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terry radford › Likes
Twitter me this, Einstein.
Drea, Nispell, Aaron Draczynski and 44 other people liked this
LMAO!
- Lindsey is Fierce!
A reason for a retweet if I ever saw one!
- MVB (Curmudgeon of FF)
Awesome
- Ben Jackson
from twhirl
still funny
- Richard Lawler
nice
- James Tenniswood
Hahahaha :)
- Danielle Closs
Why Don’t Teens Tweet?
- Christopher Harley
At your weakest moment, you'll know who your true friends --and enemies --really are.
terry radford, Michael McKean, Ahsan Ali aka. Slick and Markingegno - Donato liked this
that's classic, "At your weakest moment, you'll know who your true friends --and enemies --really are." Owyang
- Albert Maruggi
hear hear
- Thomas Power
Top 30 Mac Apps - http://www.thehenry.net/2009...
Marek Blazek, andrei_c, Andrew Terry and 31 other people liked this
Good list. Sleep Display is on there twice though and you can actually accomplish the same that as Sleep Display does with the built-in ctrl+shift+eject, which instantly puts your monitor to sleep.
- 321
Thanks 321, I updated the list. Didn't even notice I did that. LOL :)
- TheHenry
good list
- apptacious
1Password is a "must have"
- Jeff Jensen
Can't believe you've missed QuickSilver, can I also add Nambu too.
- Keith Bennett
A very useful list - thanks for sharing, but, no love for Little Snitch or Evernote? :)
- Andrew Terry
Terminator and the Most Annoying Time Travel Paradoxes - http://blog.jinni.com/2009...
terry radford liked this
The season finale of House was phenomenal! - http://www.tv.com/House...
viki saigal, Alfredo, mjc and 30 other people liked this
We thought it was good too! But I didn't realize it was the finale until your post. Darn it. :)
- Louis Gray
I'm kind of behind on House, better catch up then.... Thanx for the heads up
- Sebastiaan van den Akker
Never got into House, but then I've never given it the chance either. Got enough of my plate with The Wire and a mulitude of other sins with respect to my TV consumption
- Ed Richardson
I havent even started watching the current season yet. :)
- Roberto Bonini
I have to watch it again - got a little confused at the end
- BEX
<puts fingers in ears> Will be watching tonight
- James Myatt
whoa, does the main actor guy in that photo not look kind of like lars rasmussen?
- ௸ (k2g)
Yeah, pretty damn good. Amazing twist ending.
- Blake
I liked it as well. Next season should be interesting.
- Richard
I hated it, I've been a big fan of house but this last series of episodes didn't work for me
- Richard Lawler
I noticed that the diagnoses are not repeated...
- DeepheaD
I thought the finale was great. Liked the juxtaposition. Can't wait for this and Fringe!
- Justin Whitaker
Today is the 11th anniversary of the launch of TechTV. R.I.P.
woddfellow2, Arnold, Ian Bulock and 105 other people liked this
I still miss it. :(
- Eva
I really miss TechTV, It was a great channel!
- Chuck Drake
I miss it too, Leo. TWiT on, dude.
- Steve Smyth
I miss it as well. In specific Screensavers. Never missed it.
- Juan Hernandez
My favs were Call for Help, Screensavers & Fresh Gear...
- Bwana ☠
Good to see Sumi Das on Fine living doing the gadget thing still
- Bwana ☠
I miss old school TechTV. Call For Help and Screensavers were great!
- John Burke
Man, I miss ZDTV/TechTV so much. I learned so much watching the original Call for Help and Screensavers shows.
- Matt Thompson
Wow 11 years? I was 13... time flies
- Shawnee
The only problem with TechTV was that there was your show then about 11 hours of bull shit.
- Logan Hall
I learned so much from Call for Help and the Screensavers. TWiT is the best.
- Nestor
I don't miss the FilterFresh coffee, the Cafe Moda prices, or the unccoperative building security. But that's about it.
- Tom Merritt
I miss the old screen savers!! It was the reason I got the extra channels from comcast.
- Shawn Taylor
Now we have Leo TV. Can there be too much of a good thing? No.
- Daniel Buckley
I had the pleasure of working with some of the talent from the shows during the TechTV Digital Digs tour a few years back. Good Times!
- Mark Gifford
i have a picture with you and Patrick from one of the events. and also a TechTV laptop bag. :)
- John Wang
Daniel if you can't stop watching you could be addicted to the life of leo :P
- FW
today as in May 11 or May 12?
- David Damore
Friends of mine, who I didn't know at the time, and I still talk about watching the Screensavers in early high school, and how it turned us to a life of geek.
- Nick Ciervo
My husband and I still miss it. Please bring it back (or convince CNET to do so. *sniff*
- Helen Sventitsky
from twhirl
TechTV > g4tv
- JT
Screen Savers should be on NBC at 8PM!
- William
Ah yeah, the good ol' days. I still miss the screensavers and x-play (yes, I know it's still on, but it's been f'd over by G4 to the point of being unwatchable) So many great memories of screen savers when it was live... I still laugh at patrick + hammer + IBM glass substrate disk drive = kaboom. :))
- Chris Abbey
Dang, I'm still mourning the loss of "The Site."
- Sue Radd
I still wait for the resurrection!!!
- Scott Graham
I found Tech TV on Dish Network in the Fall of 1998. I loved Tech TV. Then G4 killed it. But Leo and Revision 3 recreated it.
- George Brickner
I miss Tech TV. Best television for its day.
- Ken Barrango
Shawn: Same here. Also got extra channels so I could watch Tech TV.
- Sue Radd
Ahh, good times, good times.
- Gordon Alley
Foxtel had it in Oz for about 8 months before it was canned by G4. Was certainly a staple.
- clearcut
According to that, I must have been 8 when it launched and didn't get it until 2001 I believe. I truly thank you guys for helping me go forward with my tech interest. Thanks Leo and the TechTV'ers! TSS and Call for Help forever! :D
- Chris
dang! i was 6, 11 years ago! that's when it all started for me! becoming and developing into the tech nerd i am today! has it really been that fast?!
- Kevin
Why, in this day of MTV8, Food2, and Military History Channel, can we not have something the even resembles TechTV. I got the "expanded digital" package from Comcast way back in the day just for TechTV. Wasn't Chris Pirillo and you working to get something similar onto the interwebs?
- Antonio Yon
Still Leo, I think the TechTV crowd has truly moved on to many good things though, between TWiT, Revision3, and others.
- Chris
Those were the day I reminisce. Screen Savers was the best.
- William Doom
sad, but i enjoy the content the ex-tech tvers are putting out more than anything they could release on a cable network
- TenderLovePony
R.I.P indeed. It encouraged and helped to shape my geekyness into what it is today. :(
- Crystal Tillman
Dev Null, Dont worry, Tech tv had babies and one which we love is Twit Tv!
- Josef
Well we know the last day of ZDTV when was the First?
- Heath J.
I miss TechTV. It was on channel 64 here and when we got YES network (which I love) TechTV got dropped from the lineup. Then Comcast bought them and killed it...ugh it's good to see the stars from there made their own sites and continue the tech talk online.
- Michael Coogan
I miss it every day... and have the sticker to show my love: http://twitpic.com/50tdo
- grungyparadigm
Wow, that is a long time ago now. I never got to see many of those shows, but what I saw I remember well.
- Micah Wittman
Loved TechTV. Screensavers ruled.
- Jerry Longbine
I miss TechTV. :'(
- Lindsay
Used to watch all the time. RIP indeed.
- Stan Augustyniewicz
::tear::
- Amber, Random Time Lord
and nothing can ever replace it
- Joseph
I miss Tech TV so much. I miss the Screen Savers, Call for Help, and other shows that aired on Tech TV.
- Sreyeesh
While I like the old TechTV/ZDNet shows, I like what's replaced it just fine. Long live the TWiT Network!
- Dameon D. Welch-Abernathy
You know, up until recently I'd actually forgotten about it. Thank goodness my Dad had DirectTV back then, I was able to watch it even in Westhope ND, of all places..
- J L Ford
But what would I listen to in the car if Tech TV hadn't died?
- Matt Agnello
TechTV was great, especially The Screen Savers. And the TSS Holiday marathons!!!!
- MuscleNerd
TechTV was all I watched in high school. I was so sad when G4 shredded it to pieces... Well at least now I have TWiT and revision3
- Brian Lamb
i really miss Unscrewed and all the shorter shows though i did watch TSS and C4H all the time as well, hey Leo you should let martin bring back Unscrewed and have the Swisher be his cohost, that'd be EPIC
- Will
TechTV.. It was good " Television "
- johnny
been that long?
- Daniel CerVentus
Going to drop G4tv. I barely watch it. It's just never been the same.
- Eva
I miss Screensavers and Fresh Gear, but I also love Attack of the Show. X-Play is a problem child... the talent is outstanding, but the format has been jacked with so much that it's hard to watch.
- Roger Benningfield
For a brief moment, the television taught us about it's replacement, before awakening to the reality of it's own doom. (The Screensavers was terrific!)
- Chris Cox
ZDNet/TechTv on DirectTV. Was the best, too bad they couldn't fill up 24 hours a day with programming. The Thing about the Screensavers is that it was hugely entertaining in addition to informative. Right now, TwiT is informative but doesn't have the polished feel that broadcast tv or some of the Revision3 shows have. This isn't bad, just different.
- Steve Helder
loved screen saver & call for help, we used to get it in Abu Dhabi. Was so glad when I got an ipod a few years ago that you started TWiT.
- Iain Clydesdale
Join the chorus of those who miss. Leo, from another old guy liberal arts major who worked in radio and became a self-taught techie to another, thanks for blazing the trail.
- Greg Wilson
I discovered TechTV in early 2003 when I was home recovering from some minor surgery. Got hooked on Call for Help, The ScreenSavers and Fresh Gear. I was just "learning" to make my way around the PC and these shows were incredibly helpful. I really miss those programs! Thanks to Leo for carrying on with TWiT.
- Grace Adams
I very much miss TechTV.
- Sean Brady
I was 8 at the time- it's been a while. And we should def put TSS on NBC at 9:00- better ratings than they have right now!
- Jake Bechtold
I certainly do miss a channel with the kind of programming ZDNet/TechTV carried....especially the shows you were involved with Leo. Now TWiT is the place to be!
- Chad Specht
Best. Channel. Ever.
- Chris Luckhardt
Tech TV was like porn for geeks.
- Bryan Warman
Damn you G4!
- Alex Scrivener
It was ahead of its time.
- Bill Hertzing
would be great if the old show were put on-line somewhere best dam tech tv ever!
- Alan Abentrod
I really liked the old TechTV. I watched Screen Savers regularly.
- Barry Biddlecomb
from twhirl
I still remember the day I learned of the beginning of the end... all I could think was, "Poop!", and, "That Morgan Webb chick will never make it as a show host". Keep the TWiT going, Leo!
- Mike Patterson
I still to this day feel a void at 7PM my time when The Screen Savers used to come on, but I make up for it by tuning into twitlive.tv and everything feels a little better. Besides, TV was so 1999 anyways!
- Mike Lewis
I miss The Screensavers soooooooo much!
- Howard Tyson
I miss TechTv also but With it gone we are getting better content and more of it than ever. Also it is from the best. Like Leo, Patrick, Kevin, And Alex I think It was for the best
- Josh Wagner
Yeh, I miss it too but the projects coming out of that (TWIT) are terrific!!!!!!!!
- MarK
So sad, I also miss Computer Chronicles. Oops, I just aged myself!
- Brad Stolba
miss TechTV. remember coming home to watch it everyday.
- (jeff)isageek
Eventually Leo is going to make Comcast regret what they did to TechTV ... plain and simple
- John Blanton
from twhirl
Are you including the ZDTV time too? I remember watching that on C-Band satellite.
- Chuck Adams
Yeah but G4 is so much better /sarcasm
- Andrew Johnson
I would miss it, but I like TWIT and Revision3 better :).
- Mikey Rollins
Leo Laporte = Cool, Kate Botello = Hot, those were the days!
- Dan H.
I like techtv since the 1st day i got it 1-1-2000 , i miss it , if it was not for techtv (zdtv) i would have never gotten a computer
- shaun owens
We all miss the good shows that we had on TechTV
- Milford C. Hutsell III
you interviewed my daughter Kristen about a driver training software product. This guy named Ed kept warning her to check her mirrors. So now she always checks her mirrors. Ed meant well.
- bill
I still have Silicon Spin mug. Treasured.
- Eric @ CSTechcast.com
Le *sigh*
- tinypants - Hagitha of FF
Never understood why G4 fired everyone at TSS, changed the name and revamped the whole show. Why not just keep TSS and start a new show?
- dthree
you all were the best.
- Nathan Brown
I so miss TSS and CFH. I also miss Silicon Spin (but Cranky Geeks makes up for it), Fresh Gear (Oh, that Jim Louderback was sooo easy on the eyes!) but seriously, I think I really miss CFH but thank G-d for TWiT.
- Anita Pesola
Whatever happened to Stewart Chiefet?
- Kenneth F Jones
I miss TechTV also Leo!
- Luke Pohr
Techtv was what got me into computers, it will always be remembered and missed.
- Hardeep
I miss Paul Block a fantastic producer for the show I knew, introduced me to everyone b4 they were "net famous".
- adolfo foronda
what great times those were...
- Scott A. Swiecki
I still miss coming home, turning on The Screen Savers and finding out the latest on Tech. Watch Fresh Gear and Call For Help... sigh... Thank God for TWiT.tv Hey leo, when will you have Cat Schwartz on TWiT?
- Arnold
g4 sucks. oh techtv i want u back.
- cliper53
My my how time flies
- John Blake
The next generation of The Next Generation - http://www.veronicabelmont.com/2009...
Tony Meyer, Araceli, Brett Cannon and 41 other people liked this
I like your Natalie Portman choice!
- BASEnet
OK, no more Star Trek posts for a while! LOL. Make sure to leave comments on the post if you agree/disagree!
- Veronica
@veronicabelmont Those are pretty good choices for a new TNG
- Chuck Baggett
from PeopleBrowsr
I missed your Dune comment on Patrick Stewart but Yikes you are totally right! Matthew Fox as Riker would either be genius or disastrous. But it would certainly be interesting. I'm all for it! But what about Wesley and possibly Guinan? They were both official cast members at one time or another.
- Joe Pierce
Ok I'll chime in. Amy Adams is too young. Matthew Fox is too whiny. I can't take Cuba Gooding Jr seriously.
- Rodfather
This is the one downside of FF... I like the comments to be on the blog post sometimes! I can't get the FF plugin to look right in the comments, so now comments are all over the place :/
- Veronica
Great choices!
- Jess Lee
@rodfather Amy Adams seems like a good choice to me. And @leatherdonut It's Natalie Portman, so I think I can overlook it. Great choices!
- Michael Fidler
great list!
- (jeff)isageek
Good list............although I think it would be good to take on the challenge of who should play Picard..........
- Kevin J Hatton
Yeah, sure, let's destroy The Next Generation, too. While we're at it, let's go ahead and make young, hip versions of all my favorite sci fi--Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, Flash Gordon....oh, crap. Too late.
- Fleagle
Fleagle, I just want you to know that I read that in my head with the voice of Comic Book Guy.
- Veronica
"Worst.Remake.Ever."
- Fleagle
Then I guess you really wouldn't like my idea about a new TV series starring young Spock, in which he goes to live with the human side of his family on Earth and solves crimes using his keen intellect and logic!! "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for this meddling Vulcan!"
- Veronica
Encyclopedia Brown = Spock?
- Gunny doesn't side-hug™
Gunny, that's crazy! This is a totally original idea!
- Veronica
In that case, Veronica, I like it. :)
- Gunny doesn't side-hug™
I kid, of course. Haven't seen the new movie yet, but I just hope it's as least as good as the Star Wars prequels.....okay, I can't type that one with a straight face.
- Fleagle
Veronica: That sound a lot better then what is on tv right now, lol
- Fee501st
I like your Spock idea, though I think it begs to be shot in a mock reality show format. I imagine Spock's confessionals would be priceless...
- Thomas
Creationism Dig Violated Student’s Rights | Wired Science - http://www.wired.com/wiredsc...
Victor Kamutzki, Eivind and terry radford liked this
"When a high school history teacher told his students that creationism was “superstitious nonsense,” he violated a student’s First Amendment rights, a Federal judge ruled this week. Christian conservatives are celebrating the decision by U.S. District Court Judge James Selna that high school teacher James Corbett violated the establishment clause, which courts have interpreted to mean that the government should neither promote nor disparage any religion."
- Janice
from Bookmarklet
Huh?
- Janice
Ride that bucking triceratops!! Yeeehawww!!!
- David (slumrig)
Looks like they used a priest's smock as a saddle blanket.
- Edward Zwart
via Jack Cafferty on CNN ... Number of swine flu deaths since Jan. 1: 1 .... Number of other flu deaths since Jan. 1: More than 15,000.
terry radford, Alex Ksikes, Alex Power and 6 other people liked this
This kind of logic shows a degree of ignorance about epidemiology that's shocking in a network reporter.
- Kevin Fox
Number of nuke deaths since Jan. 1: 0... Number of spoon deaths since Jan. 1: probably few hundreds :)
- Jérôme Flipo
@Kevin The ignorance of network reporters is never shocking.
- Kevin D. White
Number of 2000-2001 hijacking deaths when GWB got the memo about possible attacks: zero
- Kevin Fox
Number of tobacco-related deaths in US in 2000: 435,000. Number of US military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan over six years: 4,956.
- Kevin Fox
Number of swine flu death in the US is 1. Number of people getting psychotic over it ~ 3 billions. LOL. I think this illustrates quite well the power of the media over the danger of swine flu.
- Alex Ksikes
I swear, it's like my sister and I lived in different countries growing up. She doesn't remember anything. EVER. X[
Parth Awasthi, Helen Sventitsky, Morton Fox and 6 other people liked this
Where does she live?
- Shevonne
Now? She actually does live in another country. It's just frustrating when I go, "Oh remember when...?" And she looks at me like I've gone crazy. I'm almost convinced I imagined my childhood.
- Admiral Anika
Sounds like my sister. Annoying trait
- Shevonne
And the stuff she does remember I wasn't even there! It would have been better if I was an only child. :)
- Admiral Anika
10 things you need to know about Wolverine before seeing X-Men Origins | SCI FI Wire - http://scifiwire.com/2009...
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terry radford liked this
Seagate makes backing up data even easier with Replica » VentureBeat - http://venturebeat.com/2009...
terry radford liked this
"You plug two universal serial bus (USB) cables into your computer. One cable is for data transfer and the other is for power. The software automatically loads and then Replica starts its backup. Meanwhile, you can continue to work on the computer as usual. Replica automatically tracks the changes you make to ensure the backup is updated. If a backup is interrupted, it resumes when you reconnect Replica."
- Alan Cheslow
from Bookmarklet
Tiny Enterprise Models Channel Quirky Star Trek Visions - http://digg.com/arts_cu...
terry radford liked this
Lifehacker - Top 10 Ubuntu Downloads - Ubuntu - http://lifehacker.com/5227309...
terry radford liked this
OK message received. A little less wine and a little more tech in future TWiTs. I blame @theRealDvorak. No matter what it's always his fault
Beau Hebert, Marshall Bose, Kol Tregaskes and 77 other people liked this
Yea, just make it a new show! A wine/drunk show. I enjoyed watching.
- Ross Armer
New show: TWiB - This Week in Booze
- Edward Coffey
If you DO want to keep the wine flowing then you must get @garyvee on. Then you could talk tech and about the wine you are drinking.
- berchman
I wasn't that bad. Some of the conversation points you brought up with Lisa Bettany were interesting.
- Verbal
We CAN'T have Gary V on. The wine tasting segment is sponsored by his competitor - the other New Jersey Gary, http://garyswine.com/twitlive. (They don't buy TWiT - they buy the live segment just before but the impact extends into TWiT, I'm afraid.)
- Leo Laporte
While I do enjoy the Live show when I get the chance, the podcast version is where I get my TWiT mostly.
- Adi
I wouldn't have been annoyed if you guys hadn't talked over each other so much.
- Jeff Benner
I listened to the live feed via my iPhone. It was sureal, but yes, John C Dvorak.org/blog was to blame, he should have gone with the flow. Could not see that funky wine pourer though, better download the ODTV version
- Darryl Adams
it really wasn't as bad as all that. seriously.
- Thomas James
Start a new show: TWiG This Week in Grape. Or TWiJ This Week in Juice...
- Michael Kaiser
It was fine Leo. Variety is good. Maybe ballance with Dave Winer too. Really!
- Tom Hofstatter
maybe save the wine for "special" episodes? - TWiT has always been fun... some episodes are extra fun!
- John Slanina
TWIG This week in Grog (is grog an Australian term only?)
- Andy
No, I thought the show was great, Leo. Don't change a thing.
- Gregory Harbin
I didn't have an issue with it. Variety never hurts...
- Corey Marthaller
from Nambu
Ah... That would explain why I don't hear Gary's Wine ads on TWiT. Perhaps the wine show's could be TWiI-This Week In Inebriation. All told I look forward to TWiT every week Leo. Many Thanks.
- berchman
Thank you Leo. This week was too much. I do not like the direction the show is going. Glad to hear you will try to get back on track. And I don't mind the twitter stories. It is news after all.
- glenn frasier
The only thing I'd blame @theRealDvorak for is a relentless pursuit of an interesting conversation. Leo + John alone makes for a great cast. Keep the wine and @theRealDvorak, pepper in some real tech and it will be just like old times.
- Jeff Vilimek
Great show! Dvorak has a habit of closing some things down when it could flow a little more but would we have it any other way? You need to get the video out so people can see it in context. Perhaps your subconscious has already moved away from only audio
- Glenn Williams
I think the wine tasting at the front end makes it hard to start TWiT with any momentum. Maybe you can do the tasting after TWiT? I liked listening to the wine critique, it was something different - but it doesn't really mix with tech news.
- Melissa Good
I thought the show was fine- a little "lubrication" never hurts to keep the discussion flowing!
- Barry Wiseman
It just seemed like an early episode of Diggnation, which is great in its own right, it's just not TWiT. I think, with your open schedule, there's no problem in having yet another tech show, but one intentionally light-hearted and off-topic. Maybe with a gadget focus, rather than business news.
- ZacG
I thought it was fresh and edgy. Content was a little slow. Many weeks ago, I recall you throwing around ideas for viewers donations (like Steve Gibson's yabba dabba do). On the next TWiT I would get the tech stories done early and crack open the wine after you receive $1000 in donations from the viewers. Have a tally board showing the running donation totals :-) A bit of fun.
- Nathan Davies
I'm glad you took notice. The show was okay and still interesting, but I think the quality of the discussion diminishes in proportion to the wine. Maybe you could do a separate wine tasting show in addition to TWiT (as if you don't do enough shows already!)
- Phil Maxwell
I think the only problem was Dvorak and Shira. And the fact that one was trying to get the other drunk.
- Chip Duford
I thought you did a great job with the edit. Listening to it live, and then listening again to the proper podcast, made me realize even more that you know what the hell you are doing. Trust yourself.
- Dave VanderWall
I think it was less the wine and more the guests this time. I don't mind seeing you guys get a bit wacky, but if I'm going to be honest, Shira was just annoying. She talked over people, talked too fast, kept focusing on stuff that didn't matter or wasn't interesting, and just came across as self-important. Dvorak and Lisa were okay, but you just needed another tech-centric guest for the most part to keep things centered. Needs more Becky Worley, Molly Wood, Amber MacArthur, Veronica Belmont, etc.
- Staticharge
I agree with most. The guests were fine. The topics were fine. It's just that the wine takes the signal-to-noise ratio to a whole different level. And I felt that with some of the other recent episodes, not just this one.
- Steve Hampton
Do not know about CA about legal liability about serving alcohol and then letting people drive home intoxicated.
- Greg
You know, it wouldn't hurt to actually have a This Week in Social * show.
- Chris, Taskerrific Guy
kinda fun. a little wine loosens everyone up. of course Dvorak was responsible..he is, after all, the real enophile...will continue to listen and watch even more now!!--KW in Nevada City...
- kent williams
I think tha't what net at nite is for?
- americanm
That's true ... I think Shira definitely needed a ride to the airport.
- Chip Duford
While the show ideas are being thrown around, might as well suggest "This Week In Twitter"?!
- Jeff Vilimek
Jeff: They already have that. ;)
- Chris, Taskerrific Guy
I've been thinking the same thing. Or like a 'This Week in Social Media' that way, the twitterstuff gets out of the system in a different forum...
- David Buttrick
And while we're critiquing the show...why apologize for talking about Twitter if it happens to be one of the biggest tech stories of the week? I think you do great job balancing the discussion, it just so happens that twitter has been at the top of the tech news quite a bit in the past year.
- Phil Maxwell
i dunno. i'd love a drunk show. axe TWiF and use the same cast for This week in Drunk. Sarah and Martin can watch old Hitchcock movies (or whatever) and drink drink drink. think MST3K plus wine.
- Mark Hartwell
@mhartwell maybe TWiFUBAR? j/k
- Phil Maxwell
I caught a replay and although not a "normal" TWiT show it was very enjoyable and as a discussion provided some very good insights into how people approach/deal with social media. You need to get some (silent) A/C thou. :)
- Techdribble
Now YOU'RE pandering?
- Brian Tristam Williams
I can totally get into drinking good wine and talking tech, so it was a hit with me.
- jcunwired
I like the wine and love the guest. Don't change based on a vocal minority.
- Shannon Carver
Damn You Steven Perez, er I mean Dvorak!
- Eric @ CSTechcast.com
And I have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple episodes. Me likes. Listened to them all front to back. What's that Audible link again ;) Keep on doing it.
- Eric @ CSTechcast.com
I enjoyed the episode as well. If people want just news there's plenty of other 'casts out there, but I enjoy a little bit of personality and opinion in the show. And wine.
- Nathan Loehlein
It was a change of pace TWIT. No worries.
- Christian Anderson
I seriously don't think it was the wine, it was the combination of guests. Shira talks a mile a minute, plus you gave her alcohol. Dvorak kept refilling her glass, for the lulz I would say. When you had the wine tasting that included Brian Brushwood it was one of the best TWiTs in recent memory, and you ate fire. So either don't have Shira on, or don't let her drink.
- Matthew
If you like This Week in Wine, you should check out CS Rumcast. No, seriously.
- Eric @ CSTechcast.com
Maybe create a new show, This Week in New Media or something of the sort. You offer a lot when it comes to commentary/advice on new media and its business implications, but I can see how some might not want that info constantly mixed in with their tech news. Also, it'd give you a legitimate outlet for twitter news. Dvorak wouldn't be able to complain any more :-)
- Doug Jones
Maybe if we do the wine tasting before TWiF instead of TWiT
- Jamez
Thanks Leo. If I want people getting drunk and cursing I will watch diggnation.
- Jim Williams
Let's get back to basics on TWiT, and cancel the wine tastings! - J. Gilbert
- Joe Gilbert
yep, feel like the rest of you. actually un-subscribed from twit a few weeks ago, right after the last drinking episode. this was a big decision since having followed twit from the very start. should i reconsider, or is twit becoming the least interersting show of the wonderful leoville channel?
- Peter Nõu
I listened live - they were all over the place - just listened to the edit - brilliant editing - they sounded almost coherent. Let's hope this is the very last wine tasting TWiT.
- Michael Ohajuru
Yeah! Lately TWIT has been getting less interesting with each new episode. It's sounding like a bunch of high tech good ole boys just getting together to shoot the shit and enjoy each other's company rather than trying to be an entertaining and informative show for the listeners. Too much small talk and fluff, not enough meat.
- Tokyo Dan
Don't know what the big deal was, I enjoyed this week's TWIT. I'd rather have a good lively discussion than listen to Calacanis yabber on about twitter for 20 mins.
- Paul Grav
I have liked the Twits after the wine tasting. I think the girls mellowed John. Leo don't change a thing.
- Ardith
It was interesting. Kinda like listening to Kup's Show in Chicago in the 70's. The tech part disappeared, but the interaction was great. Maybe a new netcast "This Week in Talk"...
- Timothy Magnuson
I have listened to most of the Twit group for a long time. Show 191 This week in Tech was the most HORRIBLE unlistenable thing I have ever heard! It started horrible so not sure it was the wine. What ever else you did please stop it! Normally I love these shows and would not miss a single show.
- Dirkbonesteel
90 minute long TWIT, 10 minutes of tech discussion. I don't mind the banter but these "in studio" episodes are just a party for Leo. Getting very close to replacing TWIT with audiobooks. Leo PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE no more "in studio" netcasts. Use Skype and try to keep it on topic for at least half the show. PLEASE
- Al Degutis
Ummmmmm.... after 191 free shows over a number of years (not including the entire TWiT network) that keeps 95% of you wanna-bes ahead of the curve when it comes to new technology, services and social media and some of you here are ready to throw it under the bus for one less than great show? Take a look at yourselves guys...
- Johnny Worthington
Personally, I liked the episode. I listen to TWIT to hear the banter and insight. Sometimes there is less insight then other times, but it is still entertaining. Leo, don't change because of what could be a vocal minority.
- Larry
Exactly, you can't please everyone.
- Chip Duford
A little chit-chat is good, but yeah, past a certain point it becomes less like listening to a podcast and more like eavesdropping.
- Butch Curry
Good to hear. I was worried I was being a buzzkill but I couldn't get through the last episode.
- Thom
As a recovering alcoholic, it's hard to listen/watch others drink it. I quit watching it about 2 weeks ago. I don't mind if you drink if you do it responsibly. What I've seen and heard in the last 2 weeks wasn't responsible. I know the signs. It wasn't pretty.
- Anita Pesola
You can blame him, but you CANT SPAM him!!! ;)
- Julien Bérubé
I love TWiT...this week not so much...but still love it! Only way to top it now is bring back Woz and Mitnick for next week.
- andsmi
I listened to the edited version, like normal, and I enjoyed most of it quite a lot. One of the things I adore about TWiT is the variability; some episodes are super serious and tech heavy, and others are chatty, silly and party-like. For me, the secret is Leo as ringleader, serious or silly.
- Bob M. Montgomery
there's a difference between wine tasting and wine drinking. You might want to focus more on the tasting and not opening so many bottles.
- jccalhoun
Maybe you could ask Gary's Wine if you could move the wine tasting to after TWiT?
- Crystal Tillman
Yeah, this isn't Diggnation. Lets have Dry TWiT.
- Andrew Leahey
It's your show, Leo. Have fun and lots of it. Otherwise you burn out, get tired of it, or retire from doing TWiT and we ALL lose out. There's a happy balance on both sides of this equation, no worries!
- Mike Lewis
I like the wine. Keep the wine.
- schwegler
very glad you can't have GaryV on - can't stand him.
- Brian Conn
I still enjoyed it. Just keep the bottle away from John and you'll be fine :-)
- Keith Barrett
I got the feeling it wasn't a very heavy week in tech news anyway:-)
- Francine Hardaway
All the news that week was twitter (Oprah, Kutcher, King, unfollow blocking, etc), so you couldn't win anyway
- Keith Barrett
there was tech news but leo covered most of it on mbw, sn, ww (like pc sales, kindle drm, youtube premium content), and if he has that on twit, people will complain about overlap...
- Jayesh
Noooo, don't listen to the complaints Leo. If I want hardcore tech news, I'll go read Slashdot or Wired or CNET... but I listen to TWiT for the entertainment. The best episodes happen when you get the right chemistry in the room (and via Skype) that hilarity as well as thought provoking discussion come naturally... thus I quite enjoyed 191. It was like Diggnation, but with wine and a hammered Dvorak (that's GOLD Jerry, GOLD!). Stick with the stories you want to discuss and go with the flow!
- Kristian
Leo, you don't need to change the show. I think of TWiT as a dinner party with fellow members of the tech community. Some of the conversation will be about tech and some will be random conversation. It's all good.
- archaictree
I liked it, too much tech is boring
- Adrian
No don't worry about it, it always keeps it interesting.
- Kelby
If you want to have a random collection of folks sitting around tasting wine and talking about and/or avoiding talking about semi-technical news/social media topics, go for it. Seems like the issue might just be some folks in the audience are tuning in expecting something else more technical/directed.
- Ken Sheppardson
well when you assume, you know....
- Chris Heath
i've always thought (and leo said this on sunday) that twit was just friends getting together to relax and talk about the news of the week... and when there's not much news they can talk about twitter, or just ramble on about nothing... when people want to unsubscribe, well, that's their prerogative
- Chris Heath
Painful just painful and Shira was killing me.. bring back Shwood
- K3ViN
I listen to TWIT for the conversation and the "vibe." I hang with my friends for the same reasons, not for news content. Don't let Dvorak change the personality of the show. If all he wants is news let him listen to Cranky Geeks.
- Hamilton Wallace
+1 @Hamilton Wallace
- Dominique Lemieux
I thought it was great, nice to see some variety, looked like everyone had a great time
- Gary Prechtel
Still a hell of a lot better than an hour and a half of recession talk. I dunno about other people but I like hearing people have fun.
- Chris Lawrence
Still love the show, but agreed: a little less wine would be good. Also, what about getting Bwana back on the show?
- Budak
The thing I like best about TWiT is every week it jumps the shark. I am always sad when the show is the same 2 weeks in a row.
- Michael Hansel
Ignoring Twitter news when it's the story of the week is a big mistake despite Dvorak's protestations.
- Gregg Scott
The only problem with the show as I saw it was wine that fine should have been accompanied by lamb chops marinated in rosemary, garlic and olive oil. But then, I was a sommelier once.
- jcunwired
Leo, Do what you need to do. However, the most recent "wine fortified" episodes of your podcasts have been MOST entertaining...
- Stan Augustyniewicz
this show and the last lost their focus real quick when the wine was being poured. People listen for Leo & his guests on tech news vs 99% twitter news. Ok.. Leo & Ev don't get along, point made. Lisa was 7/10 as a guest but can't contribute on tech news since mainly a photo blogger. Shira was a waste. High and mighty and she acted holier than thou with Dvorak and the others. She's a pretty face and a chic = ratings. Bring back the tech news and less eye candy + booze.
- david amodt
Big fan of wine. Especially with @theRealDvorak. Hopefully a bit of the juice can make him say something incriminating. (ie: moreso than usual.)
- Raj Singh
I've been a subscriber since #2 and I found this really fun. It's fun to listen to everyone loosen up a little.
- Travis
Leo and John...I love ya, but it sounded like 2 old guys trying to get a couple hot girls drunk. It was like Baby Boomer Diggnation. Lisa cracked me up though. She was in fact crankier than JCD. Shira(sp?) annoyed me talking over everyone, going on and on about nothing and name dropping.
- Jeff Lee
Even after all those booze and those ladies, Dvorak still couldn't say he likes Twitter. I've been a subscriber since the early days too and this was one of my favourites, but in the same breathe, my least favourite. I thought it was funny as hell, and I get some humour @Jeff Lee who thought you two sounded like you were trying to get a couple hot girls drunk. I THOUGHT THAT TOO!!! But, I know better. I also have to agree with Jeff when Shira kept talking over everyone
- Kyle Burton
Continued... I also think Shira was trying to lead the conversation and in some parts direct where things were going. At at least one point, I took notice that she was directing and overpowering Dvorak and cooling him down. For me, that was a big turnoff and I actually switched to a Brittany Spears song (my iPod got ram sacked by my ex). But once i cooled down, I picked up where I left off. Sorry for the rant, but thats the only thing I didn't like, the rest was awesome as always. Nice work Leo.
- Kyle Burton
I will take drinking Dvorak any day over Calacanus.
- BigMatt
Commodores – Brickhouse - http://www.last.fm/music...
David (slumrig), Bill Rawlinson, Shevonne and 4 other people liked this
OW! What a woman to hannnndle! :)
- Edward Zwart
LOL Ed
- Janice
5 Free Online Answer Sites for Tech Questions - http://webworkerdaily.com/2009...
terry radford, Brian Bufalo and Mona Nomura liked this
The Enterprise Project enlisted artists and designers to re-interpret the Starship Enterprise in a marketing push for that new Star Trek movie - http://www.startrekmovie.com/modelga...
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Kol Tregaskes, Iván Abrego, Flavio Pivaral and 8 other people liked this
oh god lol
- mjc
similar to the vader project: http://beta.friendfeed.com/jtle918...
- Cee Bee
terry radford and Morton Fox liked this
Best T-shirt Ever: "AND THEN BUFFY STAKED EDWARD. THE END."
Kol Tregaskes, Mona Nomura, terry radford and 16 other people liked this
Just heard that one on Cool Shite podcast. Must find that t-shirt.
- Steven Perez
from IM
FOUND IT! http://beta.friendfeed.com/silas21...
- Steven Perez
hater in the house... ;)
- Bren, Not Grinchy
After suffering through an hour of that movie, you'd better believe it! :D
- Steven Perez
from IM
I sat through the hour thinking to myself, "Buffy would have whacked every last vamp in this movie 30 minutes in." :D
- Steven Perez
And this phrase just became my new conversation-ender when dealing with people I don't like.
- Steven Perez
Ohhhhh....I like that!
- ‘-.-’ Tutivillus Grift
@beanbagsatfsu I'm a Pidgin fan - open source and free. Lot's of people like Digsby, though, also free. http://www.pidgin.im/
Daniel Johnston, Steven (optionshiftk), terry radford and 4 other people liked this
I am one of those fans of Digsby. It doesn't bog down my system the way Tweetdeck or peoplebrowsr have. And I love both services (sad face).
- Damond Nollan
I prefer Pidgin visually. Digsby didn't have that great a UI last time I checked.
- Sandy Johnstone
Be careful with Digsby, it's full of Adware now if you don't pay attention while installing.
- Justin Broderick
Using pidgin. Seems fine.
- You.
Digsby wanted to add so much extra crap, I got scared off in the middle of the install.
- Tech Introvert
I like digsby too but the adware is ridiculous, I would rather see a donate feature
- Terrence
Another vote for Pidgin. Though I still call it Gaim. Anyone remember when the TOC protocol was broken due to the release of Gamera? The AOL Linux client that was actually intended for internet devices.
- Andrew Leahey
Digsby is not available for linux yet however
- Jonathan Brown
I like Digsby a lot. And yeah, you do need to pay attention when you're installing -- always a good idea. They don't sneak it on, they ask you.
- Bob DeAmbra
If only Digsby would get their act together and support Ubuntu (or mac for that matter) I'd switch. Pigdin for now though.
- The Griff
Am a Digsby fan. Which is weird because I usually support GPL software. The few times I used Pidgin (and previously GAIM), it just didn't gel with me. However I would love Digsby to have Plugin support. Digsby being able to interface with Friendfeed would be awesome.
- Daniel Johnston
I don't like the idea of an IM aggregator, but I think that Digsby is great for Facebook and Twitter updates on your desktop, and for Facebook chat. It's really cool in that regard.
- Blake Bouchard
Alright, you want a smaller fed? Tell me how. Here's the 2009 proposed discretionary budget (i.e. it doesn't include mandatory Social Security/Medicare spending, which is fine since those are deducted separately & would have to be addressed separately). The data is available here http://www.gpoaccess.gov/USbudge...
Anthony K. Valley ©, Desiree Diva Hackett, Jeff (the メガマクダジ of FF) and 47 other people liked this
What I find most interesting is starting on Table S-5 where it shows programs that were canceled or reduced from 2008 to 2009. Everything has been cut, except DoD and Homeland Security.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
You could cut absolutely *everything* other than DoD and Homeland security, and it would reduce the burden by less than 25%. So tell me: how will getting rid of those programs without touching defense make the government appreciably smaller? How can we reduce the mass and cost of our government if the plans to do so don't include defense?
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
You can't. They need to be willing to pull back a lot of our external military forces and have them provide "Homeland Security" which is really what the armed services are for; protecting our nation By retracting the military and focusing on using it to protecting ourselves we'd be able to save a significant amount of money; money which, if collected in taxes, should really be going to improving our infrastructure and being collected at the state or county level to address pressing local problems.
- Bill Rawlinson
excellent stuff here. IMO, this points out two things: DoD/DHSmake up 75% of 'discretionary' spending - who in the GOP wants to propose cuts there? . second (not shown here) is that this part of the budget is only about 40% of the total. mandated programs make up 57% and the remaining 4% (yeah, rounding) is to pay interest on the nat'l debt. you can't 'balance the budget' or pay down the debt by tweaking just the discretionary portion of the budget. and, we can't 'cut' our way to fiscal health.
- MikeAmundsen
pretty good general info here: http://useconomy.about.com/od...
- MikeAmundsen
The mandatory programs are another can of worms all together. I got blasted last fall for griping that McCain took his Social Security allotment, was told that he paid into it so he's entitled to it. And that's true: it is an entitlement program. In fact, I'm entitled to more of it than any current retiree, since I'm paying a higher percentage. So, if it's a true entitlement program and...
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- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
How about we just let DOD and DHS fight it out in a Death Match. Then we can have VA duke it out with SS, and the winners can take on all the other agencies. The ad revenue should generate millions, possibly billions in additional revenue!
- Rick Kaiser
Perhaps I should print the table and hand them out at tomorrow's event at the Bi-Lo center. They're for smaller government, I'm sure they'll have some suggestions on what we can cut from this.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
@Tina: yeah, when confronted with the numbers, most folks just toss up their hands. several years back i did some research into budget role-play games, but never found one that was easily workable and effective. still wish there was one that i could recommend.
- MikeAmundsen
Well Brian, that's a start. But Other Mandatory spending (which is where congressional salaries are from, and aren't included in the chart above) accounts for only 10% of the total budget. You can get the amounts here http://www.gpoaccess.gov/USbudge... But it boils down to this: you could cut all the legislative branch salaries (not just congress members, this is...
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- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
In other words, it would save me about $5.60 a year
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
You can't just say let's delete X department, you have to cut waste everywhere. Though creating the DHS was the biggest waste in recent times, I assume that its budget includes CBP, TSA, etc.
- LogEx
But what about things that aren't budgeted, but get paid for anyway. Aren't all the bail-outs in that category?
- LogEx
Seems that with our Nuke Arsenal, we have an infinite/indefensible offensive capability. Thus, our entire personage of our military should simply be used for securing and defending our boarders. Offensive military assets should be eliminated, in favor of the nuke, and we simply hunker down and defend only.
- Matthew DeVries
Logical, I agree with the sentiment about waste vs wholesale dept removal. You should check the linked PDF, which shows $18,165,000,000 in savings by cutting programs out or down. None of them were DoD or DHS programs, though. And again: this is just the actual discretionary budget, not bailouts etc. Those are by my understanding supplemental spending programs that get requested during the year (much like supplemental/emergency DoD spending that gets approved during the year).
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Why not dissolve Homeland Security and require the remaining agencies NSA, FBI, CIA, to pass every thing through the office of the Intelligence Czar?
- J. Abdul-Qahhar
I agree with Chris' 1-3. I'm not well versed on 4, but I'd add... #5) Incredible waste within DHS (and almost certainly DoD as well)
- LogEx
So we're in agreement that the quickest way to lower the discretionary portion of the budget is with restructuring DoD and Homeland Security? I don't call it DHS often b/c so many ppl think it's department of health & human services...
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Yes Chris, that and the just plain broken process. Spending every year should be balanced against income... no deficit spending allowed and we need to make progress on reducing the deficit. Also we need way more transparency and get rid of the ability to add pork, especially to unrelated bills.
- LogEx
First you close and sell all military bases in foreign countries. Second you kill off DoHS and leave it to the states to do their own protection. Third you close every embassy we have in any country. Fourth you privatize NASA, NSF, Energy, and Smithsonian. Fifth you kill off the Federal Reserve, IRS, and Social Security.
- Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
Sixth - States, Regions, Counties begin to succeed as they want to have their enclaves of gay and black and gypsy hating, black and gypsy hating, but gay liking, gay and gypsy hating, but black liking etc.
- Matthew DeVries
From what I can see, to keep the function of govt and still reduce the amount, we need to find ways to spend less on defense and security while maintaining or raising the level of security. That's a hard one to do, but I think automation and computerization have a significant place in it.
- xero
I'm not disagreeing that the bailouts are questionable at best. At this point, I'm working from the perspective that what's done is done. We can't change the past, all we can do is try to create a budget surplus to pay off that spending. HOW?
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
I can give handjobs down at the warf
- Matthew DeVries
I mean, a bakesale
- Matthew DeVries
And Matthew: you're willing to give up the thousands you've put into Social Security? Do you think the boomers getting ready to retire, teh largest demographic in the US, is going to let you cut that program before they get theirs?
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
o.O me?
- Matthew DeVries
Tina, I do have firm beliefs about what can and can't go from the budget, but from my perspective, it's the process that needs to be addressed, so that citizens can truly have a say. It's why I voted for Obama, I had a glimmer of hope that he would fix much of what's broken in how gov't works. I have to say I don't have much of that glimmer left. But until we find a way to get rid of the corruption, pork, and waste, we'll keep on spending money we don't have on stuff we don't need.
- LogEx
Doh! I was confused Matthew since you gave a step 6 to Mike's first five. My apologies! I'll direct the question to Mike, then: "you're willing to give up the thousands you've put into Social Security? Do you think the boomers getting ready to retire, teh largest demographic in the US, is going to let you cut that program before they get theirs?"
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Why not spend more on social programs and less on bullying the world. Maybe then there wouldn't be a *need* for so much security. People don't hate you, you don't have to defend yourself so much. (I'm ready for the throwing of tomatoes!!)
- Kandeezie
"Let the states do it" is really not a rational proposal for cutting federal government spending. The states will have to come up with the money, so you'll just replace a federal tax with a state one. No gain there.
- Kevin Pedraja
Budget Hero is an interesting game that let's you see the scope of the problem although it doesn't let you play with the numbers in any detailed way. http://marketplace.publicradio.org/feature...
- Matt Griffith
Kevin, I agree it's not the total answer, but many things should drift to the states. That allows local decisions about priorities that may not be prevalent across the country.
- LogEx
@Matt: thanks for the pointer.
- MikeAmundsen
Tina, that's easy, anyone currently in the system now, if they are over the age of 50 would keep their Social Security benefits. Anyone younger who's paid into the system would get that money back when they are eligible. The whole problem is that Social Security is a giant Ponzi scheme, so in order to pay anything we have to keep paying into the system. I'm already convinced that I will never see any money that I have paid into Social Security since I started working at the age of 14 part-time.
- Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
This is a much more detailed simulation in a much less fancy package: http://www.nathannewman.org/nbs...
- Matt Griffith
If the states do it, then they will end up having to create a national coalition for strategic defense (or all fail separately). Some states will need to spend much more on defense than others, all of the border states for instance will be swamped with costs. So the borders will end up as failing states as everyone moves into the center where it's cheaper to live and the infrastructure is better. It won't end up in a good place.
- xero
Defense should not be handled by the states. That's pure folly.
- LogEx
But Mike, there's the rub: if you stop collecting SS payments from the people younger than you, there is NO money to pay you back your contribution. Once that ball started rolling, it either had to keep rolling or someone (us) had to pay in and not get their money back.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Chris, same with NY, one of the highest taxed states in the country.
- Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
@Matt: i've worked w/ the NBS game in the past. nice start. one of the additional aspects i like to add is trying to get a group to agree - mimic the congressional problem. i.e. getting votes, dealing with interest-groups, etc. hard to do in a simple way, tho.
- MikeAmundsen
I like this approach (getting facts and crunching numbers) but unfortunately once people have some emotional talking points, data/facts are useless (sadly).
- mikepk
Mike: That is an excellent idea. I haven't messed with the NBS much yet, but a collaborative version would be very interesting.
- Matt Griffith
mikepk: My question is why should these numbers/facts be a surprise to anyone who watches/reads the news on a regular basis?
- Matt Griffith
Why can there be an entire day of teabagging coverage and nobody mentions that you could cut everything except defense and not dent the problem?
- Matt Griffith
Social Security is a bit of a red herring. Medicare is a real problem.
- Matt Griffith
@Matt Griffith: think of it like a magician's slight of hand. It's easy to get riled up when you think all your taxes are going to poor people on food stamps. It's a lot harder when you realize the bulk of your money goes to DoD, DoHS, and your grandparents.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Tina: I agree. And We the People have a responsibility to cut through the BS. I just wish there was some truth in advertising on the so called news.
- Matt Griffith
What irks me are the conservatives frothing at the mouth about bigger govt. when the previous admin saw a huge expansion. It's not just the lack of "truth in advertising" it's the complete lack of even short term memory when it's politically or emotionally expedient.
- mikepk
Oh they remember. They are counting on the people not remembering. And most of their followers never knew it was a problem under Bush because they only get their "news" from entertainment shows.
- Matt Griffith
I feel like Jon Stewart talking to Cramer, I just want to scream: "This is not a fucking game"
- Matt Griffith
Mike, that's all about what government programs they support. It's OK to increase the size of government for defense and intelligence, but woe be to those who try to use government spending to actually help people, particularly to help them manage having a family.
- Alex Scoble
I don't have a clue how PBS is funded, but I think the government needs to drop a big chunk of change (relative to their current miniscule budget) to provide at least one source of news that isn't motivated by profit.
- Matt Griffith
I don't remember the numbers, but the amount of money the UK spends on the BBC is staggering.
- Matt Griffith
1. Slash the DoD budget dramatically (a good start would be bringing home the 500k+ soldiers we have in places like Germany;) 2. Cash out all SS contributors and make all Social Security and Medicaid/Medicare need-based only; 3. No more bailouts; there's a lot more but I'll start there. PS Chris W is exactly right - both parties are equally guilty about the unimaginable size of this problem.
- Anthony Citrano
We're really talking about PBS? Oh - I think I have a few pennies in my couch sofa, too - let me go check.
- Anthony Citrano
Anthony, I think you misunderstood Matt's comment. My read is that it was in support of PBS thinking that it's likely a less biased news outlet since it's not profit driven.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
A couple of unrelated thoughts: First, in a previous job I did some research on how the Pentagon buys stuff (and wrote my masters thesis on it). In short, a lot of what people call "waste" is really inefficiency. That's a small but important distinction. And the inefficiency penalty is about 30%. It's similar in other agencies.
- Kevin Pedraja
2nd, re: state vs. Federal spending. The problem is determining what should be a state vs. a Federal program. It may sound good to say "let the states decide." But if you end up with major disparities in, say healthcare or education spending, it creates a situation where a significant part of the population is less educated or healthy than another part. That's problematic for a whole lot of reasons.
- Kevin Pedraja
you park a bunch of American GIs in Europe to protect them from getting invaded by Russia/Middle East/Africa, and to also augment any first response to explosive situations. you float several carrier battle groups throughout the world to deter anybody to get any ideas. freedom is not free; apparently, it's very freakin' expensive.
- grant fox
Yeah, per our our procurement of stuff, since a lot of what the Pentagon buys is custom made for the Pentagon, they have to pay the startup, design and R&D costs for those products. A lot of what the military needs cannot be bought off the shelf as they have very specific requirement for just about everything. This is one reason why everything the military gets is so expensive.
- Alex Scoble
That's exactly it, Grant. It's damned expensive, but apparently people don't especially want to pay for it.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
@Tina thanks re: PBS / Matt. I need to hire you as my frontal-frontal cortex. ;) (How about: ‘neofrontal’?)
- Anthony Citrano
@Grant - I don't know you well enough to know if you're being sarcastic, but that's teh awesome logic... in 1944.
- Anthony Citrano
usually I am Anthony, but in this case I'm not. it sounds extreme at first blush but I assure you that my opinion is well founded. would love to talk more about this, but my attention to FF today is intermittent. in short, modern american foreign policy is at its core about securing natural resources. i'll expand another time.
- grant fox
understood, grant. in parting, though, i'd humbly submit that that's how empires die.
- Anthony Citrano
Anthony, I think that's only true if the act of securing national resources hurts the countries they are taking them from. In the current world order, the US is helping most of the countries we pull from, thanks to transparency in trade agreements and the countries leaders being slightly altruistic. Obviously, this isn't the case everywhere though, but some countries (especially oil countries) are loving it.
- xero
@anthony: i won't deny your comment.
- grant fox
Hi Tina, if for no other reason than we share the same name, I'd follow your posts. Kidding! :) Love the witty sarcasm mixed with much-needed insight. :) Funny, too! And this is a great post. But my, the discussion does make my head swim. Good stuff, but..whew! :)
- Tina
Hi Tina =D It looks like you're new, so first: welcome! Second: Sarcasm is apparently one of my specialties, I come by it genetically. Third: Yeah, sometimes I make posts that take huge meandering turns. But not always; a lot of times it's about food.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
@Anthony: RE: PBS. Yeah, that was poorly written on my part. FFing Tina is right, I meant I think the government should spend some money on PBS. The UK model may be a bit extreme, but the fact that we don't have a single non-profit TV news source that is well funded is a problem in my opinion.
- Matt Griffith
We do have a single non-profit TV news source. PBS.
- Alex Scoble
Alex, he's saying we should spend more on PBS. Instead, it's always one of the first things people point at to remove.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
from fftogo
On Los Angeles radio this morning (KFI), Bill Handel couldn't believe that some Republicans were trying to portray themselves as leaders of the tea parties. Handel noted that there haven't been any tax increases since Obama took office.
- John E. Bredehoft
Right, PBS is not *well funded*.
- Matt Griffith
The BBC gets $4.7 Billion/year. The UK GDP is $2.13 Trillion. If we funded PBS at the same rate the UK funds the BBC, PBS would have $30.4 Billion/year to work with.
- Matt Griffith
According to this article the PBS budget was cut to $380 million/year in 2006: http://www.boston.com/news...
- Matt Griffith
I propose we give PBS/NPR 1 week worth of Iraq/Afghanistan funding per year for the next 10 years and see what happens. I bet we get a lot better return on that investment than we have on *any* single week in Iraq/Afghanistan.
- Matt Griffith
The BBC is funded by the TV Licence, which is around £130 p.a. (about $195). Each household (not individual) has to buy one. You get half a dozen TV channels, numerous national, and also local radio stations. Oh and the huge BBC web site too. It's better value, and better programming than Cable. Oh, and there's no guy telling you what pill to take, every 7-8 minutes either!
- Ian May
Out of curiosity: how simple do you really think the tax code and US budget can really be? Do you think the budget and accounting departments in fortune 500 companies are 'simple'?
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I'm not sure how simple the tax code can be, but I'm sure the forms could be WAY better. Somehow gov't forms manage to make even the clear obscure.
- Jeanine W.
Most of the complexity in the individual tax code has to do with deductions like mortgage interest. Very few households actually hold stocks and mutual funds in taxable accounts, so taking away the deductibility of such items would simplify it dramatically. Don't expect it to happen any time soon, though! The housing lobby would fight tooth and nail against it.
- Piaw Na
Most of the complexity in the corporate tax code has to do with expenses and profitability. For instance, a company can justifiably consider the salary it pays employees and expense and count it against profits before paying taxes. Being able to play around with such things (like depreciation, etc) is why Fortune 500 companies have accounting departments. For a good understanding of the...
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- Piaw Na
Maybe it's just because of where I live and the lower COL here than elsewhere, but I've actually found the mortgage interest deduction to be exceptionally straightfoward.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
I agree, Tina. It's the stock stuff that gives me the heebie-jeevies.
- Jeanine W.
I can agree with that, but who takes advantage of those? Not the poor everyone says don't pay taxes, and not typically the middle class. Ergo, it must typically be the well off that use such a deduction. Do you anticipate they will want that removed?
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
To my limited knowledge, there isn't necessarily a straight-forward stock "deduction". There's just various ways and amounts that stocks are taxed depending on a variety of issues such as how you acquired them, what type they are, and how long you held on to them.
- Jeanine W.
Yeah, the stock deductions are murky at best, clear as mud at worst. My question, though, is which economic group is most likely to take advantage of them, and if that economic group is likely to let them be removed as a deduction.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
The biggest problem for me is figuring out the cost basis for stock when you have no historical data. No cost basis=v.bad
- JSNFLMNG
Yes, you are certainly correct, Tina, that the wealthier classes are most likely the ones dealing with the stock issues. With the exception of people attempting to live as day traders.
- Jeanine W.
I wish I'd never heard the phrase "cost basis".
- Jeanine W.
Nearly everyone with a 401k is dealing with it.
- Michael W. May
You mean people who are taking disbursements from their 401k, or people in general taking their loses?
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Well, my mother is now working a few years longer than the retirement she had planned next year. That's what I mean.
- Michael W. May
401k disbursements are treated like income, so I don't understand what the issue is. Most people dealing with stock are wealthy. In particular, I've saved folks upwards of $1 million in taxes by telling them how long term capital gains taxes work and how they can plan their stock sales and acquisition strategy around it. See: http://piaw.blogspot.com/2009...
- Piaw Na
That was my understanding as well, Piaw, that 401k disbursements would be treated simply as income and wouldn't involve the tax headaches of traditional stock loss deductions etc. I guess my point is for everyone clamoring that the tax code needs to be simplified, it would seem the deduction most prime for clarification by removal are stocks etc. The pickle is that this is the deduction most likely to benefit the wealthy and as a result I don't see that it will be removed.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
The budget can certainly be simpler if the role of government is scaled back to what it should be. And taxes can be much simpler. There's no reason for the complexity, even for the few who to whom it applies. It could be a couple of basic subtractions from gross income for necessities, then a smooth sliding scale of tax rate as income increases. The brackets and all of the complexity only lead to additional bureaucracy and more gaming of the system.
- LogEx
Question: when people say they want smaller government, do you think they mean actual size (i.e. people, offices, etc etc etc) or the amount that is spent? I understand that it's a combination of the two, but which would you say is the general meaning?
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Well, your "unneeded government service" (e.g. foodstamps) could be someone else's necessity. If you look at European countries, their taxes are much higher, but they also get a level of service that is unheard of in the USA (for instance, decent public transit, universal healthcare, a social security safety net that doesn't run out in 24 months, and free University for those who qualify to attend). You do get what you pay for. Their taxes are also much simpler --- assessed rather than self-reported.
- Piaw Na
I think usually means they want its authority decreased
- J. Abdul-Qahhar
To me (others may have other opinions), smaller government means getting the government out of (or minimizing involvement in) things it shouldn't be meddling in, and the things you mention come as a result. Government is the least efficient way to get anything done, so it should be reserved for things that wouldn't get done otherwise and protection of citizens (but I don't mean nannying).
- LogEx
Yes, J. Abdul-Qahhar, a less authoritarian government.
- LogEx
Government is not the least efficient way of getting universal healthcare, for instance, but we don't have it. See: http://piaw.blogspot.com/2008.... And then of course, people like to complain about regulation, but de-regulation was the real cause of the financial crisis, and does anyone really want to go back to the days when mining companies could pollute wherever they wanted to?
- Piaw Na
Examples, perhaps? I ask because the biggest spender (military) seems to be taken off the table by this definition so I'm interested how much could theoretically be saved by other options.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
I would love take the military out of the budget. But of course, the same people who call for smaller government rarely call for cutting the military.
- Piaw Na
That's what I've typically seen, Piaw. The calls are for smaller and cheaper government without touching the military, which is kind of like trying to soup up a Ford Festiva without touching the engine.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
I agree Piaw, but I'd like to see all of our bases overseas closed and a huge reduction in government's power
- Ⓐ ☠ slayerboy ☠ Ⓐ
Well, I don't think we can really do that. Would you really want Taiwan over-taken by mainland China by military force? A level of deterrence is necessary. I just want to kill stupid projects like the F-22 at the very least, however. Again, what do you mean by huge reduction in government power? I still want polluters caught and punished! I still want the courts to work (which means the FBI has to be funded!)! I like roads to stay decent.
- Piaw Na
Tina: smaller government = less involvement to me. One would think that a less involved government would result in a) fewer people requiring fewer buildings, vehicles, less paper, and so on, and the net result being the government requiring less money to operate
- guruvan (Rob Nelson)
Piaw brings up many of the points that jump out at me: what exactly is a less involved government? No more/smaller FDA? DEA? ATF? CIA? Homeland Security? Or is less involvement code for "get rid of housing assistance and food stamps"? Not saying anyone on this thread thinks this way, just going to an extreme for the purpose of example.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Rob: that doesn't work, unless you can specify what's specifically wasteful that you can cut. Remember, just because you don't like the EPA doesn't mean the rest of us want it gutted or rendered useless the way Bush did. Also, Social Security is one major reason why elderly poverty has dropped dramatically since it was enacted. The big costs in the federal budget outside of the military are Medicare, etc. You don't have a lot of room elsewhere to cut! We already have the lowest tax rates in the West!
- Piaw Na
Even if nothing goes away, everything can be simplified. The DHS clearly has taken scope creep to an extreme, with little benefit. Decriminalize pot and that frees up a lot of cops and courts. Etc., etc. A lot of the procedural stuff Obama promised (transparency, gutting pork and lobby influence, etc.) could go a long way to cutting a lot of costs in a lot of areas IF it ever gets implemented.
- LogEx
Here's the approximate scale of the problem you're trying to deal with: http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2005...
- Piaw Na
LogicalExtremes: Decriminalizing pot itself isn't easy! And I'll be surprised if pot takes up very many cops and courts! See http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2009...
- Piaw Na
I'm just giving little examples where the government spends non-trivial sums with little benefit. Every segment of government has areas where execution has gone beyond the real need. And in every complexity lies inherently unnecessary cost and opportunities for abuse.
- LogEx
Your complexity is somebody else's important feature. Your little examples also provide no real cost savings! Unless you're willing to provide data, your statement that "every segment government..." is not acceptable at face value.
- Piaw Na
So you are saying that our government runs at top efficiency and is focused on all of the right priorities? I don't think anyone believes that. Unless we simplify our priorities, set reduction goals, and have meaningful, transparent, and enforceable ways of progressing toward them, we'll be forever in this abyss.
- LogEx
I'm saying that if you added up all the efficiency improvements you've proposed, what you get wouldn't amount to the equivalent of pocket change you find under the couch. If you want to really shrink government, you've got to provide the big ticket items that you can cut, not invoke platitudes about efficiency.
- Piaw Na
Piaw, every time he makes a ticket item suggestion you shoot it down as unacceptable. So rather than continuing to suggest he name some what are some you would consider acceptable. Personally I agree that we should pull most, if not all, of our troops back from overseas deployments. shut down our foreign bases and use our military for national defense of our country and not everyone else's. If we have any involvement in other nations defense it should be in an advisory role and not in a manpower one.
- Bill Rawlinson
Sure, I'll take cutting back on defense. Someone just posted a great link to the Federal Budget picture: http://www.wallstats.com/blog.... You can see that discretionary spending is only 1/3rd of the total budget.
- Piaw Na
The Associated Press: NASA names treadmill after Colbert - http://www.google.com/hostedn...
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What runs and runs but never goes anywhere? Colbert!
- Kevin Fox
John Madden Announces His Retirement - http://blog.ingamenow.com/2009...
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iTunes Price Hikes Hurt Some Billboard Track Rankings - http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun...
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6 Superheroes Who Completely Lost Their Shit | Cracked.com - http://www.cracked.com/blog...
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"One of the things Stan Lee is credited with in Marvel comics is how he made superheroes relatable. He took larger-than-life characters and gave them human problems. After Spider-Man is done insulating his fists to punch someone with an electric face, he gets picked last for kickball as Peter Parker. That’s something a reader can wrap their head around."
- James Ferguson
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