The end of commercial broadcast radio as we know it.

[w5hro]

As I've said, there are many encrypted proxy services to get around any ISP limitations on where you can surf.  The ISP has no way of knowing your ultimate destination is an email service as all of the traffic, IP routing, etc., is handled by the encrypted proxy.

As I've said, it's not that complicated

Your ISP normally gives you email account(s) which go through email servers whether it be pop/smtp, IMAP, etc. They don't need to determine what your intent is, they just need to track the number of times you send and receive mail thru those servers using your account. It's not rocket science. You’re confusing everything by when I say ISP. It’s whoever gives you the email account(s), generally your ISP. If you also have other paid for mail accounts such as an Apple mac.com account then Apple would also be responsible just like your ISP.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Brian, you are not accounting for offshore Web based email accounts. If I connect to them via a VPN or Onion routing, no one in this country will know I am sending and receiving email.

[w5hro]

Brian, you are not accounting for offshore Web based email accounts. If I connect to them via a VPN or Onion routing, no one in this country will know I am sending and receiving email.

To quote myself:

"Its not complicated when you stop all of the free web-based email services and force people to use their assigned or paid for email accounts like their ISP gives them.

Sure, there are always going to be issues with hackers and overseas email servers in the beginning, but that doest mean there wouldn't be substantial revenue generated, the amount would be huge. The average non-tech person wouldn't have a clue as to how to get around the system anyway."

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

It would be impossible to force people to use their ISP email service. Using Onion routing is as simple as installing any other program. No technical expertise needed.

[w3jn]

 

It's even simpler than that.  Just log onto an encrypted proxy server (am I repeating myself?) and bypass any ISP-imposed restrictions.

[w5hro]

It would be impossible to force people to use their ISP email service. Using Onion routing is as simple as installing any other program. No technical expertise needed.

That's bull

The only thing it would take is for the FED to pass legislation that says internet email will now be taxed. As soon as that happened all of the free web based email providers here in the U.S. like Yahoo, MSM, Gmail, and etc. would be forced to stop or covert to a paid service that they could track. It is not inconceivable. There will always be ways to get around the system at first such as web-based email offshore, but in time ISP’s could be required to start blocking access to those sites as they pop up and then find new ways to close loopholes whenever they arise.

The point that I’m trying to make here is that everyone thinks the internet is untouchable and so complex that things like an email tax could never happen. That is HOGWASH and very naive. Just because the internet is still free doesn’t mean its going to stay that way forever because it won’t. All it will take is for one thing to happen like an email tax to open the door and additional regulations are bound to follow. I hope that it never happens, but just like the broadcast radio issue it’s only a matter of time before it does.

73’s

Brian

[W3RSW]

 You all have to remember what totalitarian govt's are really like.  You'll have ISP cops and watchers just like block wardens,  they'll be delighted to report you, what they hear at the local pub, who's doing what, etc. Once the finger's pointed, the microscope peers ever deeper.

As usual those that comply, pay the tax; those that don't (provided they continue to not pay) drive up the tax for the rest of us.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

LOL. You are being naive. The internet is not free. We've already discussed that.

Tons of non-taxed email services would spring up overseas. Unless the Feds stopped all access to servers outside the USA, any email tax would be easily sidestepped. State sales taxes are being sidestepped now with little or no effort.


Watch out for those black helicopters!

[w3jn]

Watch out for those black helicopters!

I always do, and this advice has served me well 

[KA1ZGC]

I can't believe I just read someone saying "all it takes is for the FED to pass legislation".

Are you freakin' kidding me? There's legislation against child porn. There's legislation against stalking. There's legislation against harassment. All these things take place online and off, and legislation didn't do a goddamn thing to even slow it down, let alone stop it.

What is it that makes people think that making something law automatically makes everyone comply?

[w3jn]

I see you need to watch out for those black helicompters there too, sonny  ! 

[WQ9E]

Black helicopters are so 90's.  Don't you realize they have been invisible and silent for years? 

But never fear, somewhere is a secret lab someone has almost cracked the secret of converting those 1950's Conelrad alarms into invisible helicopter detectors.  So make sure you look under the tables for one of these things at the next hamfest so you too will be prepared.

Now back to worrying about the government tracking me to a hamfest via OnStar.  Or just maybe there are enough real problems (like the lead I just broke on a 7805 regulator while I was repairing my CX-7A) that there really isn't time for imaginary ones.

[w5hro]

Guys, read the attached artical via the link below.

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/columns/executive_tech/article.php/3522911

Who's naive now?  That happened back in 2005. Watch what happens within the next few years, its only the beginning.

[KA1ZGC]

Guys, read the attached artical via the link below.

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/columns/executive_tech/article.php/3522911

Who's naive now?  That happened back in 2005. Watch what happens within the next few years, its only the beginning.

How have the enforcement efforts gone? Has this stopped any and all spam in the state of Michigan? Have there been any child abductions or rapes in Michigan in the last five years?

If the answers are "poorly", "no", and "yes" (and I'll put money on all three), then your question about naivete' is answered.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Black helicopters are so 90's.  Don't you realize they have been invisible and silent for years?

Oh crap! I'm screwed!

Next you'll tell me they are contolling my mind via cell phone towers.

[ka3zlr]

Looking at the Ce4ll coverage of zerizon why is there such a big hole in Nevada....sup wit dat.

73
Jack

[w5hro]

Other states besides Michigan and Utah have already passed similar tax legislation in disguise since 2005. Have you checked to see if your state has too?

They are trying to do a similar thing here in CA now, but they came out and said the words “email tax”.

How have the enforcement efforts gone? Has this stopped any and all spam in the state of Michigan? Have there been any child abductions or rapes in Michigan in the last five years?

I guess you missed the concept that the Michigan law was passed for other reasons other than to stop spam and protect children.

[W3RSW]

Oooooh.

Looking at the Ce4ll coverage of zerizon why is there such a big hole in Nevada....sup wit dat.

Well everybody knows that Nevada's just a big area 51, but have you seen the cell coverage hole over WVa.? 
It's the secret national park portion of the latest purloined 81 million acres.

Patrolled by translucent, invisible, light wave bending saucers, "donch'a know schonnies."_{tm, op. cit. 'HUZ et. al.}

[KB2WIG]

Black helicopters are so 90's.  Don't you realize they have been invisible and silent for years?

Oh crap! I'm screwed!

Next you'll tell me they are contolling my mind via cell phone towers.

Sshhh He's one of them.


klc

[Bill, KD0HG]

There is a positive side to this.

If somehow, someway, effectively applied, an email fee could create a problem for spammers. Even a penny per message could put them out of business.

[WA2AJM/3]

I'm not going to beat this drum anymore, but I'm sure the link to this article will be of interest to some. Dated today, it talks about the FCC's plan for nationwide broadband by 2020.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/191438/fccs_national_broadband_plan_whats_in_it.html

The highlights of this new plan are:

"The FCC wants 100M bps service to be available to 100 million U.S. homes by about 2020."

"Over the next 10 years, the agency plans to identify 500MHz of wireless spectrum that can be freed up for wireless broadband service."

"The agency will propose a new program asking television stations to voluntarily give up unused spectrum in exchange for a portion of the proceeds when that spectrum is auctioned."

I have already read that some FCC staffers are proposing to pay DTV stations to voluntarily relinquish their licenses so that the TV band can be repacked and reduced yet again in favor of broadband technologies. In terms of regulatory support, OTA DTV appears to be a dead man walking.  




73, Jim
WA2AJM/3

[Ed W1XAW]

Gotta say that I have no way to know how typical this is but when I drive around carloads of 10 year old girls they all want to listen to the "Q," a local station that plays Lady Ga Ga and The Black Eyed Peas endlessly (off a satellite feed I assume).   Anyway who said radio was dead to kids?   Is this speculation or is there some audience polling that says so?

[W3SLK]

Ed said:

Gotta say that I have no way to know how typical this is but when I drive around carloads of 10 year old girls they all want to listen to the "Q," a local station that plays Lady Ga Ga and The Black Eyed Peas endlessly (off a satellite feed I assume).   

O M G! I think I would rather jump penis first into a field full of cactus than listen to that stuff. That might be the reason for broadcast radio's rapid demise. Everything has to be suited to a niche and the variety has to be there. Without a doubt, if it wasn't for sports and talk radio the AM portion would be deserted.

[ka3zlr]

Howdy,

I have three kidz. the oldest likes today's Pop, the middle daughter likes all country,(we side up alot in family arguments) and the Boy who's 14 talks to other people on this game box thing he has put together, it's some Live Army Battle thing on going, a little technical savvy there,I was proud of him when he wanted me to see it when he got it built.. and likes the black eyed peas deal. All on the radio's they have.

My Wife Listens to a Church station,...I wear Homey Tennis Shoes an listen to 1020 KDKA with my headphone set up when I do my 1 mile an a 1/2 as per Doctors orders.

73
Jack

[k4kyv]

Interestingly, I was skimming through some of the 1923 issues of Radio Broadcast that I just downloaded, and ran across an article on the topic of radio stations paying royalties when they play records over the air, virtually identical to what is being debated to-day.

I very rarely listen to any commercial broadcast station - AM or FM.  I mostly  listen to one of the three NPR FM outlets receivable in this area. During daylight hours I can also get one NPR AM station. In addition, mostly for the music they offer, I sometimes listen to one of the three non-affiliated university FM stations we can pick up. There is no classical or jazz played on any of the local commercial stations.  About the only commercial AM left with any class at all, is WSM in Nashville, but I am not particularly a fan of country music although I can take it in small doses.

Besides AM and FM, I play streaming audio from Radio France Internationale, and sometimes surf what else is streamed on the net. I still surf the SWBC bands, but no longer regularly listen to anything there.

I consider it a lot of TV if I watch more than two hours a week.  Mostly PBS, but occasionally some of the cable channels like National Geographic, but my cable choice is very limited since all I subscribe to is the bare-bones basic cable service, which offers little more than what you can pick up OTA  Once in a great while I surf the new OTA sub-channels, but about the only thing I find worthwhile there is PBS-2 during daytime, which offers something besides Sesame Street and other so-called "educational" programming for kids.

I hate the idea of paying for cable service and still having to watch commercials, but you do the same thing with newspapers and magazines - pay for the subscription and still there are ads.  But at least the ads in printed matter don't interrupt your reading unless you want them to.

I could get by without a TV in the house and not miss it.  My wife watches some of the stuff on commercial TV like American Idol, but I think it is a waste of time. But she doesn't keep the TV running all her waking hours as many of her friends do.

To put it bluntly, I have just about as much use for commercial radio and TV as I have for 75m slopbucket.