Tomorrow is the battle for the Internet ...

[GreyGeek]

Are you in?
https://www.battleforthenet.com/

They are Team Cable

Cable companies are famous for high prices and poor service. Several rank as the most hated companies in America. Now, they're attacking the Internet–their one competitor and our only refuge–with plans to charge websites arbitrary fees and slow (to a crawl) any sites that won't pay up. If they win, the Internet dies.

Oh it's on. September 10th.

The Internet Slowdown starts at midnight September 10th, and runs all day until 11:59pm. Whatever awesome stuff you've got planned, do it then! And remember: the goal is to drive as many emails and calls to Congress, the White House, and the FCC as possible.
Say you're in.

[GreyGeek]

Share these images...

[whatthefunk]

Unfortunately, I have zero faith in the American government to make the correct decision here.

[PhilT]

Thought you would be interested to read this article about Chattanooga from
the Guardian via the BBC sent from a friend in Chattanooga.



www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-29038650



The Electric Power Board (EPB) service here in Chattanooga is absolutely
fantastic, not just the internet but cable TV and telephone too, and their
customer service is outstanding. I don't care if they are owned by the City
of Chattanooga, it is one of the best examples of government owned
enterprises I have ever experienced and most unusual for the USA.

[NickStone]

Thought you would be interested to read this article about Chattanooga from
the Guardian via the BBC sent from a friend in Chattanooga.



www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-29038650




The Electric Power Board (EPB) service here in Chattanooga is absolutely
fantastic, not just the internet but cable TV and telephone too, and their
customer service is outstanding. I don't care if they are owned by the City
of Chattanooga, it is one of the best examples of government owned
enterprises I have ever experienced and most unusual for the USA.

hmmm 1Gbps for a town of 171,000 people. And yet here I am in a town in West Yorkshire getting download speeds on average of 1.4Mbps, thank you BT

[GreyGeek]

The Internet is so crucial to our democracy that it should not be in private hands. It is in the same category as police, fire and water services. Here in Lincoln, NE the electric service, Lincoln Electric Systems, is owned by the people and is non profit. While we enjoy 5.3 cents per KWh rates, towns with privately owned electric utilities charge 3X as much. Fifteen to twenty five cents per KWh.

The cities, towns and villages should be allowed to install their own non-profit Internet service.

[Qqmike]

Been signing petitions from MoveOn et.al. for some time on this issue.

[GreyGeek]

Unfortunately, I have zero faith in the American government to make the correct decision here.

Unfortunately, neither do I.

[anika200]

hmmm 1Gbps for a town of 171,000 people. And yet here I am in a town in West Yorkshire getting download speeds on average of 1.4Mbps, thank you BT

What does this mean?? Are you implying town is getting the shaft or are you? Sorry I can not seem to translate giga flops or mega ps.

[ferociousmadman]

I'm in. I wrote my congressmen. I know for those of you who are skeptical, that you think that doing things like this doesn't have much of an impact on a gridlocked congress. You are mistaken. I'm a Political Science major and was a legislative aide for a year in the South Carolina State legislature. I can tell you that mail gets read or summarized with how many people are in favor/opposed to various positions. Hand written letters and letters that have your address in the letter itself (especially if that address is in that congressman's district) get physically read oftentimes by the representative themselves.

In addition to all this, mass action like what we saw against SOPA and other bills certainly grabs the attention of congressmen. They are wedded to multiple firms (not just Comcast) and they have zero problems with going against corporation A, B, or C, if they feel the public backlash is too much.

If you don't write your congressman, if you don't act, then you are saying to the corporations, the lobbyists, and others, "You can have it all, I don't care about democratic rule, about freedom, about individualism." Don't do this, that's just stupid, and I think all of you who are skeptical, deep down in your hearts, know that.

[Qqmike]

I am well aware of the problems in our democracy, but I agree 100% with ferociousmadman. I am on several email lists, like MoveOn and their pals, solicited to write/call/sign petitions (and contribute $ optionally). As I see it, it works. The lists usually give some feedback about their activities (like delivering petitions to congress people) and their results. It is certainly better than being burned out and not trying by doing nothing but complaining.

[whatthefunk]

What would be great is if people really fought for what they wanted. Signing an online petition to try to protect yourself from companies that you pay to give you internet so that you can sign an online petition is ridiculous.

America is a Slackocracy. Posting things on the internet allows people to blow off just enough steam to prevent them from marching in the streets or causing a riot. In the end, it means nobody really does anything. Everybody is busy "raising awareness" but all these aware people do absolutely nothing but repost on Facebook or Tweet a sentence to their followers. If a million people marched against the cable companies, if people went on strike and brought the economy to a hault, if people stopped paying for expensive slow internet, if people demanded change and refused to submit to cable companies, things would change. Thats not happening so the cable companies will win, if not this time then later.

[Qqmike]

Just yesterday, I watched the movie "Reds."

[NickStone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29221365

Millions respond to debate on slow and fast net lanes
More than three million comments, from consumers, companies and other groups, have been submitted to a controversial US debate on the future of the net.