A brief overview of the FCC’s plan to kill net neutrality

Net neutrality seems to be on everyone’s mind right now as we steel ourselves for the FCC’s upcoming vote on December 14. It seems the top priority for these Trump-appointed FCC members is to overturn the net neutrality regulations that were hard won under the last administration. Next month’s vote to do just that is very likely to pass by a three-to-two margin.

Right now, the Internet is classified as a public utility under Title II. This allows each Internet user the ability to do what they want online, without preferential treatment given to some websites that would make them faster than others. That’s one of the biggest concerns, that without net neutrality, the Internet will become like two lanes of traffic: the high-speed lane in which the industry’s bigwigs and corporations pay for faster delivery speeds, and the throttled slow lane for everyone else, including startups and lesser-known companies that can’t afford the fast lane.

Here’s a construction update for Charlottesville

Hey Cville, this post will catch you up on the construction and fiber infrastructure work Ting has been up to over the last few months in your town.

We’ve been hard at work this year reviewing the network and designing new neighborhoods to build out capacity for Charlottesville. We worked on underground construction in Redfields and got several apartment buildings connected to the network as well.

What is rapid prototyping?

Prototyping a product used to take months and cost tens of thousands of dollars. 3D printers, like you might find in a local makerspace or even a library, cut that down to hours and pennies.

When businesses are coming up with new design ideas or product, they often look to prototypes and scale models to test out their vision in the real world. While advanced, manufacturer-ready prototypes still cost a lot in terms of dollars and days. 3D printers have made rapid prototyping and creating proof of concept scale models accessible to even the most bootstrapped startup, student or budding artist.

Even with today’s admittedly rudimentary 3D “consumer level” printing technology, a model or a part can be turned from a digital design into a physical thing quickly and for just a few cents per gram of media needed to print. Quick real-world testing helps refine the design and planning phases of the product cycle, whatever the 3D printed model may be.

The history of The Haven

The Haven is a day shelter and housing social service provider located in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. This multi-resource center offers respite services and housing assistance and is committed to the ethos that the solution to homelessness is housing.

The Haven started as the coming together of several different community groups including a group of concerned community members, the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless and Tom Shadyac, a University of Virginia alumnus and filmmaker.

Tom and his crew were in Charlottesville in 2005 shooting a film and got to know many of the people experiencing homelessness in the area. Moved by their needs, he connected with project managers, community leaders and the TJACH to come up with a concept for a downtown shelter. In 2010, The Haven opened its doors as a community day shelter.

Starting an online business

We’re lucky to be part of a generation where we can experiment with business ideas and endeavors with relative ease and minimal start-up capital. The resources available for starting an online business and getting it up and running are abundant.

When your business is online there is no need to look for the ideal location within set budget constraints. Much of the start-up stress of setting up a business disappear.

That’s part of the magic of building businesses online. It can often be virtually free or much cheaper than opening and operating a traditional bricks and mortar business.

Here’s just a few reasons why you should consider starting an online business and how to begin building an online presence.

Fostering an arts community in Charlottesville

Charlottesville is a city that lives and breathes art. Charlottesville galleries, exhibitions, theaters and venues play host to emerging and established artists alike and the programming rivals any major metropolis.

So, what makes the arts in Charlottesville so great? New City Arts Initiative Executive Director, Maureen Brondyke would tell you its all about the thriving, rich artistic community. Connection, networks and support systems have allowed artists, and the arts, to flourish in Charlottesville. At the center of this network you’ll find New City Arts Initiative and all the important work they do.

The New City Arts offices, studio and Welcome Gallery, are located just off the historic Downtown Mall. Out of these facilities, New City Arts hosts educational experiences, acts as a supportive network for artists and is a resource to help artists learn, work and make a living.