Folks in D.C. are surrounded by their own bubble. A bubble where there are lots of telecom lobbyists walking around who describe net neutrality as politically toxic
— Marvin Ammori, a lawyer who has been vocal in his support of net neutrality
Today's subject is net neutrality, which is basically what we've got today. In our likely future, the big ISPs (internet service providers) will give most of the internet bandwidth they control, which is 70% of it, to "content" providers (like Disney, ABC, NBC, etc.) who will pay for privileged access to their data pipes.
Sometimes the ISP (Comcast) and the "content" provider (NBC) are the very same assholes.
By implication, everybody else (like DOTE) will become the Little Sisters of the Poor. You may be able to access poor bastards like me once in a Blue Moon, or perhaps not at all.
Got it? This ain't Rocket Science.
Once again, there is Much Confusion in America. There shouldn't be. We all know The Drill.
Step 1 — Obama says time and time again that net neutrality must be preserved at all costs.
Step 2 — Obama appoints people from the ISPs to head and advise the FCC, which regulates the ISPs. These people are Obama "bundlers" (campaign money coordinators) or other ne're-do-wells "interested" parties.
Step 3 — The FCC appears to be backing away from net neutrality by intentionally losing Federal Court cases which they could easily win by simply re-classifying a few things (designate ISPs as "common carriers"). Losing those cases "requires" the FCC to give the ISPs a foot in the door toward what they ultimately want—to sell bandwidth exclusively to High Rollers willing to pay for it.
Step 4 — Bill Moyers and some concerned citizens (videos below) warn us that we're about to be fucked over and Bill tells us to write to our Congressman or the FCC or something like that.
Step 5 — Ten years pass and we are all fucked internet access-wise. But since humans (particularly Americans) don't even notice that they are more and more fucked with each passing year, and have no long-term memory to speak of, everybody gets used to a situation where nobody can access anything not controlled by ATT, Verizon, Comcast and Time-Warner. Oh, wait. I forgot! Comcast and Time-Warner are merging.
Anyway, you will still be able to access Facebook because Facebook will pay the ISPs for bandwidth. But DOTE and other Typepad blogs? Forgetta 'bout it!
Step 6 — Obama goes on The Tonight Show with Stephen Colbert. There are lots of laughs about Fox News.
Step 7 — It is now 2030. The world is falling apart but you don't know much about it because there is only one ISP in America and only three "content" providers and the only things you can access on the internet are Spiderman 14 or Transformers 11, and you've got to pay through the nose for those.
Once again, Americans can't get their shit together. I say "Americans" today (not "humans") because only in America (or places like China) is net neutrality "an issue".
And remember, the United States has some of the worse internet service in the developed world (or even in large parts of the developing world).
If you are one of the "Good Guys" in this fight, one of those will not go gently into this good night, you may be wondering what the meaning of life is.
You get to fight endlessly with other humans who are trying to fuck you over. You "win" occasionally but only temporarily. Most of the time you get your ass kicked because the ones who want to fuck you over have all the money. Naturally.
That's the meaning of life generally, and especially so in America.
Hello Dave,
don't know if this slightly off-topic comment will make it through, but here it is:
Today I have finally reached the Dave Cohen's (and final) stage of my "climate activism". It has ended. Why? Here is the explanation for those few interested people:
I put a question to the IPCC discussion board: "40 years ago Club of Rome concluded economic growth is not sustainable. That was shocking. For 30 years we know we are in ecological overshoot. Why are we even discussing economic growth?"
Answer from european commisioner for energy, Connie Hedegaard, was something like this: "One cannot negotiate economic growth. There is no such an option."
Given this, an many other things, I officialy end the former days of my (blogging climate and energy) activism.
Yes, we ARE screwed (in case you had some doubts).
Best,
Posted by: Alexander Ač | 05/06/2014 at 01:24 PM