NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] New Low for Anti-Net-Neutrality, Anti-Google Forces: Blame Obama!
New Low for Anti-Net-Neutrality, Anti-Google Forces: Blame Obama!
http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000463.html
Greetings. The election is over, but it appears that one of the
most visible spokesmen for anti-network-neutrality ISPs, and for
Google-haters more broadly, is merrily borrowing a page from John
McCain's losing "guilt-by-association" playbook.
Scott Cleland, President of Precursor LLC and chairman of its
wholly-owned "anti-neutrality ISPs' mouthpiece" subsidiary
Netcompetition.org ( http://www.netcompetition.org ), is a
master of trying to divert substantive arguments into the bottomless
pit of meaninglessness. He shamelessly has been attempting to
negatively and inaccurately entwine Google and network neutrality
arguments through various writings and public testimony.
I have previously critiqued
( http://www.nnsquad.org/archives/nnsquad/msg01141.html ) some of
Cleland's statements, and I'm on record as having been in favor of
the (now defunct) Google/Yahoo ad deal as a positive step toward
helping to ensure vibrant ad competition in the future
( http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000457.html ).
But in his latest anti-Google tirade
( http://tinyurl.com/cleland-anti-google ) regarding that dead ad
plan, Cleland stoops to what may be a new low, and appears to now be
casting aspersions on President-elect Obama and his upcoming
administration. Cleland apparently is concerned that Obama has been
seen "palling around" with Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and Cleland
seems to be nonsensically suggesting that Schmidt's (quite
reasonable, in my opinion) personal endorsement of Obama now
presages some sort of sweetheart deal between the Obama
administration and Google.
Cleland's continuing anti-net-neutrality, anti-Google vendetta seems
to know no bounds.
However, I try to be helpful whenever I can, and given Cleland's
attitude, I'd like to suggest a possible spokeswoman for his cause
who might be a perfect fit: Sarah Palin! Rumor is she'll have some
spare time on her hands for a while at least, and she won't even
need a new wardrobe to look stylish when providing public testimony
for Cleland's organizations. Talk about a match made in heaven!
Just an idea. You betcha by golly!
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren@vortex.com or lauren@pfir.org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
- People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, NNSquad
- Network Neutrality Squad - http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com