Here is the letter from AT&T:

Let your voice be heard: Internet regulation is bad for consumers, jobs, investment and universal broadband

TO: All U.S.-based managers

Over the last few weeks an extraordinary number of voices expressed concern over news reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised to regulate the Internet in a manner that would drive up consumer prices, and burden companies like ours while exempting companies like Google. According to The Washington Post, the FCC has received a dozen letters from Republican and Democratic governors, a letter signed by 18 Republican senators, and a letter sent by 72 Democratic members of Congress. In addition, letters expressing serious concerns were sent by many state legislators and minority groups, and our union partners, CWA and the IBEW.

We encourage you, your family and friends to join the voices telling the FCC not to regulate the Internet. It can be done through a personal email account by going to www.openinternet.gov and clicking on the "Join the Discussion" link.

The FCC has extended the period for receiving comments by allowing postings to its blog until Thursday, October 22nd. Those who seek to impose extreme regulations on the network are flooding the site to influence the FCC. It's now time for you to voice your opinion!

In addition to your own thoughts, any of the following points can be used when you develop your brief blog comments.

• America's wireless consumers enjoy the broadest range of innovative services and devices, lowest prices, highest usage levels, and most choices in the world. Why disrupt a market that's working so well?
• There is fierce competition for wireless and broadband customers. Competition drives innovation and encourages companies to develop products, services and applications that consumers want. There's been more innovation in this market than in any since the World Wide Web was introduced. The market is working for consumers. Don't burden it with unnecessarily harmful regulations.
• Network companies have to be able to manage their networks to ensure the most economical and efficient use of bandwidth, and provide affordable broadband services for all users. Network management is essential for consumers to enjoy the benefits of new quality-sensitive applications and services. The FCC rules should not stop the promise of life-changing, cost-saving services such as telemedicine that depend on a managed network.
• The "net neutrality" rules as reported will jeopardize the very goals supported by the Obama administration that every American have access to high-speed Internet services no matter where they live or their economic circumstance. That goal can't be met with rules that halt private investment in broadband infrastructure. And the jobs associated with that investment will be lost at a time when the country can least afford it.
• The FCC shouldn't burden an industry that is bringing jobs and investment to the country, but if it is going to regulate the Internet it should do so fairly. The goal of the FCC should be to maintain a level playing field by treating all competitors the same. Any new rules should apply equally to network providers, search engines and other information services providers.

Thank you in advance for taking action that supports our customers, our company, and our country's commitment to ensure that every American has access to broadband.

Jim Cicconi
Senior Executive Vice President - External and Legislative Affairs
ATT

Well, let's break that down. First off, the FCC's contemplated action would be "exempting companies like Google" because the rules are directed at the ISPs, not at the content providers. AT&T, Comcast, et al are the subject of the regulation, companies like Google, who produce the content that consumers access via the internet, aren't. You could just as easily say it would "exempt companies like Craigslist, or Gawker, or Meatspin."

In response to AT&T's offered talking points:

• "Why disrupt a market that's working so well?" The market is currently operating under net neutrality principles, albeit principles with little force of law behind them. Net neutrality has been the operating norm of the Internet since its inception; it's only recently that ISPs have discovered there's money to be made in ransoming certain content.
• "Competition drives innovation and encourages companies to develop products, services and applications that consumers want . . . . The market is working for consumers. Don't burden it with unnecessarily harmful regulations." You know what doesn't encourage companies to develop products, services, and applications that consumers want? Making them pay an ISP for the privilege of even showing their content to consumers. A great part of the internet is the low cost of entry for new ideas and products. Forcing start-ups to buy access to a customer base could kill the next big idea.
• "Network companies have to be able to manage their networks... The FCC rules should not stop the promise of life-changing, cost-saving services such as telemedicine that depend on a managed network." The FCC, which hasn't announced concrete rules yet and won't be until the completion of a lengthy factfinding process, has already indicated that in some circumstances network management may be necessary and would be allowable, provided it was done in a transparent manner. Telemedicine has in fact been used as an example where such management might be needed.
• "[Net neutrality rules would] halt private investment in broadband infrastructure. And the jobs associated with that investment will be lost at a time when the country can least afford it." First, content providers, like Google, YouTube, or Facebook, also employ people. Limiting the content that can travel through the internet would also risk losing jobs. But more importantly, there is no evidence that net neutrality would discourage investment in broadband infrastructure. Indeed, from 2006 to 2008, AT&T has had net neutrality rules imposed on it as a condition of its merger with BellSouth. As this article points out, "AT&T's network investments increased immediately following the imposition of the Net Neutrality merger condition and continued to rise over the two years of the merger agreement. When the neutrality condition expired on Dec. 29, 2008, the company sharply reduced its investment."
• "If [the FCC] is going to regulate the Internet it should do so fairly . . . . Any new rules should apply equally to network providers, search engines, and other information services providers." This is gibberish. Search engines don't transmit content; they can't, for instance, block torrent files. Only the tube owners like Comcast and AT&T can block or discriminate against content.

In conclusion, AT&T is full of it, net neutrality is awesome, and trying to stop the flow of information is usually a bad idea.

ELSEWHERE:
Now on Sale at the AT&T Store: Anti-Net Neutrality Propaganda [Public Knowledge]
AT&T Boss Asks Employees to Fake It [Save The Internet]
(Photo: quietmint)

AT&T confirmed that 2 year contracts are not required for the SIM-only option, though in some cases certain promotional rate plans do require a contractual obligation:

..let me be very clear in saying that in most cases you don't need a two-year contract. If you wanted a rate plan that is a special promotion, then we might ask you to sign a two-year contract, says William Marks, a PR rep in AT&T's wireless division.

The online offer went live last Friday as a way to make sure customers are aware of all the options we give them, including bringing their own device. We took a look at the way the offer was written, and felt it needed to be even clearer that you don't need a contract if you bring your compatible device and want a SIM and service from us. We have removed the offer temporarily from att.com while we make the necessary revisions.

(Photo:Todd Kravos)

ISPs want to block BitTorrent, ban political text messages, and censor concert lyrics. The only political solution to bad faith is to strip of ISPs of their right to discriminate.

Net neutrality advocates want two things: hearings in the Congressional Commerce Committees; and for the FCC to join them at the woodshed to slap Comcast with a massive fine. Now is the time to write to your Members of Congress, write to the FCC Commissioners, and visit SaveTheInternet.com.

Write Your Senator
Write Your Representative
PREVIOUSLY: How To Write To Congress
(Photo: SuziJane)

Tax freedom day is theoretical because it assumes we've been working 7 days a week since the start of the year, and that we don't spend anything we make. The 120 days from Jan. 1 through April 30 represents the time it will take the nation as a whole to earn enough to pay off all of the taxes that will be levied against us this year.

Breaking that 120 days down, the Tax Foundation estimates it will take:

* 43 days of work to pay off federal, state and local income taxes
* 30 days to pay off payroll taxes (for Social Security and Medicare)
* 16 days to pay off sales and excise taxes
* 14 days to pay off corporate income taxes (This assumes that a tax on a business is passed on to its customers, employees and shareholders in terms of higher prices, lower paychecks and less shareholder value.)
* 12 days to pay off property taxes
* 4 days to pay off other taxes (e.g., customs duties)
* 1 day to pay off estate and gift taxes

Americans work 4 months to pay this year's taxes [CNNMoney]
(Photo: Brent and Marylinn)

The recent Copyright Office ruling on unlocking GSM phones puts some much-needed power back in the hands of you, the wireless consumer. This means you can now bring your Cingular phone over to T-Mobile, or vice-versa. You also have the right to switch between prepaid and postpaid service on the same phone. And when you travel abroad, you can pop an international SIM card into your phone for much lower rates.

This last bit is especially important, because international cell phone use is crazy expensive. So what are the best unlocked phones? ABC likes the Samsung X820 (pictured above) "a perfect example of a terrific product that the carriers tried to block out of the U.S. market for no perceptible reason. It's less than .3 inches thick, with a 2-megapixel camera, gorgeous screen, and fun interface." They also have high esteem for the Nokia N80, Palm Treo 680, Sony Ericsson W810i and the Nokia 7380.

They advocate buying directly from the manufacturer, suggesting that rebel phone purchasing is akin to making a political statement. We've all been under the thumb of wireless companies for too long! Break free with an unlocked phone. —MEGHANN MARCO

Best Unlocked Phones [ABC News/PC Magazine]

As proof, he points to the photographs on the Freedom web site which clearly shows the mouse rest on the right hand side. Hence why the table is flipping the laptop in the wrong direction.

So is the left-hand freak who constructed his laptop table together all enantiomorph like to blame? Or like Catholic School sisters, is Freedom Furniture simply prejudiced against the unclean dominion of a dominant left hand?

Either way, one thing to keep in mind is that even if Jason had constructed the laptop table correctly, it looks like the laptop would have simply gone trebucheting into his face instead of onto the floor.

Previously: Crappiest Laptop Table in the World

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