Dream, Dream, Dream....

For a totally off-topic kind of post.

I dreamed I got a freelance job editing and writing an editorial column for the Washington Post. In the dream the job made me think of my grandmother and how proud she would be of me were she still alive. Which is odd, since she subscribed to the New York Times, even while living in Texas. Of course, she did go to high school and college in DC, so maybe that's why she came to mind...

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In the unfortunate world of reality I am battling hard against a flea infestation in my home/office/both and haven't had time for much else lately. More, soon. I'm bombing in a couple hours and hope that solves the problem.

Net Neutrality - It's Not Just About the Big Guys

For a great overview of the issue, check out Wikipedia's Net Neutrality page.

It'd be nice to think this wasn't something for us normal folk to worry about, but it is, for many reasons.

• I run a freelance business from my home office that is wholly dependent on my ability to access the internet, the ENTIRE internet since I also provide research services, for a reasonable monthly fee (I already pay a premium for high speed access). If the current legislation passes, my access, since I am sometimes a high demand user, could be limited or pro-rated, taking it out of my range of affordability and crippling my business. On the competition front, my main method of advertising my business is my website and online portfolio. Other firms and other writers/editors/reasearchers with a bigger budget may be able to afford some type of premium listing with ISPs under this legislation, like the Google Ads at the top of your search, only it blocks out whole parts of the internet.

• I am a self-confessed iTunes junkie. Downloading music is a high-bandwidth hobby that could also become a premium service, either because I am charged more for my bandwidth or Apple is charged more by their host.

• The same applies to internet gaming, particularly MMOGs, another high bandwidth Internet application, and one involving hundreds of companies, hosts, developers, and thousands, if not millions, of gamers (including some in my house!)

So, read up, sign a petition, talk to your Congressional representative. Net neutrality isn't just about politics, it's about small business survival.

Happy Mother Goose Day!

For more info on the holiday, click here.

To celebrate it, island-style, check out a project I recently had the pleasure of formatting for publication, Old Nene's Book of Hawaiian Nursery Rhymes, a native Hawaiian take on Mother Goose's wisdom.