How the ITU could put the Internet behind closed doors.

How the ITU could put the Internet behind closed doors.: "Think of all the terrible things governments do to the Internet. The US destroyed Megaupload, Russia jailed activists over a YouTube video, and China monitors Internet users' every move-- even hacking activists outside its borders. Now imagine if a panel of governments, giant corporations, and dictatorships had absolute power over the entire Internet, deciding in secret what you can see & do online. When the ITU meets December 3rd, they'll decide on this. Only a global outcry can stop it. Join us on December 3rd, and tell your leaders right now: “I don't trust the world's governments to run the global Internet. Don't give the ITU any more power.”

On Dec 3: Stop the Internet Coup


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Google attacks UN's internet treaty conference

BBC News - Google attacks UN's internet treaty conference: "It has been claimed some countries will try to wrest oversight of the net's technical specifications and domain name system from US bodies to an international organisation. . . Google has asked web users to add their name to an online petition to support its view. "The [UN agency] International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is bringing together regulators from around the world to renegotiate a decades-old communications treaty," it wrote on its Take Action site. "Some proposals could permit governments to censor legitimate speech - or even allow them to cut off internet access. "Other proposals would require services like YouTube, Facebook, and Skype to pay new tolls in order to reach people across borders. This could limit access to information - particularly in emerging markets." Google added that it was concerned that "only governments have a voice at the ITU" and not companies or others who had a stake in the net, concluding that the World Conference on International Telecommunications (Wcit) was "the wrong place" to make decisions about the internet's future."

Viva Google! Internet Freedom!

Keep the Internet free & open.

Make your voice heard.

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The ITU speaks--Do not believe a word they say

Below is an excerpt from the ITU blog-the ITU is "evil incarnate"--their "power grab" is being supported by the most repressive regimes in the world:

The Google campaign – An ITU view « The ITU Blog: "The freedom of expression and the right to communicate are already enshrined in many UN and international treaties that ITU has taken into account in the establishment of its Constitution and Convention, and also its mandate by-the Plenipotentiary Conference, which is the Supreme Organ of ITU. These treaties include Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

Yeah, right--ITU you are a liar! 

Support Internet Freedom--take action against the ITU, UN, WCIT power grab!

Keep the Internet free & open. Make your voice heard.

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PS: here is the comment I left on the ITU blog which they have yet to publish--"Your comment is awaiting moderation"--

"We don’t need the UN or ITU regulating the internet and taking away INTERNET FREEDOM–go away and find something else to do. YOU are NOT trustworthy. We do not believe a word you say. Quit blaming Google for the fact you are attempting a “power grab.”"

Simon's Cat in 'Fetch'

A playful dog interrupts a cat's down-time.

http://www.simonscat.com
Exclusive drawing lessons from Simon Tofield and much more... check out the Simon's Cat Extra Youtube channel.  http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscatextra

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The UN's Coming Internet Power Grab

Come December 3rd, the UN is going to try to grab control of the internet and abolish internet freedom--

The UN's Coming Internet Power Grab - Hit & Run : Reason.com: "Currently, the ITRs [International Telecommunications Regulations] cover only international telecommunications services (PDF). But the Russians propose adding a new section to the treaty to deal explicitly with "IP-based networks." Bringing the Internet into the treaty in any capacity would represent a major expansion of the scope of the ITU's authority."

HISS!!

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US Crackdown on Internet Censorship in Iran

Edward J. Black: U.S. Crackdown on Internet Censorship Comes at Critical Time: "Longtime opponents to Internet censorship were glad to see the Obama Administration enforce new human rights rules involving Iran last week. The State Department announced sanctions against four individuals and five entities, including Iran's communications and technology minister Reza for actions that censored access to the Internet and other actions that blocked freedom of expression. The sanctions mean these individuals and entities will have their U.S. assets frozen and U.S. entities can't do business with them. Designated individuals and members of designated entities cannot travel to the U.S. The U.S. action against censorship in Iran comes as part of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syrian Human Rights Act of 2012, which President Obama signed in August as well as another executive order. A State Department spokeswoman says the goal of the policies against censorship are aimed at preventing the Iranian government from creating an "iron curtain" to cut its citizens off from the rest of the world. . . . "

I am pleased to see the Obama Administration's commitment to fighting Internet censorship : )

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Kim Dotcom Avoids “Unsafe” .Com

Kim Dotcom Avoids “Unsafe” .Com, Picks Me.Ga for New Megaupload | TorrentFreak: "In a notice, ironically hosted on Kim.com, Dotcom also advises other cloud hosting providers to stay away from the U.S. and refrain from operating domains that are controlled by American companies. “It is not safe for cloud storage sites or any business allowing user generated content to be hosted on servers in the United States or on domains like .com / .net. The US government is frequently seizing domains without offering service providers a hearing or due process.” Megaupload’s founder is referring to the many domain name seizures carried out since 2010 by the Department of Justice and Homeland Security’s ICE unit. Some of these domains were seized by “mistake” and were later returned. By avoiding .com Dotcom hopes that the new Mega will be able to operate undeterred. Whether the new service can live up to the high expectations remains to be seen, . .  “The return of the Jedi – May the Force be with us,” he concludes."

Internet Freedom!

Update: Kim Dotcom has subsequently gone with a New Zealand domain--

Kim DotCom: New Zealand will be home to new MegaUpload site | Internet & Media - CNET News: "New Zealand appears to be embracing Kim DotCom and the service he's creating to replace MegaUpload. DotCom announced on Twitter that his new cloud-storage service will use a New Zealand-based domain: Mega.co.nz. DotCom attempted to use a domain name from the West African country of Gabon, but that country's administration last week ordered that the domain, Me.ga, be suspended. DotCom didn't waste time in finding a new domain name. "New Zealand will be the home of our new website: Mega.co.nz," DotCom wrote, adding that the site will operate within the law. He previously said that the new service will launch in January."

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Cat Pirates

Cat Pirates: For All Your Adorable Cat and Pirate Needs: "A smart game knows its audience. So let's take a moment to understand what kind of audience I am. My actual cat is named Guybrush. I havethis print in my living room. I think cats and pirates are probably the best things ever except for, maybe, pirate cats. So when a game called Cat Pirates shows up... well. I mean. They may as well have called it "Kate Cox, You Play This Game Right Now I Mean It." . . . . Actual pirate cats may not approve of this game. At least, that's my take-away from the number of times that Guybrush Threepwood Cox, Mighty Pirate Cat, has knocked my iPod onto the floor in the last 24 hours. For humans, though, it's an entertaining jaunt."


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Dolphins being attacked

Dolphins found shot, slashed, stabbed with tool - Houston Chronicle: " . . . Scientists from the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport have responded to four dolphin strandings. And on Friday, a team went to Deer Island and found a second dolphin dead with a portion of his jaw missing. A dolphin found dead earlier near Gautier had a 9mm bullet wound. "It went through the abdomen, into the kidneys and killed it," said Moby Solangi, IMMS executive director. He said recovering the dolphins and performing a necropsy to determine the cause of death is heartbreaking for his staff. "We think there's someone or some group on a rampage," he said. "They not only kill them but also mutilate them." The public can help by reporting any information they may know about the mutilations, he said. He also asked recreational and commercial fishermen to be on the watch for anyone killing the dolphins. Attacks on the dolphins carry fines and jail sentences. Solangi said he doesn't know why anyone would want to kill the dolphins. "They already are under a lot of stress from the oil spill, the dead zone," he said. However, in the past fishermen and charter boat captains have been convicted of harming dolphins they thought were taking bait or fish."

WTF!

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How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors.

Take action at http://www.whatistheITU.org Fight for the Future and Access collaborated on this short, informative video about a serious threat to the free and open internet that could have devastating effects for human rights and free expression around the globe.


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Azerbaijan Does Not Have Internet Freedom

Azerbaijan: Shrinking Space For Media Freedom Eurasia Review: "At least eight journalists and three human rights defenders are in jail, and freedom of expression is severely limited in Azerbaijan, the host of the upcoming United Nations-sponsored Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper."

And these criminal governments want to control the internet through the UN!!

Internet Freedom!


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Australia’s controversial mandatory ISP filtering axed

Better late than never Aussies!--

Finally, Australia’s controversial mandatory ISP filtering is off the table - The Next Web: "the Australian Federal Government has announced that it will no longer pursue the Cleanfeed, a mandatory ISP filtering program riddled with problems and ethical concerns. It has been axed, shafted, given the boot, killed off — pick a phrase, any phrase from the broad range we’ve employed to describe the best course of action for this moronic idea since it appeared five years ago. . . " 


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2 kinds of government oppression: China and the FTC

While the US Government (FTC) supposedly is going to sue Google (the only tech company to stand up to Chinese censorship), China has been busy censoring and cutting off Google from Chinese users--

Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs, Analytics, Drive, more  - The Next Web: "first reported by Chinese web monitoring site GreatFire, which summarized its findings like so: The subdomains www.google.com, mail.google.com, google-analytics.com, docs.google.com, drive.google.com, maps.google.com, play.google.com and perhaps many more are all currently DNS poisoned in China. Instead of the real IP addresses, any lookups from China to any of these domains result in the following IP: 59.24.3.173. That IP address is located in Korea and doesn’t serve any website at all. This means that none of these websites, including Google Search, currently work in China, unless you have a VPN or other circumvention tool. Using a DNS server outside of China doesn’t help. A lookup of www.google.com to 8.8.8.8 is also distorted, by the Great Firewall. So far you can still access other country versions of Google such as www.google.co.uk."

Why don't we send the whole FTC--commission and staff--to China!


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Joint statement of EU Delegation to 7th International Governance Forum in Baku

Joint statement of EU Delegation to 7th International Governance Forum in Baku - Comments - Panorama | Armenian news: " . . . While we are grateful for the warm welcome extended by the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of this 7th IGF, we have a number of concerns about fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan. Internet access on its own is no guarantee of full freedom of expression. We are extremely concerned about numerous testimonies during IGF workshops on violations of basic human rights in Azerbaijan. We deplore the many arbitrary restrictions on media, both online and offline. We see the exercise of free speech effectively criminalised. We see violent attacks on journalists. And we see activists spied on online, violating the privacy of journalists and their sources. We condemn that the intimidation of political activists has even continued within the conference premises of 7th IGF. Restrictions on fundamental freedoms, of whatever kind, and wherever they take place, are unacceptable. This applies within EU borders and globally. We call on the political leaders of Azerbaijan to immediately adhere to the standards of the Council of Europe, to which it has committed as a Member. We also invite the political leaders of Azerbaijan to ensure respect and protection of human rights and fundamental rights, particularly freedom of (and after) speech, the rule of law, freedom of assembly as well as political diversity and media pluralism. . . "


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Internet cannot co-exist with the concept of governance

Internet cannot co-exist with the concept of governance: Kapil Sibal - India News - IBNLive: "He said that issues of public policy related to the Internet have to be dealt with, by adopting a multi-stakeholder, democratic and transparent approach. Sibal stressed on putting in place a system which is "collaborative, consultative, inclusive and consensual for dealing with all public policies involving the Internet". He said that all stakeholders should be involved in the decision-making process and the consultative process should also factor regional and national sensitivities besides vast diversities in language and culture. Also, the process should be evolutionary as static frameworks are inappropriate for meeting the ever-changing requirements of the Internet space, he added."

Isn't that what we have now?


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The Sick Kitten (1903 cat video!)

The Sick Kitten (1903 cat video!) - A century before Rolf Harris and 'Animal Hospital' audiences had more than their fair share of films about sickly pets, brave dogs and assorted animals in peril. Here, cinema pioneer G. A. Smith's tale features two under-aged vets and a feline patient. Records do not relate whether or not the kitten survived. 'The Sick Kitten' is interesting for more than its cute factor. It was possibly the first film to use a close-up shot that was not motivated by someone staring down a microscope or ogling through a keyhole. (Robin Baker) You can watch over 1200 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby -
http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque
http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/bfi-mediatheque


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Catalans fight libel fine with YouTube videos

In the internet era--one has resources  to fight government abuses--

Catalans fight libel fine with YouTube videos: "Catalans fight libel fine with YouTube videos"

When Catalan magazine editors Marta Sibina and Albano Dante created a YouTube video to publicly shame Catalan health-care adviser Josep Maria Via, they were fined 10,000 euro for defamation.

Not to be shouted down by Spain’s libel laws, the two responded by creating yet another video explaining why they were in the right.

In the original video, called the “Greatest theft in the history of Catalonia,” the pair decried what they see as “a lack of transparency in Catalonia’s public health-care system” and the apparent mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.

(Here’s Part 1 … there’s also a Part 2.)

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Big Brother vs Anonymous

All Three Branches Agree: Big Brother Is the New Normal | Threat Level | Wired.com: "Fast forward to Monday, and the court took the historic step of hearing a post-September 11 spying case. Judging by the high court’s deference to Congress in general and how it killed the EFF spy case weeks ago, we likely already know the outcome of this highly complex issue now before the justices: Warrantless spying is expected to continue unabated for years, and possibly forever. University of Baltimore legal scholar Garrett Epps in a Sunday blog post in the Atlantic asked in a headline whether “Big Brother is the New Normal?” His own affirmative answer is spot-on: “Whatever the court decides, Big Brother will still be watching. Big Brother may be watching you right now, and you may never know,” he said. “Since 9/11, our national life has changed forever. Surveillance is the new normal.”"

Anonymous where are you??

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Why is a crucial conference on internet freedom taking place in a dictatorship?

I smell a rat--actually a horde of rats--

Why is a crucial conference on internet freedom taking place in a dictatorship?
Telegraph.co.uk - "It’s of deep concern that a conference on internet freedom is being held in one of the world’s most tawdry dictatorships . . .Azerbaijan is also a country with a track record of persecuting internet activists, such as bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada. Elnur Majidli, a Strasbourg-based blogger and internet activist, was threatened with a 12 year jail sentence for "inciting hatred" after setting up Facebook groups that facilitated rare public protests in Azerbaijan during 2011. . . State TV broadcasts programmes that allege Facebook and Twitter cause criminality among Azerbaijan’s young people. Just last year, the country’s chief psychiatrist warned that social media caused mental disorders. This is the country that will host the IGF (a United Nations initiative) and help set the framework for the future of internet freedom. . .  Russia and China have been particularly vocal in their desire to grab control of the internet – and the IGF is one important vehicle where they can build alliances to begin this process. . .  As Prof. Milton Mueller argues in the next issue of Index on Censorship magazine:

"Internet technology – TCP/IP protocols – can be installed in computers in North Korea, but it won’t make communications in that country free. If a repressive government owns and operates the telecommunications infrastructure, blocks trade in computer and telecom equipment, does not allow a free market for access, devices or services to develop … it’s [then] easy to contain and control the internet.""

Telegraph.co.uk

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Head of the UN's ITU, trying to take control of the Internet

A follow-up to my most recent posts regarding attempts to take over the internet--

And who is this guy heading up the UN's ITU, who is trying to take control of the Internet?

"Hamadoun Touré was born in 1953 in the Republic of Mali. He studied at the Technical Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication of Leningrad(LEIS), receiving a Masters Degree in electrical engineering, and a Candidate of Sciences degree (equivalent to PhD) from the Moscow Technical University of Communication and Informatics (MTUCI), in Russia."--wikipedia

Sounds like a real comrade. We cannot let this guy, the UN, or the ITU take control of the internet.

Internet Freedom!!

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OMG!--The UN To Control The Internet ?

"Gird your loins"--

There's A Huge Plan In The Works To Give The UN Control Of The Internet - Business Insider:

" . . . Russia, China and other countries back a move to place the Internet under the authority of the International Telecommunications Union, a UN agency . . .  U.S. officials say placing the Internet under U.N. control would undermine the freewheeling nature of cyberspace, which promotes open commerce and free expression, and could give a green light for some countries to crack down on dissidents. Observers say a number of authoritarian states will back the move, and that the major Western nations will oppose it, meaning the developing world could make a difference. . . . Terry Kramer, the special US envoy for the talks, has expressed Washington's position opposing proposals by Russia, China and others to expand the ITU's authority to regulate the Internet. "The Internet has grown precisely because it has not been micro-managed or owned by any government or multinational organization," Kramer told a recent forum. "There is no Internet central office. Its openness and decentralization are its strengths.". . The head of the ITU, Hamadoun Toure, said his agency has "the depth of experience that comes from being the world's longest established intergovernmental organization." . . .  But Harold Feld of the US-based non-government group Public Knowledge said any new rules could have devastating consequences. "These proposals, from the Russian Federation and several Arab states, would for the first time explicitly embrace the concept that governments have a right to control online communications and disrupt Internet access services," Feld said on a blog post. "This would reverse the trend of the last few years increasingly finding that such actions violate fundamental human rights." Paul Rohmeyer, who follows cybersecurity at the Stevens Institute of Technology, pointed to a "sense of anxiety" about the meeting in part because of a lack of transparency. He said it was unclear why the ITU is being considered for a role in the Internet. "The ITU historically has been a standards-setting body and its roots are in the telecom industry. I'm not familiar with anything they've done that's had an impact on the Internet today," Rohmeyer told AFP.

Read my post tomorrow to find out who the ITU's Hamadoun Toure is, and who his "master" is.

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L'Esprit de Chanel - COCO --a classic

L'Esprit de Chanel - COCO - YouTube: COCO advertising film from 1991
"L'esprit de Chanel" by Jean-Paul Goude with Vanessa Paradis
© CHANEL 1991
Music: "Stormy weather"


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Obama, civil liberty, and internet freedom

Oliver Stone's new book rips President Obama - Katie Glueck - POLITICO.com: "On civil liberties: “Among the greatest disappointments to his followers was Obama’s refusal to roll back the expanding national security state that so egregiously encroached on American civil liberties.”"

So much for being a "constitutional law professor."


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The Best Cat Video Ever Made

The Best Cat Video Ever Made: "L'Odyssée de Cartier"

The Cartier film, a journey between dream and reality.
For the very first time, Cartier has decided to create a cinema epic focusing on its history, its values and inspiration, its artistic and universal scope.

L'Odyssée de Cartier - YouTube Directed by: Bruno Aveillan.

More information on: http://www.odyssee.cartier.com



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iPet Companion (video)

Recommended: iPet Companion: "To play with the cats: Click on a shelter logo below to open a new window where you can take the controls of 3 cat toys and the camera from around the world.  Pop-ups must be enabled on your browser to allow a new window to open when you click a shelter logo."
 iPet Companion


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Gator VS Cat (Amazing Cat Victory) video

Cat Video Friday!



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Some Cats Get All the Fun!

 source: Motorola Mobility

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Online tools to skirt Internet censorship overwhelmed by demand

A follow-up to my story 2 days ago about US State Department efforts to keep the internet free:

The masses yearning to breathe free--

Online tools to skirt Internet censorship overwhelmed by demand - The Washington Post: Activists and nonprofit groups say that their online circumvention tools, funded by the U.S. government, are being overwhelmed by demand and that there is not enough money to expand capacity. The result: online bottlenecks that have made the tools slow and often inaccessible to users in China, Iran and elsewhere, threatening to derail the Internet freedom agenda championed by the Obama administration. “Every time we provide them with additional funding, those bottlenecks are alleviated for a time but again fill to capacity in a short period of time,” said André Mendes, director of the Office of Technology, Services and Innovation at the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which funds some of the initiatives. “One could reasonably state that more funding would translate into more traffic and, therefore, more accessibility from behind these firewalls.” The United States spends about $30 million a year on Internet freedom, in effect funding an asymmetric proxy war against governments that spend billions to regulate the flow of information. The programs have been backed by President Obama, who promoted the initiatives at a town-hall-style meeting in Shanghai three years ago.

Money well spent!


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