Yea! a new thread.

They can't handle the truth!

Massive civil disobediance, ala the Boston Tea Party, should be enough to kill such regulations over the blogosphere. Do they REALLY believe people will sumbit to such a ridiculous exercise of tyranny?

What is:"improperly link to a campaign’s Web site", is the the wrong URL or a link with the wrong title?

All the more reason it is imperative to get Bush's judicial nominees passed...

A-holes one and all. This is not Iran -- they will not stop bloggers. All they will do with "regulation" is create a million more bloggers (I know I would start one myself!)

McCain - Feingold, the gift that keeps on giving... Just like Herpes.

Only Hate Speech is free

Next they will want to ban LGF!

Does the FEC really think they can control the internet? This is the funniest crap I have ever heard. Herding crickets would be easier.

McCain really pisses me off.
Come censor me you f*cking jerk!

(OT)

Any lurking "Bush is a Nazi!" moonbats want to take my bet?

[Link: louminatti.blogspot.com...]

Let's see, millions of bloggers vs how many FCC people?

oy vey

Khadr laptop seized at Pearson
Toronto Star, Canada - Police have seized a laptop from the daughter of an accused terrorist financier because they believe it holds vital information about Al Qaeda's operations, court documents state.

Canadian Zaynab Khadr is being investigated by an RCMP-led unit under anti-terrorism laws introduced in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The 25-year-old came to Canada from Pakistan two weeks ago, when her computer, cellphone and handwritten documents were seized at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

As part of the sworn information used to obtain a search warrant for her possessions, the lead investigator on Khadr's case wrote, "I believe that Zaynab Khadr has willingly participated and contributed both directly and indirectly towards enhancing the ability of Al Qaeda to facilitate its criminal activities."

It's also alleged that she operated as an intermediary for her eldest brother Abdullah, who once trained at an Al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan and is now believed to be under arrest.

While much is known about Khadr's family, mainly through interviews family members have given to the media, the 44-page document filed by police with the court provides the first record of how Canadian authorities see the family's alleged involvement in Al Qaeda.

OT:

Hunter S. Thompson conspiracy theories warm up.

Hunter Thompson was working on WTC collapse story before mysterious sudden death, warned he'd be 'suicided'

Gonzo tinfoil hats, anyone?

Peacekeeper has been predicting this

McCain spent too much time in the bamboo cage.

Dan Rather and Mary Mapes will be well pleased.

Blogs will end up going the route of questionable porn: move to offshore hosting beyond the reach of the law.

W's lowest moment in office was in not using his first veto to send this law to the same place currently occupoied by the alein and sedition acts of the late 18th century. I would, however, argue that blogs are exempt from this law under the broadcast provisions, considering that they have the ability to reach such a wide audience.

It's worrisome at first glance, but any new law about Internet content will fail a constitutional challenge. This is an open-and-shut obvious case of freech speech rights. Can't say what you want on the Internet? Can't even post a link to another Web site? Forget about it -- ain't never gonna happen.

If (as seems to be the case) 40% of Web sites contain totally explicit pronography, and copyright-violating image re-posting, then there is no basis to ban something as comparatively benign as political analysis.

The Dems are only trying this out because they're still smarting over what happen in the 2004 elections -- the freedom of the blogs actually took Kerry down; the Dems had been banking on the Web to take Bush down. When the reverse happened they flipped out and now they're trying to ban it.

Good luck, jerks.

Good. Luck.

For every half-assed attempt to limit free speech on the internet, bloggers will find two dozen ways to supersede them.

Do they really think we're that stupid.

SCOTUS decides to rule based on "international opinion".

Republicans are called Nazi's by a Klansman.

Now this.

Just keep pushing us...

bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign’s Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate’s press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines.

Um - how will this work? The blogger will be fined if they do it? What if it's linked within a thread? Is the blogger still liable?

Or are they saying that you can't link directly to a story/release in a topic?

Howard Stern! Babba Booey!

#18 Who Watches the Watchmen?

Hunter S. Thompson conspiracy theories warm up.

Funny, I swear I saw two airplanes slam into the towers...

McCain-Fiengold is a travesty. The last election cycle was proff positive. Didn't Rathergate germinate at a 527?

#24 zombie

Well said...this will go the way of the 'Fairness Doctrine' the Al Franken and the LLL wackos have been whining about because they can't compete in the marketplace of ideas. Your are correct sir...never gonna' happen.

John McCain McCain and the gift that keeps giving...

He egts caught with his hands in Keating's cookie jars and the rest of us pay...

The Incumbent Protection Act of 2002

Oh, please, oh please, lets get this in front of Justice Scalia...he'll be doing more bitchslapping than Moe in a Three Stooges comedy!

Colleen Kollar-Kotelly

Say that three times fast.

McCain is a jerk and always has been. No credibility since he attacked the Swift Vets.

25 Geepers

Do they really think we're that stupid.

Yes they do, if they assume we are like the people who vote for them...

I find this a bit more threatening than China's request that the internet be controlled by the UN

Such desparation.
First goes the cigarettes
Then the booze.
Now freedom of speech.
What's left? Sex?

Let's see now.
If a right wing blogger has more links to the left wing candidate, does that mean the Government owes him money?

The amount of bureaucracy needed to police the Blogosphere will bankrupt the Federal government.

I thought we'd have to wait for a Democrat congress for this, but of course a JUDGE can make law anytime he/she pleases.
Charles, it was nice while it lasted...

Someone please check out McCain's latest 5013(c) organization full of his former campaign people & senate staffers...called the Reform Institute in Alexandria, VA... to do more campaign finance stuff and media/cable oversight, etc.

More like, tide his people over until 2008. Doing the coy presidential flirtation thing.

#41 quark2

No...food, then sex.

#24 Zombie

It's worrisome at first glance, but any new law about Internet content will fail a constitutional challenge. This is an open-and-shut obvious case of freech speech rights.

IIRC, that's what Bush thought about McCain-Feingold and why he didn't veto it. Also, the Michigan Law School admisions case clearly violated an amendment (14th? help me out, attorneys) and yet they upheld it... They ignore the constitution as they see fit, so it worries me...

Could McCain's "friendship" with Kerry imply that McCain is really alot like Kerry i.e. an opportunist and dangerous to us all? I really think he is warped and calculating to a fault, and maybe he did spend too much time in a cage.

As far as the FEC, FCC et al, don't we have more pressing matters to attend to MF'ers? How about sticking to the big three -- protect us, keep our taxes down, REPRESENT US!

Massive civil disobediance, ala the Boston Tea Party, should be enough to kill such regulations over the blogosphere

They can't arrest thousands upon thousands. Reminds me of the wedding in Charleston. Right after Yankee troops occupied Charleston SC, they imposed a curfew. The wedding of one young lady and her gentleman was quickly moved up and everyone came out for the wedding. The troops couldn't arrest everyone.

Think I'll start a blog just to link to something.

OT

Islamic justice in Pakistan. Great picture.

Mukhtar Mai, victim of a gang rape, sheds tears after a court's decision in Multan, Pakistan. The Pakistani court overturned the conviction of a village elder and four other men who had been sentenced to death for allegedly ordering the woman gang-raped as punishment for her brother's illicit sex with a woman from another family.

In sum: A guy in Pakistan has an affair. He gets caught. The Muslim leaders of his community convict him of adultery and announce the sentence: as punishment for the crime, the perpetrator's sister is to be gang-raped. The "sentence" is carried out. The Islamic psychopaths who ordered the gang-rape get charged and convicted of rape. Then (here's the kicker) the court OVERRULES their conviction, and they walk free.

Welcome to your future, Europe. This is what shari'a will bring you.

36 Carolina Girl

Hi

Always be aware of whomever the media's favorite Republican. In this case it is John McCain whom I suspect pulled the lever for Kerry on November 2. Jack Kemp also used to be the meidas favorite Republican.We now know he did business wirh one of Saddam's crony's.

This may just be the push I need to start a blog. I've been holding off because there's no way I can compete with Charles (latte be upon him).

#41 quark2

What good is sex without the others?

:-)

49 Zomibe

Disgusting story. I posted that story on an earlier thread.

Typical of the left, trying to suppress speech they disagree with. If lefty blogs were the ones with clout, you'd never see this happening.

All they have to do is tie this thing up in rules so that a guy like Charles can't figure out how not to run his site without breaking a Federal law.
Smackdown of Blogs is on the agenda for 2005.

It's ridiculous to try to make it illegal for one website to link to another legal internet site. The link is just a convenience that prevents people from having to actually type in the web address. Is their next move to make it illegal to display a nominee's website address, or perhaps even post an opinion about them?

McCain-Feingold is an unconstitutional disgrace. It may be the one thing that LGF and Kos can actually agree on.

#50 Joel

THough he said on Hannity that he campaigned hard for Bush in 2000 and 2004, he voted Gore in 2000. His mama said she'd support Kerry over Bush last summer. And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. That's why it was hard to watch them sitting up with Bush family at the R convention.

#51 vxbush

(latte be upon him).

LOL

#55 Peacekeeper

But then, all the lawyers would start specializing in blog law and making huge sums of money.

How many days until I can't forward political material to all my friends and family via email? Regular mail? Speech?

OT, but funny.

Sandy Berger Sent to Iran to Gather Secrets...

[Link: www.chronwatch.com...]

#49 zombie-

What, you mean the sister wasn't then done away with in an honor killing?

It sounds like things are improving.

/sarc

I wish Senator McCain would hurry up and have that stroke he's been working on for the last couple of years.

Your herding crickets are all belong to us

Master Shake (#39),

I'm afraid I have to agree with you. In addition to seemingly being complete tone deaf to what blogs are, they think in laws. In their shallow view of things, making a law against something eliminates it.

Maybe we could get them to outlaw people from getting cancer.

Here is a draft of a message that you can send to the Senators. A little strident, maybe, but I think we need to be:

The reason that I am writing to you is this story: [Link: news.com.com...]

The first few paragraphs of the story follow:

"Bradley Smith says that the freewheeling days of political blogging and online punditry are over.
In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate's press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines.

Smith should know. He's one of the six commissioners at the Federal Election Commission, which is beginning the perilous process of extending a controversial 2002 campaign finance law to the Internet.

..."

With all due respect, your campaign finance reform bill is an abomination. Was your goal actually to have the federal governemnt regulate what people -- regular people -- post, link, and say on blogs on the Internet? If so, may I suggest that you re-read the First Amendment, which says in pertinent part the following: "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press."

I am a Republican and have been for all of my adult life. I am politically active. However, I can honestly say that I would not vote for you for dog catcher if I was in your state.

Sincerely,
(name)

The point is not that they have to control thousands of bloggers, they just have to shut down a few Blogs. Charles goes to jail, others get the message quick.
There's a plan behind this.

#14 I like your blog!

#18 That link is SCARY! What will they think of next?

Charlotte

#55 PK

Exactly. While everyone wastes time arguing about the trees (the pros and cons of each individual restriction) the forest will be that it is just made too complicated to obey or impossible if they institute conflicting rules.

Of course, it would be an interesting cell block that was filled with bloggers...

These SOBS ignore the hate spewing websites calling for the deaths of infidels and want to stop bloggers? I sent my protest email and I will make sure everyone I know sends the same. McCain is a pure bred idiot

Screw 'em (and I never use that term)

I know a GREAT attorney- helped run his campaign...

I bet he would love to take that ALL the way to the Supreme Court...

I will post what I want---

Let 'em try and muzzle me...

I'm a woman- can't be done...

#57 alegrias

I cannot say that I was surprised to read that. I'll also bet that Lincon Chaffee voted Kerry as did Olympia Snowe. and probably Arlen Spector

McCain is trying to protect his buddies in the MSM from the blogs. He gave them more power with the campaign finance reform bill and they don't want to lose it. In exchange, they will write glowing reports about him when he runs for prez (with Hillary) in 2008. He will get a free ride.

Quid Pro Quo.

#53 Joel

Oh, I know - if the MSM likes a Republican, you can bet he's placed himself left of center; by the same token, if they hate a Democrat, he's either in the middle or moving toward the right. It's a sad truth.

McCain-Feingold was a mistake, and the sad thing is the mushy middle of the road Supreme Court let it slide. As they are now letting vicious little psychopaths murder without facing the ultimate penalty.

#67 Peacekeeper
The point is not that they have to control thousands of bloggers, they just have to shut down a few Blogs. Charles goes to jail, others get the message quick.

Don't you ever say those words again! If Charles went to jail for creating a blog, I swear, there would be riots in the streets. With me at the front.

Renna

Yep, then moonbats will spend their days reading LGF just waiting for a mistake-or arguing that thing X constitutes a violation under Judge so and so's ruling.

# 24 It's worrisome at first glance, but any new law about Internet content will fail a constitutional challenge. This is an open-and-shut obvious case of freech speech rights.

BCRA itself is also an open and shut case of free speech rights, and yet... Look where we are. The damned thing passed and Bush signed it.

Working in politics, I was not pleased when BCRA passed; not just for the circles I now need to jump through to write reports, those are easy enough, but for in inherent limiting of personal freedom of speech.

From a First Amendment point, BCRA NEVER should have passed in the first place. More than any other issue outside of national security, it is this law that has me the most worried about the future of our nation.

#47 myoclonic

McCain's bamboo cage & solitary confinement were courtesy of Vietcong, so off limits in my opinion.

But like Kerry both married rich women, both fly in private jets, both enjoy millionaire club privileges of flying around the world with a retinue yet few governing type responsibilities such as governors might have. Parties, events, wife a continent away most of the time. LIke hanging with Hollywood.

Regular Swiftboat vets too plebeian for their highfallutin' taste. Instead stood by honoring Kerry's service over that of the Swifties & other POWs.

Eeevil

I'll bring you a cake with a file in it.

When they put us in jail, will we have pc availability? I mean I have to be able to check my e-mail and what's going on at LGF. ;-)

CNET News.com spoke with Smith about the McCain-Feingold law, and its forthcoming extrusion onto the Internet:

Why wouldn't the news exemption cover bloggers and online media?
Because the statute refers to periodicals or broadcast, and it's not clear the Internet is either of those. Second, because there's no standard for being a blogger, anyone can claim to be one, and we're back to the deregulated Internet that the judge objected to. Also I think some of my colleagues on the commission would be uncomfortable with that kind of blanket exemption.

The coming crackdown on blogging

Hey, does this mean that if I winlk to W's website in the comments section of a Kos thread, then he goes to jail and pays a fine?

#77

Good point. And don't forget the moonbats that will post links here, and then report the 'violation' to the proper authorities.

How can the government place a value on a blog that praises some politician?

How do we measure that? Design fees, that sort of thing? The FEC did an advisory opinion in the late 1990s (in the Leo Smith case) that I don't think we'd hold to today, saying that if you owned a computer, you'd have to calculate what percentage of the computer cost and electricity went to political advocacy.

Well why not also consider the cost of writing the piece including cost of the bloggers education etc.

Politicians are getting increasingly edgy because of the power of blogs. In the UK, the BBC is attempting to put their intellectually challenged and biased TV output on the internet, just so they can impose a license fee for the owner of a computer. Amazingly the idiot government of the day is going along with this proposal. This is just another indication of the fear that bloggers have struck into the political establishment.

PIMF

winkl=link

NOTE: For the link above, you need to click on the actual links Charles provided and paste them over the truncated link in my draft.

OR just draft your own message!

PS If 10,000 of these hit McCain, he might start to see the light. C'mon, lurkers -- pitch in here! And DEFINITELY all of you regular posters!

Well the Supreme Court has placed some restrictions on the First Ammendment's freedom of speech. For example, I once read that its against the law to post FIRE! in a crowded thread.

I KNEW THEY'D TRY THIS SHIT!

COWARD POLITICIANS!

COWARD " JOURNALISTS" !

NEXT YOU WILL TRY TO TAX EACH BLOG COMMENT!

FUCK YOU!

Hey, you want tp post something bad about Kerry? THAT's a cash contribution to the Bush campaign.
Charles will have to fill out forms 1772, 54576 and 9898 in triplicate and send them out.
Pretty soon LGF will only be talking about pets, sports and legitimate speech.
All it takes is a Judge to make a ruling and we're well on the way.

In California, we have a recycle charge on TV sets. About 8.00 for a 99.00 TV (19 inch screen) . I wonder how hard it would be to extend that fee or a registration for a computer monitor.
One of the boxes to be cked is--- for business-remit $35.00
for blogging or for home use...remit $200.00. Then if you check that it is for blogging use, they ask you more questions
and Identification info.

In UK, there is a tax on TV sets, ostensibly to pay for BBC,iirc.
And Vans with antennae drive up the streets looking for unlicensed tv sets.

With this new crack-down, they might use the same tech here.

Might not happen. But relying on courts to help us seems futile,i.e. It might not be restraint just to collect a fee, they'd rule.

Jail-blogging!

The McCain/Feingold law is the stuff tyrants are made from. So it figures that each of them would have supported it. The Dems hate the internet because it cost them the last election, where their complicity with the MSM failed to gain the normal traction that would have carried the day in any past election year.

It is time to take to the streets. These proposals have the effect of pitting the full economic and law enforcement apparatus of the government directly against individual citizens were govenment will have the power and resouces to prosecute individuals into oblivion for the crime of speaking their minds.

I will resist any government and any political party that supports these rules. Time to repeal McCain/Feingold.

#80 Peacekeeper

ROFLLL!

YOU ROCK!

Everyone calm down, ain't going to happen!

If blogging is outlawed, only outlaws will blog.

#66 me

Geez, I'm so steamed that I'm missing details. Obviously, the last bit about being a lifelong Republican may not apply in your case and certainly should not be included in a messages sent to Sen. Feingold.

OK, going away now to simmer...

Peripherally related:

An issue that I see that could clobber some conservative blogs is liability from the whole Terri Schiavo case.

Not on LGF, but there are some conservative blogs that have been repeating some really bad rumors about Michael Schiavo -- Murderer, etc. Saying things like that about a private citizen can be tough if it can't be proven.

Libel law is a bear right now. Many small bloggers don't realize that they are publishers. Calling somebody a murderer when it can't be proven is the type of statement that attracts attention of attorneys.

Anyway, that's the issue that I see being an eye opener to some bloggers in the future. When people publish things (even on the internet) there has to be a small amount of thought. Some right wing blogs don't understand that, but I think may learn it soon.

In my post I mention that there is an exemption for the press in this law that does not presently extend to the Internet. I have argued previously that bloggers are journalists, not every self-described blogger mind you, but those who cover news events with or without commentary and have an intended large audience. What is of very interesting relevance to this is Leahy's bill that specifically recognizes Bloggers as representatives of the news media.

Of course I doubt anyone in congress would want to push this. It would be extremely difficult to enforce practically speaking. What? Everyone is going to hand over their access logs so the government can parse them, look for referrer links to candidate pages, find the owner of the domain or the author of the page, figure out a dollar value for the endorsement/link and calculate a fine. I don't think so.

#95 'nam grunt,

never say never...

I never thought McCain/Feingold would pass either.

Bush almost lost me as a voter, and would have had the mules ran Lieberman.

Eeevil
Maybe it should be a cake with a wireless modem?

Cracking down on blogging is something only the Communists, Chinese, Russians & LLLs could love.

And what great credentials do journalists have that bloggers would have to show? Fake but accurate is pretty low hurdle.

#82-
And what exactly are the standardsw for being a reporter/editor/ad rep in the MSM? Is there a test? A license? A need to be able to express yourself clearly? Hell, at least we have the LGF prayer and preview to help us out.

Let me get this right. If you "link" the url it's and inkind contribution.

Ok, take this to the next step. A website does not link but YOU as a home user types in [Link: www.mycandidateisbetterthanyour...] candidate.com. So problem over right? No, because now you have to regulate every ISP in the data stream and accuse them of providing an inkind contribution for access?

It's all clear now works fine on regulation.

because there's no standard for being a blogger, anyone can claim to be one,

LOL!

okay- and by this we are implying that periodical and broadcasters DO HAVE STANDARDS?

HELLO?

HELLO?

SHow me some?

Dan Rather

New York Times

CNN (Eason Jordan)

What the HECK!?!?!?!?!?!?

I'm in a time warp again!

#89 LSD

One word - decaffeinated.

#91 big L

In California, I'm hard-pressed to find anything they're NOT taxing me on. Because it's very important that illegal aliens get all the free medical care and social services they want. What they apparently never WILL get is transportation back to their land of origin.

102 alegrias

Fake but accurate is pretty low hurdle

Well said!

Of course you will be able to "register" your blog with the Ministry of Blogs. A reasonable licensing fee will apply, with annual renewals.

Listen guys I am really convinced now that I have the flu (and I got the shot), I'll see you guys later, and don't worry they can't stop us!

Excuse me if this has been asked before, but HTF do these clowns intend to enforce this rubbish?

What if I decide to disseminate my opinion from another country?

Nam Grunt

It has started. They'll boil this frog gently, but he's a goner.

101 Peacekeeper

ROFL!

Thanks! I needed a BIG BELLY LAUGH!

IRON FIST__

please check you mail!

#95 Nam

What makes you think so?

I can't see them getting away with banning blogs or even controlling them outright some way (requiring blogging licenses?) right now, but I could see them sneak in a few campaign related restrictions via the finance reform act.

Teeny little things. And then a few more. And then a few more. Someone trips up and gets prosecuted for leaving a dangling participle, and then everyone else gets "careful" in what they say. Not Good. I want everyone running off at the mouth saying any ol' thing they think of.

Hello!

Freedom of assembly!
Freedom of speech!

Someone needs to lay off the happy sauce!

It gets even more ridiculous:

How can the government place a value on a blog that praises some politician?

How do we measure that? Design fees, that sort of thing? The FEC did an advisory opinion in the late 1990s (in the Leo Smith case) that I don't think we'd hold to today, saying that if you owned a computer, you'd have to calculate what percentage of the computer cost and electricity went to political advocacy.

Isn't that like saying: if you put a sign for a candidate in your front window, then a percentage of the value of your house went to political advocacy?

This whole thing is sick.

This must be the dumbest proposal I've ever heard, just ahead of the license plates for bicycles trash that was thrown out a few years ago.

Evidently, more than 10 years after Al Gore invented it, these clowns still haven't understood the first thing about how the internet works.

#110 nam vet

Dear vet, see if you can get a antiretroviral kind of shot right away to interfere with the virus. Not sure what it's called but ask your doctor FAST, you don't want a month of this.

Stupid fuckers bitch and whine about "academic freedom" and "freedom of dissent" then crack down on blogs.

Pathetic.

The Feds are doing what Maryland does so well. Here, when a law doesn't work, Maryland passes more laws.

The way I read the Q&A, if say, for example, I were to post a link to a campaign site, the Feds would need to charge Charles money, via some taxes, based on his electrical consumption on his comp system and his provider's usage. Also, it is possible that since I posted the link, I would owe tax, maybe (though since I am not the site's owner, I don't see how I could possibly be held to account).

If I had made that up, I'd have the dunce cap slapped on my head in no time.

#116 bitsy

LOL!

my oh my

They are so upset over the Dan Rather thing---

when they want to start regulating the press for their fickin' campaigning -- we'll TALK!

Actually, Al Gore invented the internet decades ago. It's only in the last 12-13 years that he got around to inventing the Web...

Let me get this straight- the paparazzi can chase after you night and day grabbing and twisting and turning you about to get a better picture, and not be liable to laws against stalking, assault and battery because they are vaunted members of the press, but if Charles uses the internet to say-"Hey, I found this interesting bit of information on another web page you might like" and provides you a way to see it, he will be subject to incarceration and fines? Ridiculous, though I still say the internet is safe haven because it is protected by the broadcast exemption.

I would not vote for you for dog catcher if I was in your state.

Why do dog catchers always get dissed?

Charles---Dieudonne, Mr. ha-ha himself got beaten up by some Israelis

[Link: www.haaretz.com...]

The French courts might throw the book at the defendants, its one thing to let off an Arab for killing a Jew but then these men beat up an Arab.

75 Carolina Girl

McCain-Feingold paved the way for George Soros.

#121 Eeeevil

True, though stacked by ratios of 16 or 12 dems to every conservative at regular old newspapers, their heads are still spinning Kerry didn't win. So enact Watergate laws.

Look, they get a few judges to waive the magic wand. They have no intention of going after everyone. Ted Kennedy will see the millionth reference to him as a "drunken, shriveled bastard" and he will place a call: " Charles Johnson has contributed to my opponent- bring me his head."

That's all it will take.

New Online Magazine Urges Jihad in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A new online magazine purportedly posted by al-Qaida's affiliate in Iraq has launched an effort to recruit Muslims to rid Iraq of infidels and apostates — its names for Americans and their Iraqi partners.

The colorful, well-designed magazine is named Zurwat al-Sanam, Arabic for "The Tip of the Camel's Hump" — a reference among Islamic militants to "the epitome of belief and virtuous activity."

The inaugural 43-page issue was posted two days after al-Qaida in Iraq, the group led by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility for an attack Monday against police and army recruits that killed 125 people in Hillah, just south of Baghdad.

122 christheprofessor

I know you're kidding, but actually, Tim Berners-Lee (now Sir Tim) invented the World Wide Web. Amazingly, an individual person actually did invent the WWW.

126 Joel,

Yup...by design.

McCain/Feingold was an attempt to concentrate the power to control the dialogue of campaigning in the hands of the few. McCain cannot STAND having his real record brought up every six years orso. This is an attempt to allow the uberrich(and they ain't all rightys Kosby Kids) and the MSM to control thought in this country.

Control the flow of words and thought and who cares who runs against the oligarchy?

#125 Ayatollah Ghilmeini

That is the funniest thing that he has done yet :-)

C'mon people, even if (in some fantasy scenario) they did try to regulate blogs, they would fail catastrophically. It takes very little expertise to plug your computer into the internet and make it a Web server. How in the world could they stop that -- outlaw computers? Also, as others have said, all one would need to do is sign up with an overseas host provider. No US jurisdiction. No way to stop it. Thirdly, there are zillions of clever ways to sidestep the law. For example, you could email your posts to a colleague in another country, and he could upload it for you. That way, the entire operation -- even the uploading -- is done outside the US.

No, the only way to even begin enforcing a law like this is to crack down on the Internet entirely, a la China (or as China used to do) and Saudi Arabia. Think that could ever happen in the US of A?

Dream on.

#109 Peacekeeper :

I'm waiting for the Ministry of Silly Blogs

Think MSM piled on the Gannon thing?

Charles Johnson was arraigned today in Federal Court on ten felony counts, including violation of campaign finance laws, non-reporting of in kind donations, conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to violate federal law. Tampering with an election.

Ok, I'll stop picking on Charles now.

Eeevil, you and Atlas will probably get the Waco treatment.

#129 zulubaby

Wonder how long it will take a DDoS to rain down on this puppy? After we survey all the data points of course.

"Experience has shown that they (militants) have become very qualified in using the Internet," Salah said. "They seem to be waging an online war and they seem to be winning it."

I like the Boston Tea Party reference.

I'll put a link to every politician I can think of,in every post I make at every website I visit and I encourage everyone who visits LGF to do the same if this fascist judge gets her way.

Come and get me,McCain-Feingold, you weenies

I'll defend myself by using Amendment #1 of the Constitution and I'll hold a press conference every day to espouse my opinions on the case directly to the American people..

Bite me,judge

#137 Peacekeeper

No, I think Rathergate has already provided precedence that tampering with an election is not illegal...

Zombie

You just committed conspiracy to Blog! Enjoy your perp walk.

Well once they've restricted weblogs and computers on the internet, then they'll restrict oral free speech the same way. Because they can advocate that you're using your voice as a proxy for the use of weblogging on the internet.
Don't think they're not going in that direction, because they are.

This one needs to be squelched now. The 527s need to die a violent death too, before the next presidential elections.

#139 TotallySirius

And YOU are in contempt! 60 days!

Didn't we have a small revolution in 1776 over, among other things, tax stamps on newspapers? What's next, banning political yard signs if they have a web address on them? Bumper stickers? Letters to the editor with a web address in the text? If Iranian bloggers can evade censors by being hosted offshore, so can we, I assume. Billions for Nauru but not a dime in tribute!

Here's a hypothetical question for you all...

Who would you vote for in 2008 if the Republicans were to nominate John McCain and the Democrats were to choose Joe Liberman?

144 scott in east bay

Sure, you can move your server offshore, but how will that save you from Ted Kennedy's amphibious Oldsmobile?

i never really followed mccain/bush during the 2000 election so i didn't know what kerry's campaign was talking about. checking out one of the viet vet sites against kerry, i found posting about mc cain vs the families of pow/mia that didn't paint him to well. these sites were hammered by both mc cain and kerry. he and john kerry [as well as others] were involved in a committee to determine if there were any remaining military in vietnam [1992]. some families [pow/mia families against john kerry] felt that there was no real attempt and there were some harsh words between mccain and the families. after the investigation, diplomatic relations were restored between u.s. and vietnam and a year later kerry's cousin was awarded a 90 million dollar contract by the government of vietnam. i know mccain goes nutzo when people question his service, but maybe there's something there. one of the anti-kerry books - many faces of john kerry or reckless disregard - talks about the favor mc cain did for kerry [something concerning caps on insurance and the big dig]. someone was happy and made a sizeable donation to kerry's campaign. people say mc cain is really a dem in repub clothing

#122 christheprofessor
#131 Cattt

Now now, lets give credit where credit is due.

We all know that Al Gore invented BOTH the internet and the WWW.

#122 christheprofessor

Actually, Al Gore invented the internet decades ago. It's only in the last 12-13 years that he got around to inventing the Web...

Geeze the things you learn in college! ;-)

@120 Cattt

So, instead of linking it, just tell everyone to google it. :)

I kinda figured this would happen after 2004. Some of the biggest political turning points (Swift Vets, Memogate being big ones) broke on the blogs. The right wing of the blogosphere did the most damage to the Dems chances last year, digging up dirt on Kerry that never would have made it past the cutting room floor of the MSM. So it only seems natural that the first thing the Dems would chose to do prior to 2008 is take control of the blogs, in order to control them as they now control the MSM.

Personally, I see the FEC trying to control blogs about as futile as the RIAA trying to go after file-swappers. Sure, they'll pick off the little fish and champion their "successes," but every "win" will simply motivate more people to the cause of bloggers. And bloggers will simply find ways around the law, to the point where the FEC will either give up and stop trying to enforce the law or start going after blog posters.

Wanna bet that no one on DU or the Indymedia will be too upset about this?

#134 zombie

Thank you!

As I said earlier, this must be the dumbest proposal I've ever heard of.

Everyone just breath, they can't do anything to bloggers period!, It's more of the moonbats crying about the election, anything they can say about the Republicans they will. ...now I'm definately off to bed w/ a big glass of orange juice, and Tylenol.

MCcain is just a liberal in sheeps clothing. I hope that choad does not run in 08.

You would think this came from Scrappleface.

I have about 60 days of leave on the books, and knowing the general attitude of the the gaggle of MILBLOGGERS out there; I know a lot of leave chits will fly if this passes.

If this goes, I'm watching here for the first "Blog march on Washington". Space A rooms at the BOQ at Andrews will go fast. I'm ready to go.

"Hell hath not furry as a blogger pissed."

Standing by.

In a word, Ammendment One baby! Short, sweet and a fine way to say 'Piss Off!'.

JFM

#145 Ringo the Gringo

Lieberman in a heart beat. I'd sooner vote for a guy that the Left avoids like the plague than a guy that they'd fall all over themselves to make president.

124 contractem 3/3/2005 02:23PM PST

I would not vote for you for dog catcher if I was in your state.

Why do dog catchers always get dissed?

LOL, oh no, please tell me I didn't offend someone with that line?

Anyway, to answer your question: The point wasn't so much to diss dog catchers, but rather to pick an office -- any office -- very far down on the political spectrum from US Senator. That's all.

@145 Ringo the gringo

Who would you vote for in 2008 if the Republicans were to nominate John McCain and the Democrats were to choose Joe Liberman?

No competition there...Lieberman.

/way out there wild ass dream

#149 SM

hi, SkippyMoment, how are you?

Cattt, hm

agreed, algore invented the internet and the [Link: WWW...]

#145

[i]Who would you vote for in 2008 if the Republicans were to nominate John McCain and the Democrats were to choose Joe Liberman?[/i]

Lieberman. No contest. McCain is a spineless jellyfish.

#124 contractem
#159 Moonbatbane

Um, wasn't the BTK suspect the dog catcher?

What does IIRC stand for?

#11 hornet:

They do want to ban lgf. That's what it's all about; lgf and other blogs which point to articles telling the truth about situations and the left doesn't like that. They call the truth "hate speech" because they hate hearing it.

#164 Lazarus

If I Recall (or Remember) Correctly

Chill, transparency is a worthy goal.

"Web sites endorsing or soliciting funds for federal candidates are considered political advertisements and must disclose the full name of the site's creator, state whether the opinions expressed on the site are authorized by the candidate, and report expenditures."

blogger - journalist - activist

I'd like know when the bias has been commissioned.

Ya know

The more I think about it

I wonder if this isn't really about MOVEON.ORG...

They have threatened to take over the party- and God know their tactics in the last campaign did more to HURT Kerry than help...

Think about it...
MOVEON.ORG has threatened to take over the Left---

Hmmm

So, how soon will Former Grand Kleagle Byrd be out, criticizing one of his own party for sponsering legislation that could ultimately result in the limiting or absolute abolishment of free speech here in the US?

OT

Big Nelson HAW HAW moment:

Peter Arnett has been reduced to disseminating his wacko conspiracy theories in Playboy.

HAW HAW

[Link: news.yahoo.com...]

#145, #162
You're overlooking one great big thing: The Democrats will nominate McCain LONG before the Repub's will.
The right might think some wierd things every so often, but we're not into political suicide.

"I'm a Reagan Republican"- John McCain

Sorry. Reagan had core beliefs that ran somewhere beyond aggrandizing himself.

#166 christheprofessor

Oh, I see. Thanks.

Btw, the moonbats at DU are discussing this proposal.

Guess what the very first comment was?

1. Republicans hate America for our freedom.

[Link: www.democraticunderground.com...]

#170 hm

As if Uday would be an improvement over Saddam... Arnett's a nutcase...

If they think they can use this as a hammer, the Left will throw away any constitutional concerns (as if they ever had any). They believe in Judges wielding power. It's the only avenue left for unpopular marxist schemes.

#'s 162, 160, 158,

I think that most people here would vote for Lieberman over McCain; I know that I would.

...but I also think that (#171) energyforcapital is right : "The Democrats will nominate McCain LONG before the Repub's will".

#161 christheprofessor

Busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest!

And sooo thankful that AlGore invented the internet. ;-)
Didn't he also invent clean air?

Or was that free speech? [his aren't free though. he charges a butt load of money to bore people out of their skulls]

As one of the hundred o so who stood in the Michigan victory party in 2000, whan McCain was at high tide, let me speak for the man.

He is as good as America gets. As Imus famously put it- the man can't comb his own hair because the VC broke both of his arms.

When McCain looks at the current method of political funding, and sees a gumball machine of cash for influence and favor. When he sees his colleagues scrambign for dollars and behaving like trained chimps for $500 donations, he questions how this demeans the process.

He did what he thought was the right thing and Washington drove circles around the laws with the 527 committees. Washington does not want politician unbeholden to the lobbyists and power brokers that vet people elected.

Just remember- Geroge Washington would take one look at the modern campaign process, from zero debate sound bites to sleazy campaign fundraisers to campaigns that are all about ripping down the other guy instead of a battle of ideas and just barf.

Our system has become unseemly, the best and brightest do not run for office and once they get in we can never toss them back out. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Truman, both Roosevelts and Adams could not get elected because they would not telegenic enough or too long winded, fat, crippled or tall enough to get elected.

After 8 years in the cage, Mc Cain was offerred his freedom but he had to leave his men behind. He stayed with his men. I have seen him handle the press, he is a walking briefing book; I trust him implicitly to defend this country. If he has challenged the adminstration or the collective wisdom on a few things it is because it is what he believes, I am not afraid of a man willing to lead and occaisionally get it wrong.

Go ahead. Unload on me...

#178 AG

No questioning McCain's patriotism -- just his judgment in gutting the First Amendment. We all make mistakes, agreed, but has he recognized this as a mistake yet?

Our system may seem unseemly, but limiting political speech is, IMO, not the solution...

#178,

He is an egostistical jackanapes who sold you a bill of goods.

CFR is his temper tantrum because HE was caught doing unethical things. His line of reasoning can best be distilled as "if even *I* can't resist the blandishments of lobbyists then something *must* be wrong..."

Yeah John there is something wrong.

Your lack of political integrity and ego are wrong. The Republic has stood for a long time without any of these politicians in charge left or right and as long as the current crop does not screw the pooch too hard it will last longer than any of us here. If John mcCain has trouble with personal integrity on PACs perhaps the honorable thing for him to do would be to quit rather than say destroying the forst amendment to protect incumbents?

I respect his service just like Rangle's but neither of them get to use that as a bulletproof vest regarding their post military antics.

MONEY IS SPEECH...

"Law" will never make this mythic 'level playing field' and McCain knows this and does not care because CFR left the press with all the cards and the press is NOT "fair".

The NRA has the NOW gang to offset its influence and if John McCain wants to perform an act of contrition for the Keating 5 let him resign not nuke my right to speak my mind.

John McCain is the Manchurian Candidate.

Upside: kos would be farked.

Downside: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Sorry, kos. We'll have to fark ya later.

#178- Oh, without a doubt McCain has the good of the country in his heart of hearts when he authors and sponsors legislation that merely provide an extra hurdle for the well-monied to jump over.

I also do not doubt that the Senator wants to provide for checks on behavior by elected officials resembling that in which he was implicated (and damn near ruined over) in the late eighties and early nineties. Lexis-Nexis has some on it (Charlie Keating, The Keating Five, Lincoln Savings campaign finance scandal, to name a few).

The problem is that he always seems to have very little in the way of an apparent will to say unpopular things to people who happen to HATE America.

Good American or not, I spent fifteen years in Arizona (even voted for him once!) watching people who got in between John McCain and a TV camera get trampled . He's one of the reasons I left Arizona.

I'm not unloading, really. I'm also not dumping on anybody who viscerally feels that they could trust a President McCain. I've just seen too much of him to feel that way.
efc

OT

Rather Cries During Interviews, Still Believes Memos Authentic

#186

lol

This is insane,the DUers are saying this is a republican conspiracy to shut down sites like DU and Daily Kos because of,(get this)"GANNONGATE".

What makes the irony especially delicious is that they are saying this when the article clearly states it is because of the democrats on the commission and judge Kotex.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha

Read the comments

[Link: www.democraticunderground.com...]

For all its lofty aspirations, McCain Feingold did not ban the assinine franking privelege that provides free postage for Congressional incumbents to send out "informational" mailings to their constituents. Funny how the mailings are timed to arrive in the heat of the campaign and that the information is pure propaganda bloviating all the great things the incumbent has accomplished during his term. But that's not campaigning, of course.

McCain is a opportunistic hypocrite whose primary loyalty is to his political career. Feingold is *spit*.

#188,

the Kosbys NEVER fail to amuse and neither do the DUmmies...

"Geroge Washington would take one look at the modern campaign process, from zero debate sound bites to sleazy campaign fundraisers to campaigns that are all about ripping down the other guy instead of a battle of ideas and just barf.

Our system has become unseemly, the best and brightest do not run for office and once they get in we can never toss them back out. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Truman, both Roosevelts and Adams could not get elected because they would not telegenic enough or too long winded, fat, crippled or tall enough to get elected."

Your argument has nothing to do with campaign contributions, but has a lot to do with the direct election of US Senators. Perhaps you think that men of character would serve if they were originally elected by the state legislatures, as originally intended? And perhaps there wouldn't be as much money invested in the process if it were done that way, too? (instead of a senator owing his election to a lobbyist, he'd owe it to his legislature, and would a lobbyist try to bribe each individual legislator that would choose a senator?)

By the way, I've seen PLENTY of fat, short, and long-winded politicians reach office. Do I need to mention Gerald Nadler or Charlie Rangel? Or do telegenic rules only apply to Republicans?

#190 sven

Indeed,that's why I had to link,so I could share the mirth.

#192 TotallySirius,

What is quaint is that they are a lot like Chutch...

EVERYTHING is all about them and their fight against "the man", never mind that they are in fact in this case "the man"...

Democrats they name is convoluted.

I just used the link to send Mr McCain my thoughts on the matter.
What good does it do to go half way around the world and risk your life for the constitution only to come home and destroy the constitution yourself?
McCain and Fiengold did more to destroy our constitution then any foreign enemy, including OBL, ever did.
I will put up w/ a dem in the white house for another 4 years before I put up w/ McCain in the white house.
As a certain talk show hosts keeps reminding us, there's a certain number of Replublicans in the congress who try so desperately to get the MSM to like them, but in the end all they end up being are patsies for the LLL.

#193,

Democrats THY name is conoluted...

"pimf" *sigh*

They'll have to pry my blog away from my cold, dead fingers.

#195 "convoluted"...I am gonna have to stop my 3 typo limit for the same thread has been reached...well maybe I'll just stop watching the movie while I type.

I'm beginning to despise mc cain more and more each day. Why is'nt this guy running as a demoncrat. Regulate the Internet. How about regulating the activists judges and aclu types. Leave the last bastion of my sanity alone.lol

#24 zombie

any new law about Internet content will fail a constitutional challenge

Why hasn't the first McCain Feingold been shot down. And what if Kennedy, (another gift that keeps on giving), decides it's the "will of the people"?

If they do this, I'm gonna flip out

I've never protested anything. But I will if they try to put a muzzle on bloggers.

this is communist

I will never stop blogging.

NEVER. Try and silence me,

go ahead..make my day

Didn't read the thread, but

As far as I am concerned its as much SCOTUS's fault as anyones. They are out of control.

"In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign’s Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate’s press release to a mailing list, depending on the details, could be punished by fines"

Three words:

Stupid...Phuckin'...Assholes.

Go ahead, you dumbass tyrant wannabes, pass your law in furtherance of your unconstitutional (IMO) "Campaign Finance Law" scheme.

You know what will happen?

A surge in the offshore Internet server business, business as usual on the blogosphere...and you assholes will be creamed.

Bitch-slapped, pimp-sticked, and beaten like red-headed lisping step-children at the polls, and tossed onto the shit-heap of history along with others of your ilk.

At least until we get a SCOTUS that overturns your Stalininst laws.

I recall the ultra-tard Clinton when he pushed his "V-chip" nonsense. Overedumacated hillbilly bastard didn't reckon that it was going to end up being programmed by 12-year-olds, who would then be able to determine what their PARENTS would watch...Duh!

Where's Clinton now? Damn near a "non-person" ain't he?

There's room in that box for you fascist assholes too.

Sent the following e-mail to John and Russ and a slightly amended one to my Texas senators, too:

I have just read a disturbing editorial about the FEC limiting the free speech of U.S. citizens. I am referring to the FEC's discussions to apply FEC campaign rules to Web Logs (Blogs). Any support for legislation or court rulings limiting free speech on the internet will be the new "third rail" of American politics. Just as the Afghanis, Iraqis and Lebanese have been emboldened by democracy, so too are Americans. Any legislation that impedes the free flow of information on the internet will be seen by "we, the people", as an attempt to crush public discourse. Please do not support the FEC in this matter. And, please admit your campaign finance reform law was a disastrous mistake.

#145 Ringo the Gringo 3/3/2005 02:37PM PST

Here's a hypothetical question for you all...

Who would you vote for in 2008 if the Republicans were to nominate John McCain and the Democrats were to choose Joe Liberman?

That one's easy: Joe wins my vote.

Here's a more interesting question: How about McCain vs. Hillary? (I think I wouldn't vote for the first time in my life.)

#206 Moonbat Bane,

I think I'd pull the lever for Hilly to help speed up the destruction of the donks in your scenario.

MCCain would govern in a similar fashion, but the blame would be borne by the GOP for years. Trust me the MSM is only in love with the GOP flava of the month when they are NOT in power. The minute Johnny Mac was in charge the bloom would fall.

If Her Majesty were in charge she would poison the moonbats grasps for power for likely two or three cycles.

Here is hoping it stays a hypothetical.

#204 Rayra 3/3/2005 04:45PM PST

right. and anybody getting 10,000 template-matching letters are going to laugh and dismiss it as 1.
Sent my own, thanks.

You are, of course, basically correct. It would be best for everyone to write their own letter. The sad thing is that many people simply aren't that comfortable or ambitious enough to do so. However, they will cut-and-paste a letter.

1,000 original letters = good. 1,000 original letters + 1,000 template letters = at least a little better, IMHO.

OK..so here we are in one of these "Cycles". One side wants to crackdown and limit BLOGS...And the Next side..wants to now apply "decency standards" to HBO and the rest.

We are in one of these "cycles" for sure.

Newest news: Maryland is to be a total NON Smoking STATE. Isn't that just charming and part of the same cycle.

G-d I'm sick and tired of "strangers" telling me what to do and what to watch..and what to say..and what to EAT...and what medicines I am allowed to take...even tho I paid for Rand D all these years.

Newest...they are limiting Sudafed. (substitute for Allegra when I can manage it and less expensive).cause a few people are cooking it into Meth. Well... GO get THEM...not stop inconveniencing people with diagnosed allergies from picking up SudafedAlergy Med...at their store without either asking your Pharmacist and watching him check if you dared get a box more than they wanted you to get in ANOTHER drug Store. I say..this is just the start of this crap.
Deamonizing one medication after the other...taken in NORMAL quantities... SHOOT...this isn't good. (Notice ..they arent limiting the "I Cant Get it Up Drugs". They know almost anyone can get it off the Internet without Perscription..They KNOW young men get it despite no real MEDICAL for using it..and the Feds are NOT going after this and limiting this..or even making any big deal about the side effects (sorry guys..had to say it) but SUDAFED...WOW...they better fix this horrible problem.

Its ONE issue and area after the other with alarmist, made up, blown up...reasons..Its the CHIL..DREN...or its TERRORISM...or its HEALTH CONCERNS...Im sick of it.

Kos should support blog regulations openly. It's the least they can do to can *ensure* it fails. As my friend just said, get Shrum to support it too and it's a lock.

1st Amendment lament...

There will come a time when citizens of the "New Age" will look back and dream of the time when freedom of speech and thought was not a thing of history... -- ZZB

---
ZZ Bachman / ZardozZ News & Satire Portal
Have a Blog? Ring Surf it @ ZZ OpenRing

coordinated communications regulation

The Soviet Union dressed up their oppression in nicer descriptive terms.

I blame McCain-Feingold, President aBush, Congress, the Supreme Court... Lots of villains here. They really messed up. Thank you for trashing the 1st Amendment people.

President Bush signed McCain-Feingold didn't he? Seems he, along with the rest, forgot their oath(s).

209 -

Newest news: Maryland is to be a total NON Smoking STATE. Isn't that just charming and part of the same cycle.

Wait, Fast food and snack foods are next...

You just gotta love the MD House and Senate. 'For the people and ..."

This may not be a problem. See this, and if that does not solve it, then this might.

#215--Fast food is already in the cross hairs. They came down on the Fast Food places so hard with a UNSPOKEN THREAT to them,,,Change or we will LEGISLATE YOU...that the Fast Food people changed their menu AND they are gonna downsize. You will eventually be paying the same amount of money for much small PORTIONS.

You do know that many low income people have their ONLY meal, which was generous from these fast food places. Thats what they could afford to spend for "dinner". It also was enough for them to hold them till breakfast. Same with OLDER people who could not afford to eat a full breakfast, lunch and dinner. They depended on these Fast Food (yes not as nutritious as it should be) places to get filled up.. NOW...because of busy bodies in County, State and Fed Govnt..these places are cutting down on the amount they give you for the price. What a shame for rather a large segment of our community.

I dont want complete strangers telling ME what to EAT. I didn't like my parents doing it and certainly NOT the Fed Govnt.

Research? It is real or is it ADVOCACY Research? Cant even trust Med Research to be real and not Agenda Driven Research.

Im so totally sick and tired of this.