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Internet Plays A Large Role For U.S. Citizens
Homework Help writes "The latest U.S. Census Bureau report suggests that the Internet has become an integral part of the American lifestyle and economy." From the article: "It shows 40 percent of U.S. adults used the Web to obtain news, weather or sports information, a dramatic increase from the 7 percent who surfed in 1997, when the bureau conducted a similar study. The report also found that nearly half of adults, 47 percent, used the Internet to find information on products or services. About one-third reported purchasing a product or service online, compared with only 2 percent who did so in 1997."
I'd like to see how this compares with other developed countries, especially ones in which broadband penetration is much higher, like in South Korea, Japan, most of Scandinavia, and to a bit less extent, most of Western Europe. If the US has 40%, what nation probably has the highest percentage? Sweden?
Take off every sig. For great justice.
t shows 40 percent of U.S. adults used the Web to obtain news, weather or sports information, a dramatic increase from the 7 percent who surfed in 1997, when the bureau conducted a similar study. The report also found that nearly half of adults, 47 percent, used the Internet to find information on products or services. About one-third reported purchasing a product or service online, compared with only 2 percent who did so in 1997
when it says a third reported purchasing products or services online compared to 2%, is that a third of internet users? or a third of people surveyed? 2% just happens to be almost a third of 7% i noticed.... probably irrelevant though...
Could the same not be said about any emerging technology? I bet it took things like television, cars, and telephones a few years to gain traction in the American household, but thereafter became an integral part of our lifestyle. I don't see why anyone would think the Internet would be any different.
Socialism: A feeling of discontent and resentment caused by a desire for the possessions or qualities of another.
You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.
Now if only our Victorian era legal system could be dragged into the 21st century...
The average person spends about nine hours a day using some type of media, which is arguably in excess of anything we would have envisioned 10 years ago. It includes television, books, magazines, cell phones, the Internet, instant messaging, e-mail and radio ... full report is here
The important thing is not to stop questioning --Albert Einstein.
and what about the people who can't afford internet access? Should we just forget about them?
Go. To. The. Library.
Or, are you suggesting that poor families that live too far from a library instead be provided with dial-up ISP accounts, a telephone line if they don't have one, a computer they clearly don't know how to use, and ongoing tech support such as will clearly be needed when someone who has never used these things is suddenly depending on them to "get a good job."
Or... perhaps those parents should be encouraging their kids to pay attention in school? There are countless ways for schools to get hold of free computer hardware and net access, but most don't have the staff needed to supervise/train students in the continual use thereof. If you're posting this comment, right now, about how I should be listening to the "clarion call" that you're mentioning... first tell me how many schools you've visited with that rebuilt Ubunto P3-450 and a $9 donation to cover that month's dial-up access for the machine?
And... minorities? Do you really think that lack of experience online, and lack of personally owned net-connected workstations is limited somehow to people of one color or another? Are you that race-fixated? Ever driven through Appalachia? Wake up, man, and talk some less myopic, skin-color-driven smack so that you can be taken seriously. And explain what you've done before telling me what I should do.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
The library? Right. Conservatives have cut library funding for decades. Most of the libraries near where poor people live don't have internet access because they can't afford it. So they have to go to faraway libraries (whilst paying bus fair!) and then pay out-of-zone fees for a library card that you have to get to be allowed to use their internet there. Plus, all of the libraries I know require you to show photo ID to get on, which a lot of people don't want to reveal because they may have a criminal record (though have served their time) or bad immigration status. It's really sad.
So you say that they should just get dialup? Dialup is a horribly slow way for them to access all the moder sites with all their bells and whistles. So then what? Pay $50 a month for high-speed? That's precisely the poverty margin for most people. Yeah, see, most people of color tend to prefer to spend that on, I don't know, diapers and baby formula.
What have I done? I've spent thousands of dollars writing my congressman and starting campaigns to get free internet access to poor people and prevent companies like Google from "dumping" their internet access on richer neighborhoods like San Fran. How much have you given to campaigns for politicians who want to increase internet access?
Rank my idea: http://www.sinceslicedbread.com/node/531
Please, let's NOT advocate that government "gather more useful statistics", which necessarily increases the overall cost of government, both in dollars and liberty. The power elite in this country already have many orders of magnitude more power and tax revenue than a fair and ethical government would need to keep the peace.
Are you aware that the average US citizen pays nearly 50% of his earnings to government through federal, state, and local taxes combined? You already spend half the year working exclusively for the power elite -- do you really want to grant them even MORE power and revenue?