Making universal broadband service a reality
 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20091218/cm_csm/269715

By the Monitor's Editorial Board The Monitor's Editorial Board
Fri Dec 18, 3:30 pm ET

This week, the Obama administration took its first step toward making high-speed Internet service available to everyone in America. It announced millions of dollars in grants and loans for broadband service in underserved communities across the country. But it didn’t act alone and that’s an important point. States kicked in. So did the private sector.

The Internet is as fundamental to US economic growth and productivity in this century as the telephone, electric power, and the National Highway System were in the last. The Web is both the dial tone and transport system of the modern age – connecting people and ideas and opening a path to markets and services around the world.

Until this year, though, the federal government has been largely absent from the delivery of fast Internet service. That’s been the work of the private sector – the cable, satellite, and telecom companies. They’ve done a good job. Some studies show that nearly 90 percent of US households now have access to broadband.

But the private sector can’t do it all. Companies only go where there’s profit, which means that many poor neighborhoods, and rural and tribal areas don’t have access to a high-speed Internet connection. Once a leader in the Internet, the US ranks 15th in broadband market penetration. And compared with a country such as Japan, the average Internet speed in the US is a tenth as fast.

It’s time for the federal government to get involved, and this year, it did. Congress provided $7.2 billion of Recovery Act money to help reach the goal of universal, affordable broadband access. Wisely, it also required matching funds from states to augment this assistance.

This week, Vice President Biden announced the first recipients of the stimulus funds: $183 million to poor and underserved areas in 17 states, from Appalachian Georgia and rural Maine to native American areas in southwest Alaska. Other public funds and the private sector are contributing $46 million.

Congress has also required the Federal Communications Commission to come up with a National Broadband Plan, due in February. From a preliminary report released this week, the FCC looks to be on the right path. It says competition should be a “guiding principle” of any plan, because competition drives innovation and provides consumer choice. It also recognizes limited government funding and says federal help will have to be “leveraged with private sector investment.”

That seems to be the reality of the 21st century. The federal government simply doesn’t have the money to expand the Internet in the way it built Interstate highways or electrified rural areas. And government can’t always know which Internet technology to support. But there’s also no denying that universal, high-speed Internet service is as essential to American competitiveness as universal phone service has been.

Broadband for all will have to be a public-private partnership for now.

another freedom stolen very subtly. by providing broadband to EVERYONE, the govt can get an additional hand, and more access to private info, to monitor what goes on online. dont tell me its not true, because you know damned well it is.

Don't put your private info online?

They sell extra thick hat edition aluminum foil these days too. You should be safe if you make a hat and don't use computers. Well, until they learn how to wiretap.. Oh, wait..

you're TOTALLY missing my point. by doing this, they'll be able to monitor who you talk to, what you say, and when you say it much easier. playing blind only works for so long.

And seeing the emperors new clothes makes you a fool... What's your point?

They can already monitor everything you say and do aside from face to face conversations.

Those too with very little effort...

Title should be "Making universal porn a reality" since that's what people end up using most bandwidth for.

BG??? Is that you?

James

They are making it available not providing it. So only the ones that buy it will have it.

James

I don't agree with this proposal. Most of the people who don't get high-speed now are in rural areas, with low population density. So if they put up new towers or cables to reach them, the cost per person is high.

Those people can always use dial-up. If they don't like how slow it is, tough luck. Move to a bigger city. :shrug:

The fact that other countries have better access doesn't impress me........How many rural areas does Japan or S Korea have?

Uh, they probably already do.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article...377523845.html

Pentagon, Bomb, Jihad.

There. Now the Government is watching you too.

Happy now?

Dude, Google NSA. :lol:

JC

It's like no one has heard of Carnivore...

Newsflash; they already are watching!

They do this now, but they need permission and it is much harder.

Do you think the government's intention is to provide "free" anything without some hidden agenda? More taxes, easy access to info?

My concern is that if the net is slow or down, how long are we gonna have to wait until its fixed? This is the government we are talkin about...

Too bad the private market didn't have a solution for broadband internet...
http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/do.../broadband.jpg

Looks like they even have parts of Alaska covered (even far north Barrow Alaska area).

Appalachian, Georgia? http://www.twowheelsonly.com/
Check out "Amenities" and look at the first thing they offer? If the evil phone companies only offered high speed internet to that area.

I also noticed on the map a big white spot near the Georgia/Florida line. Didn't know that Alligators needed high speed internet but guess I was wrong.

http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/ou...7.JPG?krakatoa

Oh yeah. See those tan spots on the Georgia coast? Those are the Georgia Islands that are federal protected. You are not allowed to lay a human foot on those islands, yet they do have coverage.

OK, 101...just for you, so you don't get your tinfoil hat all akilter:

Did you ever think that the government realizes how important to the economy the Internet is? That they realize that by expanding access to broadband, it increases the economy? Driving up the tax base?

Aha...that last part was just for you, 101.

Feel better about it now?

Dead on. Because Native Americans in southwest Alaska and Appalachian Georgia meth makers are the staple of our economy. Without the interwebz they can't operate.

Edited for accuracy on Georgia part.

lol @ west virginia's shitty coverage

And I'm sure with a populatoin of only 1.8 million, 5 electoral votes, and only a few counties voting for President Obama in the 2008 eleciton that they are at the top of the list.

Regardless if this is intended to help out the rural areas get broadband internet, I'm betting that it will be held up considerably by politicans bickering for it in their area and in political favors from the party in control of the congress (and White House). Then throw in the communication lobbyists.

You mean those people wouldn't consume broadband products like Netflix, Vonage, Hulu, and others?

Idiot.

Everyone needs the big pipe to their door so they can sell you shit.

Didn't we already debate this?

It was determined that Appalachian Georgia meth makers are entitled to the same NetFlix, Vonage and Hulu as those of us that choose to live in the civilized world.

They may sell their wares on TV but the commercials must be no louder than the programming it is advertised with.

College football will go to a play-off system.

The goverment has spoken.

The masses are placated.

I know, what a fucking joke right? What's with creating a committee for every fucking controversy? Like the steroids thing?

The only reason they (we) can use dial-up is because the Feds forced the telcos to do THAT (in 1996, IIRC).

Here are some fun facts about one particular area with no broadband service-
Per 2008 figures-
Population density: 94 people per square mile
(U.S. average is 86.2; states like Wyoming and Alaska are in the single digits. Kansas, which appears to have nearly universal coverage, is at 33.9 ppm^2)
Median household income- estimated $61k.
(National average, $50k.)
Median home price- $335,373
(National average- $232,100)
Approximately 20 minute drive to the nearest shopping mall or Wal-Mart.

There's also a lot of farmland that isn't covered. There's also the fact that high-speed Internet enables telecommuting (my wife works for a company on the other side of the country). There are also a lot of niche businesses that are based in rural areas to save overhead. In particular, I'll mention salvage yards, which are often useful to motorcyclists. Hell, living in a rural area means I can have half a dozen parts bikes stashed in the yard, from which I can then sell parts on eBay. Your over-simplification is a gross display of ignorance.

In summary, y'all can stuff that urban elitist bullshit where the sun don't shine :bm:

Farmers can telecommute? Traffic must be a bitch in rural Kansas.

So we have roughly 111million households in the U.S. and only 1.11million are missing out on broadband? I wonder what percentage of those 1.11million if they recieve broadband internet suddenly would be starting internet business' and trading stocks with London?

Once the politicians, activists, and lobbyists get a hold of this, those rural areas will never see a new cell tower or cable for a hundreds miles.

:lmao: :lmao:

Most would probably just do what everyone else does........Download pr0n and waste time reading gossip sites.

So now Netflix is an inalienable right?

It really doesn't matter what they use it for but what the problem with making it available?

James

I don't care if they have access to it.

I do care if the government is doing it (even under the pretense that it will boost our economy). I don't trust the US Government one bit and I really do not like them near our communications (especially with such free flowing information such as the internet). The farther away they are from communications the happier I am and the better it is for our republic.

That's what I predict. Then again the John Deere forums would get a boost in membership. Economy fixed!

All they are going to do is to help fund it so companies have a reason to offer the service. They are not going to offer it or run it. BTW they don't need to run it to gain access to it.

And this is a quote from you

"So we have roughly 111million households in the U.S. and only 1.11million are missing out on broadband?"

What kind of info do you think they are getting that they need to get the last 1.11 million of people online with high speed internet?

I don't know what it is that people are worried about them getting.

James

That's what they told GM too.

I have 2 problems:
1) Why is high-speed internet considered a "right"?
2) More importantly, the cost per person reached has gotta be much higher in sparsely-populated areas. In some places you could put up a tower that would only reach 2-3 people.

YOU pay for it.

We all pay for it, but in case you nitwits missed it, we all benefit. The plan calls for improvements in bandwidth and capacities for all, in order to catch up to other countries, since we now rank 15th.

Maybe I missed where they called it a "right". They believe that it will help by people and the economy by making it available to as many people as possible.

Yes the cost per person is higher thats why the government wants to step in and help with funding so that this service can be offered.

James

YOU also paid for those robo toilet seats back in the day that car collecting dust somewhere in a back room (I think they did sell them off years ago but they were collecting dust). At least this is something that will be used and can also be helpful as unknownroad pointed out.

James

"We already waste" is the line you tow in every single argument, and it's equally irrelevant every time. If we funded every single thing anyone wanted because hey, there's waste elsewhere, so why not? We'd have the finances of Zimbabwe. Waste is not an excuse for more waste. If someone wants something so badly they can pay for it themselves. I'd benefit from a subway stop in my front yard but you don't see me campaigning for it because "hey, there's waste elsewhere, and at least this will benefit people" because incremental costs are still costs, no matter where they are.

I'm not saying do it because money is wasted everyday. I'm saying this does have a use.

James

Great, you need it, you pay for it. I can't understand why anyone would even argue that.

By the way, rural areas already have broadband in the form of satellite. It ain't as good as cable, but it's broadband.

Really decided to run with the gross display of ignorance thing, eh? :lol

Totally. :skep:

What we're talking about is investing public funds in modern communications infrastructure via grants and loans. Infrastructure = public good.

I know a bunch of people who died from cancer. We could put more money into cancer research, but instead we drop coin on this? If you life too far out for cable get DirectTV and fuck off. Nowhere does life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness preclude you having to wait a few extra seconds for your porn to download. Common sense people.

What ignorance? You're the one who came up with some bullshit example about "motorcycle parts dealers" in rural bumble fuck and how you can buy parts bikes cheap and sell them on Ebay (tax free by the way so that's giong to help us greatly) and how someone needs broadband to do that.

Motorcycle parts???
http://www.bikersindex.com/junkyards.html
They better get some broadband for all that HD flash shit you need to view the webpage.

Copper and Fiberoptic cables are very expensive by themselves. The cost to put that stuff up or bury it is pretty big too. I wonder how much it'd cost to just get locates for 10miles of copper to some jokers house in the middle of South Carolina?

Existing infrastructure is all that is needed really. Adsl uses existing phone lines, I don`t see the big deal..

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-adsl.htm

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

So we are trying to get high speed internet service to people who don't even have a telephone?

I'd call you an idiot, but I don't want anyone thinking I called you smart..

:lol:

Smittie, despite the fact that you're only 20 something, and by definition, don't know jack shit about fuck all, you seem to have an almost eerie fascination with the 1950's.

Computers? What the hell would farmers do with computers?

Do you know any farmers? I do. You know what they want?

Information.

Weather, crop prices, crop futures projections, suppliers, buyers, parts, equipment, veterinary advice, about a million other things, and yes, pictures of Brittany Spear's pussy on TMZ.

You spend your life on a tractor, you'll jack off to anything.

So, unless you like jizz in your Post Toasties, I suggest you get with fucking program, buy a goddamn calender, and let some corn making motherfuckers watch some porn.

Dickhead.

JC

The porn part is funny but its not just about that. I know people that have died from cancer as well. I agree that with money being put into that. I also know someone that has a father that passed away with aids. Money could be put into that as well. But it doesn't mean that money can't be put into this as well.

James

Yeah sure....but EVERYONE can already purchase high speed broadband from a private company for as little as 20 bucks a month. And the more people who purchase the service will force companies to build more towers and offer higher speeds via the competition if they wish to work for our dollars.

There is a basic concept you don't seem to understand, which is competition. Without competition, there is little incentive for companies to produce better products.

Again the government is not the answer to this...

The part of the story your missing is that they will not going into an area unless they will get enough of a return on their investment.

In case anyone has forgot the government for years has gave money and/or tax breaks to companies to get them to stay in an area. This has saved jobs. Without that the company would pack up and move to another area.

What they are doing is helping with the cost so that is worth a company to go in and provide service to an area.

Unless I read wrong this story said nothing about the government running a a high speed internet biz.

I hope some people in this thread dumped some money in tinfoil stock because I think its going to climb high on this thread alone.

James

BTW not everyone can get high speed broadband from anyone so thats the whole reason for this.

James

I have an eerie fascination with letting people decide what they want and to work for they want.

If farmers need the weather, crop prices, crop futures projections, suppliers, buyers, parts, equipment, veterinary advice, about a million other things, and yes, pictures of Brittany Spear's pussy on TMZ then the companies would have picked up on that and have shit there. Not enough profit? Fine, charge the farmers more for it and they'll pay if they need it so badly. Maybe you're not like me and didn't grow up around farms with family members who work on farms for a living (I have family from middle of nowhere Missouri and Georgia, guess what they do?).

This line about helping our economy from 1.11million households is bullshit. You could spend less money and just buy people without cars, cars so they can drive to a job and make money.

Are you people such idiots that you need the government to take care of everything for you? You guys can't seem to do something as simple as drinking juice without government intervention because you are so pathetic.

:lol: :lol:

Dude, you're such a tool.

This poor kid only opens his mouth to let crap out. He should really consider being a fucking mime. He'd at least come off looking perhaps a bit more intelligent. Maybe.

I'm not the one crying because a juice that says 100% juice is 100% juice but not 100% juice of the juice I want.

Don't worry. President Obama will make it better for you

Ethics. Look it up. Works rather well in life in general - business too!

For a Capitalist system to work in a Democracy, regulation is necessary when the market does not self-adjust to eliminate and correct unethical business trends that are predatory to consumers.

You should perhaps study a little more about politics and human social systems so you don't look so silly.

You should perhaps study 5th grade Social Studies. We are not a democracy.

:lol: You're pretty proud of that one eh amigo?

What is: Produce illiterate children?

You may have a good point there. Of course, I'd have to see some prices. How much do they charge for people without cars? Is this like an e-Bay thing, cause I don't think I've ever even seen car-less people advertised?

What you have failed to grasp, is that the "Government" is not a machine from the future. It doesn't have laser beam eyes, and electro-magnetic tentacles. Ok, technically, they do have laser beam eyes and electro-magnetic tentacles, but that's not the point. The point is: (drum roll please) the Government and the private sector are made from the same base materiel.

People.

Even from your Pre-Cambrian, swamp based point of view, you must have noticed that people occasionally suck. When they suck at your house, we call it "The Private Sector". When they suck in public, we call it "The Government", (When the people at your house become the Government, we call it a National Disaster, and we all move to Brazil, until it's safe to come back).

The problem in America isn't government or laws. It's -------.

Go on, it's the Daily Double, fill in the blanks.

JC

Imagine how much you would have learned if you would have made it to sixth grade social studies..

And this is where you fail. When the private sector "sucks" you have the option to go somewhere else or fix it yourself. When the government "sucks" you have to take it on the crotch and pretend to like it. Also when the government keeps on failing they tend to steal via the policing power of government through the threat of violence to try and make it better. The private sector has to figure out how to convince you to give them more money or if they keep on sucking then their business will fail and they can suck no more.

The private sector doesn't consist of Dr. Evils sitting around and thinking of ways to rule the world. Only the government does that.

But don't worry, write President Obama and bitch about this, he'll make it all better.

:lol: Dude, I have complimented you on your funny factor today?

He does bring the funny. He doesn't mean to, but he does.

Don't you have something else you need regulated so you don't mess things up?

Don't worry, Big Brother will help you.

Yeah it's called get satellite. Costs more, but you live in bung foo egypt, so pay up IMO.

Companies will stay in an area where it makes the most buisness sense. Buidling millon dollar towers everywhere so 50 people can have wireless makes no buisness sense. Hence why the government needs to stay out.

No you read it correctly. Uncle Sam will funnel money into places money shouldn't be funneled, waste will occur and these same companies will run stagnant slow service.

Usually the problem is over regulation causing increased prices and trade barriers.

The main cause for the crisis we are in is the result of giving money to people who should never have been lent it in the first place. Too much available credit...4 people on one mortgage...0 down loans etc. There was way too much risk. Now..the market IS correcting itself by loans going into default and banks closing, BUT the government stepped in to save the day (money we can't afford) and now the debt climbs higher again and market correction process is again fucked up.

People in the private sector who fuck up usually get fired.

People who steal shit in the private sector usually get fired.

People who fuck up or steal shit in the government usually get promoted or it's covered up.

If the government runs your internet or subsidies companies to do so, what incentive is there for customer service when you cannot switch carriers?

The goverment is not going to run the internet. They are going to help the private sector get into those areas. Then do the work. They set it up and run it. This is not the first time the goverment has done this. Have you ever heard of a big factory moving into a small area because of tax breaks or hand outs? The goverment does it and that brings jobs to that area. Sometimes they also need to do things to get that company from leaving and taking jobs with it.

James

If farmer John wants to sell on the net, how's he supposed to upload photo content with a satellite connection?

You don't think very far ahead, do you?

JC

Like this...
http://www.wildblue.com/aboutWildblu...works_demo.jsp

Cool!

Oh, wait...

"Due to overwhelming demand, new installations in your area have been temporarily suspended. We expect additional capacity to be available in your area in a few weeks. Please register now or call your local WildBlue retailer to reserve your spot for when installations resume in your area. We will follow up by phone ASAP"

I don't even live very far out in the sticks.

Even with their "Pro-Package" (which I can't get) I could still only upload at 256 kbps, with a threshold of 5000 MB per month.

Such a deal!

What else ya got?

JC

256 kbps uploads might seem slow, but that's about all I get using my laptop card. What exactly are you going to be uploading all that much, anyway? Download speed is what's important.

And 5000 mb threshhold you say? That's 5GB, which is exactly what Verizon's so-called "unlimited" data plan offers. So again, I don't see the problem.

These people could always drive to the town library :lol:

That's probably your problem. Why would they target people with access to DSL or Cable?

I also didn't say they were perfect. But I'm sure between the major Cell Phone companies, land line companies, cable and even Satellite I do not see why someone here in America could not be covered.

I also don't see why you guys give so much of a fuck about some "backwoods rednecks in the middle of nowhere". Aren't they the "ignorant" who voted for McCain and Bush?

The government was going to "help" GM get back on its feet and how did that turn out? Well it turned out the White House foced a private sector employee out of work and then mandated they wanted more "green" cars. They were just going to "help" there and oh yeah GM still sucks.

That's your opinion of GM. And once again they help with a lot of companies. Its not the first time and won't be the last. BTW I'm not even a fan of the goverment.

I will be right back. I need to go grab my Oakley Gascans. The glare from all of the tin foil is hard in the eyes.

James

Maybe if they had the internet they would know better. :p

James

Tried three zip codes for Iowa.

Same result.

Iowa is in America. (look it up)

WTF do I care who they voted for? You think the economy only gets better when independents contribute? My company sells on the internet. If you think I give two shits who my customers vote for, you're fucking high.

JC

GM begged for money and got it on conditions. They didn't need to take it. They should have read the contract they signed. The sentence before this one should make you smile smittie.

I guess it depends on what you're doing. If you upload a lot of pics for websites or e-bay or whatever, 256 would suck balls, especially for $79.95 per month, plus an "enrollment fee" of $149.00, plus installation fees and the inevitable yadda fucking yadda fees.

Cost is a problem.

You mean the County library, which might not have computers yet. :lol: Besides, libraries are run by the government, and books are bad, ok?

You know what the biggest objection to this kind of plan is?

LIBERTY!!!

Yeah, right. What a bunch of crap. All the people yelling about liberty, with their gay ass little snake flags, are full of shit. They don't like it because there's nothing it for them.

What they are too short sighted to see, is that the more money is there is being made, the more money there is being spent, and that benefits EVERYBODY.

Love it or hate it, internet based commerce is here to stay.

Adapt, or get out of the fucking way.

JC

One of my biggest gripes has been highlighted here unintentionally, so I'll expand on it. Verizon has a 5gig cap on an "unlimited" plan? Then it isn't a fucking an unlimited plan, is it? It's a 5gig plan, you cockbites. ATT is blocking tethering on the iPhone in a downright crooked attempt to keep those of us with an "unlimited" plan from using too much data, even though we signed up to pay for all the data we want. iPhone is capable of tethering and this feature is offered by every carrier in every country other than here that offers iPhone. Moreover, Blackberry, all the mediocre Samsung clones of each other, and the Palm smartphones offer this feature. I'm sure some data cap is in place in some bullshit legalese phrase in the aggreement you sign for an iPhone so they're covered, but that doesn't make it ok for them to call the plan unlimited. I've used different firmware flashes to tether while in the UCC and it was great, but every time an update comes out it sqaushes my full utilization of my phone. If ATT and the other carriers would quit being restrictive dicks this free broadband discussion would be moot, but they won't. As always they'll continue to fuck you with the cellphone!!!!

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away.

JC

Holy shit, you are even dumber than I thought. You want to take other people's money to help contribute to the greater good??? Is this what your Bible looks like?
http://www.mobipocket.com/eBooks/cov...ESTO-COVER.jpg

There has to be an Internet term for invariably pulling the Communist card, much like the whole "Godwin" deal. It seems that with the proliferation of increasingly vocal yet increasingly inane chatter from the right online, almost invariably forum discussion results in some douchnozzle pulling the "communist" card (or the Marxists one, it doesn't matter so long as it has that good 'ole "anti-murcan" ring to it).

We need a term for it.

I nominate Smittie's Law.

Can you think of something more socialist/communist than what AMJ said? You have the government take money away from people, redistribute that money to someone else, and you do it because it will "benefit everybody"?

Why don't you just come to terms with your inner-socialist and just call yourself a socialist? I've never seen people so scared of freedom in my life.

Grow up, Smittie. Patriotism and Socialism are not mutually exclusive. This is legislation that would help us compete internationally against other countries. It will help our economy, and benefit ALL.

Please explain how this is Socialist any moreso than say the Interstate or rail system. You can't because it isn't, and you're a fucking douche - this is about NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

Stop listening to Glen Beck, it's rotting what little fucking brain you have.

I think strategically positioning our country to compete better in International trade is a National Security issue...and an example of fine patriotism, and positive growth for America.

You, on the other hand, sound about as intelligent as Sarah Palin.


Your sig line "You hate what you fear and fear what you don't understand. And that's the way it ought to be. " is a fine example of a scared white guy. It makes you look weak, stupid, fearful and cowardly; a real pussy.

I find it remarkable (and pretty fucking funny) that you somehow display that with pride.

The highway infrastructure was originally for the military (a legit role of government). It is also a voluntary tax since you pay taxes on the roadways through gasoline (which is why you can buy off road diesel for tractors that don't use the highway) and ad valorem (in some states). If you don't drive or own a car then you don't pay taxes on the roadways. I know some federal money goes to the roadways but that's just our fucked up government at work.

Rail system? Built by private companies (such as Union Pacific). I'm opposed to government ran railways. If there is a real benefit to them then a private company would build them since people would be willing to pay for it if it is so vital to our lives.

As for growing our country to compete in the international marketplace being vital to our national security? I can't even comprehend how your dumbass could even come close to making a connection between the two.

As for my signature. I thought it was funny and personally I think it fits you better. You hate freedom because you fear getting the wrong juice. And you fear yourself because you can't understand personal responsibility.

You are just a selfish person who I'm sure Kohlberg would be proud of. It's all about you, you, you, you and you. You want the government to regulate juice labeling so you don't have to think, you want the government to regulate fertilizer companies because you might get the wrong seed, but you want to de-regulate the airport security because it can inconvenience you? You want the government to revolve around you. Which if that is the case then why don't you run for office and make everything right for everyone?

Face it, you're a lousy patriot.
 

...And you're Ted Kaczynski lite, and one hell of a fucking whackbag.

The doctrine that 'human rights' are superior to 'property rights' simply means that some humans have the right to make property out of others; since the competent have nothing to gain from the incompetent, it means the right of the incompetent to own their betters and to use them as productive cattle. Whoever regards this as human and right, has no right to the title of 'human.'

What the fuck does improving the national Internet infrastructure have to do with human rights? It's a national security issue, as I see it.

It protects our interests in the world as a valid competitor in an increasingly Internet-driven competitive International marketplace. Even though we "invented" the Internet, we are no longer leaders in it (far from it, apparently), and if you don't think the Internet is important to national Interests, then you're just another Kaczynski.

This isn't about bringing YouTube to farmers, it's about improving our network infrastructure in order to be more competitive as a COUNTRY.

You have the intellectual capacity of a table leg, so coming from you, that's a compliment.

First off, it's not "other peoples money", it's MY MONEY too. I pay a lot more in taxes than you do, (according to your posts, you don't pay shit) so STFU about other peoples money.

How much have you contributed towards our National Defense? Dick, that's how much. Did you go to a public school? I'm guessing you did. You know who payed for that? Me motherfucker (that would be the collective "me", as in motherfuckers who pay taxes for schools, even though they don't have any kids), that's who. In your case that money was surely squandered. Your dumb cracker ass owes me a refund.

Mind you, I'm not complaining. I know the money I spend on education will not reach the smart kids only. I'll end up paying for some retards too, but that's ok, because all in all, it's for the greater good.

When you start paying for the education of retards with snake flags, you can bitch all you want. Until then, you can blow me.

JC

You're right, but if we (the collective we) paid for Smittie's education, then I, for one, demand a refund.

Are you saying the government had nothing to do with the railway?

James

And you'd probably join the SLA if you had the chance and weren't such a coward.

Now the real reason for free internet comes out...

See... there is usually a hidden agenda.

Nothing hidden about it, I'm a capitalist.

More people online, means more online sales. More online sales nation wide, means more money being spent nation wide. That, in turn, equals more jobs and more economic growth.

Why do you hate America?

JC

Exactly
 

:lol:

Satellite is broadband in a technical sense. However, the latency is brutal (even at the speed of light, it takes a while for data to run through the atmosphere and back), which means it sucks ass for things like terminal server applications.

And you need to shop around a bit for your towers.

That's already the situation when it comes to wired broadband. Verizon is the ILEC for our little section of South Carolina. Don't know how the hell they ended up owning the wires, since everything else in the county is owned by AT&T (formerly Bellsouth), but they couldn't possibly care less. They refuse to upgrade the local Central Office to run DSL, so we don't get it.

Comcast owns the franchise rights to cable in our area. Call any other cable company, and they say we can't help you, call Comcast. Call Comcast, and they say "we show that your local carrier is DirectTV." They refuse to run cable a mile down one of the main roads in town, even when we offered to pay them to do it, even when the town council intervened on resident's behalf. The local wired utilities are government-licensed monopolies, and they say "fuck you".