In the face of overwhelming opposition from just about every major technology company and the general public, the US Senate and House have decided to delay votes on the anti-piracy bills known as PIPA (Senate) and SOPA (House).
Majority leader Harry Reid and Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith both announced that upcoming work on the acts would be delayed, "until there is wider agreement on a solution." While both have said that concerns over piracy must be addressed, it seems unlikely that they or any other politician will be rushing to revive the would-be laws after very public protests from Google and Wikipedia and the reported deluge of phone calls and emails that hammered offices at the capital Wednesday.
The fight over intellectual property rights and fair use is far from over but, as the sibling bills face yet another delay, it's beginning to appear as if SOPA and PIPA's days are numbered.
Stay tuned, I'm sure this is not over yet.
Congress is about to vote on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). If passed, this bill will allow the United States government to censor the Internet.
SOPA, aka H.R. 3261 is a bill right now in the House sponsored by R-TX Lamar Smith. It’s not just any bill though, it’s a bill that would allow the USDOJ, RIAA, MPAA and anyone else who lobbies for the entertainment industry to effectively censor the internet to suit their needs.
The bill itself is absurdly broad, creates a ton of liability for small to mid size e-commerce based businesses and will serve to stifle the tech industry in order to cater to lobbying groups paid by companies who refuse to adapt to a world in which free information is king (and almost as unstoppable as a force of nature).
We here at Hudson Enterprises support a free internet. An Internet in which free information and unhindered distribution of said information is an unalienable human right. Do the same, contact your representative and tell them to vote NO on SOPA.
We urge everyone who reads this post to take action! Go to http://americancensorship.org/
As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods – merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.
This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, there is nothing to be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!
It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a box, wrapped in Chinese-produced wrapping paper? Think about these ideas instead:
- Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local hair salon or barber?
- Gym membership. It's appropriate for those of all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
- Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, locally-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese-made flat-screen?
- Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.
- There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates.
- And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint? Remember, folks, this isn't about big national chains — this is about supporting your home town neighbors with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.
- How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
- Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.
- My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
- Okay, you were looking for something more personal. Think about your local artists and crafts people . . . paintings, photography, sculptures, jewelry, pottery, handmade sweaters and scarves.
- Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants, and leave your server a nice tip.
- And how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre?
- Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five-dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community.
- If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can increase our indebtedness to it. Christmas now means caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams.
And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.
How else can you help?
- Forward this to everyone on your mailing list
- Post it to discussion groups
- Throw up a post on Craigslist in the "Rants & Raves" section in your city (GOOD one!)
- Send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments This is a revolution of caring about each other. Isn't that what Christmas is about?
P.S. This plan works for birthdays, anniversaries and any other gift giving occasion.
Some interesting figures about mobile browsing and user activity:
- 38 percent of web users in the U.S. access the web from their phone (or 89 million people).
- 53 percent of Americans using their phones to go online do so at least once a day.
- 65 percent of mobile users aged between 18-29 use their phones to go online.
- 43 percent of mobile users aged between 30-49 use their phones to go online.
And these stats are just for American users. Across the globe, mobile browsing is continuing to grow at a huge rate and, as you can see from the image below, it’s expected to overtake fixed (or desktop) browsing within the next 2-3 years, going by current trends.
Which begs the question – is your blog or website mobile-friendly? And if not, how do you make it more mobile-friendly?
Defining Mobile Friendly
Depending on who you ask, making a blog or website mobile-friendly is as simple as asking the question, “Can I view it when I open my phone’s browser?” (or tablet, as the likes of the iPad and Playbook continue to grow in popularity).
While this might help, it’s not really looking at the bigger picture, and the differing experiences of the various mobile browsers that are in use. Apple uses a different browser than Android, which uses a different browser from BlackBerry, which uses a different browser from HTC, and so on. Then you also have older phones that don’t have the features of a smartphone, and this makes the experience even more different.
So to define mobile browsing, let’s work with the meaning of “compatible with as many mobile browsers as possible”. It might look better on some than on others but at least it’s available on more than just the latest smartphones.
So now that’s kinda cleared up, how do you make your site or blog mobile-friendly? It depends on the experience you want to offer and how much you want to spend (if anything).
The Build It Yourself Approach
The most intensive way to mobilize your site is to give it a full mobile makeover. This can be done yourself (if you know what you're doing) with some recoding, or by hiring a professional to do the work for you.
Depending on how much you want to make your site mobile-friendly and still interactive, the cost can run into several thousands of dollars in some places.
With mobile browsing become more popular by the day, it’s a small cost to pay compared to losing readers and customers, no?
The Plug-In Approach
While the most comprehensive way to mobilize your site is by in-depth optimization, like I say this can be pretty expensive (though definitely worth it for larger sites). For blogs, though, it can be less expensive, because generally most blogs only worry about the post content, and not other sales pages, etc. This means you can choose a simpler option, and there are a ton of these available.
Is the Internet Coming to an End?
Mobile MAY replace the web, Apps will probably replace software, credit cards will soon be embedded into your cell phone! Folks, the web as we have all known it for years, is rapidly being overtaken by mobile. I believe the web as we know it today, may not even exist 12 to 24 months from now.
This IS all happening and there's nothing any of us can do to stop it, but you can profit from it if you tke your head out of the sand.
So where does this leave you? What are you supposed to do with this information?
Have you optimized your website or blog for mobile browsing? I'd love your feedback on mobile browsing. Comment by clicking on the cloud button above, or share this post on Facebook and comment there.
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