I’m thinking about ditching my Gmail account. It’s gotten to be too big brother for me. What bugs me is the “sponsored link” line at the top, where it targets ads and news links based on the contents of my e-mail messages. My sister sent me an e-mail with pictures of Jack-O-Lanterns she carved, and Gmail happily put up a link for Halloween decorations. A Saab dealer sent me an e-mail follow-up to a test drive my wife did some months ago, and a SAAB link shows up there. But the last straw was today, when I got an e-mail from Say Uncle, and Gmail conveniently gave me a link to a news story about a shooting somewhere. That’s just too damn wiggy for me.
Has anyone else had this experience?
The more time passes, the more I miss the good old days of POP3.
October 26th, 2007
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Technology, How Capitalism Will Ruin You |
11 comments
Publius:
I’m not sure I entirely understand Brian Beutler’s argument here. The point — familiar enough — is that Congressional Democrats suck. But to support this conclusion, he offers up the failure to override the SCHIP veto. I’m not attacking Beutler (he’s one of the good ones), but I’m frankly tired of this line of argument. Democrats can’t alter the laws of mathematics. If they lack numbers, I don’t understand what exactly they’re supposed to do.
Democrats can’t transform Republicans into non-Republicans. Yes, Democrats control Congress, but not by much. For practical purposes, the parties basically have 50/50 support. The Senate, however, requires 60/40 support, while overriding a veto requires 2/3 support. So again — what exactly are Democrats supposed to do differently?
…snip…
We’re seeing the exact same dynamic with the war and the Webb bill. The Democrats are being blamed by Democrats for Republican votes. But if Republicans continue voting this way, there are going to be fewer and fewer Republicans in the next session. It’s not ideal — the ideal would be to end the war, to pass the Webb bill, to enact SCHIP. But the Democrats lost the 2004 election. If you want to blame someone, blame the American people. Blame Republicans. But I don’t understand why the Democrats keep getting so much blame. At the very least, they are catching a disproportionate amount of crap. I mean, good God, just look at what they’re at least trying to do — through bills and hearings — as compared to the last Congress.
Granted, FISA is a different story. I strongly disagree with the leadership, but I also recognize it’s a much thornier political issue in the swing districts and swing states that determine political power.
But blaming Dems for lacking numbers just isn’t fair. And, frankly, it will ultimately lead them to embrace Broderism in the hopes of “doing something.” Sometimes, though, it’s better to do nothing if it ultimately leads to better and more progressive policies down the road.
Think chess, not horse races.
I’m with Publius on that one. I’m sick and tired of people complaining about the Democrats‘ inability to get anything done when it’s Republican obstructionism that’s mostly responsible.
October 26th, 2007
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Politics |
2 comments
Contra Rudy, it is always wrong. It is wrong when you have the best intentions, it is wrong when it is done by “good” people, it is wrong. It is wrong becasue it gives you what you want to hear instead of the truth. It is wrong to abuse people, even bad people, because you cannot know who the bad guys are and who are the innocents for certain. It is wrong because once you cross the line, each subsequent crossing becomes so much easier. It is wrong because you don’t fight monsters by becoming monsters; that just gets you more monsters. It is wrong because human life and human dignity is precious and should be assured. And we should all know that, even if the bastards we are fighting do not.
Dear God, how did we get to a place where I have to explain something so obvious to the GOP front-runner as if he was five years old?
October 26th, 2007
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General, Politics, Torture |
2 comments
