There is no concealing the fact that rural America has been getting the short end of the stick for years in terms of broadband services. In most cases, DSL and cable just aren't available and dial-up, the last of the living dinosaurs, is the only option. Every time users sign on, they are greeted by the high-pitched beeps and screeches that signify a connection is being made (reason enough to drop the service) and are catapulted into the web faster than a speeding snail.
Not only does dial-up result in the frustration caused by watching web pages load at the rate of drying paint, but it also prohibits the use of advanced technologies like YouTube that necessitate high-speed internet to play its streaming videos. Luckily, thanks to the recent affordability of satellite internet, this all-you-can-watch video buffet is now open to rural subscribers at costs and quality comparable to that of DSL and cable.
YouTube, while seemingly only chocked full of mindless viral videos, is actually a virtual goldmine just waiting to be tapped into. From music videos to documentaries to clips from your favorite movies, you name it, it's on YouTube.
For one, it is one of the best ways to access footage related to nearly any important event for as long as news has been filmed. Missed the State of the Union Address this year? No matter, watch it on YouTube. Perfecting your Bill Clinton impersonation? Search "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" and practice back-to-back.
YouTube is also an integral part of almost every urban/suburban school presentation these days. Compare your standard Power Point slide about post-traumatic stress disorder to one that features a link to a clip of a distressed Vietnam War veteran describing his symptoms, or a project on 9/11 featuring a photo versus a video of the Twin Towers falling. In both instances, the video clips add a whole new layer of integrity and emotion to the project and in effect enriches the rural classroom through the use of satellite broadband internet.
The online video giant also serves as an extensive how-to guide for virtually anything you're looking to cook, make, draw, build, or verb of any kind. No matter whether you need a few pointers on your pie crust rolling technique, are dabbling in balloon animal art, or are fashioning a functional catapult for your miniature medieval battle scene, it's likely that you will find a step-by-step video on YouTube.
Lastly, YouTube is a fantastic outlet for self expression. Many self-made artists were first discovered on YouTube, which is doubly important for a rural American who doesn't have the same access to talent scouts as your standard urban-dweller. With satellite internet broadband, remotely-located aspiring stars no longer have to save up to make a pilgrimage to New York or Los Angeles to be discovered-they can self-advertise from their very own bedrooms.
So even though most of the videos that are passed on millions of times until they become "YouTube sensations" are mindless drivel, some of the content can be truly worthwhile (and let's be honest, everyone deserves the opportunity to watch "Charlie bit my finger" again...and again). Now that this technology is newly available via satellite internet, life is about to change for the better in rural America.
