swimming pool

Even in the new millennium racism and hatred continue to thrive:

A landlord found to have discriminated against a black girl by posting a "White Only" sign at a swimming pool wants a state civil rights commission to reconsider its decision.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission found on Sept. 29 that Jamie Hein, who's white, violated the Ohio Civil Rights Act by posting the sign at a pool at the duplex where the teenage girl was visiting her parents. The parents filed a discrimination charge with the commission and moved out of the duplex in the racially diverse city to "avoid subjecting their family to further humiliating treatment," the commission said in a release announcing its finding.

An investigation revealed that Hein in May posted on the gated entrance to the pool an iron sign that stated "Public Swimming Pool, White Only," the commission statement said.

Several witnesses confirmed that the sign was posted, and the landlord indicated that she posted it because the girl used in her hair chemicals that would make the pool "cloudy," according to the commission.

It was for "historical" reasons? How stupid does this lady think we are?

What really gets me about this is that it did happen in Cincinnati, a town that ten years ago was the focus of the nation during huge race riots. Perhaps that's an historical lesson Hein should learn.

There is a bunch of talk right now about the Net Neutrality Act. I decided it was time for me to explain it from a tech stand point.

First off here is a short synopsis of what this is:

"Net neutrality" is a concept that is still unfamiliar to most Americans, but it keeps the Internet democratic. Cable and telephone companies that provide Internet service are talking about creating a two-tiered Internet, in which Web sites that pay them large fees would get priority over everything else. Opponents of these plans are supporting Net-neutrality legislation, which would require all Web sites to be treated equally. Net neutrality recently suffered a setback in the House, but there is growing hope that the Senate will take up the cause.

One of the Internet's great strengths is that a single blogger or a small political group can inexpensively create a Web page that is just as accessible to the world as Microsoft's home page. But this democratic Internet would be in danger if the companies that deliver Internet service changed the rules so that Web sites that pay them money would be easily accessible, while little-guy sites would be harder to access, and slower to navigate. Providers could also block access to sites they do not like.

The cables that make up the internet are like hoses. Through those hoses a certain amount of information can pass at any given time. Think of it as filling a swimming pool. Right now you are given a large hose to fill it, so you will be splashing around before you know it. Now someone comes up to you and says you must use a smaller hose or pay more to use that larger hose. You are not using any more water, but you are now waiting longer for that well deserved splash.

This is essentially what the telecommunication giants are wanting to do to the internet, they want to web site owners to pay more for that larger hose. You will still get the same amount of information but how long you sit there and wait on it is another story.