Picture of the Day - 483

"End of the world 🌎" by pokute Burt

If you wish to see more of pokute's photography, please visit his Flickr photostream by clicking the name under the picture.

Net Neutrality Wins In Europe!

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC)—which consists of EU national regulators - has published guidelines to ensure the regulators apply the rules consistently across the bloc on August 30, 2016.

Telecom operators in the European Union will have to treat almost all web traffic equally under net neutrality rules that took effect in April, according to the new guidelines.

The move dealt a blow to telecoms...

SaveTheInternet.eu/en/ comments:

"This summer, hundreds of thousands of Internet users banded together to keep the Internet open and free. Together, we sent a loud, clear message to BEREC, the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications: protect net neutrality.

And it worked! BEREC’s final guidelines, which were published on 30 August 2016, offer some of the strongest net neutrality protections we could wish for. So long as these new rules are properly enforced by national telecom regulators, they represent a resounding victory for net neutrality. 

The public has made clear that will not leave the future of its digital public space to big telecom lobbyists, but wants to decide for itself. To that end, civil society has to stay watchful and observe that telecom operators don’t violate the new principles. 

The consultation came as the final step of a legislative process that was launched in September 2013. During the ensuing three years, the SaveTheInternet.eu coalition campaigned successfully for the Regulation on which the consultation is based."

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EurActiv.com shares this analysis of the new regulation.

"Large telecoms companies signalled their disappointment over the regulators’ move to rule out many so-called zero rating services that are offered for free with data packages, such as unlimited access to Facebook.

National regulators will approve those services on a case-by-case basis. Under the new guidelines, the watchdogs said they will block zero rating if it interferes with freedom of expression or internet user rights. 

Telecoms operators won’t be allowed to offer zero rated services for free if a customer has already used up their data allowance.

The European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO), which represents major firms including Deutsche Telekom and Orange, said in a statement that “most of the concerns outlined and described by industry experts have not been taken into account”.

Under the rules, telecoms firms will only be allowed to slow down internet traffic to fix bad quality, not to tamper with speed for commercial gain. 

The watchdogs can force companies to stop if they’re found violating the rules, or can issue fines."

Picture of the Day - 482

"Book of Daniël Fundraiser" by inkie Loudwater

If you wish to see more of inkie's photography, please visit her Flickr photostream by clicking the name under the picture.

Early Notice: Dame Edna@The Oval Theatre

It seems the Oval Theatre Company has now managed to solve whatever issue they had earlier, when they had to postpone this show.

The spectacular Dame Edna show will now be playing on September 24th, 26th, 28th and 30th, 2016, at 1PM SLT.

Here is your fabulous transportation to The Oval Theatre (SLurl). 

The Book of Daniel, September 10-20, 2016

From Mischa Moyet's reasons for this benefit, SL Destinations R Us; #630 The Book of Daniel Fundraising Event.  

"I admire and acknowledge all the hard work that our designers do to be able to create the stunning articles and designs that us as bloggers advertise for them. One of my designers is that of Zerkalo and I was shocked and alarmed to hear that Daniel Estro, 29 years old, (co-owner of Zerkalo, Shiny Shabby and The Crossroads) has cancer and desperately needs our help.

The fight for his life began when doctors discovered a malignant tumour in his brain, about 7 centimetres in diameter. Daniel underwent life-threatening surgery to remove the tumour. The surgery went well. However, several weeks later what was left of the tumour spread throughout his brain and started affecting his brain function.. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy. He is fighting as hard as he can to survive but as many of you might know, fighting cancer is very expensive.

Our dear Neva Zenga has created this event with an astonishing amount of designers to raise money for Daniel so the medical expenses can be less in burden and expense.

Zerkalo was the only source of income for Daniel and his wife Anais. Anais is unable to work without Daniel because he was the brand’s designer and mesh creator. They are so young and in love. They are two pieces of one whole, they give meaning to each other's stories, and one cannot exist without the other. Please help us support these wonderful people in every way that we can."

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To me it sounds like a very worthy cause and after visiting I can honestly say that there is some quality item, mostly for women as usual but some for the men too.

The Book of Daniel - Fundraising Event (SLurl)

9-11 In Memoriam

There was something "spectacular" over the acts of terrorism we all witnessed on live broadcasting on September 11, 2001. Events that usually unfold under the cover of darkness or in remote places were happening before our eyes.

I am guessing most of us, who are old enough, have a vivid memory of where we were and what we were doing when we got the news fifteen years ago.

I had just been released from hospital the day before  and was still on sick leave. My father called on the phone and told me to turn on the TV because there was something going on in America. Swedish television was also broadcasting live.

Just a few seconds after I had turned on the TV-set - and before I understood what was going on - the television screen showed a passenger airplane flying suspiciously low close to the tower that had been hit first. Then I saw the plane steering right into the second tower, flames erupting around the hole that had been caused in the structure halfway up on the building.

 I was baffled, shocked, sad, angry and frightened. After seeing that I remained in front of the television all that day and well into the night to follow the news. There were many speculations concerning the amount of casualties, so once the true numbers were released I was strangely relieved that they were much lower than the initial speculations. 

2,977 people died in the attacks and many more were wounded, it's a scary thought that I could feel relief at such a high toll.  

In my mind's timeline there will always be a before or after 9-11, Everything changed, or at least my outlook on everything changed,

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I will always remember that day and all the lives that were lost and disrupted. May the dead rest in peace!

New Logo for BiSL - Again

Yeah, yeah I know, it wasn't too long ago I updated the logo for Bock in SecondLife, but I found this awesome logo maker and wanted something sleeker, more minimalistic and modern.

The website Shopify.com has a couple of free online tools, among other a Logo maker. I made two logos in the same style, one rectangular and the other square. The font is Poiret One.

I am very happy with the results.