Where are all the White Spaces At?

Like most Americans, I enjoy being informed about an issue I never heard of involving elements that I didn't even know existed. Then, when one side of the debate (the one that gets to me first) explains the issue, nee tells me what to think, then I get riled. Thank goodness Google has launched a campaign and matching website called Free the AirWaves to inform me that my White Spaces are being kept from me.

White Spaces are TV channels set aside to protect existing channels' signals from interfering with one another. They're buffers, the same way Georgia was for the British and Spanish colonies and Larry Fine was for Moe and Curly of the Three Stooges.

Companies like Google and Motorla want to use these channels when TV goes digital to broadcast for wireless Internet connections. Broadcasters fear that such usage would interfere with the signals they still use. It reminds me of a local long-standing tradition of developers buying up land that once housed one home and squeezing two or three buildings onto the same piece of property. You know what they say two's company but three's a crowd but over 20 thousand in a three-mile radius is a village.

So why side with Google then? Well, just visit the Google sponsored site to find out. First, Google simply wants to "Free the Airwaves." Those poor airwaves, caged that way. It's unnatural. I prefer my air waves Free Range or Kosher. Secondly, "Google cares." It says so in big blue letters. I'll tell you why they care and it has nothing to do with the money they would make from this venture. Okay, it has a little to do. Well, a lot, but they care because they love us, I can only assume. They care so much that they want us to be involved, and by involved I mean do the work. They want us to make our own videos of support and spread the word. I hate to seem so selfish in light of Google's beenvolance, but what's in it for us?

"It's like Wi-Fi on steroids," said Google co-founder Larry Page to FCC lawyers. Page was then dragged into congressional hearings on major league baseball. Probably not a good idea to make your case by alluding to another illegal and very unpopular issue. Though I'm sure at least one public official, without a sense of irony, thought, "Well, I'm sold!"

According to the Free the Airwaves site, there are many other potential (and more wholesome)benefits. "White spaces could provide America's schools with affordable, mobile, high-speed Internet access." Sure they could. And bus companies could provide free transportation and publishing companies could supply free books, and restaurant chains could donate free food. Boy, remove the word could and education improves exponentially. Also, this will allow for better communication for public safety officials (two-way wrist radios?) and more Internet access especially for out of the reach places (thus, generating support from cults and militias alike).

So give me my White Spaces, whatever it is ot they are. Do something that will make my life better. But don't screw up anything I am already used to. If taht happens, I will be the first to join the anti-White Spaces campaign. I am an American and I am free to be fickle.