and there goes your net neutrality

A couple months ago Comcast announced that it would bring streaming cable to Xbox Live. Great news if you want to get rid of a cable box and replace it with your Xbox. Not so great if you want to ditch cable altogether. The internet collectively yawned. Until today that is, when someone discovered that Comcast's Xfinity on Demand service for Xbox live doesn't count against a Comcast internet user's 250 gig data cap.

Why is that really such a big deal? Comcast would argue that they're providing the same service, via their own internet pipes, that they already provide using their cable pipes (yes it's the same pipe, and yes I know it's not a real pipe). Making sure the Xfinity on Demand service isn't restricted by a bandwidth cap is just good business, right? Well it might be good for Comcast but it's not so good for Netflix or Blockbuster or Pandora or Vimeo or Youtube or really anyone else that streams anything on the internet.

It's a slippery slope my friends. Sure it starts with a data cap, but next year maybe it's an "optimization" for Xfinity on demand followed by an optimization for devices that use Xfinity on demand like your iPad and your Xbox (but not your PS3 or your xoom tablet). Before you know it blogger loads 3 times faster than wordpress, and CBS online looks like dogshit because it's constantly buffering.

But hey that's the free market, right? If Comcast doesn't give the people what they want the people will just go to the next cable internet provider. Oh yeah, there isn't one because local counties sell their cable rights to a single bidder. USA USA USA!

The Links Menace

The 5 Stages of Star Wars grief. Wow, way to be topical Slate. What's next, an article on the rick-roll? I hear this Leroy Jenkins guy has the internet buzzing.

FCC Commissioner is crooked. One of 4 FCC Commissioners to vote in favor of the KabletownComcast/NBC merger just announced she would be leaving to work for Comcast. USA USA USA!

The Bizarre Cult of Pro-Owner Fanboys. Ever since Seattle lost the Sonics I've felt that all team owners, no matter the sport, can choke. This editorial hasn't changed my stance.

Racists debate the merits of Thor. It's good to know that Thor is prompting such heady debate as "Branagh is a metrosexual pussyboy" or "Jack Kirby was Jewish, as is Natalie Portman". I'm sure Stan Lee is very proud.

Augusta's Links

Court Favors Comcast in Net Neutrality case. You know how Comcast makes you pay for 100 channels when all you want is AMC and Fox Soccer Channel? Well get ready for that same business model on the internet.


Megan Fox might play Red Sonja. How is she supposed to hold a broadsword with toe thumbs?


Dead or Alive; Paradise review. "Is this supposed to be a videogame? Are we really meant to masturbate to this? Has anybody at Tecmo actually seen a breast in real life?".. wow best review ever.

Comcast and ESPN hate soccer and you

So if you're like me on Wednesday morning one of the first things you did is read Soccer by Ives' Matchday preview and you discovered that ESPN had moved the USMNT Wold Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica to from ESPN to ESPN2. However if you're not unhealthily obsessed with the mens national team and you don't have a couple hours to kill on-line everyday, you probably missed the memo. And if you were counting on watching the game later in the evening on your DVR you were probably screwed. ESPN knew on Tuesday evening after the Women's Softball World Series ended in 2 games that they were going to switch the game over to the Deuce, but the Comcast channel guide never updated the listing for the game. So I hope you enjoyed 2 hours of poker. It was a hundred times more enjoyable than watching los Gringos get their butts handed to them by Los Ticos.

The good news is that both Comcast and the USMNT have a chance to redeem themselves this Saturday. Check out the match preview over at That's on Point.