Are you ready for govt. shutdown of Internet access?

[Dave Ridley]

If the authorities decide to commit nakedly Soviet-style evils in the U.S., my guess is they may preface it by limiting access to their nemesis, the Internet.   They would not need to directly assault this bastion of free info; they would probably just hit their own power grid or let it collapse of its own failings.  Or they might use legislation.

Are you ready for that day, or are you overly dependent on net communications to document government abuses? 

What do you think could be done as an antidote to "internet unavailability?"  One thought I had is flyering. Flyers can be posted at gathering places, stores, government offices, command posts...  They could be dropped on the ground in high traffic outdoor areas and spread by the wind.  They could be stacked in indoor areas for dozens to take home.  People with an aircraft or tall building access could spread them over wide areas.   

I've created and attached a template.  It's aimed at helping to re-establish some communications.  I hope you will make copies of while you are able.  Then you can tailor it to the specific situation and distribute it as you see fit.  Here is the text of that template:

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NH: Alternate communication options

This is a previously-written emergency "broadcast."  It's meant to be distributed (with updates) in the event normal communications are threatened in NH.  See bottom for updated info on ways to re-establish communications with loved ones.

Meanwhile please be vigilant. In the past, information-cutting disasters like Katrina and even the NH 08 ice storm....have triggered limited but serious governmental abuses against citizens.  Outages come with the danger that some may overstep their authority,  believing they are free of the web's independent scrutiny.   Despite this disruption, you aren't powerless. Here's what you can probably do to connect with this community & reduce the hazards of the situation. 

1) You can publicize your concerns, probably even while crisis ongoing.  Newspapers & some radio stations usually continue operating no matter what.  Here's a partial list of such outlets and their contact data as of 12/09. These papers historically publish most letters to the editor, which you can mail or hand-deliver.  Keep them under 200 words.  Union Leader: 100 William Loeb Drive, Manchester NH 03108-9555, (603) 668-432, letters@unionleader.com / Concord Monitor: One Monitor Drive Concord, NH 03302-1177, Fax: 603-224-8120 / Newsroom: 603-224-5301 ext. 670 / Keene Sentinel: 60 West Street, Keene, NH 03431, 352-1234, 800-765-9994, News FAX: 352-9700, Newsroom: 352-1234, ext. 1400, news@keenesentinel.com /  Laconia Citizen: 171 Fair St., Laconia, NH 03246, letters@citizen.com  You may be able to  voice concerns or helpful data on talk radio by phone or personal visit. News Talk radio In Keene:  WKBK 1290, 357-1290, 69 Stanhope Ave, Keene, NH 03431, FAX:  357-3926 /  Free Talk Live: 800-259-9231, 7-10pm Eastern / Manchester/Concord:  WTPL:107.7 - 866-823-1077, 545-0777, 501 South Street---3rd Floor Bow, NH 03304  / WGIR:  Laconia:   WEMJ: 524-1323, Fax: 528-5185, 25 Country Club Road, Building #1, Gilford, NH 03247

2) Please peaceably disobey government orders that seem likely to harm innocents.  Please decline to assist in perpetrating such harm. 

3) You can copy & distribute this flyer, in a manner appropriate for the circumstances. This might include posting it at town halls or stores.  You may wish to place your news on it or create flyers of your own. 

4) As last resort, in the event other options are forbidden/unavailable, you may wish to place messages on  roads or other appropriate structures.   Please avoid spray-painting except in the most desperate situations.  Damage to property should be kept to a minimum; fading or erasable messages are better than permanent.

5) Please lawfully videotape/ document authorities with all means available & spread the info as best you can.  When net access returns, ...upload audio/video/text of any abuses (or heroic behavior, for that matter).  Here are places you can post what you've witnessed. Most are NH-centric:  NHFree.com , FreeKeene.com , RonPaulForums.com, RidleyReport.com , FreeStateProject.org , WikiLeaks.org, BBS.FreeTalkLive.com , Digg.com, NewHampshireFreePress.com, NHInsider.com.  During disruption, text messaging/ham radio/cb are supposedly the most durable electronic communication.   If you spread this flyer, please add info specific to your local circumstance:


Citizen mutual-support gathering places, time & type:  _______________________________________________________________   

Where to find and submit independent news in your area during crisis: __________________________________________________

Where to go to communicate with loved ones: ______________________________________________________________________
Date of flyer update:  __________   Local headlines below or on opposite side:

[Kat Kanning]

I think that's just a conspiracy theory.  You've been listening to too much Alex Jones.

[Kat Kanning]

Here's an article about ICANN being ceded:

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/05/ceding-the-internet-to-"global-governance"/

[Dave Ridley]

For those who are not insiders to Kat's joke...she listens to Alex and I don't.    And ICANN is the organization that regulates domain names.

We will need backups of all our means.

[toowm]

I don't think it's an iss

[Tom Sawyer]

Don't know a lot about it, but have been interested in tunneling.

I'm confident that our side will be able to stay ahead of the threat.

[Jim Johnson]

I'm developing telekinetic power... I'm hoping that it will be ready for "The Shut Down".

Until then I'm going to stain dried wood pulp with meaningful symbols and give them to trusted friends.

[Tom Sawyer]

I'm developing telekinetic power... I'm hoping that it will be ready for "The Shut Down".

Until then I'm going to stain dried wood pulp with meaningful symbols and give them to trusted friends.

Can we join your cult?   

[thinkliberty]

We can set up wireless mesh networks. Any PC with a wireless card that runs linux will be able to join.

We can use VHF repeaters for a backbone connection to connect different cities.

A guerrilla-net will pop up if the inter-net goes down.

We can transport hard-drives between cities in a sneaker net if we are forced in to it.

Here is a good starting point on how it will be done:
http://72.52.208.92/~gbpprorg/guerrilla.net/index.html

[Dave Ridley]

flyer heavily updated, illustrated and also softened in tone to make it less likely to be torn down.   

see above for the new file.
The video about this never aired on youtube so later it will air and point to this, re-igniting the discussion.

is there any data you'd like me to put in the flyer template regarding mesh?

Since creating the file I've received new ideas:  attaching flyers to mini helium balloons and letting them soar until they pop.  Putting them on telephone poles.   

[bouncer]

I don't believe the US gooberment will really shut down the internet because it's not only freedoms communication. It's the new boob tube. Between the viral junk video's on youtube and porn. The internet is keeping the masses entertained and quiet. 

[Dave Ridley]

I don't believe the US gooberment will really shut down the internet because it's not only freedoms communication. It's the new boob tube. Between the viral junk video's on youtube and porn. The internet is keeping the masses entertained and quiet.

good points, but it is also possible that terrorists or power grid failure would partially shut it down as in the "lights out" book. 

[error]

good points, but it is also possible that terrorists or power grid failure would partially shut it down as in the "lights out" book.

Power grid failure I might buy. It's happened before. Terrorists, I don't buy.

[Lumpy]

good points, but it is also possible that terrorists or power grid failure would partially shut it down as in the "lights out" book.

Power grid failure I might buy. It's happened before. Terrorists, I don't buy.

I believe the terrorists to be the US Federal Govt.

[Sam A. Robrin]

I believe the terrorists to be the US Federal Govt.

I don't agree.






There's plenty at the state and local level as well . . .