A month ago the telcos were poised to strike a death blow to net neutrality. Thanks to the fine leadership of Matt Stoller and the efforts of many bloggers, there has been an incredible turnaround and unless some of the Democrats start to wobble things look good. It will come up again next session and we may have to fight this all again, but in the short term it has been quite a victory.
But Matt had a lot of unexpected help, it should be noted. I’d also like to thank teleco lobbyist Mike McCurry, whose arrogance over at HuffPo energized the entire blogosphere. And then there’s the other teleco lobbyist, Steve Elmendorf, he of the famous quote:
"The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections,” said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign. “The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."
I’d personally like to extend my sincere apreciation to these guys who don’t seem to have quite mastered that "trick" yet. Their killer online strategy was to patronize everyone, spread a passel of telecom money around to bloggers who need it by plastering a bunch of ineffectual ads all over our sites and then planting the flag of abject failure in the middle of a battle they were already winning.
Thanks, guys. I certainly hope you achieve your dreams and replace all the Republicans on K Street when they’re carted off to jail. Though unlike the Democratic Party, these clients probably aren’t interested in paying you for repeatedly failing. So if you’d like a letter of recommendation to present to the oil companies, maybe big pharma or the defense contractors, let me know. I’ll be right there for you.
Oh and per Howie Klein, Lou Reed has come out in favor of net neutrality. Feel free to watch the above video of the Velvet Underground doing Sunday Morning (from The Velvet Underground & Nico) while licking your wounds. A little present from me to you for a job well done.
You may have the cash boys but you’ll never, ever be cool.
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Lou, once again, kicks ass. All punk can be traced back to the electroshock he got when he was a kid in Syracuse NY. God bless him.
Fitz!!
Fitz??
Love Lou Reed, but I don’t see a photo or a link.
Jane, you’ve got me hooked on Desmond Dekker now. Anyone know a reliable online streaming radio link to listen to reggae, ska, etc.?
Lou, once again, kicks ass. All punk can be traced back to the electroshock he got when he was a kid in Syracuse NY. God bless him.
Should be there now Margot, momentary glitch.
JANE- is this late nite FDL???
mike mccurry, captain of the washington generals. lose another one, loser. left wing truth right wing lies = centrist
“balance”.
OT – There’s a very weird sentence in the Glenn Kessler story about Iran negotiations:
“Since becoming secretary of state last year, Rice has worked assiduously to make certain that the United States does not maneuver itself into becoming the world’s enemy No. 1, as it did on the Iraq war” (my emphasis).
Is it radical that Kessler got this into the Post? Or is it more that we’re expected to just sort of accept being despised now and it ain’t a big deal?
VG –
It’s late, it’s nite, and it’s FDL — close enuf for internet work!
Message to telcos and M. McCurry:
Anyone that ever had a net
Wouldn’t turn around and break it.
Anyone that ever played a part
Wouldn’t turn around and hate it.
EDITED BY SITE OWNER
You had your one warning. Now you’re out of here.
Margot,
someone linked this site the other day
soon after the page loads, it’ll ask you for an artist or a song name, type in Desmond Dekker and it’ll give you a whole radio station of similar music
http://pandora.com/
ck- whew! Now I know I don’t have to stay up past my bedtime hankering for yet another FDL post. I was sure that that was what Jane meant, but it’s always good to have a second opinion.
All punk can be traced back to the electroshock he got when he was a kid in Syracuse NY.
I am a huge, huge, Lou Reed fan … and it kills me that I didn’t think of that line.
Beats the hell out of “Fitz!” anyday. Awesome.
“Transformer” is my Lou Reed.
You know what? Be fucking afraid, Cheney.
Think you’ve taken the reins of the universe, little sir.
Hey Lou.
I’ve been a fan for a long, long time.
Tell those who oppose net neutrality:
“The first thing you learn is that you always gotta wait”
They can wait forever in their attempts to jack the web from us.
And thanks for the sounds, Sweet Jane. Love the music nights.
Sweet Jane Hamsher – Yowza !!!
Thank you Jane, for that well-aimed snark just before my bedtime!
Ooops — thanks, VG. Yes it is Late Nite.
Thanks Jane, it’s there now.
cbl, thanks, I’m fiddling with it now.
Heavenly wine and roses
Seems to whisper to her when she smiles
La lala lala la, la lala lala la
Sweet jane
Sweet jane
Sweet jane
The image I get in my head about these pantywaist Dems and their smug preaching at us unwashed masses is of Pee Wee Herman in the biker bar, “BE QUIET! I’M TRYING TO USE THE PHONE!”
Except there won’t be any tequila dance to redeem them.
Editing police “Though unlike the Democratic Party, these clients probably arent interested in paying you
tofor repeatedly failing.”TREX,
Ah, you reminded me of one of my favorite movies of all time. If you don’t like to be lectured, then fall prey to the natural consequences of continued republican leadership. Just don’t say we never sounded a warning when you finally “get it.”
NPR’s On Point had a good show on Net Neutrality this morning. I didn’t hear all of it, but one of the pro-neutrality guests (Lawrence Lessig, I think) was doing a pretty good job of calling bullshit on the telecom lobbyist’s arguments. Also, if I recall correctly, the host referred to the industry guy as a lobbyist, rather than as the head of the astroturf group as he’s presented in the show’s guest list. In addition, they had a rep from Google on to point out that although Google could now afford to be one of the “winners” in a non-neutral net, without net neutrality, they never would have gotten off the ground, and the “next Google” wouldn’t either. The show doesn’t seem to do transcripts, but it’s well worth a listen.
(Also amusing — looking at the website of Scott Cleland’s astroturf “netcompetition.org”, he mentions the appearance and whines about “While I had hoped for a more balanced debate…” Yeah, I bet you did!)
Wikipedia has a nice article, though the economics is a little glib
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality
Art Brodsky gives the policy scoop
http://www.tpmcafe.com/user/15301/recent
internet2 project (the new academic internet project) argues that it is cheaper to increase capacity, from their experience. The frontpage articles on net neutrality are gone now, but you can search the site
http://www.internet2.edu/
Those shots of a young Lou with shades and an acoustic guitar are priceless.
Does anyone here have the VU boxed set, with the early half-speed, acoustic demo of “Waiting for the Man” where Lou sings it in a country/bluegrass yodel?
Trex 22– that made me laugh out loud.
TRex & his bro. are going to be doing some Late Nite hosting next week, they will no doubt keep things rocking.
Swopa 26 — no but that sounds like a must-have. I’m one of those wack jobs whose favorite Velvet Underground album is VU.
As I’ve mentioned, I worked for Telco equipment manufacturers and with Telcos worldwide. These people are arrogant swine that assume they can steal whatever they want and will do exactly that until stopped. That’s their history and tradition—take whatever you want and wait for the national government to regulate you, to stop your actions and pull you back. As a matter of business plan they go for the max and let the regulators establish limits.
Oh, and I went from growing up in Beach Boys/Dick Dale/Doors/Buffalo Springfield LA to Coast Guard electronics school in July 1970 on Governors Island, NY, and pulled a roomate from New York. First day there I get hit with Velvet Underground, White Light/White Heat. Never been the same.
Not my cuppa tea but I did like this line in this song, Hangin Round… “You’re still doing things that I gave up years ago”. PRICELESS, and timeless.
http://www.sing365.com/music/l…..88002FBCC9
Jane, I hope you continue the musical features on Late Nite. I am enjoying them. Also, today I received my CD from Howie Klein–Greendale by Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Very nice.
===this got put into moderation but I have no idea why that was. your moderator.===
TREX @23,
It seems my sarcasm detector was on the blink. I feel thin skinned and foolish!
Jane, that’s too, too funny — money can’t buy love but it can buy true love, if only for five minutes
really OT, but am watching Hans Blix talking about WMD from today on cspan– questions are mostly wrt Iran. It is fairly damning wrt us.
Info here and links to the actual report delivered to Kofi Annan here:
http://releases.usnewswire.com…..p?id=66742
Posted this earlier today but now it’s ON-topic:
Net Neutrality and the eBay Community: A Call to Action
Dear xxx,
As you know, I almost never reach out to you personally with a request to get involved in a debate in the U.S. Congress. However, today I feel I must.
Right now, the telephone and cable companies in control of Internet access are trying to use their enormous political muscle to dramatically change the Internet. It might be hard to believe, but lawmakers in Washington are seriously debating whether consumers should be free to use the Internet as they want in the future.
The phone and cable companies now control more than 95% of all Internet access. These large corporations are spending millions of dollars to promote legislation that would divide the Internet into a two-tiered system.
The top tier would be a “Pay-to-Play” high-speed toll-road restricted to only the largest companies that can afford to pay high fees for preferential access to the Net.
The bottom tier — the slow lane — would be what is left for everyone else. If the fast lane is the information “super-highway,” the slow lane will operate more like a dirt road.
Today’s Internet is an incredible open marketplace for goods, services, information and ideas. We can’t give that up. A two lane system will restrict innovation because start-ups and small companies — the companies that can’t afford the high fees — will be unable to succeed, and we’ll lose out on the jobs, creativity and inspiration that come with them.
The power belongs with Internet users, not the big phone and cable companies. Let’s use that power to send as many messages as possible to our elected officials in Washington. Please join me by clicking here right now to send a message to your representatives in Congress before it is too late. You can make the difference.
Thank you for reading this note. I hope you’ll make your voice heard today.
Sincerely,
Meg Whitman
President and CEO
eBay Inc.
P.S. If you have any questions about this issue, please contact us at government_relations@ebay.com
TeddySanFran -
- great questions for Gwen Ifill. She is a wanker. I think she may be the worst of all the WaPo chatters. Her excuse that she’s a reporter, not an opinion columnist, therefore it’s not her role to tell you what she “thinks”, is bogus. Compare her chats to Dana Priest’s – also a mere reporter – who still manages to give insightful commentary by telling us what she “thinks”. Dana is not afraid to go out on a limb, which gives you the unmistakeable sense she knows her shit. It just makes you wonder why Gwen even bothers to do the chats when she is just phoning it in.
I thought this was a nice example:
It’s not radical, Gwen. It’s just boneheaded.
marksb #31: good point on history of telcos. Is there a list of their outrages someplace. Remember switching coustomers to different long distance services without, like, even asking them, cause they could. What was that called, “slamming”? Some one ought to make a list of the history. If you could get a good short list of problems sense deregulation, and get it out to voters, I think net neutrality would win.
Anyone who thinks US approach to regulating communications is working has never been to Asia or Europe. It’s all about grabbing legal control of resources and services for which they are already compensated, establishing monoopoly, or small oligopoly, restricting access, and grabbing the cash. There is a name for it in economics: rent seeking.
Always take walk by Josh’s place this time of night….
June 01, 2006 — 11:19 PM EST // link)
Uh-oh … Sounds like it’s subpoena time for House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA).
Off the AP wire: “San Bernardino County, Calif., has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury for records connected to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis and a lobbying firm with strong ties to Lewis, a county official said. The subpoena asked for all records of the county’s correspondence with Lewis, R-Calif., and his staff and with the lobbying firm, Copeland, Lowery, Jacquez, Denton, & White, which employs former California Republican Congressman Bill Lowery, said San Bernardino County’s chief deputy counsel, Daniel B. Haueter.”
Never a dull moment in our new gilded age.
– Josh Marshall
Sorry, OT, folks, on a mission tonight (including that little ethics exercise in the last thread).
Hallooooo Matt O. — are you out there??
I have a project for you, in re: war profiteering. Need some work done on Blackwater, and a rather interesting family relationship.
You game?
Jane: you slay me…
darkblack @ 9:29 p.m.
Have you no shame?
There’s a blog on the netcompetition.org astroturf site. You have to register to post comments; I can’t tell if you have to register to read comments, or if there just aren’t any to read.
I’m sorely tempted to register (with a throwawy email address, of course) just to post comments asking ol’ Scott whether he enjoys lying for a living, or if it just pays well. But it’d probably just get deleted and banned.
Caution: The most insidious fever nightmare of progressive folks has come alive, an image that will follow you to the grave…Sensitive types and young children should not click on the link below.
You have been warned
;>)
I’m one of those wack jobs whose favorite Velvet Underground album is VU.
(*attempts to maintain composure*)
“Foggy Notion” would have been worth a mention in the guitar thread the other day. I’ve never decided for sure if that’s Lou or not.
Are your local TV stations playing the say No to Net Neutrality commercials practically every show? I keep seeing them on broadcast channels spouting that the reason cable prices are so high is because of Net Neutrality. “vote no!”
Heh, I was even confused in the begining, I can’t even imagine what the people who have no idea what ‘net neutrality’ means are thinking. Bring out the big money to confuse people! Yay! [sarcasm dripping]
Rayne- I saw your comment and emailed it to Matt O. That’s the best I can do for now. Hope he gets in touch.
Consider the source, but this made me laugh:
http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/
Darkblack: I’m soooo sorry I looked…jaysus…
I knew Walt Disney’s head had been cryogenically preserved, but Tricky Dick’s, too?
Wow. Who knew?
I guess that settles the whole Bush-succession problem.
(Altho’, in all intellectual honesty, it really should be admitted that Nixon was an overrated piker compared to the Bush administration when it comes to sheer Constitutional destruction.)
Swopa 46 — I’ve always sort of assumed it was Sterling Morrison myself, but for no good reason.
Swopa 46 — oh and just you wait, I’ll start defending Loaded any minute and drive everyone out of the place.
I couldn’t resist. I posted a comment on the netcompetition.org astroturf blog:
It did have one useful result — I found out that registration wasn’t necessary to read comments, there just were no comments.
The musicians coalition asked me to find out if any of the artists I used to work with at Warner and Reprise are into this. I was blown away by the 100% positive response. Lou was the first one to get back to me with a resounding YES and about 15 minutes ago the Book of Love asked me to count them in too. It took a whole day because Ted had to poll all the members of the band. I think the coalition is going to announce all the musicians who are part of this next week.
By the way, I help John over at Crooks and Liars with his Late Night Music Club on Wednesdays. Yesterday we played a version of the Clique/REM song “Superman” by Roger Troutman that was recorded for a Superman movie. The song was never used because Warners scrapped the film and then Roger’s brother shot him. The song had never been heard by anyone but Roger and I (and a few friends) until last night. For next week… I have 2 incredible Lou Reed songs that have never been released (one a duet with Laurie Anderson done for the same Superman film!) and I’m going to ask Lou if John and I can play ‘em on C&L.
BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 1 — Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki lashed out at the American military on Thursday, denouncing what he characterized as habitual attacks by troops against Iraqi civiliians
Readers’ Opinions
Forum: The Transition in Iraq
As outrage over reports that American marines killed 24 Iraqis in the town of Haditha last year continued to shake the new government, the country’s senior leaders said that they would demand that American officials turn over their investigative files on the killings and that the Iraqi government would conduct its own inquiry.
In his comments, Mr. Maliki said violence against civilians had become a “daily phenomenon” by many troops in the American-led coalition who “do not respect the Iraqi people.”
“They crush them with their vehicles and kill them just on suspicion,” he said. “This is completely unacceptable.” Attacks on civilians will play a role in future decisions on how long to ask American forces to remain in Iraq, the prime minister added.
The denunciation was an unusual declaration for a government that remains desperately dependent on American forces to keep some form of order in the country amid a resilient Sunni Arab insurgency in the west, widespread sectarian violence in Baghdad, and deadly feuding among Shiite militias that increasingly control the south.
It was also a sign of the growing pressure on Mr. Maliki, whose governing coalition includes Sunni Arabs who were enraged by news of the killings in Haditha, a city deep in Sunni-dominated Anbar Province. At the same time, he is being pushed by the Americans to resolve the quarreling within his fragile coalition that has left him unable to fill cabinet posts for the Ministries of Defense and the Interior, the two top security jobs in the country.
(NYT)
Daily phenomenon- or a few bad apples. Which is it?
Hi Howie- I’m not sure if you will remember me from previous threads– but thanks for all your work on elections candidates etc. So, this extra little bit was nice!!! Fer sure!!! VG
…anyone catch the Underground at The Family Dog in SF back in the stone age? they had a female drummer and her drums wern’t secured to the floor… they kept jumping ahead until they were at the edge of this shallow little stage and she just humped her stool along to catch up to them until finally they fell over and she leaned over and whacked them as they fell…awesome…and terrible…but lovely…
darkblack 17
Channeling Punaise:
“Forced spread in Ohio”
well, darkblack, since you brought up Nixon again (harkening back to the RFK Jr. thread, to the tune of Neil Young’s “Ohio”):
Tin soul jerks and nix on scamming
Fear finally is their own
This slumber I hear, the slumming,
Forced spread in Ohio.
Gotta get down to it
Goopers are running us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you voted
And found it shred on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soul jerks and nix on scamming
Fear finally is their own
This slumber I hear, the slumming,
Forced spread in Ohio.
I’ve always sort of assumed it was Sterling Morrison myself, but for no good reason.
The thing is, it’s either Sterling Morrison rocking out more than he ever did before or after, or Lou being more disciplined than he ever was before or since. Or Eric Clapton dropping by for a cameo on a song the Velvets never released, which I suppose is unlikely.
… oh and just you wait, I’ll start defending Loaded any minute and drive everyone out of the place.
I was just listening to “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’” earlier tonight. Sterling Morrison’s finest moment, unless he’s responsible for the “Foggy Notion” solo.
Every time she put on the radio
There was nothin goin down at all
Not at all
Dean of the Washington Press Corp David Broder takes your questions tomorrow at noon eastern! Submit your panty-related question now, avoid the rush….
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01267.html
punaise @ 59:
‘Don’t mention the hoar’
;>)
rayne, i am pretty good at research, if that’s what you’re tawkin’bout w/ blackwater. berkeleystewart at hotmail.
Alas, poor Yorick, exhume me well.
– Tricky Dick’s Lonely Staked-Hearts Club Band
Hmm.
darkblack, bringing up Nixon like that almost brought up my dinner . . .
Valley Girl, since we seem to be in a CSNY mood this evening . . . and since (last thread) you and Jane were both concerned about missing each other at YK:
There’s a rose in a fisted glove
And the eagle flies with the dove
And if you can’t be with the one you love
It’s alright
Go ahead and love the one, love the one, love the one named Fitz
Love the one, love the one, love the one named Fitz
darkblack, you took the hint right out of my mouth.
And now for something completely different . . .
Peterr @ 67:
‘But it was only a wafer-thin hint’
;>)
Huckermill 65 – hmm indeed. while presumably not a lass, your porous rictus afflicts us. :~)
sorry, I Kent State it any better than that.*
*(pre-emptive apology: no slight intended to the K.S. four)
punaise @ 72:
‘I dunno, I kinda dug it‘
;>)
YouTube is down.
darkblack – heh!
“Deposed drugged former tyrant emerges from spiderhole”
semi off-topic….
to the list of anti-Bush songs, we gotta add the latest Pet Shop Boys single, which is about Blair’s relationship with Bush.
Its called Im With Stupid
See you on the TV
Call you every day
Fly across the ocean
Just to let you get your way
No one understands me
Where I’m coming from
Why would I be with someone
who’s obviously so dumb?
Love comes
Love grows
every time you rise to meet me
take my hand to greet me
Love comes
Love grows
and power can give a man
much more than anybody knows
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Before we ever met
I thought like everybody did
you were just a moron
a billion-dollar kid
You flew up all the way
like a hawk chasing a dove
I never thought that I would be
a sacrifice in love
It comes
It grows
and now we’re tied together
everybody knows
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Is stupid really stupid
or a different kind of smart?
Do we really have a relationship
so special in your heart?
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
I have to ask myself
like any lover might:
Have you made a fool of me?
Are you not Mr Right?
You grin
I pose
It’s not about sincerity
Everybody knows
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Oh-oh, I’m with Stupid
Is stupid really stupid
or a different kind of smart?
That’s how you stole my heart
I’m with Stupid
“yourtube is down”?
tell it to Nixon in that picture
Who’re you alassin’? You sick?
Malaise from punaise?
(I ain’t just sure if I is been insulted or complimented or both.)
So far I haven’t heard anyone mention Al Gore’s take on Net Neutrality so I went out and dug up the transcript of an amazing speech he gave in New York last year.
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1006-28.htm
It’s an amazing speech and I keep getting amazed to find out that Al was out front on all this stuff. Seems like he’s been out front of most everything newsworthy today. This was back in October he said this. Here’s the closing paragraphs for a taste:
It is true that video streaming is becoming more common over the Internet, and true as well that cheap storage of streamed video is making it possible for many young television viewers to engage in what the industry calls “time shifting” and personalize their television watching habits. Moreover, as higher bandwidth connections continue to replace smaller information pipelines, the Internet’s capacity for carrying television will continue to dramatically improve. But in spite of these developments, it is television delivered over cable and satellite that will continue for the remainder of this decade and probably the next to be the dominant medium of communication in America’s democracy. And so long as that is the case, I truly believe that America’s democracy is at grave risk.
The final point I want to make is this: We must ensure that the Internet remains open and accessible to all citizens without any limitation on the ability of individuals to choose the content they wish regardless of the Internet service provider they use to connect to the Worldwide Web. We cannot take this future for granted. We must be prepared to fight for it because some of the same forces of corporate consolidation and control that have distorted the television marketplace have an interest in controlling the Internet marketplace as well. Far too much is at stake to ever allow that to happen.We must ensure by all means possible that this medium of democracy’s future develops in the mold of the open and free marketplace of ideas that our Founders knew was essential to the health and survival of freedom. -Al Gore, Oct 2005
Oops… First paragraph AFTER the link is still me.
OT re Net Neutrality, but On Topic for Musicians who get it . .
Eugene Robinson has a good editorial in tomorrow’s WashPo entitled “Chicks and Balances” (take that, punaise) about the Dixie Chicks and their new #1 album. His opening paragraph tells you exactly where he’s going, and the trip is a fun one:
It’s a good read, and he’s got some good gloating on their behalf.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..01536.html
Oops – should be OP-ed. But then you probably knew that. WashPo editorial board coming out in favor of the Chicks? Naaaah.
Huckermill 77 – it was an over-reaching ill-fated homonymous riff on your
Alas, poor Yorick, exhume me well
Yorick = your rict(us) etc.
guess you had to be there. but wait, you were. oh, never mind…. :~)
And he owes it all to that shot of political Viagra Nixon’s got from watching BushCo. in action:
Tricky Dick [growing excited and all gravelly voiced]: “We’re on the comeback trail again, mother.”
Pat Nixon [knocking back another belt]: “Oh dear, Lord, not again, Dick. Not again.”
Seems like there is a new battle blooming on Net privacy too. The Justice Department is meeting with companies and pressuring them to come up with proposals about saving data on who comes to their Web sites for as long as two years. Not just for monitoring kiddie porn, but comprehensive data on which of their customers visits which site and what people search for. In other words, if Gonzales gets his way, Big Brother will be able to watch every keystroke you make when you search. It’s all here in the NYT…http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/02/washington/02records.html?hp&ex=1149307200&en=cc5dfb247cb673c1&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Still waiting for that fantasist Leopold to out his sources. Not happen yet? Wow I’m shocked.
He’d have to look up to see Drudge.
punaise @ 82
Your summation ‘minds me of a famous quote from Oscar Wilde, a real all-purpose sockdolager a body can invoke whenever necessity requires:
“The play was a success but the audience was a failure.”
Altho’, in my meager defense, I feel compelled to point out that:
“poor Yorick”
por(ous) ric(tus)
Overreach twere not once but twice-ous’ed nicked us in the rictus.
forgot to close tag. sorry. done.
try this I guess; have original post saved, so hopefully closing tag in it will fix my goof; if not, sorry for screw uppunaise @ 82
Your summation ‘minds me of a famous quote from Oscar Wilde, a real all-purpose sockdolager a body can invoke whenever necessity requires:
“The play was a success but the audience was a failure.”
Altho’, in my meager defense, I feel compelled to point out that:
“poor Yorick”
por(ous) ric(tus)
Overreach twere not once but twice-ous’ed nicked us in the rictus.
you’re either porous or agin’ us
Porous or ag’in us leads to porphyria hysteria.
Alas, we is met the enemy, and he is porous.
(Apologies to Pogo.)
poor us /
poor U.S.
We is met the enemy, and he is porous.
porous = poor us = poor U.S.
That were (one of) the senses in which it were intended, you bet.
Before modern US Forces whack a nation bigtime, they take out the Communications, effectively lobotomising the opposition. No brain, no service. Then the remainder of the blitzkrieg stuff is a cakewalk. That’s what will happen to Kos and co.(people like us) if the net status quo is not preserved. An attendant irony is that intelligent, articulate dissent will probably still florish should the vote hold, but as a by-product of the commercial imperatives of the likes of Google.
However, if America slide into Fascism, not the longest of long shots, then we can expect similar net control/censorship as now prevails in China and is enabled by Yahoo, Google and the gang. In the short term, the preservation of net neutrality looms as a significant victory for those who champion government by we, the people.
Lou Reed is a remarkable human being, artist, musician and much more. The cat is eponymously cool. I like him best for his unreserved contempt for pretentious morons, and the quality of his political observations on his album “New York”.
Jane #53… Loaded is my favorite, so I’ve got your back.
Big Audio Dynamite – Rush
Situation no win
Rush for the change of atmosphere
I can`t go on so I give in
Gotta get myself right outta here
(buenos galapagos, todos. hasta manana)
one for the road:
more net neutrality musicians: Moby and Michael Stipe
dover b, i made 4 reservations to see Francis Fukuyama in Little Tokyo at the LA public library zocalo lecture series.
Wednesday, June 21, 7pm at National Center for the Preservation of Democracy Francis Fukuyama, “The Neoconservative Legacy and the Future of American Foreign Policy”. anybody in la area that wants to meet there, email me. email address is mentiond earlier in comments (10:21).
The telcos don’t seem to be giving up. I saw a commercial this evening that implied that all this “net neutrality” stuff was going to cost consumers all sorts of money, and how you should call your congresspeople and complain.
So far, I’ve seen no countervailing ads, but I’m not watching much TV these days.
“You may have the cash boys but you’ll never, ever be cool.”
This is the single most perfect example of snark I’ve ever seen.
True genius. Thank you.
brkily, unfortunately, I can’t make it. But I look forward to a report from you.
Wow… anybody awake right now, the Sundance Channel is showing “The Human Behavior Experiments,” a documentary about, among other things, The Stanford Prison Experiment, which I coincedentally just blogged about because of its relationship to Abu Ghraib.
Tune in for a real eye-opener.
OK. It’s obvious that I am the only one awake, but I must tell you all… watch this documentary!
There will likely never be a better case made that “a few bad apples” doesn’t wash when it comes to Abu Ghraib and the environment created by Cheney and Rumsfeld.
And with that, good night!
My favorite semi recent Lou Work. Songs For Drella and New York. Mix them and you have some. subblueicerockinpolyfetalgrisgris
bye, bye bye bye
OT – here’s some humor to brighten up your morning. A spoof Katherine Harris campaign video from HuffPo.
http://harrisvideo.cf.huffingtonpost.com/
…more AM video watching.
http://blogs.nydailynews.com/d…..saninv.php
A brave and lone Federal judge in Detroit, Michigan, has rejected (on May 31) the Department of Justice’s request that she postpone a hearing on the legality of the NSA domestic spying program. She has ordered the public court session to take place on June 12.
The May 31 order is available at:
http://www.aclu.org/images/nsa….._25726.pdf
The ACLU’s original court filing in the suit on January 17, 2006, can be found at http://www.aclu.org/images/nsa…..23491.pdf.
The ACLU filed a motion on March 9 that asked the court to rule that the program be summarily declared illegal. It can be found at http://www.aclu.org/images/nsa…..24453.pdf.
The Bush Administration failed twice to meet Judge Anna Diggs Taylor’s deadlines to respond to the plaintiff’s motion. Instead the U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion last Friday asking that she first rule on its own arguments that Federal courts have no power to consider the issue because it involves “state secrets.” The Honorable Anna Diggs Taylor, U.S. District Judge, has just denied the government’s motion.
Assuming that events proceed as expected, the U.S. Department of Justice will, of course, now appeal her order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in an attempt to get it overturned and, if unsuccessful, will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block her order.
I don’t have access to the DOJ filings in this case.
A story about this appeared in the Detroit News yesterday at http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb…..0426/1022.
Judge: Spy case hearings will go on
Federal jurist in Detroit stands firm despite claim national security at risk.
Gregg Krupa / The Detroit News
DETROIT — A federal judge in Detroit said she will proceed with hearings in a suit that challenges a domestic spying program run by the National Security Agency, despite assertions from the Bush administration that doing so would reveal “state secrets” that affect national security.
U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor also chided the NSA and lawyers for the Department of Justice for failing to respond to the court challenge, brought Jan. 18 by a local resident, Nizah Hassan, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American Islamic Relations. Despite having twice extended time for the government, Diggs Taylor said it has failed to respond.
The plaintiffs also filed a motion March 9 asking Diggs Taylor to summarily declare the NSA’s program illegal. They assert the NSA must go to a secret court provided by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for approval of spying in the United States.
The government eventually filed a motion saying that, by law, no court can consider the issues because of a privilege against revealing state secrets, if doing so diminishes national security.
But in her order, Diggs Taylor said she will hear the government’s motion only after proceeding with a hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion to summarily declare the spying illegal.
“The hearing shall be held on Monday, June 12, 2006, as scheduled,” Diggs Taylor ordered. “Although defendants have not responded to said motion they may, if they appear, argue against it.”
The ACLU and the other plaintiffs say the NSA has illegally operated a domestic spying program, tapping the phone calls of callers who frequently converse with people in the Middle East. President Bush has said the program is legal.
“We are glad the judge appears to be skeptical of the government’s argument that no court can consider the legality of the NSA’s program,” said Ann Beeson, the associate legal director of the ACLU.
A spokeswoman for the NSA said no one from the agency would be available to comment on the order until Monday.
A spokesman for the Department of Justice said lawyers are reviewing the order before deciding whether to comment and how to proceed.
Legal observers said the government can appeal the judge’s lawyer before Diggs Taylor proceeds with the hearing.
The government has succeeded in two recent cases to block lawsuits against its tactics in the war against terror by using the so-called state secrets doctrine, which provides the government a privilege against legal action if that action would diminish national security.
Once rarely used, the doctrine is now routinely wielded by the Bush administration, which is expected this month to intervene in some 20 cases filed against telephone companies that may have shared data on patterns of telephone calls with federal officials.
Favorites:
Loaded
Street Hassle
Berlin
Trying to post
Domestic spying court order: http://www.aclu.org/images/nsa….._25726.pdf
U.S. Federal judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit, Michigan, has rejected (on May 31) the Department of Justice’s request that she postpone a hearing on the legality of the NSA domestic spying program. She has ordered the public court session to take place on June 12.
The ACLU’s original court filing in the suit on January 17, 2006, can be found at http://www.aclu.org/images/nsa…..23491.pdf.
The ACLU filed a motion on March 9 that asked the court to rule that the program be summarily declared illegal. It can be found at http://www.aclu.org/images/nsa…..24453.pdf.
“‘[Bloggers] are not representative of the majority you need to win elections,’ said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised the Kerry 2004 presidential campaign.”
Steve Elmendorf on how to win elections is like Soupy Sales on how to win elections. Talk to me when you, you know, win an election. Loser.
Good morning all.
great post..our thanks to Jane for another great line… “You may have the cash boys but you’ll never, ever be cool.”
Looks like another one of the dukes partners in the “grime is congress party” is getting closer to the light…
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
Peter #80
Right on! Dixie Chicks’ Taking the Long Way is bust-out fabulous. I’m loving their well earned and deserved, in-your-face, success.
What it must be like to be one of those blowhard DJ’s who are hanging on by their ill-informed teeth to squelch the Dixie Chicks’ great music being heard over the air. It debuts as numero uno inspite of the conglomerate backed DJs’ best/worst efforts. I’d be so emabarrassed if I were one of those bullheaded twit DJ’s.
I think this Dixie Chicks imbroglio actually relates to our fast and furuios response to net nuetrality. We can win when we try, and RIGHT is on our side.
Valley Girl — thanks for the assist, he contacted me. Waiting for a reply that says Game On. ;-)
brkily — thanks much, check your email. Matt O., if you’re reading this, we’ve got research on board.
Prof — glad to see you and thanks for the ACLU stuff. It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks, yes?
A certain astrologer friend’s reading of Bush’s chart shows some serious activity over the next two weeks in his chart, too. Hmm. Wonder if it’s time to start another “board” on Rove’s indictment…?
So. The rest of you stubborn, extremist, left-wing mules ready to be “harnessed’ to your moral obligation to pull the Hillary-Lieberman wagon?
The DLC and all the republican-lite democrats who think they ARE the party, are finding out about “kicking”. :o)
Thanks, Prof @ 105 and 109 (nabbed by the troll catcher for length and links, I suppose), and good morning to you all
Guess this ruling means Christy, looseheadprop, and our other resident lawyers will be busy today. . . and it’s a Friday, so we know what that means.
What’s Fitz up to today?
Good morning, all.
The one, the only … Salam Pax, PBUH
http://justzipit.blogspot.com
Good morning, all-
Always catching up to Late Nite the morning after…I’ve got a question for Howie (if you’re around this a.m.).
One of the emerging trends on the internet is the ability of musicians to put their music out for download from their own websites. This applies to local “struggling” artists as well as the big name acts. Here’s the question: if the big telcons control the internets, how would that affect those local artists trying to get their music out there?
BTW, one of my favorite Lou Reed moments is when he sings on “Strawman” (from New York), “Does anyone need another politician caught with his pants down money sticking in his hole.” Lou does have a way with words, doesn’t he?
lotuslander-
That link is powerful. We just don’t have a clue what it’s like there.
morning, firedogs. got some free time today? use it. your children will thank you.
Just a little refresher on the 2000 election mess in Florida:
http://www.ericblumrich.com/gta/html
Oh crap,why is my post appearing a bunch of times?I’m sorry,I swear I only hit the submit button once.
Another potential frog march day begins. Will the cheerios kid march the evil Rover? Hope still springs eternal.
It sure is, and we sure don’t, cathy!
I’ll keep an eye on the Iraqi blogs for us. My special faves include Salam P, Riverbend, Zeyad, and Asterism (who’s actually in London, but his weekly “the Iraqi Blogodrome” roundups are always stunners). What they’re living through, and even managing to maintain senses of humor (or at least irony) about, is light-years past surreal.
PBU all of ‘em, and make it snappy!
A sizable portion of the american people will have to wear baggy pants to hide their hard ons as the word spreads that their favorite president is going to support the gay marriage amendment. Beware of goopers carrying books!
OT — viewing recommendation, the National Geographic Channel’s “Hitler Uncovered.” Based on an 11 min tape of his voice, the program is chilling in its showing of “the banality of evil.”
Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them….
Looks as if the recent shootings of Iraqis by the US Military was not an isolated incident- but americans aren’t too upset about the actions of a few bad apples. We’ll just give em all “ethics” training and it’ll be fine. Iraqis are apparently not so sanguine- the Prime Minister of the government that George built says that killing Iraqis is a daily exercise for US Troops. We may need to double up on the ethical training.
“Look- if you guys don’t quit killing innocent Iraqis, yer gonna have ta go ta one of these boring “ethics” seminars EVERY WEEK. Now don’t say I didn’t warn ya!”
what?
talking about the vu and nobody mentions john cale??? he’s the dude with the wispy mustache and beard in the video. went on to great solo career and is still making progressive music. check out hobosapien from 2003;
http://www.emusic.com/album/10842/10842843.html
also, still working and recording is the vu’s as-yet-unmentioned female drummer (spiderpaws did mention her but not by name and she never shows up in that video). maureen tucker is also still out there recording rock and roll music. check out her page on emusic. it includes a nice bio and you can listen to samples…
http://www.emusic.com/artist/11590/11590269.html
Watch out, goopers, RW’s on Fristy patrol!
Turns out that the Bush “just say no to fucking” campaign is causing massive increases in aids cases. Who woulda guessed it?
“No could ever have known that our just say no campaign would actually INCREASE the aids cases” said Condi- the liar in chief.
Ever hopeful that Fitzy handcuffs Rove.
Send Patrick to Ohio, naw, we need him in DC,
at the scene of the crimes….
Bay State Librul
Well off to the golf course to do mortal combat with evil goopers and to part them from their money- they really HATE that.
Keep the homefires burning- hope there are frogs marchin across america upon my return.
Smack it straight, RW.
For those who are interested, here’s the Draft Gore website:
http://www.draftgore2008.org/node/143
A thought that occurs to me this morning (one of two, the other involves coffee) is that our (democrats, progressives, liberals, netrootsers) challenge is, in addition to winning back power and stopping the madness that Republican rule has brought to our country and the world, to eliminate the so-called policies that Bushco has managed to shove down our throats.
Permanent tax cuts for the wealthy, corporate welfare for big oil, big stick and no carrot foreign policy all need to be repealled immediately. But they also need to be replaced with policies based on reality and facts. I know I’m being optimistic but I do see the political will to provide the leadership the country needs in peple like Lamont, Feingold, Gore, Kennedy, and Murtha.
Now we just need fair and open elections.
Keep your head down, swing easy, follow through, rwcole. Take the money and run.
I might have to do the same this afternoon. Believe me, it is so damned tempting to reach out and TOUCH one of those goopers with my 3-wood.
Nah, better use my driver. I can’t hit the ball for crap with it but I’m a genius with my 3-wood.
Oh, the fun you get on C-SPAN . . . reading about it almost did a spit-take on my AM coffee.
4:20 AM Pacific time, Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, and C-SPAN was having their “Washington Journal” call in. “Hello? This is Malibu, California. . .”
That voice. I know that voice.
She was talking about the need for new helmet liners for the troops in Iraq.
But that voice. I know that voice.
Finally the host asked: “Is this Cher?”
Her reply (warning: set your coffee down, people): “Yeah,” she answered. “I know that I am an entertainer and from Hollywood and should have no conscience, but I am an American and I just cannot bear these people for another moment.”
Amended and abridged from today’s WashPo at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..02451.html
rwcole 131
Well off to the golf course to do mortal combat with evil goopers and to part them from their money- they really HATE that.
fleece ‘em, then flee some.
too bad we couldn’t take a mulligan on the 2000 or 2004 elections.
Rayne 134 – isn’t it amazing how one club (3 or 5 wood for me) can feel so “right” and dependable, while the driver can be so fickle? Giving up distance for accuracy.
good advice in your first line.
and as far as this particular clip is concerned, let’s not forget the greatness of the VU’s *other* resident genius, John Cale. Yo, that’s a pretty bad-ass haircut and beard that “The Welsh Bob Dylan” is sportin’ there, no?
Wonder if Andy Warhol shot this footage, or maybe it was Gerard Malanga?
Say, Howie, you might know the answer to this… What’s the deal with the fact that there’s so little watchable footage of the Velvets out there? Now days we got hours of stuff of the MC5 (some of it courtesy the FOIA!) But with the Velvet Underground we have a very visually interesting, high-profile NYC band that for about two years was in almost constant proximity to Andy Warhol and his filmmaking equipment, yet there’s very little film representation available, at least as far as I can surmise.