Successful Blog

Net Neutrality 11-29-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

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

There Is A Utopia For Net Neutrality

In this case, we’re talking about a real UTOPIA, the clever acronym for the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency, a group of 14 cities which banded together to build a fiber-to-the-home network that will eventually provide 100 mbps service.

[ . . . ]

From the start, UTOPIA’s developers thought through the public policy issues, particularly the competitive ones. Their answer was not to compete with private-sector companies, but to provide a platform for them.

UTOPIA said in its background materials it solves the competitive issue very simply, “by offering a network that is open to a variety of competitors that vie for customers based on the price, quality, and innovativeness of their services rather than on the basis that the customer has no other choice.”
[Keith Wilson, president of DynamicCity, the network’s operator] said the wholesale model eliminates the Net Neutrality objection right from the start because any service provider can get access to the UTOPIA network. That’s where the “Net Neutrality on steroids” description comes from. The fact that any provider can get on the network “takes the wind out of the sails of the incumbents,” Wilson said.

[ . . . ]

The individual service providers aren’t bound by the Net Neutrality, Wilson said, “The [Net Neutrality] problem exists when the network owner is wielding influence. When the owner is inherently open to all providers, then they [the providers on the network] can shoot themselves in the foot. They have to take the risk with their users who might be offended [by violations of Net Neutrality] and go to someone else.”

There are so far five service providers using the UTOPIA network. Four are local, MStar, Sisna, Veracity and XMission. AT&T is also offering service. MStar is the only one offering data, phone and TV.

How do customers make out with UTOPIA? Here’s a brief comparison. Comcast charges $68 per month for 3 mbps service. Qwest charges $54.99 for 3 mbps or $44.99 for 1.5 mbps.

On the other hand, MStar charges $39.95 for 10 mbps, XMission charges $40 for 15 mbps, and even AT&T can charge $39.95 for 15 mpbs.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

The Mic Is On: Will I Be Successful? Tell My Fortune!

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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 telling the future!

We might also talk about

  • experiences with fortune telling
  • tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls
  • past lives, ESP, telekinesis
  • paranormal experiences

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

Crystal Ball

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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The Mic Is On and It’s a Thank-You Party!

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: Tell My Fortune!

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Look into My Crystal Ball

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 telling the future!

We might also talk about

  • experiences with fortune telling
  • tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls
  • past lives, ESP, telekinesis
  • paranormal experiences

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

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The Mic Is On and It’s a Thank-You Party!

Blog Promotion: How to Write for People and Search Engine Spiders

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Blog Promotion by Writing Well for the Web

New Blogger Logo

Writing online serves two audiences — people and search engine spiders — those little crawly bots that move from link to link indexing information that ranks my pages. People are my readers. People are also the users who search for information. Spiders locate the content for search engines to index and serve up when people go searching for information. Keeping those facts in mind helps me handle the balance between the people and the coded arachnids that search out quality, relevant content to serve them.

The best blog promotion is to write well for the web. I keep my focus on people and give a nod to spiders by following these basics.

Write for People

    I write for people. I use my own voice. I write with the way people read as my guide.

    I read over my work as a reader would. When I read what I’ve written listen as a person would hear the message.

    I look for words, phrases, errors, and overly-long sentences that would get between readers and my message. I also have a proofreader check things behind me. If you find something, she’s not been here yet.

After the work is “people-ready,” I go over it another time for my secondary audience –- those search engine spiders. I make sure the spiders don’t trip and have plenty to eat.

Feed Spiders

    Spiders like to eat keywords. I make sure they find some in titles and subheads and key sentences. I don’t mind a bit of repetition.

    I avoid the word “here” as link anchor text. Spiders place more value on outgoing links when the anchor text shows how they are relevant.

    I add related articles. Spiders like to know how my pages relate to each other, and they like to have those pages to serve up when someone is searching for a related idea.

    I link out or trackback to quality blogs.

These last crumbs to feed spiders didn’t really change the content. So I give the piece a final read, fix what I find, and hit that publish button.

Readers are happy because they get my best writing. Spiders are happy because people get my best writing — that means the people will use their search engine again.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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6+1 Traits of Search Engine Relevant Content
Search Engines & People Care about Anchor Text in Links
Blog Construction–What’s Your Function?

Tony Hung Is a B.A.D. Blogger!

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Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Tony there?

When you meet Tony Hung you might not realize how soon, or how often, you’re going to be seeing him. He would need time to tell you about all of the places you might find him. Beyond his own blog, a few of his regular stops include the Blog Herald, Bloggertalks, Tuesday Night Comments, and events and conversations about the MESH conference. Soon there will be even more.

When Tony and I met via headphones and our computers, he shared his background — years of websites and playing with web design. We talked about how he came into blogging. Tony goes deep on any subject he’s interested in. It shows in the fact that his first blog was on WordPress with a theme of his own design.

I asked how Tony connected with the Blog Herald — he said he suggested some topics and shortly thereafter, Matt read Tony’s blog and invited Tony to write for them. The Blog Herald connection prompted Thord, another Herald writer, to invite Tony to be part of Bloggertalks, the hot new interview blog.

When I asked Tony what he did when he wasn’t blogging or talking to bloggers, I found out that he had another name, Dr. Tony Hung. He said he’s a final-year resident doctor in Internal Medicine. So we talked about doctors. I mentioned that I finally found a neurologist without a gargantuan ego. He replied that more than one specialty fell victim to that condition.

I think Tony’d be glad I didn’t share my favorite doctor joke.

Tony explained how he chose Internal Medicine. He said he had started in Family Medicine, but found that he wanted to help really sick people. We discussed how some folks don’t get better, but instead have to move on to other care. Tony mentioned the thought that goes into talking to family members who are also involved. You have to admire someone who does that work.

Dr. Tony Hung added one more name 9 weeks ago — Daddy. Tony Hung is the father of a baby boy.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

I got into it so that I could learn about what people are doing. I wasn’t prepared for how much fun it is. —Tony Hung

Stop by Tony’s Blog, deep jive interests, and say hi!

Thanks, Tony, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar.