Filtered through the lens of The Daily Show.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
Google launches throttling measurement tool
Google has announced the availability of a set of tools to allow Internet users to determine whether their ISP is throttling or slowing down their connection as part of a so-called “traffice management” system. This could eventually allow Google to determine which providers are most engaged in the practice. It will also help end users determine whether to stay with their current providers. This is a good tool for defending network neutrality. Good for Google, although preserving network neutrality is certainly in Google’s self-interest so it is probably not a purely noble effort on their part.
Not a single vote
Not a single Republican in the House voted for the stimulus package. And they accuse the President of not being bi-partisan. As the economy recovers, if the stimulus plan is viewed as helpful in growth, it will be easy for voters to know that their Republican representative was not a part of the solution.
Eric Holder: No torture prosecutions?
Songsmith, another Microsoft winner
OK, this sounds at least interesting. You sing into your computer and a program called Songsmith automagically creates music to accompany your song. That is the concept.
First, here is the advertisement, which is bad but not hopeless:
[As an aside, note that the laptop in the commercial is a Mac. Songsmith is not a Mac application.]
How does it work in the real world? Well, here is what it produces for “Roxanne” by the Police.
Want more? How about “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”?
Mark this one down as a failure.
The Oracle of Blago
Impeached Governor Blagojevich has made the rounds of TV chat shows lately. As Don Imus said this morning, watching him is like peaking in the window of an insane asylum. TalkingPointsMemo offers up this video summary.
How is Obama doing?
From Pollster.com:
Looks pretty good to me. How about the Republicans? Here are the numbers:
Job Approval/Disapproval
McConnell: 29 / 46
Boehner: 21 / 47
McConnell and Boehner have the approval of only the hardcore base of the GOP, the party that lost the last election. Obama should hang tough with his stimulus plan and demand action from Congress.
Veggie love
I do not agree with many things that PETA does. However, this is pretty funny. They created a racy new TV ad for the superbowl called Veggie Love. NBC refused to run the ad. The reasons that NBC gave are hilarious, including a request to remove “pumpkin licking.” Here is the ad. May be NSFW, depending.
I quit…effective immediately.
Mike McConnell, Bush’s Director of National Intelligence abruptly quit today, effective immediately. Wonkette has more.
"The American people expect action." (update)
So said President Obama today after meeting with legislators on his stimulus plan. Video from TPM:
More on Obama’s position from Politico.
Update: I also agree with Josh Marshall that Obama’s attempt at bipartisanship should not be viewed by Republicans as granting them a veto power. If they refuse to move, so the House should simply move on without them. The GOP legislators seem to think that their policies should continue because they won the last election. Not.
“The American people expect action.” (update)
So said President Obama today after meeting with legislators on his stimulus plan. Video from TPM:
More on Obama’s position from Politico.
Update: I also agree with Josh Marshall that Obama’s attempt at bipartisanship should not be viewed by Republicans as granting them a veto power. If they refuse to move, so the House should simply move on without them. The GOP legislators seem to think that their policies should continue because they won the last election. Not.
A change that hasn't happened (yet)
Obama campaigned on a promise to stop federal raids on medical marijuana facilities in states that have legalized medicinal use (like Michigan did in November). However, the raids are still happening, including one last week in California. Obama spoke in his inauguration speech about the strength of a free people. He needs to follow through and let the people access products that can help them with serious medical conditions.
A change that hasn’t happened (yet)
Obama campaigned on a promise to stop federal raids on medical marijuana facilities in states that have legalized medicinal use (like Michigan did in November). However, the raids are still happening, including one last week in California. Obama spoke in his inauguration speech about the strength of a free people. He needs to follow through and let the people access products that can help them with serious medical conditions.
Maliki wants faster troop withdrawals
Iraq’s Prime Minister is calling for faster withdrawals of US troops from his country. The current schedule agreed to is 24 to 36 months. Let’s hope Obama gives him what he wants.
CBO report is out (for real this time)
As I noted below, for several days the Republicans have been claiming that Obama’s stimulus bill would not actually be spent for over two years. They were quoting a partial report from the Congressional Budget Office that included only a subset of the bill’s provisions.
Now the full CBO report is out. It indicates that two thirds of the expenditures would occur within 18 months. Question: Will the media show some responsibility and clearly correct the misinformation that has been spread? Answer: Of course not.
While we are on the subject, the GOP should realized that a majority of Dems, Independents and Republican all support a plan of around $800 Billion. Continued objection will simply force the party further into minority status.
Overall, 84 percent of Democrats, 69 percent of independents and 52 percent of Republicans backed a broadly-defined plan for new federal spending of about $800 billion to try to revive the nation’s economy.