RURAL AMERICA IS STRANDED IN THE DIAL-UP AGE: Wireless Broadband can be the great uniter of city and country.

Thought Piece High costs and lack of access to broadband service prevent residents of far-flung communities from joining the modern economy By Jennifer Levitz and Valerie Bauerlein | Photographs by Nick Schnelle for The Wall Street Journal Jeanne Wilson Johnson drives 4 miles from her 420-acre farm to a gas station in Caledonia, Mo., for better [...]

By |2017-06-22T21:41:38-05:00June 18th, 2017|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , |Comments Off on RURAL AMERICA IS STRANDED IN THE DIAL-UP AGE: Wireless Broadband can be the great uniter of city and country.

Five Obama-era tech policies on the chopping block: Open and fair access can’t be far behind, if Net Neutrality is left far behind.

Thought Piece [As an Open Access warrior from the 1999-2001 era, I can honestly say that the "net neutrality" argument has always seemed as flawed as the Telecommunications Act of the 1930, on which the current sense of net neutrality is based. How can any set of telecommunication regulations written in the 1930's have anything to do with the Internet [...]

By |2017-04-17T21:20:30-05:00April 17th, 2017|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , , , , , |Comments Off on Five Obama-era tech policies on the chopping block: Open and fair access can’t be far behind, if Net Neutrality is left far behind.

“Pondering Pai’s Priorities for the FCC”​: the major regulatory issues that may take precedence in the early months of Ajit Pai’s tenure as Chairman

Thought Piece  Ajit Pai will return to the four principles of internet freedom first outlined by former FCC Chairman Michael Powell: "freedom of access to lawful content; freedom to use applications; freedom to attach personal devices to the network; and freedom to obtain service plan information." These principles allow for the future of the Internet, broadband and the [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:50-05:00February 3rd, 2017|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , , |Comments Off on “Pondering Pai’s Priorities for the FCC”​: the major regulatory issues that may take precedence in the early months of Ajit Pai’s tenure as Chairman

“Congress Can Save the Internet” Why make authoritarians happy by giving them the power to censor websites globally, including in the U.S.?

Thought Piece by Stephen Heins [Given the fact that the White House and the FCC has been so adamant about "Net Neutrality," it is intellectually unimaginable that they would even consider throwing ICANN to international wolves of authoritarians and their control.  Steve] Congress Can Save the Internet The White House will end U.S. oversight at month’s [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:51-05:00September 12th, 2016|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , |Comments Off on “Congress Can Save the Internet” Why make authoritarians happy by giving them the power to censor websites globally, including in the U.S.?

“Last Call for the Open Internet” A two-year effort to find an alternative to U.S. oversight of Icann has produced only uncertainty.

Thought Piece by Stephen Heins [Frankly, I can't see how making the Internet into another United Nations, especially given the fact only 160 nations support "open access," unedited and unpolitical, makes any sense. It would mean that 40 or so oppressive governments will prevent their country's people from access to the global community and its robust, [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:51-05:00August 17th, 2016|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , |Comments Off on “Last Call for the Open Internet” A two-year effort to find an alternative to U.S. oversight of Icann has produced only uncertainty.

Federal Court Rules Government Officials Can’t Use Private Servers To Dodge Freedom of Information Act: John Holdren, Office of Science & Tech Policy

Thought piece by Stephen Heins [While this decision is remarkably important to past and present emails and second email accounts of all government officials, I am most interested right now with what science and information was used in John Holdren and the White House's study.  Steve] Federal Court Rules Government Officials Can't Use Private Servers To [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:51-05:00August 1st, 2016|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , |Comments Off on Federal Court Rules Government Officials Can’t Use Private Servers To Dodge Freedom of Information Act: John Holdren, Office of Science & Tech Policy

Before Congress, Tom Wheeler has lately refused to abide by long-standing tradition that the FCC chairman steps down after a change of president.

Thought Piece by Stephen Heins [The FCC and Tom Wheeler seem particularly certain to simply being an agency that is at least 5 years behind the state of the art of technology and Broadband innovation of the industry they regulate.  Steve] Peak TV in the FCC Valley of Darkness. Tom Wheeler is not the first whose life in politics left him unfit [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:51-05:00May 25th, 2016|Categories: Communication, Thought Piece|Tags: , |Comments Off on Before Congress, Tom Wheeler has lately refused to abide by long-standing tradition that the FCC chairman steps down after a change of president.

Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin and the collapse of AOL Time Warner

  When America Online bought Time Warner in 2000, it was not only the largest corporate merger in history but also the much vaunted marriage of new and old media. Questions began, however, on the day the merger was announced. The stock price started a long decline; and the Federal Trade Commission subjected the merger to [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:51-05:00July 3rd, 2003|Categories: About Steve, Communication|Tags: , |Comments Off on Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin and the collapse of AOL Time Warner

‘Blizzard of One’ Took on Giants

27 Jun 03 | Author Doug Moe Originally published by The Capital Times – see article here. LAST WEEK, Steve Heins, 58, was in Madison lobbying state government as part of his duties with the Orion Lighting & Energies Services company of Plymouth. Heins took time out to visit a bookstore and buy a copy of a [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:51-05:00June 27th, 2003|Categories: About Steve, Communication|Tags: , |4 Comments

AOL-Time Warner Approved by FTC

Originally published by ABC NEWS - See article here. (Photography by Ruby Washington/The New York Times) 14 Dec 2000 The Federal Trade Commission today unanimously approved the merger between America Online and Time Warner — the largest in U.S. history — after extracting last-minute pledges from the companies aimed at protecting consumer choice for [...]

By |2017-04-03T22:55:52-05:00December 14th, 2000|Categories: About Steve, Communication|Tags: , |Comments Off on AOL-Time Warner Approved by FTC