Miscellaneous news items that don't warrant their own thread

[Chizzang]

difficult to assess... and also irrelevant
Due to the fact that Verizon / AT&T and Comcast have all been busted "throttling" accounts that they said they would never throttle

Truth be told they should throttle like crazy for the next few years while they still can fuck people over legally
because it's coming to an end pretty soon - Net Neutrality Utility will be a necessity and a reality soon

The fire dept. was on an account that allowed them to be throttled at 25 GB of data. Fire dept called in. Verizon bureaucracy didn't know what to do because it didn't fit their box.

Right !
A problem instantly solved with applied Net Neutrality (Bingo!)

Thank you

[HI54UNI]

The fire dept. was on an account that allowed them to be throttled at 25 GB of data. Fire dept called in. Verizon bureaucracy didn't know what to do because it didn't fit their box.

Right !
A problem instantly solved with applied Net Neutrality (Bingo!)

Thank you

Or the fire dept. could make sure they don't buy an account that can be throttled. But it's all Verizon's fault.

[Chizzang]

Right !
A problem instantly solved with applied Net Neutrality (Bingo!)

Thank you

Or the fire dept. could make sure they don't buy an account that can be throttled. But it's all Verizon's fault.

With no net neutrality laws there is no such thing as an account that can't be throttled
Cable ISP are immune - and you know that



so I'm not sure what game you're playing

[UNI88]

Right !
A problem instantly solved with applied Net Neutrality (Bingo!)

Thank you

Or the fire dept. could make sure they don't buy an account that can be throttled. But it's all Verizon's fault.

Yes, the fire dept shouldn't have purchased a plan that could be throttled but didn't providers like Verizon lie when they said that they wouldn't throttle accounts when testifying for the repeal of net neutrality?

[Chizzang]

Or the fire dept. could make sure they don't buy an account that can be throttled. But it's all Verizon's fault.

Yes, the fire dept shouldn't have purchased a plan that could be throttled but didn't providers like Verizon lie when they said that they wouldn't throttle accounts when testifying for the repeal of net neutrality?

An attorney would call that "A leading question"
Yes, they all lied and every ISP has since been busted throttling accounts at their whim

but it's not so much that they slow down accounts that are over their limit - I have no issue with that
it's that they throttle their competitors such as Netflix and Hulu and other streaming services that sit on the broadband backbone

A backbone infrastructure that the American taxpayer paid for



Look, the end is near
within a decade from now the Broadband infrastructure will be a free market platform - owned by the American taxpayer
not a privately owned publicly funded scam - such as it is now and been since the infrastructure act of 1995

municipalities are learning how to extricate themselves from the ISP nightmare
https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/201 ... ucture.pdf

[HI54UNI]

Yes, the fire dept shouldn't have purchased a plan that could be throttled but didn't providers like Verizon lie when they said that they wouldn't throttle accounts when testifying for the repeal of net neutrality?

An attorney would call that "A leading question"
Yes, they all lied and every ISP has since been busted throttling accounts at their whim

but it's not so much that they slow down accounts that are over their limit - I have no issue with that
it's that they throttle their competitors such as Netflix and Hulu and other streaming services that sit on the broadband backbone

A backbone infrastructure that the American taxpayer paid for



Look, the end is near
within a decade from now the Broadband infrastructure will be a free market platform - owned by the American taxpayer
not a privately owned publicly funded scam - such as it is now and been since the infrastructure act of 1995

municipalities are learning how to extricate themselves from the ISP nightmare
https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/201 ... ucture.pdf

6, soon to be 7, of the cities I work with have municipal telecom utilities. Fiber to the home - broadband, Cable TV, and phone service. All provide a great service for their communities.

[UNI88]

An attorney would call that "A leading question"
Yes, they all lied and every ISP has since been busted throttling accounts at their whim

but it's not so much that they slow down accounts that are over their limit - I have no issue with that
it's that they throttle their competitors such as Netflix and Hulu and other streaming services that sit on the broadband backbone

A backbone infrastructure that the American taxpayer paid for



Look, the end is near
within a decade from now the Broadband infrastructure will be a free market platform - owned by the American taxpayer
not a privately owned publicly funded scam - such as it is now and been since the infrastructure act of 1995

municipalities are learning how to extricate themselves from the ISP nightmare
https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/201 ... ucture.pdf

6, soon to be 7, of the cities I work with have municipal telecom utilities. Fiber to the home - broadband, Cable TV, and phone service. All provide a great service for their communities.

Before I cut the cord and switched to internet only, I remember the taxes and fees on phone and television to be pretty high. Are the revenues from those fees slowing the adoption of community based access?

[Chizzang]

6, soon to be 7, of the cities I work with have municipal telecom utilities. Fiber to the home - broadband, Cable TV, and phone service. All provide a great service for their communities.

Before I cut the cord and switched to internet only, I remember the taxes and fees on phone and television to be pretty high. Are the revenues from those fees slowing the adoption of community based access?

The "taxes" on a Cable bill are almost entirely fabricated fees...
The Broadcasters indeed charge for the re-distribution of their channels which is what the subscription service charge is for...

say its a $99.99 TV package
That price is a reflection of the value of those channels as billed out by the broadcaster (HBO ABC NBC ESPN etc.)
the additional "taxes" besides the 08% tax levied by the state & FCC are just profit added to the bill and identified as fees and taxes

FCC Regulatory recovery is .39 cents per subscriber per month
and Televised FCC (basically a frequency spectrum charge) is 08%

everything else is just a recapturing of revenue disguised as a tax

AT&T cellular bills were notorious for "taxes" that did not exist
the FCC and States had to announce at one point what their actual taxes were - it was pennies per user
and AT&T averaged about $20 in imaginary taxes and fees per user of which $18 bucks was profit

https://www.consumerreports.org/consume ... able-bill/

[HI54UNI]

6, soon to be 7, of the cities I work with have municipal telecom utilities. Fiber to the home - broadband, Cable TV, and phone service. All provide a great service for their communities.

Before I cut the cord and switched to internet only, I remember the taxes and fees on phone and television to be pretty high. Are the revenues from those fees slowing the adoption of community based access?

States laws actually create more problems for creation of muni owned systems. A lot of states prohibit it.

[kalm]

Before I cut the cord and switched to internet only, I remember the taxes and fees on phone and television to be pretty high. Are the revenues from those fees slowing the adoption of community based access?

States laws actually create more problems for creation of muni owned systems. A lot of states prohibit it.

Well when you spend $92 million in lobbying to create those problems.

I smell another ALEC success story...

https://broadbandnow.com/report/municip ... oadblocks/

[HI54UNI]

States laws actually create more problems for creation of muni owned systems. A lot of states prohibit it.

Well when you spend $92 million in lobbying to create those problems.

I smell another ALEC success story...

https://broadbandnow.com/report/municip ... oadblocks/

We fought that battle 20+ years ago in Iowa. I don't think it was ALEC as much as telecom companies not wanting competition. Iowa has 25 muni broadband systems now and there are another 8-10+ under consideration or starting construction this summer.

And the website you linked is interesting but the info for Iowa is bad. Yes there is a referendum requirement but I'm not sure any have failed because everybody hates the incumbent providers. Majority have been 70+ percent with many in the 80s and 90s. I think there's even one that might have been 100%. And some of the "facts" they list about bonding requirements, subsidies, etc. range from untrue to misleading.

[kalm]

Well when you spend $92 million in lobbying to create those problems.

I smell another ALEC success story...

https://broadbandnow.com/report/municip ... oadblocks/

We fought that battle 20+ years ago in Iowa. I don't think it was ALEC as much as telecom companies not wanting competition. Iowa has 25 muni broadband systems now and there are another 8-10+ under consideration or starting construction this summer.

And the website you linked is interesting but the info for Iowa is bad. Yes there is a referendum requirement but I'm not sure any have failed because everybody hates the incumbent providers. Majority have been 70+ percent with many in the 80s and 90s. I think there's even one that might have been 100%. And some of the "facts" they list about bonding requirements, subsidies, etc. range from untrue to misleading.

Good info. I trust you completely on these things. The only challenge I’d suggest is that all that money spent on lobbying wasn’t for nothing.

[Chizzang]

We fought that battle 20+ years ago in Iowa. I don't think it was ALEC as much as telecom companies not wanting competition. Iowa has 25 muni broadband systems now and there are another 8-10+ under consideration or starting construction this summer.

And the website you linked is interesting but the info for Iowa is bad. Yes there is a referendum requirement but I'm not sure any have failed because everybody hates the incumbent providers. Majority have been 70+ percent with many in the 80s and 90s. I think there's even one that might have been 100%. And some of the "facts" they list about bonding requirements, subsidies, etc. range from untrue to misleading.

Good info. I trust you completely on these things. The only challenge I’d suggest is that all that money spent on lobbying wasn’t for nothing.

the sheer fuckery at the state and federal levels to protect the monopoly that is lording over our broadband infrastructure is astounding !



but it will change... painfully and embarrassingly but it will change
it has to... the world is changing around broadband and this antiquated publicly funded monopoly will die loudly and with a fight

[HI54UNI]

We fought that battle 20+ years ago in Iowa. I don't think it was ALEC as much as telecom companies not wanting competition. Iowa has 25 muni broadband systems now and there are another 8-10+ under consideration or starting construction this summer.

And the website you linked is interesting but the info for Iowa is bad. Yes there is a referendum requirement but I'm not sure any have failed because everybody hates the incumbent providers. Majority have been 70+ percent with many in the 80s and 90s. I think there's even one that might have been 100%. And some of the "facts" they list about bonding requirements, subsidies, etc. range from untrue to misleading.

Good info. I trust you completely on these things. The only challenge I’d suggest is that all that money spent on lobbying wasn’t for nothing.

Agreed on the lobbying. The telecom companies spent tons of money in Iowa trying to ban muni telecom utilities. It does show that grassroots support can overcome money.

This year Mediacom got a state senator to introduce a bill that would limit future muni telecom development. It died a quick death because people started calling their legislators and nobody in the state likes Mediacom. But it does show how political contributions can at least get you a bill introduced.

[Ivytalk]

Jim Gaffigan is coming to the Delaware State Fair on July 29!

Assuming we have one.

[Ibanez]

Jim Gaffigan is coming to the Delaware State Fair on July 29!

Assuming we have one.

I caught his Noble Ape tour 2 years ago. It was so good. You won't be disappointed.

[Ivytalk]

Jim Gaffigan is coming to the Delaware State Fair on July 29!

Assuming we have one.

I caught his Noble Ape tour 2 years ago. It was so good. You won't be disappointed.

We saw Jeff Foxworthy at the Fair a few years back. Worth every penny!

[Ibanez]

I caught his Noble Ape tour 2 years ago. It was so good. You won't be disappointed.

We saw Jeff Foxworthy at the Fair a few years back. Worth every penny!

Yeah? I'd go see him. I love comedy shows.

[Rob Iola]

In other news, SeattleGriz gets to take his son to the dentist, restrain him with other big adults, as they give him general anesthesia and perform basic dental work.

I'm genuinely sorry for you and your son. The same thing happened to me last week before The Contagion, except that instead of my son it was me being restrained by big adults, and instead of being done to perform "basic dental work" it was to perform "colonoscopy".

[CAA Flagship]

In other news, SeattleGriz gets to take his son to the dentist, restrain him with other big adults, as they give him general anesthesia and perform basic dental work.

I'm genuinely sorry for you and your son. The same thing happened to me last week before The Contagion, except that instead of my son it was me being restrained by big adults, and instead of being done to perform "basic dental work" it was to perform "colonoscopy".

I find it hard to believe that you resisted this type of intrusion to your body.

[Rob Iola]

I'm genuinely sorry for you and your son. The same thing happened to me last week before The Contagion, except that instead of my son it was me being restrained by big adults, and instead of being done to perform "basic dental work" it was to perform "colonoscopy".

I find it hard to believe that you resisted this type of intrusion to your body.

Who said anything about resisting?

[CAA Flagship]

I find it hard to believe that you resisted this type of intrusion to your body.

Who said anything about resisting?

Oh, I see. The restraining was part of the experience.

[SeattleGriz]

In other news, SeattleGriz gets to take his son to the dentist, restrain him with other big adults, as they give him general anesthesia and perform basic dental work.

I'm genuinely sorry for you and your son. The same thing happened to me last week before The Contagion, except that instead of my son it was me being restrained by big adults, and instead of being done to perform "basic dental work" it was to perform "colonoscopy".

Good job on getting a colonoscopy!

[Winterborn]

First I have heard of this but on initial glance I am not a fan of it.

Imagine an Internet where the law required every message sent to be read by government-approved scanning software. Companies that handle such messages wouldn’t be allowed to securely encrypt them, or they’d lose legal protections that allow them to operate. That’s what the Senate Judiciary Committee has proposed and hopes to pass into law. The so-called EARN IT bill, sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), will strip Section 230 protections away from any website that doesn’t follow a list of “best practices,” meaning those sites can be sued into bankruptcy. The “best practices” list will be created by a government commission, headed by Attorney General Barr, who has made it very clear he would like to ban encryption, and guarantee law enforcement “legal access” to any digital message.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/e ... age-online

The fight between the providers of encrypted messaging platforms and lawmakers has entered a serious new phase. And this time around it is looking ever more likely that proponents of end-to-end security, the likes of Facebook and Apple, will lose their campaign to maintain user security as a priority.

Describing this as “a major threat... an attack on online speech and security,” EFF warns “imagine an internet where the law requires every message sent to be read by government-approved scanning software. The privacy and security of all users will suffer if U.S. law enforcement achieves its dream of breaking encryption.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman ... ef1c1e53f5

[CID1990]

While the world is distracted,..


https://www.economist.com/middle-east-a ... ts-to-talk

Two Russian proxies are duking it out

Air support to Assad??