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Net Neutrality 6-03-2006

Filed Under Business Book, Comments, Successful Blog, Trends | Leave a Comment

Net Neutrality Links

I’ve added these links to the Net Neutrality Page today.

This is what started it all

FYI, here’s the article that but a bee in the bonnet of the special interests who’re trying to shackle the Internet with their so-called net-neutrality regulations:

William L. Smith, chief technology officer for Atlanta-based BellSouth Corp., told reporters and analysts that an Internet service provider such as his firm should be able, for example, to charge Yahoo Inc. for the opportunity to have its search site load faster than that of Google Inc.

Or, Smith said, his company should be allowed to charge a rival voice-over-Internet firm so that its service can operate with the same quality as BellSouth’s offering.

Remedial First Amendment For The Net Neutrality Crowd

I’ve noticed lately that some net neutrality advocates have taken to calling neutrality legislation the “First Amendment of the Internet”. Allow me to point out that the first five words of the First Amendment are “Congress shall make no law …”

When it comes to our communications systems, our first priority should be to keep Congress out of it. The First Amendment says, when it comes to speech, the government simply does not make the call. It is not a question of debating right and wrong in the hallowed halls; the Constitution says simply, the government has no say.

Broadband Providers Lobby Against Internet Neutrality

We’ve been enjoying a resource that many have just assumed would continue. Consider some of the other changes that are occuring. Newspapers are going out of business all over America. Many, if not most, big city papers have been bought out by huge multi-media companies. Those media companies have shown an inclination to limit our access to the news to the point that a paid public service statement from the United Church of Christ is rejected by network TV and a book that lists the top 25 censored news stories is published annually in America.

Newspapers and other written media have been an important part of our democracy since Thomas Paine published “Common Sense” and helped light the fire of revolution and independence from a monarchy bent on exploiting, not nurturing it’s colonies. Today we face a different kind of threat. Very few men control virturally all of our news in the mainstream media and they’ve demonstrated a willness to limit even big stories like Downing St. Memos are still not widely known by Americans.

Al Gore characterized our democracy as “hollowed out” by a dearth of editorial variety in the “marketplace of ideas”. He called for the preservation of freedom on the Internet

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Net Neutrality 5-05-2006

Filed Under Business Book, Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog, Trends | 2 Comments

Net Neutrality Links

I’ve added these links to the Net Neutrality Page today.

What’s Really at Stake with Net Neutrality by Josh Silver [via caelidh ]

Broadband will soon deliver nearly all television, radio, phone service – and of course the Web – to most Americans. This transition is our big chance to do an end run around 24-7 lapdog journalism, low-brow entertainment, celebrity gossip, and rampant commercialism that has left the public in a fog of Brangelina, windbag pundits, sound bytes and little knowledge about what’s happening in the world and what our elected officials actually think or stand for.

If we lose this net neutrality battle, we lose the greatest opportunity of our lifetimes to get critical journalism and diverse media into living rooms across the nation, as the largest cable and phone companies turn the Internet into modern cable TV: they control what you see and how much it costs.

Neutrality of the Net

This is an international issue. In some countries it is addressed better than others. (In France, for example, I understand that the layers are separated, and my colleague in Paris attributes getting 24Mb/s net, a phone with free international dialing and digital TV for 30euros/month to the resulting competition.) In the US, there have been threats to the concept, and a wide discussion about what to do. That is why, though I have written and spoken on this many times, I blog about it now.
[Note: This is the blog of Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web]

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

Net Neutrality 5-03-2006

Filed Under Business Book, Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog, Trends | 2 Comments

Net Neutrality Links

I’ve added these links to the Net Neutrality Page today.

Tim Berners-Lee On Net Neutrality: It’s Important, But Now What?

This is a big issue that many people don’t seem to want to dig in on. Those who are against net neutrality regulations say that the regulations will screw things up even more, but ignore the potential downsides to letting the telcos end net neutrality. Those who want regulation say network neutrality is very important and thus needs to be written into the law — but ignore the potentially stifling aspects of bad regulations. The problem is that both sides then are talking about different things… and there’s no one looking at if it’s written into law, how can it be written to cause as little damage as possible and if it’s not written into law, how can people feel comfortable that network neutrality will remain an option going forward?

why network neutrality matters, and is worth fighting for

Craig Fields from Gun Owners of America hit the target right-on when he said

“Whenever you see people on the far left and far right joining together about something Congress is getting ready to do, it’s been my experience that what Congress is getting ready to do is basically un-American.”

Net Neutrality and Work: Howz that going to work?

So, I was just sitting here thinking about what a stupid idea eliminating net neutrality would be for me as a private individual. You know, thousands of religious websites to choose from, DailyKos on “sloth-speed”, marketing majors in ecstasy, when it occured to me that my work life could be disrupted as well.
My work depends on my ability to get to governmental as well as a lot of very small company websites to download information, software and documentation. Are they all going to have to pay protection money to get into the fast lane?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE

An Open Thought: Please Take the Keys

Filed Under Business Book, Comments, Customer Think, Successful Blog | 58 Comments

32 Reallys

Customer Think Logo

Last night, Gary paid me a stellar compliment for the whole world to see in two separate places. Wow, it was such a cool gesture, on so many levels, and totally unexpected. After a certain age, unexpected surprises aren’t usually good, so that made it even better.

On top of that, what Gary said underscored what I had said in the post that had started the entire chain of events–if you take a few minutes to do a favor for someone it often comes back in the most unexpected ways. Thank you, Gary. Thank you, Joe. Thank you, Keith.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. As my son used to say, “32 reallys.”

A Path of Favors

A whole string of events have occurred to lead up to this post. I think of them as a path of favors. One conversation led to another and then to another until we are here. The chain of events, the path of the two favors in question, went like this.

The Path of These Two Favors

    1. Joe and Keith each asked me to do a small favor–something I do anyway, every day–read and write.

    2. I was already at the keyboard when each man asked. Each favor took almost no time. Both favors were a fun break from the boring work I was doing, and both times I was left with a feeling of doing well by doing something good for someone else.

    3. My small gesture came to me in not two, but three, unexpected ways–from Joe, Keith, and then Gary.

Then a bonus occurred.

    4. Inside his response, Gary did me a favor in return without knowing it.

That’s the thing about favors and saying YES–the universe often starts saying YES back in so many ways. Favors reproduce faster than Easter bunnies (and folks don’t bite their heads off.)

Leaving a Thought Open

You see, I’ve been working on a problem with my writing, especially the writing I do on this blog. Conversation is so important to me. It gets lonely here inside the computer, and ideas need dialogue to grow. The blogosphere doesn’t need me talking at it. It needs folks talking together, shaping ideas–twisting and turning them, stretching them into new thinking. Besides, it’s more fun that way.

Gary stated my problem for me last night in a tactful and generous way–much better than I could have done myself. He said

I used to comment more than I do now, but she writes so completely that I find it difficult to add my thoughts to hers.

I know that’s a compliment, Gary. Thank you.

I value your mind and your thoughts and insights too. I can’t seem to figure out how to leave a thought open enough so that you and everyone else can have room to speak.

That’s the problem I’ve wanted to ask you about. My book background taught me to over-explain things. When I do that, you have no room to talk.

The Lost Relationship Builder

This particular skill, this blogger’s relationship builder–leaving a thought open–I had this skill not ago–It seems to be one I’ve lost track of. I keep tying things up so tightly, even I can see there’s not room to add much. I’ve been reading old posts to find out what I did differently a few months ago, especially this one, More Blog Designs to Discuss.

That was December 2005. Obviously my customer think was different then. It had to be. I’d love to get some of that back. We all need that skill.

Please Take the Keys

Movie stars have directors. Olympic athletes have coaches. I’m just a blogger. I have you.

If we’re talking about customer think–brand you and me–what better case study than this blog itself? You can’t hurt my feelings talking about my writing. I know it’s not who I am. I’d like to know how to get myself off the stage and back into the audience again. Will you tell me what you see? Would you do me that favor? Just say YES.

Sometimes the customer needs to be in the driver’s seat. Please take the keys.

How will I learn if you don’t?

Brand you and me.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Customer Think: I’m Not a Kid, I’m a Person
Just Say YES!

One Degree Extra

Filed Under Branding, Business Book, Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | 8 Comments

212 The Extra Degree Screenshot

At 211° water is hot.

At 212°, it boils.

With boiling water, comes steam.

Steam can power a locomotive.

The one extra degree makes the difference.

–Sam Parker and Mac Anderson, 212°, the extra degree, Simple Truths

One degree makes the difference. One degree that’s all–one degree. Are you willing to invest that extra degree in yourself, in business, in your brand?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
Leaders and Higher Ground
Finding that Dream Company
Images & Sound-Bytes of a Brand YOU Leader
Brand YOU–2 Keys to Leadership

Leaders, Tunnels, and Vision

Filed Under Branding, Business Book, Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

Leaders and Tunnel Vision

Tunnel photo
When your thinking is stuck in a tunnel,

it’s the leader in you that finds a way out.

Seeing the tunnel and the light at the end of it

is what leaders recognize as opportunity.

Walking to the light invites others to follow.

What the leader called opportunity, others call vision.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles:
The Only One
Leaders and Higher Ground
Finding that Dream Company

Finding that Dream Company

Filed Under Branding, Business Book, Business Life, Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

Black hole photo

I am often asked

by would-be entrepreneurs

seeking escape from life within

huge corporate structures,

“How do I build a small firm for myself?”

The answer seems obvious:

“Buy a very large one and just wait”

–Paul Ormerod, Why Most Things Fail: Evolution, Extinction and Economics
via Tom Peters

Did I hear a laugh of recognition?

Not all corporate structures are broken. Some have leaders and imagination.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

SOB BusinessCafe 02-02-2006

Filed Under Business Book, Great Finds, SOB Business, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the screenshot to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

SOB James at Qwerty offers a response to a BNET Blog on how viral marketing works best for you. The post uses To Kill a Mockingbird and Ophrah’s Book Club as examples.

Qwerty_Viral_Marketing Article

Next is an article for Road Warriors from realtor marketing on the internet called “Why you need autoresponders.” It gives a complete rundown on the use of autoresponder. The post explains their value to any online business when the occasional customer interacts and requires a response.

Why You Need Autoresponders

SOB Shirley at Solo Business Marketing has a great techniques for networking while keeping up with the news. She shares it in this post.

Share the News with Your Clients Article

SOB Dave at WadBlog is tracking his journey as he starts a network on $1000 USD bankroll. This week he had three great posts. We feature the article on picking a domain name. He pulls no punches and makes some good points.

Picking Domain Names Article Screenshot

Related ala carte selections include
SOB Business Cafe 01-27-2006
SOB Business Cafe 01-20-2006

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss