Dear Keith,

I am writing in regard to the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, which has been passed in the House and is now under consideration in the Senate. I find the language of this bill to be highly troubling considering on the vague definitions and broad findings. For example:

(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

I find the distinction "force or violence", to be extremely chilling considering that if we look at the dictionary definitions of force that do not include violence we find this:

3. mental or moral strength or power

[Cross-posted everywhere I can]
Just yesterday I posted a diary about a story about Time Warner rolling out 'metered' internet usage that has received a decent amount of coverage. Some of the commenters were very skeptical that it directly correlated to Network Neutrality. To them I now ask that you drink a big glass of STFU.

Via Wired:

Comcast will begin testing what the cable concern has described as a "protocol agnostic" approach to managing bandwidth traffic during high-peak periods, Comcast said Tuesday.

Selected customers in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and Warrenton, Virginia, are expected to receive e-mails on Wednesday highlighting the program. The 30-day tests are expected to begin Thursday.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume it's very important to everyone that we have a healthy number of small and independent publications in this country. You know, to help keep the big boys honest if they should ever become lax in their duties as the fourth estate (heaven forbid). Unfortunately, it looks like these publications are under a stealth attack, via Common Dreams:

The Post Office is in the process of implementing a radical reformulation of its mailing rates for magazines. Under the plan, smaller periodicals will be hit with a much larger increase than the big magazines, as much as 30 percent. Some of the largest circulation magazines will face hikes of less than 10 percent.

The new rates, which go into effect on July 15, were developed with no public involvement or congressional oversight, and the increased costs could damage hundreds, even thousands, of smaller publications, possibly putting many out of business. This includes nearly every political journal in the nation. These are the magazines that often provide the most original journalism and analysis. These are the magazines that provide much of the content on Common Dreams. We desperately need them.

(Crossposted at lethologica)

Just wanted to spread awareness of the concept of Network Neutrality.  If you haven't heard of it, check out http://www.savetheinternet.com.  You don't have to look to far into this issue before you realize that this is an issue which could fundamentally alter the future of the Internet, and not in a good way.

As someone who has worked in the interactive industry for nearly a decade, I can say without a doubt that abolishing protections that keep the Internet free from corporate interference in the flow of information would be a major step backwards and diminish the United States' in the global technology market.

Below the fold is the content of an email I sent to my everyone in my address book as well as my representatives in the House and Senate via SaveTheInternet.com.