ceiling

Spectrum auctions not in debt ceiling agreement

The proposed debt ceiling bill that Congress is expected to pass in the next day or so will not give the Federal Communications Commission authority to auction additional wireless spectrum. But that doesn't mean that wireless incentive auctions are dead.

Wireless experts in Washington, D.C. say Congress could tack on the authorization for the FCC to conduct spectrum auctions to a package that may emerge later this year from the bipartisan deficit-reduction panel created by this week's debt agreement. President Obama said the "super committee," which will consist of six Democrats and six Republicans, will … Read more

The 404 871: Where we're pleading the 14th (podcast)

Today is international System Admin Appreciation Day, so buy your friendly neighborhood IT guy a bag of Funyuns for another year of tech support! It's Jeff's last show before his vacation next week, and we're kicking off today's episode with a discussion about what science has determined to be the saddest movie scene of all time.

We're also looking back at Obama's rickrolling earlier this week, China banning booth babes from their online gaming show, and Apple writing a check to free the U.S. from debt.

The 404 Digest for Episode 871

The White House just Rickrolled a Twitter user. The saddest movie scene ever is pinpointed by science. Apple now has more money than the U.S. government. It's the 12th annual System Admin Appreciation Day!

Episode 871 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Analyst: Debt ceiling showdown will affect IT spending

As Washington D.C. bickers over whether to issue the country another credit card in the form of the U.S. debt ceiling, Forrester Research predicts that the outcome will affect technology spending.

In a blog post, Forrester analyst Andrew Bartels said Forrester was planning to project 7.4 percent growth in IT spending for 2011 and 10.4 percent in 2012.

However, the outcome of U.S. debt ceiling talks will swing those forecasts. After all, the feds are a big buyer of technology.

Bartels wrote:

Our forecast did recognize three threats to economic growth, and thus three risks … Read more

The 404 869: Where Boehner has become a dirty word (podcast)

Aunt Jill aka @JillonMoney from CBS's MoneyWatch.com is on the show today to explain the upcoming US debt ceiling deadline. With the zero-hour approaching next Tuesday, August 2, Jill eases our fears that the economy will collapse and offers helpful tips on what exactly to expect, and how to prepare for economic fallout.

The 404 Digest for Episode 869

Debt Ceiling: Let's Make a Deal! The Financial Encoder blog on CBS MoneyWatch.com Add Jill on Twitter.

Episode 869 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Why spectrum debate is tied to debt ceiling plan

Congressional leaders seem to be throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the debate over the budget and raising the debt ceiling. Now it looks like the incentive wireless spectrum auctions proposed by the Federal Communications Commission may end up as part of a package that is being hashed out by Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C.

On Monday, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid included the sale of wireless spectrum to mobile broadband providers in his proposed package of cuts and revenue-raisers. He said he expects the sale of wireless spectrum to generate $15 billion in revenue for the … Read more

Cheezburger's Ben Huh: I can has Q&A?

If you're reading this, there's a pretty good chance you've visited I Can Has Cheezburger, the Internet's foremost repository of LOLCats.

Then again, you might not even know what a LOLCat is. If so, here's a brief primer: At its simplest, it's a picture of a cat accompanied by a silly, misspelled caption. There might also--or instead--be a walrus and some variation of the phrase "mah bucket."

A few years ago, LOLCats began bouncing around the Internet and quickly became one of the fastest-growing online memes. In the earliest days, they might … Read more

Blow away the Joneses with a ceiling TV

Once upon a time, just having a wall-mounted flat-panel TV was enough to make a huge impression by itself. Never satisfied, of course, showy consumers have since tried to one-up each other with plasmas and LCDs that lift from cabinets, hide behind mirrors, and pop up from the bed frame or even out from underneath it.

So what's left? The ceiling, of course.

The "Automated Ceiling Lift" from Chief Manufacturing "will make your TV like a drop-down projection screen," according to Electronic House. And it's not one of those small drop-down numbers like those … Read more