One Of Those Rare Misc Threads....

[Kishiro]

That actually matters about something.

All right people. Some of you may have heard, some of you may have not. But I think you should ALL care, because now you do know. This is going to effect everyone, in a big big way.

AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon are just a few of the companies lobbying and working with Congress to pass a bill that will be a law that will privatize the internet.

Yes, that is right. But what does that mean exactly you may ask?
It means that Net Neutrality will be eliminated. What is that? Why, it is the very basis that the internet runs on. Net Neutrality gives every site on the internet an equal chance to run equally well on every ISP (Internet Service Provider-- such as AOL, MSN, RoadRunner, EarthLink, Netscape, Net Zero, etc.).

If this bill is passed and made a law, Net Neutrality will be eliminated, and only the sites that pay the largest amount of money to any and all ISP(s) will run the best.

So let's say "Jake" has AOL, and "Jill" has MSN. And for the sake of keeping things familiar, let us use our beloved group of sites run by Minako and Kaitou as an example. Let's just assume that they share my same distaste for AOL, and so, they don't pay AOL anything, but pay MSN a good amount of money. Our sites will run terribly, if at all-- on AOL, while they'd run much better on MSN.

And hey, it costs a lot of money to run these sites. So they can't pay EVERY ISP lots of money to keep the site running well on every single ISP. Because the sites that run best, will be the ones that pay the most. How are we supposed to compete with Yahoo! and other such big money making sites? So then, if we wanted optimal performance, or access at all, we'd have to use whatever ISP that Kaitou and Minako would pay off to keep the worth of the site being up.

Is this fair to them, or to us? No. Not in the least. But this is the fate that can and very well may befall our sites, and many other small sites and non profit websites and webrings if this is allowed to pass.

--breathes--

So, I ask you all. To lend your support. And to give feedback.
First off, check out the site leading the fight against this, and showing us the stats on the bill, including which Senators have voted for or against Net Neutrality. And also spread the word. No matter where, or how. Whether you spread it online, or by word of mouth.

Save The Internet Main Website (http://www.savetheinternet.com/)
The Senator List: Who Has Voted Which Way (http://www.savetheinternet.com/=map)
The Online Petition. Just Enter Your Info and Hit Submit. (http://action.freepress.net/campaign/savethenet)

Also on the petition page, is an e-mail that will be sent to your Congressman. So edit it to your heart's content, and put what you want to be said in there. Keep it clean though please. We want to be taken seriously. Thanks for your time everyone. Sorry if it is lengthy. But this should matter to everyone, because it will effect everyone.

[Daenerys]

This was posted before. It's complete crap.

[Gjallarhorn]

There was already a thread about this a few weeks ago, which I believe is still open.
For some minor imput, I do believe this is wrong in many, many ways, but from what I have heard, Internet Explorer, FireFox, and other such browsers would remain uneffected. I am not sure if that is true, but they would be the way out.

[Zantetsuken]

Who cares? Let them do what they want. The Internet is unnessary for survival, so hell, let them shut it down, slow it down, screw it all up. There's no big deal.

[Kishiro]

Posted before? I couldn't find it. So I'm sorry about that. However I somehow doubt it was as organized as mine, for some reason.... Maybe I'm just too cynical of people on this forum now when it comes to grammar and coherency.

But do you mean its crap as in its not cool. Or crap as in it is false?

Edit: Bad repping people without leaving your name, or even a comment/reason for that matter, shows just how cool you are. Seriously. I mean, all the cool kids are doing it these days. I am not surprised. Just annoyed by the cowardice.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

First Thread. (http://www.animeforum.com/showthread.php?t=41919)

Why post if you can't include a Wikipedia link? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality)

[Regex]

And for the record, it's not crap, it is true. Some of the exaggerations surrounding it, maybe not so much.

Furthermore, an online petition is not going to be very effective. Actually WRITE your congressmen. Use your words to say what you think. THAT is how you will make any sort of a difference.

[Krsnik]

Well, honestly, they're completely disregarding open source, and internet neutrality. Another thing that might stop is internet PRIVACY. Google can block certain sites, deny access to some, and even more. They're talking about that new in congress for the U.S. Why? Because Google let China do it. Now, the U.S. wants to limit Freedom of speech. Let me repeat that. They want to LIMIT Freedom of speech. It's not freedom if you can't say what you please, now is it? It's just the idea of freedom that actually doesn't exist. It's just there to give someone false hope and false dreams.

This...is complete crap.

[Regex]

Well, honestly, they're completely disregarding open source, and internet neutrality. Another thing that might stop is internet PRIVACY. Google can block certain sites, deny access to some, and even more. They're talking about that new in congress for the U.S. Why? Because Google let China do it. Now, the U.S. wants to limit Freedom of speech. Let me repeat that. They want to LIMIT Freedom of speech. It's not freedom if you can't say what you please, now is it? It's just the idea of freedom that actually doesn't exist. It's just there to give someone false hope and false dreams.

This...is complete crap.that's what this is about. Let's look at it like this.

AT&T lays fiber lines that span the country. They spend the money to lay these line. They are trying to say that they should be allowed to decide what traffic is allowed to use their lines.
This is much like if roads were all privatized. Imagine if FedEx owned a major Interstate. They could say that no DHL trucks were allowed to use their road. And what about you? What if you wanted to drive from Sacramento to New York City? You could pay FedEx a major toll to use their Interstate, or you could go across all the back roads, and take forever to get there. Now imagine if ALL roads were owned by large corporations out there.
What does this mean? It means small businesses would have a much harder time getting their place online. It means your Internet would be censored. So much for research. So much for anything..

Legally, you could prove that's not infringing on freedom of speech, because it's private property. But that's HARMFUL to the nature of the Internet as it is today.

It's not crap. It's a danger to what we all take for granted.

[Kishiro]

Here are some educational short vidoes, courtesy of YouTube.

Which is another site that depends on Net Neutrality.
And we all love YouTube.

Educational Video 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jHOn0EW8U&search=Net%20Neutrality)

Educational (And Funnier) Video 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S8q4FUY5fc&search=Net%20Neutrality)

Follow The Steps To Contact Your Senators And Congressman!
Call them and write them. Let them know that the people mean business. (http://civic.moveon.org/call/signup.html?cp_id=328&mode=house.senate)

Hop to it people. C'mon. Don't just sit around. Even if you can't vote, you can still contact the officials and let them know your stance. If they get enough, it could make a big impact.

[Eris]

Can't actually watch any of those videos, but I posted this educational movie in my journal a while back: http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/307 (but as I said, might be one of yours)

I can't actually do anything about this (except maybe convert americans to doing stuff), but usually when someone passes a stupid bill in the US, all European companies cry unfair, and manage to get it passed here as well.

[Kishiro]

Can't actually watch any of those videos, but I posted this educational movie in my journal a while back: http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/307 (but as I said, might be one of yours)

I can't actually do anything about this (except maybe convert americans to doing stuff), but usually when someone passes a stupid bill in the US, all European companies cry unfair, and manage to get it passed here as well.Yes, Diesel, that is one the videos that I had linked too. Very good that you've already seen it. And of course, we here in the states appreciate the help and support. :)

[Piper]

We're going through another depression, I tell ya'.

[Sasaki_Kojiro]

that is so messed up freakin Goverment pigs

[Sayoran]

...I can't actually do anything about this (except maybe convert americans to doing stuff), but usually when someone passes a stupid bill in the US, all European companies cry unfair, and manage to get it passed here as well.Yeah, same scenario here I'm afraid, once the USA pass it - we too will surely follow... *=/*

Ah - the amount of Americans I have heard criticise China for regulating the Internet, oh, life's sweet ironies...

Thanks,
Sayoran ^_^;

[Eris]

We're going through another depression, I tell ya'.

Not a depression, per se (even though that is to be expected as a byproduct), it's a phase most empires have gone through, even though they might have started out "free", they gradually corrupt to the point where they either crumble under their own weight so that a new empire can be born from the ashes, or there's a revolution, both leading to a removal of the corruption.

This has happened so many times before, that it is nothing but naïve to think that anything else is to be excpected to happen this empire.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

Not a depression, per se (even though that is to be expected as a byproduct), it's a phase most empires have gone through, even though they might have started out "free", they gradually corrupt to the point where they either crumble under their own weight so that a new empire can be born from the ashes, or there's a revolution, both leading to a removal of the corruption.

This has happened so many times before, that it is nothing but naïve to think that anything else is to be excpected to happen this empire.Yeah. Unfortunately, the US falling from power will leave it a power struggle between India and China as to who gets to be number 1. And both have nuclear arsenals, lots of population, and very little care as to the health of their respective populations, much less each other.

[Ollie]

This is very real, and rather unnerving. But I'm not sure just how much of a chance it has of being passed, since the internet is not a US-owned thing.

[Piper]

This actually just shows AGAIN, how the U.S wants to control the world. Behind closed doors, I am afraid what our government is doing/planning.

[Eris]

Yeah. Unfortunately, the US falling from power will leave it a power struggle between India and China as to who gets to be number 1. And both have nuclear arsenals, lots of population, and very little care as to the health of their respective populations, much less each other.

I wouldn't count on India and China -too- much, after all, they've both adopted the western economy, and will be going down pretty badly aswell. Very few states would come out of a collapse of this magnitude unscathed.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

I wouldn't count on India and China -too- much, after all, they've both adopted the western economy, and will be going down pretty badly aswell. Very few states would come out of a collapse of this magnitude unscathed.
While I don't think they'll be feeling too great, both are just independent and powerful enough to be desperate, but not hopelessly so. I think they'd make a nice land grab on most of Asia, the Middle East, and maybe Australia then possibly duke it out over who gets what if they aren't so smart about it.

[Eris]

While I don't think they'll be feeling too great, both are just independent and powerful enough to be desperate, but not hopelessly so. I think they'd make a nice land grab on most of Asia, the Middle East, and maybe Australia then possibly duke it out over who gets what if they aren't so smart about it.

I'd put my marks on North Korea though, being isolated from the western economy and all.

[Kishiro]

Check this out. This is just great. Thanks to anyone and everyone who helped.

With your help, phone calls and e-mails....Bipartisan Bill for Net Neutrality Passes, 20-13-1

Thats right , with your help the little engine that could...beat the telecommunications lobby!!!!

We passed the Sensenbrenner-Conyers bill HR 5417 supporting net neutrality!!!

This is an amazing turnaround, from a huge stance against net neutrality, to a bipartisan stance for net neutrality.

Pat yourself on the back, buy yourself a cold beverage, etc.. - but get more friends to join our growing movement!!! The battle isn't over, but enjoy this small victory. (remember good ol' civics we still got a fight in the US Senate as well)

Nonetheless, we are truly waking America up to this issue!!!

And for those of you who made calls - here is the vote list:

Democrats
Conyers - yes
Berman - yes
Boucher - yes
Nadler - yes
Scott - yes
Watt - not voting
Lofgren - yes
Jackson-Lee - yes
Waters - yes
Meehan - not voting
Delahunt - present
Wexler - yes
Weiner - yes
Schiff - yes
Sanchez, Linda - yes
Van Hollen - yes
Wasserman Schultz - yes

Republicans
Sensenbrenner - yes
Hyde - didn't vote
Coble - no
Smith - no
Gallegly - no
Goodlate - yes
Chabot - no
Lungren - yes
Jenkins - yes
Cannon - yes
Bachus - no
Inglis - yes
Hostetler - no
Green - no
Keller - no
Flake - not voting
Pence - not voting
Forbes - no
King - no
Feeney - no
Frank - no
Gohmert - not voting