Spectrum For Sale

For an institution that allocates usage of public air space, the FCC sure sees a lotta dollars.

From Benton's Communications:
FCC CLOSES IN ON $10 BILLION MINIMUM FOR SPECTRUM AUCTION

After 12 rounds of bidding in the FCC's 700 mHz auction, the FCC reached within striking distance of the $10 billion minimum it needs to raise for the federal treasury and various programs. The total bid on the five blocks of analog spectrum being reclaimed from TV broadcasters in the switch to digital was $8.659 billion. There was one new bid, $3,784 billion, on the so-called C block of spectrum, which can be used for a national wireless network. That pushed the FCC's minimum bid for the next round to $4.294 billion, close to the $4.6 billion that the commission says it must get. Failing to draw a new bid for the tenth round was the D block. That spectrum also can be used for a national network, but it must be shared with first responders and turned over to them in times of emergency. House Telecom Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) on Tuesday called the lack of a bidder discouraging, and said during a Hill hearing that if the D block failed to reach its minimum bid--$1.3 billion--the committee would step in.

[Basically, we're going digital by February, 2009. Broadcaster, be ready.]

Let's Get Atomized!

Ted TV:

Groundhog/SotU

[I'd like to note: this subject was forwarded to me on a mass email...and proves to be the reason you should always delete such hogwash. Groundhog Day is actually February 2nd.]

I was just forwarded an eloquently phrased reminder that today, this last Monday of January, 2008, is not only Groundhog day, it's also the State of the Union address.

[As Air America Radio pointed out: "It is an ironic juxtaposition: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, and the other involves a Groundhog."]

The LAST State of the Union speech for our much-beloved *cough* bullshit *cough* President, George W Bush. In memoriam, I am committing to never write another word about him. He is the past. [Relegated to a byline on the digital cover of the NYTimes, no less.]

But I will post every idiotic picture...

Eh...

Better...

Best!
This is not Bush. This is Taivan. He looks like he's handling this well.

Black Guy For President!?!

I've made my decision.

If the US presidential election is really an image contest, and I must be forced to accept the reality of choosing between a douche and a turd, I'm putting my vote down for the black man.

Here's why:

1. None of the potential candidates have, what I perceive as a long-term vision for our country beyond some global ideological-popularity contest. [Yeah, but who cares about them?]

2. If anything is going to move the US forward, it will be confronting the racism, genderism, ageism and vapidity that lies beneath our collective public image. [Only WE believe our own mythology anyway. No one else is buying it.]

3. Hillary, as I've said before, is a Republican in sheep's clothing, which doesn't really matter per se, but it does leave the possibility open that she will act like a rich old white man making policy some time down the road.

What I'd really like to see is a Black man/White woman Democratic ticket. [Now THAT's progress.]

Life On Mars!

You must be kidding me!

As a friend said: "Suuure...And THAT rock looks like a pancreas, but I don't think it is one".

CU:

...And Europe Is Ready!

The sky may be falling, but at least the Europeans can handle proactively planning for that eventuality.

And, if they do this right, the EU's economy will expand from the global provision of efficiently-produced, sustainable energy.

If we think dealing with OPEC is uncomfortable, wait until we're dealing with EU Energy Commission. [aka MiniPlenty]

[Img from Gizmodo]