Infrequently Noted

Alex Russell on browsers, standards, and the process of progress.

Comments for Thank Goodness...


@Tom... I think you should read more books and stop watching so much tv.
by lame at
"If it weren’t for people like *Jon Stewart* or factcheck.org, most of us wouldn’t know half of what is real and what isn’t–and I think that’s the point Alex is making here."

That's just idiotic. (ahem, Jon Stewart is a comedian, u know that don't you?)

by agree_with_lame at
Lame, et. al.:

I hid the primary content of this post from most folks since it's not apropos to why many people visit, but that said, I'm not sure which "half" I'd be alienating...the current administration's policies have historically low approval ratings (as does the congress, FWIW).

As I noted (and as Tom re-iterated), I'm not a partisan for any party, but I do care about policy. On that basis – and that basis alone – I lament what the Republicans are doing to this election. Before their convention, there was a chance that it could be decided on policy, but no more. If it's really "offensive" to you that I've pointed out that the Republicans have re-kindled the culture war distractions which have kept us from serious policy progress in the last 8 years...well, I don't know what to say. Clearly you think I'm being partisan when I'm simply decrying a lack of seriousness in the part of at least one of the parties contesting this election.

You might not agree with me on policy, but please, don't pretend that I'm alienating folks by noting that there are logical incongruities here.

Regards

by alex at
@agree_with_lame:

"That’s just idiotic. (ahem, Jon Stewart is a comedian, u know that don’t you?)"

NO! Really?

Seriously though, yes he is a comedian--and one that I'm convinced is cast in the role of Mark Twain, a sharp wit with the gumption to call it like he sees it, in a way that is both entertaining and critical. That's a rare gift--and frankly it seems to me that in the past 6 - 8 years, the only sharp observations and criticisms that are the backbone of American society have been coming from comedians.

Think about that and chew on it for a while.

The Daily Show clip (linked to) was great!

For some more interesting and incendiary viewing, you can search on YouTube for "Rally for the Republic" and see what was going on down the street among Ron Paul's supporters. FactCheck.org, unfortunately, didn't track that event but I have a feeling it was more accurate than the RNC.

...the same thing can be said about the Dems from the Republican side.

Why did you waste your time writing this? All it does is piss off 50% of potential Dojo users. I find it annoying

by Lame at
@lame: http://blog.dept-z.com/?p=26
I agree with Lame - waste of time.
by Les at
@Lame and @Les: Couple of things...to begin with, Alex made sure that you knew the post was political in nature; you followed the link with that in mind. So you must have thought it wasn't going to be a waste of time...and with that in mind, I'd hazard a guess that you lean to the right and not the left.

There's nothing wrong with that.

What is wrong with your commentary is that you dismiss a reasonable and intelligent argument about how the GOP has been in the business of deceiving Americans for the sake of power for at least 8 years, simply because Alex's viewpoints are coming from the left. And in doing so, you reasonably demonstrate exactly how successful they've been at it.

Once upon a time, I considered myself aligned with (what I considered then) the Republican Party--albeit in what used to be a NY way (a friend described it well to me once: socially liberal, fiscally conservative). Even if I hadn't been trending towards the left, I'd be disgusted with the GOP right now.

And it's not because I don't agree with the philosophies behind it (though that's pretty high up on my list).

It's because they've mastered the media, brought into play propaganda techniques most commonly seen in the more repressive governments in the world, and basically played a huge game of deception with the American public.

In a word, they've broken our trust.

If it weren't for people like Jon Stewart or factcheck.org, most of us wouldn't know half of what is real and what isn't--and I think that's the point Alex is making here.

I also happen to think that if the shoe were on the other foot--i.e. it was the Democratic Party pulling these things--Alex would have no problem ripping them for it as well. I certainly would.

Amen, brother. I have the same feelings. Thanks for the Daily Show clip (didn't have a chance to watch the show lately).
lame, what do you mean with that Tom should read more books and stop watching so much tv? And what has it to do with this subject?
by Martijn at