Save the Internet!

[King Arthur]

I received this email today:

Dear Friend,

The open internet is under threat again here in Europe. But we have the chance to protect it -- by passing legislation that would guarantee net neutrality across Europe.

Next Monday is a critical day: thefinal committee vote on the Telecoms Single Market proposalbefore the it goes to the full European Parliament in early April. Right now, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is poised to make internet discrimination the default setting in Europe -- but we have a chance to change this.

Take action TODAY: Visit SavetheInternet.eu to tell your MEP to vote for an open internet!

Next week the European Parliament has a rare opportunity to put into place internet protections that will really last. Without net neutrality rules, innovative new tech companies, artists, and writers won't be able to succeed without the permission of big telcos like Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, and Orange. Unless ITRE says no to the current definition of “Specialized Services,” ISPs will be in charge of deciding what services you get to use online.

This is the final committee vote. We can't let big telcos crush the founding principles of the open internet in Europe. ITRE must adopt the Culture and Education (CULT) Committee’s definition of network neutrality: all telcos and ISPs must treat all internet traffic equally, no matter what it is, where it came from, or where it is going.

Protect the internet TODAY: Visit SavetheInternet.eu to call or email ITRE committee members to urge them to defend innovation and the internet!

ISPs have already proven they will restrict online choice if they have a chance: In Germany and Spain, they provide preferential treatment to companies that pay for the privilege. We need your help to make sure this doesn't become the norm across Europe.

On Monday, MEPs will decide whether they will protect your rights and the internet we know and love -- or give more power to ISPs. Click here to tell them: Europeans need action, and we need it right now!

For (real!) net neutrality,

Raegan MacDonald
European Policy Manager, Brussels

[Mad Hatter]

Firstly welcome to PA King Arthur

Is this a joke? If so I like your sense of humour!! Now, donning my cynical cap - I noticed it was not dated...

For the contents to actually be valid it must have been written about twenty five years ago as that was when a real effort was needed to save the inter-netz but most where hung up on whether or not they would get milk with their cookies or dribbling over new potential profit models.

Tip: The hackers already won the war and the duped public still don't have a clue today. Sun Tzu must be laughing his @rse off.

[King Arthur]

Mad hatter, I do not understand what you're saying.

I posted that in good faith though the bad guys are masters of deception so if I have been deceived, it's no shame at all.

I signed up to a site which purported to have been set up by people concerned with protecting our internet access. I have no reason to believe it was a hoax nor do I understand what you mean about this 25 year period. Perhaps you would like to elaborate on what you are alluding to. I may claim to be King Arthur but in truth, I'm more of a Pooh Bear - of little brain.

It is not in my nature to post a spoof. I do not have the time nor inclination for silly childish matters. This is a very crucial period in the evolution of the planet. Besides, it would be unkind to post a spoof without making it very clear that it is one and I do not act from a position of malice. At least I try not to. It's a shame we can't say that about others, isn't it?

Meanwhile, I have received another missive which claims some urgency so i would urge people to look into this since the internet is VERY, VERY IMPORTANT to us who seem an alternative source of information and not be restricted to only what our controllers wish to disseminate to us:

Earlier this week I wrote to you asking you to help defend net neutrality. Tomorrow is a critical day: the final committee vote before the legislation goes to the full European Parliament.

Tomorrow, the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee will vote on amendments that could make internet discrimination the default setting across the continent. This is our last chance to protect the open net in Europe.

We need your help to make sure that our officials vote to protect the internet. Can you take five minutes now and tweet your MEP?

Tell MEP Jens Rohde:
Dear @rohde_jens, #netneutrality is key to competition in the #telecom market, please support S&D #AlternateCAs
Tell MEP Pilar del Castillo:
Dear @delcastillop, don’t let telcos choose the winners and the losers. Save #NetNeutrality!
Sra @delcastillop, necesitamos innovación y competición en el mercado. Garantize la neutralidad de la red en Europa #savetheinternet
Tell the entire ITRE Committee:
Dear @EP_Industry members, support S&D #AlternateCAs and vote in favour of #NetNeutrality!
The #EU needs #FreeExpression, competition and innovation. The EU needs #NetNeutrality! @EP_Industry members, support S&D #AlternateCAs.

This is the decisive vote: We can't let big telcos crush the founding principles of the open internet in Europe. ISPs have already proven they will restrict online choice if they have the chance: In Germany and Spain, they provide preferential treatment for companies that pay for the privilege.

We need your help to make sure this doesn't become the norm across Europe.

Take action TODAY: Visit SavetheInternet.eu to tell your MEP to vote for an open internet!

For (real!) net neutrality,

Raegan MacDonald
European Policy Manager, Brussels

[King Arthur]

Each of us has a sphere of influence. It is up to us how we impact others within our reach. As far as I am concerned, our intentions are important. There is a article which explains this very well. I'll see if I can find it again.

Basically, it does not matter how large or small your sphere of influence is. What happens is how you influence it. Do you make others feel better for having been in their lives or do you take away from their life force? So a man who may only be a road sweeper but who goes about his work with joy in his heart and kindness to strangers has a more positive impact on those in his sphere of influence than a cruel king who is feared by his subjects. It is not your status in life that matters but rather what you do with what you have.

I'll try and find this article which explains it rather well

[King Arthur]

Here it is;
http://www.christsway.co.za/letters/letter4.pdf

Pages 7/8
Each and everyone of each gender, every race, nation, religion, every level of resources and income from pauper to king, is equally important in the moment of NOW...

True differences only arise from what each person gives of himself to this moment, the next moment, and the rest of the day.

It's all about the kind of thoughts and feelings you radiate to others
A cup of water handed to someone with love can bless and uplift that person or, if handed out with ill-feeling can make the recipient feel small and of no account - a little weaker and more depressed.

... What part do you really want to play in your environment? What is your spiritual destination?

Just as importantly, what are your attitudes towards other people - superiority and exclusivity - or an awareness that more people are doing the best they can with whatever talents they possess?

To reach your full potential you must realise that neither position nor wealth can limit the power you exercise in the world. Your only limitations are your attitudes and thoughts arising from your attitudes.

... Therefore, the man who happily removes the neighbourhood refuse with a good heart and a blessing on all whom he meets, is a bright light shining in his little world, and the moneygrasping, ill-tempered man of wealth and substance emerging from his mansion to go to his office, is a pool of darkness which can be felt negatively by those who venture near him.

No matter what you do, what you possess, the position you occupy in life, there is no limit to your potential development for good..

....Everything on your earth is the energy of consciousness made visible - be it in the form of 'solid' inanimate matter of living plasma. With your thoughts, you feed or destroy whatever is in your environment.

...Are you grumbling, denigrating, destructive in thought towards your work and other people? Then rest assured, you are leaving a little trail of destructive consciousness behind you which will help erode all that it penetrates and imbues.

.... your thoughts are the origin of all your good and evil. They are the very ground of your good and evil. If it be that evil comes to you, do not look at your neighbour to see from whence has come that evil - look within your own hearts and see when last you were at odds with someone, destructuvely - by slander, falsifying truth, rejection, criticism. That was the moment of the birth of your present grief!

.....You can do much damage with your thinking and feeling. Damage to others and damage to yourself.

[King Arthur]

So I say to you, try to be a beacon of light.
I have been asked how to go about it and my answer was that if you are a loving, caring, kind, forgiving person, you are already a beacon of light.
There is no call for posting spoofs to see who falls for it and laugh in people's faces [I think on Wall Street it's called ripping off their faces?]
For as I see it, that would be the act of an immature person with insecurities who needs to prove his superiority by seeing who he can fool, no?

[King Arthur]

The internet is very important to those of us who care for our freedoms and our access to information.
The people in Turkey understand this very well.
Do you?

Casey Aldridge ‏@CaseyJAldridge 15h

RT @SauloCorona: #Taksim Turkish Citizens Say No to Web Censorship: http://is.gd/dd0eOb pic.twitter.com/e2DO1m3qDW #SansurYasaniziTanimiyoruz



RedHack_EN ‏@RedHack_EN 17h
Just like a war zone in Turkey.Who is their enemy?Public opposing internet censorship law pic.twitter.com/DAIavRxaXp #SansurYasaniziTanimiyoruz


LITERATÜRK FESTIVAL ‏@Literatuerk 21h
People of #Turkey are on the streets today to protest the Internet law #SansurYasaniziTanimiyoruz @Ozbilgin @amzdo @sinemacionder


Do not wait for them to restrict your access to information. Protest now.

[Labrenthina]

King Arthur, I am having a look into this for you before I finally get my 'beauty sleep' (yes, I do actually sleep sometimes lol).
From what I can gather with my 2am brain...the concerns are over data security/censorship (NSA fears raising their ugly head). However, I will look into it further tomorrow to see if there is anything to be concerned about (other that the same concerns we all face really).
I came across interesting article for you to read in the meantime
"Raegan suggests, it is likely that in 2014, we will become ever more aware that, regarding the use of ‘free’ services online, “we’re not the consumers but the product.”"
http://www.humanrightseurope.org/201...e-holidays-18/

[Pam]

Thank you King Arthur for your contribution. I do agree that our intent is of great importance. I have learned a lot here. I think you will have the great opportunity to do the same. These are exiting times. Welcome to Project Avalon.

[Labrenthina]

I forgot to add that I am in Australia (hence the flag), so if they are censoring EU and trying to hide internet threats from you then maybe I may still have access to those pages etc. I have caught a few US censorship as I could access sites and they couldnt (I am sure it happens vise verse too!!)
Don't stress...'panic slowly' as they say...doubt you will lose internet and even if they place crazy controls/restrictions/censorship etc, I am sure we can work around that too