They say the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’d wager that it’s the best path to reach his mind as well, so that’s how we’re going to take a look at this net neutrality business. I have had an approximate knowledge on this issue, but that has changed once the issue was pressed further into new territory by the new FCC chairman. I decided to do some further reading.

At its basic level, net neutrality is the concept that everything on the internet should be more or less accessible to everybody equally. In general there are two schools of thought for this: one that says the internet should remain neutral and equally accessible, and another that says this kind of “net neutrality” impedes business. That makes sense by itself, but it’s an abstract thought without a better understanding of how the internet affects our lives today, and how it could be affected if laws change. Here’s my explanation of the situation.

Oh, and if you weren’t hungry before reading this, you will be by the end.

The Grocery Store

Jim buys his produce at the grocery store. He can find apples, peppers, oranges, and corn here at the store. It’s more or less fair game to get to what he wants to eat, and everything is readily available for him to pick up. Produce is distributed evenly around the bins so that each shopper can get to what they need. Better yet, there’s a new farm in town that is selling the best god damn carrots Jim has ever had. Jim makes sure to buy the carrots, not only because they’re great but because he wants to support a new business owner.

The management of the grocery store runs with this setup because that’s how it’s always been, and it works. In fact every grocery store in town runs operates the same way. After some internal debate, the management finds a way to increase their revenue from both the consumer and the supplier. The grocery store changes its mode of operation.

Management has decided to change the locations of the produce. The apple growers have paid the store extra money to put their produce at the very first bins because management realizes people love their apples. Now the apples are the only produce Jim can readily grab; the peppers, oranges, and corn are available only through a long line. But there’s more.

Now, there are two methods to get to your food; Jim can stand in a congested line waiting for his turn, or he can pay extra to get into an express line. The regular line means Jim can get apples quickly, but he needs to wait to get those peppers he’s always been able to easily grab. The other option is the express line. It lets Jim get to whatever produce he wants — but it’s gonna cost him.

Jim has a good-paying job so he can afford the express line. He throws down the extra fee and zips through the produce area like he once did. Only now, he realizes that a lot of people don’t have that money to spend on this line. These people have always been able to get whatever produce they’ve needed, but now they’re stuck in slow-moving queues, and sometimes they can’t get access at all to what they need. Jim recognizes the line denizens as his neighbors and community members; the librarian, a few students from his kid’s 4th-grade class, that hard-working family down the street struggling to make ends meet.

And then… then, Jim sees that the guy selling those great carrots can’t afford to keep his produce in the store anymore. The management has placed the carrots way in the back of the produce section. The carrot grower can only have his produce available if he pays the store management a fee to relocate his product to the front. He’s already strapped for cash running a start-up, so Jim can’t afford to continue pursuing his path to happiness.

The grocery store is making a lot more money, but the grocery store has always made a lot of money. That extra income is another expense coming directly from Jim’s pocket, or mine, or yours.

The only people benefiting from these new changes are the grocery store management and the wealthy apple growers who can afford the extra costs involved. None of it benefits the consumer. Those who are wealthy enough to afford the extra fees are essentially paying more for the same level of service they once received. Those who cannot afford it are left in the dust.

Food for Thought

If the FCC undoes the 2015 ruling stating that the internet would remain a neutral territory, then our internet services will begin to resemble the grocery story analogy above. Those in favor of undoing this law scoff and say, “Big deal, people can’t watch porn or Netflix, and if they really want to they can pay extra for it like I do.” But it’s not that simple. My analogy shines some light on the people who would be severely impacted by these changes. Finances in these areas is already tight. The fact is teachers spend their own money from an already tight salary on supplies, and there are many young students who come from families that can’t afford to feed their children. How could they be expected to pay more for internet fast lanes, an increasingly vital resource in an ever more tech-dependent world?

People who would be significantly hurt by the repeals of neutrality are small business owners and entrepreneurs. Running a business is expensive, and those costs are more significant early on. What happens when the additional costs of remaining somewhere relevant on internet ads and searches are added? At that point it is a matter of self-preservation for the business owner.

This neutrality issue is tricky business. It requires some reading and some research and some reflection (the other three Rs), and many of us won’t have the time to do that. But it’s something that is happening anyway. I hope that this article added to your understanding of the issue. If you are already a proponent of net neutrality, please visit www.gofccyourself.com to leave your opinion and thoughts to keep the internet a neutral territory. On the other hand, if you aren’t convinced yet, please keep an open mind and consider the opposite position.

We don’t always need to agree with each other, but it’s essential that we all have an equal voice.

***

Education is just the first step. Now it’s time to get involved in the Net Neutrality fight. Here are a few links to help you get started:

John Oliver’s Direct Website: www.gofccyourself.com

Contact your House and Congressional Representatives with this easy to use form: https://resistbot.io/

Donate and get involved with one of these great groups:

https://www.eff.org/      https://www.aclu.org/      https://www.freepress.net/

https://www.fightforthefuture.org/      https://www.publicknowledge.org/

The post Apples Ain’t Oranges: Why Net Neutrality is So Important appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

If you’re like me, you kind of understand what net neutrality is about, but you kind of also don’t really care too much about the subject because, let’s face it, net neutrality is a ponderous phrase – it frankly just doesn’t sound like something worth caring about.

With the topic getting a lot of media play over the last few weeks, the time is right to work through that apathy and learn a little about the subject.

Come along and learn with me.

What is Net Neutrality?

In the most basic of terms, net neutrality means that all data on the internet should be treated equally. That means no matter what site you’re visiting, no matter what internet service provider (ISP) you’re using, that data will all be treated the same way.

A little more detailed explanation is that no ISP has the right to block your access to any website or slow the delivery speed of a website in favor of another site.

Net neutrality also means that your ISP cannot create “fast lanes” that force content providers — say a business such as Netflix — to fork over extra fees to deliver that content at an increased speed to the end user.

If you’re interested in reading about the origin of the phrase “net neutrality,” feel free to check out the 2003 paper from Columbia Law professor Tim Wu.

Why Should You Care?

Okay, so the concept of net neutrality is simple, and yes, that system is currently in place, but that could change and change soon.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that he wants to roll back those rules.

If that does happen it could hurt consumers. For one, ISPs could institute a “fast lane” and a “slow lane” for content and charge a premium for access to the “fast lane.”

Another way end users could be affected is through throttling. For instance, if an ISP has its own streaming video service it could slow the delivery of a competitors streaming service, therefore forcing the end user to either wait for a slow feed to load or opt to use the ISP’s service.

ISPs would also be free to block content. That means if the folks in charge of your ISP lean a certain way politically, they could decide to block content from the opposition. This would be especially harmful to grassroots organizations looking to get their message out to supporters and the general public.

Perhaps most importantly, if these rules are rolled back, innovation could be affected. Small businesses often work under very tight budgets, and they shouldn’t have to worry about adding a line to that budget so an ISP does not bury its website. To the same point, large established companies could easily pay ISPs to push their content ahead of their less established competition.

The Bottom Line

No one is saying these things will happen if net neutrality is rolled back, but they could happen, and that should be enough to make all internet users that support the free and equal dissemination of information nervous.

The FCC will take a vote on May 18 regarding net neutrality. This vote, which is expected to pass, will move Pai’s plan on to the public comment period.

***

Education is just the first step. Now it’s time to get involved in the Net Neutrality fight. Here are a few links to help you get started:

John Oliver’s Direct Website: Go FCC Yourself

Contact your House and Congressional Representatives with this easy-to-use form.

Donate and get involved with one of these great groups:

The Electronic Frontier Federation

The American Civil Liberties Union

Freepress

Fight for the Future

Public Knowledge

The post Why You Should Care About A Dull-Sounding Topic appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The Internet is the world’s largest platform for open communication, and it relies on the right to free speech. As the primary outlet for anonymous expression, much of our culture and economy thrives on unrestricted Internet access. The open Internet provides people with free learning opportunities and communication across the globe, free from regulations or restrictions. In modern society, unrestricted communication on the Internet is a direct application of our right to free speech, yet Internet service providers (ISPs) want to take that away. This is where net neutrality comes in to play. Net neutrality is the foundation of the current state of the Internet, characterized by open communication and unrestricted access. The result of this fight for net neutrality will shape the future of the Internet, making it important to be well informed.

Corporations want to regulate access to the Internet by manipulating the current FCC regulations. These ISPs that we rely on every day are trying to destroy net neutrality for their own monetary benefit. If successful, they could control their customers’ online experience by blocking websites and throttling download speeds. If you think this sounds shady, it gets worse. Allowing these ISPs to control Internet access means that they get to decide what people can do online. They will have the choice to block websites that conflict their political or religious views, or prevent communication between certain people. This will significantly limit consumers’ ability to communicate, making it harder to fight back. The fall of net neutrality would limit the people’s ability to organize protests or petitions, and therefore forces consumers to deal with the ISPs unfair conditions.

The conversation regarding net neutrality has recently seen increased media attention, but it is not a new issue. Over the past decade, the FCC has implemented strong regulations to maintain net neutrality, citing Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. In 2015, the FCC classified broadband Internet under Title II of the Communications Act, making it an essential service for full participation in modern society. While the Communications Act has provided a strong basis for net neutrality, it is not enough. Most of these massive corporations are associated with members of congress, which is bad news for consumers. These relationships allow ISPs to fund campaigns that will implement policies to favor their agenda. Lobbyists are working day and night to find loopholes that favor ISPs and they won’t stop until net neutrality is buried.

Marsha Blackburn introduced the Internet Freedom Act, which would dismantle the FCC’s authority, by removing broadband Internet’s title II classification. If her bill passes, ISPs will get what they want, unless there is further action from congress. The problem here is that the bill is backed by 31 co-sponsors, 29 of which have received direct contributions from many of the ISPs. This gives these members of congress no incentive to repeal the declassification of broadband Internet, meaning that net neutrality would be destroyed forever.

However, the biggest threat to net neutrality stems directly from the Trump administration. Soon after Trump’s inauguration, a man named Ajit Pai was appointed as chairman to the FCC. The FCC is supposed to act as a neutral party to regulate the various forms of communication in the United States, but that is beginning to fall apart. Ajit Pai is a staunch opponent of net neutrality, which may have something to do with the fact that he was a lawyer for Verizon. Similar to Marsha Blackburn’s bill, Pai is trying to declassify broadband Internet networks, in favor of more relaxed regulation. Further, this would give the ISPs the option, rather than the requirement, to abide by the regulations set by the previous FCC framework. In an industry characterized by profit-hungry CEOs and a lack of corporate social responsibility, we can’t see this ending very well for consumers.

While the outlook for net neutrality under Pai’s administration is looking grim, the fight is far from finished. Plenty of board members of the FCC oppose the new regulations, based on the title II framework and they need your support. Title II classifies broadband Internet as an essential part of modern society and it protects American citizens from the capitalist nature of the telecommunication giants. It is critical to show your support for net neutrality during these desperate times. You can start by signing a petition and contacting your local members of congress.

***

Education is just the first step. Now it’s time to get involved in the Net Neutrality fight. Here are a few links to help you get started:

John Oliver’s Direct Website: www.gofccyourself.com

Contact your House and Congressional Representatives with this easy to use form: https://resistbot.io/

Donate and get involved with one of these great groups:

https://www.eff.org/      https://www.aclu.org/      https://www.freepress.net/

https://www.fightforthefuture.org/      https://www.publicknowledge.org/

The post What is Net Neutrality Anyway? appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Founded by a graphic designer, VARIO produces high-quality NATO watch straps with any kind of personality you can imagine. From businessman plaid to honest-to-God macaron polka dots; if you can’t find a strap to dress up your tired watch, you ain’t got style son.

We’ve tried out a few of their straps, along with several other brands and types, and we’ve found the VARIO watch straps to be comfortable, well made, and durable after much abuse. It is longevity that has doomed many of the straps we’ve tested over the years, with clasps failing, nylon fraying, or size holes stretching. We’ve encountered none of these problems with the VARIO straps. Until they start making luggage and bra straps, the most stylish straps you’ll find will be on your wrist.

The post Watch Straps To Class Up Your Wrist appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

This history of supporting envelope pushers started with themselves as the company introduced innovation after innovation to catapult to the upper echelon of Swiss watchmaking. First came the Oscillating Pinion (whatever the hell that is) in 1886, then quickly followed up with the first automotive/aviation timer in 1911, and 1916 saw a breakthrough in accuracy with the first handheld timer capable of measuring 1/100 of a second .This last development especially paved the way for Heuer’s entry into the worlds of upper-echelon sport and contest.

While the technological firsts kept coming, TAG Heuer quickly gained a reputation for who whore them as much as why. John Glenn wore a Heuer into space during NASAs first manned orbital mission (they were beaten to space by a Russian watch, but no one knows quite which one. So win by default?). Both Obama and Mitt Romney wore one (each, they didn’t trade the same one back and forth or anything) during the ’12 campaign. And of course, they still sell the watch worn by Steve McQueen in his movie Le Mans (they even named it after him after the incredible interest received).

If you’re shopping for your first TAG Heuer and looking to keep your bank account intact, the aforementioned Monaco ($3,900) is a great place to start. But we recomment you venture off the well-beaten and expected path and check out the Aquaracer ($2,600). With echos of Rolex’s classic Submariner, the Aquaracer is a subdued and classy timepiece that will remain in fashion long enough for you to pass on to great-grandchildren. Finally, for a little racing pedigree go with the Formula 1 Calibre 16 ($2,800) and wear it proud like Lewis Hamilton. Granted, two and half grand ain’t cheap for a timepiece, but there’s always vintage finds that can get you into a swiss watch for a discount (although not much of one…). However you get into a Heuer, you’ll be wearing a hard-won pedigree and joining a long list of discerning wearers. We can’t ask much more than that of our watches…

The post A History of TAG Heuer appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

In 1961, a young Dieter Rams becomes Head of Design. His approach of “less, but better” helps reinvent how we interact with everyday objects ranging for razors, kitchen appliances, coffee makers, radios, audio systems, and most notably, watches. No matter how arbitrary a product may seem, Rams is able to create a visual language that has inspired the likes of Jonny Ive at Apple. The ability to create timeless design is visible with such Apple products as the iPod, calculator, or Mac, all drawing inspiration from the young Rams, and his work at Braun many decades earlier.

In 1989, Dieter Rams brings the AW 10 wrist-watch to market, a product that embodies Rams’ mantra of a product having “as little design as possible” and irreversibly influences modern minimal design. The Braun Classic timepiece utilizes Quartz 3-hand movement contained within a stainless steel case, water resistant to 50 meters, with leather straps in brown and black. It’s subdued, yet striking appearance exquisitely compliment any outfit –

from your girlfriend’s friend’s wedding, to blasting down the canyon much faster than you tell her you’re going on your Harley, a Braun timepiece is the perfect choice. With its elegance being secondary to function, the watch is never too bulky, or difficult to read at a glance. It satisfies its core objective of presenting the time (and date, depending on model), with clear no nonsense “German-ness”. No matter if tuxedo, vintage leather Ducati jacket, or simple black t-shirt, this classic is always called for.

Below are additional examples of Dieter Rams’ work for Braun, and how his influence on product and industrial design is still very much alive half a century later.

The post The Apple before Apple: Braun. appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

I’m confident this is the heaviest watch I’ve ever worn. The Breil is so heavy that in just a few days of wearing it I’ve doubled the size of my bicep. In my left arm. Now people I meet aren’t sure what to stare at first, my mismatched arms or my comically garish watch.

Why is this case so thick? It is 44.5mm across, and at least half that in height. Of course the thinner a luxury watch is, the higher the quality it generally is, but I’ve seen watches made of Lego that are thinner than this monster. The strangest thing is that the problem seems to lie in the hands. On the face of the watch, the hands are so spaced apart from each other on the central spindle that it adds several millimeters of height to the watch. They shouldn’t need that much clearance from each other and removing the extra case height required to accommodate this ridiculous spacing would also help reduce the preposterous weight.

You know what, screw it. Let’s weigh this sucker. Time to bring science into how bad this watch is. Wow. 6.78 ounces. Now for the biggest, chunkiest, fattest watch I actually own – a Sottomarino Pilotare. Bam. 2.18 ounces. I could wear three Sottomarino’s and still not equal the weight of the Breil. Pro tip: watches shouldn’t weigh so much that they require special postage to ship. I just invented that rule, but I think it’s a good one I’m going to start living by.

Quality-wise, the Breil seems to be on point. Over the last few days it has suffered no scratches or time loss, and every complication is functioning as designed. Any thinner watches that Breil has I would certainly consider. I like the design, the combination of polished and brushed stainless steel, and the rose gold accents. It’s just too damn thick and heavy for it’s own or anyone’s good. And at $425, you’re paying dearly for this garishness. If you’ve got an Affliction collection, a wrist the size of a tree trunk, and curl abandoned cars on your warmup, you should certainly check the Breil Capital out. Everyone else, stay clear.

The post The Worst Watch I’ve Ever Tried appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.