Weaving a New Net

The kerfuffle over the Google/Verizon "deal" has moved me to leave my weekly lair to make one point. It follows.

But, the 600 lb. gorilla still sits in the room: how to apportion the highly disparate costs of 1) surfing pages to look at and buy stuff and 2) streaming audio/video content in real time. The argument has been going on for years. With iPhone and now iPad, the argument has to be joined. Should the vast majority who just surf subsidize those who stream? If so, then the network (physical stuff) has to be socialized, however that is done.

Isn't it odd that "net neutrality" amounts to demanding that all users must contribute a small per user fee, in order that a few wastrels can slurp up gobs of resources, yet we aren't allowed to make the equivalent demand of health care? People are funny.