Anti-public wifi astroturfing uncovered

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This story at Slashdot should be interesting to “Tales of the Sausage Factory” fans. It seems that the “New Millennium Research Council (NMRC)” and “The Heartland Institute” claim that municipal wifi would be a Very Bad Thing Indeed. There’s only one little snag with this slam-dunk against public wifi… NMRC is funded by the telecommunications industry, and the Heartland Institute won’t reveal who pays their bills and holds their leash. Shock! Suprise!

Personally, I always love the names that these “institutes” and “think tanks” come up with. Nice, wholesome names, aren’t they? Who could possibly argue with the Heartland? Who wants to be a luddite against the new Millenium? (yes, yes, John, I mean besides you.)

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One Comment

  1. John
    February 5, 2005 at 7:12 am

    I am shocked, shocked! to discover this!

    By the way, how do I go about getting an astroturf organization going? I would like to spread the message that “regular folks” agree the best possible use of $26 is to buy my novels.

    I’m thinking the group could be called something like “Readers for Traditional Values” or “Literacy Now!”. Or maybe just The Wetmachine Institute?

    So let’s get going, people! Shake a leg! Get the lead out!

    I’ll expect a plan for the ‘spontaneous letters to the editor’ on my desk by oh eight hundred tomorrow. Now, who’s going to take care of getting me on Meet the Press and Hardball?

    Most imporatantly, we need to start planning now to have an Iraqi child holding a copy of Cheap Complex Devices in the audience for next year’s State of the Union address, preferably sitting on the first lady’s lap.

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