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Net Neutrality Grade 3 by Scott Ahlsmith

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Net Neutrality

A link to this post will be added to the Net Neutrality page.

You may recall this document from the comment section earlier this week. It’s too important to leave undercover. I bring out because of how and why it was built.

A few weeks ago, I met Scott Ahlsmith. Over lunch, we talked about his work with Congressman Pearce and the U.S. loss of international tourism. A week or so after, Scot asked if I might send him documents outlining the basics and basis of net neutrality. Now that he’s finished using what I sent, I’ve him to let you in on what he’s doing and why this document came to be.

Scott Ahlsmith Tells the Story of this Story

Washington, DC, Federal Government, and politics have always scared me. That changed last April when Congressman Pearce (R-NM) invited me to testify before his oversight sub-committee investigating declining National Parks’ visitation. It was a great experience and to conclude my testimony I said, “Congressman Pearce, you have restored my faith in Federal Government because you run this sub-committee like I run my small business. You identify opportunities and act on them without hesitation.”

Since then, I’ve worked with the Congressman, his staff, and his extensive network of talented and dedicated public servants. I was invited to testify again in September. The Travel Industry of America (TIA) was also involved and briefed me on their lobbying efforts to promote international travel and tourism to the United States. I asked the TIA lobbyists why they were not lobbying for Network Neutrality. Their blank stares spoke volumes.

They didn’t know about the legislation. When they read their traditional sources, they knew even less. They were confused by the jargon and technical language, but they knew that travel and tourism depended on the global free flow of data, regardless of whether it contained voice, video, graphics, or text. That was the beginning of the 3rd grade show & tell piece.

This piece has been distributed to Congressman Pearce’s office and the TIA lobbyists. We will also feature this piece at a press conference the Congressman has scheduled immediately following the November elections.

Net Neutrality Grade 3 by Scott Ahlsmith

“So, class, please put away your crayons. Art period is over, and here’s Scott with our first show-and-tell this afternoon. He’s going to explain why Network Neutrality is so important to your future and especially to your promotion to the 4th grade. Here’s Scott . . .

Thank you, Miss Francis.

[Read more…]

Net Neutrality 10-12-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

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

Cable Ties Itself Up in Net Neutrality Knots [via freepress]

The five companies, Advance, Charter, Cablevision, Cox and Insight, told the [Federal Trade] Commission in a Sept. 27 filing their Voice over IP services are at risk because of what the telephone companies might do to thwart competition. The filing noted: “In the head-to-head competition with cable, the ILECs (incumbent local exchange carriers, aka telephone companies), have a powerful weapon – their ability to discriminate against cable’s voice service by imposing unreasonable, costly interconnection requirements. This is clearly the case with AT&T.”

This merger, the cable companies said, “will increase AT&T’s incentives and ability to wield its market power over interconnection against its cable competitions. AT&T has the incentive and ability to discriminate against cable’s voice service to retain its own customers.” The companies want the Commission to impose detailed conditions on the merger which govern interconnection, traffic flow and the like.

[ . . . ]

The sympathy meter drops a few more notches when the cable industry further declines to realize that the “incentive and ability to discriminate” principle they oppose on the part of the telephone companies is the same principle at the heart of Net Neutrality.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

You Should Have Seen the Links Leaking!!!

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Did You See That?

People came to see what Open Comment Night was about and were we surprised when we had a guest visit from — the one and only code-writing donkey himself, BASIL! We also saw sights of the world both natural and virtual. Then the links started leaking as they always do.

The Link Leak Virus seeped into every thing we saw. — The Link Leak Virus is a special strain of the indie virus with blogtipping mutations that occur in threes at Open Comment Night they become a link free-for-all.

Welcome to all of the new folks who came. It was great fun having you!

You should see the links that were shared.

Let’s See

You gotta see who was here!
[Read more…]

Net Neutrality 10-11-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

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

Preserve the Internet Standards for Network Neutrality | Two Types of Neutrality

So far, much of the argument over “net neutrality” has been over whether service providers should be allowed to favor one application, destination or Internet service over another. This is Net neutrality at the application layer. But the real issue is the neutrality of the IP layer where routers treat alike bits from every type of application. This neutrality is what makes the Internet flexible — while it also assures uniform treatment of information flow. If this neutrality is not maintained, the Internet will be changed fundamentally. It will no longer be the flexible, open platform that allows anyone with a good idea to compete on a level ground.

IP-layer neutrality is not a property of the Internet. It is the Internet. The Internet is a set of agreements (protocols) that enable networks to work together. The heart of the Internet protocol is the agreement that all data packets will be passed through without regard to which application created them or what’s inside of them. This reliable, uniform treatment of packets is precisely what has made the Internet a marketplace of innovation so critical to our economy.

[ . . . ]

We call on Congress to end the confusion and protect not only the Internet but the tens of millions of American citizens who need to know that when they buy Internet access, they’re getting access to the real Internet. Network providers who offer services that depend on violating IP-layer neutrality should be prohibited from labeling those services as “Internet,” as their doing so will only undermine the weight of consensus authority presently accorded to the existing standards. The term “Internet” represents specific standards that provide IP-layer neutral connectivity that supports the openness of access and innovation that have been the defining characteristics of the Internet since its origins.

To that end, we present the attached draft legislative language and call for concerned citizens and members of Congress to offer their support for passing it into law.

Contact:
[info given at the blog]

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

The Mic Is On — Things You Gotta See!!!

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

Here’s how it works.

open mike night

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Tonight we’re talking about things you gotta see!

Grand Canyon Steps

We might also talk about

  • a rainbow in the shape of a circle
  • the glacier in Alaska
  • St. Elmo’s Fire in Australia
  • the Alps, the Rockies, the Amazon

AND THE EVER POPULAR,
Basil the code-writing donkey, and Milton the Moose.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Open Mic Tonight 7pm Chgo Time –What’s Hot? What’s Not?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time — Things You Gotta See!!!

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You Gotta See This!!!

Personal Branding logo

YES, the mic will be open again tonight. So start collecting your thoughts. Remember, you get to bring what you want to talk about.

The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Tonight we’re talking about things you gotta see!

We might also talk about

  • a rainbow in the shape of a circle
  • the glacier in Alaska
  • St. Elmo’s Fire in Australia
  • the Alps, the Rockies, the Amazon

AND THE EVER POPULAR,
Basil the code-writing donkey, and Milton the Moose.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Open Mic Tonight 7pm Chgo Time –What’s Hot? What’s Not?