Despite the rise of planned obsolescence, manufacturers have continued to push products onto the market with little thought as to what happens to them when they are no longer useful to their owners. A new bill that's currently active in the Senate would help the United States develop new methods to deal with the growing sea of electronic waste.

With the release of the FCC's new Internet nondiscrimination proposals (that is, Network Neutrality), one vexing question continues to vex. Does the FCC have the legal authority to regulate access to the 'Net?

Broadcasters are growing increasingly anxious over the prospect that the FCC may re-allocate broadcast spectrum for use by wireless carriers as part of its national broadband plan. Meanwhile, the FCC official in charge of the broadband plan, Blair Levin, did not seem to back away from the idea, and again stressed the need for more spectrum.

The reason municipalities look to muni-fiber is because there isn't enough competition and the telcos aren't investing in infrastructure (or really serving customer needs). The end result is that by introducing more competition, consumers and citizens are better served. So what's the problem with it again?

Apple's iPhone got a lukewarm welcome in its official Chinese debut, with a boisterous crowd turning out for a launch party in the capital but no sign of the sort of sellout reception that greeted the smart phone at its introduction in other countries.

Although Sesame Street is known as a popular television show that caters to young children, the show itself is approaching middle age. Nov. 10 marks the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, which has given a home to such lovable characters as Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie and yes -- Elmo.

The battle over spectrum continues to heat up, with broadcasters wondering when the jabs being thrown from all angles might turn into haymakers. Broadcasters spoke up in the face of growing calls for them to give up some, if not all, of their spectrum so it can be used for wireless broadband. Some of those calls came from the government.

Sens. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that the new version of the Free Flow of Information Act will no longer only apply to "salaried employees" and independent contractors for established news organizations, but will cover freelancers and online journalists.

The FCC's decision to require Network Neutrality for Internet service providers places web companies and network owners on opposite sides of a debate over how strict the rules should be. Technology companies and investors support strong Net Neutrality rules, while telecom firms are wary of what they might mean.

With news organizations struggling and newsroom jobs disappearing, each week brings new calls from writers and editors who believe their flagging employers should save themselves by charging for Internet access. So count Saul Friedman a contrarian twice over. Friedman, who had written a column for Newsday since 1996, quit over the paper's decision to require readers to pay for access to its Web site.