Ponzi calls this The RSS Couch. 🙂 
NY Times: “Netflix is making available to the public 100 million of its customers’ movie ratings, a database the company says is the largest of its kind ever released.”
John Bracken: “The time I’ve spent with the NY Times has probably trebeled since I began using NYTimesRiver on my Blackberry.”
New header graphic. Kitchen table with MacBook.
Here’s another sweet YouTube video. Republicans will say we’re weak for liking this. I feel sorry for them because they have so much pain. It can feel so good to let it go.
Republicans have made “liberal” a bad word, but they’re too dishonest to be open about it. Me, I’m openly trying to make Republican a bad word. Anyone with a heart and a mind who admits to being one had better explain the President and the Congress. You’re responsible for this mess. In November you have a chance to be part of the recovery of this country. If you feel at all sorry for all the death you caused you need to what you can to fix it. Let’s start with a new Congress. Then we’ll hold the impeachment trial. People say Cheney would be worse. No he wouldn’t, not after we send Bush back to Texas. Assuming they’ll take him.
Yes we’re angry. Sometimes anger is correct.
After writing my political piece on Friday, I’ve been getting a bunch of really stupid mail from Republicans saying that I just hate Republicans and if it were Clinton, I’d be gushing all over him. They’re really stupid, because if they just did a little checking they’d find that I was a harsh critic of Clinton and rallied for his impeachment and removal from office. I see politicians as vendors and voters as customers. Once you get caught lying that’s it, I’m not buying anymore. If Bush were honorable, if he weren’t a force that put a lid on discourse by labeling people (e.g. cut and run), if he weren’t lying all the time, I’d say fine, stay in office, even if you fucked up big time (which he did). But Bush is the problem, so it’s time for him to go. As they say when Clinton lied no one died. Bush set in motion a process that’s killing thousands of people and costing us billions of dollars and throwing away what’s good about our country. The man is the biggest failure we’ve elected in my lifetime, and that includes a few other first-class losers.
BTW, I do hate Republicans, and if Clinton could run again, I’d vote for him.
Scripting News Annex 
Posted by Jeff VanDyke on October 1, 2006 at 10:13 am
Dave –
I’m disappointed by your recent posts. The tone of your recent political postings seem to stand in stark contrast to your usual exhortion of *love*. Where is the love? Love will win.
Part of love is understanding. And listening. I don’t see much of either in your recent posts. What I see instead is anger. And, frankly, ranting. It is disturbing to me. Where is the conversation?
I respect your right to not only hold, but promote your views. But I strongly disagree with your recent decision to promote hate.
Love –
-Jeff
Posted by non aligned on October 1, 2006 at 10:53 am
> We need people who voted Republican in past elections to stand with us
Democrats need to realize that they will not make gains in the next election by using tactics that only serve to divide the country into red and blue. Moderates look at candidates and spokespeople like Michael Moore who dish out rhetoric that attacks the other side without providing alternative solutions as useless contributors.
> BTW, I do hate Republicans
Iraq may not have had weapons of mass destruction and the war has been poorly run since the Iraqi army was defeated. I think most Americans can agree on this. What is your solution to the situation that exists today? Should the coalition forces pack up and go home and watch the inevitable Iraqi civil war on TV when this solution could easily result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Sunnis and Shiites.
Posted by Vicki on October 1, 2006 at 1:07 pm
Me too. Like someone said … Clinton may have been foolish, but that didn’t get anyone killed. 2700 and counting.
Posted by Paul on October 1, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Yes. Let’s see some retribution in November. The republicans have to take responsibility for all this death, deceit and destruction, since their elected leader can’t do it himself. I really don’t care if someone is a republican or democrat, but anyone who cannot see that right now the keys need to be taken away from the republican party, really needs to have their voting privledges revoked.
But please, don’t send Clinton back to Texas. I’m moving to Austin, and don’t think I can stomoch the proximity. Isn’t he really from Pennsylvania? Please send him back there. But you can impeach him first. Thanks:)
Posted by Dave Winer on October 1, 2006 at 1:29 pm
I think you mean Bush, not Clinton.
And okay, let’s not send him to Texas.
How about sending him to Guantanamo. I think he’d look great in orange! 🙂
Posted by bart b on October 1, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Thank you for all your anger and pessimism. It’s what has made the Democrat\liberal\left axis so effective in the last 6 years.
“The biggest failure in your lifetime”?
You weren’t alive for LBJ or Jimmy Carter?
And peopel like you get to vote?
Shudder …..
bart
Posted by Ernie Oporto on October 1, 2006 at 3:42 pm
You’re being blindly selective if you think Clinton didn’t get anyone killed. Does anyone remember Vince Foster? Also, just ask a bunch of people in Columbia, Haiti, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Yugoslavia, and yes, Iraq. Don’t forget some buddies in Yemen (the Cole) and some embassy workers in Tanzania and Kenya all because we weren’t Dhimmi enough for them. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, all those things took place before Bush was in office, all of it without declarations of war, all because we’re the USA. And you heard it from Clinton’s own lips a couple of weeks ago: he would have taken us into Afghanistan if he’d had his way.
Sorry, it all sounds like you’re having great fun at selectively playing with history there. Don’t let me ruin it for you.
Posted by Erik Schwartz on October 1, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Hey Bart,
If we had listened to Jimmy Carter’s advice on weaning ourselves from oil (30 YEARS AGO!) then the middle east wouldn’t be much of an issue now.
Carter may not have been charismatic, but he was right.
Posted by Stefan Constantinescu on October 1, 2006 at 4:55 pm
haha love the couch, and i thought your macbook was deffective, guess you got it fixed?
Posted by Dave Winer on October 1, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Stefan, it isn’t fixed. It looks good on the table but it’s still broken. 😦
Posted by Paul on October 1, 2006 at 6:12 pm
Dave, You’re right, I meant please don’t send Bush back to Texas. Guantanamo Bay sounds like an excellent idea, and he can enjoy his own hospitality, and the amenities he has installed there.
Oh, and Jimmy Carter may have been an ineffective president, but he’s been one of, if not THE most effective former presidents in the last century. What will Bush do . . . ? That’s a good reason to lock him up at Guantanamo. He won’t be able to harm anyone else, ever again. (and he’ll be out of Texas).
🙂
Posted by Jason Lefkowitz on October 1, 2006 at 6:46 pm
“Democrats need to realize that they will not make gains in the next election by using tactics that only serve to divide the country into red and blue.”
BwaHAhaHAhaHaHAhaHA!
O my sides.
Having a Republican arguing that politics shouldn’t be based on using “wedge issues” to polarize the electorate is just too rich.
Posted by Allan Smith on October 1, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Vince Foster? It’s disturbing when old urban legends are treated as “history.” Ken Starr, no friend of the Clinton’s, concluded that Starr’s death was a suicide.
Posted by thegoreyears on October 2, 2006 at 12:31 am
All this discussion is silly.
NONE of this should have happened.
Read http://thegoreyears.wordpress.com/ for a glimpse into how things COULD HAVE BEEN.
But, more to the point, and to address some of the silly arguments from Republicans, I offer this:
Let’s just assume that the invasion of Iraq was just. A good idea. A smart thing to do.
Let’s just give you that.
Why do you guys insist on holding on to Rumsfeld?
I mean, let’s just say you are right in EVERY other area.
How is it that Rumsfeld is better than every military mind at West Point?
signed — confused
Posted by thegoreyears on October 2, 2006 at 12:40 am
I thought I sent this link a long time ago. I guess nobody read it.
I will try again.
Start here:
http://thegoreyears.wordpress.com/
but that’s just the latest feed, and it can get boring.
For a true glimpse into what could have been, or, better yet, should have been, I recommend going here:
Posted by Diego on October 2, 2006 at 3:53 am
I was going to post my thoughts on Bush here. But I’d like to visit the US in the future. 🙂
Posted by Bob Morris on October 2, 2006 at 8:02 am
Ah yes, the Republicans commenting here are suddenly deeply concerned you aren’t showing love, and worse yet, sowing dissent. Do you feel their pain?
Well, they do have a lot of their minds; Woodward, who used to be one of the biggest neocon cheerleaders, has turned against them big time, their wars based on lies are lost causes, and the Foley scandal may well kneecap much of the Republican leadership in the House.
Then there’s that darned international opinion that thinks the torture in Gitmo is stomach-turning. I guess Republicans must think water-boarding is “tough love.”
Posted by Dave Winer on October 2, 2006 at 8:21 am
Bob, that *is* funny!
All of a sudden these Republican assholes are all about love!
Hahaaa. That’s a good joke. Republicans and love. Give me a fuckin break.
Posted by Rajesh on October 2, 2006 at 9:57 am
Dave – I think you might enjoy this discussion between democrat and repulbican talking heads on MSNBC
Posted by Cameron on October 2, 2006 at 12:29 pm
Dave,
I think many of the “Republicans” posting here haven’t been reading your stuff long enough. You tend to be hyper-passionate and given to hyperbole in order to make a point. This is very common among evangelists.
In case anyone is confused, being an effective evangelist is the foundation for every major success that achieved by Dave over the past 20 (30?) years (blogging and RSS, podcasting, outlining).
Don’t get your feelings hurt.
Posted by Don Hopkins on October 2, 2006 at 1:14 pm
It’s fucking hillarious when all of a sudden when the tables are turned, the Republicans suddenty trying to be so fair and balanced, and try to chime in as the voice of reason.
Tony Snow: “That’s probably the most important thing to do is to be fair to all parties.”
That’s right, Tony: there’s a grave danger that the Republican Leadership hasn’t been fair enough to Mark Foley, since they first heard about his proclivities in 2001. That would be scandalous if they weren’t absolutely fair and balanced. Those darn tattle-pages should be forced to resign and lose their jobs, just to be balanced. Oh, wait, they don’t have jobs because they’re kids. Well I’m sure Karl Rove at the White House will figure out some way to smear those rotton brats.
“We would have gotten away with it, if it weren’t for you meddling kids.” -Denny Hastert
Posted by Matt Helmick on October 2, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Dave,
Right on. You’re saying what many of us have been thinking–and saying–publicly or privately for years.
For those who think that “hate” is fomented here, that is nonsense. Hate is actually harmful; this is simply political dissent in reaction to an extremely corrupt administration.
If using the word “hate” brings attention to the evil (yes, and it is evil) of invading a foreign country on false pretense and killing thousands as a result, than I say “hate away.”
Posted by Cameron on October 2, 2006 at 7:41 pm
Deleting on-topic comments because they don’t fit the editorial slant? Perfect! If only people could read my last comment, so they could grasp just how right on it was.
Posted by Dave Winer on October 2, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Cameron, take a deep breath and calm down. No one deleted anything of yours. Trying to get a flamewar started here? No thanks. Do it on your site.
Posted by Joel on October 2, 2006 at 8:26 pm
Dave,
Why am I not surprised by some of the unpleasant reactions to your recent “political piece”? It’s a dirty little secret that much of our “technical community” is populated by self-righteous, crypto-libertarian, closet reactionaries. They helped Comcast and Verizon kill “Net-Neutrality.”
But as you’re sayin’ the stakes are incredibly high. So keep on keepin’ on!
Peace,
Joel
Posted by Cameron on October 3, 2006 at 5:37 am
Sorry, not trying to start a flame war. Had just noticed that there were comments submitted after mine that were showing up while mine weren’t. Probably has something to do with your approval settings in WordPress, allowing those previously approved to get through without approval.
My bad.