[Peace-discuss] Fwd: The Great Internet Rip-Off

Wed Mar 17 18:36:22 CDT 2010

On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 6:22 PM, E.Wayne Johnson <ewj at pigs.ag> wrote:

>  Writing to the FCC about communications in the US is like
> writing to the Fox about safety in the Chickenhouse.
>

That's why I rarely write or call politicians, Wayne, though I do often sign
the online petitions.  But here I thought the stats were interesting.
Obviously other countries perceive things a bit differently than we do here
in the "free market" US of A.

>  Part of the mission of the FCC is to ensure that the entrenched oligopoly
> remains in charge of communications and that the investments of the
> oligopoly are well protected from new entrants and too rapid changes
> in technology.
>

If I knew what an oligopoly was, I'd probably agree with you.

>    ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* John W. <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
> *To:* Peace-discuss List <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 18, 2010 3:59 AM
> *Subject:* [Peace-discuss] Fwd: The Great Internet Rip-Off
>
> I don't often forward things from organizations, but this seemed worth
> sharing to me.  Were you aware that average U.S. broadband speeds are 20
> times slower than speeds available to users in Japan, France, Spain, the
> Netherlands, Korea and Hong Kong?
>
> John
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Timothy Karr, FreePress.net <info at freepress.net>
> Date: Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 1:09 PM
> Subject: The Great Internet Rip-Off
> To: jbw292002 at gmail.com
>
>
>     <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=zGk3E-tR_ujUY87tbnTinQ..>
>
> Tell the FCC to Stop the Internet Rip-Off<http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=IB70vAMFyaAf40Iun2e2aQ..>
>
> Dear John,
>
> The FCC just released its National Broadband Plan. Based on the gushing
> media response, you'd think that America's Internet was sailing smoothly
> into the future.
>
> Think again.
>
> There are some good things in the plan, but it punts on the thorniest
> problems that Internet users face in America: astronomical prices, slow
> speeds and no real choices among providers.
>
> *Stop the Great Internet Rip-Off*<http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=DMfTYIIBR67PJfEKsb8yBg..>
>
> The FCC plan is a promising start, but it's short on action. And Comcast
> and Time Warner Cable are thumbing their noses at it —  having just
> announced plans to jack up their Internet prices even higher.
>
> That's why we're asking you to sign on to this letter<http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=2KtVzfWUFoKv4bdp6Wds6g..>telling FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski that we need real choices, lower
> prices, faster speeds and an open Internet in America. Nothing less.
>
> The only way to keep down prices, and get the Internet we need, is for the
> FCC to follow through on our demands. We're facing:
>
>    - *High Prices:* Cable and phone companies jack up Internet prices
>    simply because they can. People have too few options for world-class
>    Internet connections, resulting in costs that are among the highest in the
>    developed world.
>    - *S**low Speeds:* Average U.S. broadband speeds are 20 times slower
>    than speeds available to users in Japan, France, Spain, the Netherlands,
>    Korea and Hong Kong.
>    - *Few Choices:* Five percent of American households have no wireline
>    providers; 13 percent of households have just one; and 78 percent have just
>    two. In other words, *96 percent of the country has two or fewer
>    choices for wired broadband. *
>
> The National Broadband Plan is our best chance to fix America's Internet
> problem. But prices will not go down, and speeds will not increase without
> concrete action from the FCC.
>
> *Tell the FCC: Stop the Great Internet Rip-Off*<http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=pznRI8htVF8JfDtk9Z2rUQ..>
>
> It's time we took a stand against the narrow corporate interests that have
> held America's Internet captive for too long.
>
> Sign on to the letter<http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=2eBmEgld9VKMZMIvOaUzXA..>and forward this e-mail to your friends and colleagues.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Timothy Karr
> Campaign Director
> www.SaveTheInternet.com <http://www.savetheinternet.com/>
> www.FreePress.net <http://www.freepress.net/>
>
> P.S. America's Internet can’t fall behind any further. Please forward this
> e-mail to your friends and share the letter on Facebook<http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=wTA9EwAl0pqxUsdc-6yj2Q..>and post
> it on Twitter <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=8FB65epqTBfRy5NhXg12wg..>.
>
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>
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