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Net Neutrality 6-05-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

I’ve added these links to the Net Neutrality Page today.

A think tank issues a report favorable to it’s funders? Shocking! by George

Can you believe it? The Heritage Foundation issues a brief against net neutrality without disclosing its relationship to companies also against it: . . .

Nothing Neutral about Net Neutrality

The issue is more complicated than this — and even goes so far as to granting corporations the same 1st amendment rights that individual citizens have. Just as a citizen has the right to disagree with something and to express that disagreement by NOT speaking in favor of it, so too a corporation can choose to NOT speak in favor of or support in any way something it disagrees with. A newspaper does not have to print an editorial it does not support. That sounds ok you say. But how about: An ISP does not have to deliver an e-mail it does not support?

Statistics Lie – Are They Alone?

I’ll be damned! There’s the $200 Billion! Right there! They’ve been using it to eliminate competition and drive their argument that they need more to improve the infrastructure.

Don’t we feel good now that we have been giving them our money so they can screw us? How’s it feel to have some arrogant human like Ed Whitacre tell us they’re “HIS PIPES.” They’re our damn pipes Ed – we’ve already paid for them and for your salary also!

Putting all the talk of packets, fiber optics, infrastructure, last mile, pipes etc. aside, the bottom line is that the Telco’s have a money issue at stake. It isn’t about research and development, it isn’t about improvement, it’s about making more! And they don’t care about us. This argument that its about charging the content providers like Google? Just lame stuff because that will all filter down to you and I anyway.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Bloggy Question 14 — Make a Wish

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Wishful Thinking

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Question.

What do you wish someone would invent?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Ideas When I Get My Hair Cut

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Ideas Everywhere

Finding Ideas Outside of the Box logo 2

Yesterday, I got a haircut. While I was waiting I looked through a magazine and took notes. I took notes on articles and on advertisements. When I was through one magazine, I had complete ideas for four blog posts — not counting this one — and 27 phrases that I thought might spark ideas later.

Not bad for just sitting around waiting my turn.

I hate actually reading those magazines in places where I get my hair cut, and there’s never time to get into a good book.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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SUCCESSFUL SERIES PAGE

Jason Boog Called Me a What?

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Go See For Yourself

Jason Boog at The Publishing Spot gave me a new name in last night’s post. I’ve never been called that before. I’m not at all sure that I can live up to it.

In any case, I’m wondering whether I should buy some new clothes for his interview that starts on Monday. His readers are going to have BIG expectations now.

What do you think?

Thanks, Jason. You’re too much!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Nothing relates to this . . .

9rules Picked Great Ones

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Congratulations!

9rules logo

9rules has finished their 4th round of submissions. Paul Scrivens has published the official list at the 9rules Network blog. Of the 700 that were submitted, the 9rules team selected 111 blogs to join the 9rules Network this round.

Naturally among that group are a few folks I’d like to send my good wishes.

This list is merely in the order following the list on the 9rules blog.

If you have time this weekend to stop by to leave a comment, please tell them that I sent you over.

Congratulations to Paul and all of 9rules Network too, for such a great list of new blogs.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Note the new LINK LEAK VIRUS PAGE

Net Neutrality 6-04-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

I’ve added these links to the Net Neutrality Page today.

Tangled Web [via Daily Kos]

We follow the story of Blip.tv, an ambitious video-streaming startup. They’re fighting for a corner of the Internet marketplace in the midst of a battle over so-called ‘net neutrality’ — the idea that all Internet content and websites are given the same access to audiences and customers.

If telecommunication giants have their way, companies like Blip.tv might be forced to compete in a marketplace wherein firms with large coffers can buy access to greater bandwidth and faster Internet speeds, leaving sites who can’t afford to pay in the slow lane.

Craig Aaron of Free Press, a media watchdog group, says big telecom companies have declared open season on ‘Net neutrality.’ He’s afraid these companies will dictate how we use the Internet.

“I think one of the beauties of the Internet is that it’s been open to views across the political spectrum. And if you hand the control of the information so that some can be preferred over others, you’re going to be handing that control to the big media companies that already control our television, airwaves, radio, you name it,” Aaron says.

For their part, telecom companies argue that a fast lane on the Internet for those willing to pay will allow them to make a return on their multibillion-dollar investment in broadband infrastructure. At present, companies such as Verizon and AT&T only charge for access to the Internet, but make virtually no money from content.

Net Neutrality Is More Than Meets The Eye

What’s bewildering in the net neutrality debate is that both sides say they have the same goals – they want the Internet to maintain its usefulness, to keep maturing, and to continue to get better. At first glance, it would be easy to think that one side wants that done via government regulation and the other through the free market. But that’s really not the case. Network neutrality is a much more complex issue than “Big Business vs. Consumer Rights” or “Big Government vs. Free-market Competition”.

Realist View on Net Neutrality: Only the Lawyers Win

Ray Gifford offers a realist’s prognostication on the likely effects of network neutrality: only the lawyers win.

Not the end of the world if network neutrality laws pass, not the end of the world if they fail to pass. Only, if network neutrality becomes law, low latency high-speed service will be routed through “private networks” while ordinary traffic travels via the “public network” internet. The distinctions between the two will be somewhat arbitrary, but important to the law, and that is why lawyers win. Overall, a sensible if not too hopeful view.

Compare the calm Gifford tone to the more alarmist sounds of eBay CEO Meg Whitman (that’s her smiling face in the picture) in an email sent to members of the “eBay community”: . . .

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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NET NEUTRALITY PAGE