said by S_engineer In my opinion, a broadband connection should carry the same weight as a library.
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I guess you haven't seen the fact that they just closed 3 libraries in a city in NJ (a city BTW, that I'm almost positive does NOT have a lot of broadband). I'm sure NJ isn't the only one......
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Mom and Crockett...... I miss you both!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21217795 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:15:33 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21216502 NetAdmin :

said by TKJunkMail :

Then you write it off as a business expense.

That's an option, but that still doesn't change the fact that someone _needs_ the connection. Broadband is getting more and more necessary each and every year. Just to compete effectively, businesses need to have it.
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Drilling for more oil is akin to giving a methhead the keys to the meth lab.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21216502 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:10:38 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21216228 tschmidt :

said by TKJunkMail :

Then you write it off as a business expense.

The question is perceived value. Obviously if you need it for work that is an issue, hopefully your employer is paying for all or most of the cost.

But even if it is not required for work question being raised is if have a limited amount of money would you spend it on Internet access or TV. I think for many folks the answer is spend it on Internet access. It is perceived as a better value.

I'd argue Internet access has not quite reached status of utility, however it is close. More an more personal and business activity assumes Internet access, and often high speed access. Those without it are at a disadvantage and that disadvantage will increase over time.

Within our family we would all give up TV before the Internet.

/tom]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21216228 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:33:57 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215734 MrMoody : Right. I think those saying "it's not a utility" don't realize how many people make a living or supplement their income through the internet, much less the quantity of internet commerce going on. Broadband is therefore a utility as much as telephone service is. If you want to argue necessity, electricity and running water aren't things you really NEED, either. You can live without them. You just WANT them so you can live a modern lifestyle. The same is becoming true for broadband.
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"The sacrosanct free market would supposedly regulate itself. The problem with that approach is that regulations are just rules. If there are no rules, the players can cheat." - Ellen Hodgson Brown, JD]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215734 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:48:21 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215368 Kearnstd : internet is imo more important then TV, when one considers the wealth of information(and misinformation of course). the internet can also provide legal access to shows you want and many are now legally free from network sites and things like Fancast.

and of course illegal sites like The Pirate Bay(though downloading TV shows is more a gray area of legality)
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215368 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:46:24 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215240 S_engineer : Its always been my opinion that broadband is a utility. Our entire economy revolves around Internet access. This is no longer a perk. Think of what would happen to our banking sectors and government if the Web stopped now...
If they've become reliant on it, so have the people that actually paid for it in the first place.
If it's not a utility, then our government has no business promoting any service to the World Wide Web. In essence the government has sub-contracted information about services to the ISP level. To build it and not be able to use it would be ludicrous. In my opinion, a broadband connection should carry the same weight as a library. Maybe even flow into the USF (assuming it gets reformed someday). Now content could be saved for a different argument!
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The "Lifetime" channel is responsible for 83% of all divorces...Robert Ginty]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215240 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:01:41 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215030 TKJunkMail :

said by NetAdmin :

said by TKJunkMail :

Get your work to pay for it, like they should.

Maybe he's a contractor that switches contracts or independent consultant ? Lots of self employed people REQUIRE broadband.

Then you write it off as a business expense.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
Ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215030 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:55:19 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215020 NetAdmin :

said by TKJunkMail :

Get your work to pay for it, like they should.

Maybe he's a contractor that switches contracts or independent consultant ? Lots of self employed people REQUIRE broadband.
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Drilling for more oil is akin to giving a methhead the keys to the meth lab.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21215020 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:50:12 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214996 en102 :

said by TKJunkMail :

said by satellite68 :

quote:

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doesn't make it a NEED TO have it

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I need to have it for work. Should I quit my job?

Get your work to pay for it, like they should.

Some will.. many won't. It becomes a tax deduction at the end of the year. Mine would say 'do the 40 mile one way commute through Los Angeles to Torrance from Santa Clarita to the office' before they'll pay for Internet.
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Canada = Hollywood North]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214996 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:43:54 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214941 TKJunkMail :

said by satellite68 :

quote:

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doesn't make it a NEED TO have it

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I need to have it for work. Should I quit my job?

Get your work to pay for it, like they should.
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Ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214941 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:27:30 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214927 satellite68 :

quote:

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doesn't make it a NEED TO have it

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I need to have it for work. Should I quit my job?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214927 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:21:49 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214807 Anonymous_ :

said by TKJunkMail :

Just because a lot of people WANT TO have it doesn't make it a NEED TO have it. Looks like Bobby Tulsiani is just another of those pushing for "broadband as utility" status. No doubt to make sure government gets on the hook for expanding it everywhere so they can TAX the crap out of you cause some one has to pay the 700 billion worth of debt.

fixed]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214807 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:48:29 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214736 TKJunkMail : Just because a lot of people WANT TO have it doesn't make it a NEED TO have it. Looks like Bobby Tulsiani is just another of those pushing for "broadband as utility" status. No doubt to make sure government gets on the hook for expanding it everywhere.

The same news item also has reference to a competing study that disputes his.

A separate report released by SNL Kagan Thursday, however, came to a different conclusion about moviegoing during economic declines. It found theatrical box office revenues hit a gross record of $9.7 billion domestically in 2007, eclipsing the $9.3 billion mark reached in 2002.

"When the going gets tough, consumers go to the movies," said Derek Baine, a senior Kagan analyst, in a statement. "Historically, theaters have been fairly recession proof, and this year looks to be no exception."

So, what about the Jupiter findings? Tulsiani agreed that any weakness in box-office receipts resulting from the souring economy has not become evident yet.

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Ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21214736 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:19:46 EDT