Listen to Franken. The Google-Verizon deal will just be the first domino. Don't let this become one of those issues where everyone, a few years too late, goes "WTF! How did that happen?"

This deal will not be "the first domino" -- the dominos have been falling for decades. Some crazy conspiracy theorists, names like Bagdikian, McChesney, Chomsky and Herman, and others have been beating the drum long before this DLC hack spoke up.

Fer fucks sake, people! Franken knows full well nothing he says will have any affect on the issue because the issue's already been decided. He can grandstand and make nice speeches and his corporate telecom friends still get what they want.

Duncan is right, the first domino fell sometime back when homo sapiens sapiens started to use tools, as Noam Chomsky probably observed at the time via a talking drum, because if anyone could do that kind of time traveling, he could. I bet Chomsky predicted the end of net neutrality even before there was an internet--he's that good.

Franken's premise is that if we don't act corporate control of media will have deleterious effects on information flow. While I support the conclusion - net neutrality - the premise is like the lead-in to a comedy skit.

N E

I bet Chomsky predicted the end of net neutrality even before there was an internet--he's that good.

At the risk of sounding argumentative, you really ought to spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with what he says. Then you would realize the ridiculousness of the above comment.

scudbucket

I was just teasing Duncan for quibbling, and please don't be ashamed of being argumentative. Some of my favorite thinkers were VERY argumentative, especially those 19th century guys like Marx. Frankly, I have forgotten more Chomsky than I ever knew, but he's brilliant when he isn't talking about dead Presidents or whacky false flag mass murders.

Anyway, I received a copy of Nagel's The View From Nowhere. It looks like it might hurt my head, but I'll try to read it for a little while. I still haven't received the other books you recommended on propaganda, the name of the author of which is slipping my mind, but next month I imagine I will get it. I'll keep you posted, because I might understand that one.