19K And Net Neutrality

[MST3Kakalina]

Obviously I don't have much of a life.

But well. Any reason to make a thread, right?

Well, here's something more substantial: a petition for Net Neutrality

Internet providers like AT&T and Verizon are lobbying Congress hard to gut Network Neutrality, the Internet's First Amendment. Net Neutrality prevents AT&T from choosing which websites open most easily for you based on which site pays AT&T more. Amazon.com doesn't have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to work more properly on your computer.

Politicians don't think we are paying attention to this issue. Many of them take campaign checks from big telecom companies and are on the verge of selling out to people like AT&T's CEO, who openly says, "The internet can't be free."

The free and open Internet is under seige--can you sign this petition letting your member of Congress know you support preserving Network Neutrality? Click here:

http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet

A list of all the ways you might be affected by Net Neutrality is located on the bottom of this link: http://civic.moveon.org/alerts/savetheinternet.html

Thanks!

[banky]

Crazy.

[Meat Load]

I'm about to hit 15K.

Also: Net Neutrality is great but sooner or later it's bound to end, it's inevitable.

[MST3Kakalina]

hey Trogg, remember our race to 10K way back when?

[Meat Load]

Do I ever.

Pages' worth of Jerkcity comics and excerpts from WH40K manuals... Those were the days.



I guess you won.

[MST3Kakalina]

Man, that was probably the single most retarded thing I've done here. Fun while it lasted, though.

[implode]

yeah, i got that same letter. the only reason i dont get the hell off that mailing list is because they occasionally send stuff like this that isn't just partisan loudness. anyway, i think a vital part of any free economy is availability according to both the means and the market itself, and this law going into effect would hinder that tremendously.

what i mean by that, since it's probably impossible to understand to anyone who isn't me, is that everyone should be free to dilute the marketplace with as many merchants as they are financially capable of doing, as long as they aren't violating the rules of that marketplace. for example, starbucks has the money to hire a militia to physically drive away all the employee's of jed's coffee and cannery, but they don't do so because it's against the law. what these companies are doing is effectively the same thing as starbucks trying to change the "no unlawful seizure of estate and/or coffee grinder" law we have on the books, and it's really unfortunate that it seems to be working.

i have read arguments both for and against the implementation of this, but in the end, my argument basically boils down to "holy shit, that's so very wrong." but i suppose it's easy to put morality at the forefront when i don't stand to benefit monetarily from either decision. i HOPE i would make the right decision, even if i did, but basically, for the average net user, this boils down to "wow that sure would suck on balls that then proceeded to explode in your mouth and leave the AT & T logo emblazoned on your tongue for days."

[MST3Kakalina]

oh, i saw this on a friend's blog. all of the stuff i get from moveon.org goes to my gmail account that i never check, so.

[implode]

oh shit, i thought you wanted to talk about it, not just have us sign a petition. sorry. i don't know if i should... aren't internet petitions kind of meaningless?

[Davey Rootbeer]

attempts to regulate content on the internet will be met with large-scale resistance, and lead to a potential lollercaust.

millions of lives will be wasted.

[implode]

wah wah wah <i>waaaah.</i>

[MST3Kakalina]

oh shit, i thought you wanted to talk about it, not just have us sign a petition. sorry. i don't know if i should... aren't internet petitions kind of meaningless?
meaningless but yet it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.

i mean i'm pretty sure we all have the same opinion on regulating teh intarwebs, it would be silly to really discuss it. i plan on asking my mom about this tomorrow, as she used to work for AT&T and still does business with them as an independent consultant.




Davey :(

[whodaimen]

Hey guys. Check me out, Im a poser.

[Dr. Badman]

i don't know if i should... aren't internet petitions kind of meaningless?Our petition saved Zim, didnt it?

Didnt it?

[HOMERCHESTRA]

Badman you know as well as I that it did not.

[Rasputin]

You understand sarcasm really well!

As for me, despite the pointlessness, I shall sign. I mean, it'd only take a few seconds, wouldn't it? I'm hardly in a position to do more about it.

EDIT: Oh poo. I think you need to be in the US to sign it......which...makes sense...

[MST3Kakalina]

Yeah, it is being sponsored by an American political group. Sorry, Ras. :(

[HOMERCHESTRA]

Because AT&T is really going to be looking through this thing to make sure that everyone who signs it is actually American. Because this thing is totally admissable in court.

[MST3Kakalina]

Absolutely.

[Rasputin]

It needs a zip code though.

Why are they called 'zip codes' anyway? We have 'post codes' in Britain, and THAT makes logical sense. Where in the entire process of letter and parcel delivery does 'zipping' enter into the equation?

[MajorB]

It stands for Zone Improvement Plan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zip_code). That's pretty obscure for something Americans use every day.

[HOMERCHESTRA]

You guys also call lines "queue's," so don't go claiming you all have the logic market cornered.

[Dr. Badman]

England kind of invented the language, Rev.

America just took it and changed words/spellings to spite England in defiance.

Surprised they left the word "logic" in there...

[Rasputin]

You guys also call lines "queue's," so don't go claiming you all have the logic market cornered.

Forming queues is an artform for us English. It's only natural we treat it with the eloquence and respect it deserves. We don't form vulgar, proletariat 'lines', we form subtle, exquisite 'queues'.

Teehee...my ex-wife was confused by the word too... :steff:

[xsbs52x]

guys if we're not careful at&t is going to slow down access to this site

[HOMERCHESTRA]

England kind of invented the language, Rev.

America just took it and changed words/spellings to spite England in defiance.

Surprised they left the word "logic" in there...


REALLY BADMAN??!


REALLY??!


DID THE ENGLISH INVENT JOKES TOO?!

BADMAN PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE MY LAST BASTION OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE!!!

[Dr. Badman]

Dont take that tone with me.

You shouldnt use caps because they make you look like you're yelling.

[Forever Finite]

and they make you look fat.

[banky]

It needs a zip code though.

Use mine. 98058.

There, now they'll think you're from a Seattle suburb. THEY'LL NEVER THINK TO TRACE THE IP TO YOUR ISP! Im a jeenyus.

[HOMERCHESTRA]

Dont take that tone with me.

You shouldnt use caps because they make you look like you're yelling.

Wouldn't want to take up "a tone" with high lord badman. Because he's been here so much longer than-- oh, wait!

[mike]

go eat your sweets and do your maths.

silly Britten.

[Dr. Badman]

Wouldn't want to take up "a tone" with high lord badman. Because he's been here so much longer than-- oh, wait!Actually, It's Doctor Badman.

You've developed quite an attitude young man. I think it's those boys you used to hang around...

[HOMERCHESTRA]

Used to? Me 'n eric k are rockin' it oldschool AS WE SPEAK, baby.

[HOMERCHESTRA]

Ok not really but he's here in spirit :(

[Rasputin]

Use mine. 98058.

There, now they'll think you're from a Seattle suburb. THEY'LL NEVER THINK TO TRACE THE IP TO YOUR ISP! Im a jeenyus.

Thank yewwwww! I hope there's a street in Seattle called 'Westfield', though.

Ah, there probably is. Isn't there?

[banky]

Thank yewwwww! I hope there's a street in Seattle called 'Westfield', though.

Ah, there probably is. Isn't there?

Theres bound to be some small side street or back road, but no major ones.

I do know we have a pretty big mall down here called Westfield Shopping Center.

[Rasputin]

Close enough!