Summary[]
Art for No Agenda 36
Episode for Sunday June 22, 2008
Show Notes[]
Again, from the manors in the UK and SF, it's No Agenda! Once we're past the affluent weather (and Goodfellas), we start with Adam's party in Brighton Beach. No Visa or invite for Martha Stewart, but terrorists and traitors? They're OK since they haven't been convicted. We'll just trade London commodities in the City Of London, until the Balls clause kicks in.
Adam gets cranky with the IPCC, John counters with Al Gore. What's up with Al Gore's non-disclosure agreements with certain tech companies? John's best quote: "[Gore's movie] was an advitorial." Both argue about climate and weather predictions. "Don't forget your carbon footprint!" John, always the marketeer, reminisces about the VCR+ gizmo and how it ties into a worldwide marketing effort for carbon credits. Hey! Somebody turn out the lights!
Adam steers us to trading commodities and the war in Iraq. Can we drill for oil there now? John answers with the California referendum system and Adam wonders what kind of referendum framework would work in the EU. Stewert Wheeler's work impresses both. Now in the EU you can't travel to and from the UK without your "papers." Adam explains "GenDec", general declaration, for flying in the EU. John won't let go of Martha Stewart.
Adam enlightens with a scary story about Surrey police and their mobile fingerprint scanners which connect to a massive database. This is distrubing: if you're stopped for any infraction, your fingerprints are now on file. Adam's best quote: "That's like Science Fiction. We're living in the Matrix!" John brings up the new credit card data collection system -- let's get into social patterns, your Amex, two tanks of gas and a pair of Nike's. Why will Amex will be calling you right away? Now the govt. wants all your credit card data. And the card companies just roll over? Darned spineless Dems.
John claims the EU is showing how to eliminate the public from any decisions. Just use the US' bills as a guideline, as pointed out by Dick Armey. Nobody is writing about Christopher Dodd's big bill. Adam to be a martyr? So why doesn't the US have "pay parking meter by phone?" John gripes about parking being a profit center, and a political rant ensues. Are we an idealistic version of a socialistic system?
Misc. rants... Who was the inventor of the automobile? Tommy Toyota in 1880 and 1970? According to Adam (and John Battelle), all Bill Gates wants is a Nobel Peace Prize. John asks,"Why is Silicon Valley jumping on Jerry Yang ?" Adam says there's no love for technology anymore, all anyone wants to hear is "who's selling who." It's a lot more interesting than selling credit card data to the government. Adam's best quote: "It's the Britney Spears" of financial news. And we're insignificant, lazy complainers, so everyone misinterprets everything we say!
How does Adam produce "Daily Source Code?" He's up to episode 771, with no interns or staff. John thinks Adam is a "combo man," and that's a good thing. John's take on this is interesting - produce it yourself, that's almost how Tim Russert did it. What happened to the Fairness Doctrine? Adam asks, "Is Rush Limbaugh really significant?" You'll have to listen to hear John's take on Rush.