Archive for the 'Internet' Category

Internet Freedom

Published on June 11, 2006 in ..The Dude, Internet, Politics and The Ill-Literates. 0 Comments

  The Orwellian slow but inexorable crawl towards psuedo-democracy continues as our Congress has told it's constituents to fuck off when asked to enforce internet neutrality. To sign a petition to help avoid further encroachments on democracy click here and sign and read on. http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/

  Telecom companies and their lobbyists have stopped Congress from enforcing rules supported across all kinds of partisan lines calling for the internet to remain the unique forum for unadulterated and uncensored  information. Companies like AT&T and Verizon are now pushing for the legal means for them to do things like choose which sites open more easily based on who is paying them more. From there it's a short step to those companies paying carriers, or politicizing sites, to keep those of unfavorable natures from being easily accessed, or indeed, accessed at all.

 Internet freedom is supported across political divides. Supporters of the Net Neutrality Act and against the push for the telecom law include The Christian Coalition (I guess they want to preserve the right to wackiness) and SEIU's union (who have my full support in the latest attempt of my old full time agency to destroy unions and support the radical right's contempt for workers. This is not to be confused with my own contempt for work).

  If the forces of evil, otherwise known as unadulterated capitalism, get their way the the precursors to complete censorial control over the internet will be anything from being steered towards higher priced musical services for your Ipod to slowing down democratic net fundraising drives that almost made it impossible for another election to be stolen in 04. And bloggers like us may find it impossible to operate without high costs.

 So sign the petition and implore Congress to start making freedom and democratic values a priority again, instead of subverting these ideals, and themselves to corporate interests. The internet has been a light of hope in the dark years of this current administration. If Congress passes this law they will further darken the horizon and their own reputations. Our Representatives have already allowed themselves to be brought by the lobbyists for telecom, but now the issue is moving to a bit more open Senate where the battle for the last bastion of true freedom goes on. If corporate interests get their way, the internet will offer us as much diversity of opinion and options as cable t.v. does. Just try to hear any conflicting 9-11 theories in those venues. Or try and get good consumer information and prices for an item your considering purchasing.

  For more on this topic check out http://www.savetheinternet.com/

Star Wars and Superman News

Published on September 8, 2005 in ..The Dude, Films, Internet and The Ill-Literates. 3 Comments

Came across the following courtesy of The Movie Blog.

Some fans are in the process of making Star Wars The Musical. The songs are all done and available here. You can also get linked to the video of one completed part of the film for a song titled One Season More. It’s actually quite a stirring and emotional little tune. What I’ve listened to so far of the rest of it sounds pretty fun too. There’s also South Park animation that the songs are put to available there as well.

Very cool.

For Star Wars geeks, in edition to more well knows sites like Jedi Net, check out Wikicities, aka Wookiepedia. Another comprehensive site for info on all things Star Wars. From there you can get some info on the t.v. series set to launch in 07 or 08. Among the facts reported are that Lucas will write and direct the first year, the run will total 100 episodes, it will take place between eps III and IV, and the guy who played the young Boba Fett has been asked to be involved. Among the rumors are that Kevin Smith will have a role in the show, Matthew Newton of Farscape will play Anakin/Vader or another role, and was actually Lucas’s second choice for the role in the movie after Hayden Christenson, and major characters from the movies may pop in here and there.

Side movie note also from The Movie Blog, Reports are that Bryan Singer’s Superman is budgeted for $250 million. Only 34 films have ever even made this much and they need that just to break even. Saw a pic of Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther. Looked right for the role. Don’t know anything about this Brandon Routh fellow playing Supes but one photo did look a little Chris Reeve-ish. It;s slated for 2006 release and it’ll be interesting to see what they do with that kind of budget.

But check out One Season More and listen to the other songs. I laughed, I cried, i pirouetted. With titles like Do You Speak Bocce, and Let’s Blow This Thing, you know if you’re a fan who grew up with Star Wars, you will too.