blog.deanland.com

WHO IS WORSE: ASHCROFT OR POWELL?

From one of the Topica lists I read on a regular basis, comes this joke. Well, if it is necessary that a joke be funny, then it isn't necessarily a joke.

John Ashcroft is visiting an elementary School.
After 15 minutes speaking he says, "I will now answer any questions you have."

Bobby stands up and says: "Mr. Ashcroft, I have 4 questions:

1. How did Bush win the election with fewer votes than Gore?

2. Why are you using the American Patriot Act to limit civil liberties?

3. Why haven't you caught Osama Bin Laden?

4. Where are the weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq?"



Just then the bell rang and the kids rushed out to play.


Upon returning Mr. Ashcroft said: "I'm sorry we were interrupted.

I will answer any questions you have."
A little girl named Julie stands up and says: "I have 6 questions:

1. How did Bush win the election with fewer votes than Gore?

2. Why are you invoking the American Patriot Act to limit civil liberties?

3. Why haven't you caught Osama Bin Laden?

4. Where are the weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq?

5. Why did the bell ring 20 minutes early?

6. Where is Bobby?"

Of course if Michael Powell's proposed Rulemaking goes through, the story of "Whatever became of Bobby?" would never make the evening or regularly flowing cable-network news.

Here's another frightening thought: before the Bush term expires, Ashcroft and young Michael Powell exit office and get all sorts of funding to start companies or join companies already in existence. Why would they do this, you ask?

To take advantage of the changes in laws they'd overseen on their watch.

BLOGRESS

Over the next few days, after a short vacation from posting hereabouts, I think I will post some items long ago promised in these parts. Also, there are numerous half-written, mostly-written, or just outlined essays, as well as a few in need of a just a little last-minute editing or review.

Time to clean out the "Blogwork in Progress" folder.

And, for the record, I agree with the concept of a bloggers' content option: one can always go back in blog time and edit old posts. I see a typo, I see a better way to turn a phrase -- bingo! -- I make the change. There's discussion of this all over the place, for instance, here, and here, also over here, as well as discussion of discussion of it here, and the it-seems-snippy-to-me post here

Funny thing is, I was certain Dave Winer had a line or two about this in a recent Scripting News, but no Google or Advanced Google search turned it up. For about an hour I went through a zillion or so pages of Scripting News. Couldn't find it. But I sure did find a plethora of interesting links to click! Thanks, Dave!

MAYBE POWELL IS WORSE

There is another horrid legislative side to Michael Powell, one receiving much less play in the press. It has to do with regulation on the telecom and broadband services side of the FCC's house. Some time back, when this was still both new and newsworthy in the telecom arena, Kevin Werbach had some interesting thoughts on it, and some good links, as well.

Powell wants the Baby Bells (read: BIG Business) to come out on top in what was designed to provide competition while putting a check on the monopolistic tendencies and opportunities of the Baby Bells. The Competitive or Alternative providers (of dial tone, access, and a host of other services not so well known to the average consumer) are struggling, and the actions and proposed ruklemaking of the FCC back in February of this year rang a death knell for many of the CLECs (Competitive Local Exchange Carriers) and other alternative providers.

Again, Powell appears to be in the hip pocket of Big Business. But this should not come as a surprise: he was appointed by Dubya. Dubya supports what's good for big biz. Think of the tax cuts (what a misnomer!). The rich get richer, the middle class shrinks and the poor get replaced by offshore services whenever possible.

From NandoMedia's Today In History post: On Aug. 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on a voyage that took him to the present-day Americas.