Wireless wireless everywhere and not an active link.

On a recent vacation in the Yucatan of Mexico, Mrs. Bald Man had to scramble to find Internet access at our remote beach front resort. The free wi-fi was not working and she had several postings she had to complete for school. Like a dehydrated dessert warrior in search of an oasis she wandered nomad like, laptop in hand, in search of the elusive signal. Fortunately, the resort office had a laptop she could borrow to access the web. Crisis averted but it really brought home how far Mexico needs to go to overcome its third world status. Even with indoor plumbing, satellite television, modern appliances and a clean accessible international airport, there was no free Internet to be found! How 20th century is that?

In an effort to remain the most advanced country on earth, the FCC of the United States is looking to make the Internet accessible to everyone via a free nationwide wireless network. This idea is very advanced, very forward thinking, very altruistic ...

...and very socialist.

Is Internet access really a "right" that needs to be ensured and provided for? Al Gore's invention has greatly changed much in society but the rapid growth and evolution of the Internet has occurred precisely because government intrusion has been kept at a minimum. Do you really want your online portal controlled by the same folks who think putting a bunch of 3.4 ounce bottles in a zip lock baggie at the airport is providing security? Even Stonehedged hippies in England know this is a bad idea; although probably for different reasons.

As both state and federal governments look for more revenue, I fear taxation of Internet activities is but a pork laden bill away with our new congress and senates. Taxing on-line purchases, bulk email fees and even porn subscription taxes have all been floated like jumbo sized trial balloons floating over Macy's Thanksgiving parade.

Of course, along side the country wide free access will be a fee based system that is faster, porn laden and uncontrolled. So only the rich will be able to actually stream their favorite movies and they'll gobble up tickets to see them at the theaters well ahead of us common folk. We will be left standing in aisle looking for a seat like poor Joe. Has he not heard of Fandango? It probably won't take long for someone to realize this is unfair to poor people and then everyone's access will be the same; nice and "social"ized like. We will also need separate systems and browsers for each ethnic group and sexual orientation.

If there is country wide free internet, we could be sure that victims of airplane crashes in the remote Rocky Mountains could Twitter from a burning plane. However, this poor sap wouldn't be able to recover his lost ladies.