keep the net neutral goddamn it

[jackulator]

the internet is not just for entertainment, it's place to hear viewpoints that are not filtered by the corporate media, and the biggest shot in the arm for free speech since the newspaper -- 'net neutrality' means that you can reach any website available on the internet with your internet connection... but it's not in the best interest of corporations to allow us all this much access to one another...

so companies like Google and Verizon (among others) are trying to make it so that only corporate-sponsored websites will be reachable with your standard internet connection, if you want to visit anywhere else you'll have to pay extra, but there is not even any guarantee you'll be able to visit the sites you want to visit -- they may not even be reachable depending on which internet service provider you have...

it's like two guys in town that build some roads, and they charge people to use them every month.. and most people love the two guys for making the roads and are happy to pay to use them because the monthly subscription fee is affordable enough, and becaues the roads provide such easy access to all the places people want to go... but then the two guys who made the roads spent so much money trying to figure out new ways to make more money, and most of them didn't work out, so now want to recoup some of their losses and make more money off the roads they built that everyone is already paying them for every month... so, instead of raising prices for everyone using the roads, they want to only raise prices on the people who intend to visit places the people who built the roads don't approve of... (as if those people put more wear and tear on the roads than everyone else does) and they think there are enough people out there who don't approve of those same places they can get away with charging more to get to these places... and then of course there are some roads that will no longer be available anymore...

but uhh... how do you unconnect people after you put the pathways in place to connect them?? that's like un-ringing a bell or un-peeing in a pool isn't it? it's too late now -- if they didn't want us all to be connected they shouldn't have used the fact that we WERE all connected as a way to make so much money off of us for so long

it's like Hostess saying, look... we know you all love Twinkies, but from here on out all you're gonna get with the standard Twinkie is the yellow hull... if you want the cream inside you'll have to pay extra... and Twinkies with cream won't even be available in some places so go fuck yourself

kidding aside though, this also gets a bit dangerous to free speech -- setting precedents where non-corporate sponsored information is first difficult to reach, then unavailable, and eventually -- illegal

[Uncle Bingo]

That sounds like one shitty twinkie.

If that happens, and things go too far, a lot of people sure aren't going to take it. Myself included.

[buster01]

Can't say it would surprise me. The corporations have the country and it's people, despite what anybody says, basically in a stranglehold right now and I have no doubt they'll continue to exert their power and control by seeking to limit free speech in every area of life as they have with television news and many other areas already. George Carlin was warning us for decades, but people, even in the recession, seem to be too busy at the mall, or posting status updates on facebook, or watching American Idol to notice or care. Sad to say, but, I think people are either to dim to notice it or just plain don't give a shit. 

[1972 Canyon Dr]

Can't say it would surprise me. The corporations have the country and it's people, despite what anybody says, basically in a stranglehold right now and I have no doubt they'll continue to exert their power and control by seeking to limit free speech in every area of life as they have with television news and many other areas already. George Carlin was warning us for decades, but people, even in the recession, seem to be too busy at the mall, or posting status updates on facebook, or watching American Idol to notice or care. Sad to say, but, I think people are either to dim to notice it or just plain don't give a shit. 

I wish I had wrote this.  It summarizes my thoughts exactly.  But keep in mind though, it's us "enlightened" people who have the added responsibility of calling our congressmen, supporting freedom loving candidates, and anti-NWO activism.

For hundreds of years mainstream society has always been apathetic, this is nothing new.  We like to think that during the American revolution that we were all patriots striving for a free country.  In reality, 1/3 of Americans were apathetic, 1/3 were for independence, and 1/3 preferred British rule.

[1972 Canyon Dr]

For anyone else interested, listen to Joe Leiberman talking about the internet kill-switch.  He claims an internet attack is worse than a physical attack.  

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/UkMEPbXZmwA&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/UkMEPbXZmwA&rel=0</a>

[buster01]

For anyone else interested, listen to Joe Leiberman talking about the internet kill-switch.  He claims an internet attack is worse than a physical attack.  

http://www.youtube.com/v/UkMEPbXZmwA

This jackass is the reason there'll never be a Jewish President. Ever.

P.S.- I'm a Jew. This is not an Anti-semitic post.

[w3baholic]

free speech is VERY powerful.  It's all we have left.

Even in the fucking Cowboy Days the rich would put their 'own Men' in charge of what to print.

Once the I-net dies it's all over folks and we see it even now with Youtube and "partnerships".  Get Your Blades out coz throat cuttin' time is soon approachin' 

[jackulator]

I hope you're wrong AA

good point too about the 1/3rds 1972CD

[marleycake]

the great firewall of china

neutrality has nothing to do with the safty of anything, its all about controling what information your government wants you to have, just ask the chinese government! or south korea i see bad things happening in north america and if anything the internet is our safty-net towards the shit being thrown at us by corporatism and media

so yes i vote keep the net away from anyones control, to bad its to late for tv 

[1972 Canyon Dr]

like jack talked about earlier, i can see that corporations are interested in getting a cut of the internet.   as it is now, a lotta things are free like  ebooks, music, and movies.  to regulate it by closing off pirating sites could potentially be the first blow.

but once it's regulated a little, my fear is that it snowballs and turn into just another means of propaganda like cable tv news. i agree with marleycake, tv is trash.

there will always be other mediums for people to share ideas, but the internet is the best way to reach everybody who's ever interested in same stuff you like.  if these little hole-in-the-wall niches of the internet go the wayside, we're not better than north korea.