You know what guys, this is getting old. I happen to run a small wireless ISP west of the cities, I'm on mailing lists full of people who also run wireless ISP's. The government should not be competing against the private sector 99.999% of the time, the Twin Cities area has more than sufficient internet access options, and what is being proposed is a huge waste of tax dollars. Broadband is $20/mo for DSL from companies like MSN, $42.95 for faster service from the likes of Comcast or RoadRunner. If you can't afford that then perhaps you need to GET A JOB, or visit the public library for your downloading needs. If St Paul really has issues with lack of "quality" broadband they should terminate their contract with comcast to run their cable network and find someone else that will do it to their liking. I challenge you all to consider what would happen to *your* job if the government came in and started using your own tax dollars to compete with you. And stop blaming the big bad monopolies, your local city council are the ones giving them free reign over the cable networks. Your state and federal goverments are the ones giving them corporate welfare that lets them undercut the prices of local competition, and YOU are the ones electing those government officials. Blame yourself. > >Dear Media Reformer: > > > > Community Internet may be the most important media policy fight of > >the decade. Local communities across the country -- looking to offer > >affordable, universal access to high-speed broadband services -- are > >squaring off against big cable and telephone companies determined to > >outlaw the competition. > > > > In a few years, all communications -- TV, radio, Internet and > >telephone -- will come through broadband Internet connections. If Big > >Media has its way, access will cost more than $100 a month, and > >corporations -- not communities -- will determine what information is > >available and what's not. > > > > The fight for tomorrow's technology is being waged today. Here's what > >you can do: > > > > 1. Watch Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott on tonight's broadcast > >of NOW, the PBS news magazine. (Click here to check your local > >listings.) Then visit Free Press' new Community Internet site to learn > >more. > > > > 2. A rapid response from vocal citizens is the only way to stop the > >cable and telephone companies when they try to sneak in bad > >legislation under the radar. Help us win the next battle by getting 10 > >people to sign up now as Free Press e-activists for future actions. > >It's free and takes only a few seconds. > > > > 3. Meet and strategize with other activists working to defend > >Community Internet at the National Conference for Media Reform in St. > >Louis on May 13-15. You can register for the conference online or by > >calling (866) 462-2838. We need you to be there to build this > >important campaign. > > > > With your help, we can stop Big Media -- and win the struggle for the > >future of communications in America. > > > > Onward, > > > > Josh Silver > > Executive Director > >Free Press > > > >P.S. Early bird registration for the conference is still available, > >but not for much longer. Register now. -- Matthew S. Hallacy FUBAR, LART, BOFH Certified http://www.poptix.net GPG public key 0x01938203