Tag: BUDGET

The FCC is looking to make changes to two telephone subsidy programs, with an eye toward providing greater broadband access to poor households. In 1985, the FCC launched its Lifeline Assistance and Link-Up America programs, which subsidize telephone service and installation expenses for low-income families. Yesterday, the Commission officially launched a notice of proposed rulemaking (or, a ...

The White House just released its National HIV/AIDS strategy yesterday, and it ambitiously aims to reduce new HIV infections by 25-percent by 2015. How will it accomplish this goal? The plan outlines the use of more social networking, but not much new funding. According to the new policy, "The United States currently provides more than $19 billion in annual funding for domestic HIV prevention, ...

After Governor Chris Christie proposed widespread cuts in funding for New Jersey's educational system, one former New Jersey high school student took it upon herself to organize a statewide walkout, via Facebook. Eighteen-year-old Michelle Ryan Lauto, a student at Pace University, created a special event on Facebook calling for all students to take to the streets in protest during regular ...

People from a particular "party" (that might look something like this) are constantly making demands that the federal government cut taxes and reign in the deficit. Hell, most all of us can agree that we need to get our ballooning public debt under control before China turns us all into indentured servants. But nobody is willing to give up their precious government and social programs like ...

Share A reader asks: I just moved into a new house, have an empty living room, and want the best possible TV I can get to fill the gaping hole -- for under 500 bucks, that is. I know it's a tall order, but I'm broke and need to be sure whatever TV I get is going to impress my suspicious wife and last for the next, oh, 30 years -- until I've finally paid off my mortgage. So please, just tell me ...

Share A reader writes: My wife treats digital cameras like they're disposables, so once again I'm in charge of finding her next victim. Since I know I'll be in this position again by the end of summer, what's my best option for a camera that takes great pictures, is simple as pie to use, and is cheap enough that it won't make me cry when she inevitably busts it -- say under $150 or so? I've ...

President Obama has attracted a devoted geek following because of his focus on science and technology. If early reports are accurate, though, his dork devotion will likely take a significant hit next week when a 2011 budget report is released. According to CBC News, a White House official has confirmed that money appropriated to NASA will be insufficient to maintain one significant, six-year-old ...

America, home of the faster, better, brighter, louder. Or it once was. Now, two factors -- the tight economy and the increased reliance on mobile everything -- mean that some shoppers favor cheap, simple, and easy gadgets. Wired.com calls this "The Good Enough Revolution," meaning that consumers want a product to get the job done, not be exceedingly cutting edge, turbo fast, or needlessly high ...

Question: I use my computer for most of my TV and movie watching and music listening, but my machine's built-in speakers sound bloody awful. I want a set of computer speakers that sounds good whether cranked up loud or turned down soft. And I don't want to spend a fortune. Advice: The underpowered speakers built into laptops and desktops can suck the life out of any video or song. They're too ...

Now that the technology for advanced prosthetic limbs is achievable, students at Stanford University are trying to make it actually attainable for the average person around the globe. Students in the school's Biomedical Device Design and Evaluation program started the JaipurKnee Project, and challenged themselves to create a fully-functioning prosthetic leg that could be manufactured for a very ...

As expected, India's government unveiled the jointly-developed "$10 laptop" today, now priced at $20. Unfortunately dubbed Sakshat, which ironically translates as "before your eyes," the laptop is slated to ship in six months, with specs in line with what we've heard already: 2GB of storage, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and 2 watts of power consumption. In fact, there really isn't much "unveiling" going on ...

Sure, it might shoot 720p video, but you aren't gonna catch indie filmmakers capturing the next low-budget masterpiece on Kodak's new Zi6 HD pocket video camera. The camera is Kodak's response to Pure Digital's Flip and Creative's Vado, complete with upright form factor, YouTube friendliness, simple as could be interface, a flip-out USB plug (with some surprising spring action), and, of course, ...

Economic slowdowns or a crappy run at the race track doesn't mean that you can't own some of the best technology out there. Lots of people are caught between dreams of upgrading their cameras and TVs and the reality that their pockets just aren't deep enough to purchase top of the line products. With that in mind, we're here to offer you a selection of gadgets that give you the best return on ...

Of all the retailers out there, Wal-Mart probably wouldn't rate high on environmentalists' lists of green retailers. But,that's where you're going to have to go if you want to get your hands on a new self-titled "green" PC that will cost just $199. The Everex TC2502 gPC is a low-powered and limited-spec desktop computer that runs a version of Linux called Ubuntu rather than the much more ...

That rumored budget HD TiVo box we discussed earlier, it's here! And carrying the moniker TiVo HD, it ditches the previous naming scheme of 'TiVo Series X.' It seems the previously-reported specs, and even the photo, turned out to be accurate. Here are some of the features the entry-level Tivo HD will lack: No OLED No fancy remote No THX What do these feature omissions mean? ...