Archive for the ‘internet/free speech’ Category

I don’t think we will see the same cartoons as 1986

Posted: January 28, 2011 by datechguy in internet/free speech, opinion/news
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I was always a fan of political cartoons and when Ferdinand Marcos was in the process of being overthrown the White House and the president made some intemperate statements in support of Marcos and suggesting that both sides in the Philippines were at fault in the People power revolution.

I remember in particular a Pat Oliphant cartoon where the line kept coming up “Marcos is a cheap crook change the position boss”

Well Joe Biden has decided to interject himself in a rather foolish way into the Egypt mess:

Ahead of a day that could prove decisive, NewsHour host Jim Lehrer asked Biden if the time has “come for President Mubarak of Egypt to go?” Biden answered: “No. I think the time has come for President Mubarak to begin to move in the direction that – to be more responsive to some… of the needs of the people out there.”

Asked if he would characterize Mubarak as a dictator Biden responded: “Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he’s been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing relationship with – with Israel. … I would not refer to him as a dictator.”

I don’t think Pat will be drawing a cartoon hitting Biden anytime soon, meanwhile in the real world:

In Desperation Move, Egyptian Regime Shuts Down Access to Iowahawk

Also, the entire freaking Internet:

[I]n an action unprecedented in Internet history, the Egyptian government appears to have ordered service providers to shut down all international connections to the Internet.

When you have a government cutting off all internet and all phone the worm is not only turning but it is doing somersaults. This is going to tip huge and if we are on the wrong side of it we will be in trouble.

Meanwhile the Wikileaks are doing their best to help us out aren’t they by leaking communications.

Aren’t you glad we have a president Obama instead of a president McCain to deal with this issue? Aren’t you glad we have Biden speaking out on Egypt rather than Palin for the country? Maybe Pat will draw a cartoon about that.

The real question is not if the revolt will work. (I say it will) it is who will be taking it over once it is all done.

My hits are up so I’d better take the Pope to heart

Posted: January 26, 2011 by datechguy in blogs, catholic, internet/free speech
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By an odd coincidence just as my hits are way up the Pope warns me all that glitters are not hits:

Pope Benedict XVI told Catholic bloggers and Facebook and YouTube users Monday to be respectful of others when spreading the Gospel online and not to see their ultimate goal as getting as many online hits as possible.

Echoing concerns in the U.S. about the need to root out online vitriol, Benedict called for the faithful to adopt a “Christian style presence” online that is responsible, honest and discreet

When you are a public Catholic it is important to act like one, particularly if you call out other public Catholics who don’t.

In addition he warns of making a virtual reality for oneself:

“It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives,” Benedict said in the message for the Catholic Church’s World Day of Communications.

He urged users of social networks to ask themselves “Who is my ‘neighbor’ in this new world?” and avoid the danger of always being available online but being “less present to those whom we encounter in our everyday life.”

It reminds me of Screwtape #6 to wit:

Do what you will, there is going to be some benevolence, as well as some malice, in your patient’s soul. The great thing is to direct the malice to his immediate neighbors whom he meets every day and to thrust his benevolence out to the remote circumference, to people he does not know. The malice thus becomes wholly real and the benevolence largely imaginary.and the theory where to put things

The Pope’s full message is here.

Hundreds of Thousands march in favor of life, as usual the media spins

Posted: January 25, 2011 by datechguy in abortion, internet/free speech, media
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I missed this year’s March for life.

Lucky for you Steven D. Greydanus didn’t, just keep scrolling.

The Anchoress has more.

I’d send you to the MSM but I’m assuming you actually want to know what happened.

Oh those cuts…those are baaaaad cuts says Morning Joe

Posted: January 24, 2011 by datechguy in internet/free speech, media
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For many weeks we have seen democrats, the media, and the Morning Joe crew go after republicans saying “What will they actually cut?”

Then republicans started naming cuts and suddenly came the line today on Morning Joe. “They are cutting the things that will hurt us in the long run.”

Even Funnier when talking about Colin Powell, who no matter how much the media wants to pretend the president is on a roll, recognizes that The One™ is not riding high and wants to again be invited to big paying republican speaking gigs, Charles Blow in casual conversation mentioned how Joe Scarborough is not really considered a republican and naming David Frum as another example. Joe insisted that he is still a member of the club and that “regular” republicans are still who they are. He pointed to John McCain’s primary win (neglecting the fact that the conservative vote was split among several candidates) and Blow answered that he had gone right Crazy and had picked “Crazy”.

Not a word, not a peep, wasn’t called on it.

Bill Bennett pegged it weeks ago. Joe you’re a nice guy and all but it is what it is. You are the most conservative host on MSNBC hand down, but that is like being the most chaste lady at the Chicken ranch.

Are you are republican? Sure, but republicans are a conservative party and you are becoming less and less conservative. The idea of crying “cut waste” just makes you sound silly.

For a list of what republicans believe click Barbara’s post here.

As I said a while back sooner or later you have to join the side you’re on.

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