Successful Blog

Net Neutrality 10-30-2006

by

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

Don’t nix net neutrality

. . . Last year, a Supreme Court ruling and Federal Communications Commission decision declared that the Internet does not fall under existing communication service laws, putting Internet regulation in legal limbo. Since then, cable and telephone companies have been discussing how to profit from this decision. One of their ideas is to create a “multitiered” Internet.
That sound you’re hearing is the death knell of equality, or net neutrality, on the Web. Net neutrality means that after paying for service, everyone can access the Internet as fast as their connection will allow, without artificial handicaps from the Internet provider. . . .

This would give a huge advantage to content providers with deep financial resources, and make it unlikely for upstart ones like Youtube.com to succeed.

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Bloggy Life Question 27 — Can You Spare a Ten?

by

I’m Down and Out

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 bloggy life hypothetical question. . . .


A friend has fallen on hard times. He lost his job and hasn’t been able to replace it. His family is barely getting by. In fact, they’re racking up some serious debt. Now, a year later, he’s about to lose his house. He’s thinking about announcing it on his blog and asking for help — outright asking for money. Many folks from his family, your family, and your community read his blog, including possible future employers.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Bloggy Life Question 26 — Do You Wish to Comment?
Bloggy Life Question 25 — Would You Blog as the Opposite Sex?
Bloggy Life Question 24 — Hello, Blogger, I’m Her Parent!
Bloggy Question 23 — Would You Live Blog the Wedding?

Net Neutrality 10-29-2006

by

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

The Truth Behind America’s Digital Decline

With every passing month, the United States falls further behind the global leaders in broadband Internet access thanks to a combination of market and policy failures. Our markets lack the competition to bring lower prices, higher speeds, and universal access. Our policies lack the imagination and potency to create real change. Meanwhile, Americans pay more money for less service than a dozen other nations. A third of U.S households are still stuck with dial-up, and another third lack Internet access of any kind. Our broadband problem is becoming a crisis.

Yet major telecommunications legislation now moving through Congress lacks a comprehensive vision for how to bring multiple competitive broadband providers to each market offering truly high-capacity connections at affordable prices.

[. . .]

To make matters worse, the Federal Communications Commission seems content to ignore the broadband problem and pretend we are moving forward. While the FCC is crowing about an uptick in 1 megabit per second (Mbps) DSL connections, Japanese consumers are paying the same price for 100 Mbps. How long can we afford to be 100 times slower than the rest of the world?

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

A Short Post to Read for Kids with Autism

by

In my email today

Big Roy send this email today with a request to all for us.

Liz,

I have a new post which is sort of a call to action for Autism parents and supporters. You may know already that the Congressman (Chairman Joe Barton) blocking the Combating Autism Act is also heavily on the side of big Telecom in the Net Neutrality issue. Any help you could give would be appreciated. This post

Thanks as always,
Big Roy

Austic kids do great things. To quote the Autistic Diva, “. . . without autistics you wouldn’t have electricity in your homes and offices. Without autistics you wouldn’t have computers or the Internet. Every single time you blog something or make toast, thank an autistic person.”

Won’t you take a minute to read Big Roy’s post about it?

Thanks.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
Blogging Allows Folks with Autism Equal Access

Net Neutrality 10-28-2006

by

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

No Room for Neutrality on Net Neutrality

. . . What’s really going on is cable and telecommunications companies want to kill net neutrality so that they can charge content providers for preferred access to their customers.

As Craigslist founder Craig Newmark once described it (via Cory Doctorow’s memory of the comment):

“Imagine if you tried to order a pizza and the phone company said, “AT&T’s preferred pizza vendor is Domino’s. Press one to connect to Domino’s now. If you would still like to order from your neighborhood pizzeria, please hold for three minutes while Domino’s guaranteed orders are placed.”

Personally, I’d like to pick my own pizza vendor. And search engine

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

20 More Successful Bloggers’ Most Successful Posts: Afternoon and Evening Links

by

Who’s Paying for This?!

A few days before the party we’d had quite a discussion about whether people would be wrong to take money for writing comments that they sincerely felt. In the last comment on that post I left a message for a blogger friend, Chris Cree. . . .

Lorelle couldn’t be here, but she emailed to say,
Give my love to all the fellow SOBers and wish I was there!

I did.

Outstanding Bloggers’ Most Successful Posts: Afternoon and Evening

    1. Mark Ryden’s cabinet of curiosities and popular antiquities by Stephanie
    2. perfect cheese sandwich by SeanRox
    3. How to Write E-mail that Sucks: An Incomplete Guide

At comment 278. Chris Cree discovered that I said he was paying for each comment at this birthday party. Chris said

OK! I must insist: Everyone stop commenting on this post!
I just noticed that Liz promised that I was volunteered to pay for all these comments!

I better call Visa and up my credit limit!

Of course, no one listened.

  1. Commentary: Economy Foam by Debbie Millman
  2. If You’re Gonna Write Crap, Journal by Carolyn Manning and We Are Family by Carolyn Manning
  3. Cubicle Warrior – What it takes by Scot Herrick
  4. In the side of a mountain, there exists, a place named paradise by Jessica Doyle
  5. The Battles Hymn of the Blogger by Mike Sansone
  6. Crash Davis and the Belief Statement – My Turn by Starbucker
  7. Putting Holes in Walls by Ann Michael
  8. Blogging in Person by Sandra Renshaw
  9. Customer Service Difference #3: Ritz Carlton and Who else wishes there were no moronic idiots in customer service?
  10. Content Theft? Please, Tell Me What You Think About This… by Mark Wade
  11. A Brief History of Digg Controversy by Tony
  12. What Happens During Euthanization? by Renée
  13. Writing for WOM ^ Branding the Croc Hunter Way by Kammie K. and Be Unique, Kick the Critique – Self-Love is Where it’s At by Kammie K.
  14. Successful Blog by Cat
  15. Simplified Business Plans for the Real World.by Becky McCray
  16. Comments From Students on Using a Class Blog by Dr. Delany Kirk
  17. Case File 060805 by Timothy Johnson

 

Mike Sansone gave me a party hat and poetry. Liz Strauss Wears a Cap.

SeanRox had promised a cake.

What kind of cake do you like Liz? I’m stopping by the bakery later, so I can get your favorite. . . . Ok Liz, a flourless chocolate cake — with confectioner’s sugar only on top it is. I just put in the order and I’ll pick it up on my way back to the party.

I think he ate it himself. . . . Gosh I hope he didn’t get sick. (They don’t call it “killer cake” for no reason.)

HART brought HART’s Famous Chili. So I finally got something to eat.

We talked and partied until almost midnight.
It was an SOBirthday.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
27 Outstanding Bloggers’ Most Successful Posts: The Morning Links
The Mic Is On: Happy Birthday to SOBs Everywhere!