Net neutrality is dead

Dear Friend,

Net neutrality is dead — at least for now, with it the dissenting voices like that of Countercurrents.org, unless we act urgently and collectively. In a 3-2 vote today, the Federal Communications Commission approved a measure to remove the tough net neutrality rules it put in place just two years ago. Those rules prevented internet providers from blocking and throttling traffic and offering paid fast lanes. They also classified internet providers as Title II common carriers in order to give the measure strong legal backing. André Staltz a reputed technology blogger wrote that internet started dying back in 2014. He predicts that what's coming is the consolidation of internet monopolies , namely Google, Facebook and Amazon what he terms as Trinet. Those interested can read the article here. https://staltz.com/the-web-began-dying-in-2014-heres-how.html

The inaugural World Inequality Report published on Thursday by economists Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman, Facundo Alvaredo and Lucas Chancel documents the rise in global income and wealth inequality since 1980. The report covers up to 2016, leaving out the last year, in which the stock market has soared on the expectation that the US will enact massive tax cuts, providing yet another windfall for the rich. The report found that between 1980 and 2016 the world’s richest one percent captured twice the income growth as the bottom half of the world’s population, contributing to a significant rise in global inequality.

Also more stories from around the world. 

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In Solidarity

Binu Mathew

Editor

Net Neutrality Killed As FCC ‘Hands Keys To Internet To Handful Of Multi-Billion Dollar Corporations’

by Julia Conley 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/net-neutrality-killed-as-fcc-hands-keys-to-internet-to-handful-of-multi-billion-dollar-corporations/

Net neutrality is dead — at least for now. In a 3-2 vote today, the Federal Communications Commission approved a measure to remove the tough net neutrality rules it put in place just two years ago. Those rules prevented internet providers from blocking and throttling traffic and offering paid fast lanes. They also classified internet providers as Title II common carriers in order to give the measure strong legal backing

World’s Richest One Percent Capture Twice As Much Income Growth As The Bottom Half

by Niles Niemuth 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/worlds-richest-one-percent-capture-twice-as-much-income-growth-as-the-bottom-half/

The inaugural World Inequality Report published on Thursday by economists Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman, Facundo Alvaredo and Lucas Chancel documents the rise in global income and wealth inequality since 1980. The report covers up to 2016, leaving out the last year, in which the stock market has soared on the expectation that the US will enact massive tax cuts, providing yet another windfall for the rich. The report found that between 1980 and 2016 the world’s richest one percent captured twice the income growth as the bottom half of the world’s population, contributing to a significant rise in global inequality.

Al-Quds; Whose Capital?

by Dr Elias Akleh 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/al-quds-whose-capital/

On December 6th in front of a Christmas tree American president Trump gave Israeli Zionist Jews; anti-Christians, who still brag about murdering Jesus and routinely insult every Christian priest in Jerusalem, an early Christmas present when he officially recognized Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of Israel and declared his intention to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Capitalism Reduced Indonesian Cities To Infested Carcases

by Andre Vltchek 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/capitalism-reduced-indonesian-cities-to-infested-carcases/

Indonesian cities are like open sores. Everything has been stolen from them and as a result, what makes life bearable is clearly missing. Only what the ‘elites’ do not want, is what has been left for the people.

G7’s Financial Stability Board – Lunatic Terms To Which G20 Including India Agreed

by Anandi Sharan 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/g7s-financial-stability-board-lunatic-terms-to-which-g20-including-india-agreed/

It’s especially insane that along with most developing nations India is going to continue to acquiesce to the lunatic provisions of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) of the Bank of International Settlements that the G7 put together and got the G20 to agree on. These provisions are intended to secure the G7 private banks to eventually own and control all the G20 public and private sector banks.

Donkey, Akhilesh, Ramayana And Authoritarian Heritage

by Anil Pundlik Gokhale 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/donkey-akhilesh-ramayana-and-authoritarian-heritage/

A psychoanalytical analysis on demonetisation

Globalisation, Commodification, Demonetisation, Structural Adjustment, And All That

by Vasantha Surya 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/globalisation-commodification-demonetisation-structural-adjustment-and-all-that/

Now you’re safe, globaliser, to count

your gilt-edged dividends

while the real work is done

by us, digging in the ground

mining the common metal.

Nepal Election: A Victory Of The Electoral System

by Vidya Bhushan Rawat 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/nepal-election-a-victory-of-the-electoral-system/

Nepal’s electoral victory of the left alliance is of great relief for the people of that country as we hope that the country will have a stable government which could focus on the basic issues of the people and move ahead rebuilding its society based on equality, liberty and fraternity.

River Linking Project: Disaster In The Pipeline

by Suman Jumani 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/river-linking-project-disaster-in-the-pipeline/

Imagine you had an infection on your finger-tip, and your doctor decided to amputate your arm without exploring the possibility of curing the infection first. India’s National River Linking Project (NRLP) is just as ludicrous.

Fading To white

by Dr A V Koshy

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/fading-to-white/

Hell was the gated compound

where the ones inside were holding a party

in their glass houses and ivory towers

while you stood outside

Stone Age man

holding your child’s hand

stone of words, unpelted yet

reading the name plates on the gates

Women: The Missing Piece Of The Poverty Puzzle

by Moin Qazi  

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/women-the-missing-piece-of-the-poverty-puzzle/

Poor women’s suffering has long been a sure-fire way to pull on the heartstrings of rich donors, but in recent years there has been a newfound appreciation for the role that these women play in breaking the cycle of poverty and stabilising fragile societies.

Solidarity Meeting In London For GN Saibaba  and Chandrashekhar Azad

by Shailza Sharma 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/solidarity-meeting-in-london-for-gn-saibaba-and-chandrashekhar-azad/

On December 8, 2017, SOAS India Society of SOAS, University of London organised a public meeting to highlight and stand in solidarity with Professor GN Saibaba and Chandrashekhar Azad. Below is a solidarity statement released by the SOAS India Society:

The Ten Plagues

by Dr Nayvin Gordon

http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/12/15/the-ten-plagues/

A Parable