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Net Neutrality 10-14-2006

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Net Neutrality Links

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

DOJ Rubberstamps Massive Telecom Merger by Matt Stoller

This is stunning news. The Justice Department has OK’d, with a simple press release, a massive merger between Bellsouth and AT&T with no conditions and without a consent decree or judicial review, effectively reconstituting much of the old AT&T monopoly. The new AT&T will control nearly half of the landlines in the country, and the CEO of AT&T is already on record essentially saying he’s going to get rid of net neutrality.

Over the past decade, there has been a wave of telecom mergers, and these have concentrated the telecommunications business quite radically. Prior to a merger, the DOJ usually goes through with consent decree in which it describes possible concerns and conditions for a merged entity, which are then reviewed by a judge. That’s what both Republican and Democratic Congressmen asked the Department of Justice to do in this case as well.

[. . . ]

This move, to sidestep judicial review of this merger, is a slap . . . not only at Republicans and Democrats in Congress, it’s also a slap at the Judicial branch, which the DOJ has stripped of power, because judges have shown an unwillingness to accept the idea that concentrating power like this has no anticompetitive effects.

The last check on this merger is the FCC, which may make its decision tomorrow. The FCC needs to include net neutrality provisions as part of the merger conditions, or else AT&T is going to begin its massive merger and planned capital expenditures with the understand that it can discriminate against content. Write the FCC using this tool provided by Freepress. You can find out a lot more about the AT&T-Bellsouth merger here: http://www.freepress.net/att/

FCC puts off AT&T-BellSouth merger vote [via freepress]

WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission is putting off for a day its consideration of AT&T Inc.’s proposed takeover of BellSouth Corp., a mega-merger that some government officials want to examine more closely.

An FCC vote is the final major regulatory hurdle facing the $78.5 billion deal that would create the nation’s biggest provider of telephone, wireless and broadband Internet services.

The agency had scheduled the merger vote for its Thursday meeting but decided late Wednesday to postpone the discussion. On Friday, the FCC is to take up the AT&T proposal as well as a controversial issue known as “network neutrality,” which deals with whether Internet service providers must provide equal treatment to all traffic on their networks.

The FCC did not say why it was delaying a vote. “We are committed to evaluating merger applications fairly and in a manner consistent with the public interest,” agency spokesman Clyde Ensslin said in a statement Wednesday night. “We are continuing to work to complete our AT&T and BellSouth merger review in a timely manner.”

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

No Worries

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I've been thinking . . .
When I was traveling to other countries, what I was most likely to bring home were a tiny change in my accent and a word or phrase that became mine forever. I also bought lots of books and an occasional other thing, but who knows where they went?

Considering my love of words, I think I ended up with a nice collection of souveniers.

One word I got from the Brits was Brilliant! It’s a lovely word for describing something wonderful and magical.

From the Italians, I carried home a pair Prego, Grazie. How much more musical could welcome and thank you sound? I want a life filled with the two of them.

In OZ, the land of the Australians, I couldn’t leave without No Worries. They’ve become my weekend words.

“No Worries.”

I worked out a while back that worrying about things I can’t change doesn’t make stuff any better and doesn’t make me feel good either. In fact, worrying makes me cranky. I get to feeling sorry for myself.

Talk about a way to blow weekend — being cranky ranks right up there.

So I subscribe to “No Worries” weekends.

(I have my meltdowns on Thursdays, if I really need one.)

Liz's Signature

SOB Business Cafe 10-13-06

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Lorelle at WordPress has Gary Larson remind us to take care of our children.

Copyrights and the Blogger

Another Blogger wonders whether the music industry’s loss is an omen for publishing.

Bye Bye Tower Records, Are Bookstores Next

Finding the Money shows a way to put your music to work for you legally.

Converstations provides a quick overview of a popular new Google offering and offers a link to a deeper review, if you want even more.

Working at Home on the Internet has tried (and maybe succeeded) at foiling the bad guys, but wouldn’t mind our tricks to add to his protection.

Related ala carte selections include

Life Coaches has a mind-changing secret that they are willing to share.

Secrets of Changing Minds - The Most Important Key

Zulit lets us in on how to reach our blogging goals by staging our how we handle them.

What Is Your Motivation-How Many Blogs Can You Handle

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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…]

How Writing is Like Getting a Nervous Chihuahua to Stop Peeing

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The Chihuahua Story

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One of my favorite writing stories is man against dog story. It goes like this.

A man named, Jack, and his wife shared their home with a Chihuahua, named “Loco.” As Chihuahuas are, Loco was a nervous, little dog always moving and shaking. Loco was even more nervous, when Jack waa around because the little dog was unsure of the big man’s affection.

Every time Jack came near the creature, fearful Loco would run to the kitchen. Next would come the awful, clattery tapping, of tiny Chihuahua-dog nails on the kitchen tile floor and then the stomping of industrial workboots following after. When Jack made it to the kitchen, he would loudly say, “Stop that damn racket. Stop it NOW.”

Loco would freeze at Jack’s command, spread his back legs, and proceed to pee on the yellow and gray kitchen floor.

This event happened almost every day. Jack muttered under his breath as he cleaned it up. Who knows if Loco understood words like That dog has to go . . . if it weren’t my wife’s dog . . .?

Day after day, Loco got nervous. Jack yelled. Loco peed. Jack got mad.

Finally Jack sought help from a friend who suggested that Jack immediately put the dog’s nose in the “event,” tap his nose with a newspaper, and then set the dog outside.

“That,” the friend promised, “would help the dog connect the “event” to doing it outside.” The friend cautioned Jack that it might take a few days, but to keep at it until the dog showed progress.

Jack thought it was worth a try.

So the very next time the dog peed on the floor, Jack followed the plan. He put the dog’s nose in the “event,” tapped it with a newspaper, and threw the dog out the open kitchen window — the one right over the sink. He repeated the process each time with out missing a beat.

The dog learned.

By the fifth day, the dog knew what to do.

He peed on the floor

and jumped out the window.

Readers take from our writing what their experience tells them.

So how do we make our message as clear as possible? Let me show you.
[Read more…]

Luring Prospects With White Papers

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Michael A. Stelzner, Guest Writer

Michael Stelzner 3

Looking to drum up new business? Need to generate some leads?

Finding new business is hard work!

If you want to persuade, white papers are the hot new marketing trend.

Different than the brochure or ad, the white paper is used to plant seeds among prospects early in the buying cycle (think first-time home buyer finds helpful resource guide).

Research by KnowledgeStorm shows that white papers are the most effective form of lead generation – even better than free trials and webinars!

If well written, the white paper provides valuable information to prospects who are searching for guidance. That information has magnetic value to the right readers, creating a steady stream of opportunity.

By giving away some important insight, you establish trust with readers. Trust is the first step toward building a relationship, and ultimately asking for the sale.

This article is the third in a five-part series on the advantages of white papers. The next article will examine how white papers can persuade others.

Your action: Learn the art of writing white papers that generate quality leads by picking up a copy of the new book, Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged.

—Michael A. Stelzner