Slashdot: Politics
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News for nerds, stuff that mattersen-usCopyright 1997-2009, Geeknet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.2009-11-09T21:40:22+00:00Geeknet, Inc.help@slashdot.orgTechnologyhourly11970-01-01T00:00+00:00Slashdot: Politicshttp://a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicslashdot.gif
http://politics.slashdot.org/
Landmark Health Insurance Bill Passes House
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/JO1tti6-KYE/Landmark-Health-Insurance-Bill-Passes-House
theodp writes "A hastily-crafted amendment imposing tough new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies helped pave the way for the House to approve the Democrats' bill to overhaul the nation's health insurance system. 'It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans,' said Rep. John Dingell. Rep. Candice Miller disagreed, calling the legislation 'a jobs-killing, tax-hiking, deficit-exploding' bill. The 1,990-page, $1.2 trillion legislation passed by a vote of 220-215 and moves on for Senate debate, which is expected to begin in several days." Update — 11/08 at 13:45 GMT by SS: Changed vote totals above to reflect the actual bill vote. The 240-194 number was for the abortion restrictions amendment.<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/08/0534209/Landmark-Health-Insurance-Bill-Passes-House?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/11/08/0534209"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/08/0534209/Landmark-Health-Insurance-Bill-Passes-House?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cOgmUDZtehgXSsbux_VtKXjtsrQ/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cOgmUDZtehgXSsbux_VtKXjtsrQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cOgmUDZtehgXSsbux_VtKXjtsrQ/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/cOgmUDZtehgXSsbux_VtKXjtsrQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/JO1tti6-KYE" height="1" width="1"/>timothy2009-11-08T12:58:00+00:00democratsput-off-that-angioplasty-for-a-whilepolitics15481548,1532,1284,1028,162,79,47http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/08/0534209/Landmark-Health-Insurance-Bill-Passes-House?from=rssMan Denied Right To Vote Because He Won't Use Computer
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/oGYRNoR-EI4/Man-Denied-Right-To-Vote-Because-He-Wont-Use-Computer
An anonymous reader writes 'A Houston man wasn't allowed to vote in Tuesday's mayoral election because he refuses to use computers and there were no other options available. No paper ballots? Skynet is taking over.'<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/06/1626239/Man-Denied-Right-To-Vote-Because-He-Wont-Use-Computer?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/11/06/1626239"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/06/1626239/Man-Denied-Right-To-Vote-Because-He-Wont-Use-Computer?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/6TyF-1hNz5t8zOnFzmewr7bSOxY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/6TyF-1hNz5t8zOnFzmewr7bSOxY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/6TyF-1hNz5t8zOnFzmewr7bSOxY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/6TyF-1hNz5t8zOnFzmewr7bSOxY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/oGYRNoR-EI4" height="1" width="1"/>samzenpus2009-11-06T17:08:00+00:00governmenttinfoil-ballotpolitics33,3,3,1,0,0,0http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/06/1626239/Man-Denied-Right-To-Vote-Because-He-Wont-Use-Computer?from=rssChinese Bureaucrats Duel Over Right To Regulate <em>WoW</em>
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/nzJwtgtxvgQ/Chinese-Bureaucrats-Duel-Over-Right-To-Regulate-emWoWem
upto0013 writes "Chinese bureaucrats are battling each other for the right to regulate World of Warcraft. They hope to gain the political clout and the revenue that comes along with controlling a new industry with potential for explosive growth. 'If you supervise a more dynamic area with a lot of growth potential, you have more budget and more administrative muscle,' said Edward Yu, president of Analysys International, an Internet research firm in Beijing. 'They see this pie is getting bigger and bigger, so it is no wonder different administrations are fighting over pieces of that territory.' It's absurd how orcs and elves (and Moonkin) can affect so many different faraway places."<p><a href="http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2356208/Chinese-Bureaucrats-Duel-Over-Right-To-Regulate-emWoWem?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/11/04/2356208"></a></p><p><a href="http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2356208/Chinese-Bureaucrats-Duel-Over-Right-To-Regulate-emWoWem?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Pz-IkW1Um9n7VCrRTLeh4WOqKZo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Pz-IkW1Um9n7VCrRTLeh4WOqKZo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Pz-IkW1Um9n7VCrRTLeh4WOqKZo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Pz-IkW1Um9n7VCrRTLeh4WOqKZo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/nzJwtgtxvgQ" height="1" width="1"/>samzenpus2009-11-05T05:39:00+00:00gamesgreat-wall-of-azerothgames125125,119,102,82,23,13,12http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2356208/Chinese-Bureaucrats-Duel-Over-Right-To-Regulate-emWoWem?from=rssMaryland Town Tests New Cryptographic Voting System
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/5gRmPsVfK2U/Maryland-Town-Tests-New-Cryptographic-Voting-System
ceswiedler writes "In Tuesday's election voters in Takoma Park, MD used a new cryptographic voting system designed by David Chaum with researchers from several universities including MIT and the University of Maryland. Voters use a special ink to mark their ballots, which reveals three-digit codes which they can later check against a website to verify their vote was tallied. Additionally, anyone can download election data from a Subversion repository and verify the overall accuracy of the results without seeing the actual choices of any individual voter."<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2321213/Maryland-Town-Tests-New-Cryptographic-Voting-System?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/11/04/2321213"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2321213/Maryland-Town-Tests-New-Cryptographic-Voting-System?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QkDh2Kennzg8j3ffi4GhpzDg7mc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QkDh2Kennzg8j3ffi4GhpzDg7mc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QkDh2Kennzg8j3ffi4GhpzDg7mc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/QkDh2Kennzg8j3ffi4GhpzDg7mc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/5gRmPsVfK2U" height="1" width="1"/>samzenpus2009-11-04T23:58:00+00:00securitysuper-safe-votingpolitics227227,227,198,171,33,17,10http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2321213/Maryland-Town-Tests-New-Cryptographic-Voting-System?from=rssAttorney General Says Wiretap Lawsuit Must Be Thrown Out
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/q4GeTwO_APM/Attorney-General-Says-Wiretap-Lawsuit-Must-Be-Thrown-Out
Mr Pink Eyes writes with news about comments from US Attorney General Eric Holder, who said a San Francisco lawsuit over warrantless wiretapping should be thrown out, since going forward would compromise "ongoing intelligence activities." From the AP report: "In making the argument, the Obama administration agreed with the Bush administration's position on the case but insists it came to the decision differently. A civil liberties group criticized the move Friday as a retreat from promises President Barack Obama made as a candidate. Holder's effort to stop the lawsuit marks the first time the administration has tried to invoke the state secrets privilege under a new policy it launched last month designed to make such a legal argument more difficult. ... Holder said US District Judge Vaughn Walker, who is handling the case, was given a classified description of why the case must be dismissed so that the court can 'conduct its own independent assessment of our claim.'"<p><a href="http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/11/02/132211/Attorney-General-Says-Wiretap-Lawsuit-Must-Be-Thrown-Out?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/11/02/132211"></a></p><p><a href="http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/11/02/132211/Attorney-General-Says-Wiretap-Lawsuit-Must-Be-Thrown-Out?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hWtFOJSsahZnzZJujaDozkfJfeQ/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hWtFOJSsahZnzZJujaDozkfJfeQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hWtFOJSsahZnzZJujaDozkfJfeQ/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hWtFOJSsahZnzZJujaDozkfJfeQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/q4GeTwO_APM" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2009-11-02T13:55:00+00:00communicationsyou-can-trust-usyro491491,485,432,356,81,46,38http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/11/02/132211/Attorney-General-Says-Wiretap-Lawsuit-Must-Be-Thrown-Out?from=rssBlogger Humiliates Town Councillors Into Resigning
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/YA6dO8-MEJU/Blogger-Humiliates-Town-Councillors-Into-Resigning
Dr_Barnowl writes "In an occurrence first postulated in sci-fi and later lampooned by stick figures, it seems that a blogger has actually been responsible for the mass resignation of elected officials — a British town council — largely by calling them 'jack***es' and Nazis. What's next? The deposition of a president with 'your mom' smacktalk?"<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/2058206/Blogger-Humiliates-Town-Councillors-Into-Resigning?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/31/2058206"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/2058206/Blogger-Humiliates-Town-Councillors-Into-Resigning?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/vEDncotzvveRRidNXyxKuXOvwOg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/vEDncotzvveRRidNXyxKuXOvwOg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/vEDncotzvveRRidNXyxKuXOvwOg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/vEDncotzvveRRidNXyxKuXOvwOg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/YA6dO8-MEJU" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2009-11-01T10:16:00+00:00internetspeaking-truth-to-powerpolitics227227,219,177,132,47,23,17http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/2058206/Blogger-Humiliates-Town-Councillors-Into-Resigning?from=rssICANN Might Pre-Register gTLDs To Placate Critics
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/M3-niFIsxQQ/ICANN-Might-Pre-Register-gTLDs-To-Placate-Critics
judgecorp writes "ICANN is to be congratulated for succeeding in expanding the Internet beyond the Latin alphabet. However, the organization is facing a harder task in extending the Internet's global top-level domains (gTLDs) — its proposal to open up the gTLD space has been plagued by controversy and delays. INCANN faces struggles with trademark owners and competing businesses — but even so it is being criticized for acting slowly (as seen in transcripts from the recent meeting in Seoul). It now seems likely the body will have a pre-registration scheme to gauge demand and placate critics by getting something moving on new gTLDs."<p><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/1839231/ICANN-Might-Pre-Register-gTLDs-To-Placate-Critics?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/31/1839231"></a></p><p><a href="http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/1839231/ICANN-Might-Pre-Register-gTLDs-To-Placate-Critics?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/j86pt3THsOWKmT5LzeqDfMReppk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/j86pt3THsOWKmT5LzeqDfMReppk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/j86pt3THsOWKmT5LzeqDfMReppk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/j86pt3THsOWKmT5LzeqDfMReppk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/M3-niFIsxQQ" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2009-10-31T20:59:00+00:00interneti-think-i-cantechnology7070,70,49,41,13,7,2http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/1839231/ICANN-Might-Pre-Register-gTLDs-To-Placate-Critics?from=rssLawmakers Caught Again By File-Sharing Software
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/JmEhOPE9pgE/Lawmakers-Caught-Again-By-File-Sharing-Software
An anonymous reader writes "A document, apparently a 'confidential House ethics committee report,' was recently leaked through file-sharing software to the Washington Post. According to the article, 'The committee's review of investigations became available on file-sharing networks because of a junior staff member's use of the software while working from home.' Of course, P2P software is entirely at fault for this incident. If you begin seeing more interest in DRM from Congress, you now know why." Reader GranTuring points out that the RIAA took the opportunity to make a ridiculous statement of their own. They said, "the disclosure was evidence of a need for controls on peer-to-peer software to block the improper or illegal exchange of music."<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/1547221/Lawmakers-Caught-Again-By-File-Sharing-Software?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/31/1547221"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/1547221/Lawmakers-Caught-Again-By-File-Sharing-Software?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Qua8ksdIqrQWLpkksWqiiYR_HAM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Qua8ksdIqrQWLpkksWqiiYR_HAM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Qua8ksdIqrQWLpkksWqiiYR_HAM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Qua8ksdIqrQWLpkksWqiiYR_HAM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/JmEhOPE9pgE" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2009-10-31T17:28:00+00:00internetguns-don't-kill-people,-file-sharers-dopolitics203203,200,173,141,55,38,12http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/1547221/Lawmakers-Caught-Again-By-File-Sharing-Software?from=rssContest To Hack Brazilian Voting Machines
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/Y41io4TY8p8/Contest-To-Hack-Brazilian-Voting-Machines
An anonymous reader writes "Brazilian elections went electronic many years ago, with very fast results but a few complaints from losers, of course. Next month, 10 teams that accepted the challenge will have access to hardware and software (Google translation; original in Portuguese) for the amount of time they requested (from one hour to four days). Some will try to break the vote's secrecy and some will try to throw in malicious code to change the entered votes without leaving traces."<p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/0120223/Contest-To-Hack-Brazilian-Voting-Machines?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/31/0120223"></a></p><p><a href="http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/0120223/Contest-To-Hack-Brazilian-Voting-Machines?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/iFA7c7Vxc8XFwengv6wYbSFI8N4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/iFA7c7Vxc8XFwengv6wYbSFI8N4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/iFA7c7Vxc8XFwengv6wYbSFI8N4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/iFA7c7Vxc8XFwengv6wYbSFI8N4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/Y41io4TY8p8" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2009-10-31T04:09:00+00:00hardhackhack-the-votehardware101101,100,74,53,24,7,2http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/09/10/31/0120223/Contest-To-Hack-Brazilian-Voting-Machines?from=rssOpen Source Voting Software Concept Released
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/QhMI3VDpMbQ/Open-Source-Voting-Software-Concept-Released
filesiteguy writes "Wired is reporting that the Open Source Digital Voting Foundation has announced the first release of Linux- and Ruby-based election management software. This software should compete in the same realm as Election Systems & Software, as well as Diebold/Premiere for use by County registrars. Mitch Kapor — founder of Lotus 1-2-3 — and Dean Logan, Registrar for Los Angeles County, and Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State, all took part in a formal announcement ceremony. The OSDV is working with multiple jurisdictions, activists, developers and other organizations to bring together 'the best and brightest in technology and policy' to create 'guidelines and specifications for high assurance digital voting services.' The announcement was made as part of the OSDV Trust the Vote project, where open source tools are to be used to create a certifiable and sustainable open source voting system."<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/23/2236252/Open-Source-Voting-Software-Concept-Released?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/23/2236252"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/23/2236252/Open-Source-Voting-Software-Concept-Released?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2Gr278MIYtPbeT0c5Ra0a1T3OQg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2Gr278MIYtPbeT0c5Ra0a1T3OQg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2Gr278MIYtPbeT0c5Ra0a1T3OQg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2Gr278MIYtPbeT0c5Ra0a1T3OQg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/QhMI3VDpMbQ" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2009-10-24T02:01:00+00:00governmentone-for-you-and-two-for-mepolitics121121,119,97,60,22,8,4http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/23/2236252/Open-Source-Voting-Software-Concept-Released?from=rssSequoia Voting Systems Source Code Released
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/U7oMzZbaT4U/Sequoia-Voting-Systems-Source-Code-Released
Mokurai sends a heads-up about Sequoia Voting Systems, which seems to have inadvertently released the SQL code for its voting databases. The existence of such code appears to violate Federal voting law: "Sequoia blew it on a public records response. ... They appear... to have just vandalized the data as valid databases by stripping the MS-SQL header data off, assuming that would stop us cold. They were wrong. The Linux 'strings' command was able to peel it apart. Nedit was able to digest 800-MB text files. What was revealed was thousands of lines of MS-SQL source code that appears to control or at least influence the logical flow of the election, in violation of a bunch of clauses in the FEC voting system rulebook banning interpreted code, machine modified code and mandating hash checks of voting system code." The code is all available for study or download, "the first time the innards of a US voting system can be downloaded and discussed publicly with no NDAs or court-ordered secrecy," notes Jim March of the Election Defense Alliance. Dig in and analyze.<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/20/2254210/Sequoia-Voting-Systems-Source-Code-Released?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/20/2254210"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/20/2254210/Sequoia-Voting-Systems-Source-Code-Released?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2LeqP5SrWSrOean34fina3kVw40/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2LeqP5SrWSrOean34fina3kVw40/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2LeqP5SrWSrOean34fina3kVw40/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/2LeqP5SrWSrOean34fina3kVw40/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/U7oMzZbaT4U" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2009-10-20T23:06:00+00:00politicsredaction-failpolitics406406,402,320,261,63,28,14http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/20/2254210/Sequoia-Voting-Systems-Source-Code-Released?from=rssMaldives Government Holds Undersea Cabinet Meeting
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/4jfDTo7Nc-I/Maldives-Government-Holds-Undersea-Cabinet-Meeting
Hugh Pickens writes "The president of the Maldives and 11 ministers, decked out in scuba gear, held a cabinet meeting 4m underwater to highlight the threat of global warming to the low-lying Indian Ocean nation. While officials said the event itself was light-hearted, the idea is to focus on the plight of the Maldives, where rising sea levels threaten to make the nation uninhabitable by the end of the century. President Mohamed Nasheed and his cabinet spent half an hour on the sea bed, communicating with white boards and hand signals and signed a document calling for global cuts in carbon emissions. The Maldives has already begun to divert a portion of the country's billion-dollar annual tourist revenue to buy a new homeland as an insurance policy against climate change that threatens to turn the 300,000 islanders into environmental refugees. Emerging out of the water, a dripping President Nasheed removed his mask to answer questions from reporters and photographers crowded around on the shore. 'We are trying to send a message to the world about what is happening and what would happen to the Maldives if climate change isn't checked,' he said, bobbing around in the water with his team of ministers. 'If the Maldives is not saved, today we do not feel there is much chance for the rest of the world.'"<p><a href="http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/10/17/202203/Maldives-Government-Holds-Undersea-Cabinet-Meeting?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/17/202203"></a></p><p><a href="http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/10/17/202203/Maldives-Government-Holds-Undersea-Cabinet-Meeting?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
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<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Asj-cLJv0UXCwFyzLkuhDX6WKko/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Asj-cLJv0UXCwFyzLkuhDX6WKko/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/4jfDTo7Nc-I" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2009-10-18T08:44:00+00:00earthor-we-could-evolve-gillsnews271271,256,220,174,47,25,15http://news.slashdot.org/story/09/10/17/202203/Maldives-Government-Holds-Undersea-Cabinet-Meeting?from=rssDemocrats, Minority Groups Question Net Neutrality Push
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/-bz3iyJZIg4/Democrats-Minority-Groups-Question-Net-Neutrality-Push
uuddlrlrab writes "A group of 72 Democratic lawmakers is the latest to question the US Federal Communications Commission's move to create new net neutrality regulations. Democrats, including US President Barack Obama, have generally supported new rules that would prohibit broadband providers from selectively blocking or slowing Web content, but the group of 72 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter Thursday to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, saying they're concerned that new regulations would slow down investment in broadband networks. A coalition of minority groups made their objections known as well, saying, 'We are concerned that some of the proposed regulations on the Internet could, as applied, inhibit the goal of universal access and leave disenfranchised communities further behind.' This follows news from earlier in the week that similar letters were sent by a group of 44 tech companies and a group of 18 Republican senators." It's worth noting that the FCC is receiving letters in support of the net neutrality regulations as well. One such is from a group of internet pioneers, which includes Vint Cerf and Stephen Crocker.<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/17/1321253/Democrats-Minority-Groups-Question-Net-Neutrality-Push?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/17/1321253"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/17/1321253/Democrats-Minority-Groups-Question-Net-Neutrality-Push?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
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<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/KydInrodTDMGoEd9fki--zz2luI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/KydInrodTDMGoEd9fki--zz2luI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/-bz3iyJZIg4" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2009-10-17T14:21:00+00:00democratsnot-so-usual-suspectspolitics200200,196,168,126,38,20,11http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/17/1321253/Democrats-Minority-Groups-Question-Net-Neutrality-Push?from=rssBarack Obama Wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/amzB0Lf8UBk/Barack-Obama-Wins-the-2009-Nobel-Peace-Prize
Barack Obama has just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The BBC opines: "In awarding President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian committee is honoring his intentions more than his achievements. After all he has been in office only just over eight months and he will presumably hope to serve eight years, so it is very early in his term to get this award. ... The committee does not make any secret of its approach. It states that he is being given the prize 'for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.' This is of course an implied criticism of former US president George W Bush and the neo-conservatives, who were often accused of trying to change the world in their image." The Washington Post collects more reactions from around the world.<p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/09/123207/Barack-Obama-Wins-the-2009-Nobel-Peace-Prize?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/09/123207"></a></p><p><a href="http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/09/123207/Barack-Obama-Wins-the-2009-Nobel-Peace-Prize?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
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<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/su9qRsB6bkoCeoeOfe4j-TyldQ4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/su9qRsB6bkoCeoeOfe4j-TyldQ4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/amzB0Lf8UBk" height="1" width="1"/>kdawson2009-10-09T12:52:00+00:00newstaliban-not-happypolitics17211721,1693,1339,980,205,120,73http://politics.slashdot.org/story/09/10/09/123207/Barack-Obama-Wins-the-2009-Nobel-Peace-Prize?from=rssHow Video Games Reflect Ideology
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~3/iUjIfnOOCq0/How-Video-Games-Reflect-Ideology
A recent article at Bitmob sought to tackle the question of whether games could carry political meaning, arguing the negative since "The money, the media representation, and the general shadow of 'triviality' will always trail the word 'game,' because that is what makes it open to all markets." An opposing viewpoint has been posted by Lee Bradley, who says, "Perhaps the most profound shift in the games industry in the last few years has been the explosion of co-op. Not only are developers dedicating more and more time to providing co-op experiences in their games, they are also finding new ways of exploring the dynamic within it. ... Even in games where the co-operative element of co-op is less pronounced, the ideology is the same; you are not on your own anymore, you are part of a team. What's more, that team is more than likely multi-cultural and/or multi-gender. ... Now, this isn't to say that the lone white-guy hero has been eradicated. Far from it; the bald, white space-marine is one of the most over-used characters in modern gaming. But it increasingly rare that they are lone heroes. A shift towards team-based, co-op featured games is undeniable. In this way, mainstream video games, even those seemingly void of political statement, are implicitly political. While for the most part they are not designed to tackle political issues head-on, or carry overt political messages, they do reflect the values and the popular ideology of the culture in which they were created."<p><a href="http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/10/07/0528205/How-Video-Games-Reflect-Ideology?from=rss"><img src="http://politics.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/10/07/0528205"></a></p><p><a href="http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/10/07/0528205/How-Video-Games-Reflect-Ideology?from=rss">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p>
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<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/RKsYTSx8HpIYePcbj7SMisaZ1TY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/RKsYTSx8HpIYePcbj7SMisaZ1TY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Slashdot/slashdotPolitics/~4/iUjIfnOOCq0" height="1" width="1"/>Soulskill2009-10-07T10:51:00+00:00gamesmy-level-80-priest-provides-universal-health-caregames244244,240,200,148,48,28,15http://games.slashdot.org/story/09/10/07/0528205/How-Video-Games-Reflect-Ideology?from=rssSearch SlashdotSearch Slashdot storiesquery
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