Community Corner

Daily Dose: "Biggest Internet Strike in History"

Some big name sites are blacked out to protest SOPA/PIPA Internet censorship bills, learn more, along with an upcoming power plant site visit, lots of events, stories and blogs in the day's need to know.

Events

@ the Library

Website Blackouts Against Internet Censorship

Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Having trouble searching Wikipedia today? It's because they blacked out their English language encyclopedia for 24 hours to spread the word about a pair of broadly written Internet anti-piracy laws that have made their way through the U.S. legislature, and would change the Internet as we know it. And they're not alone- Google, Craigslist and thousands of other websites are taking part in some way.

It's being billed as the "Biggest Internet Strike in History." Find a list list of participating sites here.

Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Google explains why they are taking action today:

"Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA."

Santee Patch is one of those businesses that could feel the repercussions of such legislation. Wired.com has published one of the clearest break down of the problems with the current bills.

for the time being, but PIPA is coming before the Senate for a vote starting Jan. 24 and the fight to keep the internet free is not nearly over. Wikipedia put it best:

"Neither SOPA nor PIPA is dead. On January 17th, SOPA's sponsor said the bill will be discussed in early February. There are signs PIPA may be debated on the Senate floor next week. Moreover, SOPA and PIPA are just indicators of a much broader problem. In many jurisdictions around the world, we're seeing the development of legislation that prioritizes overly-broad copyright enforcement laws, laws promoted by power players, over the preservation of individual civil liberties."

Here's a link to Google's "Take Action" page where you can sign a petition urging Congress to vote no on PIPA and SOPA.

The public is invited to join the Energy Commission on a tour of the proposed site for a new peak power plant in the Sycamore Canyon hills above Santee. Transportation to the site leaves the center Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. The hearing begins at 4:15 p.m., with public comment starting at 5:15 p.m.

and .

House Prices

A new report finds home sales in San Diego County rose by 3.8 percent in December compared to the same month a year ago. La Jolla-based MDA Data Quick also found that prices dipped 5.4 percent in the same year over-year comparison. The median price of a home in San Diego County last month was $315,000.

-City News Service

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