Clipmarks | n2sooners's Comments

Shaking things up on Clipmarks.com

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:55:57 GMT

clipped by: egoldstein
clipper's remarks: Please read the entire post by clicking the source link before reacting.

Clip Source: clipmarks.wordpress.com

Unfortunately, we have recently become increasingly concerned that the site has become overly antagonistic and inappropriately controlled by a disproportionately loud group of users. In all honesty, we no longer feel that the processes of our site are producing a unique, high quality blend of content. Instead, the magical blending of diverse topics on the Clipmarks home page has seemed to dissolve into a battleground for extremely hostile politically oriented users who are overwhelming the rest of the site. Because of this we are working on making some fundamental changes to the way the Clipmarks site works. We will do our best to make changes that improve the site and will continue to iterate until we are comfortable that it is just right.

Tags: clipmarks

McCain TV Ratings Beat Obama

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:38:53 GMT

clipped by: reimers
clipper's remarks: That's pretty impressive. Especially considering the NFL opener last night with two teams in huge media markets.

Clip Source: www.tvweek.com

Presidential candidate John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention drew more television viewers than his rival Barack Obama attracted at the Democratic party's event last week, according to preliminary ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

Across all broadcast networks Thursday, Sen. McCain’s speech ended the night with a 4.8 rating/7 share, compared to Sen. Obama’s 4.3/7 average, according to overnight numbers from metered households in 55 U.S. markets measured by Nielsen. These ratings are preliminary, however, and are subject to change.

NBC’s coverage of Sen. McCain’s speech started directly at the tail end of the opening game of NFL season, with the speech pulling in a 6.3 rating/10 share, topping Sen. Obama’s speech last week by 26%. That lead-in may have boosted audiences who last night turned out in droves to watch Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin introduce herself to the country.

Obama's speech seen by 38 million-plus viewers : The most watched in US political history

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:42:43 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

NEW YORK - Barack Obama's audience for his acceptance speech likely topped 40 million people, and the Democratic gathering that nominated him was a more popular television event than any other political convention in history.

More people watched Obama speak from a packed stadium in Denver on Thursday than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final "American Idol" or the Academy Awards this year, Nielsen Media Research said Friday. (Four playoff football games, including the Super Bowl between the Giants and Patriots, were seen by more than 40 million people.)

His TV audience nearly doubled the amount of people who watched John Kerry accept the Democratic nomination to run against President Bush four years ago. Kerry's speech was seen by a little more than 20 million people; Bush's acceptance speech to GOP delegates had 27.6 million viewers.

Tags: obama, history

Republicans Use Fake Troops for RNC Video

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:48:59 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: One of the actors, Perry Denton of Chicago, IL also confirmed that he was hired on a day-rate as an actor for the shoot and told CBS News he was surprised to learn the footage was shown at the convention.

Clip Source: www.vetvoice.com

by: Brandon Friedman

Thu Sep 04, 2008

For its "Pledge of Allegiance video" on Tuesday night, the Republican National Convention used stock footage of a staged military funeral, along with actors dressed as soldiers and sailors. CBS has the story:

It was a video that was supposed to elicit soaring patriotism and real emotions about the Pledge of Allegiance. But to do that, it used fake soldiers and a staged military funeral instead of the real thing.

CBS News found that the footage of the 'funeral' and soldiers is what is called 'stock' footage. The soldiers were actors and the funeral scene was from a one-day film shoot, produced in June. No real soldiers were used during production.

The footage, sold by stock-film house Getty Images was produced by a commercial filmmaker in Chicago. Both Getty and the production company, Mr. Big Films, confirmed that the footage was shot on spec and sold to the Republican National Committee.

Tags: fake

Palin's Wasilla Meth Capital of Alaska..!

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:52:45 GMT

clipped by: TJColatrella

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Wasilla's Meth Problem Made Palin's Borough The Meth Capital Of Alaska

WASILLA - The Matanuska-Susitna area is the methamphetamine capital of Alaska, according to Alaska State Troopers.

In 2003, authorities uncovered nine meth labs in the area. Last year, the number increased to 42, said Kyle Young, an investigator with the troopers who works with the Mat-Su narcotics team.

Officials with the Office of Children's Services in Wasilla said the problem affects children. The office receives about 40 calls a month from people reporting abuse or neglect involving some aspect of the highly addictive drug.

Tags: palin, alaska, meth, drugs, electorate, guns, mccain, child services

51% Believe Palin Right Choice

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:09:04 GMT

clipped by: sparlingphoto
clipper's remarks: For all on ClipMarx who live in their own little left-wing bubble!

Clip Source: www.rasmussenreports.com

Friday, September 05, 2008

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows the beginning of John McCain’s convention bounce and the race is essentially back where it was before Barack Obama’s bounce. Obama now attracts 46% of the vote while McCain earns 45%. When "leaners" are included, it’s Obama 48%, McCain 46% (see recent daily results).

Both Obama and McCain are now viewed favorably by 57% of the nation’s voters (see trends). However, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is viewed favorably by 58%--a point more than either Presidential hopeful. Forty percent (40%) have a Very Favorable opinion of her.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of voters now believe that McCain made the right choice when he picked Palin to be his running mate while 32% disagree. By way of comparison, 47% said that Obama made the right choice by picking Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his running mate. Voters are evenly divided as to whether Palin or Obama has the better experience to be President.

Poll: Half Say Palin Unqualified

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:07:00 GMT

clipped by: Wisco
clipper's remarks: Also of interest:

The poll found that Obama benefited more from his selection of Biden than McCain did by picking Palin. While 25 percent said they were more likely to vote for McCain because he picked Palin, 19 percent said they were less likely to support his candidacy. A majority, 55 percent, said the choice won't affect their vote.

By contrast, 22 percent of voters said Biden's selection for the Democratic ticket made them more likely to vote for Obama, while just 10 percent said they were less likely to support the Illinois senator's presidential candidacy. Again, a majority -- 67 percent -- said the choice won't matter in their vote.

More evidence that Palin was a base shoring choice. She's not winning converts, just energizing those already on the right.

Clip Source: www.bloomberg.com

Half of U.S. voters said first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, doesn't have the experience needed to be an effective president, according to an ABC News poll.

The survey found that 50 percent of adults polled on Sept. 4, the last day of the Republican National Convention, said Palin lacks the right experience to be president if she succeeded to the office. Forty-two percent of the voters said she has the necessary experience, the poll said.

The poll found that 66 percent of voters said Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, has the right experience to be an effective president. Twenty-one percent believed Biden, presidential candidate Barack Obama's running mate, lacks the right experience to be president.

Tags: news

Pit bull Sarah Palin unleases on B. Obama

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:54:15 GMT

clipped by: jatfla
clipper's remarks: What a wonderful, effective, encouraging speech.
At last...not politics as usual. She showed just how 'empty' and superficial Obama really is. Guiliani did a great job too!

Clip Source: www.bostonherald.com

Pit bull Sarah Palin unleashes on Barack Obama

A feisty Sarah Palin charged straight at Barack Obama last night as the virtually unknown governor of Alaska transformed herself into John McCain’s snarling campaign pit bull last night before cheering delegates and the eyes of the nation at the Republican convention

the 44-year-old vice presidential pick turned the tables on those who have mocked her inexperience and family troubles - ripping the Washington insiders and media elite.

“Here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion,” she said. “I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country.

“This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word “victory” except when he’s talking about his own campaign,”

Bandwidth Crisis

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:22:29 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners

Clip Source: www.geeknewscentral.com

There is no bandwidth crisis. At our highest usage, we are using less than 50% of the available bandwidth worldwide. WORLDWIDE.

So why is it we need usage caps in the first place? Presumably, according to the telcos and cable companies, we are quickly using up available bandwidth and when it's gone it's gone. That's what they are telling us.

But even at the current growth rate, we won't use up the world's available bandwidth for many years. And simple infrastructure upgrades will continue to make more bandwidth available over time, always keeping us well ahead of the game.

I wish there was a way to call the telcos and cable companies on their blatent lying about bandwidth capability, and the fact that they are using that argument to apply caps to people's usage. Boycotts are all well and good but sometimes you don't have any choice in provider

How do we communicate to the telcos and cable companies, call their bluff, and make them change their tune and being to serve the customer?

Tags: bandwidth, internet, caps

A Recovering L.A. Times Reporter Blogs Sarah Live

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:47:19 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: 7:57 p.m.: I’m guessing Jack Bauer of “24″ would vote for Gov. Palin.

8:01 p.m.: Holy crap! She’s a pitbull and has opened a can of Whoop-ass on Barack Obama.

8:05 p.m.: Palin has managed to make Obama look insignificant, McCain appear heroic, and herself: a grassroots American who won’t back down from a fight.

8:09 p.m.: Palin has just hijacked the presidential campaign. I’ve got a skeptical, Obama-loving wife and some liberal sons, and they all think she killed it.

8:11 p.m.: She gets bonus points if that skirt is actually leather.

8:13 p.m.: Incredible visuals at the end: pregnant teenage daughter, goofy (but handsome) father of teenage daughter’s baby, Down’s Syndrome baby. Does anyone not have a tear in their eye?

williamlobdell.com

Clip Source: williamlobdell.com

7:33 p.m.: Great so far. Keeping the spotlight on McCain.

7:35 p.m.: Wow. Playing the mom and aunt card! Nice!

7:36 p.m.: How uncomfortable is that boyfriend? He should be at his senior prom, not on display at the RNC.

7:37 p.m.: Mother of a military man. Mother of a special needs child? What’s next? Mother of a pregnant teenager? Hold on.

7:39 p.m.: Did you see Cindy McCain checking out Todd Palin? My wife is in LOVE!

7:41 p.m.: Is hockey an American sport?

7:42 p.m.: So far, she’s killing it.

7:46 p.m.: Do you hear that? It’s America falling in love with Sarah Palin.

7:48 p.m.: Governor’s jet on E-Bay? Classic.

7:52 p.m.: She’s made a great impression. Tough administrator, not a part of the old boys’ network. As my wife just said, “She makes me want to go to Alaska.”

7:54 p.m.: The line about “authoring two memoirs” but not a single bill in the Senate was great.

7:56 p.m.: Oh boy. She is Obama’s worst nightmare. An attractive politician with a great sense of humor is a lethal combo.

Tags: sarah palin, rnc, william lobdell-blogger

Now The Surge Is Succeeding?

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:13:43 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: .......continued... But the National Intelligence Estimate of Jan 2007 said this:

Coalition capabilities, including force levels, resources, and operations, remain an essential stabilizing element in Iraq. If Coalition forces were withdrawn rapidly during the term of this Estimate, we judge that this almost certainly would lead to a significant increase in the scale and scope of sectarian conflict in Iraq, intensify Sunni resistance to the Iraqi Government, and have adverse consequences for national reconciliation.

OK, so Obama opposed a surge that succeeded and advocated a policy that the NIE said at the time would lead to a disaster in Iraq.

As to whether anyone could have predicted that the surge would be effective - well, Bush did introduce it this way in his January 2007 speech:

President's Address to the Nation

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070110-7.html

Clip Source: justoneminute.typepad.com

As recently as July, the Democratic presidential candidate declined to rate the surge a success, but said it had helped reduce violence in the country. On Thursday, Obama acknowledged the 2007 increase in U.S. troops has benefited the Iraqi people.

Here is an old post with links to the vast Obamafuscations last July when Obama struggled to pretend that (a) the surge was not successful and (b) he had always said the surge would succeed as it had. John Dickerson raised an excellent question about Obama's judgment:

If Obama was wrong about the tactical gains that would be made by the new strategy and wrong about how the Iraqi political leaders would react, can his larger theory about how Iraqis will respond to a troop pullout remain intact? Perhaps, but he has the burden of explanation.

Right - Obama will be in a big hurry to tackle that hypothetical "what if?" puzzle - how might Iraq have developed if his "surrender now" policy had been adopted in the winter of 2007? Who can tell?

Tags: obama concedes, surge successful

EPA attachs Lawnmowers

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:16:19 GMT

clipped by: mklosinski
clipper's remarks: These folks are out of control. When will this madness stop. How many MPG is my lawnmower required to get?

Clip Source: www.cnsnews.com

Washington - Gasoline-powered lawnmowers blamed for summertime air pollution will have to be cleaner under new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The regulation issued Thursday requires a 35 percent reduction in emissions from new lawn and garden equipment powered by engines under 25 horsepower. It takes effect in 2011 and is expected to save approximately 190 million gallons of gasoline each year.

Environmentalists welcome the regulation. It had been delayed for years by opposition from small engine manufacturers and their congressional supporters.

Tags: epa

MSNBC silenced by a simple question

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:05:40 GMT

clipped by: Smoke TNT

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: liberals, media, obama, empty suit

Comcast to sue FCC

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:06:28 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners

Clip Source: arstechnica.com

Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin said today that he was "disappointed" by Comcast's decision to sue the FCC over its move to sanction the company for P2P throttling.

Anticipating Comcast's arguments that the FCC has no jurisdiction to sanction its behavior, Martin reminded the company that when the FCC approved it and Time-Warners' acquisition of Adelphia Communications in July of 2006, the FCC "put Comcast on notice" that it would act on complaints of degraded Internet content. "Comcast nonetheless chose to close on that deal," Martin noted.

The FCC still wants answers, Martin's statement concludes. "Perhaps more importantly, Comcast's subscribers deserve to know the answers."

"The future of the Internet is too important to let Comcast tie it up in legal limbo," Scott said. "Congress should act now to pass net neutrality laws that clear up any uncertainty once and for all."

Tags: fcc, comcast, internet, bandwidth, lawsuit

Obama Tells O'Reilly Surge Succeeded

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:49:22 GMT

clipped by: sillysam
clipper's remarks: Before the interview was arranged, Obama and his staff held a closed door meeting with Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes to discuss his network's media coverage of the presidential election. According to Ailes, Obama wanted to know if he would get a "fair shake" from Fox. Ailes told the Washington Post he replied, "Senator, you're the one who boycotted us. We're not the ones who boycotted you. Nor did we retaliate for your boycott."

Clip Source: townhall.com

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is finally breaking his boycott with Fox News and will appear on Bill O'Reilly's "The Factor" for an interview that will air during the GOP convention Thursday night.

In the interview, Obama backtracks on previous criticism of President Bush's decision to send a "surge" of 21,000 troops to Iraq. “I think that the surge has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated,” Obama said, according to early excerpts of the interview “I’ve already said it’s succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.”