Hi Mark,

I think you have it wrong. Why do the tech companies that you and I work for need to keep outsourcing talent from abroad? In spit of all the jobs lost the past several years and the high demand for certain skills that our companies continue to generate, shouldn’t we be doing something about that? Why am I such an advocate for getting our trade schools and universities up to speed on such open source technologies that are so badly desired? There is no doubt that skills and the experience in such things are becoming more important than education. We really need to rethink about what we’re doing.

Before I graduated from the College of Business at California State University, Long Beach, I was a part of a task force to obtain a grant from the Boeing Company to help fund mobile equipment and a course taught to students about what we are really looking for in today’s technology job market. It’s still going strong today. Shouldn’t we focus on the American people first before looking abroad. Ah! We can’t because the skills are not here. That is the problem. The American student doesn’t know where to start. Unless they’re lucky to get an intern somewhere, like I did, they get left in the dust when we try to hire them.

I appreciate your support to promote Code.org a few months ago and the importance of teaching our youth to learn to program in high school. But that seems to conflict with what you’re stating above, however. I am all in to hire someone abroad to get the job done, but we can’t sustain this. The media gets this wrong all the time when asking the question, “Why can’t you hire these people from (so and so) after all they’ve achieved?” Because the skills are not there. Let’s do something about that.

Yes, my grandfather fled here from Nazi Germany when he was just a kid and then grew up, working hard for his family of three sons, and started a company that ships its products worldwide. Coming here for the opportunity to freely succeed is what we all want, but many don’t strive or aren’t motivated to do so. But this is a different issue altogether.

I’d appreciate your comments here at Brandin.com.

Copied from Congressman John Campbell’s official website under his “LAPTOP” column dated January 30^th 2013.

This hits the nail right on the head! Take a minute to read this through. I think you’ll find that this is the real discussion we should be having, with ourselves and each other…

Violence: Let me begin this discussion by joining in the mixture of sorrow, disgust and anguish that is universally felt by all Americans at the recent spate of killings resulting in the deaths of children and students in schools and colleges around the country. The Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy is one that will not, and should not, leave our collective memories for many years. My daily prayers include the families of these young victims. There is no disagreement that such violence is on the increase in our country. There is similarly no dispute that we must have a reasoned and serious debate about its causes and potential solutions.

With this writing, I will enter that debate.

With a few exceptions, the proposals to reduce such violence have been focused on increased gun control legislation. Some have also talked about increased mental health funding and reporting, while others have suggested armed guards in schools as a solution. I believe that these proposals all deal with the symptoms rather than the causes of such violence. Furthermore, I believe that most of these proposals are actually counterproductive in that they distract us from what perhaps are much more difficult and deep-seated issues that we are fearful of or simply unwilling to address.

Fifty years ago, there were far fewer gun controls than exist today. Increasingly restrictive gun control legislation has been passed at all levels of government in a continual manner over the last 50 years. But, unfortunately, as gun control has increased, so has gun violence. These sorts of killings did not occur nearly to the degree they do now in the 50s or 60s, when gun control legislation was just beginning to be enacted. Now, I am not going to make the argument that more gun control leads to more gun violence. Many will make this argument legitimately by pointing out that gun control disarms law-abiding citizens while those who desire to commit murder (which is, by the way, illegal) are not bothered by breaking gun laws to do so. Thereby, the lawless can be more reckless knowing that the lawful will be unarmed. This argument has standing and certainly the statistics support this conclusion. But, as I said, I will leave that argument for others to make.

So, there is no record of gun control in this country resulting in less gun violence. As far as the other commonly mentioned “solutions” to this growing problem, mental health restrictions have their own issues – which I won’t get into in detail here. And, if we are going to have armed guards in all schools, why stop there? What about movie theaters? Or shopping centers? Or any other place where a number of people gather? A society where we have a policeman on every block is not a society that any of us should want to approach.

In the humble view of this writer, the real problem here is that there is something societal going on. Something that may not have anything to do with laws at all, but with changes in our culture over the last 50 years that have made horrific acts of violence a more commonplace and more acceptable behavior than was ever before the case. Moreover, these acts appear to be more justifiable in the minds of those perpetrating the violence. Mass killers or want-to-be killers are unhappy people who are mad at the world and/or blame specific individuals for their lot in life. This is not new. What is new, however, is that societal norms which in the past would have restrained such an extreme level of reactive behavior seem to no longer exist. What has caused this?

I don’t think there is any one cause. Far from it, actually. Instead, I think this behavioral shift is a result of an interconnected web of conditions in society that have changed, and are still changing, how we view the world around us and how we react to it. Now, I am no social scientist. I must admit that I enter this discussion with a fair amount of trepidation. But, the topic is too important to just stand on the sidelines. Therefore, I will offer up six conditions that I believe have changed during my lifetime in the culture of America that are directly contributing to the violence we are witnessing:

• The “Me” Society: I grew up in Los Angeles. The freeways were jammed even when I got my drivers’ license, but road rage was rare. Today, it is uncommon to not witness road rage on my drive to work. Why? I suggest that this is part of the “me” society and the “me” generation. “My” time is more valuable than anyone else’s time. People cut off someone driving a little slower than they with an indignant attitude of, “How dare that person interfere with my valuable mission, which is clearly more important than his or hers?!” Achieving “my” wants is a goal that should not be interrupted by the lesser wants of others. These days, it seems, it is all about “me”. If it’s all about “me”, clearly the person next to me doesn’t matter.

• The Irresponsible Society: Nothing that goes wrong is our own fault any more. It may be the fault of a teacher, a parent, or maybe an ex-girl or boyfriend. The ads on TV tell me that it’s the fault of my employer, or the people who made my soft drink, or someone who assembled my car without a warning.  One thing’s for sure, it’s not “my fault”!! Phil Mickelson was lucky! Steve Jobs “didn’t build that”, someone else did it and he was just lucky enough to get the credit. I could have been the world’s best golfer or have had all kinds of success if “the man” (whoever you believe “the man” to be) hadn’t kept me down. Others get success by luck and my failures are their fault. This is increasingly the thinking of a society that continues to diminish the concept of personal responsibility. With this comes the desire for revenge against whomever I deem to have caused my problems – since it clearly wasn’t me.

• The Secular Society: Regular attendance of church or synagogue has declined in recent decades. Fewer people consider themselves religious. We have removed God from our schools and, increasingly, from all institutions of government. This society based on Judeo-Christian values is becoming less Judeo-Christian. The values, principles and standards of behavior in the Bible can never be replaced by a social studies textbook. Has removing God from so much of our lives today created a nurturing environment for evil to take root?

• The Non-Family Society: The much maligned “nuclear family” was not so bad a thing after all. But, whether your family is “nuclear” or otherwise structured, the centrality of the family unit to modern culture has been undoubtedly diminished. Family units are much more likely to break up than ever before with the end result of leaving many people adrift. A village cannot fully replace the emotional support of a family and neither can friends. We should place more value on the family unit and on keeping it together.

• The “Just Win Baby” Society: Play harder! Be tougher! Win at all costs! Really? At all costs? Is that what we are about now? The end justifies the means? In the financial world, it seems many play by these rules. But, this mindset is not unique to that world. If it’s OK to climb the ladder by stepping on the dreams of others, what else is OK?

• The Violence Society: Hollywood, and other purveyors of entertainment, have a profit motive. As such, I often think they do not lead society, but try to reflect it. But, there is no doubt that they have an influence. There is no doubt that the characteristics of TV, movies and song lyrics have changed over the decades. There is much more celebrated and gratuitous violence. In response to the question, “Why does anyone need a gun like that?”, I recently heard someone say, “Well, why does anyone need a Quentin Tarantino movie?”. Good point.

Of course, I am far from a saint. I have grown up in and through these societal changes and have not been unaffected by them. I’ve made some impolite moves on the road because I thought my time was more important than that of another driver. I’ve watched and enjoyed some violent movies, and I skipped church for a good decade while I questioned my own faith in a God I could not see. The point of my writing this is not to serve me up as any kind of example. It is to make us all question what we each are doing to contribute to the degradation of our society. And, even more importantly, what can each of us do to fix it?

I’m sure this hasn’t been easy for many of you to read. It has not been easy for me to write. But, I am tired of watching our society get angrier and more dependent and more divided and self-serving. And, I’m sick of the political class blaming it all on a simple device that has existed for centuries.

There are no laws we can or should pass to deal with these societal problems. But, we need to have the discussion. We need leadership from a lot more places than Washington in order to deeply examine ourselves and the society we are creating. I am not suggesting that we try to go back to anything. You cannot “go back” nor should you as there are plenty of elements of society 50 years ago to which we do not want to return. But, we should be building a society around respect, personal responsibility, family, faith, and compassion. Indeed, we should begin to start paying attention to how we treat others. Not just how we treat some people. How we treat everyone. I’m not sure we’ve been doing that over the last few decades. In my view, the confluence of the six societal characteristics that I described above lead to a lot of angry people making rude gestures or using bad words. But, without question, for a few people, this anger drives them to pick up a weapon and use it.

I didn’t write this missive to propose legislation. I didn’t write it to criticize or slam one “side” or another. And, I refuse to add to the divisive political rhetoric with which you are already being inundated. I wrote it because I’m struggling with this question, too. I wrote it to force myself to think a little deeper, to encourage some difficult self-examination, and to bring about some changes in my own behavior. But, I also wrote it to make you think a little, too. Not just about your opinion, but also about what you might do differently. How you might act differently. If it has made you a little uncomfortable, then maybe I’ve been successful. As we seek to find and solve the root causes of these tragedies, I am convinced that the true remedies will not come from the top down. We must all engage in this difficult conversation together. I need to hear your thoughts, your ideas, your responses to my questions, and, ultimately, an honest assessment of your own self-examination. There is no quick-fix solution to this terribly complex issue, but I guarantee you that there are answers out there if we have the patience and determination to find them.

None of us ever want to again see the faces of tiny children cut down by a maniac. But, the way to prevent these tragedies will not be as simple as passing new legislation. Let us have the courage to confront the much more difficult, but much more substantive problems in society together. May God bless us that quest as He has long blessed this country.

It’s that time of year again where I get a little bit of “me” time to ponder about life and where I am, though I only have four days to do it. Maybe sometime soon I’ll be able to take a vacation that’s not related to business

For those of you still roaming around here, Merry Christmas.

I’m publicly saying Merry Christmas here! I don’t mean to shut the door on other beliefs, but I’d rather not spread a generic holiday cheer. So here you go. Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza. Add another holiday here. And if you don’t prefer any of those, I hope you spend your time wisely with those who love you and count your blessings. Am I being fair here?

I should have my annual letter ready soon. Perhaps New Year’s Day?

Take care of yourself, ~B

Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as “Holiday Trees” for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America . . .

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crib, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God? I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her: “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said: “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

In light of recent events… terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said okay.

Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it…. no one will know you did. But if you discard this thought process, don’t sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

Siri, kicked off the event, yes, Siri, with a bunch of jokes. Well done!

Tim came out on stage and mentioned that WWDC is in its 23rd year, the longest-running

400 million app store accounts have been created. Over 650,000 apps (225,000) have been created. Over 30 billion apps have been downloaded. $5 billion have been cashed out to developers. Tim showed us a video of some life-changing users, including a developer who wanted to help the blind.

Phil Schiller took the stage getting ready to announce new MacBook Air Hardware with the new Intel ivy-bridge Core i5 & i7. The MacBook Air can load 512 GB of SSD storage. USB3 will be added to the lineup. The iSight Camera will be updated to the same FaceTime camera found in their mobile devices. These devices will start shipping TODAY!

The MacBookPro is also getting an update. They are getting the same Intel ivy bridge family CPU, up to quad-core. They are keeping Nvidia graphics in the line. USB3 is also built-in. This is also shipping today!

OOO! Here’s a MacBook that is cloaked! Phil announced the “Next Generation MacBook Pro.” Here are some ideas, we need a killer new display, built for the future and lightweight. Here it is! Phil showed us how thin this thing is. 7.1 inches thin! It’s about as thin as the MacBook Air. Yes, folks, this has a “retina” display. 15.4 inches across, 2880 X 1800 pixels. The glare has been reduced by 75%. Up to 16GB  RAM and 768 SSD is available. 7 hours of battery life. New dual mics are installed, perhaps for voice recognition?

Major updates to Apple’s “pro” apps like Aperture will be updated to take advantage of this new display. Other 3rd party apps are on the way.

Phil shows us a video… and Johnny Ive is on screen!

The “new” MacBook Pro will start shipping TODAY!

Craig Federici is now on stage talking about OSX (10.8) “Mountain Lion”. Mountain Lion will have 200 new features. We will demo 8 this morning.

All of Apple’s i-apps will be integrated. iWork apps will now have documents in the cloud (do I smell Microsoft?).

iMessage is coming to the Mac. Craig showed us Pages. Notification center is now built-in, not a 3rd party plug-in. Dictation is coming to the mac, just like the iPad. Sharing will bring platforms such as Facebook and Twitter into your apps. The Safari (Webkit) browser will have iCloud features, such as being able to share bookmarks and history across devices. Multi-genture tabs now work across window tabs.

Craig now shows us “Power Nap.” Power Nap will keep your essential background services such as backing up and iCloud connections.

Mirroring now works with the AppleTV, just like your iDevices. Game Center is finally coming to the Mac. Craig demoed both for us. “Racer X” was invited on stage to race a game, Craig lost

OSX Mountain Lion will be released for $19.99 next month. That update includes all the way back to Snow Leopard for all your Macs. If you purchase a new mac today, you get Mountain Lion for free.

Ah, Scott Forstall, of course. Here he comes to talk about iOS.

Most modern Apple devices are in iOS 5, more than 75% of the customer base.

Over 7 billion notifications a day are set out (this is what I do at work).

Scott announces iOS6 with 200 new features. He started off with Siri’s new “behavior.” He asked Siri a sports question. She answered it very well. “What is Buster Posi’s batting average? Who is taller, LeBron or Kobe? What movies are playing at the Metreon (across the street)? Show me movies starting Scarlett Johansen… Play Temple Run” She knows it and does it all!

And here it is! Siri can now be integrated into your car! Goodbye Sync. Nine auto manufactures (except ford) have  committed to bringing Siri to your vehicle.

Siri is coming to the new iPad.

Facebook integration is now easier. The settings app will set this up for the user. User will be able to post a status, photo, video, etc. Facebook is also in the AppStore.

Scott showed off enhancements with the “phone” app. You can now ignore a call to send a message or set a reminder to call back via a geofence. A new DND (do not disturb) function will keep your phone silent based on a schedule.

Facetime now works over cellular networks! Facetime will also attach your phone numbers with your AppleId for cross-device connectivity.

“Shared Photo Streams” can send photos to your firends directly without a platform such as Facebook or Twitter.

Passbook can enable users to purchase items like movie tickets, airline reservations, etc. Scott showed us a demo. The feature is live based on where your location is, such as bringing up your boarding pass when you are at the airport.

Guided Access gives users with special needs to use iDevices, such as iPads. This also includes uses in the classroom like keeping a single application on to administer a test.

Time for MAPS! Apple is bringing out their new mapping system, saying goodbye to Google. This was entirely built by Apple and will have all the feature you’re used to, such as traffic information. Turn-by-turn navigation will be built-in, with Siri! Maps will be 3D in many metro areas. Scott showed us. Too much is happening here folks. This will be amazing!

iOS6 will be handed out as a beta to developers today. iOS6 ships later this summer for the iPhone 4S, 4, 3GS, the iPad 2, new iPad, and 4th Gen iPod Touch.

Tim is now back on stage, reviewing all the stuff from the morning (to much!). Tim reminded us that “Apple” itself built all this, keeping the culture alive and well, impacting the world.

That’s a wrap folks. Photos will be uploaded later today. Thanks for being here.

I hope this letter finds all of you well. I managed to find time over the course of several late nights to gather my address book, but ended up having to wait until after the holidays to sit down and write. Lots go through my head when I do this and rushing the letter won’t do any good for your enjoyment. I would hate to have the worst happen, losing touch with those I grew up with or made a difference to me.

2011 was a year in transition for me, after graduating from the College of Business at CSU Long Beach the prior spring. Throughout the year, there was a lot of traveling to and from the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas, and Portland, attending conferences and meeting with prospective business partners and tech start-ups regarding my next step.

After three and a half years, I departed my full-time involvement with PeacePartners Inc., in Long Beach. While the staff was much loved for its atmosphere and attitude, many knew that it was a matter of time before I was going to move on to bigger and better things. It was this time last year I had announced to many colleagues and friends that I was planning to move on, possibly even relocate, in search of my next move. I was grateful to have started here as an intern back in 2008 while I was working for the CSU Chancellor, and two years later, becoming full-time staff. I am thankful for the chance I had to be with them, especially considering how hard it is for students to find opportunities while in college. They have been greatly missed and I hope to remain good friends with everyone.

On a related note, after a five-year run, it was time for me to depart from my managing duties with athletics for the rowing team at CSULB (Beach Crew). It was a hard decision to make but everyone gave me their best wishes as I departed from the everyday duties. The response was overwhelming, going beyond the CSULB campus, throughout many western collegiate institutions. I have to say that in the past five years I was involved more off the water than actually in a boat. I met so many people from around the country. I am glad that there is a sense of respect for the institution up and down the state. I am honored to have been the voice for the team for all of those years. Today, Matthew Dalton has taken over my duties as the General Manager of Rowing. We talk on a weekly basis, sometimes even daily. I have retained my involvement with the Beach Crew Alumni Association as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors, not to fully abandon my relationship from my roots. Sometimes I miss Long Beach and the chance to travel around the country.

Unrelated to rowing, a former professor of mine from the CSULB College of Business keeps inviting me back to teach a seminar to students during the spring semesters. The topic changes from introducing students new kinds of information systems beyond the classroom, informing students about current changes in the industry, and defining applications for mobile devices. The grant I helped obtain from Boeing is still going strong, which obtains testing equipment and funds a course for students seeking careers in mobile device applications.

As of September 2011, I have moved out into a place of my own residing on the north end of Lake Mission Viejo in South Orange County. Views of Modjeska and Santiago Peaks can be seen from the backyard since we’re in the foothills. I live with two former rowers from Orange Coast College, one I have known since middle school.

In October, out of the blue, I received a phone call from a company about five miles from my home, inviting me on board to their team of 12. The company, RockLive, was founded in 2010 by two brothers and has already released two major mobile applications for iPhone, iPod Touch, and the iPad. RockLive has very good connections with other companies, including Apple, Twitter, Facebook, EA, and several celebrities. I have to say I never saw myself working for a game company. There are hard 10-12 hour days to be worked, and I’m usually on-call when I’m not working, but I think the commitment will pay off soon. We’ve already been featured in major news sources, including a feature with me in it on Bloomberg West. Maybe a year from now we’ll be all over the news.

I can write pages about this past year, but I think this sums up a year in transition, getting back to the things that mattered, and fulfilling my desires in life. I wish all of you the best, good health, and prosperity this year.

Best Regards,
Brandin

All,

Feel free to copy-and-paste to use in your own letter. You’d have to rewrite it a little, but it should help. Find your representative in the house and tell them to stop this when Congress is back in session after the winter recess.

http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

~B

Congressman Gary Miller
42nd Congressional District (CA-R Mission Viejo/Brea)
200 Civic Center
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

 

Dear Congressman Miller:

The “Stop Online Piracy Act,” or SOPA, gives corporations the power to blacklist websites at-will and it violates the due process rights of the thousands of Internet users who could see their sites disappear.

This bill (HR 3261) was intended to discourage illegal copyright violations, but it addresses this problem by giving corporations far too much authority over free speech on the Internet. It deputizes the private sector with broad powers to disconnect the URLs of any website corporations contend are behaving improperly. We can’t let corporations become the Internet’s judge, jury and executioner.

SOPA not only lets companies silence websites but also allows banks to freeze financial deposits to the accounts of website owners, potentially forcing falsely accused Internet enterprises out of business. The bill was intended to discourage illegal copyright violations, but it addresses this problem by giving corporations way too much authority over the way the Internet works. It deputizes the private sector with the power to disconnect the URLs of any websites corporations contend are behaving improperly.

These are the sorts of heavy-handed Web controls you’d expect to see in China, not in the United States.

It gives private entities unprecedented power to rewrite the Internet’s domain name system (DNS), which translates your website request into an IP address to connect you to the correct location. After receiving a complaint from a company like Viacom or Sony Music, the government can force Internet providers and search engines to redirect users’ attempts to reach the websites that they choose. As such the consequences for free speech would be grave. The bill not only gives record labels the authority to “disappear” content from the Web but could also land someone in jail, where they would face severe penalties and a long prison term.

The idea that SOPA would protect against online piracy and other Web crimes is a Hollywood pipe dream. As a technical solution, redirecting DNS would be virtually useless in stopping sophisticated online piracy — but it would have a strong deterrent effect on casual producers and consumers of Internet content. I work for an entertainment company that provides digital mediums for major celebrities, such as Justin Bieber (who has publicly rejected this bill), Mike Tyson, 50 Cent, and Pauly D (MTV). Pioneers of the modern Internet, including Tim Berners Lee, the creator of the first website, and Dr Paul Mockapetris, inventor of the modern domain name system (DNS), have publicly rejected this as well.

Opponents of the bill include Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, AOL, LinkedIn, eBay, Mozilla Corporation, the Wikimedia Foundation, and human rights organizations such as Reporters Without Borders, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the ACLU, and Human Rights Watch. On December 22, Go Daddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar, stated that it supports SOPA. This prompted users from Reddit to organize a boycott. In addition, Jimmy Wales announced he would transfer all Wikimedia domains from Go Daddy. The same day, Go Daddy rescinded their support, with its CEO saying, “Fighting online piracy is of the utmost importance, which is why Go Daddy has been working to help craft revisions to this legislation – but we can clearly do better… Go Daddy will support it when and if the Internet community supports it.”

House cybersecurity subcommittee chairman Dan Lungren (CA-R, Folsom) told Politico’s Morning Tech that he had “very serious concerns” about SOPA’s impact on DNSSEC, adding “we don’t have enough information, and if this is a serious problem as was suggested by some of the technical experts that got in touch with me, we have to address it. I can’t afford to let that go by without dealing with it.”

Congressman Miller, if you are confused by any technicalities that are being introduced to you in congress, I personally would like to clear this up with you at your Mission Viejo office. Our representatives in the House who are dealing with this bill don’t get it. Concerns about SOPA have been raised by the Tea Party, progressives, computer scientists, human rights advocates, venture capitalists, law professors, independent musicians, and many more. Unfortunately, these voices are not being heard. We can’t let corporations become the Internet’s judge, jury and executioner. If SOPA is allowed to stand, we could see the private sector’s police powers expand to a point that undermines the fundamental openness of the Internet. SOPA violates our right to free speech. Please vote “no” on SOPA. It puts the open Internet at risk.

 

Sincerely,

 

Brandin J. Grams
iOS Web Application & Server Engineer
Mission Viejo, CA

~B

It was revealed on Monday that the document which founded Apple Computer Company in 1976, will be sold by Sotheby’s in an upcoming books and manuscripts auction, reports Bloomberg.

The original three-page draft is signed by co-founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, and is the third most-valuable lot being sold in the December auction.

“This is a foundation document in terms of financial history, social history and technological history,” said Richard Austin, head of books and manuscripts at Sotheby’s in New York.

Wayne, who was the original owner of the contract, met Jobs while working at Atari Inc. and was later promised a 10 percent stake if he could persuade Wozniak to join Apple. The three founders drafted the official paperwork on April 1, 1976, effectively establishing the fledgling computer company that would turn into today’s tech heavyweight.

On April 12, however, Wayne withdrew as partner, receiving $800 for his share of the company. Sotheby’s notes that he subsequently received another payment of $1500, though by the end of 2010 his original stake would have been worth an estimated $2.6 billion.

A manuscript dealer, who acquired the founding draft from Wayne, sold the documents to the auction house in the mid-1990′s.

“It was right before Jobs rejoined Apple,” Austin said. “At the time, everyone thought that Apple was pretty much finished.”

Jobs, whose closely guarded personal life was recently exposed in a biography by Walter Isaacson, was seen by many as the driving force behind Apple’s dramatic turnaround in becoming one of the largest companies in the world.

The tech guru’s untimely death in October generated an enormous amount of press, which is part of the reason Sotheby’s is selling the documents.

“With everything in the news, this seems to be the time to do it,” Austin said.

Included with the original contract is a statement by the County of Santa Clara noting Wayne’s withdrawal from Apple as well as an amendment to the original draft.

The auction will take place on Dec. 13 in New York.