ISPs and Privacy

Congress took away people's right for privacy online because ISPs wanted to have the same rules that are...

similar to the rules applied to online companies like Google and Facebook, though Democrats in Congress supported the FCC's stricter rules for ISPs because the companies can see each customer's entire browsing history. Democrats also argued that consumers should have a greater expectation of privacy with Internet service because it's a subscription-based offering and difficult to switch Internet providers.

Republicans argued that stricter rules for ISPs would confuse consumers and stifle competition in the advertising market. They said the Federal Trade Commission should regulate ISP privacy instead of the FCC but did not take any immediate action to replace the FCC rules that are being eliminated.

Like usual the problem with Republicans is their tendency of only thinking for companies and rich people. They want the companies to be able to do whatever they want.

Under prior rules, customers could avoid the online data trackers by either avoiding the sites that do it or using privacy settings that prevented the browser from allowing sites access to the cookies. Or clearing cookies on exit.

I do not use Facebook. I do not use Google search most of the time.  They are the best so when a search returns crap I'll switch to Google. I do not use either because I do not care for spying.

I do not use Google Chrome because of Google's data tracking tendencies.

Blogger is the only Google property that I use regularly.

I am not a fan of Windows 10 because of the spying tendency. I use Windows 10 because Windows is a necessity and I want the latest Windows.

By allowing ISPs to do it, there is no way to avoid it. Privacy settings  don't work against an ISP spying on their customers. And quite frankly Internet is a necessity.

And with there typically being only one broadband ISP in an area(especially rural areas ie the ones that support the Republicans for some odd reason), you cannot move to a new one that isn't spying.

Why exactly is it so confusing for customers anyway? And how is stifling competition in the advertising market?

And quite frankly, I would rather there be a law that says, companies cannot track people without their permission. Than this companies can do whatever they like.

Putin denies Election meddling

Putin informed CNBC earlier that Russia did not meddle in the election.

"All those things are fictional, illusory and provocations, lies. All these are used for domestic American political agendas. The anti-Russian card is played by different political forces inside the United States to trade on that and consolidate their positions inside,"

Anyone believing him?

He also had to say

"[We know many Americans are] friendly towards the Russian Federation and I'd like to tell these people that we perceive and regard the United States as a great power with which we want to establish good partnership relations,"

Is that the same type of partnership that he has with the Ukraine? You know where he decided to annex part of their territory because he can? Maybe he could try to annex Alaska.

Maybe then Trump would have issues with him. Or maybe he'd just call it an iceberg and let them have it back.

I wonder what Putin thinks of the unrest going on in Russia. People are tired of the inequality in Russia and the nepotism. So protest crowds are forming and then being beaten up by the police and escorted to jail. And you don't even have to take part in the protest. You can walk out of a building and the police will kindly knock you to the ground and carry you to the police wagon.

TV Ad for Trump 70 days in

Is it sad that the Trump administration has been so horrible that they are starting tv ads to try to bump up his poll numbers only 70 days into the administration

The ads are running in several states with some nice price tags

FL: $200,046

IN: $66,677.50

MO: $97,823

MT: $7,420

ND: $10,010

OH: $87,092

PA: $178,365

WV: $30,615

WI: $46,630.50

DC: $183,585

They tout, "298,000 new jobs 1st month in office. Reducing EPA regulations. Greenlighting Keystone XL pipeline. Withdrew from Trans-Pacific Partnership. And it's only just begun."

Um... what about all the Federal jobs that he just axed?

What about the loss jobs at Hershey? Did he subtract those from the 298?

And is he counting the fact that a number of jobs moved from Michigan to somewhere in the south as additions?

And reducing EPA regulations? So he's making it harder to breath for the 99% so the 1% can make more money. Somehow I don't see the benefit.

Greenlighting the pipeline? Doesn't do me any favors.

Withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.. finally found something good he did.

Weird how the one I like is last in their list

So how's that wall that Mexico is building coming along? And why is there talk of reducing Domestic programs to pay for something that Mexico is suppose to be paying for?

And healthcare? When are they going to stop forcing people to pay a private company for insurance? Private companies should not get laws that force people to buy their product.

Or how about how all our internet data is now up for sale so that ISPs can sell it. Because you know they aren't charging enough for access to the Internet which government funds were used to create. Weird how that works. Tax money helps create something and then instead of benefiting from it we have to pay to access it.

Then get our data sold so we have no privacy.

oh and then there's Russia. Where we have the guy heading the House investigation informing Trump of what's going on. That doesn't sound like any wrong doings going on.

Oh but let's deflect from that by tweeting about Clinton... because you know its so relevant to have the nation care about the losing candidate of an election. That's why everyone talked about Dukakis, Dole, Kerry, ect... after previous elections.

Oh the incompetence of this administration is astounding.

Liberals...

So now Trump and the Republicans are saying all the right things about bipartisanship. Of course actually seeing what they're offering would be nice... But they're saying the right things now about working with Democrats...

So the liberals now go and do the thing that annoys me and shout don't negotiate with them... Our way or the high way... "They did it for eight years so should we" Ug... No they did it too is not an excuse. That's what your parents kept telling you when you were seven.

"Johnny did it!"

"You're not Johnny. I told you not to."

*whack*

of course now that whack would probably get you thrown in jail for daring to discipline a brat...

Sigh... why can we not get to the center and govern like sane people?

Trump Bill

So the Trump family wants to remain in New York City. The Secret Service has had to request $60 million more money to pay for this protection. Some of that money is to pay rent for the agents within Trump's own property.

Don't you think the Secret Service should be given free rent when the purpose is to protect the family of the owner of the building?

All these cuts in the Trump budget he proposed but not for the outrageous lifestyle that he wants to live.

It will only take 15,000 families' taxes to pay for this 60 million dollars.

If the Trumps want Secret Service protection at their residence, then make their residence the White House. If they don't want to live in the white house, then give the Secret Service free rent in Trump's own building and PAY all other expenses which result from this living arrangement with Trump's personal money.

Or go without protection.

And another thing... since he's going to "recover" the money from Mexico for his wall, why doesn't he front the money for the wall instead of begging Congress and then when he gets the money from Mexico he can repay himself.

Poe resigns from Freedom Caucus

So after the caucus is revealed to want to go as draconian as draconian can be to the American people, it loses Ted Poe as a member. Well, I don't really expect any of the extremists to change their spots. Poe will continue to be a problem regardless of whether or not he pals around with the Freedom Caucus or not. It is just in his nature as an extremist.

The only thing that will make the Congress function is every member of the Freedom Caucus resigning from Congress and every extremist on the left as well. Its time for Moderates to return and take charge of the government.

Sane people are in the middle. Sane people are willing to compromise with the other side. Finding middle ground is what the entire system of government is based on.

Everyone has to live here. Republican and Democrat. Conservative and Liberal. Being in this perpetual swinging back and forth is getting old.

Demographics

I just read an article about how the Trump supporters don't blame him for the fall of his healthcare reform.

Yeah why blame the person for surrounding himself with a bunch of whackjobs on the altright.

Or trying to negotiate with a bunch of extremists instead of trying to court the moderates in the Democrat party. Ie the blue dog Democrats and the New Democrats. There's 18 Blue dogs and I believe 55 New Democrats. Those numbers would be useful against the extremists in the freedom caucus..

But no... much better to try to negotiate with people that want it 100% their way...

So in this article a 71 year old, 74 year old, and 84 year old were all ranting about the Healthcare bill not passing. And that it was the Democrats fault... Not Trump's. Not their hero.

Um... why do people older than retirement age even care? Are they jealous because they didn't have this health care so they don't want this generation to have it?

A 53 year old republican in the article was pleased it didn't get axed. Why? Because she has kids that are benefiting from it.

Wow... so a bunch of old assholes, much like Trump, are angry. Angry about something that I'd think they'd have better things to worry about then taking health care away from people.

Must be nice having the Social Security and Medicare that they more in likely railed against with foam in their months until they started benefiting from it.

And here's the funny thing. I don't like Obamacare. I think it should be changed because I don't think a person should be required by law to buy a product from a private company. Emergency Health care should be provided like Police and fire service to those that need it.

Trump blames the Democrats

Trump is truly clueless if he wants to blame the Democrats for his failure to pass the asinine healthcare bill that the radicals decided to try to pass.

Trumps words

"We had no Democrat support. We had no votes from the Democrats. They weren't going to give us a single vote, so it's a very very difficult thing to do," Trump said. "I think the losers are (House Minority Leader) Nancy Pelosi and (Senate Minority Leader) Chuck Schumer because now they own Obamacare. 100% own it."

Gee I wonder why they don't have any Democrat support. With their system of only bringing bills to the floor that a majority of their caucus supports.

The House is called the House of Representatives not the House of Republicans. If they want to pass a bill then they need to look to the CENTER. Not the right of center only. That's what has caused the do nothing Congresses for the last forever.

And the administration itself. When you surround yourself with the rightest of right people, you're not going to see a whole lot of support from those on the left. This administration is a moderate's nightmare. There's absolutely not a single person put in charge of the departments that don't reek of alt right crap.

In the House, Bills should target the moderate democrats to the moderate republicans. Ands then hope for support to come from the Democrats and Republicans.

Of course since the fanatical tea party has sent the moderate republicans packing its hard to find moderate republicans.

And after this last election I'm sure the moderate democrats will be next.

Political Labels

One of the things that I find amusing is that when I get into a debate, whomever I'm debating thinks that I'm on the complete opposite side than them.

Republicans proclaim me a Communist. Democrats call me a Right wing nut. I call myself a Centrist.

And for those that are disagreeing based on the things I've written, here's how the site Isidewith classified me before the last election:

One of the things that I find amusing about Isidewith is that they say I'm for big government and decentralization. Seems impossible. I think I'm more for a strong federal government because I think its easier for bullies to get in at the local then federal level. Although the last election would say otherwise. So who knows...

And for those wondering... the name calling is why comments are off on the blog. I simply tire of partisans.

Reclassifying Dinosaurs

There's a story going around that they are reclassifying Theropods. Ie the dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex. Apparently are two branches of dinosaurs: One for bird hip dinosaurs like Stegosaurus and lizard hip dinosaurs like Brontosaurus.

Theropods were classified with Brontosaurus. One has to ask why... When scientists claim that birds descended from... theropods... Wouldn't you think they'd have bird hips then?

Well at least they appear to be getting the classification right this time. At least I think it makes more sense just based on looking at a Tyrannosaurus skeleton and a bird's.

Really, you look at a Tyrannosaurus skeleton and a Brontosaurus skeleton and you think they need to be classified together???? What were they thinking in the 1880s...

That's like classifying a plant and a cat together...

Texas A&M should be ashamed

Rick Perry is right. To overturn the election of student body president over glow sticks is just asinine. It reeks of we don't like the results so we're going to find any way possible to get the rid of them. And so they did because the winner didn't turn in a receipt for glow sticks... What a bunch of BS.

When will the "we need diversity" crowd recognize that doing stuff like this causes the exact opposite result of what they want. They just anger people. It makes people less accepting than they were before.

Win on your merits. Not by your gender, sexual preferences, or your race.

Thank God for the Congress

What would ISPs do without the Republican Congress? They would probably go bankrupt because they aren't gouging everyone enough yet with outrageous low data caps with huge monthly bills. Now they can recover all the money they aren't getting from gouging by selling everyone's web history.

What? You thought you had privacy? Of course not. What planet are you from? There is no privacy in the United States anymore.

Republicans decided the Cable and cell companies needed to be able to make more money.

And soon, they're going to be able to charge websites to be accessible faster or slower thanks to the wonderful FCC's new chair with his Anti-Net Neutrality views. And probably soon we'll have what the ISPs dream of. Being able to charge customers for going to specific sites and disallowing others. Like they do with Cable television. They get to choose based on who pays them the most.

The masses need to be fleeced of all their wealth so that the rich can get more.

Isn't it great having a silver spooned jackass in the oval office? And the same party entrenched in the Legislature. And soon controlling the Judiciary too. What a great time for the billionaires. Soon to be trillionaires.

Cowards of Washington

So they come up with a bill that angers Liberals, Moderates, and the far right and now are afraid to bring it up for a vote.

You got to love the Republicans. We're going to lose so we'll just take our ball and go home.

To bad for them they're supposedly in charge now and can't have the 8 year tantrum they had during the Obama years.

And another thing I keep hearing is how moderate Republicans don't want to touch this bill. I'm wondering who these moderate Republicans are. Because in 2010 they got thrown out of the party. The only ones left are the insane ones.

Republicans that I liked included Arlen Specter and Olympia Snowe. But sane people like those don't exist anymore. Replaced by right wing nuts and for the Democrats left wing nuts like Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi.

When Paul Ryan is called a moderate, you know the party has gone looney tunes.

Arkansas to allow concealed weapons at sporting events

Arkansas has decided to pass a law that allows the carrying of firearms at sporting events. This is a brilliant move.

Emotions high.

The official just made a bad call... bang. So much for that official.

Hey how dare you root for the opposing team!... bang...

You just spilled beer down my back!.. bang

Stop standing up in front of me! ... bang

This is great! Just like giving the mentally ill the right to purchase firearms. Makes absolute sense.

What could go wrong?

Hey I think we should pass a law to allow carrying of firearms at political rallies. And there should be no security guards. And no criminal charges if there's an accidental shooting of a corrupt politician.

What could go wrong?

Trump's threat to the No voters

So Trump thinks that any Republican that doesn't support the new Health Care Bill, or really the return to 2007 bill, will not have their seats after the 2018 midterms.

I think he's got it wrong. Any Republican that votes for this bill should be shown the door in the 2018 midterms. As should any Democrat that decides to support it.

There is nothing good about the bill.

Its the classic Republican position, that they got theirs so everyone else should just take a hike. Of course the Democrat position is, let's smother everyone with concern so they have no freedoms to do anything that might be harmful. Ie. forcing people to pay for health insurance. Banning cigarettes in public. Trying to tax soda pop out of existence, ect ect...

Health care should be just like the police and the fire department. Emergency medical treatment should be provided to those who need it. Colds and sniffles go to your regular doctor and pay. Anyone that goes to the hospital who doesn't need emergency care should be directed to their doctor.

BUt that will never happen.

Not with the representatives we have now...

Actually if it were up to me every single one of the people in Washington would be shown the door in the 2018 midterms. And replace them with actual sane people that want to do what is best for the country instead of what is best for the party.

There should be no Paul Ryan, no Nancy Pelosi, no... They are all lousy representatives. They represent no one but the Parties.

Unbelievable childishness

First there was the book offered on Amazon with a title: Reasons to vote Democrat A comprehensive Guide. It was two hundred and some blank pages. I can't believe that Amazon would allow such a complete scam to be allowed on their site. And it also showed to me just how absolutely pathetic Republicans are.

But not to be outdone and showing the great creativity of Democrats, we now have at least seven books on the reasons to vote Republican.

Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5 Book 6 Book 7

Who wants to guess that they are the same thing? A bunch of blank pages. It is so childish. And Amazon should be ashamed that they are allowing themselves to be used like this.

I find absolutely no humor in this at all. And I think all of these authors should be brought up on scamming charges for selling blank pages to customers expecting a book. And I have the same opinion on the book from the 60s or whatever decade that people are comparing this crap too.

And they like the previous book showed Republicans, shows just how absolutely pathetic Democrats are. I hate both parties as they both move further and further from the center and look forward to the day both go the way of the dodo bird.

And anyone that gives this crap good reviews also should have their reviews all deleted for anything they have ever reviewed and never be allowed to submit another.

Trumps 2005 Tax Return

Isn't it amazing how when the President needs a distraction from the fiasco that was his wiretapping claim that a 2005 Income Tax form that was stamped "Client's Copy" suddenly appears in the news? Client's copy sounds an awful lot like Trump's personal copy.

It is astonishing. Just when he wants the wiretapping fiasco to go away one of the long sought tax returns, missing anything of relevance like the schedules of course, appears. Its like someone who wants to control the narrative let it out. Who has a history of that?

Destroying the Central Government

So now the Trump wants to cut down on the federal government and hand more power to the states. I wonder if he's familiar with the Articles of Confederation. They were very much for local power and proved to be completely useless as a federal government.

Also I wonder if he's familiar with the Middle Ages or Medieval Europe. As a holder of a Masters degree in Medieval Europe, I am. And one of the things that held Europe back during the Dark Ages aka Middle Ages aka Medieval times, was the power being held at the local level. Or Lords. The Lord Peasant relationship is a relationship of complete and total control by the Lord. Its a great system for the Lord aka the local rich scum but for the 99%, its crap.

Interestingly Japan had the same problem with warlords. Or maybe it was China. Or maybe both. I never was interested in Asian history though.

Central power is stability. Local power is not. Local power means more warring factions trying to get dominance.

Anyway, if the federal government isn't going to be the most powerful government of the land, then what is its purpose?

Welcome to the Banana Republic

You know what kind of countries have the current leader charging the previous leader with criminal acts? Its the laughing stock countries. The ones that can't remain stable for more than a decade if that. It's usually among the countries south of the United States or in Africa or some in South Asia. or some of the island countries.

Well not to be outdone by those countries, the President of the United States has issued the banana republic charge against Obama. Without revealing a shred of proof he accuses Obama of wire tapping him.

Does he think he needs evidence? Of course not. Just say it enough times and people will eventually believe it. Its the only way this silver spooned half wit could have convinced people to vote for him and to continue to stand in awe of him and attend rallies for him

I don't understand these people. No politician is worth idolizing. They are all mostly lawyers who belong in the bottom of the sea. And he's worse then a lawyer because he's a CEO or former if you believe him when he claims he's handed it over to his children. To top that off he's had everything handed to him his entire life. His business was going bankrupt so daddy gives him millions to prop it up. That's why he whines that  things aren't fair when a larger segment of the population voted for his opponent. Everything should always go his way and only 'yes sir' and 'how high sir' should be said to him according to his silver spooned upbringing.

The only positive thing about banana republics, the armies in those countries usually don't let half wits remain in power for long.