so how many of you all seen the rule Nebraska wave you know the one finger
Nebraska wave you know the one finger
Nebraska wave you know the one finger maybe two above the steering wheel when
maybe two above the steering wheel when
maybe two above the steering wheel when you pass somebody on the road I’ve
you pass somebody on the road I’ve
you pass somebody on the road I’ve really come to enjoy this you know why
really come to enjoy this you know why
really come to enjoy this you know why it allows me to create a brief
it allows me to create a brief
it allows me to create a brief high-speed connection with another
high-speed connection with another
high-speed connection with another person but when I came to Lincoln Wow
person but when I came to Lincoln Wow
person but when I came to Lincoln Wow with all the cars I was passing my
with all the cars I was passing my
with all the cars I was passing my finger was wearing out just trying to
finger was wearing out just trying to
finger was wearing out just trying to keep up I think I found a solution my
keep up I think I found a solution my
keep up I think I found a solution my friend Amy gave me this I think I can
friend Amy gave me this I think I can
friend Amy gave me this I think I can duct-tape this to my phone maybe write
duct-tape this to my phone maybe write
duct-tape this to my phone maybe write an app to have the camera detect
an app to have the camera detect
an app to have the camera detect oncoming cars somehow create the
oncoming cars somehow create the
oncoming cars somehow create the ultimate ultimate automatic waving
ultimate ultimate automatic waving
ultimate ultimate automatic waving machine I think I’ve just used
machine I think I’ve just used
machine I think I’ve just used technology to continue building so many
technology to continue building so many
technology to continue building so many more high-speed connections with folks
think about the light bulb for a minute
think about the light bulb for a minute this was one of our greatest
this was one of our greatest
this was one of our greatest achievements in our history we often
achievements in our history we often
achievements in our history we often think of Thomas Edison as the innovator
think of Thomas Edison as the innovator
think of Thomas Edison as the innovator behind it but like any great achievement
behind it but like any great achievement
behind it but like any great achievement in our country it’s always a result of
in our country it’s always a result of
in our country it’s always a result of so many people taking an innovative
so many people taking an innovative
so many people taking an innovative thought or product and turning it into
thought or product and turning it into
thought or product and turning it into the achievement it is now come with me
the achievement it is now come with me
the achievement it is now come with me to the year 1935 when only one in ten
to the year 1935 when only one in ten
to the year 1935 when only one in ten rural households had access to
rural households had access to
rural households had access to electricity we often think of our own
electricity we often think of our own
electricity we often think of our own Senator George Norris as seeing the
Senator George Norris as seeing the
Senator George Norris as seeing the valuing bringing light to rural America
valuing bringing light to rural America
valuing bringing light to rural America but behind his vision it was many more
but behind his vision it was many more
but behind his vision it was many more than than him that made it happen there
than than him that made it happen there
than than him that made it happen there were the neighbors and then the
were the neighbors and then the
were the neighbors and then the communities that came together to form
communities that came together to form
communities that came together to form electric cooperatives people came
electric cooperatives people came
electric cooperatives people came together and shared knowledge and
together and shared knowledge and
together and shared knowledge and created an infrastructure that created
created an infrastructure that created
created an infrastructure that created this concept and then an infrastructure
this concept and then an infrastructure
this concept and then an infrastructure that eventually led to every rural
that eventually led to every rural
that eventually led to every rural American having access to affordable
American having access to affordable
American having access to affordable electricity the rural electric system
electricity the rural electric system
electricity the rural electric system was not driven by directive but rather
was not driven by directive but rather
was not driven by directive but rather it was built by the folks who
it was built by the folks who
it was built by the folks who desperately wanted this technology and
desperately wanted this technology and
desperately wanted this technology and they leaned on the ingenious ideas of
they leaned on the ingenious ideas of
they leaned on the ingenious ideas of many other folks all over the country
many other folks all over the country
many other folks all over the country they had ownership in the system this
they had ownership in the system this
they had ownership in the system this was not done for profit it was done for
was not done for profit it was done for
was not done for profit it was done for the sheer purpose of seeing our rural
the sheer purpose of seeing our rural
the sheer purpose of seeing our rural American communities thrive and grow
American communities thrive and grow
American communities thrive and grow senator Norris has innovative thought
senator Norris has innovative thought
senator Norris has innovative thought and the resulting achievement became a
and the resulting achievement became a
and the resulting achievement became a foundation to our national success now
foundation to our national success now
foundation to our national success now come with me to an area where you can
come with me to an area where you can
come with me to an area where you can view a pristine sunrise
view a pristine sunrise
view a pristine sunrise maybe you’re surrounded by a bundled
maybe you’re surrounded by a bundled
maybe you’re surrounded by a bundled life roaming free you look out and you
life roaming free you look out and you
life roaming free you look out and you see open roads without traffic you might
see open roads without traffic you might
see open roads without traffic you might step out on your porch and not see
step out on your porch and not see
step out on your porch and not see another soul you can actually hear
another soul you can actually hear
another soul you can actually hear silence this is the lifestyle I get to
silence this is the lifestyle I get to
silence this is the lifestyle I get to enjoy every single day that I live in
enjoy every single day that I live in
enjoy every single day that I live in rural Nebraska but there’s a challenge a
rural Nebraska but there’s a challenge a
rural Nebraska but there’s a challenge a trade-off like in the days prior to 1935
trade-off like in the days prior to 1935
trade-off like in the days prior to 1935 with the limited opportunities of not
with the limited opportunities of not
with the limited opportunities of not having electricity I worry that again
having electricity I worry that again
having electricity I worry that again today this high-tech world may be
today this high-tech world may be
today this high-tech world may be leaving our ability to enjoy this
leaving our ability to enjoy this
leaving our ability to enjoy this lifestyle behind
lifestyle behind
lifestyle behind do you realize up to 40% of rural
do you realize up to 40% of rural
do you realize up to 40% of rural Americans don’t have access to
Americans don’t have access to
Americans don’t have access to affordable broadband internet compared
affordable broadband internet compared
affordable broadband internet compared with only 4% in our urban areas this is
with only 4% in our urban areas this is
with only 4% in our urban areas this is creating kind of a digital poverty to
creating kind of a digital poverty to
creating kind of a digital poverty to keep pace with the rest of society we as
keep pace with the rest of society we as
keep pace with the rest of society we as a country are need to going to help
a country are need to going to help
a country are need to going to help ensure that this is going to be
ensure that this is going to be
ensure that this is going to be available to our breadbasket my friend
available to our breadbasket my friend
available to our breadbasket my friend Chris just purchased a new combine where
Chris just purchased a new combine where
Chris just purchased a new combine where Chris sits resembles more of a cockpit
Chris sits resembles more of a cockpit
Chris sits resembles more of a cockpit out of a fighter jet than that of a
out of a fighter jet than that of a
out of a fighter jet than that of a tractor autonomous steering allows Chris
tractor autonomous steering allows Chris
tractor autonomous steering allows Chris to have his laptop and other digital
to have his laptop and other digital
to have his laptop and other digital devices in front of him during the
devices in front of him during the
devices in front of him during the harvest he’s collecting data from every
harvest he’s collecting data from every
harvest he’s collecting data from every square foot that he’s harvesting he’s
square foot that he’s harvesting he’s
square foot that he’s harvesting he’s merging it with other data and other
merging it with other data and other
merging it with other data and other images he might be working on his
images he might be working on his
images he might be working on his marketing plan or how he might improve
marketing plan or how he might improve
marketing plan or how he might improve that little area of the field next year
that little area of the field next year
that little area of the field next year chris is also turning on and off
chris is also turning on and off
chris is also turning on and off irrigation systems at other fields all
irrigation systems at other fields all
irrigation systems at other fields all over the area
over the area
over the area he’s maximizing his time his water in
he’s maximizing his time his water in
he’s maximizing his time his water in his energy efficiency chris has access
his energy efficiency chris has access
his energy efficiency chris has access to broadband not only to his home but to
to broadband not only to his home but to
to broadband not only to his home but to his cockpit and to all his fields Dave
his cockpit and to all his fields Dave
his cockpit and to all his fields Dave is another one of my friends Dave worked
is another one of my friends Dave worked
is another one of my friends Dave worked for a large engineering firm but became
for a large engineering firm but became
for a large engineering firm but became tired of the urban life so you know what
tired of the urban life so you know what
tired of the urban life so you know what he did he moved out of the city but yet
he did he moved out of the city but yet
he did he moved out of the city but yet he was able to continue working for his
he was able to continue working for his
he was able to continue working for his firm he videoconferences collaborates
firm he videoconferences collaborates
firm he videoconferences collaborates with colleagues all over the world and
with colleagues all over the world and
with colleagues all over the world and does almost everything he was able to do
does almost everything he was able to do
does almost everything he was able to do from the office but now he can do it
from the office but now he can do it
from the office but now he can do it from the comfort of his quiet rural home
from the comfort of his quiet rural home
from the comfort of his quiet rural home and he was able to afford a nicer house
and he was able to afford a nicer house
and he was able to afford a nicer house as a bonus dave has access to broadband
as a bonus dave has access to broadband
as a bonus dave has access to broadband at his rural home however infrastructure
at his rural home however infrastructure
at his rural home however infrastructure is expensive and technology rapidly
is expensive and technology rapidly
is expensive and technology rapidly changes this is a real disincentive for
changes this is a real disincentive for
changes this is a real disincentive for companies to serve such sparsely
companies to serve such sparsely
companies to serve such sparsely populated areas for example if someone
populated areas for example if someone
populated areas for example if someone were to mimic our electric lines in
were to mimic our electric lines in
were to mimic our electric lines in western Nebraska and run a fiber-optic
western Nebraska and run a fiber-optic
western Nebraska and run a fiber-optic cable to every rural house the cost
cable to every rural house the cost
cable to every rural house the cost would be nearly forty thousand dollars
would be nearly forty thousand dollars
would be nearly forty thousand dollars per home not quite an affordable option
per home not quite an affordable option
per home not quite an affordable option and maybe not the best long-term option
and maybe not the best long-term option
and maybe not the best long-term option to provide all the opportunities that
to provide all the opportunities that
to provide all the opportunities that broadband can many of us choose to live
broadband can many of us choose to live
broadband can many of us choose to live out here it shouldn’t be a trade-off in
out here it shouldn’t be a trade-off in
out here it shouldn’t be a trade-off in 2015 Nebraska agriculture alone
2015 Nebraska agriculture alone
2015 Nebraska agriculture alone contributed twenty three billion dollars
contributed twenty three billion dollars
contributed twenty three billion dollars to our state’s economy our success as a
to our state’s economy our success as a
to our state’s economy our success as a state has created a super low
state has created a super low
state has created a super low unemployment rate which is translated
unemployment rate which is translated
unemployment rate which is translated into the need to expand the geographic
into the need to expand the geographic
into the need to expand the geographic areas for our workforce rural Nebraska
areas for our workforce rural Nebraska
areas for our workforce rural Nebraska and in general rural America continued
and in general rural America continued
and in general rural America continued to be a foundation to our nation’s
to be a foundation to our nation’s
to be a foundation to our nation’s economy like electricity like
economy like electricity like
economy like electricity like transportation a robust communication
transportation a robust communication
transportation a robust communication infrastructure is going to be a
infrastructure is going to be a
infrastructure is going to be a necessity if we’re going to continue
necessity if we’re going to continue
necessity if we’re going to continue competing in this global economy
competing in this global economy
competing in this global economy so I graduated from college in 1995 and
so I graduated from college in 1995 and
so I graduated from college in 1995 and I decided I wanted to come back to this
I decided I wanted to come back to this
I decided I wanted to come back to this tranquility but there was a problem I
tranquility but there was a problem I
tranquility but there was a problem I had gotten used to the Internet guess
had gotten used to the Internet guess
had gotten used to the Internet guess what they didn’t follow me I had started
what they didn’t follow me I had started
what they didn’t follow me I had started to see the opportunities that the
to see the opportunities that the
to see the opportunities that the internet could provide not only for me
internet could provide not only for me
internet could provide not only for me but for my community I didn’t know how
but for my community I didn’t know how
but for my community I didn’t know how to bring this technology to my little
to bring this technology to my little
to bring this technology to my little corner I didn’t even know if it was
corner I didn’t even know if it was
corner I didn’t even know if it was going to be possible but you know what
going to be possible but you know what
going to be possible but you know what my dad and I got together and we formed
my dad and I got together and we formed
my dad and I got together and we formed a group to tackle this challenge through
a group to tackle this challenge through
a group to tackle this challenge through some creative partnerships some steep
some creative partnerships some steep
some creative partnerships some steep learning and a ton of borrowed ideas
learning and a ton of borrowed ideas
learning and a ton of borrowed ideas from other folks I got dial-up internet
from other folks I got dial-up internet
from other folks I got dial-up internet to my house
to my house
to my house and we made it available to every other
and we made it available to every other
and we made it available to every other home and business in our community but I
home and business in our community but I
home and business in our community but I kind of feel like I’m in a deja vu
kind of feel like I’m in a deja vu
kind of feel like I’m in a deja vu moment seems like I’m right back where I
moment seems like I’m right back where I
moment seems like I’m right back where I started 22 years ago really trying to
started 22 years ago really trying to
started 22 years ago really trying to find people to come together in both the
find people to come together in both the
find people to come together in both the rural and the urban areas to tackle this
rural and the urban areas to tackle this
rural and the urban areas to tackle this problem but I think this time we should
problem but I think this time we should
problem but I think this time we should rely a little bit more on what we
rely a little bit more on what we
rely a little bit more on what we learned during the lighting of rural
learned during the lighting of rural
learned during the lighting of rural America and apply it to today’s
America and apply it to today’s
America and apply it to today’s challenge I think we should call this
challenge I think we should call this
challenge I think we should call this barn raising broadband neighbors coming
barn raising broadband neighbors coming
barn raising broadband neighbors coming together to build an infrastructure to
together to build an infrastructure to
together to build an infrastructure to help another neighbor bringing
help another neighbor bringing
help another neighbor bringing affordable broadband internet to all
affordable broadband internet to all
affordable broadband internet to all homes and businesses for all of us this
homes and businesses for all of us this
homes and businesses for all of us this is going to take true innovation and
is going to take true innovation and
is going to take true innovation and it’s going to be a monumental task
it’s going to be a monumental task
it’s going to be a monumental task the economics to support the current
the economics to support the current
the economics to support the current technology are greater than any one
technology are greater than any one
technology are greater than any one company or any one solution technology
company or any one solution technology
company or any one solution technology infrastructure is the best investment we
infrastructure is the best investment we
infrastructure is the best investment we can make and tomorrow’s real
can make and tomorrow’s real
can make and tomorrow’s real sustainability making lives better to
sustainability making lives better to
sustainability making lives better to access to broader economies and more
access to broader economies and more
access to broader economies and more ideas can make it more attractive to
ideas can make it more attractive to
ideas can make it more attractive to live in rural America just not too many
live in rural America just not too many
live in rural America just not too many more of either better use of our time
more of either better use of our time
more of either better use of our time and our energy can make our resources go
and our energy can make our resources go
and our energy can make our resources go so much farther some rural areas have
so much farther some rural areas have
so much farther some rural areas have accomplished this successfully even
accomplished this successfully even
accomplished this successfully even companies like Microsoft and Google see
companies like Microsoft and Google see
companies like Microsoft and Google see the value in making this happen
the value in making this happen
the value in making this happen we’ve even partnered with companies in
we’ve even partnered with companies in
we’ve even partnered with companies in our area for our own communication needs
our area for our own communication needs
our area for our own communication needs and expanded coverage as a result but to
and expanded coverage as a result but to
and expanded coverage as a result but to make this happen for everyone it is
make this happen for everyone it is
make this happen for everyone it is going to take true leaders with this
going to take true leaders with this
going to take true leaders with this passion in every community to step
passion in every community to step
passion in every community to step forward and get it started it doesn’t
forward and get it started it doesn’t
forward and get it started it doesn’t have to be just your traditional
have to be just your traditional
have to be just your traditional companies although it could be it could
companies although it could be it could
companies although it could be it could be your electric utility it could be a
be your electric utility it could be a
be your electric utility it could be a start-up it could even be a company like
start-up it could even be a company like
start-up it could even be a company like Google in most cases I think it’s gonna
Google in most cases I think it’s gonna
Google in most cases I think it’s gonna need a partnership between all of them
need a partnership between all of them
need a partnership between all of them to make it happen
to make it happen
to make it happen since the urban areas rely so heavily on
since the urban areas rely so heavily on
since the urban areas rely so heavily on the success of our rural areas urban
the success of our rural areas urban
the success of our rural areas urban areas should lend themselves to be part
areas should lend themselves to be part
areas should lend themselves to be part of this solution as well maybe there are
of this solution as well maybe there are
of this solution as well maybe there are things that are working in your
things that are working in your
things that are working in your community that might work in ours maybe
community that might work in ours maybe
community that might work in ours maybe we can look at other industries and
we can look at other industries and
we can look at other industries and create a new approach maybe we can pull
create a new approach maybe we can pull
create a new approach maybe we can pull all of our infrastructure in a region
all of our infrastructure in a region
all of our infrastructure in a region and share in the cost but also share in
and share in the cost but also share in
and share in the cost but also share in the benefits and create a system with
the benefits and create a system with
the benefits and create a system with the economies of scale to gain the most
the economies of scale to gain the most
the economies of scale to gain the most efficient use the technology and the
efficient use the technology and the
efficient use the technology and the infrastructure to support this as a
infrastructure to support this as a
infrastructure to support this as a moving target and the challenges are
moving target and the challenges are
moving target and the challenges are going to be unique in each community but
going to be unique in each community but
going to be unique in each community but this is a target worth shooting for our
this is a target worth shooting for our
this is a target worth shooting for our because our communities matter and the
because our communities matter and the
because our communities matter and the people in rural America matter rural
people in rural America matter rural
people in rural America matter rural Americans are some of the most
Americans are some of the most
Americans are some of the most innovative folks around yet we often
innovative folks around yet we often
innovative folks around yet we often ignore the potential of these thinkers
ignore the potential of these thinkers
ignore the potential of these thinkers to change the world as we know it we
to change the world as we know it we
to change the world as we know it we leave so much on the table untouched and
leave so much on the table untouched and
leave so much on the table untouched and unexplored because this critical
unexplored because this critical
unexplored because this critical population of thinkers don’t have access
whether you’re in rural Nebraska rural
whether you’re in rural Nebraska rural California or rural New York when people
California or rural New York when people
California or rural New York when people come together with the sole purpose of
come together with the sole purpose of
come together with the sole purpose of building something that can make
building something that can make
building something that can make somebody else’s life better great
somebody else’s life better great
somebody else’s life better great solutions will result and in this case
solutions will result and in this case
solutions will result and in this case we can bring affordable broadband to
we can bring affordable broadband to
we can bring affordable broadband to everyone who wishes it driving these
everyone who wishes it driving these
everyone who wishes it driving these foundations can make stronger and more
foundations can make stronger and more
foundations can make stronger and more resilient communities by providing
resilient communities by providing
resilient communities by providing opportunities such as the folks who’ve
opportunities such as the folks who’ve
opportunities such as the folks who’ve built the rural electric system have
built the rural electric system have
built the rural electric system have done over the past 80 years we can
done over the past 80 years we can
done over the past 80 years we can continue making rural America thrive we
continue making rural America thrive we
continue making rural America thrive we can create a historic achievement and
can create a historic achievement and
can create a historic achievement and you know what we’ll all be better for
you know what we’ll all be better for
you know what we’ll all be better for this together we can make this happen
this together we can make this happen
this together we can make this happen not only for us today but for everyone
not only for us today but for everyone
not only for us today but for everyone including our kids tomorrow we can
including our kids tomorrow we can
including our kids tomorrow we can prevent this digital poverty from
prevent this digital poverty from
prevent this digital poverty from becoming established thank you
”
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