So it's possible for data abusers to come up with loopholes and strategies against political/legal solutions but not against noscript, adblock, etc? The people who want your data are more clever than that.

Whether or not the people currently in office have the will to do so or not, it's entirely possible to regulate and/or ban the collection and resale of personal data. There may be nothing to stop the import and export of personal data now, but that could change -- if the political will is there. It's up to us to create that political will.

Everyone writes a bad sentence now and then. When it happens, it's best to say "oops", fix it and try to avoid doing it again. Getting defensive about it is not the way forward.

Both Gates & Trump were born into money. Gates' father was a successful lawyer, Trump pere a real estate baron.

Socialist? Managed economy?

On what grounds do you call the US "socialist"? Socialism implies worker control over production. Where is the worker control? Worker power has been in decline since the 1970s.

And how is this a managed economy? (which is not the same thing as socialism.) The US economy during WWII was a managed economy. It isn't now. No one is telling factory owners to make smidgets instead of widgets. I don't see a price or wage control regime.

  Just because you or the Koch bros. cannot do everything you want doesn't make this a managed economy.

I know that's supposed to be funny, but it's pretty much what i think of smartphones. You forgot to mention the rip-off data plan.

Considering that the iPud had to go through security, i don't see the danger to the plane. And if someone did have a means of planting it there without taking it through security, why choose the Rube Goldberg way to take down a flight? There would be more direct means. Yeah, airport security is bullshit, but that's mostly because it's based on crazy paranoia.

I give you that the iPud could have been loaded with malware.

Can't see paying nearly 1k/yr for smartphone service. It's not even close to worth it. I can wait until i get home or get to work.

I think it reveals the American oligarchy's ideal media. It's true that in the mean time they've figured out that a bit of user content allows for all sorts of targeted advertising -- not to mention free content. Otherwise, it sounds more or less like the near future of the internet.

HI! I'm Joe Beats.

Say, what chance does a deceased returning war veteran have for that good payin' job, more sugar, and that free Mule we've all been dreaming of?

Now take off your shoes.

Now you can see how increased spending opportunities, mean harder work for everyone, and more of it, too! So, do yourself a favor, Joe. Join with millions of your friends and neighbors, and, TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES!

For INDUSTRY!

Indeed, that quote is garbage. I've added Kenneth Goldsmith to my list of idiots.

Photography made the mechanical production and reproduction of images possible. As far as writing goes, the web has made for a change in the mode of distribution, but writers are still stringing words together. That hasn't changed since the Babylonians. It's not going to, either.

Gutenberg and typewriters brought bigger changes than hypertext.

What is the literary problem that hypertext is solving? In most cases there's no need for it. Infinite Jest might work better with hyperlinks -- if you can stand reading something like that on a screen.

There's tons of literature on the web now. If you write poetry or fiction and you're name isn't Stephen King or something, that's where you're publishing. In fact there is a good deal of literature in html format, but most of it doesn't use hyperlinks because the work doesn't call for it.

I write fiction and poetry and publish on the web. I'll use hyperlinks when i feel a need to. I haven't so far. Maybe when i set something in the mid-nineties...