Random Politics & Religion #00

But without an evaluation system we can't see who is best, and therefore, we can't see who wins! IT CAN'T BE 'MURRICAN WITHOUT A WINNER.

U.S. regulators on Thursday imposed the toughest rules yet on Internet service providers, aiming to ensure fair treatment of all web traffic through their networks.

The Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines, with Democrats in favor, to approve new "net neutrality" rules that seek to restrict broadband providers' power to control download speeds on the web, for instance by potentially giving preference to companies that can afford to pay more.

The vote starts a countdown to expected lawsuits from cable and telecoms providers which argue that the tougher regulatory regime will stifle investments, hurting consumers. Republicans see Thursday's move as a government power grab.

The new regulations come after a year of jostling between cable and telecom companies and net neutrality advocates, which included web startups. It culminated in the FCC receiving a record 4 million comments and a call from President Barack Obama to adopt the strongest rules possible.

The agency sought new net neutrality rules after a federal court rejected their previous version in January 2014.

The ruling confirmed the agency's authority over broadband but said it had improperly regulated Internet providers as if they were similar to a public utility. That contradicted their official classification as "information services" providers, which are meant to be more lightly regulated.

The agency's new policy reclassifies broadband, both fixed and mobile, as more heavily regulated "telecommunications services," more like a traditional telephone service.

The shift gives the FCC more authority to police various types of deals between providers such as Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) and content companies such as Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) to ensure they are just and reasonable for consumers and competitors.

Internet providers will be banned from blocking or slowing any traffic and from striking deals with content companies, known as paid prioritization, for smoother delivery of traffic to consumers.

The FCC also expands its authority over so-called interconnection deals, in which content companies pay broadband providers to connect with their networks. The FCC would review complaints on a case-by-case basis.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's original proposal pursued a legal path suggested by the court. It stopped short of reclassifying broadband and so had to allow paid prioritization, prompting a public outcry and later Obama's message.

With the latest draft, Wheeler sought to address some Internet providers' concerns, proposing no price regulations, tariffs or requirements to give competitors access to networks.

And how am I supposed to get quantitative proof of how much more special my little snowflake is compared to other kids?

And how am I supposed to get quantitative proof of how much more special my little snowflake is compared to other kids?

FCC issues stricter regulations regarding internet services

If you guys are going to argue about education standards and methods and all that jazz, I've got a slideshow for you: Finland's education system.

I've been saying since I was in school that the Prussian system we use just doesn't work. But that's because it wasn't strictly meant to teach students knowledge and abilities so much as obedience and conformity.

I'm aware there are bad teachers in the inner city. But you're not getting my point as to why. 1) Not paid enough to deal with 2) students that have no interest in learning and can be downright hostile.

This is where you start to get the "teaching just because it's a job" crowd, and the downward spiral continues. Really it's almost two entirely different sets of issues, teaching in poor and/or inner city areas and teaching in affluent areas.

Hold On...

What else does finland lead the world in? NOTHING they're ranked 59th in gdp they're *** below everybody but sri lanka!

findland sucks... why would anyone copy those jackasses?

I suggest they increase college tuition by 40% so students never get a good education !

I'm 62 years old still paying off my student loans.

It's not just an inner city problem lol... Idk where you get that idea.

Finally some good news.

they jump up to 25th based on the IMF, 23rd accord to the world bank.

Yeah, but if you change it to GDP per capita, they jump up to 25th based on the IMF, 23rd accord to the world bank. The U.S. is 10th on both charts.

Wait, hold on.

Which is it, 23rd or 25th?

There's only one calculation for GDP per capita. How come two different economic sources are saying different things?

I'm cautiously optimistic as to what it all means going forward.

Yeah... so they SUCK at least TWICE as badly as we do... great...

That sounds great, where do I sign up?

Looking at it on Wikipedia. International Monetary Fund and World Bank. IMF is just 2013 data, World Bank is 2011-2013 data.

Findland...pffft..... see that's what happens when you cram your head so far up your own *** you can't see any daylight... you start admiring findland.... /scoffs

that's it... I'm leaving

/slams the door

WELL FINE I'LL JUST DRINK YOUR DRINK TOO.

Chants USA! USA! USA

We're number one with a bullet unless you cheat and lump together the whole european union numbnuts....

Chants USA! USA! USA

We're number one with a bullet unless you cheat and lump together the whole european union numbnuts....

Per capita feels more accurate to me!

I'm on the fence on this. If the FCC doesn't start pulling an "EPA" on ISPs, and regulate for the sake of regulations, then this would be helpful to the community. But this is the federal government. An entity that's known to abuse it's own power it gives to itself. I wouldn't be one bit surprised to see corruption of power by the FCC. I'm going to wait and see on this instance.

There are people in America who take credit for producing more by themselves than all of Greece combined.

Not for long, cause China.

I'm not saying anything in this discussion is universal, and I never said it was just an inner city problem.

Ugh.

You're just trolling at this point.