The Internets:9-27-07 Verizon begins blocking text messages from Group it does not like - later execs reverse decision

[Thump553]

This is not a Republican issue, per se. Let any party dominant the government long enough and this seems to always happen. It also appears to be a simple case of pure corruption-apparently Stevens had his house "remodeled" (nearly doubled in size) by a corrupt public works contractor. His defense-I paid every bill "presented to me."

The only way to fix this type of junk is to abolish the seniority system in the House and Senate (99% of the time I suspect giving out chairmanships by lottery would do just as good). Good second steps would be to abolish earmarks and constitutionally set term limits (while there are certainly some very good lifetime politicians, we have a huge pool of good potential candidates). The incumbents would never cut their own throats to support such reforms-which is why Congress consistenly gets such low approval ratings.

If there was an honest, nonpartisan action group to actually reform Congress I'd support it in a heartbeat.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Sounds like a dump truck just got stuck in his tubes. 😉

I hope something else gets rammed up one of his tubes, if you know what I mean.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Thump553
This is not a Republican issue, per se. Let any party dominant the government long enough and this seems to always happen. It also appears to be a simple case of pure corruption-apparently Stevens had his house "remodeled" (nearly doubled in size) by a corrupt public works contractor. His defense-I paid every bill "presented to me."

The only way to fix this type of junk is to abolish the seniority system in the House and Senate (99% of the time I suspect giving out chairmanships by lottery would do just as good). Good second steps would be to abolish earmarks and constitutionally set term limits (while there are certainly some very good lifetime politicians, we have a huge pool of good potential candidates).

The incumbents would never cut their own throats to support such reforms

-which is why Congress consistenly gets such low approval ratings.

If there was an honest, nonpartisan action group to actually reform Congress I'd support it in a heartbeat.

Either a Constitutional Ammendent to reform Congress or a Revoltion.

The choice is theirs.

I suspect they will choose Revolution.

 

[piasabird]

The thing you need to know about Alaska is that they consider the continental US below Canada to be the Lower 48 like the USA is a foreign country and Alaska is just some territory hanging around between Canada and Russia.

They often approach politics quite differently in Alaska compared to what you see in the reset of the lower 48 states. They are isolated and they have to look out for number one.

Alaska may be isolated but the state is home to both large Army and Air Force Contingents and they have a port large enough for a port of call for the Navy. They routinely do Soviet Intercept Missions for any possible invasion from the USSR or other bad guys in that region like China. The waters up there are very dangerous, and they also have a very good Fishing Fleet for pacific fishing.

They have a lot of things going on in their district and a lot of Federal and Military funds are spent up there.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: piasabird
The thing you need to know about Alaska is that they consider the continental US below Canada to be the Lower 48 like the USA is a foreign country and Alaska is just some territory hanging around between Canada and Russia.

They often approach politics quite differently in Alaska compared to what you see in the reset of the lower 48 states. They are isolated and they have to look out for number one.

*snip*

You sir, have hit the nail on the head. You could also add in that when it comes to natural resources and how those revenues are to be divided with the rest of the country, the federal government has basically taken the statehood agreement and wiped their ass with it which only serves to buttress this "eff all you guys, we want our bridges" mentality.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Stevens threatens to block the newly passed ethics reform bill.

And good-government advocates agreed. The bill, which passed 411-8, faces hurdles in the Senate, though leaders of both parties predict it will pass.

Stevens threatened Tuesday to try to block it in a closed-door lunch with his fellow Republican senators. His complaints about the bill have nothing to do with his legal troubles. But he has objected that the legislation?s new restrictions on lawmakers? use of corporate jets unfairly penalize members of Congress who live in distant states, as he does.

Does this guy not remember how badly DeLay looked when this crap was done to protect him by fellow party members? Now he is going to do it himself to protect....himself?

What a maroon. /Bugs Bunny voice

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Either a Constitutional Ammendent to reform Congress or a Revoltion.

The choice is theirs.

I suspect they will choose Revolution.

We should all suspect that.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
Stevens threatens to block the newly passed ethics reform bill.

And good-government advocates agreed. The bill, which passed 411-8, faces hurdles in the Senate, though leaders of both parties predict it will pass.

Stevens threatened Tuesday to try to block it in a closed-door lunch with his fellow Republican senators. His complaints about the bill have nothing to do with his legal troubles. But he has objected that the legislation?s new restrictions on lawmakers? use of corporate jets unfairly penalize members of Congress who live in distant states, as he does.

Does this guy not remember how badly DeLay looked when this crap was done to protect him by fellow party members? Now he is going to do it himself to protect....himself?

What a maroon. /Bugs Bunny voice

I can't believe I can't find a youtube clip of ted stevens shouting NO to reply to that question with.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Speaking of the Bridge to Nowhere...

Alaska's infamous ``Bridge to Nowhere,'' bordered on farce. The insanely wasteful quarter-mile span was proposed in 2005 to connect Ketchikan (population 7,500) to Gravina Island (population 50), which was already served by a five-minute car ferry ride.

When senators came under pressure to transfer the funds to help Hurricane Katrina victims instead, he threatened to ``resign this body'' and ``be taken out on a stretcher'' from the strain of a filibuster rather than let the Senate cut off $223 million for the project.

It worked. When the cameras were rolling, the bridge was killed. When no one was paying attention, the money was given directly to Alaska's Transportation Department to build the structure anyway.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Lothar
Speaking of the Bridge to Nowhere...

Alaska's infamous ``Bridge to Nowhere,'' bordered on farce. The insanely wasteful quarter-mile span was proposed in 2005 to connect Ketchikan (population 7,500) to Gravina Island (population 50), which was already served by a five-minute car ferry ride.

When senators came under pressure to transfer the funds to help Hurricane Katrina victims instead, he threatened to ``resign this body'' and ``be taken out on a stretcher'' from the strain of a filibuster rather than let the Senate cut off $223 million for the project.

It worked. When the cameras were rolling, the bridge was killed. When no one was paying attention, the money was given directly to Alaska's Transportation Department to build the structure anyway.

I hope somebody's keeping an eye on this.

The value of that land will likely shoot way up. I wonder if Steven's has his finger in that pie?

Fern

 

[dmcowen674]

One more nail in the coffin for the Internet and closer to the birth of the discriminatory "Internets".

9-6-2007 Feds OK fee for priority Web traffic

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department on Thursday said Internet service providers should be allowed to charge a fee for priority Web traffic.

The agency told the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing high-speed Internet practices, that it is opposed to "Net neutrality," the principle that all Internet sites should be equally accessible to any Web user.

The agency said providing different levels of service is common, efficient and could satisfy consumers. As an example, it cited that the U.S. Postal Service charges customers different guarantees and speeds for package delivery, ranging from bulk mail to overnight delivery.

Supporters of Internet regulation have said that phone and cable companies could discriminate against certain Web site and services.

 

[alchemize]

Wrong über-thread Dave? 😕

 

[theeedude]

That's why US will always be playing second fiddle to the Japans and Koreas of this world on broadband and technologies that take advantage of that broadband. Not only is our broadband technology pathetic to begin with, but these ISPs are going to now throttle it down to keep competitors to their services from emerging. Phone/Cable company doesn't like Skype? They'll just slow down DSL line for Skype traffic to keep it from working. Competitor gone.

 

[dmcowen674]

The Dawn of the Internets has arrived:

9-27-2007 Verizon begins blocking text messages from Groups it does not like

Verizon Wireless is taking some heat on the network neutrality front for refusing to carry text messages from a pro-choice advocacy group. To be clear, the system proposed by Naral Pro-Choice America would have only sent text messages to interested users who signed up to receive them, but Verizon insists they have the right to block "controversial or unsavory" messages. From the NY Times:

In turning down the program, Verizon, one of the nation?s two largest wireless carriers, told Naral that it does not accept programs from any group ?that seeks to promote an agenda or distribute content that, in its discretion, may be seen as controversial or unsavory to any of our users.? Naral provided copies of its communications with Verizon to The New York Times.
Note that the other leading wireless carriers have accepted the program. "Our internal policy is in fact neutral on the position," tries to explain a Verizon spokesman. "It is the topic itself [abortion] that has been on our list." Naral has launched a letter writing campaign on their website asking its users to write to Verizon.

Update: Feeling the coming heat, Verizon has now announced they've reversed their decision. Apparently the messages weren't quite so unsavory to higher level executives, who don't want to give any ammunition to those pushing for network neutrality regulation.