Fight for the internet!!!

[Guest guest]

Petiton to Senate here http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/352990436?z00m=61300 & z00m=61300 & ltl=1154847743 ----- Original Message ----- "Dena Mottola, NJPIRG Executive Director" <DenaM<lasurgWednesday, August 16, 2006 12:31 PMNJPIRG : Fight for a Fair Internet> Hi Lynn,>> Although it seems outrageous, a handful of the largest cable and telephone > corporations are trying to change the way we access the Internet. If > Verizon and AT & T get their way they will be able to control what sites > work better on your computer. The free and fair Internet which we are > accustomed to could be replaced with a biased corporate version run by > gatekeepers and favoring the highest bidders.>> So far thousands of you have signed our Internet Freedom petition asking > your Senators to support a bill that will prevent this from happening. Now > the CEOs of the major telephone companies seeking to hijack the Internet > need to hear from their customers.>> Please take a moment to ask the CEOs of Verizon and AT & T to keep the > Internet free and fair. Then, ask your friends and family to help too by > forwarding this e-mail to them.>> To take action, or paste it into your web browser:>> http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=1704 & id4=ES>>> Background>> The Internet is an invaluable tool for millions of people all over the > world to access information and communicate with each other. It was > designed so that no one company, government, or individual could control > or limit the flow of information, and that's why it's just as easy to > access your favorite unheard of website as it is to access a popular > website like Amazon.com and that's why it is just as easy to send an email > to a loved one.>> But the internet as we know it is at risk because of recent Federal > Communications Commission and Supreme Court decisions that eliminated the > Internet's founding principle of "net neutrality." Put more simply, all > web content is created equal, and the companies that merely provide > Internet services had been prohibited from deciding whether some of it > could go in a fast lane and some of it in a slow lane. Unless reversed, > these decisions will allow the telephone and cable companies to become > gatekeepers in control of the Internet with the power to decide who and > what gets priority online. Your favorite unheard-of web site could be > relegated to a "slow lane," and so could your favorite mainstream site, if > it isn't approved by the telephone companies.>> This will not only affect the way in which we use the internet on a > day-to-day basis but will also stifle innovation online. Instead of being > a place for big ideas from small companies, the Internet would become a > rigged system where only those with the deepest pockets get a chance to > compete. Under these conditions popular online technologies like photo > sharing and instant messaging -- both created by small companies -- would > never have seen the light of day.>> This will also affect political and cultural ideas. As Internet visionary > Jeff Chester has pointed out: "Without proactive intervention, the values > and issues that we care about--civil rights, economic justice, the > environment and fair elections--will be further threatened by this push > for corporate control." Imagine if political candidates could limit access > to their opponent's website by paying Verizon or AT & T.>> While the telephone companies won the first round, by moving a > pro-industry telecommuncations bill through the House that fails to > restore a free Internet, the full Senate hasn't acted yet. In fact, just > last month, we battled the phone behemoths - who expected a crushing > victory over us - to an 11-11 draw in the Senate Commerce Committee. > Although the 11-11 vote was technically a defeat for the champions of net > neutrality, Senators Snowe (R-ME) and Dorgan (D-ND), no one expected us to > do that well and the close vote has thrown the future of the phone company > plan to move their favored deregulation bill without language guaranteeing > Internet freedom into disarray. We expect the Senate to take up > telecommunications legislation on the floor in September. We are urging > Senators to insist that the bill contain the Snowe-Dorgan amendment or to > vote no. We'd also like to let the telephone companies know that we've > taken off the gloves and we're telling their customers about their devious > plans to take over the Internet.>> Please take a moment to contact the CEO's of Verizon and AT & T and tell > them that the Internet should remain fair and free. Then, ask your friends > and family to help too by forwarding this e-mail to them.>> To take action, or paste it into your web browser:>> http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=1704 & id4=ES>> Sincerely,>> Dena Mottola> NJPIRG Executive Director> DenaM http://www.NJPIRG.org>> P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this > e-mail with your family and friends.>«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»Paranormal_Research - Scientific Data & Health Conspiracies Paranormal_ResearchSubscribe:... Paranormal_Research- New Sister Groups: MedicalConspiracies (One Word)Google groups:http://groups.google.comMedicalConspiraciesPost message: MedicalConspiracies (AT) googl (DOT) comSubscribe: MedicalConspiracies- (AT) googl (DOT) com______:Post message: MedicalConspiracies Subscribe: MedicalConspiracies- Any information here in is for educational purpose only, it may be news related, purely speculation or someone's opinion, If health related always consult with a qualified health practitioner before deciding on any course of treatment, especially for serious or life-threatening illnesses.**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107,any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml