Jake's Word: End of The Net as We Know It

Subject: The end of unlimited internet

Dear Friends,

I loathe emails that try to alarm me, usually to sell advertising. I do not watch news or weather or read or listen to news or weather unless something is actually happening that might actually require my attention. For that reason I do not send out emails that encourage you to do anything other than suggest you drop in on new work at 9th St. Laboratories, or check out a site I found interesting.

This is an exception. If Time-Warner, Comcast and other large scale internet have their way the days of unlimited internet are over. You will pay for every byte you upload or download.

I believe that you don't need to find the news because real news will find you. Here is a link to the story as I heard it initially:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103041709

If we do not protest this blatant greed things will change for the worse. We will be looking back at the last 10 years as the golden era of the internet before the big money took control. There are already trials in some cities regardless of the protest.

We need to take action now. I have already written my internet provider, both my senators, my representative and the president.

If you need a template or an example here is the letter I wrote them, making the necessary adjustments for the parties to which the letter was directed:

This email is to voice my strong opposition to caps on internet usage. As you probably know some internet providers are currently changing the way they charge for the internet instead of simply requiring a charge for unlimited usage. The internet works quite well as it is currently structured. It is obvious that this is just another attempt by large corporate providers to take advantage of the consumer. I do not use the internet to download movies or any other high bandwidth demand beyond the occasional streaming video of a news story or video at YouTube. Still I believe that the current structure works, that the price is more than sufficient for a provider to make a substantial profit. If some of the changes that are currently in trial become general practice I will abandon the internet and no longer do business on any level with any company that manipulates its customers in order to boost profit. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

XXX

Recent history is evidence to the fact that greed can and will destroy democracy and capitalism if we allow it to happen. I urge each of you to take action now.

I am sorry to distract you from your lives, but if I did not do it now, in a few months, or even weeks, i might not be able to afford to email you at all.

All the best,
Jake