Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats
- Thread starter GasBandit
- Start date
But of course the polls where wrong again... he actually won with more then the 61% he was projected to...[DOUBLEPOST=1494192789,1494192656][/DOUBLEPOST]
Don't worry, it wasn't your charity they assumed people could rely on...
Because I'm still a little cheesed off about this, a quick PSA and then hopefully everyone can just move on...
Dislike for the way a multi-million (or billion) media company does business is not a personal attack.
The question was posed. It was answered, and everybody went about their business. Until... All I'll say about that is my response wasn't very nice either, and the excuse of multiple personal crises going on at the same time isn't really a good one.
There's probably something else I should be saying here, but I'm staring at the screen drawing a blank and typing about drawing a blank. So, I'll just click post now.
Dislike for the way a multi-million (or billion) media company does business is not a personal attack.
The question was posed. It was answered, and everybody went about their business. Until... All I'll say about that is my response wasn't very nice either, and the excuse of multiple personal crises going on at the same time isn't really a good one.
There's probably something else I should be saying here, but I'm staring at the screen drawing a blank and typing about drawing a blank. So, I'll just click post now.
The simple answer is someone told teh Donald he would profit from it. That and/or spite are the only explanations for anything this administration does.
GasBandit
Staff member
That's probably a lot of it. The rest is probably the fact that the telecom megacorps have a lot of money to throw around and a lot of lobbyists to let politicians know it - and now one of their own is head of the FCC, which is very much the type of situation that brings to mind the phrase "fox guarding the henhouse."
It highlights the essential "hard problem" about regulation and the people who manage such regulations. If you have somebody who was never in the industry, they have little-to-no idea about the bullshit that said industry is going to try and pull, and thus is unqualified for the position. On The Other Hand if you get an industry veteran, they're likely to WANT the bullshit that they've advocated for for years to go through, and thus your "Fox guarding the henhouse" scenario. The 3rd option is getting the head of an advocacy organization who knows the industry, but is AGAINST them, and that will defend against bullshit, but also introduces bullshit of its own of total obstructionism (I've seen this too).
So basically, you're fucked one way or another unless you get an industry person of extreme moral character who will do their current job with competence, but not in favor of the industry they were part of. Good luck!
The theoretical solution is to have a fairly appointed committee with representatives of the industry and citizen advocacy groups (or unions and employers or whatever flavor of pro- and contra-voices you want) to make the regulations. Of course, we've also been shown the pitfalls of that system a dozen times over.
"We want to protect you by getting rid of the rule that says we can't shoot you in the face"
I don't know, that kinda sounds like you want to shoot me in the face
"But we don't! We have always believed in a policy of not shooting you in the face, but we don't want a rule that says we can't. Also, we reserve the right to shoot you in the face at a later date."
GasBandit
Staff member
Oh man, space robots.
PLEASE GO STAND BY THE STAIRS
SO THAT I CAN PROTECT YOU
HUMANS MUST BE PROTECTED
THEY MUST GO DOWN THE STAIRS
As I said, the essential "Hard Problem" of this kind of thing... because it's not easy!
This is what Authoritarian Government looks like: In Reversal, Chinese Lawyer Confesses, and Rights Groups Denounce His Trial
This is horrifying. That we deal with this country routinely (and are now so intertwined as to be dependent) is itself also horrifying in its own way.
This is horrifying. That we deal with this country routinely (and are now so intertwined as to be dependent) is itself also horrifying in its own way.
Well, to be fair, it's a pretty low bar to begin with.
Dave
Staff member
It's what happens when you get rid of the smart people and then let dumb people take over.
We have billboards all over town right now that have the NBC/Comcast logo up in one corner and the words "We believe we should be a part of your life, and not the other way around" written in white block print over a solid black background.
Oh. They were serious?!?
...huh? What does that even mean?
--Patrick
Okay does anyone feel like the French election was like some sort of bizzaro version of the US election?
Female career politician versus businessman and political outsider, the only big difference being that the ideals switched, with La Pen being the ultra-right while Macron was the centrist. (I know many will say Hillary was far left but I always saw her as more centered then most, definitely way more then people like Bernie.)
So in a way it was the same (the outsider won) and in another way the opposite (the populist lost).
Female career politician versus businessman and political outsider, the only big difference being that the ideals switched, with La Pen being the ultra-right while Macron was the centrist. (I know many will say Hillary was far left but I always saw her as more centered then most, definitely way more then people like Bernie.)
So in a way it was the same (the outsider won) and in another way the opposite (the populist lost).
Yes and no. In some ways it was more Trump (right wing populism) vs Obama (Young! Change!). Or Bernie (worked-within-a-party-to-gain-access-then-tried-to-appela-to-youth) vs GW Bush (child of former big man in right wing party, system candidate, appealing to the "average Joe" crowd in contrast to elite). It all depends on the slant you want to give it.
Still, neither Macron nor Clinton are anywhere near "left".
You know it's true though, I have known some republicans that, for some reason, think she was more socialist then Bernie.
I don't participate in this thread. I only rated the above post as I did because it caused dozens of rolling smileys to show up on the "new posts" lists. 
Yeah, but there are also Republicans who think Trump is the second coming of Christ.
Oh. You mean many Americans will say that.
See, I'm with @@Li3n - There aren't any politicians in the US who are really even left of center to the Canadian alignment.
And Europe - their right is farther right than you got (the far right there is, literally, Fascists) and their far left is farther left than anything in Soviet Canuckistan.
The whole of US politics resides in a tiny little bubble a little right of Europe's center
Well, people here have been trained to believe the poor are the ones stealing their money, while government officials collect their lobbyist money from the rich and cackle maniacally from their gerrymandered seats in Washington. (Both sides of the political aisle do this, the Democrats just try to convince us that it's everyone's duty, while doing the same things.)
Airlines are assholes, Air Canada in particular: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/air-canada-teen-1.4106886
Adding insult to injury, after him missing a connection once (not his fault, departure was 3+ hours late where he came from), and being delayed 20+ hours, they then cancel the flight they rebooked him on, and book him on another flight the NEXT DAY AGAIN. With no accomodations, food, etc, at any point in this process.
Air Canada are a bunch of f'n bastards.
Adding insult to injury, after him missing a connection once (not his fault, departure was 3+ hours late where he came from), and being delayed 20+ hours, they then cancel the flight they rebooked him on, and book him on another flight the NEXT DAY AGAIN. With no accomodations, food, etc, at any point in this process.
Air Canada are a bunch of f'n bastards.
Amtrak and VIA should be having a grand old time watching these stories roll in.
