It sure didn’t take long for Google to react yesterday morning. At 5 a.m. yesterday Ryan Ozawa’s clip from the KHON video meltdown could still be viewed on Google Video, as noted here in yesterday’s entry. But by later in the morning Google returned a “not found Error 404” message. What’s happened to the whole concept of “fair use” under the copyright law as applied to the digital world?

It surprised me to learn that the 9th Circuit decision rejecting the appeal of former UPW director Gary Rodrigues came in an unpublished memorandum rather than a full written opinion. I suppose I was surprised because during the oral arguments two of the judges seemed to be very “taken” with the defense arguments and openly skeptical of the government’s position. It’s been over six years since the charges were filed, four and a half years since trial ended in convictions, and just short of two years since the appeal was argued in San Francisco. The long delay in the 9th Circuit deliberations appeared to indicate serious chance the convictions might be overturned in whole or in part. But, in the end, the court really just swept away the defenses put forward by Rodrigues’ attorneys and made it appear a simple matter.

One reader quipped: “Wow, so he may actually have to go to prison in this lifetime. I wonder if he’s trying to get a deal like Paris Hilton?”

Journalism today without Google? Apparently recent changes at Google have made its services unavailable to much of the Star-Bulletin newsroom, which is still using the Macintosh OS 9 operating system that was superceeded by OS X back in March 2001, the same month David Black purchased the paper. Google consistently causes computers using the older operating system to crash, according to a message recently circulated in the S-B newsroom. A software upgrade to solve the problem isn’t scheduled until the second half of July. In the meantime, staff are being told to try alternative search engines Yahoo or Altavista, or to use one of the shared iMacs that have already been upgraded.

Seattle and Honolulu seem to have so many issues in common. Today the Seattle Times reports on a move to limit the McMansions that have been increasingly appearing and overwhelming older neighborhoods of more modest homes.

The story notes:

The rebellion against the supersized newcomer on the block is taking hold across the country. Austin, Texas; Marin County, Calif.; Queens, N.Y.; Atlanta, and Chevy Chase, Md., all have proposed new rules to limit house sizes.

That’s another case where Honolulu should folo their lead.

You might want to check out the State Senate’s Majority Caucus Blog. I hear a new blog will be replacing or enhancing the House majority web site. Coming soon.