A Forum for Grinches and Ho-Ho-Hoes

[Replaced_Texan]

Another reason I hate Republicans.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Another reason I hate Republicans.

That is so charming! Do you think that guy is available, and above the age of consent? I'm jealous of ABBA and gwnc.

Originally posted by Spanky
In the nineteenth century the Economist argued that absolutely nothing should be done about the Irish potatoe (did I spell that right - where is Dan Quayle when you need him) famine. They argued that the government should provide no subsidies or help to the starving masses. The market should fix the situation, and all the death is the price you pay for economic efficiency.

Huh. I didn't know they'd been around that long, but that is fairly unsurprising. The British financial establishment's reaction to An Gorta Mor ensured that generations of Irish have been extremely skeptical of the market model and its promoters.

Hank's Soccer Fun Fact Corner: Rangers supporters throw potatoes onto the pitch when playing Celtic to mock the club's Irish roots!

[bilmore]

Originally posted by ironweed
The British financial establishment's reaction to An Gorta Mor ensured that generations of Irish have been extremely skeptical of the market model and its promoters.

Seems misplaced. The skepticism should have been directed at the British, who saw the Famine as a way to deal with the Irish Problem, and not at the market model. It's like blaming gravity after Hank throws you out of the plane.

Originally posted by bilmore
The skepticism should have been directed at the British

Don't worry - there's plenty of that, too. But the belief that efficient markets will cure every ill (eventually, after some unfortunate collateral damage) isn't limited to stuffy old guys in muttonchops.

[sgtclub]

• WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens said on Tuesday he would push for applying broadcast decency standards to cable television and subscription satellite TV and radio.
  
  "Cable is a much greater violator in the indecency area," the Alaska Republican told the National Association of Broadcasters, which represents most local television and radio affiliates. "I think we have the same power to deal with cable as over-the-air" broadcasters."

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...&w=RTR&coview=

[sgtclub]

German unemployment rate hits 70 year high

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4307303.stm

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by sgtclub
German unemployment rate hits 70 year high

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4307303.stm

It's like a little political NFH.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
It's like a little political NFH.

I thought you'd eat eggs for breakfast so that the sweet donut at mid-morning break would be a different taste- then you started talking about French toast and syrup. If you eat French Toast, do you still have a donut mid-morning break, or do you go for the less sweet like a scone or muffin?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by sgtclub

• WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens said on Tuesday he would push for applying broadcast decency standards to cable television and subscription satellite TV and radio.
  
  "Cable is a much greater violator in the indecency area," the Alaska Republican told the National Association of Broadcasters, which represents most local television and radio affiliates. "I think we have the same power to deal with cable as over-the-air" broadcasters."

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...&w=RTR&coview=

I'd be surprised if decency standards applied to subscription media would survive judicial challenge. Not everyone can see those things.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I thought you'd eat eggs for breakfast so that the sweet donut at mid-morning break would be a different taste- then you started talking about French toast and syrup. If you eat French Toast, do you still have a donut mid-morning break, or do you go for the less sweet like a scone or muffin?

I passed up the french toast, silly. Pay attention!

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I'd be surprised if decency standards applied to subscription media would survive judicial challenge. Not everyone can see those things.

Seems a stretch. You must make an affirmative opt-in (by paying a fee) in order to get the signal - so, no argument about exposing innocent viewers to outrage, which is what the purpose of the protection is supposed to be.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by bilmore
Seems a stretch. You must make an affirmative opt-in (by paying a fee) in order to get the signal - so, no argument about exposing innocent viewers to outrage, which is what the purpose of the protection is supposed to be.

Which would suit the Ted Stevenses of the world just fine, since they'd probably rather be told by a court that they can't protect the American public from indecency.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Which would suit the Ted Stevenses of the world just fine, since they'd probably rather be told by a court that they can't protect the American public from indecency.

I hear ya, but I was similarly surprise when the S. CT ruled that descrimination is OK, at least for the next 25 years.

Point is, the fact that he thinks he's got this power is frightening. Does the FEC have the power to approve or disapprove licenses for paid channels? Seems to me the answer is no for entities like HBO, but doesn't TNT, for example, have broadcast licenses? And if so, I wonder whether TNT would join in a challenge when that could risk the approval process for its acquisitions of further stations.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I hear ya, but I was similarly surprise when the S. CT ruled that descrimination is OK, at least for the next 25 years.

Point is, the fact that he thinks he's got this power is frightening. Does the FEC have the power to approve or disapprove licenses for paid channels? Seems to me the answer is no for entities like HBO, but doesn't TNT, for example, have broadcast licenses? And if so, I wonder whether TNT would join in a challenge when that could risk the approval process for its acquisitions of further stations.

Worse, Stern* keeps saying he would have a great case if only the stations would challenge the fines- they don't. Who's to say that cable might not be similarly afraid.

*he says he's been fined for crap Oprah also said etc. The fines do seem pretty subjective.