🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <5e5tt6$15jc@news3.realtime.net>, bladex@bga.com (David Smith) wrote:

> Simon (simons@who.net) wrote:
> 
> : Nothing like panic-mail from an ISP President -- Spammariffic!

> So I think that you are way off base in slamming Flash Net for participating 
> in these efforts.  Democracy is sloppy -- sorry it doesn't fit into your 
> pre-conceived notions about how the world should or shouldn't be.

I was flaming Flash Net for propagating a Net-panic-letter that not only
has been spammed across several newsgroups and list-serves, but has shown
up multiple times in people's emails.

As was clear from the article I attached:

1) Local phone companies did not ask the FCC "to impose per minute charges
for *your* internet service." What they did do was try to get interstate
access premiums from local ISPs similarly to how they charge long distance
carriers.

2) The FCC already rejected this in December, which was unmentioned in the
notice. They had been seeking public comment on that decision.

3) The notice has a "call to action" telling people to write the FCC but
fails to also mention that the deadline is (was) Friday, February 14.

4) Finally, the spam failed to offer any additional veracity or background
for its claims (see: http://www.fcc.gov/isp.html)

All-in-all a very naughty piece of hysteria, akin to the classic "modem
tax" panic of the late-80s.
---
simons@who.net
Read me in MacSense (http://www.macsense.com)
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