Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Talk about a potential marketing nightmare

Posted: December 1, 2010 by datechguy in Uncategorized
Tags: ,

This story was the epitome of bad timing for Amazon.com:

WikiLeaks, the website that published a quarter-million sensitive diplomatic cables on Sunday, is using Amazon.com Inc. servers in the U.S. to help deliver its information. It sounds like an odd choice, but it could make sense.

The site cablegate.wikileaks.org, which WikiLeaks is using for the diplomatic documents, is linked to servers run by Amazon Web Services in Seattle, as well as to French company Octopuce. Wikileaks.org, the site’s front page, links back to Amazon servers in the U.S. and in Ireland. Several Internet watchers, including technologist Alex Norcliffe, reported earlier on WikiLeaks’ use of Amazon services.

Amazon and WikiLeaks did not return requests for comment.

Well isn’t that the news you wanted to hear at Christmastime if you are THE online retailer? Apparently not:

Amazon.com Inc. forced WikiLeaks to stop using the U.S. company’s computers to distribute embarrassing State Department communications and other documents, WikiLeaks said Wednesday.

The ouster came after congressional staff had questioned Amazon about its relationship with WikiLeaks, said Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut.

Hot air had a question:

I find that hard to believe given the amount of traffic that must have been flooding in, but then I also find it hard to believe that Amazon wouldn’t have dumped them instantly had they known lest a U.S. boycotts cripple their Christmas sales season.

With the kind of volume that Amazon has Wiki leaks is a blip on the screen, I’ll wager if it hadn’t been dug up by someone they never would have noticed.

Jeb Bush Sly, Sincere or both?

Posted: December 1, 2010 by datechguy in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,

You might recall Barbara Bush’s line that provoked a response from Sarah Palin that provoked a column from Joe Scarborough etc etc etc.

Now via Insty we see Jeb Bush saying this:

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, on the list of dark horse candidates of many Republicans eager for him to challenge President Obama in 2012, has rejected his mother’s slap down of Sarah Palin, calling the Tea Party favorite’s political skills “fantastic.” In an obvious but diplomatic counter to former first lady Barbara Bush’s wish that Palin would hole up in Alaska and not run for president, Bush heaped praise on the former Alaska governor who tops many 2012 presidential popularity polls.

Now as I’ve already stated that the plan for Republicans running for President this time around is to have surrogates hit Palin while the candidates praise her or decline to comment. This could be an example of that in play. Mama Bush (who Jeb quite rightly will not rebuke in public) hits Palin while Jeb praises her, textbook plausible deniability.

On the other hand it is certainly possible that Jeb does like Sarah Palin and is speaking from the heart but it has the same effect.

He is able to keep faith with conservatives and if some of his supporters tweak Sarah well that’s not his fault is it?

Update: ABC news asks the question I’ve already answered

…and I think your morning show with the handsome and bright Mika, and the pleasant team of Willie Geist and my brother from the kingdom Mike Barnicle is the best morning show on TV.

But I think you are misrepresenting Sarah Palin, if you don’t know better you should.

Now that my modem has been replaced I’ve had the chance to look at your column in politico and frankly it’s worse than what I thought it would be.

Your claim that Sarah Palin mocked Ronald Reagan’s credentials is blatantly false (she actually noted that liberals were constantly mocking Reagan, you know liberals, those are the guys lionizing your column today).

As for noting the Bush family were blue bloods, that’s actually true, they come from a long line of Blue bloods although W has more of Texas in him. She did not comment on the Bushes until Mrs. Bush choose to comment first. Again the great love of the left for George Bush and the celebration of his flying days in WW II you might remember were not high on the liberal list of things to talk about in his days. Liberals mocked him as a wimp mercilessly once; yet now that he is not a political liability to them, they safely complement him.

Furthermore frankly Palin has succeeded and I want to put this as politely as I can, beyond your wildest dreams. Your critique of her ability to make money sounds a lot like sour grapes (how’s that ranking for Last Best Hope on Amazon doing?). You know and I know and anyone who follows this stuff knows that you hit Palin because it produces ratings for you. It produces attention for you, she however continues to ignore MSNBC in general because frankly she is smart enough to know what is going on and knows enough not to punch downwards.

Be honest; how many people would have cared about your piece if it was a critique of Mitt Romney?

As for political advice that you gave to republicans in general and Palin in particular this year, it was great advice…if your goal was to cement the democratic hold on congress. You preached compromise and a move to the left. Palin however along with Rush Limbaugh choose to stand and fight, and through 2009 fought nearly alone. Without that willingness throughout 2009 there is no huge republican majority in the House this year. She held the line while you counseled retreat, that’s what a leader does.

As for 2010 does it no occur to you that many of those gutless republicans unwilling to say on the air what you state they say privately are working as surrogates for other Republican candidates seeking the nomination but afraid of offending Palin’s supporters? Their job is to play stalking horse and you are happily obliging. Never once have I heard you bring up that fact. Granted I am off taking my son to school for at least 30 min each morning so I may have missed something but I think not.

BTW remember all last year when you kept calling Palin a liar over the “death panel” remark. Now that Paul Krugman is now talking about “Death Panels” openly any comment?

Hate to say it Joe but when it comes to Sarah Palin you are very near a case of Sullivan’s Syndrome without the OBGYN fascination. The Blog Eye of Polyphemus may have it right:

So what can we conclude from Scarborough’s rant? Palin’s playing the political game under modern rules and playing it well, but she is not playing it the Inside the Beltway. Method Does comparing herself to Reagan, or criticizing the Bushes damage her credibility among the rank and file voters? Is she really an embarrassment because of her media exploits? Considering the zeitgeist , I cannot imagine so. Maybe to the political dinosaurs. That, I think, is the root of Scarborough’s problem. Reality is changing for the old guard. If Palin is successful, they become extinct. That is scarborough’s real problem. He is not afraid a nominated Palin will lose in 2012. He is really scared she will win.

I’m sure we’ll touch on your quaint little piece this week on DaTechGuy on DaRadio (Sunday 5 p.m. due to UMass Basketball). I am not a professional writer like Robert Stacy McCain so I won’t comment on Ghost Writing or no (UPDATE: Stacy Backed away from that), but I agree with this line:

“To all you people who want to send me e-mails: Don’t waste your time. I’m not going to read it.”

In other words: “My mind’s made up. Don’t try to confuse me with your so-called ‘facts.’” An attitude we might call . . . uh, anti-intellectual.

I would be more worried about this: You have Charles Johnson on your side, Sarah Palin has Robert Stacy McCain, I’m sorry but you lose BIG.

Internet down hotspot round-up

Posted: November 30, 2010 by datechguy in Uncategorized

My home internet and phone is down so I am writing some Random Thoughts to post:

Watching Morning Joe today several thoughts:

They are hitting Harry Reid for being a rambling fool yet where all Angle is an idiot all the time during the election. Angle was not the slickest candidate but she had never served in the Senate, Reid has been there for decades, what’s his excuse?

Joe is misrepresenting Palin on Reagan and Bush in his politico column. When it comes to Palin he is rapidly becoming Andrew Sullivan without the Gynecological obsession.

And let me remind Joe that if Sarah Palin and the Republicans follow his advice, Democrats hold congress.

One good point, I’m sure a lot of republicans hit her privately, that’s because they are acting as surrogates for candidates who can’t hit Palin directly.

In fairness I don’t have net so I haven’t read his piece but I’m basing this opinion on the Morning Joe report.

I still like Joe and would love to have him on the show if we get a 2nd hour.

That is becoming more likely, I have sold ¾ of the advertising space on the 1st hour at this point. If I Sell anything similar today to what I sold yesterday I will be out of time to sell for the year before the week is up.

What has surprised me has been the lack of enthusiasm among political groups on the ads. I really expected the advertising to sell BIG with various GOP and conservative groups looking to raise funds and recruit members so far not a one. I also expected more ads from blogs looking for hits. Hasn’t materialized.

Local business’ the people who work the hardest have done the trick for me. I owe you all a debt that I hope to repay by promoting your business’ like there is no tomorrow

When are the media going to start having the new republican women and black republicans in congress on a regular basis?

On the radio today at 96.9 Jim and Marjorie were playing out of context clips of Palin and asking the question: Palin vs Romney. That is a no Brainer:

Mitt Romney has one solid public position, that he should be president, and he will not take any risk that might mess with that. When the president’s numbers were in the 70’s he was invisible.

Sarah Palin has actual beliefs. She stood up for candidates and when Obama was in the 70’s she fought! A leader leads that’s Palin.

When the Smithsonian has an exhibit of the Mohamed cartoons then I’ll take them seriously again after this Jesus with ants stuff.

I’ll have more on the news of the day when I have regular net again.