Seven Questions on ‘Net Neutrality’ for Ann Arbor City Councilman Ron Suarez
Ann Arbor City Councilman Ron Suarez has been getting some good press for his putative support for ‘net neutrality’ — see Michigan City Councilman Fights for Net Neutrality. Ron has opened up his public blog for discussion of this issue.
I have some more questions arising from Cable Bill Threatens Community Access and Leaves Out Net Neutrality on RonSuarez.com:
Ron,
1) Could you please explain what the term ‘network neutrality’ means to you?
2) Are you for or against ‘network neutrality’ as you have defined it?
3) You said, Net Neutrality, besides helping non-profits and others who may never make a fortune, also helps innovators like the You Tube founders to leverage their creativity to make a fortune. Isn’t this the “American Dream?”
How would “net neutrality” help non-profits and “others who may never make a fortune”?
Do you think internet routing currently is “neutral” or “non-neutral”?
And I would say that “liberty and justice for all” is my ideal of the American Dream. “Make a fortune” is the opposite of that as far as I can see.
4) You said, There are countless web sites that I use, which would have never stayed afloat or even gotten started in the world that Comcast and AT&T would like to have.
Could you name such a site and explain how they would never have never stayed afloat or started and what would have made this difference?
And, how do you think “the world Comcast and AT&T would like to have” is different from how the “world” is now?
5) Please explain why it would be helpful or beneficial to replace the system of IETF committees and RFC’s with legislation? What penalties and means of enforcing compliance would you propose? What organization or body would oversee this? How would this be funded? How would or should it be imposed and enforced on the entire internet outside the US?
6) Please explain how Quality of Service routing would be accomplished under “net neutrality”?
see: INDEX RFC : QOS
7) Please explain why it should be illegal for a service provider to give priority to, for instance, data traffic from a trauma center which is a customer of that provider vrs. spam traffic from non-customers?
see also: Robert Kahn speaks out against ‘Net Neutrality’
Hands off my Router! Bad Government! — No to ‘Net Neutrality’!
Copyright © Henry Edward Hardy 2007
My message of support for the troops
America Supports You is a propaganda site run by the US military in order to encourage public support for the war(s). They are providing the opportunity to post messages of ‘support’ for ‘the troops’. Following is my submission:
My message of support for the troops:
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
-Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.–Wilfred Owen, KIA, 1918
If you participate in an illegal, unauthorized armed action you are violating your oath to uphold the US Constitution and destroying the honor and integrity of our military forces. The use of torture is a capital offense under US law. It is the legal obligation of every US service member to refuse to obey illegal orders.
best regards,
Henry Edward Hardy
https://scanlyze.wordpress.com/
see also: Anthem for Doomed Youth
Copyright © 2007 Henry Edward Hardy
European Union: Report on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners
The European Parliament has voted to endorse and publish a report strongly condemning the use of European facilities for the alleged kidnapping, torture, and illegal imprisonment allegedly carried out and facilitiated in EU states by alleged US persons. The resolution was passed on or about Feb 14, 2007 by a majority of 382 to 256 with 74 abstentions.
This news was ‘covered’ by the BBC, Financial Times, Radio Free Europe, Islamic Republic News Agency, Irish Times and others. However most (or all, seemingly) news accounts did not include the name of the report or a link to it. And it seems not to be easily searchable from the various EU institution sites or general search sites. Some legislative history and parliamentary questions were accessible by searching at europa.eu on on ‘rendition’.
Following are the header and conclusions from the full report.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
2004 – 2009
Session document
FINAL
A6-9999/2007
26.1.2007
REPORT
on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners
(2006/2200(INI))Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European
countries by the CIA for the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners
Rapporteur: Giovanni Claudio Fava
[…]
Final conclusions
225. Stresses, in view of the powers it was provided with and of the time which it had at its
disposal, and the secret nature of the investigated actions, that the Temporary
Committee was not put in a position fully to investigate all the cases of abuses and
violations falling within its remit and that its conclusions are therefore not exhaustive;
226. Recalls the principles and values on which the European Union is based, as provided in
Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, and calls on the EU institutions to meet their
responsibilities in relation to Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union and all other
relevant provisions of the Treaties, and to take all appropriate measures in the light of
the conclusions of the work of the Temporary Committee, the facts revealed in the
course of the Temporary Committee’s investigation and any other facts that may emerge
in the future; expects the Council to start hearings and commission an independent
investigation without delay, as foreseen in Article 7, and, where necessary, to impose
sanctions on Member States in case of a serious and persistent breaches of Article 6,
including where a violation of human rights has been declared by an international body
but no measure has been taken to redress the violation;
227. Believes that the principle of loyal cooperation enshrined in the Treaties -which requires
Member States and the EU institutions to take measures to ensure the fulfilment of their
obligations under the Treaties, such as the respect of human rights, or resulting from
action taken by the EU institutions, such as ascertaining the truth about alleged CIA
flights and prisons, and to facilitate the achievement of EU tasks and objectives – has
not been respected;
228. Recalls that in light of European Court of Human Rights case law, a signatory State
bears responsibility for the material breach of the provisions of the ECHR, and therefore
also of Article 6 of the Treaty on the European Union, not only if its direct
responsibility can be established beyond reasonable doubt, but also by failing to comply
with its positive obligation to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into
reasonable allegations of such violations;
229. Notes the reports by reputable media operators that extraordinary rendition, illegal
detention, and systematic torture involving many people is continuing, and considering
the declaration by the current US Government that the use of extraordinary rendition
and secret places of detention will be continued; therefore calls for an EU-US counterterrorism
summit to seek an end to such inhumane and illegal practices, and to insist
that cooperation with regard to counter-terrorism is consistent with international human
rights and anti-torture treaty obligations;
230. Instructs its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, where necessary in
cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs, notably its Sub-Committee on
Human Rights, to follow up politically the proceedings of the Temporary Committee
and to monitor the developments, and in particular, in the event that no appropriate
action has been taken by the Council and/or the Commission, to determine whether
there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the principles and values on which the
European Union is based, and to recommend to it any resolution, taking as a basis
Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty on European Union, which may prove necessary in this
context;
231. Calls on its Secretary-General to publish, at least in compliance with Regulation
1049/2001, all the documents received, produced and examined, as well as the records
of the proceedings of the Temporary Committee on the Internet as well as in any other
appropriate manner and calls on the Secretary-General to ensure that the developments
in fields falling within the remit of the Temporary Committee after its disbandment are
monitored;
232. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the
governments and parliaments of the Member States, of the candidate Member States
and the associated countries, and to the Council of Europe, NATO, the United Nations
and the Government and two Houses of Congress of the United States, and to request
them to keep Parliament informed of any development that may take place in the fields
falling in the remit of the Temporary Committee.
Copyright © 2007 Henry Edward Hardy
About Scanlyze
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Scanlyze is an online magazine of essays, commentary, satire, and analysis. Were we half as clever, for inspiration we would take Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, Swift, Montaigne, or Seneca.
“The men who create power make an indispensable contribution to the Nation’s greatness, but the men who question power make a contribution just as indispensable, especially when that questioning is disinterested, for they determine whether we use power or power uses us.”
John F. Kennedy, October 26, 1963
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Copyright © 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Henry Edward Hardy.
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