Barack Obama lamented Sunday that “with iPads and iPods,” information has become a distraction that is putting new pressures on the U.S.A. and “democracy.”
“‘You’re coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank all that high on the truth meter,’ Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia,” AFP reports. “‘With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation,’ Obama said.”
MacDailyNews Note: During the 2008 election, KCAL-TV covered Candidate Obama’s advertisements placed inside eighteen of Microsoft’s Xbox video games:
Direct link via YouTube here.
AFP continues, “He bemoaned the fact that ‘some of the craziest claims can quickly claim traction,’ in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets. ‘All of this is not only putting new pressures on you, it is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy… We can’t stop these changes… but we can adapt to them,’ Obama said, adding that US workers were in a battle with well-educated foreign workers. ‘Education… can fortify you, as it did earlier generations, to meet the tests of your own time,’ he said.”
Full article here.
Obama’s commencement address at Hampton University:
Direct link via YouTube here.
[Update: 2:08pm EDT. Pulled the Take because the point we were attempting to make seems to have been either too satirical or not satirical enough. Our fault, not yours. We blame the weekend help.]
[Update: 11:37pm EDT. Added link to 2008 report on Obama campaign’s ads in Xbox video games. Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
[Update: 11:59pm EDT. Added link to Obama’s commencement address at Hampton University. Thanks to MacDailyNews reader “Algr” for the heads up and the nice compliment.]
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “TowerTone” for the AFP article heads up.]
Nope. Can’t have the President of the United States being distracted by facts and information. Nope. That would never do.
This is the guy whose brilliance and swagger was supposed to make us blissfully forget W?
Well, Mr. President doesn’t know how to run iPad, hopefuly, he does better job running the country…
Nope he wasn’t misquoted.
Sad
What a freaking “dictator”. Let’s control the media. That’s communism at it’s core.
Geez, even cats know how to use iPads!
“information is a distrction”–Barack Obama
hummm, how he comes to decide his il-logical policies make a little more sense.
Be afraid…Be very afraid!!!
He stepped in it this time. He may have been lamenting the demise of professional journalism (a la Newsweek being sold), but his choice of gadgets was clearly ignorantly chosen.
“With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation,” Obama said.
———————————–
Translation: Information becomes ever more accessible and every lie is immediately verified as such and every source is instantly vetted. With such tools in the hands of the proletariat, the Vox Populi tends to drown out the tired clichés of an impotent and ineffective government. Don’t waste your time gathering information. Just do what we tell you.
Since he doesn’t know how to work these devices, perhaps he’s unaware that there’s an “off” switch? It’s really very similar to the things he may be more familiar with, such as radio and television: you can turn it on when you like, you can choose what you want to see or hear ( or not ), and you can turn it off when you’re sick to death of all the crap it’s filled with.
I think you’re all missing the point. You know how writers bastardize Apple products and spout their opinions about falsehoods just to get ratings and hits.
American people in general are pretty freaking stupid and will believe anything as long as it’s in print, or for this matter online in an article.
The digital age is allowing for more anonymity and a lot less accountability for stupid actions. This is what he’s saying.
Basically, don’t believe everything you read.
Pi has spoken.
Ironic from the president that throws himself in front of cameras more than any predecessor. He was a big fan of technology and the free flow of ideas when he was campaigning.
Reading comprehension must be missing today @MDN.
He also said,
What Jefferson recognized… that in the long run, their improbable experiment — called America — wouldn’t work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn’t have the best interests of all the people at heart.
“It could only work if each of us stayed informed and engaged, if we held our government accountable, if we fulfilled the obligations of citizenship.”
At least try to be fair.
Dale
From a President whom used social media more than any other President to win an election? I’m shocked he could be so bland about products that are shinning and shaping in our poor economy. Quite out of touch.
It’s not the information that’s the problem, but what one does with it and the lack of balance in one’s life, that Obama is lamenting. Instead of coverage of what’s really important like nuclear reduction talks or environmental issues, we get 24/7 coverage of Tiger’s Wood and “American Idol”.
Wouldn’t hurt any of us to shut off the TV and video games, put the iPad and iPod to sleep, and go outside and really get to know one’s world. And those of you who still can, hug your moms today; mine’s been gone for 5 years now and I still miss her. 🙁
Any U.S President, regardless of party, who would reign in free speech makes us very nervous. Perhaps, Obama misspoke or was misquoted. We hope that is the case
I’m hardly Obama’s biggest fan, but I’ve read the quotes MDN provided five times, where the hell was there *any* mention or even hint of reigning in free speech!?
“Too much info puts pressures on democracy” (paraphrased) is nowhere near “and we must take measures to stop it!”
No, I’m not going to bother reading the linked article, because if there was anything that alluded to it, MDN should have quoted it already!
This is again a political troll post by MDN, carefully cutting off the article quote before Obama’s operative statement quoted in the article:
“We can’t stop these changes… but we can adapt to them,” Obama said, adding that US workers were in a battle with well-educated foreign workers.
“Education… can fortify you, as it did earlier generations, to meet the tests of your own time,” he said.
Nowhere did he even hint at wanting to curtail the freedom of speech, nor has he ever done that anywhere else to my knowledge.
MDN, you should really collect a bit of journalistic integrity, even if your political preferences may make that hard to achieve.
Pitiful political manipulation, nothing else. Rush Limbaugh would be proud.
Surely it is high time to put the democrats in charge if the truth meter… don’t ya think?
AppleInsider.com
All the news
None of the bullshit politics
PR: AppleInsider.com
All the news
None of the bullshit politics
I’m beginning to see your point.
Obama is a dog. Sorry dogs.
My take on it is the same information network that helped destroy any chance for G.W. to succeed from day one and helped, actually guaranteed, President Obama’s election, is now noticing how unqualified, no matter the intentions (good or bad) his administration is.
When you put the right shoe on the left foot, the President becomes uncomfortable.
But when you put the left shoe on the right foot, the nation becomes uncomfortable….
The democrats have trying for year to introduce the truth meter in Talk Radio…
Scary stuff!
These people aren’t just stupid, they are dangerous!
Also, when he was referring to devices he doesn’t know how to work, I think he was talking about video game systems like Xbox and Playstation…in which he has much in common with many of his generation (I’m just a few years older and in the same boat). Remember, Obama’s no Luddite; he used his MacBook extensively on the campaign, especially iChat to stay in touch with his family, and jokes about him and his Blackberry abounded.
Is nobody willing to admit that medias can be very saturating… if all you do is constatly haging at your ear-phones?
Doesn’t need to be that smart to notice that many are zombified by external claims.
take a little retreat and do not always criticize somebody as soon as he starts to think a bit further than common people…
In a dictatorial government it is essential that there be a single source of information. A single voice espoused from a single, overaching and unchallenged authority. That source is the Democratic party, and it’s voice is Chairman Obama.
Furthermore… The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen. – Tommy Smothers
Done. I’ve put up with years of political garbage needlessly being inserted on this site, masquerading as Apple news. Fine, it’s MDN’s site, it’s their right to choose what to post. However, I now exercise *my* right to “not listen” to the ads (i.e. block them) on this site.
Let’s see how much MDN values free speech. This is perfectly on topic (especially compared to the political comments that get posted to and remain on completely non-political MDN articles), let’s see if this post is still here by the end of the day.
I do not think he expressed an anti-free-speech point-of-view. The problem he suggests is that some people give the same weight to things they read from commenters on blogs as they do from experts in a particular field. Also, the news has become much more tabloid than journalism, and they have abandoned their traditional role of fleshing out fact from fiction. To the contrary, they seem to relish fanning the flames.
We, as Americans, are bombarded with information, and I have noticed that instead of using this historically-enviable position to become well-informed, people mainly seek out points-of-view that validate the beliefs they already hold. It is a major problem for public discourse, and without an informed electorate, democracy is crippled.
He’s a digital immigrant wheras the kids are digital natives.
What a moron! Even a child can use an iPhone / ipad….
I hate politicians. They really ate useless.
Informatio……ooo, Keyboard Cat!
Informa……ooo, what is Kim Kardashian doing now? No….
Informat…..ooo, so that is how you remove a tree stump…..
Info…..the new iPhone? Pictures? Whoa!
In…..They found Noah’s Ark? Really?
Get ready to have your post deleted, MDN believe in free speech as long as you agree with them.Otherwise they censor, or ban you altogether!
The only argument worth having is one where the opposing points of view are sincere, logically constructed and willing to work towards some kind of compromise. If one party is not acting in this kind of good faith then there is nothing worth talking about.
Scary communist-like statements aside….Obama, you just became out of touch with the very people who got you elected. Those people that use technology including iPods and iPads. Also, the iPod and iPad are tools for Education, look at what’s going on in schools around the country, K-12 and HiEd, these are Education tools not just for entertainment. Pretty sad that this guy is giving a speech to a class of graduating university students and does not even know what tools are being used these days to teach. Out of touch. By that way Obama, my two year old knows how to use an iPad!!
roguedog: In a dictatorial government it is essential that there be a single source of information. A single voice espoused from a single, overaching and unchallenged authority. That source is the Democratic party, and it’s voice is Chairman Obama.
That is sheer stupidity. There is absolutely nothing in the actual article that would support this kind of paranoia.
Obama was advocating literacy and education as means of self-defense against the constant barrage of information through all channels, some of it being of dubious merit.
Ironically, the blatantly distorted mis-quote by MDN above is a case in point: If you are lacking in education to the degree that you will fall for any half-baked manipulation (as you obviously have), what is needed is not banning free speech, what is needed is you realizing that you are being manipulated!
That was his point – and both MDN and yourself have provided prime examples of him being absolutely right about it!
Get an education!
Don’t let yourself be manipulated!
Think for yourself and look for factual, original information instead of being content with regurgitated ideology!
The point is not that you should come to one specific conclusion – the point is that you should make a real effort to have your conclusions as realistic and as close to the truth as possible!
this is seriously a new low for this site. why not give the full quote?
No surprise.
Obama doesn’t trust the people to be able to fend for themselves. It’s a classic hallmark of the liberal elite.
Thelonius Muck: Another bit of rubbish from the mainframe of “Shallow Thought”
@Ping
+1
@Thomas Very well said…you have articulated the point I believe the President was making.
The perfect example is this CRAZY idea that has taken hold among the conservative blogosphere that Obama was not born in Hawaii. Now we have an Army Doctor who is refusing to serve until Obama proves to him personally that he is the legitimate Commander in Chief.
I’d be pretty disillusioned too if half the country decided I was not really born in the U.S., despite all evidence to the contrary.
MacDailyNews and all of you anti-Obama freaks are just a bunch of ignorant assholes. Grow up!
Superior Being: No surprise.
Obama doesn’t trust the people to be able to fend for themselves. It’s a classic hallmark of the liberal elite.
Yes, he does, read the actual article, don’t fall for the manipulative and blatantly false commentary by MDN.
If anything, “liberal elite” is expressed in his remarks by him advocating the “liberal elitist” ideas of everybody getting the best possible education so they’re able to withstand misinformation and manipulation.
For a “superior being” you still have some way to go there.
Yes. I am done with MDN, too. Imagine advocating free unfettered speech – what will they do next, back voting rights for all?
oh man, I had obamas back up until this moment.
if he doesn’t understand how they work why is he commenting?
and by this logic, we should shut down all television and newspapers.
are smoke signals too much of a distraction? what about grunting? we should all just dig a hole and live in it alone I guess.
Obama is talking about misinformation and people being bombarded with untruths and taking it as fact without checking. Simple.
Since when did this site become Fox Daily News?
They should just put a huge stars and stripes image in the background and say people are unpatriotic if they deny Jesus.
And George bush was dumb? He doesn’t know how to operate a playstation but he has the codes and the nuclear football. Good grief. Sorry your golf game got distracted.
Dense Mass: Yes. I am done with MDN, too. Imagine advocating free unfettered speech – what will they do next, back voting rights for all?
MDN’s commentary was blatant poltical manipulation –Obama nowhere even hinted at wanting to curtail free speech.
This site is gettung utterly disgusting.
” SSL
Well, Mr. President doesn’t know how to run iPad, hopefuly, he does better job running the country…”
Not so far, he hasn’t…now we know why!
MDN
I read the whole article. Sure glad I did because your take on it is clearly to misinform us. I suggest YOU read the whole article, several times until you get it.
Oh really?? Well, sir.. you’ve forgotten devices that has been around for decades… RADIOs and TVs, far more “dangerous” than any iPod or iPad.
“Information is the currency of democracy.”– Thomas Jefferson
“ApplePi
I think you’re all missing the point. You know how writers bastardize Apple products and spout their opinions about falsehoods just to get ratings and hits.
American people in general are pretty freaking stupid and will believe anything as long as it’s in print, or for this matter online in an article.
The digital age is allowing for more anonymity and a lot less accountability for stupid actions. This is what he’s saying.
Basically, don’t believe everything you read.
Pi has spoken.”
And revealed yourself as the fool you so obviously are.
Hey, Chavez is looking for a few good men in Venezuela. Have a nice trip.
Folks, just try for a second to use a little discernment when you read something. Only people with an agenda take things literally and get their panties twisted into such a bundle. President Obama is not now or has he ever advocated limiting free speech. He’s just encouraging everyone – as he always has – to try and use speech a bit more intelligently and thoughtfully. Fat chance if these comments are any indication — including MDN’s ridiculous commentary. The hallmark of the right these days is to start with a ludicrous and biased pre-supposition “Obama is a Fascist, or a Socialist, or (god forbid) a Liberal!” – then take anything he says and read whatever one wants into it without using the least bit of subtlety in discerning what he is actually trying to say. The fact is Obama is an extreme moderate. The health care bill, which is supposedly his big socialist experiment, is actually mostly a Republican concoction made up of ideas originally proposed by Nixon, Dole, Grassley, McCain and others. Even the SOCIALIST MANDATE decried by conservatives was originally a Republican idea, proposed to counter the Clinton healthcare bill of the early 90’s. Read up on this people. Stop your ludicrous rants. This is exactly what President Obama is talking about. Not stopping free speech, but taking personal responsibility for questioning ones own use of free speech and asking whether it’s a worthwhile contribution or the equivalent of a brain fart on Facebook.
Obama has nothing to do with freedom or democracy.
I have seen right through who and what he is from the very start.
Obama is America’s first Marxist president.
on second thought i wonder if this post is meant to serve as an example of what Obama is saying: unless people actually read things for themselves then they can easily be manipulated.
MDN says to go read the full article where the full quote and the context clearly defuse any of the worries mentioned in their Take. Yet, as demonstrated by the comments here, few people read the full article and instead rely on the Take and end up with opinions radically divorced from the facts.
nice work MDN, very well crafted.
I don’t want censorship or a reining in of free speach. What I would like is for the media to start doing their job again. Investigate, fact-check and report. THEN facilitate discussion of opinion. The problem with the 24/7 news cycle as it is today is there’s no ability to keep issues in their proper perspective. The insignificant crackpot and superficial tangent gets as much attention and credibility as the truly important, world-changing fact.
When it comes to Obama, MDN is not in the least bit credible. When it comes to politics, the emperor here wears no clothes. Shame on you for blasting this headline without- as you say- not being sure if he’s being misquoted or what the context was.
Sickening. I really expected more from this site and people who are supposedly intelligent enough to be Mac users.
Grasping at straws to advance a political obsession. Maybe Obama pulled a Biden. Not once have a seen MDN comment on an evil, inflammatory, ignorant remark by Glenn beck, Sarah Palin, Bill jerkoff and that other Big Fat Idiot.
I wonder why… Obscenity is in the eye of the beholder. Take a good, good, look, MDN! Now take another!
@: chgodane
Yes he has. But that’s okay. Keep kissing his ass and saying what he wants to hear, you’ll do fine.
Obama is a Marxist and is intent on destroying the one lone free country in the world. He is a traitor and should be tried in a court of law and then hung.
Oh, shit. I’m writing this on an iPad – I must be WRONG!!!
Kruschev was so right – America has fallen and we did it to ourselves.
“Since when did this site become Fox Daily News”
Since Feb.09, or was it Nov.08? Can’t remember.
@ “Handsome” Smitty
Your post simply confirms Obama’s and my point. Thank you for that.
Obama is a Marxist and is intent on destroying the one lone free country in the world.
in virtue of what is the US the “one lone [sic] free country in the world”?
MDN and many commenters here just proved Obama’s point. In fact, even though the text of the article clarifies his intentions, the AFP article’s title invited sensationalism and distraction.
For those interested in the actual speech:
http://www.necn.com/05/09/10/President-delivers-Hampton-U-commencemen/landing_nation.html?blockID=231559&feedID=4207
I really hope MDN would avoid stepping in it with this political trolling. Being biased with respect to Apple and its products is part of MDN’s identity, and most MDN readers know that and accept it, if not truly enjoy it. Political affiliation is not an announced MDN trait. If this is kind of political opinion is something MDN wants to promote, perhaps a change in the web site’s title is called for. At least your readers would know what to expect.
If everyone was not indoctrinated and read the declaration of independence, the constitution and the federalist papers this clown traitor Obama would be impeached and subsequently jailed for treason.
The society being asleep lead to HIS OWN ELECTION, and then the emperor with no clothes lashes out at the mechanism of his own victory!? Unreal.
“We trust our readers’ abilities implicitly.”
Perhaps MDN was wrong to think so highly of their readership’s abilities.
Only mike k. (May 09, 10 – 01:42 pm) seems to have gotten it so far.
“The suggestion of any U.S President, regardless of party, who would call information a “distraction” or “diversion” makes us nervous. Perhaps, Obama misspoke or was misquoted or we’re misunderstanding what he meant. We hope any one of them is the case.”
You misunderstood. He was saying that there is so much out there to keep us busy, people giver far less attention to information and democracy than to their diversions. In that state, some of the worst lies can gain traction.
I swear, you right-wingers don’t wait for a Democrat to say something stupid. You wait for a Democrat to say *anything* so you can twist it into something it isn’t. Oh yeah, and MDN is a hit whore.
Based on his remarks, it’s tempting to put Obama in the same category with Microsoft, Adobe and Google – a peddler of low-quality crap and an advocate of ignorance – and say that Apple should treat him accordingly.
But what really matters is whether Rahm Emanuel can get Eric Holder shut down on his efforts to file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. If Emanual can keep the attorney general under control, Obama can babble any nonsense he likes, and no worries for Apple. But if Holder goes after Apple, then Obama will earn the opprobrium of the Apple community.
MDN, this libertarian streak you’re going on is a little beyond the pale. Is this a site that covers Mac news and information, or is it a branch of FoxNews? I used to come here as a primary source of Mac news, but with your vitriolic rants — they were once devilishly clever, astute takes, but now they’re condescending and bitter — and your predictable, Pavlovian political screeds anytime the name Obama is mentioned, I’m nearing the point where I will be seeking information about the Macintosh elsewhere.
You should really think about toning it down. Yes you do have a right to your opinion, but a LOT of liberals use Macs and you kinda need us to view the ads that keep your site alive. Slanted takes like this are not going to endear us to the site.
“What Jefferson recognized… that in the long run, their improbable experiment — called America — wouldn’t work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn’t have the best interests of all the people at heart.
“It could only work if each of us stayed informed and engaged, if we held our government accountable, if we fulfilled the obligations of citizenship.”
At least try to be fair.”
He can’t. He’s a Republican.
“My take on it is the same information network that helped destroy any chance for G.W. to succeed from day one “
Yeah, because Duhhhbya’s incompetence had nothing to do with it.
Come on, let’s go to three pages!
Next time I see Sarah Palin’s fscking face on this sight, I’m installing an ad blocker.
Leave it to the MDN Repulitard corps of commentors to not understand what he’s really trying to say here, and start trolling out their long line of Fox News talking points.
Drool on, dittoheads!
Nice hit whoring MDN! You guys are giving Dvorak a run for his money.
Sounds about par for this bunch. They really don’t think they have to explain thier actions, statements, etc. much less defend them.
I’m a douchebag!
“And revealed yourself as the fool you so obviously are.
Hey, Chavez is looking for a few good men in Venezuela. Have a nice trip.”
Usual right-wing closed thinking. Don’t agree with them? Must be a traitor.
Yes he is absolutely correct. No one should get any information other than that provided by the state run main stream media. Dissenting opinions should be stifled or outlawed.
“Yeah, because Duhhhbya’s incompetence had nothing to do with it.”
As with this President?
“Usual right-wing closed thinking. Don’t agree with them? Must be a traitor.”
Maybe they don’t agree with him because they feel he is a traitor.
You are not showing much of an open mind, Scot.
Thanks for pulling the take — but not because it wasn’t satirical enough, but because it was off base.
Obama was not calling for a control of information sources, but rather for the students to use discernment when judging the validity of the source. Most of them probably ran into teachers who marked down papers that used as their one source Wikipedia, for example; this is just an extension of that philosophy. And rather than just take the parrottings of anyone on either side of the political spectrum at face value, we need to look at the facts and evaluate them accordingly.
And let’s face it, much of the information available on the Internet and in the media is mostly dreck.
Hey Hussein, talk to your buddy Gore, he invented the Internet…
maybe he can turn it off for you!
@MDN.
You pulled the take because it was “either too satirical or not satirical enough”…?
Uh-huh.
Whatever the reason, I think it was best to remove it.
Reading and comprehension is at an all time low in America these days. May I suggest that before formulating an opinion about any news quote that you take the time to read the whole article, then put aside your slated views for a moment and digest the information for what it is. Don’t let your little pea brains turn it into something more than what it is.
#1 This is very similar to the excellent commencement address that President Obama recently gave at the University of Michigan.
He’s right, there are more 24/7 diversions and distractions than ever before, and many new outlets for information,many are not very legitimate. (I’m looking at you Faux Nues) The tech commentary is a joke, (not as polished as the UofM one) and you’d have to be a fool to not understand it.
#2 If MDN continues it’s recent ill-advised foray into political commentary, they will lose a long-time reader. Not only is it not appropriate, you’re just not that good at it.
Obama is worried about the Internet bombarding people with propaganda.
But what about CNN, CBS, ABCDECF…
Great statement by Obama and reveals how limited the appeal of iPad to mature adults. We like real computers for our work, not this toy.
You guys should be greatful…
Until Obama explained it like that, I could never understand why China is censoring the Internet.
Again with the politics? MDN, your “satire” needs serious work. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Perhaps you should stick to “Mac News”. You know, the stuff most of us come here for?
If you’re here to mimic Faux News garbage, then I’m certain a lot of us can get our “Where Mac News Comes First” from another outlet. You’re NOT the only game in town.
Besides, after reading some of the comments here, I’m embarrassed to admit I visit MDN. Some of you folks need to reign in your unfounded hate. It will consume you in the end.
MISGUIDINGLY LAME from Mr.Obama to connect whatever he talked about to iPods and iPads, as well as XBoxes and PS3s. ***Nothing*** bombards you on those devices unless you specifically want it.
Also, it is ridiculous to talk about that he does not know how to work on iPod or iPad. There is nothing to know — you just work (play).
“He bemoaned the fact that ‘some of the craziest claims can quickly claim traction,’ in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets.”
Who is making the crazy claims Emperor O?
I distinctly saw you spreading the BS that illegals could be arrested while eating at the ice-cream parlor. Total propaganda! from the biggest fake ever to besmirch the Whitehouse.
The technology lament is not directed at the products- they are nothing more than a neutral conveyance of information. Just
Ike when people ranted about earlier technology, they can be used for good or bad.
despite MDN take, there is a real problem here. it is not just whoever is in the oval office. it is the fact that so many people who vote cannot think for themselves and have to let someone else influence them. that intellectual shallowness is what is making this country globally uncompetitive. doesn’t matter if you listen to keith oberman or glenn beck. listen to them and digest/challenge what they say based on your own value system. we are not overwhelmed with data as much as we are overwhelmed with noise.
“Don’t believe anything you read and only half of what you see” Mark Twain (I think).
“You are not showing much of an open mind, Scot.”
By which you mean, “You’re not agreeing with me and I don’t understand why.”
Oh, and I forgot – Obama is part black and THAT is the problem that many folks have with him – they just don’t say it.
MDN take: Censored.
[Update: 2:08pm. Pulled the Take because the point we were making seems to have been either too satirical or not satirical enough. Our fault, not yours.]
You don’t even have the decency to admit that your original take was an attempt at political manipulation which had begun to backfire, badly.
You know, it is one thing to differ about the issues; But blatant manipulation crosses a line.
And after that not even having the guts to do a proper retraction, but instead larmoyantly insinuating that anyone (who?) had “censored” your original take (saved on my local Mac – shall I re-post it for comparison?) crashes through a whole bunch of lines even further out.
You should seriously reconsider what kind of impression you are projecting with political trolling like that.
This kind of low-grade propaganda is definitely not what I’m coming here for.
Anonymous poster: I’m a douchebag!
Yes, you are, if your only response to actual arguments is attempting that kind of adolescent smear attack.
Obama doesn’t want us to have the information we need, so he can bail out Wall Street with ease, make illegal aliens legal, bail out the UAW, bail out everyone.
Information is for the govt so it can be controlled and manipulated, not for people like us, the citizens of this country.
“Besides, after reading some of the comments here, I’m embarrassed to admit I visit MDN. Some of you folks need to reign in your unfounded hate. It will consume you in the end.”
They’re pulling to the right so hard that they’re losing casual viewers, catering only to a core with less tendency to spend on advertising.
Where have I seen that before…?
jambo: Obama doesn’t want us to have the information we need, so he can bail out Wall Street with ease, make illegal aliens legal, bail out the UAW, bail out everyone.
So that is why in the full version of the article (which you could easily read if you actually cared) Obama clearly says that education is the key to sort through the masses of information?
Truly a devious mind at work – wanting to educate people! How diabolic!
nice hit whoring MDN….been reading this site since like forevs but the replete agenda shines bare bone.
The community organizer who could be dictator. This guy is dangerous.
“By which you mean, “You’re not agreeing with me and I don’t understand why.”
No, I meant exactly what I said.
And I understand why you and other leftist believe what you do.
You see, I have an open and tolerant mind.
But I still don’t agree with most of you……
Tyk: The community organizer who could be dictator. This guy is dangerous.
There is absolutely nothing in that article or in the real world to support that view – except your own imaginations.
If you cannot live with the fact that in a democracy your side sometimes draws the short straw, you should probably move to an actual dictatorship where your favourite side will never let go of power.
Or you could learn to lose an argument or an election with a modicum of grace.
The Obama comments are not directed at free speech issues. He is simply stating the obvious… its easier then ever to spread lies and falsehoods and people have a challenge filtering through all the information that comes their way, through iPods, internet, TV, radio, newspapers, etc, etc.
Instead of its often annoying smart-ass comments MDN had an opportunity to comment intelligently on a very reasonable observation by Obama.
I believe that Obama should have qualified his statement that the flood of information 24/7 *can* become a distraction. It is certainly true that the internet serves to distribute a great deal of misinformation. It is the perfect tool for the manipulative and power hungry to prod the masses into actions that benefit a few individuals or small special interest groups. And, as I have stated before in this forum, most of the “news” that you see and hear today would have been classified as “hack journalism,” at best, just a decade or two ago. Fact checking, reliable sources, and research have been tossed out of the window in favor of posting a few microseconds ahead of the rest of the bloggers.
It is my opinion that far too many people are over-interpreting Obama’s remarks through their own, extremely narrow viewpoints. He is neither as great or as evil as the extremists on either end, left and right, would prefer to paint him. But he is a far better person that most of our President’s have been, in my opinion. Feel free to disagree, as I know many of you will.
POS
I’m with KingMel
That breathtaking change is happening NOW. It started with the appearance of the INTERNET. It is now being extended by internet appliances that are getting cheaper and more readily available. Content creation and news reporting are going through major upheavals, a direct result of this breathtaking change.
Here is a vivid example of how powerful I have become…
An idea whose time has come.
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn’t pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered…in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn’t seem logical. We should not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don’t care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution
“Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States”
If each person contacts a minimum of Twenty people on their Address list, in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have this message whose day has come. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Entertaining facts are the best form of entertainment, dontcha think?
Hey … don’t get mad at me … I’m only reading what the teleprompter says. What did I just say? ….
@PR:
“AppleInsider.com
All the news
None of the bullshit politics”
Thank goodness for MDN then. Seriously doubt this bit of Presidential philosophy and beliefs would have made the evening news, especially today, with the morons we have in the press both old school channels and cable networks. Unlike it would have been covered had it came from the lips of Sarah Palin.
“You’re coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank all that high on the truth meter,” Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia.
“With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation,” Obama said.
He bemoaned the fact that “some of the craziest claims can quickly claim traction,” in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets.
“All of this is not only putting new pressures on you, it is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy.”
The height of hypocrisy! For someone who went to Harvard, Columbia Law, taught Constitutional law (whose Constitution remains a mystery), for a well schooled and educated person, this man is a (I’ll clean it up for MDN viewers) FRICK’N IDIOT!
Certain Blogs and Talk Radio… Certainly the ‘certain blogs and talk radio’ personalities that would never be found on the left and even if they were, would never be intellectually dishonest in their dissemination of information. Yeah, sure… Keep going at it, Doofus-n-Chief, you are half way through your one and only term!
C2
Of course his highness didn’t mind using that very same Internet and information superhighway when it helped him to get elected.
This from the same guy who was infamously tied to his blackberry.
What a great guy, founded upon freedom loving principles and concepts.
My, my. Most of the posts so far have quickly proven the President’s point. MDN’s statement
We can’t quote the full article, so please read it in full before commenting
seems to be way beyond most posters reading ability, or perhaps the full article has words with too many syllables beyond the posters reading comprehension level. Whatever. The amount of mindless drivel posted here so far has driven the signal-to-noise ratio to near absolute zero.
Edward Murrow and Walter Cronkite, please come back. We desperately need you now!
MDN stay the f…k out of politics
There is a basic difference between information in newspapers and information we find on the net, in that newspapers owe it to themselves to check their sources and at least give the impression to tell the truth, while on the net anybody can claim anything.
What we need to adapt to is not to believe anything we find on blogs, but maybe will need to double check and hunt for reliable sources, as newspapers do (are supposed to do).
I do believe that the new media will empower us in the democratic process, especially as the people get the opportunity of swift feedback. In the face of groups that are flooding blogs and the like with non-info to serve their own purposes, we need to be extra careful where we get our info from.
Obama just insulted the one man more powerful than he. Steve Jobs. And Jobs has a short fuse.
President Barry Soetoro is getting worried.
@ Tim Flint, re “Obama just insulted the one man…”
Great example of what President Obama was referring to!
@joey, “Oh, and I forgot – Obama is part black and THAT is the problem that many folks have with him – they just don’t say it.”
What part joey? You racist twats are blinded by your preferences, which were nurtured in some socialist school, run by doper flower children from the 60s.
He’s taking this country down the toilet joey!
Or are you already there?
So, since some of us perceive that many of the actions taken during the past 16 months which were supported by Obama are anti-freedom and anti-capitalist, we are supposed to assume that Obama was simply being a statesman during this speech?
After someone loses your trust, you tend not to restore that trust without a really good reason to.
There are a lot of Obama knob-gobblers here who think the President can say or do no wrong. Hilarious.
Well; MDN certainly knows how to get hits. What a load of tripe. The actual text is intelligent, sensible and well reasoned. I’ve said many of the same things myself. We really have to be vigilant with information.
BlackWolf
“information is a distrction”–Barack Obama
hummm, how he comes to decide his il-logical policies make a little more sense.
You have just witnessed how a Republican talking point is made. Take a speech, take a third of a single line, repeat it with no context and viola! Every jackass with a bone to pick with the black President now has in indispensable quote to repeat ad nauseum, with the added bonus of never asking anyone to question the source or ask for the context.
Well Done, rightist douchebag.
@His Shadow. May the contents of a leftist douchebag fill your soup bowl..
” information has become a distraction that is putting new pressures on the U.S.A. and “democracy.””
WHO wrote that speech?!? Information is putting pressure on democracy?!? What has our President been smoking?
An informed public is a democratic one.
“in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets… it is putting new pressures on … our democracy”
Oh, so that’s what he’s talking about. Public discourse that is critical of his administration is putting pressure on “democracy”. That’s a nuanced definition of “democracy”, the kind of definition I would expect the Chinese govt to use, not the US govt.
You wait, you’ll see the Chinese govt use Obama’s quote as justification for clamping own upon “information”.
This thread has completely proved his point. A blog did a poor job of presenting his qoute and reporting the story so it’s readers formed misguided opinions because of that poor journalism and will now spread the misinformation.
The same guy that said “process is not important,” during the healthcare debate – now has a problem with too much information. Thanks America.
I’ve been reading MDN regularly since 2001, but this was the last straw. I come here to get AWAY from the idiot pseudo-polical scientists, hoping to keep my blood pressure low.
MDN’s original take, and those of the idiots that follow, have convinced me to never come back. You have proven Obama’s point. It is each of our responsibilities to have ACCURATE facts before reaching a conclusion, whether you are liberal or conservative.
MDN presented a slanted, out of context quote, and came to a ridiculous sweeping conclusion. MDN LOVES to skewer tech columnists when they do the same.
I’m finished with this site. I would encourage all people who actually thoughtful, liberal or conservative, to leave.
Don’t attack BP. Don’t attack Halliburton. Don’t attack the min ing industry or the military-industrial complex. Attack Apple for bringing the kind of change you promised before you were elected.
PLEASE READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BEFORE MAKING A COMMENT.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_hu-obama-speech_0510may10,0,7697769.story
Ah, this whole thread provides fodder for the left and right alike. The left will move more to the left and the right will move more to the right. And our nation will become more polarized. We will tear ourselves in two. And both sides will be quoting extensively from Jefferson, Washington, Hamilton, Payne, Adams, Franklin and so many others. All will claim that they are the true champions of democracy and the truth. And our skeletons will be found with our fingers around the other’s necks.
“You’re an asshole!” “No, you’re an asshole!”
“You’re stupid!” “No, you’re stupid!”
‘click’ ‘click’
Boom!
Three pages of vomit from complete idiots and morons who do not know how to read and comprehend.
No shortage of American idiots.
So the Unibomber was right?
So all you braniacs so critical of what he said point out where he was wrong.
I agree wholeheartedly with what he said. Realized it about 20 years ago.
Fantastic,
MDN, and seemingly 80-90% of the commenters here: you’ve just proved the nicely refined point that Obama was making: When articles on the net are linked to, paraphrased, summarised, cut – the resulting article will reflect the bias of the place you have chosen to get your news. If you always only ever listed/visit one place (with necessarily one bias) and never visit the underlying news article itself, your view gets distored, twisted, one-sided – and your ability to make a real decision goes down the toilet.
That’s exactly what has happened here. Its so very perfect.
Obama says: OBEY.
LUDDITE !!!
Fascinating.
It seems to summarise like this:
“if you have an opinion that is different from mine – you are not allowed to comment”
doesn’t appear to matter which side of the fence you have to be to be wrong – or what fence it is – if you are on the other side – you are wrong and can’t comment.
What happened to informed debate and he who makes the claim provides the evidence?
My stand point is that education is good – so long as it teaches you how to think. If it teaches you what to think – it’s not education – it’s indoctrination.
I’m sure all governments would like to be able to do this but it’s actually frowned upon… as it should be.
Education is great – so is information. The worry is when people can’t discern truth from lie.
Are people distracted by these lies? I reckon.
Satan: Obama says: OBEY.
Of course you had to pitch in as well. No surprise there.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
And no, Obama said (paraphrased): “get an education, so you can’t be manipulated!”
And MDN’s original trolling take plus most of this thread prove his point quite beautifully.
Amazing the comments on Mashable regarding the same subject are balanced and objective; vs the slanted political rants displayed by both MDN and some of the Readers here.
There are so many good Apple and Mac websites. they all load fast, aren’t cluttered with ads, and aren’t filled with disgusting political bullsh*t.
After 6 years, I’ve deleted MDN from my bookmarks. MacRumors, apple insider, tuaw and all the others will get my traffic.
Your lousy apps have gotten the boot too.
Thanks to the other MDN readers classy enough to point out what the President actually said.
A portion NOT quoted that may have put most of the political BS to rest. BUT the we wouldn’t have three pages of rabid pontificating, would we?
And so it goes:
‘”Obama argued that from the days of the pioneer politicians who founded the United States, until the modern day, education and knowledge had been the key to progress and US democracy.
He drew a line between Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and today’s challenges.
“What Jefferson recognized… that in the long run, their improbable experiment — called America — wouldn’t work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn’t have the best interests of all the people at heart.
“It could only work if each of us stayed informed and engaged, if we held our government accountable, if we fulfilled the obligations of citizenship.”‘
As an American living in Australia and now a dual citizen, I have found the distance to see the politics in America for what it truly is – public show for the real and completely different agendas that are rarely disclosed or discussed publicly; even though, the records are all available if you are willing to read the Congressional Record.
And I have also learned that a majority of the time spent in public politics is to gain re-eleection. In the UK and here in Oz, electioneering is brief with potentially even worse result!
And so it goes.
Cheers from Downunder.
This fsucking socialist obviously wants to control how the truth about his agenda to reach US citizens, he & his party has always wanted to clam down on Fox news & those who speak out the truth… I wonder how those who voted for him really feel now? The change you want? Can’t wait to get him kicked out of the White House, what a criminal sh!thead that is Barack Hussein Obama.
I think many are missing the President’s point.
He is speaking of a similar type of mis-information we Mac users have had to deal with for decades. mis-Information for which we are reliant on sources such as MDN to correct and analyze.
It is the ease of placing a rumor or non-fact and watching it spread as “truth” & “fact” virally. As opposed to reading and learning from trusted, vetted sources.
Just my 2¢
Remember remember in November, need to get whoever thinks like him out of congress so as to stop this insanity. As far as better then most presidents, get a life. Lets see, what does America lead in: Economy (well he doing everything to bring down the free marketplace by trying to government in every facet of our lives), Military (apologizes because ours is the strongest and wants to figure a way to even-out the playing field with the rest of the world), Space (gutting the space program with an approach that is a great move at killing our lead in the world), Freedom (and where does the restriction of freedom begin, with speech, yep only put out the information they desire you to read and understand). This guy is a joke.
is this the same guy who surgically attached to a Bkacberry?
LOL. All the Obama zombies have their panties in a bunch. Instead of bemoaning the information age, he should have inspired them to use their new found skills and knowledge to be the next Steve Jobs or Jonathan Ive. But no. He had to go the Debbie Downer route.
“My take on it is the same information network that helped destroy any chance for G.W. to succeed from day one and helped, actually guaranteed, President Obama’s election, is now noticing how unqualified, no matter the intentions (good or bad) his administration is.”
The actual article doesn’t support this fact-free viewpoint, TT.
I get what Obama is talking about because I have a Tea Partier acquaintance who sends me chain emails such as a recent one that breathlessly screamed “Refuse the new dollar coins!!!” because someone (the inference is it was President Obama) has supposedly removed the words “In God We Trust” from the coins.
She always asks, “Is this true? Have you heard of this?” Because of course, it would be completely believable that an American president would order “In God We Trust” to be removed from coins. Right.
Anyone can debunk this idiot crap in less than 10 seconds with Google, yet people who want to believe this bullsh*t embrace it without fact checking.
THAT’S the kind of stuff that Obama was talking about, TT.
@disposableidentity–I don’t want censorship or a reining in of free speach. What I would like is for the media to start doing their job again. Investigate, fact-check and report. THEN facilitate discussion of opinion. The problem with the 24/7 news cycle as it is today is there’s no ability to keep issues in their proper perspective. The insignificant crackpot and superficial tangent gets as much attention and credibility as the truly important, world-changing fact.
AMEN! Too often, it is left up to Factcheck.org, Politifact.com or Snopes.com to debunk imbecile claims like “death panels,” and all respectable networks do in response is put up talking heads on both sides of the issue. That’s not real journalism.
It took CNN nearly all summer of 2009 before someone thought, “Gee, maybe we should look at the language in the healthcare bill to see if there are any death panels there.” By then, it was far too late.
Journalists should be fact-checking and interpreting information claims as they are made in real time…not just reporting them, putting Dem and GOP spin doctors on air to have their say and calling the result “journalism.”
P.S. Sorry I arrived too late to see the original MDN “take.” I’m sure its slant was priceless.
I liked Clinton, I didn’t care who he diddled–he was a President that made my economic outlook bright.
I liked Reagan, his actions helped my family make money during his tenure.
Obama? He’s making me loose money, and does nothing for my economic outlook. He can continue his socialistic moves–it will only strength the peoples disgust with him come 2012…when he’s voted out of office.
Its no wonder so many democrats aren’t even bothering seeking reelection when their terms expire.
All your pathetic right-wing sycophants blathering about socialism and communism only show your own ignorance. NOW is when you complain about the overreaches of government? NOW? Not during 8 years of Bush, the Patriot Act, an unjust distraction of a war, the Federal Marriage Amendment, the shredding of the Geneva Conventions. Shame on all of you.
There is a difference between data and knowledge & all information is not necessarily useful information. Even disinformation is information of a sort.
The Pres didn’t say anything like what the Reich Wing reactionaries have accused or posted above. For the life of me I cannot comprehend the vile accusations & hatred directed at a man who is governing from the center- right.
For those fearing a liberal in the White House- let me assure you: Obama is far from a Progressive/Liberal. Too bad he isn’t
Can’t have the people (sheep) being distracted by facts and information…
Hey political whores, we LIKE our information “unfiltered”.
Go choke you worthless corporatists whores…
I suspect that Obama’s principal objection to the iPad is that he doesn’t get to control what we can read on them.
-jcr
some of which don’t always rank all that high on the truth meter
Like when a politician tries to tell us that we can solve a debt crisis with more debt?
-jcr
Oh, come on, he was talking about information OVERload. That is well known as a distraction.
Get off the political crap.
@roguedog
“In a dictatorial government it is essential that there be a single source of information. A single voice espoused from a single, overaching and unchallenged authority. That source is the Democratic party, and it’s voice is Chairman Obama.”
I think you mean the Republican party and Chairman Bush!
Obama said just the opposite of your post in his speech.
Clearly the point he is trying to make is while there is a lot of content, not all of it is GOOD content. And while we consume massive amounts of content, without regard to it’s quality, we all suffer.
It is not limited to iPads, and iPods, but all forms of communication.
@PR
“AppleInsider.com
All the news
None of the bullshit politics”
Also MacRumors,TUAW, MacNN and Roughly Drafted to name a few.
It is refreshing to read these other sites w/o the political bullshit.
MDN has chosen to be a right wing site that also blogs about Apple.
Ad blocking on MDN commencing…. now.
The world is a different place with the Internet and mobile Internet devices. Trust is the core of communication and it’s been lost in the modern era (just look at tech coverage of apple products). No one wants to pay for news anymore, except advertisers.
To say Obama is a dictator for simply recognizing this as a challenge for democracy is irresponsible. I can’t figure out why people get so upset when someone thinks out loud about a concept like modern media. Lots of people on this site need to grow up and talk about the concept instead of condemning someone for talking about something that takes some thought.
Or just regurgitate some Glenn Beck or Limbaugh.
What Obama was saying is TMI. When you have talking heads, journalists, bloggers and tweeters feeding you constant sound bites 24-7, that to be an informed citizen, take the time to determine the true facts and not just assume the sound bites are true.
In times past most respectable journalists tried to get the facts correct before reporting. Even if the slant was different the facts were more likely to be in substantial agreement.
Unfortunately today anyone can blog, post a video tweet or just be an asshole and spew an absurd take on few if any facts.
Obama was essentially saying, not only, consider the source but also take the time to understand the true facts.
For the record, Macrelated, RDM’s writing doesn’t hide political affinities, often illustrating reflecting a political left standpoint.
“none of which I know how to work”
Which destroys your argument. Perhaps one should learn what they are talking about before looking foolish for all to see and hear.
sorry to disturb u. just take u a little time.
If you are in need,
welcome to : http://www.betterwholesaler.com
50%off ca,ed hardy t-shirt$15 jeans,coach handbag$33,air max90,dunk,polo t-shirt$13,,lacoste t-shirt $13 air jordan for sale,l nba jersy for sale sale,$35,nfl nba jersy for sale
free shipping
accept paypal credit card
lower price fast shippment with higher quality
BEST QUALITY GUARANTEE!!
SAFTY & HONESTY GUARANTEE!!
FAST & PROMPT DELIVERY GUARANTEE!!
Packing: All the products are packed with original boxes and tags also retro cards/ code
numder
Features: AAA QUALITY, COMPETITIVE PRICE AND SERVICE
1) The goods are shipping by air express, such as EMS,the shipping time is in 5-7 business days
2) They are in stock now;
3) Various styles and color for clients’ choice
4) The Products are fit for most people, because of our wholesale price
puma gucci$35,nike jordans six ring,yeezy$%5!!
new era caps$13 gucci handbags jeans,t-shirts sunglass,caps
true religion jeans$35,ca,ed hardy jeans$35
LV,CHANAL,HANDBAGS$35
NIKE SHOX+AIR MAX+TL3+OZ+NZ ONLY $35
UGG TIMBLAND+LACOSTE SHOES+ED HARDY SHOES$35
DIESEL T-SHIRT,GSTAR T-SHIRT,CA T-SHIRT,50% OFF FOR SALE $15
DIOR SUNGLASS,DG SUNGLASS$15
our website: http://www.betterwholesaler.com
@Tim Flint
He didn’t attack Apple. Stop pulling information out of your ass.
@John Gee
“For the record, Macrelated, RDM’s writing doesn’t hide political affinities, often illustrating reflecting a political left standpoint.”
Who is RDM?
“often illustrating reflecting a political left standpoint.”
What are you referring to here. Where is the political left standpoint?
Where did I claim that anyone hid political affinities?
“…a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank all that high on the truth meter.'”
Arguments are generally matters of differences of opinions, which seldom have anything to do with truth… just opinions.
Why does Obama always sound like his stuff is written by Clinton’s old writers?
This smacks a little bit of the basic conceptual nature behind the old adage ” A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”
Wow, the Internet is now a threat to democracy.
These libs really have it all the way up their ass.
@Ubermac
“Wow, the Internet is now a threat to democracy.
These libs really have it all the way up their ass.”
You are skilled at not understanding what was said.
Again a perfect example of what Obama talked about.
Grab a word or phrase, twist or misunderstand then spew!
Just like Fox news!
I was at the Minnesota Twins win over the Orioles at Target Field this afternoon. Twins won the game 6-0. I went with my wife and two children and we shared a wonderful Mother’s Day together. Go to a game at Target Field in Minneapolis, it’s a very impressive shrine to baseball.
Yeah, them iPods and iPad are really scary out there.
What have these times come to, people informing themselves, building their own opinions.
Help, it used to be so easy to keep all the peasant “informed” with all the left wing media on our side.
As usual when media and communnication is not helping his presidency then the “book burning is in order” ( the old way to communicate) remember Germany in the 30’s.
@ubermac
Misinformation is a threat to democracy.
This isn’t any different than limbaugh talking about a “drive-by” media.
I am a publisher myself (small town weekly) and am completely against censorship. My hope is that one day there will be a national audience willing to pay for truly balanced news, and maybe this will be born of out of the current blog era. As it stands right now, were in a dark ages of mass media because of the business models (you’ve got to have a healthy balance of paid subscribers to ad dollars and right now that’s in major decline).
All politicians and future leaders would be wise to make this a subject they devote time to.
Look don’t blame poor Obama for this snafu.
It was his declared Marxist advisers that he appointed, that made him say these silly thing.
So lay off!
I think this is a clear case of Crackberry addict apology. Same affliction that plague Windows IT shops. It’s hard to see the truth out there and greater possibilities when the first thing you do everyday is to refuse to believe is that you are using subpar technology.
His COMMiENTS make think of the ol’ adage about cutting off your nose in spite of your face.
So the logic here is the that in order to form a good opinion, only a limited amount of information should be given.
Too much information will confuse just the stupid peasant.
Right?
MacDailyNews, in attacking Obama, has totally proved Obama’s point. And even more perversly ironic are all the posters here who started chanting “dictator”. They thought they were championing freedom when in fact they had blindly accepted what they were told!
I found it distressingly hard to push through all the ludicrusly biased and out-of-context quotations to find the actual video of what Obama really said. For those who care, here it is:
Basically Obama was saying that a well rounded education is critical to navigating the sea of distorted information that is the internet. And of course, not all information is of equal value. Others here have given good examples of that.
Maobama and friends are on an all out assault on the USA and it’s freedoms and constitution. Everyone is on to what they are up to now. He’s annoyed at how easy it is for everyone to get the facts. Screw him. November can’t come soon enough to vote you Marxist pantywastes out of office. Good riddance!
(Sorry for the spelling errors above.) No Ubermac, That is your own bias and hatred making you deaf to anything anyone else has to say. Watch the video. Try to listen with an open mind.
That’s right Gary, just chant “Maobama Maobama” over and over again. Your devotion to facts will only be hampered if you actually listen to what Obama said.
Good thing the Federalists and Anti-Federalists knew how to use printing presses… all views and all information was debated at our founding. Information IS democracy.
I don’t have much faith in a president that can’t figure out how to work an iPod.
Hell, GWB knew how.
This is classic. The link is an article by “Americans for prosperity”. AFP is a right wing propaganda site. This is exactly what Obama was referring to. Thanks MDN for proving Obama’s point. Not only are thoughtful American’s challenged to sort out the truth from the lies, but we are surrounded by idiots who propagate the nonsense. Read AFP and believe it if you must. Btw, Obama wasn’t denying your right to subscribe to afp’s “message”, he was asking you to use your best judgement to sort out fact from fiction. If you can’t see the hypocrisy of AFP, the we will ultimately be lost.
ApplePi (see earlier post) says it exactly as I see it:
“American people in general are pretty freaking stupid and will believe anything as long as it’s in print, or for this matter online in an article.
“The digital age is allowing for more anonymity and a lot less accountability for stupid actions. This is what he’s saying.”
This has nothing to do with iphone’s ipads or any other tech device, and everything to do with lamenting that the ‘federal’ media outlets don’t hold absolute control of info. There’s no more questionable ‘truth’ that comes out than the bs that props him and the liberal minority up. If this guy doesn’t scare you, then you don’t care about the US and freedom at all.
mac user 47: What federal media outlets? It took me far longer to find Obama’s speech then to find all the idiot bloggers inventing what he said. The president ought to be able to address his own people without hostile media drones drowning him out.
Jeez, MDN’s take was ridiculous and hard to understand. Unless you’re just a blind Obama hater (and judging from the sheer stupidity of some of the comments there are obviously more than a few here who must be applying for a Fox News internship) I don’t see anything in his speech to get worked up about. Aside from using Apple products as part of his example (a good sign of Apple’s position in popular culture and an apt usage on his part) there is NOTHING in this article that advocates curtailing constitutional protections (see George W Bush for an example of that). He simply makes the point that in the information age we are in that lies (most Fox programming) gain traction easily amongst the uneducated (most Fox supporters), and thus he is advocating education to keep Americans informed and vigilant of their freedom.
Heil OBAMA! or whatever his name really is.
I agree with apple pi. I’m afraid that we live in a generation that is becoming less educated. We as the human race strive to have more knowledge that’s what makes different from every other animal. But it’s becoming harder and harder to get an education that teaches you the fundmental truths of life. We need to make education free for everyone and have a lot more respect for teachers. Also more art and less critics.
Even an idiot with a half-logical mind would fathom this. He was only advising you to sift the bullshit from the bullcrap the media feeds you.
Ipads and Ipods are like body parts now and very easy for half-truth merchants to slip falsehood past our auditory cortex without notice.
So the message from Obama is, be vigilant and don’t believe all the nonsense you read without ascertaining the validity.
Easy!
As a Canadian without a dog in this hunt, I think Obama was saying that you graduates today are smart enough to be able to ignore the extremists and their blogs, talk radio programs and news outlets.
The only problem is, Obama and the Democrats think that right wing blogs, talk radio programs and news outlets are run by extremists, while Republicans think that left wing blogs, talk radio programs and news outlets are run by extremists.
Of course Obama was warning them about right wing extremists. He’s sitting on the left side of the political spectrum. Who the hell else would he be warning them about?
Whose going to read 4 pages of comments on MDN? Sheesh.
Obama was not slamming Apple, or the iPod, or anything else. He was (1) mentioning the iPod to show that he is aware of popular products to show he “knows” the common man, and then (2) repeat and oft-used claim that information distracts us from X. My brain is not working, but I recall that there is some philosopher who said that human beings crave distraction on a base level, and this leads us away from (a) reflecting about ourselves and spirituality, and (b) therefore God. Heck, this might just be my brain’s paraphrasing. For some reason though, I think this might be Pascal (not the computer language).
This was rhetorical hot air.
I see absolutely nothing insightful or original in Obama’s words. In short, there is nothing here to get anyone’s panties in a wad. Move along.
I think tonight calls for another drink…
See. Something is wrong when your first word in a post in correct. How about “Who’s”
Forget it. Can’t spell. Might as well have an iPad instead of my lovely G4 PB. Of course, that will not solve human error.
True journalism has been dead for a long, long time.
Ask me how I know…
We are all liberals in Collage when someone else is paying the bills. It’s amazing how quickly we can become conservatives when we start to make the big bucks and pay the big tax bills.
@Big Al
Which Collage do you appear in?
What?!! Our “oh so hip” president who is so in touch with our youthful generation doesn’t know how to use an iPod?
That’s not what he said when he was campaigning. I seem to remember his campaign claiming he had Jay Z on his iPod.
Apparently, so does the WashPo:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041803282.html
Obama is either incapable of keeping track of his own stories, or he believes that WE are incapable of keeping track of them, or this is a case of “Do as I say, not as I do”.
Either way, this guy is going to talk himself into being a one-termer….
One the concerns that the president’s speech at Hampton University raised for me was born out of an assumption that seems to undergird his understanding of the relationship between “attaining a college degree” and “being educated”. He seems to think that they are one and the same.
President Obama’s speech denigrated the chief means by which most Americans gain access to general information and knowledge. It did so while holding up “college education” as an apparent antidote to the kind of data made available by these media and information outlets. The fact of the matter is that he knows that much of what passes for education in American colleges and universities is little more than systematic indoctrination from a largely, politically left-leaning philosophical worldview.
Perhaps President Obama is comfortable praising these sources of information and knowledge because they only rarely form minds capable of offering cogent, coherent and attractive critiques of his worldview, of his take on America, and his understanding of American identity.
It may also be that the President now rues the day that Candidate Obama spoke so positively of the power of these sources of information and knowledge. But, this is America! And, few things captures the spirit of America better that the incessant desire for freedom. It may be a bit messy, but get used to it!
President Obama would do well to desist from the bemoaning and make his case to Americans of all races and creeds. It is time for him to stop critiquing sources of information and knowledge with broad strokes, and get down to the far more difficult task of making his case for his vision of America.
Personally, I think that this particular president has significantly misread the substance of the “idea that is America.” Even so, I wish that he would stop with the complaining and make his case. Who knows, perhaps if he took the intellectually noble approach of appealing the minds of ordinary Americans, he might change more of our hearts and minds.
Islandgirl
Been to Iron Man II with my oldest grandson, so I may be a little late.
That Scarlett Johansson has an impressive body of work….
Did you get the email attributed to Andy Rooney about all the terrible things going on and how he wished this and that? I got it forwarded to me and had my suspicions, so as usual I checked with Snopes and another site, and sure as shootin’ it wasn’t Rooney, so I replied to the guy that sent it. Pissed him off royally, said it was the idea that mattered. I told him no, it should have been attributed to the guy in Texas who said it and not to a national figure to ‘legitimize it’. Odd thing is, he is a Democrat co-worker, so I guess I can’t win either way.
Bottom line on that is I prefer the truth rather than a good story.
(which leaves out any Oliver Stone movie….)
You called my viewpoint fact-free. And my reply is, ‘Of course I don’t charge for the facts’.
I have seen several interviews with our President where he dismisses many opposing views and the people who have them as a ‘distraction’, and I believe he includes this in his assessment of what to filter out.
“He bemoaned the fact that ‘some of the craziest claims can quickly claim traction,’ in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets.”
I don’t think that could be any clearer. We’re not talking emails here. Don’t be so quick to assume Tea Party members are that naive (not that some aren’t).
I’m not sure why you brought the emails up. I get plenty of idiotic crap from them as well as sensational news headlines and what are very often bad first reports of a current situation.
People who want to believe that shit will, no matter what facts are staring at them. We saw it with the Plame case. We saw it with the Florida recount. We’ve seen it with Haliburton. We saw it in the Ohio count in ’04. Did you think the left was immune from the BS factories?
So, no, my viewpoint is not fact-free. I know the President would rather we get good info to make informed decisions, but I also know that he doesn’t share my view of the world, so even if some info is true, it may not be ‘good’ info to him.
I mean, the spin that the unemployment rate going up to 9.9% is a good sign? But I am not going to tear them apart for trivialities. They still need to offer hope to us, just like any good leader.
And that damn Scarlett put the moves back into movies.
All she needs to add is ‘I’……(yes, mybad grammar)
WTF MDN? You added that videogame story but not the video of what Obama ACTUALLY SAID? Where is your respect for information now?
Can’t let the truth distract from your hate mongering, can you?
I’m done with MDN. MDN, you are a bunch of stupid assholes who don’t allow freedom of speech. Complete dickheads — you just write shit in order to get hits.
Shit for hits. That’s what you’re about and that is what Obama is trying to say.
Shit for hits. Fsck you MDN.
The point BO was making was information outside of the mainstream must be suspect. Only the collective ideology espoused by the elite liberal media is true. Wake up populace, don’t delude yourselves with non mainstream media, they are indeed wrong. Only through proper “balanced” university propaganda can you think straight! Only the Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Mexicans etc. who have the “correct” education, can understand the complexity of the president’s and current legislature’s dogma.
I think the one of the biggest dangers now is that people will only accept news from outlets that agree with their position. On the other side of the coin; what media outlet provide the just the facts and not a distorted editorial. None I’m afraid. They’re all biased and politically motivated.
Some MDN readers say they are shutting their minds and deleting their bookmarks.
Those celebrity-worshiping squacks won’t be missed here, but unfortunately, most of them will probably return anyway.
Kudos to MDN for posting this article.
Keep in mind this is the same Obama who is NOW criticizing electronic media overexposure that once advertised and campaigned using video game adverts.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/05/09/flashback_obama_advertises_in_video_games_during_2008_election.html
He’s a hypocrite and a one-termer.
i agree with the president a little. small lies do get bigger with our new media. I also agree with the distraction principle. I really want to buy an iPad, but the more I review the reasons for wanting one – an e-book reader- the more I am leaning against it. Yes, it has all of the web, lots of apps etc, but if you really want to read a book, that’s a massive distraction.
Sometimes I shut everything off, TV, Radio, Stereo, computer, pager, iphone, other gadgets just to escape it all. He’s got a point. I think that was what he was saying rather than the political dribble that this always turns into.
Just my 2 cents.
So MDN, were finances down a little this quarter, with you stopping the pop unders? I am really trying to fathom why you posted this. Was it for Hits? Are you getting paid by the page or by the comment to show popularity? There seems to be a trend here. Every once in a while, some political dribble is introduced and the folks on the left or the right go nuts. It’s like stirring up a bunch of natives. What was your point here?
One other thought by a man whom I think has most of our respect – no matter your politics… but who knows…
“History is full of people who out of fear, ignorance, or lust of power have destroyed knowledge of immeasurable value which truly belongs to us all.
We must not let it happen again.”
– Carl Sagan
What happened to Mac only news? You post any article that has the slightest mention of ANY Apple product and you call this a Mac news site? I too am getting tired of all this unrelated/useless “Mac news”.
AppleInsider.com here we come!
OMG! MDN, what a load of inflammatory, purposefully misquoted, non-objective load of bull@##$.
I’ve read what’s here. I’ve read what was actually stated and the context of what was stated, and this is pure slanted crap writing at it’s best, just to appeal to those that already carry their prejudices in hand.
@TT:
“”By which you mean, “You’re not agreeing with me and I don’t understand why.”
No, I meant exactly what I said.
And I understand why you and other leftist believe what you do.
You see, I have an open and tolerant mind.
But I still don’t agree with most of you……”
I understand why you and other righties believe what you do, too.
I don’t agree with most of you either.
But I have an open and tolerant mind, too. You don’t think so, though, because you can’t accept that someone can be open-minded and tolerant and still hold opinions different than yours.
BTW, I’ve been a daily reader of MDN for several years now, but now that the “MacDailyNews Note:” red insertions are all suspect dribble, I think we can safely say, you’ve lost this reader.
Thanks for the previous good times… MDN. Feel free to post anything on AppleInsider.com, that’s where most of your old readers will be.
@islandgirl:
Tonight I spent some time with someone I know who is very religious and prone to conspiracy theories and the like. At one point in our conversation she started deriding Big Bang Theory as “just a theory.” I had the usual conversation one has with a Creationist over the different aspects of the word “theory,” interrupted by someone else with a scientific definition, and I expounded on scientific method. At last, she responded with, “I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want.”
There you have the foundation of today’s right wing. In their entitled way, they don’t think they have to believe certain things, despite facts disagreeing with them. Because they have Constitutional rights, they’ve taken that sense of entitlement to mean they have their own reality. They believe in what they want to believe, facts be damned, and if they don’t want to believe something, nothing can budge them. They’ll latch onto the least atom of support for any idea before giving it up.
This is why we still have birthers, people who think the President is a Communist who wants to destroy America, racists, and conspiracy theorists.
For people who lack intelligence,as always, it hurts to finally have a smarter president than they deserve…
“Think different”
@Macrelated
RDM is Roughly Drafted Mag. You claimed to read it, and I am letting you know it often reveals a political bend in the writer.
@Macrelated
“Also MacRumors,TUAW, MacNN and Roughly Drafted to name a few. It is refreshing to read these other sites w/o the political b*******.”
@John Gee
I think of roughly drafted by that name rather than it’s initials. So I wasn’t sure what you were referring to.
I recently began to read RDM and don’t specifically recall a strong political stance.
I also don’t seem to find comments by readers that devolve into vitriolic political statements.
As I recall none of the articles I have seen were aimed at any political figures. Most of the articles provide detailed analysis of Apple related items.
I think their is a difference between having a political bend but at least being correct on the facts and a consistent negative slant with twisted facts and embellished by vitriolic posters.
MDM should heed it’s own advice to advertisers using flash and apply it to it’s own promoting of vitriolic political attacks.
They apparently are less interested in boosting and keeping readership than in fomenting attacks on any person or idea that they deem to be on the “left”.
That is not a great way to get the maximum number of readers showing up and clicking on adds.
It is the duty of a responsible government to protect it’s people from the distraction of confusing and untrue information.
– Information Ministry of China
@Macrelated
What John Gee is trying to say is that –
Daniel Eran Dilger (aka Prince McLean) of Roughly Drafted Magazine (aka RDM) often politicalises his Apple related articles with small L liberal views that are critical of the Republican perspective.
Information has always been a “distraction” for dictators and tyrants.
The only information a tyrant likes, is the information he controls.
Look for federal control of the internet next … gotta control all that distracting information …
… and we wondered how Nazi Germany came to power?
A few quotes from Thomas Jefferson:
“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.”
“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.”
“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”
“Force is the vital principle and immediate parent of despotism.”
These efforts have been going on for years in the legislator, where liberals trying to silence dissent by introducing the “Fairness Doctrine”. A blatant attempt to silence successful conservative radio shows.
Since they could not compete with Rush, even after pumping in millions into Hot-Air America.
Obama says “‘You’re coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank all that high on the truth meter”.
The real issue is that Obama doesn’t want other arguments to distract you from his own arguments which don’t always rank all that high on the truth meter.
The real issue is that the MSM covers for him and technology allows others to let the sunshine in. Sunshine really bothers corrupt political officials.
IIT: Geeks, that completely missed the point because their favorite autistic gadgets were mentioned.
I intent to have an ipad very sure, yet fully agree with Obama. This because I can tell the difference between real world events and just wasting my time endlessly poking ifart apps, making fake facebook friends and hating on micro$oft.
@ Scott Murphy
I call the condition you described willful ignorance. And, “angels and ministers of grace defend us!”, there’s so much of it in the posts (Yes, Ubermac, you’re a leader!), on the net in general, and in the media that Jefferson’s “but to inform their discretion” (Good quote, VBBob.) has become drowned out in the flood. There is so much chicanery and buffoonery perpetrated by the extremists — and bizarrely covered by “journalists” as “news” — that there’s almost nothing left but “a tale … full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.”
Yes, the Internet is rotting your brain
http://www.salon.com/books/laura_miller/2010/05/09/the_shallows/index.html
What this ungrateful swine doesn’t realize is that without those technologies and the internet, there wouldn’t be a negro in the oval office!
MDN: This is just too much over the top. This longtime reader won’t be back.
magic word: has
“MDN has lost its relevance and become a Fox news right wing hang out”
there is a new divide.
We also have the right to take time to think by our own.
Most american love the predicators preaches wich are overfilled with statements about good and bad and what a patriote should live and feel. So why desagreeing a president that presents it in a much calmer way and without uttering threats of hell.
Those pointing out the redness of a president by comparing one of his sentences with another pulled out a chinese statement should rather have a look to their own narrow concept of life.
IMO
@longtimereader et al.
“MDN: This is just too much over the top. This longtime reader won’t be back.”
<sarcasm>Yes, MDN, reporting when a U.S President comments on Apple products has no place here. It’s just too much over the top. </sarcasm>
And, you’ll all be back as usual and you all know it.
@Cass Winthrop
You’re a good example of american brain washed guy!
A pitty you’re too much into war games!
Such a silly negro.
I simply wanted to point out that RDM has (yes of course, Daniel Eran) revealed his political affinity/affiliation in his writing.
I don’t know (really, I don’t) why MDN is catching so much attention (read: flack) here on this, but I suspect that it’s because it’s easy to sniff out someone unlike the majority/stronger voice in a community (after all, one might suspect most Mac users might be liberal in perspective, or at least are a stronger voice)
I don’t think any of that is a reason to leave MDN (though I am not seeing/understanding the issue here with this Headline, Article Snippet, nor take…didn’t see the first Take.
I appreciate the frustration many are feeling when a site having nothing to do with politics conflicts politically with them, but I question that any journalism can really be apolitical.
Anyway, I appreciate MDN and their Takes. They find Mac news, post it, include the relevant Mac-related paragraph (following natural flow of text as far as I can see), give their opinion (which no one has to agree with btw), add relevant links, and allow people to comment providing moderation of comments, likely as much as possible given their staffing). They also encourage readers to go to the article source to read it, unless going their only offers clicks to a disagreeable site (again, opinion-based) Once in a while, SteveJack offers an opinion article.
NBD:::No. Big. Deal. To. Me.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
5 pages of fun reading
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
I’m an Obama supporter, and he has definitely crossed some uncomfortable boundaries this time… For shame Mr President.
Before jumping to conclusions. Before allowing other opinions to twist your mind and throw judgement out the window. READ AND UNDERSTAND FOR YOURSELF.
“With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation,” Obama said.
He is comparing information as “entertainment” to what it once was, information as a TOOL OF EMPOWERMENT etc. READ it CAREFULLY.
Christ. I knew this post would be a fscking nightmare.
What he’s saying is if a blog is pro Obama it’s OK, if it’s anti Obama it’s disinformation.
He’s a politician not a god.
It seems as though MDN is going to lose a lot of pikers – sorry – posters. Most of them lefties, who can’t stand their Emperor being stripped of his clothes. Maybe he can borrow another empty suit from one of his pals Chavez, or maybe Castro. He would have to grow into them tho’. Also, I believe they can dictate without a prompter. Dictators need to learn that.
Roll on November and 2012.
“You don’t think so, though, because you can’t accept that someone can be open-minded and tolerant and still hold opinions different than yours.”
I have no idea where you get your info about me. Sounds like you are prejudiced against anyone with a differing point of view.
“This is why we still have birthers, people who think the President is a Communist who wants to destroy America, racists, and conspiracy theorists.”
Creationism is not the foundation for conservatism but rather a crutch that weak minded leftist use to discredit any argument the right may have.
Odd that the last two in your pathetic list are actually more descriptive of the left than right. How ironic….
And, this will be my last visit… Obama makes a nuanced point about critical, reasoned thinking in the era of 24/7 digital chatter and MDN takes the opportunity to score political points. Frankly, this kind of thinking reminds me of your automated “Apple is always right” perspective. I love Apple but they’re not always right. Worship blindly at your peril.
“Truth Meter” ??? Leave that one to a politician. Things that have variable properties usually require a meter. Truth doesn’t require a meter, more like an indicator.
Truth is what it is, yes/no, black/white. I think the real truth is, most of the time he wouldn’t know truth if it hit him upside his his head..
Good thing Obama’s TelePrompTer was working, or he would have really said something stupid…
“Worship blindly at your peril”
I’m lost. Are you talking about Apple or Obama…?
I agree with “O” to a large extent. You have to listen to it in context. Most people take everything that they read on the internet as gospel. Just because you read it on the internet (blogs, websites, etc.) doesn’t mean it’s truthful. People spend so much time constructing arguments around facts, that they miss the Real Truth (The Way, The Truth, and The Life).
How many folks have information overload-from the right or the left? Spending large amounts of time sifting through all that rhetoric out there can leave one less time for meaning ful activity–mentoring, volunteering, working, developing meaningful relationships with people eye to eye and heart to heart.
I know. I spend too much time reading Mac news, sifting through all the comments and still haven’t mown the lawn yet this year, weeks behind on my exercise program, month or so behind on taking my children fishing, and myriads of other meaningful activities.
MDN points out hypocrisy regularly. They cover Apple-related news.
They have done both in this article.
Anyone who is complaining and threatening MDN needs to take a few thousand steps back and take a long hard at why they’re upset.
You might consider that you have more than a wee bit too much invested in a neophyte politician who appears to most objective observers to be in well over his head.
He’s right. Apple products are sinister and evil. Unlike CNN or any Fox news show, all report truth totally unbiased. Now we can see why it’s going to be like 1984.
You’re president is making uneducated comments publically about products he even claims to know nothing about!! Lame. Retarded. Typically American!
When I hear a sitting president talk about applying the “Truth Meter”,
my BS Meter indicates:
Man the life boats!
The President is entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. Chill out!
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
I mean, Does anybody listen to this bone-head anymore??????
With all the racist and other very mentally retarded persons’ writings one can read here, one can REALLY understand that many, many, american people REALLY dont deserve such a smart president as Obama. They are the “boneheads”…
If you evaluate you smartness on being abble to use an iPod or a game console, you’re just as doom as M$ is!
@applepi
thanks for being intelligent, even on MDN it seems too many miss the point that information is meant to actually inform, and too much illogical, biased, pseudo intellectual crap is being spread so that now the average person knows the ‘keywords’ but not what they mean. Most forums nowadays are more full of uneducated opinions than practical ideas, and the population proves this. If you put a reasonable man versus a complete idiot as a candidate, a portion of citizens would still pick the idiot. Obama asks, why in 2010, the information age, aren’t people more informed? For all that we have going for us, we have waaaaay too many clueless people around.
We desperately need to grow jobs in the United States and according to Fox News he’s touting Blackberry. CNN states “Obama can’t work an iPod. Really? He’s the tech president – the one who totes around a BlackBerry, and who gave the Queen of England an iPod as a gift.” He’s the President of the United States WTF!!!
Dvorak noted the roughly the same sentiments in one of his columns. People really do waste too much time on social sites like Facebook or Youtube. And everywhere you go you probably will notice several individuals glued to their smart phones, texting, surfing, or likely wasting time doing something meaningless (much like reading this site some days.)
I admit, I’m not immune to these effects some days either. It’s rather sad really. The society we live in today has little desire to do anything great or meaningful. We just idle hours posting ridiculous comments on blogs or watching videos of some cat standing up. So, yeah, I actually agree with Obama on this.
I see ppl attack Obamas lack of ipad savvy, but so what? The internet is full of morons who use computers, email, instant messaging, forums, and have completely illogical, biased, uninformed opinions. Having technology is different from using technology to educate oneself. The poorest countries on the planet now have informed, educated, technology users coming here, and it’s frightening the US retards, because they can’t compete. Our great country can’t survive off of idiots, if we can’t think straight, we’ll fly people in who can get the jobs done.
A 2 year old with an ipod, or a grown man with 5 PCs still doesn’t qualify them to be a manager let alone a president.
It’s a pity that someone who seems to be trying to help the country (Obama) versus loot it (George W. Bush) will probably be a one term president, and I can’t even figure out why? I thought maybe we had turned a corner on race here in America, but from some of the stupid comments and blind hatred I’ve seen here we are nowhere close. I’ve never before seen the frothing at the mouth fear and desperation that I’ve seen from the conservatives lately. It’s scary and from the lack of any real criticism (cries of socialism are bogus and don’t count) then I have to assume it is just based off racism on both a conscious and subconscious level. Some, like one idiot posted here, openly dislike him because he’s a “negro”, others just seem paralyzed with hatred but don’t seem to express any real reason. George W. did enormous damage to the country and I didn’t see you flag wavers jumping down his throat? Why don’t we just start burning witches again while we’re at it?
Here’s a thought, just because his skin color is different, he’s not evil. If your white friend gets a dark tan do you suddenly dislike him and distrust him? Jeez, pull your head out of your backside and think for yourself for once in your lives!
MDN: Please explain you take on this more clearly. I saw nothing offensive. If you objected to his use of Apple products in the speech then state that, but if you have a beef with something else in the speech then be specific about it and update the page. While I can stand some disagreement between people I can’t stand blind hatred and right now that seems like the only thing that could have caused your current take? I’m just trying to get some clarification here.
Anything is a distraction when we use it badly. Television, sex, cars, food… What is there that we Americans are NOT using to distraction? We take EVERYTHING to fanatical extreme. They can also be used to superb benefit if we don’t lose ourself to them. It’s up to us. We call it freedom.
@TT:
“”You don’t think so, though, because you can’t accept that someone can be open-minded and tolerant and still hold opinions different than yours.”
I have no idea where you get your info about me. Sounds like you are prejudiced against anyone with a differing point of view.”
No, but so far every response you’ve tossed out to me is a mirror of some I’ve heard many, many times on the Intarwebz. It’s kind of like when someone finally resorts to the “I’m not angry at you, I pity you” tactic. You know their gun is empty and they’re trying to assail your credibility, not your arguments or facts.
I’ve gone much farther right over my years than I ever would have suspected in my youth. I give full consideration to reasonable positions. But by this time, I’ve gathered enough information about political positions to make a decision about which I hold, and I disagree with most rightist positions . That doesn’t make me closed-minded. The standard you give is that one must either hang in rhetorical limbo, or accept your opinion, to be considered open-minded.
What you don’t seem to accept is that one can be open-minded and yet oppose your opinion. That’s the flaw of all ideologues: they simply can’t accept why anyone would hold beliefs contrary to theirs.
“”This is why we still have birthers, people who think the President is a Communist who wants to destroy America, racists, and conspiracy theorists.”
Creationism is not the foundation for conservatism but rather a crutch that weak minded leftist use to discredit any argument the right may have.”
Point out to me some liberal Creationists and I might agree with you. I used that as an example of the sort of closed thinking the current right engages in. I could, somewhat easily, find a counterpart on the left, but this was an example that had the virtue of being on-target and fresh in my mind, having occurred last night. I didn’t make it up or hold on to it for just this occasion. Its illustrative arrival was just luck.
“Odd that the last two in your pathetic list are actually more descriptive of the left than right. How ironic….”
Yes, yes. I understand. You are rubber, and I am glue.
The candidate who had his own cable channel with 24/7 campaign infomercials is now warning college graduates of the dangers of information overload. Yes, please get an education folks, so you can identify a snake oil salesman when approached by one.
The libs have sooo easy. In their little world, there is evil Bush, Halliburton and… yeah Bush and aah.. Fox.. and yeah man
Yup, information a distraction and pressure on democracy. Now people are better informed and that puts the presidency and the gov at risk of being found out: the presidential seat has been bought and paid for, for years.
TowerTone,
My bad for not attending this thread and seeing your comment until now. By fact-free, I was referring to “My take on it is the same information network that helped destroy any chance for G.W. to succeed from day one and helped, actually guaranteed, President Obama’s election, is now noticing how unqualified, no matter the intentions (good or bad) his administration is.
My reasoning is I think GWB did himself in. I don’t think you can blame it on the media. I especially detested the DOJ under Pres. Bush suggesting the First and Fourth Amendments could be “relaxed.” In fact, I found that frightening.
I also recall the “information network” eating then candidate Obama alive during the spring of 2008, with endless clips on Rev. Wright and the so-called “Bittergate.”
I would argue that John McCain’s campaign self-destructed by lurching from one political stunt to the next (the fake “suspension” of his campaign, choosing Sarah Palin, publicly announcing ahead of time they were going to attack Obama), etc. Now, McCain doesn’t even recall being a “maverick!” My God, that was practically the man’s brand before he had a Tea Party opponent. What happened to the real McCain?
But, back to what you said. Yes, I’ve gotten the “Andy Rooney” email and I sent it back to the person who forwarded it to me with exactly the same message you did. They didn’t like that either.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
My point about the emails relates to what Obama said about the “clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets.” In other words, to discern truth you have to look at what is being said, written or forwarded to you and filter out spin from fact.
You asked, “Did you think the left was immune from the BS factories?” No, if you can find where I said that please show me.
As far as the Florida recount, Factcheck.org says:
According to a massive months-long study commissioned by eight news organizations in 2001, George W. Bush probably still would have won even if the U.S. Supreme Court had allowed a limited statewide recount to go forward as ordered by Florida’s highest court.
Bush also probably would have won had the state conducted the limited recount of only four heavily Democratic counties that Al Gore asked for, the study found.
On the other hand, the study also found that Gore probably would have won, by a range of 42 to 171 votes out of 6 million cast, had there been a broad recount of all disputed ballots statewide. However, Gore never asked for such a recount. The Florida Supreme Court ordered only a recount of so-called “undervotes,” about 62,000 ballots where voting machines didn’t detect any vote for a presidential candidate.
None of these findings are certain. (My emphasis)
Not sure what you meant about the Plame case and Haliburton.
I also haven’t read or watched anyone who said “the unemployment rate going up to 9.9% is a good sign.” Historically, employment is usually the last indicator to rally when the economy begins to recover from a recession or depression. So, it doesn’t surprise me that unemployment still is higher than normal. I don’t recall hearing anyone from the Dem or GOP side suggest it was supposed to bounce right back after such a severe downturn.
Glad you and the grandson enjoyed Iron Man II. I haven’t seen it but it sounds like fun.
@InTheShelter
You need to come out and take a look around!
When you have to write nonsense like, “… just because his skin color is different, he’s not evil” … you are just exposing your racism.
Such drivel is unworthy of any blog.
This is what happens when you send a boy to do a man’s job!!
Islandgirl
We’ll just have to disagree on the interpretation of President Obama’s intentions. I think he tries to undermine the oppositions viewpoint every chance he gets, subtle or outright.
I don’t really hold that against him…it is politics, just the type that I don’t like to see presidents lower themselves to.
I don’t think the media ever let up on GW, except for a short while after 9-11. Some of it was deserved, some of it was just partisan BS launched by Uncle Teddy.
McCain never really stood a chance with Conservative. I was ready to vote for Obama to send a message to Republicans, but the only reason I didn’t, and the ONLY thing John had going for him in the latter part of the run was Sarah Palin. Say what you will about her, but she was the only thing that got any enthusiasm from the far right. And please don’t misunderstand that as a desire to see her as VP, let alone President. It was simply an outcry from the Conservatives that we liked her message and the Republican Party needed to find someone closer to her next time. (what up, Mitt?)
http://www.usnews.com/money/blogs/flowchart/2010/5/7/why-a-rising-unemployment-rate-is-good-news.html
Thanks for having a good conversation.
I went back and re-read all the post between me and Scot Murphy, and realized I had done nothing but waste time with him.
Nothing there but an ego looking to score some points without even studying what was written.
Don’t forget to wait for the teaser at the end of Iron Man II.
My grandson kept saying, “But everyone else is leaving….”
Yes, for o’bama and that ilk, freedom of speech is a direct threat to their reign. As it should be. They do believe in freedom of THEIR speech (they are, after all, the brightest and best of any generation… why can’t you common fools see that?) but any other challenging speech is merely “hate speech” or “nazism” (by the way, what is the deal with the lefts fascination with hitler and nazis?). Anyway, I love the new technology… it completely bypasses the filters and gatekeepers o’bama would call the New York Times, CNN, ABCNBCCBS, NPR, PBS, and your local failing newspaper.
My take is that if he doesn’t have an iPad or an iPhone he would of course say he doesn’t know how to use one. It is a humble thing to say and an easy laugh line (if you watch when he says the comment you might notice the audience laughing after). And I would hope that he is keeping busy enough to not have much time for X boxes or play stations.
My guess is that since he learned how to use the blackberry, and they will only let him have a crippled one even now, he is finding himself so busy he doesn’t think learning how to use a new device makes it very high on his priority list, and it probably shouldn’t.
To: Mr. President Obama, don’t make irrational comments about iPods, iPads, X-Boxes if you don’t know how to operate one. I agree that iPads, iPods, etc. can be distractions, but so is golf, and I understand you play more golf than previous Presidents.
Just a couple of quick questions to all you folks.
After all this ranting…
a) do you feel better or more agitated?
b) do you feel that you have changed anyone’s opinion one iota?
JH:
I wouldn’t be so critical if you can’t even spell Xbox.
Let’s reserve your bullshit talking point for ends of terms (e,g, Reagan, G. W. Bush).
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/
Wings2Sky:
It’s all good to me. I just stay high all the time. I get a great salary. And people are so much more attractive.
Barak ought to talk to David Hockey, the 73 year old painter, about technology…
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23832611-david-hockney-swaps-a-sketch-pad-for-ipad.do
“changed anyone’s opinion one iota?”
Some Beta learn something Nu,
Or I’ll Kappa Pi in Theta face….
I love my gadgets, really I do. But, let’s admit it kids, they really are making us stupider (hey, is that how you spell stupider?)
How do I transfer my Apple iPod library to a different pc?
On one pc have an Apple iPod library with 3750 tracks on. But I have now got a new pc. I have activated the pc to be able to use my Ipod but,
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/extreme-brite-white-review-where-to-buy-1964003.html
Peace & Prosperity
Home
Blog
About Me
Guestbook
Photo Gallery (See 800 pictures of obama)
Agha Dilbar
My Open Letter (Blog) has been sent Eight Lak (800000) to International Community for the welfare of Humanity till today. I Agha Dilbar authorize Newspapers, Magazines, Internet, to Publish and Radio, T.V. Channels to broadcast this letter all round the World.
Website: http://aghadilbar.webs.com
Dear President Barrack Obama
the Great Leader of the World
I Agha Dilbar have sent Mr. President 100 registered research Letters (1000 new ideas to develop America and to Change the World for Peace and Prosperity)
Through Embassy of USA Islamabad till today and also direct sent these registered Letters to Whitehouse Washington DC 20500.These letters have been written on the guidelines of CHANGE WE NEED. And these letters are about the Common Men Problems of respected American Peoples and their Solutions. To end, Economic Recession, Unemployment and to Finish War, all round the World for Peace and Prosperity. In these letters I have sent one thousand new scientific Planning /Suggestions, about every walk of life for Peace through Friendship Progress and Prosperity all over the World.
My dear Barack Obama, the great leader of the world, my friend, my brother, provide an opportunity to Agha Dilbar to pay an official visit to America, that we two brothers sit together and by halt this horrible war. if this war continues for 10 20 or 50 –year, it will never end.
In this war 1-million people have died from 9/11 till today, if this war continues, it will become the 111- World War.200-Million people would die, if 111-World War is triggered) can take out 6.5 billion people of the World from abyss of destruction .We two brothers Barack Obama+ Agha Dillbar can put them on the road to Progress and Prosperity through Peace.
Dear President Barrack Obama considers, from 9/11 till today, America has conducted many war operations in connection with War on Terror, resulting the circle of war has spread hundred times. Millions innocent persons have died.
In this war. Many have been rendered homeless. One Lak (10000) war affected youth joined the army of Al-Qaida and Talban by the help of anti American countries have begun gorilla war in a horrible manner. It is the result of wrong war strategy. I Agha Dilbar desire to solve all above mentioned problems in a meeting with President Barrack Obama by adopting new revolutionary planning by bringing an end to present gorilla war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a result the World can enter in a peaceful, advanced and progressive world, May it be so!
I Agha Dilbar have a new War Strategy to achieve success through Table Talk between Talban, Pakistan and American Gov. 90% of Talban that are fighting against Pak Army belong to Swat and Tribal Areas of NWFP. I can provide America all realistic facts in such manner that their implementation could convert these Talban into Patriotic Citizens of Pakistan.
In this War Strategy Pakistan Gov will never send his Heavy Artillery, Tanks, Cannons and Air craft in war. In this way 5-million persons will never Displaced. In the end Talban by their will handover, their Weapons to Pakistan Gov, they will come to Table Talk and Suicide Bombing will come to an end in Pakistan. Through this War Strategy Pakistani and American Gov can save expenses on war. Through this planning American and Pakistani Gov can utilize their saving on war budgets for development of Schools, Hospitals, Colonies, Markets, Industry, Roads, Bridges, Dams, Canals of Swat and Tribal Areas of NWFP that are war affected.