Comments on: UPDATED: Net Neutrality Odyssey

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 06:41:06 +0000

[1] How to become a TELECOMMUNICATIONS EXPERT: (A) Have African ancestry and (B) Have a famous politically connected parent. Examples are – Michael Powell and (Filet) Mignon Clyburn. Of course, the latter is even more important than the former. Being the progeny of one of the OVERLORDS (like Liz Cheney) is worth at least subcabinet status. And then, of course, the revolving door between those government jobs and the lobbyist firms/”think tanks”/telecom-Vice-Presidencies dotting K Street and the like.

[2] I’m not sure that I have a dog in the fights between Verizon-Cox-Comcast-ATT “disservice providers” (Verizon knocked out some drywall 10 days ago and has yet to repair it / “conflict” – I have some shares of ATT from my mom) versus the I-tunes/Netflix etc. gang (which were put into business by the Hollywood/Washington copyright abusers). Your comment that laws (e.g. “regulations”) should be done by Congress and not the children of the Overlords is quite correct.

[3] Meanwhile, the Overlords and their Princesses keep expanding our “positive rights” – like medicine, internet, food, clothing, housing, “college education”… just like those guaranteed by the USSR and the dream of our #1 Fascist Delano:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bill_of_Rights

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:09:52 +0000

“Is anyone here aware of the smart grid?” So, that’s why the electric company just replaced my electric meter, with a digital one; very sneaky of them.

By: irongalt

irongalt — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:16:06 +0000

So, the government wants to ensure "equal access" to the web, but at the same time gives the executive branch the ability to "switch off" websites at will? The truth: they're using this seemingly-innocuous issue as an excuse to insert their tentacles into the Internet (the last segment of a free press). Isn't it interesting how industries in this country are dominated by threes...auto companies (the big 3), credit (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), broadband Internet (AT&T, Comcast and Verizon). The government favors three companies in a given industry so they can control the entire industry through their three corporate proxies. It also gives the illusion of competition. Is anyone here aware of the smart grid?

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:24:04 +0000

Sometime in the early sixties or seventies, this country began the move from benign Socialism toward full blown Communism. There will be no stone left unturned until the job is complete. Only until the US becomes a bland mud puddle from sea to sea will they be satisfied. It will take generations of our descendants to restore just what we had fifty years ago. Sorry to be so pessimistic during the season of hope, but hope is something in short supply this year.

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 06:48:35 +0000

How about the cable and phone companies paying for having access to peoples’ yards? I don’t have cable, yet they have a green junction box in my yard and are allowed to bury cables across my yard to the neighbor’s home. I receive no rent for this.

The cable and phone companies bitch about companies like Netflix being able to deliver content over their infrastructure free of charge. There are some merits to their claim. Yet, the cable and telcos don’t pay homeowners for the right to lay wires throughout their yards. Just try to start a company tomorrow that provides high bandwidth connections to peoples’ homes. See if you are allowed the right of way to lay your facilities throughout neighborhoods where not everyone is your customer.

Yet, the public gets nothing from these monopolies when it comes to the right of way

By: Contemplationist

Contemplationist — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:24:09 +0000

The FCC was smacked down by the 2nd Circuit in DC UNANIMOUSLY (yes, you read that right). These rules will fall under the same rubric – and hence when they get to the court, they will be struck down. This is simply arrogant regulatory trailblazing.

By: CompassionateFascist

CompassionateFascist — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:50:15 +0000

Looks like the long-term purpose is to transform the internet into something resembling the anesthetics of cable-TV: corporate PR, professional sports, and violent porn. But I’m not convinced they’re going to get away with it. Anyway, when the power grid goes… the ‘net goes with it, so the whole issue may be moot.