Goldie hooks it up!

THERE IS NO SHAME IN MY GAME! I'm on my hustle.



Alright. Here it is. This is my call to the PDX readers of CIM to consider switching from Comcast to Clear. I am ready and able to help you make that happen. You'll never have to share bandwidth again. Clear uses WiMax (wifi on crack). You will save mad dolla bills. Plans start at $20 a month. Have questions? Give me a call! -or- email me! goldiedavich (at) gmail (dot) com

Your's Sincerely with Love and Appreciation,
goldie

Not a fan of Comcast? Fuel the fire:

• A Washington student got a bit of a shock when he received an email from internet service provider Comcast about comments he had made on his blog. Read more...

• Thanks to the Computer Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) from May 2007, companies like Comcast have more latitude to spy on users for both the government and themselves. They are using this latitude now to hire someone whose sole purpose will be to spy on Comcast users. Read more...

• WASHINGTON -- On Friday, Comcast released the technical details of its current and future "network management" practices. This disclosure by the nation's largest cable company was required as part of the Federal Communications Commission's order last month sanctioning Comcast for blocking Internet users' access to lawful online content and services. Read more...

Tech analyst John Paczkowski reports on Comcast's decision to appeal the FCC’s precedent-setting ruling that Internet gatekeepers cannot block users' access to the free and open Internet:

Read More >>

Portland Indie Musicians: Do hobo's deserve The Internet?

Chances are if you are a musician living in Portland, Oregon you are on the brink of becoming a hobo. You might not think you will need The Internet when you are living on the streets. You are wrong, dead wrong. How do you think you will promote your next show?

Image from Netbum.org

Click here to help a hobo (indie musician) today!

Do it for yourself and your 26 friends who are in a band.

Read More >>

White Spaces are awesome not COMCASTIC!

Hey Ebreebodie! I'm begging you please, please, please, please Ebreebodie make 3 phone calls today to keep the airwaves we are no longer going to be using for TV and open them up to be used by the people, not COMCASTIC CORPORATIONS.

Senator (R-Oregon) Gordon Smith
Phone: (202) 224-3753 / (503) 326-3386

Senator (D-Oregon) Ron Wyden
Phone: (202) 224-5244 / (503) 326-3386

Representative (D-Oregon) Earl Blumenauer
Phone: (202) 225-4811 / (503) 231-2300

Senator: (D-Washington) Patty Murray
Phone: (202) 224-2621 / (206) 553-5545

Senator: (D-Washington) Maria Cantwell
Phone: (202) 224-3441 / (206) 220-6400

Representative (D-Brian Baird)
Phone: (202) 225-3536 / (360) 695-6292

When you call your Senator's and Representatives you can tell them:

Hello (probably gonna talk to a staffer),

My name is ___________. I am from _____________. I am calling to ask Ms/Mr___________ to write to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin urging him to open white spaces for the public good.

• I want to urge Ms/Mr_____________ to make sure the Federal Communications Commission does not further delay a set of new rules that would open up the empty television channels -- often referred to as "white spaces" -- for innovative broadband services.

• The FCC must act now to give back our airwaves for much needed broadband services that would help bridge the digital divide, lower broadband costs for consumers, and jump-start our economy through new investment in technology.

• The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you."

(very important -- VERIFY THAT THE STAFFER KNOWS WHAT 'white spaces' are and if they are clear about why you are calling. I just talked to Cantwell's office and they haven't received phone calls -- the guy didn't know what white spaces are. Patty Murray has received some calls but the staffer allowed me to briefly explain some terms. Please feel free to ask them if anyone else has called about this issue. It's important to know if no one is calling. Nov. 4th is next week!)

Are you familiar with the term white spaces?

If they answer yes:

1. I want to remind you and Ms/Mr.senator:
Powerful cell phone companies are pushing the government to auction off white spaces licenses to the highest bidder. This would give the richest companies the exclusive right to determine how they are used. Broadcasters might simply sit on a white space license to prevent others from accessing the public airwaves; a major cell phone company won't use the spectrum to compete with its existing businesses, keeping prices high and stifling innovation.

2. Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

If they answer no:

1. "White spaces" are empty frequencies between television channels. You may have heard about how we are moving from analog television to all digital. These empty frequencies have the potential to connect millions to the information superhighway. The powerful broadcasting lobby would rather hoard this spectrum for themselves

2. Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

Learn about unused spectrum between the TV channels "It's like Wi-Fi on Steroids":



If you do make calls leave a comment and let me know how it went. Please leave a comment if you have questions about this issue. -- Sincerely, Ste. Goldie

Read More >>

Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA Lovers of The Internet and CIMTB: Action Alert! Please read!

Hello Friends of CIMTB!

I got an action alert in my inbox from Freepress.org. I sincerely hope the readers of CIMTB can join me in the fight for Net Neutrality and eraseing the digital divide by advocating a free Internet. A bunch of phone calls from concerned citizens does count for something:

Dear Goldie,

A huge decision is going to be made on Election Day that could change the lives of millions of Americans.

And it's not about Obama or McCain.

On Nov. 4, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on whether to open unused television airwaves to provide affordable Internet services nationwide.

Tell Washington: Open the Airwaves for Everyone

Opening up these vacant airwaves -- called white spaces -- might be our best opportunity to close the digital divide.

They can transmit an Internet signal over mountains and through concrete walls. But that hasn't stopped the National Association of Broadcasters from deploying their lobbyists to try to keep us from delivering a better Internet for everyone.

FCC engineers just completed an exhaustive study that shows white spaces can be used to connect millions to the Internet without harming TV signals. But the NAB doesn't like the results, and they're trying to get Congress to intervene.

Right now, NAB lobbyists are lining up outside the doors of Congress. Sen. Maria Cantwell needs to hear your side of the story:

Tell Your Senator: White Spaces Belong to the Public

It's time we ended the NAB's decades-long effort to control our airwaves. We must move quickly to make sure we don't lose this tremendous opportunity to connect all of America to affordable Internet services.

In rural parts of the country, more than 75% of TV airwaves sit vacant. Even urban areas, where the spectrum is crowded, stand to gain from opening white spaces. Making these airwaves available for Internet access has bipartisan support at the FCC and in Congress. It just makes sense.

On Nov. 4, the FCC needs to simply follow good science with good policy -- shedding outdated standards that have placed our airwaves under the lock and key of the broadcasting lobby.

Time is running out. Make your call today:

(Washington State) Sen. Maria Cantwell, (202) 224-3441, (206) 220-6400

Unless we urge Congress and the FCC to push back against the NAB and open up white spaces, we could miss out on one of our last, best chances to build a better Internet for everyone.

Thank you for taking action,

Timothy Karr
Campaign Director
Free Press
http://www.freepress.net/
http://www.savetheinternet.com/

P.S. To learn more about the campaign to open white space, visit http://www.freepress.net/whitespaces.

HERE IS OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVES:

Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR)
404 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3753
Web Form: gsmith.senate.gov/contact/
Wyden, Ron- (D - OR)
230 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5244
Web Form: wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Please pass this message on to your loved ones.
Thank you. -- Ste. Goldie

Read More >>