Strange, but true, and not new

I am bemused by the flow of information on the net sometimes. Some fairly trivial stuff gets repeated and cross-posted ad nauseum, while other highly significant events seem to sit dormant for weeks. For the past three weeks I have been doing a large number of client meetings, in which I have discussed little else (at the popular request of clients) besides the possible implications of incumbent attempts to impose some form of IP interconnect on third party content/voice providers (for which read "household internet names.") My impression from these meetings is that these ideas have been entirely new to most investors (they have all invariably been both fascinated and appalled), though I have by no means been alone in expressing anxiety over these developments. (In fact, it was precisely this issue which prompted my online musical debut last week, which has today been Volokhed.) Today, however, some high profile sites have picked up on the issue, which should heighten awareness and paranoia levels considerably above what my feeble efforts could manage. I am, however, surprised that Slashdot seems to think that all this was speculation previously - no, it has been a matter of public record for a month, and comments on the Universal Service Reform bill are due on 23rd December. Merry Christmas, open internet, too bad you won't be around for the Congressional Christmas party next year!