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A Look Back: NBC's Words Against AOL/Time Warner Merger May Come Back To Haunt
from the ooops dept
NBC Universal is probably wishing that people didn't remember stuff from a few years ago right now. The folks over at the National Journal dug up NBC Univeral's vehement opposition to the AOL/Time Warner merger, which used all sorts of arguments that I would imagine NBC Universal would prefer were not used against its pending merger with Comcast. The letter, sent to the FCC in July of 2000 included this point:
"Given the size and scope of the proposed merged company, AOL/Time Warner will have both the ability and the incentive to discriminate against unaffiliated content providers such as NBC."Furthermore, NBC Universal was quite worried about how that deal would impact net neutrality and asked the FCC to make clear net neutrality principles if it allowed the merger to move forward, asking the FCC:
"to establish firm principles of non-discrimination in the treatment of unaffiliated content providers in the broadband services marketplace"Of course, Comcast is now very much against that concept.
Not surprisingly, the letter was signed by NBC Universal's General Counsel, Rick Cotton, who has a long history of sticking his foot in his mouth in saying things he later regrets -- such as his still hilarious quote about how corn farmers were being harmed by movie piracy, and who was a major source for the bogus Hollywood propaganda piece on 60 Minutes. Still, you have to imagine that he now regrets that letter -- and the fact that reporters have now brought it back to light.
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and the fact that reporters have no brought it back to light.
Know. Not no. On an unrelated note I leave with this Jon Stewart quote:
"Don't they know were recording all of this?"
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Re:
Now! It's now! Stupid internet laws.
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Re: Re:
And we're! By the gods. And they let people like me on the internet?
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Is that "not brought it back..." or "now brought it back..."?
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I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Any ideas?
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Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Gratuitous acts of senseless thread derailments are MY forte....
(Anyone who can guess the original source of this altered quote gets my undying respect for life)
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Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
I don't no. Anyone else?
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Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
That's a weird question. What would Mike want?
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6 billion ways to say illove you
ha
wonder how many other countries artists they have a ...pending list of music they been infringing on since Ronald Reagan took power
see a pattern yet people
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Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
For the stealers and thieves to be kicked off of the interent based on an accusation.
"God bless us every one!"
And a camera in every home! To watch you. Doing nothing illegal.
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Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Sam and Max Hit the Road :P
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Re: 6 billion ways to say illove you
Exactly, the Chinese don't infringe upon copyright and create counterfeit goods, they make legitimate goods which they add to their own pending list to be paid at a much later date.
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Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Hmm... Good question.
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Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Secret: I have his address...
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Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Yeah? I'd send you a toaster.
Perfect one picked out--
http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?topcatID=1300264;product_id=1307702
Now, as for Mike...
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Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Sam: Who was that?
Max: I don't know, but if it weren't for the sheer carefree innocence of this carnival called Tech Dirt, I'd be breaking his kneecaps.
Sam: You're a demonic little imp, Max.
Max: Someone said his name was Dark Helmet
Sam: What the h-heck kind of name is that?
Max: Hmm ... no you have me wondering.
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Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Winner!
You get my respect for your video game trivia abilities as well as unlimited corndogs so you can yuke all over yourself....
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Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
That....is....AWESOME!!!
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Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Bullshit. You don't have his address.
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Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Max: Sam, can I drive?
Sam: Sure, as long as you don't mind me clawing at the dash and shrieking like a cheerleader...
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Impressed
Okay, I have to say, that was the single greatest thread derailment of all time....
And I think the best gifts are the ones you make yourself. You got any skills you can use to turn out something gift-like?
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Know he went and fixed It ...
People won't no know what the heck we are talking about.
To much fun with a single missing letter.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Sure do.
I'm thinking about sending him a big fake deer as a yard ornament.
You know, a neighbor a few down from me recently moved in and all I know is that they're from California and bought a big fake deer and set them up in the back yard.
After a month, they decided to setup a camera to take pictures of the the real deer that would come close.
Now, we don't know much about that neighbor, but I'm curious if I send a deer to the old address, would it show up next door. So thusly...
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Re: Impressed
We hereby banish the letter W from the English language for the amusement of all and hereby proclaim Dark Helmet engineer and conductor of this thread.
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Re: Re: Impressed
What the hell is the Nat'l Transportation Safety Board doing banishing letters from the English Language? Oh, as a favor to my asian friends, can we banish the letter "L" too? Some of them have some issues with it....
Uh oh, there I go being racist again.
Sigh...
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Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
What does that have to do with this? No one named Sam or Max was here. I am really confused.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Winner of what? Corndogs?
Are you serious?
That's lame.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
According to whom?
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Re: Re: Re: Impressed
"It's the letter R you plick!"
As someone once said .....
(Anyone who can guess the original source of this altered quote gets my undying respect for a second or to)
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Re: Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Sam .... Is that you? I didn't know you could type let alone use Mr. Gore's internet
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Impressed
I'm going to go with Lethal Weapon....3?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
Wow. I knew there were trolls, but this is insane!
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Please don't use the word acumen again.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I hereby change the topic of this thread to "What should I Send Mike For Christmas"
It isn't lame its awesome!
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