pAs decisions are being made in Washington regarding how precisely to shape the multi-billion dollar stimulus package, a variety of industries are doing their best to make sure they get a piece of the pie. The latest bit of lobbying comes courtesy of IT companies, which have identified three areas where spending may create significant numbers of jobs./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090108-it-group-stimulus-money-needed-for-broadband-smart-grid.html"Read More.../a/p

pFaced with the prospect of losing cable customers to Verizon's faster FiOS network, Charter has sued Verizon for patent infringement. Apparently, it's cheaper to litigate than roll out DOCSIS 3.0/ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090108-docsis-3-0-laggard-charter-files-patent-suit-against-verizon.html"Read More.../a/p

pThe group of Harvard Law students defending one Joel Tenenbaum in an RIAA lawsuit have an unusual request for the judge: they want the whole case streamed live over the Internet./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090107-students-law-prof-want-riaa-trial-live-and-online.html"Read More.../a/p

pA patent holding company has wound up with a patent that appears to cover the transmission of books via the Internet, and (after settling with Google) now has Oprah Winfrey's book club in its sights. But the real story may be how the patent was produced in the first place./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090107-oprah-and-her-book-club-latest-target-of-patent-trolls.html"Read More.../a/p

pBloggers that wish to retain their anonymity may be watching an otherwise farcical case that's been filed in New York, where a model has claimed that a blog has defamed her and is suing Google in an attempt to discover who's behind it./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090106-skanks-in-nyc-blog-post-leads-to-lawsuit-against-google.html"Read More.../a/p

pTwo controversial provisions of a New Zealand copyright law, slated to take effect next month, are stirring opposition. Artists and ISPs say the law will result in the disconnection of users and deletion of content on the basis of mere allegations of copyright infringement./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090106-kiwis-rally-opposition-to-nz-copyright-bill.html"Read More.../a/p

pUniversal Music Group says that user-generated content sites like Veoh can't dock in a "safe harbor" if they do emanything/em except store videosmdash;even transcoding destroys immunity. A judge is having none of it./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090106-judge-transcoding-doesnt-block-veoh-safe-harbor-defense.html"Read More.../a/p

pAn Islamic charity has established its right to sue the government over warrantless surveillance, a federal court ruled Monday./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090106-judge-doesnt-buy-state-secrets-privilege-oks-wiretap-suit.html"Read More.../a/p

pZOMG, did you hear about how British cops are elite haxx0rz in ur base killing all ur d00dz!!!1! Let's all take a deep breath, shall we?/ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090106-constable-hax0r-loose-in-the-uk-well-yes-and-no.html"Read More.../a/p

pThis may be a case of unintended consequences. The NRK, Norway's national broadcasting service has scored permission from the country's music rights holders to release podcasts of any programs that it's done that are less than 70 percent music. A notable component of the NRK's collection is a series of broadcasts that includes the entire Beatles catalog. /ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090105-norwegian-podcast-puts-entire-beatles-catalog-onlinelegally.html"Read More.../a/p

pCarter-era Attorney General Griffin Bell, who died this morning, played an odd role in the recent debates over warrantless wiretapping./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/law.ars/2009/01/05/the-late-griffin-bells-strange-final-act"Read More.../a/p

pA new law in Illinois finally stops the scourge of the gaming industry: alcopop advertising in games. Also, theater promotions and live shows aimed at kids. Was this ever a problem? /ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2009/01/05/man-law-no-alcoholic-fruit-drinks-in-my-games"Read More.../a/p

pApple is being sued over unwanted vertical lines showing up on the displays built into some iMacs. The lawsuit may be turned into a class action, and the plaintiff wants Apple to implement a formal repair program for affected customers. /ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2009/01/02/new-year-lawsuit-targets-apple-over-lines-on-imac-displays"Read More.../a/p

pA UK plan to create a database of metadata about every phone call, text message, and e-mail has become even more controversial in the wake of reports that maintenance of the system may be outsourced to private firms./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090101-uk-private-firm-to-guard-database-of-every-phone-call-e-mail.html"Read More.../a/p

pVideo games are big business, to the tune of roughly $50 billion a year, and lawyers are starting to realize that getting involved could mean a big increase in billable hours./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081231-legal-firms-setting-up-practices-devoted-to-video-games.html"Read More.../a/p

pThe upcoming litigation between AMD and Intel, as well as the various ongoing investigations into the CPU giant's activities combine in a tangled web of interconnected cases. We aren't going to settle any of the legal issues today, but clarifying the structure of the cases has a value all its own. /ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/amd-intel-antitrust.ars"Read More.../a/p

pThe judge overseeing the RIAA case against Jammie Thomas has refused to allow the music industry to appeal his order; the RIAA will instead need to go through a complete new trial before an appeal is possible./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081229-riaa-appeal-in-jammie-thomas-case-refused.html"Read More.../a/p

pFollowing a Competition Council ruling earlier this month that the iPhone 3G should not be limited to the Orange network, French store FNAC is now selling the iPhone 3G without a contract./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/12/29/contract-free-iphones-now-available-in-france"Read More.../a/p

pThe FCC has a lot on its plate in 2009, and much of that agenda will directly affect enterprise computing. Ars looks at the coming year in network policy, and what it means for business. /ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/guides/other/fcc-enterprise-analysis.ars"Read More.../a/p

pAs the DTV transition looms, the FCC creates rules to that would let stray analog viewers know that they need to get their act together, fast./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081228-fcc-oks-analog-nightlight-rules.html"Read More.../a/p

pA California woman filed a class action complaint against Comcast, charging that the company is using its monopoly power to keep her paying monthly rental fees for decryption hardware./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081226-comcast-sued-for-not-selling-set-top-boxes-cablecards.html"Read More.../a/p

pThe RIAA sued Project Playlist in April for its "alternative" approach to collecting music from around the web and allowing users to stream and share it. Despite Project Playlist finally cutting its first licensing deal with a major label, the RIAA has now succeeded in plugging two of the service's largest outlets: Facebook and MySpace./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081224-project-playlist-inks-sony-deal-gets-booted-from-facebook.html"Read More.../a/p

pIn the ongoing legal battle between Apple and unlicensed Mac clone-maker Psystar, Psystar has answered to Apple's amended complaint riddled with factual errors. Is Psystar hoping to become the new SCO?/ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081223-new-psystar-filing-full-of-sound-and-fury-signifying-nothing.html"Read More.../a/p

pAnatomy of a dumb court ruling: Pen-registers, cell phones, and expectations of privacy./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/law.ars/2008/12/23/expectations-of-privacy-in-cell-phones"Read More.../a/p

pA spammer responsible for sending millions of e-mails marketing herbal products has been fined in New Zealand after he settled a case against him, although his two cohorts are appealing. He still faces charges in the US, so his piddling NZ fine may not be the last. /ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081223-kiwi-flavored-spam-results-in-us57000-wrist-slap.html"Read More.../a/p

pHappy Birthday, Creative Commons/ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/law.ars/2008/12/23/its-my-piece-of-the-rock-and-i-dig-you-cc"Read More.../a/p

pWhy government should use XBRL/ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/law.ars/2008/12/23/mark-cuban-to-feds-show-me-the-money"Read More.../a/p

pThe Australian government's Department of Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy says that live testing of its net filtering plan is on track to commence before the end of the year, even though the ISPs that are interested in taking part haven't been told if they will yet./ppa href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081222-australian-net-filter-testing-set-will-include-p2p.html"Read More.../a/p