The Obama Presidency - 2008 & 2012

[ace1914]

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/...85537802.shtml

Obama gives all his Nobel money away. Good job, sir.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by ace1914

Obama donating his Nobel money || OnlineAthens.com

Obama gives all his Nobel money away. Good job, sir.

What? He could have used that money to bomb Afghanistan! Oh well, don't sweat it, the tax payers got his back.

[flere-imsaho]

Bombing Afghanistan creates American jobs, Dutch. I thought you knew that.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Some figures from the latest Pew Research study.

Deficit Concerns Rise, But Solutions Are Elusive - Pew Research Center

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Bombing Afghanistan creates American jobs, Dutch. I thought you knew that.

Sure, but there are so many countries in this world with more brown people than Afghanistan...why did we pick one where all the fancy ones can hide in mountain caves????

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Some figures from the latest Pew Research study.

Deficit Concerns Rise, But Solutions Are Elusive - Pew Research Center

I can't help but chuckle (sadly perhaps) at the last item in the survey, basically showing that people believe whichever party isn't in power at the moment could do a better job of handling the deficit.

With the exception of currently higher discontent about the deficit from members of the party in power, most of the other is pretty predictable. The deficit typically matters most to the party out of power, which I don't think has as much to do with the deficit itself but rather on what the opposition has been (and/or is perceived as) spending money on.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Really happy to see the FCC lining up a big push to increase the network speeds of some of these online providers. It's embarrassing to see some of the download speeds available in Asian countries while the U.S. flounders around at much slower speeds. Some of these large providers need a bit more competition and a foot in the backside.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Really happy to see the FCC lining up a big push to increase the network speeds of some of these online providers. It's embarrassing to see some of the download speeds available in Asian countries while the U.S. flounders around at much slower speeds. Some of these large providers need a bit more competition and a foot in the backside.

omg...I AGREE WITH MBBF IN THE POLITICS THREAD!!!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

omg...I AGREE WITH MBBF IN THE POLITICS THREAD!!!

You were warned that I agree with some of Obama's policy stances.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Some of these large providers need a bit more competition and a foot in the backside.

{scratches head}

There's a shortage of ISP's? I had no idea.

I mean, even when I was living in Hooterville I had 3 or 4 options (not great ones but options nevertheless). Now I've got at least a half dozen. By comparison that's more choices than I have for buying groceries, how many more options would I have to have to qualify as "competition"?

Not trying to give you a hard time particularly (or specifically), I'm just kind of bumfuzzled at any sort of claim of lack of competition in the niche, at least in most areas (I have to figure that Athens, GA is probably middle of the pack in terms of options)

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

{scratches head}

There's a shortage of ISP's? I had no idea.

I mean, even when I was living in Hooterville I had 3 or 4 options (not great ones but options nevertheless). Now I've got at least a half dozen. By comparison that's more choices than I have for buying groceries, how many more options would I have to have to qualify as "competition"?

Not trying to give you a hard time particularly (or specifically), I'm just kind of bumfuzzled at any sort of claim of lack of competition in the niche, at least in most areas (I have to figure that Athens, GA is probably middle of the pack in terms of options)

you lived in Hooterville??

Do you have neck-problems from whipping your head around all the time?

Corny, but I couldn't resist.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

{scratches head}

There's a shortage of ISP's? I had no idea.

I mean, even when I was living in Hooterville I had 3 or 4 options (not great ones but options nevertheless). Now I've got at least a half dozen. By comparison that's more choices than I have for buying groceries, how many more options would I have to have to qualify as "competition"?

Not trying to give you a hard time particularly (or specifically), I'm just kind of bumfuzzled at any sort of claim of lack of competition in the niche, at least in most areas (I have to figure that Athens, GA is probably middle of the pack in terms of options)

I was more referring to the quality rather than the quantity. The 'Stop the Cap' website has already noted a few examples where a small provider comes in with 50-100 Mbps service in a market (NYC is a good example) and suddenly a Comcast or Time Warner finds the resources to upgrade their technology to provide that kind of speed. They have all the resources needed to boost all markets to that speed, but until a competitor comes in and forces them to do so, they just sit on the technology and pretend it doesn't exist.

[CleBrownsfan]

The Pres is visiting out local Rec center today. I went there on Friday and I was amazed how many people were involved in the security of the Rec. There had to be 30 Secret Service people along with about 10 At&t vehicles in front of the building. Pretty neat scene to say the least but it makes me wonder how much it cost each time the Pres visits a city...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Color me a tad confused by something, maybe someone here has better numbers than I'm finding.

Today's AP wire story on the FCC bizness says
In addition, the plan is designed to encourage more people to subscribe to broadband. About two-thirds of U.S. households have high-speed Internet access now. Many people in the other one-third could get broadband but choose not to buy it, either because they think it's too expensive or because they don't see a need for it. The FCC plan calls for increasing adoption rates to more than 90 percent of the population.

Okay, 2/3rds of households have high-speed already, the FCC wants it to be 90% of the population (different measurement standards duly noted)

Now here's a blurb for the period ending Q3 2008, the latest one I can find, concerning PC penetration in the US. If you go inside the report (the pdf version) you'll find the number at 80.6% as of December 2008.

So between the two data sources we get
-- 67% already have high speed in the home
-- Only 80% have a pc in the home

So by my math only 13% who have a computer don't have high speed already. So instead of worrying about high-speed, in order to get to the 90% target, don't you have to start first with getting computers into the homes? I have to think it's going to be kind of tough to get subscribers for high-speed at any price out of the group without computers.

[Greyroofoo]

I'm posting this one here because this is how I believe politicians think.



Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Cities, towns pull out stops for superfast Google network - The Boston Globe

Google planning to build a superfast (10^9 bps) network in one city in America to see what people do with that kind of speed and to poke and prod ISPs to begin offering better service.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs2

Cities, towns pull out stops for superfast Google network - The Boston Globe

Google planning to build a superfast (10^9 bps) network in one city in America to see what people do with that kind of speed

Duh, 3D pron.

[molson]

Google's a fascinating company. I think I'm just about ready to turn our government over to them. Let them run shit.

[sterlingice]

Don't worry, molson. With all the info they have on us, they probably will be running things sooner or later. Particularly once Brin and Page sell off their majority voting share by 2015. I think at that point, "Don't be evil" will fall by wayside and the company that people were really comfortable giving way too much information to will be a big problem.

SI

[lynchjm24]

Here is a hope for Obama: I hope he stops going on TV to pick a women's NCAA bracket.

[JPhillips]

Not looking good for Schiff. Latest GOP primary Q-poll:

McMahon - 44
Simmons - 34
Schiff - 9

[molson]

Originally Posted by lynchjm24

Here is a hope for Obama: I hope he stops going on TV to pick a women's NCAA bracket.

I hope he learns how to spell Syracuse.

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

I was more referring to the quality rather than the quantity. The 'Stop the Cap' website has already noted a few examples where a small provider comes in with 50-100 Mbps service in a market (NYC is a good example) and suddenly a Comcast or Time Warner finds the resources to upgrade their technology to provide that kind of speed. They have all the resources needed to boost all markets to that speed, but until a competitor comes in and forces them to do so, they just sit on the technology and pretend it doesn't exist.

A little late on this one (as is usual for me these days)...but this is just a faux "arms race" between providers. Very few individuals actually subscribe to these higher tier services due to the cost to provide them and the fact that there just isnt that much need for a nominal 100 Mbps service. It sounds nice, but almost nobody can truly put it to use to warrant such cost.

Businesses have had better options than consumers for some time & these options continue to get better for them. Many have had 50Mbps (or more) access via direct fiber solutions and (if desired or requested) certainly "could" be upgraded to 1Gbps. They just choose not to (and ISP's like mine do not actively offer) those types of speeds because there simply is no demand for the pricepoint.

Everybody loves "free" or "no added cost" but it simply doesn't work that way throughout the distribution chain.

[Galaril]

So, is it likely that once this things gets passed and becomes law 1) the Republicans try to repeal it at some point in 2012 if they win the White house back? 2.) Is it REALLY feasible and a possiblility to repeal this Healthcare reform once it is passed? I have read from many conservative sources it really is not reasonable to think this will be easily or at all repealable even if there was a GOP Congress and president in 2012-2014.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Galaril

So, is it likely that once this things gets passed and becomes law 1) the Republicans try to repeal it at some point in 2012 if they win the White house back? 2.) Is it REALLY feasible and a possiblility to repeal this Healthcare reform once it is passed? I have read from many conservative sources it really is not reasonable to think this will be easily or at all repealable even if there was a GOP Congress and president in 2012-2014.

I haven't seen a detailed breakdown of how it might be accomplished but my off the cuff guess is that the best hope to stop it would be to defund as much of it as possible, a de facto shutdown of it basically. It could then sit on the books relatively harmlessly until it was removed.

[JPhillips]

Most of it is going to be very popular once it's law. At that point it will be political suicide to repeal all of it. That's why the fight has been so determined to keep it from passing. Are candidates really going to allow themselves to be targeted in ads as wanting to re-institute the donut hole, recissions and lifetime caps as well as remove health insurance from 30+ million people?

It HCR passes there's no way it gets repealed in the foreseeable future.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It HCR passes there's no way it gets repealed in the foreseeable future.

As it bankrupts the nation, it'll be repealed one way or another. Legally, or by dragging the worthless bastards who passed it into the streets & killing them one by one.

One way or another, it'll be stopped.

[JPhillips]

Or not.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Or not.

One way or another, sooner or later, it will.

Won't be as quickly as I'd like to see, I'm resigned to that.

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

As it bankrupts the nation, it'll be repealed one way or another. Legally, or by dragging the worthless bastards who passed it into the streets & killing them one by one.

One way or another, it'll be stopped.

Mean the country isn't bankrupt already?

Our country is more than 10 trillion dollars in the hole with over a trillion dollar deficit yearly for the forseeable future. At what point do we cross the line into being bankrupt?

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

Mean the country isn't bankrupt already?

Our country is more than 10 trillion dollars in the hole with over a trillion dollar deficit yearly for the forseeable future. At what point do we cross the line into being bankrupt?

+1

If we were going to drag people out in the street for bankrupting the nation, there would have been a lot of dragging done already. I haven't seen any.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Autumn

+1

If we were going to drag people out in the street for bankrupting the nation, there would have been a lot of dragging done already. I haven't seen any.

The country isn't bankrupt yet. You'll know when it is.

It's an interesting mindset you're expressing though. If we're already bankrupt, why not just borrow/print 100,000X as much money as we already have and pay for everything we want?

[sterlingice]

The minute people realize the dollar is a commodity, just like any other. It's quite scary if you really think about the serious implications of that.

SI

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by molson

The country isn't bankrupt yet. You'll know when it is.

It's an interesting mindset you're expressing though. If we're already bankrupt, why not just borrow/print 100,000X as much money as we already have and pay for everything we want?

Hyperinflation comes to mind.

[JPhillips]

I see the liberal plants are at it again. Frm Talkingpointsmemo:

[i]n addition to menacing behavior toward multiple members of Congress, one protestor called Rep. Barney Frank a “faggot”, a taunt greeted by laughter from fellow protestors.

We’re now getting reports that other protestors yelled “nigger” at Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).

Is there anything that will cause GOP leaders to distance themselves from these folks?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Is there anything that will cause GOP leaders to distance themselves from these folks?

In brutal honesty, as long as you're talking about a couple of liberal pieces of shit like that, I doubt you'll find many folks voting GOP who give a damn what they're called. Neither word carries so much as half the disdain as many of us intend with the word "liberal".

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

One way or another, sooner or later, it will.

Won't be as quickly as I'd like to see, I'm resigned to that.

Sounds similar to what I said when Bush ?(Cheney) drag our asses into a a questionable if not downright illegal war in Iraq and I see what that got me. Hope you have more luck with your lynching than I did on my issue.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I see the liberal plants are at it again. Frm Talkingpointsmemo:



Is there anything that will cause GOP leaders to distance themselves from these folks?

Because it is unfathomable for a republican to truly yell those things at a rally. Come on get real.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Is there anything that will cause GOP leaders to distance themselves from these folks?

Their base?

[panerd]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Their base?

This is the truth. The Democrats are never going to win over the racist wing of the Republican party. They should instead focus winning over the ACLU conservative or the anti-war conservative. Instead they waste their time fighting with the idiots.

(Same could be said for the ultra-liberal wing of the Democrats. The Republicans should be after the Democrats that want to cut back government spending instead of arguing with the hippie wing of the Democratc party)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by panerd

They should instead focus winning over the ACLU conservative or the anti-war conservative.

Is that 2% really that critical?

Eh, I guess it could be in some elections, I'll withdraw the question.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Is that 2% really that critical?

Eh, I guess it could be in some elections, I'll withdraw the question.

I would say the anti-war message is what won Obama the last election.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by panerd

I would say the anti-war message is what won Obama the last election.

Don't know about the general, but it certainly won him the primary.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SteveBollea

Yes, John Lewis, who was part of some of the original civil rights in the South back when doing that could get you killed is a piece of shit just because you and he disagree on the size of government. Fuck you. That man has more integrity and honor in his left finger than you do in your whole embittered hateful little body.

What's that old saying, about having you disagree with me being a sure sign that I'm right?

My disagreements with Lewis extend far deeper than "the size of government".

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by panerd

This is the truth. The Democrats are never going to win over the racist wing of the Republican party. They should instead focus winning over the ACLU conservative or the anti-war conservative. Instead they waste their time fighting with the idiots.

(Same could be said for the ultra-liberal wing of the Democrats. The Republicans should be after the Democrats that want to cut back government spending instead of arguing with the hippie wing of the Democratc party)

It's not about winning over though, it's about hate. Hate spurs loyalty. Moderates are boring and not easy to hate. Another benefit is that if you get your side to spend their time hating, they aren't looking at you fucking up.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Hate spurs loyalty.

Then again sometimes hate just is. (point being it isn't even always as deep as having the loyalty/voter motivation purpose)

Moderates are boring and not easy to hate.

Umm, see McCain, John.

[miked]

It's hilarious watching people expecting Jon not to agree with what these people are yelling. We are talking about the king racist of the board, so uhm...duh. These guys could be getting slurs yelled at them for repealing farm subsidies or funding a war and Jon would still smile and agree.

You can hate policies without donning a white robe, but people like Jon respond to that and it gets him and his buddies to the polls.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by molson

The country isn't bankrupt yet. You'll know when it is.

It's an interesting mindset you're expressing though. If we're already bankrupt, why not just borrow/print 100,000X as much money as we already have and pay for everything we want?

My point was not really whether we're technically bankrupt. My point was that if people were going to be outraged by the government and others driving us towards bankruptcy they'd already be outraged. Plenty of things have already been enacted by the government, for instance, that make it unfeasible for the government to remain solvent in the long run. Yet nobody's dragged anyone into the streets.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miked

We are talking about the king racist of the board, so uhm...duh.

Well fuck you too buddy boy.

I harken back to what an old boss once said about me, that I "didn't suffer fools well nor long". I give a shit whether those fools are black, green, white, brown, or purple.

I'm also not big on tolerating the intolerable, excusing the inexcusable, or pretending that I like my enemies (defined loosely in this instance as those who place themselves in consistent diametric opposition to my own desires and/or interests).

I suppose I can see where, if a large percentage of people in an ethnic class happen to fall into one or more of those categories, that might appear to be racially motivated. But you'd be confusing positions based on behavior/actions with those based on race.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

For the record, my representative is Emmanuel Cleaver, the man who was spit at the other day. He's the Jesse Jackson of Kansas City. Most in this area would have done far more than spit on him if they had the chance. He got off lightly.