Internet

A dream had carried the boys so far from home, some 5,000 miles across the ocean to a cramped and dingy apartment in Philadelphia: a hope that ice hockey could change their lives. Ivan Pravilov could fulfill that dream, they were told. He could take them from the daily grind of post-communist Ukraine to the gleaming ice of the NHL. He'd done it before. He'd done if for Andrei Zyuzin, who went on to play for six NHL teams. He'd done it for Konstantin Kalmikov, a third-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1996.

OCEAN CITY, N.J. - Luxury appointments abound in the 7,000-square-foot, 12-year-old Victorian-style mansion overlooking Great Bay, such as a marble fireplace that once graced a Biddle estate mansion, a crystal chandelier that at the touch of a button lowers from the 30-foot foyer ceiling for cleaning, and boat slips big enough to berth a pair of yachts. A "smart house" system controls window treatments, lighting, heating, air-conditioning, and music. Slate-covered turrets, little secret gardens, and gingerbread-laden porches make the exterior look more like Cape May than Ocean City.

TWINS Keyontyli and Taleon Goffney have been arrested for allegedly breaking into area businesses by cutting rooftop holes to gain entry. Turns out, they were also just as skilled at breaking into their second, more respectable careers - as hardcore gay-porn stars. The 25-year-old Goffney twins, both of New Jersey, were arrested Feb. 19. They were charged with breaking into Moon's Beauty Shop at 9th and Washington streets in South Philadelphia and the adjoining Wings and More, using only a handsaw and ax to get in through the roofs of the establishments.

For the first time, the city's vast inventory of 9,000 vacant properties for sale will be just a mouse click away. The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) is rolling out a new online site for viewing all of its vacant land and buildings, as well as the holdings of the Public Property Department and the city-run Philadelphia Housing Development Corp. The official launch will be in June. Technicians are working out the bugs, but the site will be accessible through the main PRA page (www.phila.gov/pra)

The pinup girl is alive and well and living in cyberspace - along with a couple of pinup boys. From Teri Hatcher in sexy Superman togs to Scott Bakula and Alyssa Milano shirtless, and from sources as diverse as People magazine and Celebrity Skin, photographs of movie stars and models in various states of dress and undress are abundant and reasonably easy to distribute and collect on the Internet. The quality isn't always sterling, but the price is right - free. Graphics files account for a hefty percentage of Usenet news, the Internet's giant collection of bulletin boards.

The opening of the Internet superhighway for Neshaminy School District students has been cleared. The school board recently passed guidelines on using the service in schools. Though the new policy paves the way for Internet access in labs and classrooms, questions remain about how violations will be dealt with and how school e-mail accounts will be monitored. The guidelines cover everything from e-mail to unauthorized World Wide Web sites. The rules dictate use of the Internet for education only; and compliance with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Communications Decency Act, which prohibits taking or disclosing e-mail messages without permission.

As long as there have been bridges, trolls have hidden beneath them. Same for the Internet. As long as there have been message boards, discussion groups, and comment strings, there have been "trolls" - people who, under cover of Web anonymity, post bullying, lewd, or off-point comments, disrupting and demeaning the whole enterprise. Some comment strings are moderated, so trolls can be blocked and deleted - but most of cyberspace is, in the words of one (anonymous!) wit, "free range for idiots.

As an individual with disabilities (paraplegic, with m.s.), I am a devout Internet user for advocacy, personal and professional reasons, and I have to take issue with the first half of Donald Kaul's column (Sept. 8). I am aware of the Carnegie Mellon University study finding increased levels of depression and loneliness in some Internet users, but along with questioning the study's design, I disagree with Kaul's statement that the Internet is "probably not a good thing for society.

For gardeners on the Internet, a Texas-based firm called Garden Escape is joining the ranks of others offering such services. Garden Escape's wares range from advice on planning and design to a broad selection of premium plants, supplies and accessories. Through Garden Escape's address on the Internet, consumers can order anything from perennials and roses to imported tools and hard goods at the touch of a finger. The program can suggest plants that attract butterflies or are especially fragrant, depending on user preference, or which hard-to-grow perennials will flourish in shade.

ATLANTIC CITY — At the East Coast Gaming Congress here on Thursday, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno sounded more like she was on the campaign stump than simply speaking to gambling-industry executives. Guadagno, a fill-in for Gov. Christie, dodged all questions regarding Internet gaming and sports betting at the gathering in the new Revel Casino. Instead, she chanted a familiar chorus: That it was her boss who ensured that Revel got built with $261 million in state tax credits, who streamlined regulations in the battered gambling town to entice investors, and who was going all-out to get Atlantic City back on track.

Verizon Wireless strikes a spectrum deal with Comcast. Comcast launches Streampix to compete with Netflix. Netflix complains that Comcast's monthly data caps give Streampix an unfair advantage. Sony drops plans for a virtual cable-TV service, also blaming data caps. Verizon says DSL customers can't save money by canceling phone service and relying on Internet calling. It's hard to keep up with all the telecommunications headlines lately without getting a bit dizzy. But there's a key thread connecting these recent stories that's worth paying attention to. All involve threats to the idea of the Internet as an open, level, and competitive playing field.

With his political stock rising, Gov. Christie may again be backing off on approving Internet gaming, and has delayed action that would free New Jersey from a federal ban on sports betting, says the Democrat who sponsored both measures in the Legislature in the hope they would boost Atlantic City. "Christie is putting the future of A.C. in jeopardy because of his overriding concern for support from [Sheldon] Adelson, a right-wing money machine of Newt Gingrich and right-wing causes; Caesars, a huge contributor based in Nevada; and Woody Johnson, Jets owner and NFL opponent of sports gaming," Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D., Union)

WHAT'S REALLY hot on Internet TV? Roku CEO Anthony Wood recently shared the top 10 channels on his platform. Netflix remains No. 1, followed by Pandora, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, the ad-supported Crackle movie channel, HBO Go, the casual video game Angry Birds (playable on the top Roku 2 XS box), Disney, NBC News and Glenn Beck TV. Let me tack on some personal faves. AOL HD: This polished hub serves up tech news from Engadget, scenic reviews of hot European cars, trailers from Moviefone and the chance to stream full albums from AOL Music.

New Jersey is again rolling the dice on Internet gambling from computer servers at Atlantic City casinos. An expanded measure passed a state Senate committee last week that would allow online wagers not only from state residents but also gamblers from other states and even other countries. Supporters say the second time might be the charm, as Gov. Christie has hinted he will sign the revised measure, as other states are angling for online gaming dollars and the Justice Department's interpretation of a key federal law just turned in its favor.

Verizon Communications Inc. customers in Southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware lost FiOS Internet service for four to five hours early Tuesday morning because software problems, a company spokesman said. The problem was fixed by about 9:30 a.m. FiOS TV and phone service were not interrupted, spokesman Lee Gierczynski said. - Bob Fernandez

IN PHILADELPHIA, 40 percent of citizens lack access to the Internet at home, as Mayor Nutter said in a speech about the city's digital divide last September. To better connect people to city services, education opportunities, jobs and more, we have to work together as a city to make access to the Internet as easy as possible. Because of that charge, we've launched a tool in partnership with great organizations in Philadelphia that we're hoping can be another step to bridging the digital divide.

PHOENIX - US Airways announced Wednesday that it would be expanding in-flight Internet access, saying that 90 percent of its mainline domestic airplanes will offer WiFi service to passengers by mid-2013. The airline, which is the dominant carrier servicing Philadelphia International Airport, also said it would launch a streaming-video service that will allow passengers to watch movies and television shows or download audio books on their own laptops, mobile phones, or iPads. The new services are another way for the airline to collect additional revenue as it battles rising fuel costs.

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's supreme leader ordered the creation of an Internet oversight agency that includes top military, security, and political figures in the country's boldest attempt yet to control the Web. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that the Supreme Council of Cyberspace would be tasked with preventing harm to Iranians who go online, state TV reported. The report did not specify the kinds of dangers the council would tackle. But officials have in the past described two separate threats: computer viruses created by Iran's rivals aimed at sabotaging its industry, particularly its nuclear program, and a "culture invasion" aimed at undermining the Islamic Republic.

Privacy in the electronic age seems to be vanishing, with the introduction of Google's new privacy policy March 1, telling users that for their "convenience" all their Internet searches, data, and contacts will be shared across various platforms. Then came revelations about how electronic applications on your computer, smartphone, and tablet may copy your personal photo files without your permission. Staff writer Melissa Dribben spoke about the loss of control over personal information with Jeffrey Rosen, law professor at George Washington University and co-editor of "Constitution 3.0: Freedom and Technological Change.