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Comments

[M.Steele]

The internet is not free, and has never been free.

[joanie]

'Splain yourself, Steele.

[Radio is Dead]

The US gives more to charity than all the other countries combined.

Conservatives are the source of most of that charity.

Liberals do shit for those less fortunate. They just whine that the government needs to come to the rescue.

[Radio is Dead]

What is this constant garbage everyone is spouting that the "internet is not free" !!!

Go down to your nearest coffee shop...your local library...for God's sake the Holiday Inn parking lot...the damn internet is FREE!

[joanie]

Other countries take care of all their citizens unlike America. Conservatives help out - sandwiches on Sunday and turkeys on Thanksiving - but don't nearly spend enough to effect the public welfare of Americans. The countries to which you refer take care of all their people - rich and poor alike.

You do overstate your case and perhaps you should listen to informed radio again.

[joanie]

"charities" - so Dickensian

[M.Steele]

Well, from its inception, the network has been paid for by tax dollars or private funds. At this point the “internet” as ray-dee-ohh understands it has servers routers and many additional components as to help folks such as ray-dee-ohh get about. From a bloggers point of view, there are storage drives, servers , gateways and service fees. For a user there are service fees and if you want to count it, the computer. If you are utilizing someone’s wireless for free, as ray-dee-ohh assumes everyone is doing, that access point has to pay for the connection to the backbone. I don’t expect ray-dee-ohh to get this, else the poor schmuck would have never brought it up.

[Radio is Dead]

America takes "CARE" of all its citizens by providing the freedoms and framework to the "individual". Hence Americans have more opportunities to achieve limitless goals than any citizen of any other country.

A handout is not taking CARE of someone...it's enabling someone. Teaching someone to fish is a far better investment than handing them a fish.

Perhaps you give your kids everything. It's a better investment to have them struggle and earn it.

Ask people from Europe, Latin America and Asia and you will be universally told that the US remains the land of opportunity.

[joanie]

You're changing the subject. That means you have no argument to make.

Just concede.

[Radio is Dead]

Hey Steele...you're an idiot. I suppose your argument also applies to AM radio, broadcast TV, etc.

[M.Steele]

I do not understand the narrative you are spinning here ray-dee-ohh. No one is asking you for a hand out. The blogger is requesting for recompense for a service.

[M.Steele]

Ok ray-dee-ohh, your ignorance belies your stupidity, no I never said it applies to broadcast signals. But it would apply to cable or satellite signals.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Radio is just jealous of this blogs succes. Conservatives have been a whiny bunch this past year.

[Radio is Dead]

Conservatives are a whiny bunch this year because an oppressive government is entering virtually every aspect of our lives.

AA I suppose you look forward to increased government involvement i.e. the Fairness Doctrine, taxes on all internet transactions, regulation of internet content, government spyware, etc.

[M.Steele]

Andy, did you notice radio-info.com acknowledge this blog? I suspect many of the radio pros peer into this site for some unvarnished criticism.

[sparky]

oh god, are you dragging out the fairness doctrine again? And as for spyware..what do you think the 8 years of Bushie was all about.

Come on, Dead, try a little harder.

[Radio is Dead]

I hold no poltical affiliation. The country's history is based on Libertarian values....the US government is essentially corrupt. Bush was probably worse than Obama because he pretended to be a conservative.

[M.Steele]

increased government involvement i.e. the Fairness Doctrine, taxes on all internet transactions, regulation of internet content, government spyware, etc.

--------------------------------------------------

Posted by: Radio is Dead | October 08, 2009 at 08:03 PM

Well ray-dee-ohh, my guess is you would be pleased for the access to this blog. This blog allows you to post such silliness and therefore spread spurious falsehoods.

[joanie]

Who's afraid of the big bad gumment?
Big bad gumment?
Big bad gumment?

Who's afraid of the big bad gumment?

Conservatives. Cus they're afraid of everything.

One more time, a one and a two and a three . . .

Who's afraid of the big bad gumment?

Oh, darn. I'm not afraid. You'll have to sing it all by yourself, ra-dee-uh-oh.

Perhaps chux will come out and play 'fraidy cat with you.

[Radio is Dead]

Basic question to the panel:

If you experienced a string of tragedies in your life do you seek help from:

1. The government

2. Your family, friends and neighbors

I think the answer is pretty clear.

[M.Steele]

Well ray-dee-ohh, I am not casting you in the crowd of cons, just the ill-informed or the dull. I know Sparky does not mean to frighten you. I know Andy is as kind as fellow you have ever met. And Joanie would help you through any process of enlightenment. So get hold of yourself.

[joanie]

Now that must be why there are so many bankruptcies around medical issues: not only is the patient declaring bankruptcy, but all those friends, neighbors and family must be declaring bankruptcy, too.

I get it. Combined and communal misery. Just how many bankruptcies have you endured to help your neighbor, friend or family member?

I can't wait for this answer.

[M.Steele]

Well Joanie, I had a question also, but your question is so prescient I will wait for this answer. Will ray-dee-ohh answer or try to change the subject? I will lay odds on the former.

[Radio is Dead]

Joanie...it's called personal responsibility. Get insurance. When you leave your parent's policy you act like a grown-up and get your own. This idea that the government is going to take care of you is an un-American concept.

[ksr]

Interesting commentary about paying taxes. Actually, liberals like SPENDING taxes. I don't know them to enjoy paying them any more than conservatives do.

[joanie]

Well, he took the latter road. He set up a multiple choice question, then ignored his own question and changed the subject.

I bet you're disappointed in ra-dee-uh-ho, huh Steele?

[joanie]

Post your question and let's see if he'll answer it, Steele.

[M.Steele]

OK,

“a string of tragedies”?

What do you have in mind, unemployment, bad health or a hurricane Katrina type event?

[Radio is Dead]

My answer is...

I don't know anyone (including myself) that has gone bankrupt from medical expenses. I hear about it on TV and radio.

Sorry but life's not fair. There will always be a tragedy to be found somewhere. There will ALWAYS be those that suffer. Sorry.

There's no perfect system. But I'll take a system that allows me to make decisions rather than have a government force one on me-100% of the time.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Radio is a bizarre con. He keeps going on about the internet being free, which is rediculous on its own, but conservatives/libertarians are generaly against the idea that ANYTHING should be free.

The average libertarian and true conservative would have Americans pay for every service they utilize or might utilize. They would prefer that we each pay our individual retainer fees for fire, police, etc. If your house is on fire and you haven't payed your fire protection premium the fire department will show up to your property but only to make sure adjacent houses belonging to paying customers don't catch fire. They won't extinguish your house. That's true "fuck you" libertarianism in action. I admire their adherence to self interest in the face of hungry babies and their weeping mothers.

Back to the internet; none of it is free. At coffee shops the proprieter pays the internet bill and they expect you to buy coffee if you use the WiFi, ergo you pay for it . When you visit a site your data is transmited along telecom hardware (AT&T, Global Crossing, Level 3) payed for by the telecom's customers. Well I gave my brother in law an old router I had, for that brief moment the internet was free.

[joanie]

Libertarians are kind of interesting if barbaric. kind of a "survival of the fittest" mentality. Thank god there aren't many of them around.

I think it's just another excuse for unmitigated greed, selfishness and irresponsibility.

What do you think?

[Ayn Rand is DEAD]

This idea that the government is going to take care of corporations is an un-American concept. Santa Clara vs Southern Pacific.

[Radio is Dead]

You folks just don't get it...

The internet is free to the USER...there are obviously back-end/hardware costs, but if you poke around there are plenty of folks in the free market system that will provide you the internet for free.

The internet also represents the free market at its best. In fact the internet is quite Libertarian. I'd love to hear AA and Joanie's comeback to that statement. Please prove to me how the internet is not a libertarian concept.

Unfortuantely as the government gets its hands into the internet (i.e. NY State taxing all internet transactions) the freedoms of the internet will rapidly deteriorate.

[joanie]

I know the internet is not really free. But, neither is paper on which we write letters and send them via the post office. Still, we use the paper to freely write whatever we wish. I use the internet to freely post whatever I wish. I should be able to run a radio signal out of my garage for others to freely listen to if they wished.

There is always a resource that must be provided and paid for. However, the status quo of the economics in various media can be challenged. We are in control unless we've given up that control to a few people. I'm for democratizing all media and that would result in real competition, bring the costs down and provide a whole lot more diversity.

All hardware and servicing is valued by the small group of people who control it. That's why I don't have cable - except a clear-screen called limited cable. You can find all sorts of stuff wherein the technology is pretty similar but prices vary widely. Why?

[M.Steele]

There is nothing to add to Andy’s post. If you do not understand by now ray-dee-ohh, you are a lost cause.

Joanie, have you ever had the feeling these people are fodder for fun?

[joanie]

FCS, Ra-dee-uh-oh, I don't disagree about that. Why do you bounce around so much.

But, you keep acting as if the government has already taken away your right to use the net. It hasn't. Get over the fear.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself

It took a liberal to say those words.

[Radio is Dead]

AA's comment is garbage.

But if you want to go down that path simply send these people a bill for these life/death services. If they can't pay then structure it out in a loan over many years like we do student loans.

I don't understand why people feel the need to let government run our lives. I've lived all over the world and I can't find a system that runs better than the US.

[joanie]

They're not running our lives! That was an idiot post, ra-dee-uh-oh. Simple put.

BTW, there are better systems. And systems where more people are connected and pay less. I think you do not speak honestly.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Yes Libertarianism in a front for unbridled selfishness in the Randian tradition. The reason I know this to be true is that when Libertarians are in deep shit they always take the handouts that are offerred to them. They will call the police. They will frequent public parks and send their kids to public schools. This isn't the bahavior of a devout, it's naked oppurtunism.

I think that one day historians will regard the Libertarian bowel movement as a vacuum of religion of principle turned to ideology.

[Radio is Dead]

AA sorry but I need to repost...

Conservatives/Libertatrians give more of there personal fortune to charities than Liberals.

...not too selfish

[joanie]

On that funny note, Andrew, I will bid you a good night. I've had fun tonight. It's not often I'm home to enjoy the conversation.

I know I talk a lot. So it's good I'm not home every night!

Try to get over the fear, radio. You'll sleep better. And do something charitable tomorrow. It'll make you feel better.

[M.Steele]

ray-dee-ohh, we are in this conversation because you declare this blog should be able to run on 25 dollars a month. I am giving you the operations side of running an outfit like this for the masses. If you have the wherewithal, look up the popularity of this blog as opposed to other blogs in the area. It is very hard to bring together the operations and the compelling content which makes this blog trendy. Sure the average user can drive up to the library and utilize the World Wide Web, but that is not called libertarianism. It is called taxes.

[joanie]

Oh god. Did he really do that? After refusing to give a straight answer to the challenge of that remark, he's repeating it? It has been debunked.

You are an idiot! I take back everything nice I ever said about you.

Steele, he's an automaton. He's on remote control. His sound tract is beginning to repeat He's not human.

[M.Steele]

Haha, night joanie, I think I will hit the hay also. Talk to you all later.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Rado, I'm not impressed with the findings of that study. Liberals dislike charity because it's an unreliable quick fix, often specific to a religious community, rather than a sustainable social solution that provides real security to all Americans.

Suppose I have an ailment, I need a $5,000 cat scan and I'm in serious pain. Should I could crawling around from church to church claiming I pray to their god to get on their good side and then ask for $5,000 as I clutch my gut and writhe in pain? (In this story I don't make it and I die between churches)

Or should I hope and pray that dingbats like you look past the evils of taxes long enough to trust your own freely elected officials and do something good for your fellow American?

[Radio is Dead]

Most churches (mine included) have no litmus test.

There are specific charitable pledge drives all the time for specific patient causes. I see them posted at the local Starbucks, hear them on the radio/tv, etc. I also see charitable announcements on ebay, facebook, craigslist, etc.

The free market works. I also believe that most of that money goes to the cause rather than to grease the huge bureaucratic machine.

[Drew]

If the "free market" of charities is the answer, then they long ago proved to be a dismal failure- 122 Americans die every 24 hours because they cannot afford health care in this country, and the churches apparently haven't noticed. But the cons have, insisting that cancer patients and diabetics should have just led a healthier lifestyle; now they'll just have to work 3 jobs to pay for their treatment.

[Radio is Dead]

Drew your argument is junk.

If you show up at the hospital dying the hospital will not allow you to die.

We already have free healthcare.

It's simply that responsible members of our society end up paying the bill via higher insurance premiums and higher medical bills.

[AuthenticAndrew]

What is more interesting than what you say is what you don't say. You say nothing of security and inclusiveness with your "specific drives for specific causes." What if I have an unpolular disease for which there is no charity drive? What if I have AIDS and your church turns me down saying I have a fag disease? What if they refuse me because I'm an atheist? It would be within the rights of your church to turn away anyone they might not like.

You don't think anything through. You say "The free market works" bla bla bla but you can't even begin to make a convincing argument. "My church will give you a few bucks" is not security. This "free market works" stuff is childish bullshit.

[Radio is Dead]

That's the nature of a free society and personal responsibility. Joanie and you never addressed my simple point...

Explain to me why a young adult that leaves their parent's health insurance plan does not take the responsibility to obtain their own health insurance. This process eliminates any "pre-condition" issues and all citizens remain insured. If an individual chooses not to buy health insurance then they need to prepare for the consequences.

We are a function of the decisions we make in life.

Enough with this nanny state idea. I want my freedom thank you.