Net Neutrality: The Legality of Discrimination

Disclaimer: I had a helluva time deciphering all the technical aspects of this topic, so this entry might be mistake-heavy. I'll accept corrections if any need to be made.

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Network Neutrality (or simply Net Neutrality), as defined by Wikipedia is as follows:

"...traditionally meant the neutrality of the basic internet protocols with respect to the diverse ways in which they can be use. This is more often called 'content neutrality' or 'application neutrality.' "

Okay, so that's very jargon-heavy. Allow me to simplify: Net Neutrality means internet service providers (aka ISPs, like Shaw, Videotron, Bell, etc.) cannot control how you surf the net. As it stands right now, you choose which sites you want to visit. Without Net Neutrality, ISPs can decide which internet content has the highest priority. For example, an ISP could sign an exclusive agreement with a content provider which stipulates that all clients of that ISP must surf that content provider's sites, effectively preventing other content providers to have a fair share of the market.

How does one decide what internet content is more important than another? That's a good question, the answer is that content providers (which can be anything from personal websites to corporate businesses operating on the internet) pay ISPs fees and the higher the fees, the more "important" their content becomes. The other angle to this, is that content importance could be decided based solely on preference and not price. Someone in charge of an ISP might decide that content on Wikipedia is not reliable and thus not worth their clients' attention or patronage. I don't know about you, but that's a pretty scary thought.

Critics of Net Neutrality claim that deciding content based on fees is a legitimate practice, or as they put it, "different levels of service for different fees...as long as pricing is rational and non-discriminatory." This then begs the question of how pricing will be regulated and kept "rational" as well as "non-discriminatory." Are there laws in place which govern the pricing of what might be called Net Involvement? There are probably laws which govern the pricing of services provided by ISPs, but can those laws be transposed to the concept of Net Pick-And-Choose? And laws concerning discrimination, do they apply to this Net Neutrality debate? (In all likelihood these are questions to which answers may already exist, I'm just putting them out there for discussion's sake.)

The discussion which has been going back and forth between those who support Net Neutrality (Neutralists) and those who oppose Net Neutrality (Non-Neutralists) is an interesting one. Neutralists argue that non-Net Neutrality is distortionary, in that any practice which regulates transmission of content distorts the inherent flexibility of the mode of transport. Non-Neutralists argue that Net Neutrality discourages investments in networks with better technology. They also use the argument of the economics of congestion. The internet as a communal network is unregulated, thus there is the opportunity for collective action. So a network provider needs to consider the difference between the users and the usage in order to maximize network performance. An example to illustrate this principle is bandwidth usage. If a user is using too much bandwidth, then the provider should be allowed to limit that user's bandwidth usage. The argument in favour of Net Neutrality this is that blocking access to content is more distortionary than simply limiting a user's bandwidth. Charging them for the additional usage makes sense, except companies have resisted this because they claim it is not technically feasible and too pricy by comparison. It's pretty convoluted, but both sides carry a certain level of merit.

What really strikes me as odd is the way legislation is coming into play. Neutralists are seeking additional legislation to maintain the status quo while Non-Neutralists are fighting for the government to take a "hands-off" approach. Generally it's the other way around, odd no? The other thing which I find kind of odd is that the Internet is inherently global, and yet this discussion has been terrestrial-network-centered and increasingly centered on the United States of America.

And now, my opinion on the matter at hand. I support the Neutralists because allowing non-Net Neutrality to be legal is problematic for users. As a user, I want to be able to visit all sites without distortion of my Internet service. Furthermore, if the aforementioned example of content providers signing exclusivity agreements with ISPs comes to pass, then any ISP which has a large client base and signs with multiple content providers will effectively dominate the market, thereby creating a monopoly. Users who want access to most of the major content providers will obviously transfer over to the ISP with the most coverage.

Additionally, I disagree with how non-Net Neutrality will affect the Internet-based marketplace. Suppose I want to start a small online business and I want equal share of the internet traffic. I then have to fork out additional cash to ISPs in order for them to treat my site as an equal to a much larger business with more resources at hand. Introducing legislation to support Net Neutrality helps the little guys who need help the most.

All we can do now is wait and see how things in Congress work out. There are websites out there that are looking for support in convincing congressmen to push the legislation, so if you're a Neutralist, go get 'em!

The Zidane Legacy: Blown Out of Proportion?

How will Zidane be remembered? That's the question on everyone's mind. Will they remember him for his mastery and finesse on the pitch? Or will they remember him for his moment of "lunacy," as some have called it?

I'll admit right now, my knowledge on football is pretty limited and thus my ability to comment on the legitimacy of the issuing of the red card is hampered (ask Tim if you want to know whether the referee's actions were justified). Since the France vs Brazil match, I have been entranced by Zizou's ability to handle the ball. His footwork is sheer genius! Genius I tell you! I have never seen such control of a ball before, and since then I've been perfectly addicted to videos of his artwork. Furthermore, the fact that Zizou does his congratulations quickly before waving to the crowd and then heading down into the locker-room is something we don't see too often. Modesty and humility are traits that so many players lack, but Zidane seems to embrace them, and for that he will always be one of the greatest players of all time.

And now, as I peruse the pages of videos on YouTube.com, all I see are parodies, spoofs, and replays of the now infamous "head-butt." Like all things media-related, the subject matter gets covered. And covered. And covered again. The public then becomes saturated with the material. They've seen it a thousand times. They've seen it so many times they can see it in their minds over and over again. And now people are taking those video feeds and perverting them through their imaginations.

Some say imitation is the finest form of flattery, and while appropriate in some media, this does not strike me as the best idea for those who still claim to be "loyal" to Zidane. The general public is fickle, it follows what is most current. Just wait for Paris Hilton to make headlines again and Zidane's head-butting will be forgotten by all but those who truly follow football.

In the end, who will remember this last act by a man reknown for being the personification of the "Beautiful Game"? He plays with style, he is an amazing sportsman, and he is clearly talented beyond belief. Suling even said, and I quote, "Zidane should be God." Witness the swapping of jerseys between Figo and himself after the France vs Portugal match, and you'll see just how classy this guy really is.

As the world awaits FIFA's final decision with regards to the investigative probe, we can all look at Zizou's career and realize just how lucky we were to have him come back and play once more. A maestro, a prodigy, a man of pure talent, he will always be remembered for his fine form (and I mean that on all levels) and his mastery of the most beautiful game on Earth.

On a side note, it is my opinion that Materazzi got what he deserved for insulting Zidane. He pushed too hard, and should not go unpunished for his actions regardless of Zidane's actions. Sportsmanship is sportsmanship, and trash talk really shouldn't be necessary if Materazzi's as good as they say. And so I support Zidane in taking action, but his choice of rebuke is not something I would condone. Just keep in mind that Zidane carried the hopes of an entire nation on his shoulders by bringing them all the way to the finals. I'd probably snap too if someone insulted my family.

I Hate Driving, but I Hate Flying More

You would think that after being:
1) Stuck in the wrong airport for a full day
2) Having luggage shipped to the wrong city
3) Having cargo shipped to the wrong city
4) Missing connecting flights (which lead to #1 above)
5) Having luggage also miss connecting flights
6) And playing "Musical Gates"
...that I would love flying. Well I don't. I really don't. And it has nothing to do with Air Canada, WestJet, or any other carrier specifically, I just really hate flying. But I don't like driving either so I guess I don't have much choice, now do I?

So, I spent most of this morning running around like a madman, getting stuff packed, cleaning up the condo, and saying goodbyes; all under the impression that it was really an hour ahead of the actual time (that is to say, that at 12:30 I thought it was 1:30 and I had planned to leave for the airport at 2:00). When I got up this morning, after hitting the snooze button three times (I haven't slept more than five hours per night over the past four nights), I folded and packed all my clothes and necessities, showered, and then headed out to Chez Cora's to have breakfast with Ken and Suling.

Breakfast was okay, I had the strawberry crepe with hazelnut spread, but the strawberries weren't very good today. Coffee was pretty good, and I had two cups (more than my usual load). Then we headed over to the bank so Ken could get some money, and then took the usual route back to my condo. Except that Rene Levesque, for some reason still unknown to me, was shut down and all traffic was being re-routed downtown. Add to that the construction happening on Sherbrooke, which reduced four lanes of traffic down to two, and you have major stress-inducing panic. All this time I was psychotically thinking that I would be late leaving for the airport.

When we finally got home, I tossed a few more items into my bags, loaded up the car and proceeded to clean the condo. I guess I should go back a few steps and explain why. All this week up until Thursday night, I was under the impression that a moving company was coming to get my stuff either on Friday or today. So I spent this week frantically trying to pack up the last five years of my life (not an easy task) into boxes that were falling apart, all the while attempting to sell furniture and appliances, as well as saying goodbye to all my friends. Note that I didn't even get to say goodbye to some of those friends and to them I apologize. When I called my parents on Thursday night, they told me I would be coming back to pack up the condo and it would be at that time that the moving company would be sending my stuff back to Calgary. Until then it would just sit in my living room. Since we're waiting until the condo is sold before we go back, I had to clean the place as best I could. I vaccuumed, I wiped, I Fantastic-ed, I swept, I did everything possible to make the place look as nice as it could be (which basically means I just tossed all my shit into the closets).

Once the cleaning was done, I got in the rental car, gassed it up, and then headed down to the airport. At the airport, I filled out an incident report for the dented door that was in fact already dented when I picked up the car (I didn't know this at the time, and thus the incident report was unneccessary), and the proof of that dent was in the file with my contract that I had placed in the sun visor.

Then I went in to drop off my bag for check in. I had checked in online the night before so that I could get a good seat, and everything went fine except for my bag was overweight so they charged me $35 extra. Once paid, it had to be dropped off at the Overweight Baggage area. I passed through security without incident (thank god), and walked over to my gate. I sat down and an announcement came over the speakers that said all passengers on my flight should report to another gate for a change of boarding passes. So I went over to the other gate, got a new boarding pass (the original plane had mechanical problems and so the passengers were put on another flight to Toronto). This new plane was late taking off because two old people got stuck in security but their bags had already been loaded. And by law, if the bags are loaded onto the plane, their owners must also be on the plane. And besides, it would have taken longer to remove the baggage than to wait. So we arrived in Toronto late, but just in time for me to get off this first plane, walk to the gate next door, and get on the second plane. I had hoped to pick up a snack in Toronto, but didn't have time.

The second plane, from Toronto to Vancouver, was on time taking off, so I figured my bag wouldn't make it even though it was only going from one plane to another (both of which were sitting side by side). The flight was long (they played "She's The Man" with Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum, who btw is very good looking), and food was expensive so I didn't eat. By this point, I hadn't eaten since breakfast and was pretty hungry. At the Vancouver airport my suspicions were confirmed: my bag was on another flight from Toronto and wouldn't be arriving until later tonight. They took down my address here and said that if I didn't hear from them by 11pm, the bag would be delivered in the morning. Well 11pm came and went and no phone call so my bag is still at the airport.

Probably the best part of today is that my sister was waiting for me at the airport, and my brother, Derek, was waiting for me at my Grandma's place (where I'm staying). Seeing both of them, and my Grandma made the trip worthwhile. Then my cousin Selena arrived for a chat, and that made things even better. We had dinner and some of the famous apple pie, and I'm now getting ready for bed (without all my stuff).

So now if you ask me why I don't like airports, flying, or the process of travelling in general, you'll know why. And this against "I hope this incident hasn't put you off flying. Statistically it is still the safest way to travel" (bonus points to whoever can identify the speaker).

On a side note, yesterday I flew Artemis to Calgary direct from Montreal and that didn't even go smoothly. He was supposed to have a layover in Winnipeg (that part was okay), but then they put him on a flight to Edmonton. FUCKING EDMONTON!!! So when my Dad went to pick him up at 7pm at the Calgary airport they couldn't find Artemis. When they did find him, he basically forced them to have Artemis delivered to our door. At 11:45pm that night, Artemis arrived at my house in Calgary. By this point, he had been in the carrier for 12 hours. TWELVE FUCKING HOURS!!! I could seriously kill some of these people. So stupid!! God-fucking lazy-assed careless unionized workers....

A Family United

Today was my last day to spend with Tim. He is the third of our little "non-threatening triad" to depart the city of Montreal. Karen was the first to go, off to Toronto and then to Hong Kong. Next was Char, flying over to Paris (just kidding, she's really gone to Marseilles). And now Tim is gone. As our circle gets smaller, it's becoming harder and harder not to get too emotional. Which isn't to say that I didn't feel as sad about Karen leaving as I do about Tim leaving, it's just that it carries so much more of an impact now that only three of us are left.

This is the second year that I've been separated from a circle of friends. Last year, Adil, Christos, Sophie, Bella, Arjun, and Christina were the ones to go. I still keep in touch with Adil, we speak almost every other week on the phone, catching up and such. With many of my other friends, I haven't been as faithful as I could have been, but friendship is a two-way street and I've not heard from many of them either. Which is why I'm saddened by these departures. It's very cliche to say "We'll keep in touch" but when you get right down to it, it's really hard.

My cousin Linda, who graduated from Acadia University last year, said that it was probably one of the worst periods of her life, in that she had to let go of many friends. And even though Linda is notoriously good at keeping in touch, it's still hard for her. She spends a helluva lot of effort writing e-mails, making phone calls, and sending postcards, but it will never be enough. I worry that I may not be able to do it as well as she does.

When I think about last summer and the goodbyes that came with it, I get a feeling of being left behind, the lone survivor. But at the same time, I'm glad I had the extra year because if I hadn't stayed I would have never met Tim, Char, and Karen. Nor would I have gotten so close to Ken and Suling as well. We did poker nights, game nights, movie nights, trips to other cities, camping, card games and bubble tea at L2. We beat each other up in Street Fighter and Soul Calibur, we out-rolled each other in Katamari Damacy, we even smashed each other into walls and other cars in Burnout. Because I stayed, I was lucky enough to be a part of a new family. We held each other up, supported one another when times were hard, and made each other laugh. Most of all we learned to love each other for the little quirks and habits that make us all who we are. I will always remember Suling's "Nasty nasty!", Char's "Chut up!", and Karen's "Fuckedy fuck fuck FUCK!"

In five days' time, I will be flying out to Vancouver, and away from Montreal. And as I was walking home tonight after saying goodbye to Tim, a sudden wave of grief overcame me and I had to stop and let the tears flow. I realized that the more I wanted to get away from this city, the further away I'd be from my friends. I will miss Tim & Char, Ken & Suling, and Karen, and hopefully one day we'll all be together again as close a family as ever there was. Here's to you guys, and the good times we had together!

Cheers!