My Dad sent me an email...I'm opening that email to all of you...please advise me if I am incorrect...

Peter,

I see in the news that the government is considering making the broadband available to everyone in the country. They say that it has become as essential as electricity and telephones to American life.

What exactly is the broadband? Is it any different than the DSL hook-up that I have now?

Love,

DAD…

Here is my response:

Hi Dad :)

I love you :)

Uhm...(sigh)....this is a loaded subject...."Broadband" means anything other than dial-up modems. In other words, if you remember the saying: "...two cars in every garage....", the government is now saying: ".....the Internet in every house (and a good connection to it too)...." To answer your question, no, this is not anything other than the connection to the Internet than you have now. In other words, I may think that your connection to the Internet is slow, but a dial-up modem (for me) is agony :( The government is trying to bring every household in America up to the speed of your Internet connection.

Even if they passed the law today, logistically I don't think this is going to happen anytime soon. Hell-- they can't even pay to keep the roads fixed and the policemen paid-- how are they going to pay for this? It would have to be some sort of privatized venture I would guess. Whatever...I'm getting dangerously close to politics....

If they could afford to do this thing, that's fine, I'm all for it. What bothers me would be the government's attempt to control the Internet as they do (via censorship) in China...which is the reason why Google left (that country).....

Love,

Me