There are advantages to being a member of the Supreme Court Bar. One is, you get to go and hear the arguments from the Supreme Court Bar section. Guess what I did today! While you will get tons of info from other websites, this is probably the only place you will see someone say that Justice Rehnquist now sounds like a bad combination of Darth Vader and the Emperor from “Return of the Jedi”….
Author: Harold
A brief personal observation on the pay gap
New census data indicates that, on average, white men with a four year degree earned, on average, more than any other catagory. Women generally earned less than men, but white women earned less than black and asian women (and slightly more than hispanic women). No one is sure why this is the case.
What’s odd is that that last night I was having a conversation with my wife which has some relevance on this. While one anecdote is hardly the basis for public policy, I’d be interested in knowing whether any of the xtant research has explored this issue . . .
Lose one round in Florida
Florida, which has a number of good muni systems, has passd an anti-muni bill out of subcommittee and out to the FL House of Rep.
If anyone in FL is reading this, get on the horn to your state rep today. Tell them to show the same courage against Bell South that folks in Indiana showed against SBC and that folks in NE and TX are showing.
A Big Win in TX, But It's Just Round One
SaveMuniWireles.org, a group opposed to the anti-muni bill in TX, reports that the anti-muni provisions of the legislature’s gift package to SBC (the local baby Bell) has been stripped. But hang on to your seats folks, because it goes to the floor next week and SBC is fighting hard.
Martin Gets Official Nod
Although long expected, Kevin Martin will be officially named Powell’s replacement as Chair of the FCC today.
For my personal take on Martin, see below.
Quick Take on FCC 3650-3700
The FCC decided the 3650-3700 Order today. You can find a link on the FCC Home page.
As is customary, the Order is not yet released, so we have only the press release to go on.
My first take is below. I know a lot of people are going to be upset that it requires licensing, but it is not a “licensed” regime anymore than a truly “unlicensed” regime. We need to keep an open mind and wait for the actual order to come out.
Columbia Journalism Review on Unlicensed
Columbia Journalism Review has this article on unlicensed and its potential to revolutionize the media. I’m quoted, as are such luminaries as Eban Moglen and Dave Hughes and my co-conspirator Jim Snider from New America Foundation.
Tales of the Sausage Factory: In IL, Citizens 1, ILECs 0 (but it's just the first inning so keep your seats)
The Chicago Independent Media Center reports that the Ilinois Bill containing the anti-muni provision, Senate Bill 499, was not called in the IL Senate as expected. Negative publicity and citizen protest have apparently caused supporters of the bill to reconsider introducing it.
Score another one for the good citizens of IL and citizens everywhere! But, as the IMC article notes, this could well get buried in the general effort to reform the telecom rules in IL. We have the momentum, but the incumbents are very well financed and very patient.
Stay tuned . . . .
Tales of the Sausage Factory: UPDATE on 3650-3700 MHz
I have been making calls today. The situation is moving in a more favorable direction. The relevant decision makers are getting our emails and see broad popular support for mesh as well as high-power.
Key issues on which decisions have not yet been made and where comments may prove helpful:
1) Allowing low power mobile devices in the band is critical to expanding mesh.
2) Low power mesh requires non-exclusivity and cheap equipment. The Commission should not impose overly conservative interference protection criteria that drive up price. Flexibility has been critical to the success of unlicensed as a networking solution.
3) Mesh devices must be allowed to communicate with each other in a peer-to-peer fashion, rather than requiring mesh devices to communicate with a high power base station.
4) Any system of licensing or registration must be non-exclusive; the Commission must not create a “first in time, first in right” licensing systems.
Remember, things are turning our way, but your comments are still needed to build a record to counter Intel and others. The Proceeding Number is 04-151. You can file comments by going here.
Stay tuned . . .
Tales of the Sauasage Factory: My editorial on Muniwireless
I’ve written an op ed that whether or not munies actually deploy systems, they need the option to keep the telco/cable duopoly from misbehaving. Available at:
http://www.muniwireless.com/archives/000601.html
stay tuned . . . .
