podcasts From Website
Attacked Over Blog Gag
Political Podcasts, Videocasts not Allowed During Election

 

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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