Net Neutrality... we still have to fight for it

Net Neutrality - the fight is not quite lost...

So the FCC commission voted to go ahead and put up toll lanes on the internet while pretending they aren't. So we need to go into round two. Ug.

Here's a link to what we need to do.

In short, the FCC is ignoring e-mails now. We have to call. We have to take a whole two minutes or so and CALL the FCC, talk with a live person, and let them know that the FCC needs to reclassify Internet Service Providers as Title Two Common Carriers.

The problem is that the FCC is going to try to ignore us. So we have to keep calling.

CALL the White House. The number for comments is 202-456-1111. The phone menu for this can be a bit of a pain, so skip and come back here if you're limited on time.

Write a letter. Yes, that means snail mail:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Fill out an email form. Instead of aggregating 100,000+ people into a single, easily ignored petition, make them spend a little bit of effort ignoring you.

Done one (or all) of those? Good. Now hit the FCC:

1. Dial 888-225-5322
2. push 1, 4, 0
3. a person will answer.
4. they will ask for your name and address. you can just give them a zip code if you want.
5. "I'm calling to ask the FCC to reclassify Internet Service Providers as Title Two Common Carriers." Feel free to add more, if you have more to say!
6. They'll ask if there is anything else you would like to add.
7. "No, Thank you for your time."
8. hang up.

They'll probably have an automated message telling you to send an email when you call the FCC's number. Nope. Crash their phone system and keep their operators busy.

Now go submit Comments to the FCC's Proceeding...[slight bit removed] ...Try to express (that Tom Wheeler is corrupt) in terms of Proceeding 14-28 and why the FCC needs to reclassify ISPs as Common Carriers under Title II. Net Neutrality is only the beginning - as a data service provider, they're strikingly vulnerable to being grouped as an associate to any crime committed over their connections, just as Kim Dotcom was.

DO NOT use a form letter for the 14-28 comments! This will get your comments aggregated and considered a mass email along with everyone else who used that form letter. This makes your comment more or less ineffective! Take two minutes to type out a paragraph.

Potential talking points include:

• ISPs can charge extra fees to carry traffic from any online business they want. If a company depends heavily on Internet traffic, the ISP could refuse to allow web pages to load in under 30 seconds unless that business pays up. How much? Whatever the ISP thinks it can get you to pay.
• Consumers are already paying for Internet access. Online businesses pay their ISPs, just like consumers. Why should the regular people not get the Internet services like email, Facebook, or videos that they've already paid their ISP for? Why should an online business have to pay the customer's ISP, when the customer already paid that bill?
• The end result will be either destroying businesses that can't afford to pay up, or higher fees for customers. Some ISPs also own their own online businesses. Those ISPs can charge competitors high enough fees to drive them out of business, so customers only have one option.
• Fixing the problem is easy: The FCC reclassifies ISPs as Title II, just like a phone company. If you talk about Verizon on an AT&T phone, they're not allowed to cut off your call, or fill it with static. ISPs shouldn't be allowed to interfere with your Internet either.

Mix it up, add your own views.

Call your Congressperson. Yes, phone call again. Speak slowly and clearly, and keep your talking points simple. You're talking to an intern again. What do you want? Title II for ISPs. Why do you want it? Because as a sysadmin and subject matter expert, you are concerned about what this will mean for the industry, for customers, and for your job and those of others like you in their district.

The FCC wants toll lanes on the internet... fight it!

Why am I hammering on this? Because if it's not fixed, we're going to either lose the internet as we know it or have to fight this same stupid fight every year until it's either fixed or ... we lose. It's YOUR choice.

First off, I recommend this video. It's 11 minutes long... but if you don't watch it, at least read the transcript. At the end of the post there are LOTS of links for people to take action. So take it already. If you like the internet and have not taken action, you are shooting yourself in the foot by ignoring this.

Several major companies have figured out that, by imposing toll lanes, ISPs are going to destroy the 'net. They've spoken up as well.

But YOU need to take action. If you are reading this now, understand that if net neutrality fails, you may never be able to read this or other content that you want to read again, because the ISP will be deciding what you get access to, not you.

Ask the FCC to classify internet access as a Title II telecommunications service under the Communications Act.

You should also sign BOTH these White House Petitions: Reclassify Internet broadband providers as common carriers and Maintain true net neutrality to protect the freedom of information in the United States.

If you want a template for a letter to the FCC, try this:

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to comment on the FCC's recent proposed changes to net neutrality. In particular, the decision to enact a 'fast lane' in which companies would be allowed to charge for faster internet broadband access.

As a concerned citizen I feel it is imperative that broadband access, and internet access in general, remain unfettered and classified as a Title II telecommunications service under the Communications Act.

Prioritizing one type of internet traffic in favor of another does not promote net neutrality. Nor does creating a 'fast lane' for those who are able to pay a steeper price.

The internet is is a medium through which information is broadcast and transmitted. It is the 21st century equivalent of an open forum at a town meeting. Whether or not a citizen participates it is of his or her own accord, but the right of every citizen to participate it should not be infringed upon.

A corporate entity cannot limit participation at these town meetings to only those who can afford to attend. A corporate entity also should not have the power to limit a citizen body's right to free speech, assembly, free press and petition for government address of grievances by limiting broadband access.

As a consumer, I once again strongly urge the FCC to classify broadband access as a Title II telecommunications service under the Communications Act.

Thank you very much for your time,

Insert your real name and address here.

And then send this to your elected officials, including the White House, as well.

Net Neutrality

The FCC is seeking feedback on its idea to allow corporations to charge more for faster internet access to certain sites. This is a REALLY BAD IDEA if you like using the internet. So, please, write to the FCC and let them know what a stupid idea this is.

In specific, ask the FCC to classify internet access as a Title II telecommunications service under the Communications Act.

You can also sign BOTH of these White House Petitions: Reclassify Internet broadband providers as common carriers and Maintain true net neutrality to protect the freedom of information in the United States.

If you want a template for a letter to the FCC, try this:

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to comment on the FCC's recent proposed changes to net neutrality. In particular, the decision to enact a 'fast lane' in which companies would be allowed to charge for faster internet broadband access.

As a concerned citizen I feel it is imperative that broadband access, and internet access in general, remain unfettered and classified as a Title II telecommunications service under the Communications Act.

Prioritizing one type of internet traffic in favor of another does not promote net neutrality. Nor does creating a 'fast lane' for those who are able to pay a steeper price.

The internet is is a medium through which information is broadcast and transmitted. It is the 21st century equivalent of an open forum at a town meeting. Whether or not a citizen participates it is of his or her own accord, but the right of every citizen to participate it should not be infringed upon.

A corporate entity cannot limit participation at these town meetings to only those who can afford to attend. A corporate entity also should not have the power to limit a citizen body's right to free speech, assembly, free press and petition for government address of grievances by limiting broadband access.

As a consumer, I once again strongly urge the FCC to classify broadband access as a Title II telecommunications service under the Communications Act.

Thank you very much for your time,

Insert your real name and address here.

And then send this to your elected officials, too. Make a fuss, or the corporations will cut us out of the 'net.

Net Neutrality is under attack... again

IMPORTANT: This petition may not have any effect, but it's better than nothing. The neutrality of the internet is once again being seriously threatened. We are going to lose the ability to visit websites we want to visit.

This is what the internet will look like without net neutrality:

Don't let corporations take over the internet. Support true net neutrality. And keep supporting it. As long as corporations believe they can soak us for more money, they will continue to try to destroy net neutrality. The latest move is an attempt to actually redefine the term so that people will support a corporate takeover without realizing it.

Don't support anything that allows a corporation to charge more money for what passes through internet access lines. Don't allow corporate censorship of the 'net.

Thursday Night Already?

Whenever hubby-Eric and I want a pizza, we get on-line and order from Papa John's. Apparently we aren't the only ones. I prefer PJ's easy ordering system to trying to order via phone.

Send your name to the moon. I've already added Laura Gjovaag. Add your own.

MetaFilter takes on Dave Sim.

Placebo Walk Buttons. Query: do you hit the walk button once, or multiple times? If you hit it multiple times, why? (I hit it lots, because it's something I'm allowed to hit and never screams when I hit it).

Things Carol Channing Should Never Do.

The ultimate article about what Net Neutrality is: namely infrastructure.

"The obvious answer is for regular folks like you and me to own our own last mile Internet connection. ... The idea is simple: run Fiber To The Home (FTTH) and pay for it as a community of customers -- a cooperative. The cost per fiber drop, according to Bill's estimate, is $1,000-$1,500 if 40 percent of homes participate. Using the higher $1,500 figure, the cost to finance the system over 10 years at today's prime rate would be $17.42 per month.

What we'd get for our $17.42 per month is a gigabit-capable circuit with no bits inside - just a really fast connection to some local point of presence where you could connect to ANY ISP wanting to operate in your city."

Striped Icebergs.

Comcast wants heavy users to pay more. As I don't think I could download that much on my currently often very slow Comcast connection, I'm not yet annoyed at them. At least, not for this particular reason.

This is NOT the way to respond to traffic cameras (may be Not Safe For Work if your eyes are very sensitive). They're going to charge him with not having a safety belt on. heh.

As I recall, when this now-resolved story hit the local news, it was kind of in the form of, "er, we're sorry, but we tried to look for these guys quietly but couldn't find any sign of them. Anyone know who they are? They were acting slightly suspicious and we want to make sure they weren't up to no good." The local media had debates on whether or not it was proper to show their image, and there was a bit of healthy debate. There was certainly never any panic. I'm glad the guys stepped forward and cleared up the concern.

Missing Child Experiment. How useful are those "Have You Seen Me?" ads?

On a very serious note: A Lost Story of the Holocaust. Pass it on. Via Dave's Rantlets.

For the in-laws: Don't Make Hulk Pug Angry.

How About A Linkdump?

Novels that would make good comics. I'd like to see a few of these.

A fairly interesting Marriage Proposal. I wonder if he can patent that?

A redesign of Mt Rushmore.

Why voting can never be truly fair, Arrow's Theorem.

E-Voting is expensive.

Bookslut talks about "Readers Block". I suffer from this every once in awhile, and usually break out of it thanks to comic books.

Net Neutrality in a Nutshell: "do you want an Internet that operates like the one we have today, or one that operates like cable TV, where Comcast decides which content to carry, and offers it to you only in bundles of its own devising?"

Baitcars work. "...auto theft ... has declined 50 percent."

I want Camera Glasses.

Check out the four-armed Beyonce on the Photoshop Disasters Blog.

Richard Dawkins to be on Doctor Who. His wife is Lalla Ward, who had a role on the classic Doctor Who.

Video, YouTube: El Caminito del Rey. I'm not interested in walking there. No way.

Stop and look at the ducks.

Here's a scary prediction.

LOLDalek: BBC Budget is slashed.

Links

Johnny B's NFL picks. He was right about the Seahawks the first two weeks. I hope he's right this week. And speaking of football, read this article on old football players.

Silver Age Comics links to Dial B For Blog's takedown of Bob Kane. Pretty impressive evidence there.

Fonzie Jumps The Shark:

Ten minute look at DC: The New Frontier. Lots of interviews, some animated scenes. All good.

Can you solve the three way duel problem?

How to make witches jars for Hallowe'en decorations. Some year I may just do this. But not now.

The Pirate Bay files criminal charges against media companies that use MediaDefender. Interesting.

Too fat to be a model, but I wish I was that fat!

Speaking of models, Virgin Mobile Australia failed to get model releases for Creative Commons licensed pictures and now both Virgin and CC are being sued.

Here's a graphical illustration of what will likely happen if we do not get Net Neutrality:

I'm interested in this book, and not just because a friend is editing it.

Cute report: stolen bunny found.

Linkdump

Yay, it's the return of Johnny B's Fearless NFL Predictions! And I'm watching the Seahawks game tomorrow because it's turned into an impromptu party at my place. Johnny B is calling Seattle over Tampa Bay, and is in fact calling Seattle to have a good season. We'll see.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #119.

Comic Book Idol 3 is about to start. Submissions are being accepted.

Another reason to not trust rebates.

I loved Popeye as a kid, and I love this explanation for Bluto vs Brutus. Thanks, Mark Evanier!

Depression leads to worst health... "Depression is a more disabling condition than angina, arthritis, asthma and diabetes..." Yeah, I could've told you that.

It is a virus killing the bees?

Heroes Still Exist.

A teacher on Slashdot asks how to bring science and math into writing class.

The DoJ thinks you should pay extra for your internet if you want content that the cable providers don't want to supply.

The New York Times reports on another possible biofuel source that has a better yield than corn and can be grown on marginal land, and helps keep livestock away from other crops. There are still potential drawbacks, but this one looks very promising.

If you commit murder, don't use it as the plot for your bestselling book, especially if you've left other clues around.

Pugs in cars for the in-laws.

Sep 15-19 is "Holy Pasta Week"
Plan your menus now.

Hubby-Eric and I have finished planning our menu out for the week, and are simply adding finishing touches to it now. I'm also planning the usual science blogging for that week. I hope I can find enough good links...

Huge Linkdump with Chocolate Milkshakes and Giant LEGOs

Comic Book Idol is returning. I really enjoyed the last round they did, so I'm looking forward to seeing this one. The winner gets a trip to New York, but the real winners are the fans who get to see a lot of great artwork throughout the contest.

New Comic Book Day Bingo.

Mike Sterling reports on the robbery at his store.

Pal Dorian (and quite a few others actually) reports on a server attack on GayGamer.net. Dorian writes about the problem much more eloquently than I could, so go read.

Garrett alerts us to an interesting story involving works licensed under the Creative Commons. Apparently an ad agency in Australia is using CC licensed work without notifying the photographers or the subjects of the photo.

Here's an interesting interview with Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel. Well, I found it interesting. We don't usually look at the infrastructure of our society. Perhaps we ought to be paying more attention. This is one show that isn't afraid to look deep.

Welcome to Cleveland. Only...

I'm not getting up at 3 am to see the total lunar eclipse, but I wish I could. I have seen one, once. It was amazing.

I want one of these to wash up in front of my house. I love the shirt. "NO REAL THAN YOU ARE". Hmmm.

Animation for Short Attention Spans. Including an Oz film. Cool!

Presenting 12 Memorable Newspaper Comics Strip Deaths. I like the last entry a LOT.

The Ten Best Bands That Never Existed. Again, I like the last entry.

Yangtze river dolphin declared extinct. More from the late Douglas Adams.

I love minions.

The Seattle Times explains tips and what happens to them behind the scenes.

Brooklyn Tornado, no, not a sports team.

Arrested for not watering her lawn? Well, not exactly, but still!

Skeleton in Diving Gear found in Puget Sound.

Do you love science enough to get a DNA tattoo?

AT&T censors Pearl Jam. This is another example that shows why Net Neutrality is essential. Imagine AT&T in charge of what you can see on the internet. Now imagine they don't like your opinion. Oops. You are silenced. Net Neutrality NOW.

Speaking of AT&T, Boing Boing has a story of how they fought for privacy against an intrusive government wanting to wiretap... 80 years ago.

Vintage Seattle visits the old brewery and takes some fantastic pictures.

Paul Merton (wonderful Brit comedian), hanging out in China, hunts down a robot farmer. "With a university education, he'd probably be running the Chinese space program by now." (Aside: Paul Merton was brilliant in the memorable Tub of Lard episode of Have I Got News For You)

Chocolate Milkshakes Can Save Your Life!

Emeralds and Fools Lunkdimp

While I've finished my reading of blogs and such that I missed over the weekend while at the con, I'm going to dribble out the links a bit so I don't overwhelm either myself or my readers. Hey, don't laugh. For me this is a small linkdump.

My Reports so far: Pre-Con, No Foolin', Part I, and Part II.

The Survey is Up for Emerald City Comicon 2007, along with the dates of next year's con. Please, if you went to the con and fill out the survey, request Aaron Williams (PS238, Nodwick) and Linda Medley (Castle Waiting) as guests. And whomever else you want, but request them for me, ok?

Next year's Emerald City Comicon will be March 29th & 30th, 2008 at the Washington State Convention Center. I plan to attend unless something major happens that prevents it.

And, still speaking of the Con:

• CBR's Report and CBR's photo parade (what, no Illusive?).
• The Seattle Times Reports:
• The insider scoop on the ever-expanding Emerald City Comicon
• Q&A with Posehn
• Q&A with Tom Peyer
• A slightly related article about Fantagraphics versus Harlan Ellison.
• Other reports:
  • Jeff Parker reports on Saturday and also on the rest of the con
  • Penny Arcade in art and in words
  • Greg posts a pre-con readiness report with pictures.
  • Dorothy's Journal Pre-Con, Post-Con with video, and Suggestion for the Survey.
  • Comics Fairplay.
• The Beat announces the afterparty.
• ComicMix links to me and my Troll! Thanks Elayne!
• The Comics Reporter Collects Links to reports, and solicits any more that you have.

Moving on to other links...

April Fools Jokes I mostly missed:

• The Aquaman Shrine went Namor for a day, something I have often considered doing with my Aquaman page.
• Elayne spots some jokes.
• Nancy & David give us Seattle Viaduct Condos which should be amusing to anyone living in Seattle at the moment.
• Chief Seattle talks to a reporter.
• Americans Defeat Russians in First Space Quidditch Match.
• Three Bits of Trivia is naughty. (And here's some synchronicity).
• Today in Alternate History turns over the blog to novelist wannabes.
• The Pirate Bay finds a new home.
• Diane Duane reacts to being married to Peter David (ok, not technically April Fools, but it works)
• ComicMix went nuts:
  • Marvel to Launch 365.
  • Penguin Signed for Batman III.
  • Chocolate Cap Controversy.
  • Steven Spielberg and George Lucas Launch Studio Comics.
  • Ellison and Groth Sign Historic Peace Accord.
• Glenn Rounds up the Pranks and is disappointed.
• Museum of Hoaxes on Google's Pranks.

And more links...

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #96.

Eagle Award Noms are Up.

Scipio needs your cartography skills.

Net Neutrality and Music.

Kid kicked off airplane for coughing.

Updated: Space Junk and planes.

Kid blinded while making a bomb, media blames internet (although kids were making bombs LONG before the internet, yes, including me).

Star Wars Stamps. Yes, I plan on getting a sheet of them.

"He has insurance." Brought home to me yet again today as I needed to visit the doctor and get a refill on a prescription, and had to pay for it all out of pocket.

Right, that's more than enough for today. Dorothy Temporary Tattoo status: Mostly intact, small bits missing, cracks appearing. Not quite as vivid.

Daily Lunkdimp

Childhood nightmares from movies.

Dewey tries Shojo Beat. Full disclosure: I currently subscribe to both Shonen Jump and Shojo Beat, and I like both of them. A lot. When I'm done with my copies, I donate them to the library, which apparently has a HUGE demand for them, judging by the profuse thanks I got from the young adult librarian.

SUPER CREEP, preview at Emerald City Comicon.

Computer modeling based on game theory supports Net Neutrality.

WorldCat isn't a bit website about cats around the world... it's a catalog of books around the world. And there's a cool new feature that allows you to figure out how to cite the book you are looking at with a click of the mouse. I really wish this had been around when I was in college.

And I thought the 3-Day was a long walk.

Cat flu?

Cosplay at 300 Opening. Mmmmm, buff young men wearing nothing but what the Spartans wear in the movie... "We've got hostiles with sticks."

Another Linkdump

Google Reader makes it easier to do linkdumps...

Emerald City Comicon has updated: "actress Margot Kidder (that's right, Lois Lane from the original four Christopher Reeve Superman movies) will be making an appearance SATURDAY ONLY." I just got my tickets for the con.

TangognaT is giving away Manga. Go enter!

Have you seen This Strip? Peanuts Sunday Strip needs to be found in better quality.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #92. Again, when's the book coming out?

More from NYCC, including this intriguing and distressingly familiar quote from another Laura:

We almost end up in the manga section, and that makes me sad, because I’m a female comics fan that isn’t really into manga, and I wish there were more of me. Unfortunately, people like me exist despite the entrenched comics industry as it exists, not because of it.

I enjoy Manga, now, but it's true that I like superhero books as well. And I wish there were more of me, and more superhero books that I really enjoyed.

FilkerTom wishes happy birthday to Dr. Suess.

The BBC has two YouTube channels, including stuff from Doctor Who: David Tennant's Video Diary and Freema Agyeman's Video Diary. Check out the BBC Channel and the BBC Worldwide Channel.

Cavemen Sitcom. Sounds like a really bad idea to me. The commercials are just barely tolerable as it is.

Blogging about blogging is a sin: 34 Reasons Why Readers Unsubscribe From Your Blog. Reason #1 is why I limit myself to 3 posts a day. Reason #2 is why I try to post at least once a day. And reason #3 annoys the heck out of me.

Headline of the Day: "Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein."

Here's a newspaper correction for you: Emus, not ostriches, victims of dogs in SeaTac. There's a reason I believe very firmly in leash laws for dogs.

Misbehaving Pituitaries on DI.

The Bad Astronomer is in love with Saturn. At least it isn't Uranus.

Star Wars Steampunk with pictures. Ooooooo.

Net Neutrality and DRM.

Lefty Brown links to an interesting article about Huey Lewis and the News.

Heh heh heh: Oh, Leif! Why do you taunt us so?

If you haven't read this letter on Neil Gaiman's website about what librarians have to go through, then go read it now.

And on that topic: Hot Library Smut. Via Garrett.

And, speaking of smut, Boing Boing continues to cover the horrible case of Julie and the pop-up porn.

War on drugs continues to be stupid.

The Sandbox: The Little Things.

Attention LINUX geeks: does anyone have any really good instructions on installing LINUX to dual-boot on a machine that already has Windows XP installed? I'd rather not mess up my existing XP too much, but I'd really like to give LINUX a real try instead of just running the live boot CD.

CUTE!

Net Neutrality

Save the Internet.