Control of the Net must go

In authoritarian regimes across the world, government control and regulation of the Internet is a given. Here in the U.S., we’ve managed to keep our online world relatively free from any bureaucratic oversight. That changed in 2015, based on a mandate from President Obama, when the Federal Communications Commission voted to classify Internet Service Providers…

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Is the Education Lottery a Racket?

There is nothing more precious than playing the odds and winning. On any given day, Gaston residents queue up at gas stations and grocery stores to gamble an average $4 of their weekly pay in hopes of getting lucky and winning big in the State Education Lottery, celebrating its sixth anniversary on March 30th. For…

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Lines drawn in same-sex marriage debate

It is a new battle for civil rights, say opponents of the gay-marriage ban slated for a popular referendum. Proponents, however, view it as the last defense in the fight to protect traditional marriage against the whims of a future Legislature or activist judge. Two months away from the vote on Amendment One, the opposing…

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Why Gaston cops lost their ‘eye in the sky’

Gaston County Police officers were ecstatic when they unveiled the department’s shiny drone aircraft to the public in 2006. Equipped with low-light and infrared cameras, the unmanned aerial vehicle known as the “CyberBug” was promised to deliver sweeping surveillance, tactical operational support during raids, extensive crime scene photography and a bird’s eye view of hidden…

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New Gaston Gazette Articles This Week

The following are the three articles I wrote this week for The Gaston Gazette. Study: Vending Machines in Schools Not to Blame for Obesity N.C. Congressional Delegation Split on Insider Trading Bill No-Snow Winter Would Be First in History for Region Check out my Gazette page to catch up on all contributions thus far.

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