@netposer: It doesn't.

metalgear08

@invictus13: That's pretty much EXACTLY my family's situation.

Yeah, I'm voting McCain

metalgear08

@netposer: The fact that people send texts to the billboard is something brilliant, and again something the Republicans (or Grand OLD Party) would never do.

unkpku is think that new comments are like iPhone 3G pre 2.1, yeah it sucks

well whichever candidate gizmodo blatantly supports get's and automatic +12 tech savvy bonus.

jbhitter24

@FuzzysFriedChicken: wasn't should be wants

FuzzysFriedChicken

@shiftyeyedgoat: its not, but giz writers get paid by page view, so the more inflamatory a post is, the more money they make. hopefully, the quality of giz will improve, because gawker is suspending the page view bonus next year.

danger the pirate

Biden is so pro-technology he wasn't the government to be able to snoop on all internet traffic, wants to ban SSH and PGP, and wants you to be unable to record audio on your computer. Sure sounds tech-friendly to me.

FuzzysFriedChicken

@danger the pirate: Oh they will be different believe me. I know my family will be hurt if one of them gets into office. We make to much NET money and are therefore 'rich' and the oh so dirty word 'entrepreneurs'. It doesn't matter that 80% of that net goes to overhead and we are very much middle class.

invictus13

@arzkkr: youre kidding yourself if you think either of the major party candidates are going to be that much different.

danger the pirate

Geh? Billboards are the way of the PAST, man! If they want to get my attention, they need to go ahead and start sending messages directly into my brain. But then again, even I have no idea what's going on in there.

TheMurderer

So how does renting an electronic billboard make you more "tech-savvy"?

netposer

@dimadelux:

Don't you mean, as Oprah would say, "he's brilliant," ...???

Totalfixation

@Nastro: God help us all if they aren't pro-Obama. I get the feeling you're voting for McCain and/or possibly even worse - a committed republican.

arzkkr

I'm sorry, Matt, maybe I misunderstood. How exactly is this a "fantastic way to reach voters" again?

shiftyeyedgoat

Hmm why do i have the feeling giz has morphed into a pro-Obama machine.

Nastro

that is brilliant !

dimadelux

@Nastro: Because McCain has never used a computer. So the Republican party isnt using anything tech so they wont be shown on a tech blog...

midwestkel

WTF!

I do not read Gizmodo to try to be influenced by your political opinions. If you want, I can show you a YouTube with even worse reasons why Obama should not be president.

easy2panic

@arzkkr:

There is nothing wrong with voting Republican, democrats seem to have forgotten that raising taxes will reduce productivity, reduce economic growth. To prove it, the bush tax cut produce more economic growth compared to Clinton's administration. Also if you think Obama isn't raising taxes, think again, he will not raise taxes but will reverse the Bush tax cut and return it back to the Clinton's administration rate. Is that not a increase in tax or what?

Also raising taxes on the those who make over $200K, that's class warfare. I don't make nearly that much but that isn't fair. I feel in hopes of one day making it there. Small businesses are of those tax range. Almost 75% of start up businesses fail, its fair to say that if you take the risk knowing 75% failure rate, you should have every right to reap the rewards. Instead Obama wants to tax those rewards? Some of them work hours upon hours to get there, yet you should be penalize?

And for those who think McCain is a war mongol maniac, do you honestly believe this? We all know the republicans have made mistakes in the past but we all know the next republican president will not be making the same mistakes again. At least I have hope that McCain will finish the Iraq and Afgan war with some dignity.

Totalfixation

@arzkkr: Would that make you a committed unborn baby killer?

unspellable

Anything that would cause the average voter to think about the actual issues at hand is a good thing. I'd love to see these everywhere (preferably from both parties).

NitrousO

Yeah I think this post is a stretch and obviously with a political agenda. We get it. Giz is for Obama and thinks everyone who isn't is "bound by fundamentalist dogma".

I can't wait for the election to be over so you can get back to reporting on gadgets and stop pushing your politics on me.

badweasel

@FuzzysFriedChicken: "wasn't should be wants"

A world without quotes is a confusing world, indeed.

shiftyeyedgoat

@metalgear08: WHOA WTF. I was quoting someone else entirely....

metalgear08

Isn't there another gawker site that can handle politics so I have at least one site I can visit without throwing up in my mouth a little?

The Brain

I could see someone saying a joke that they don't have cell phones coverage in alaska. But I can't vote till next election so I just get to watch and laugh.

gamecrazychris

At least the billboards say something interesting besides all the goddamn cable network ads.

Vander

@Totalfixation: You really have no idea what you're talking about, do you.

TommySez

I wonder if Palin can see that from Alaska...

Avizzv92

That was a smart idea. If only both parties had more smart ideas.

RE-L

In fact, Joe Biden invented Gizmodo.

Poon

@Totalfixation:

"war mongol"??? Does that make McCain a follower of Ghengis Khan? Is he even a citizen in that case? Maybe you should proofread your rants...

The republican party is nothing more than a vast marketing machine. They have no real beliefs. They only manipulate people's fear and greed.

Bush wasted a budget surplus, grew the government, got us deeply in debt to (communist) China, and involved us in a war that had nothing to do with 9-11 OR WMDs.

Oh, and don't you think lowering taxes for the richest 1% of Americans isn't 'class warfare' (whatever that is)?

Dis[Con]cordian

This is getting really disappointing...

Giz, you know I am pretty unbiased when it comes to this election, but you have become a big Obama-machine.

Giz, I love your tech stories/reports with your edge, but devoting yourself openly to one party is downright disappointing.

I'm starting to read Engadget more and more just to get away from this political crap.

I can't wait til this election is over and Giz can get back to tech-news.

Jon B.

so much for democrats representing the poor.

Justifan

@easy2panic: If John McCain had a billboard like this, I'd cover it too.

matt buchanan

@shiftyeyedgoat: Getting creative with tech is, generally speaking. Or you know, they could keep doing the same old shit. Bleh.

matt buchanan

@Jon B.: Oh, chill the futch out. The Repubs are the WRONG damn party. Affluent, white, xenophobic, homophobic, and frighteningly religious; yeah, that segment of the population is like to head toward FAIL.

iomatic

@easy2panic: Oh, but it's OK to infiltrate your own inflated crap about Obama?

What. EVERRRRR.

iomatic

You are so in the tank for Obama!

I can tell because (a) you're not winkin', (b) you used big elitist words like evidence, counterparts, and tech, and (c) you're part of the media!

So I'm not talkin' to you! I'm not answerin' your question! I'm talkin' straight to the American people to say my party doesn't need "tech" because we have the Lord. Somethin' you gizmodos can never have and can never understand.

Now quit pallin' around with terrists and git back to work!

zorg

Okay, seriously, you guys (commenters) are getting ridiculous. It is not pro-Obama to point out Sarah Palin's supposed idiocy. I was unaware that someone's intelligence is a political matter. The fact is, she could not recall a single newspaper that she read (I'm assuming that was Matt's reference). That's not a partisan attack or taking her words out of context. That's flat out what happened. So you Republicans who are getting bent out of shape over this need to stop. You're lowering the level of discourse on this site and you're making tech geeks everywhere look retarded due to your inability to recognize context and analyze statements effectively.

rifdawg

Bye Giz.

BradBot

Fuckin liberals..

Kev50027

It doesn't matter who you vote for, the illuminati chooses their puppets well...

beardedkid

@metalgear08: So you'll vote for the one who is more likely to screw up the economy? That should be great for your family!

LittleJon

@BradBot: cry some more.

imTheKing

@badweasel:

UH...if McCain wins, there may not be a Giz and any other business for that fact. So, enjoy your post tard.

FrankenPC

@Dis[Con]cordian:

What I mean when I say "war mongol," is people think McCain is war hungry. I do not think McCain will jump into another war like what Bush did. That is what i mean when I say some people think McCain is war mongol.

Republican Party Marketing machine? Really? Look at what the democrats are doing? Making promises, promising that the government will be there to help you hand and feet? Obama is making too many promises that will cost tax payers billions in the long run. And he Knows many of them he won't be able to keep. The democrats are the reason why we are mostly in this economic mess. Obama is benefiting on the believe that he will be there to help the American people with all these lowering taxes BS. "Help me help you," That is what the government should be saying! Not, "what can I do to help you." Please I would like to hear your rebuttal on this.

"Bush wasted a budget surplus, grew the government, got us deeply in debt to (communist) China, and involved us in a war that had nothing to do with 9-11 OR WMDs."

I know that, I won't disagree with you on, Mistakes have been made and I believe McCain will fix it. We are the highest industrialize nation in the world with the highest corporate taxes. Why do you think so many companies are leaving this nation to manufacture overseas? Taxes are too damn high!!!!. I don't care if corporations pay lower taxes. It not just one person who solely benefits, it's everyone in the company Who benefits. These are the corporations that higher people!!!! If the company does good the employee also benefits. Would You rather have them move somewhere else and have no jobs!!!! Same as small business, they higher people. The more they hire the more jobs are available and the more there is for people to pay taxes. Business and Corporations make the risky investment and I feel they shouldn't be punished for being successful. If a business make a poor decision they should go bankrupt. That being said I don't believe in this bail out B.S. but we all know we have to eat it up because this will cause more damage in the long run. I believe McCain knows this and is not "out of touch," what Obama has be claiming. He will end this corruption amongst Washington and wall street. So, Plain and simple This is not a republican marketing plod, it's fact.

I believe I'm a little off track with the comment above, but Mccain has clear record of foreign experiences. Budget deficit, yes, but we have a much stronger defense system, better security technology. Of course there are a lot to be blamed, but could you seriously blame all of this on Bush? Lately We have seen some of the destructive hurricanes in the past 8 years. Also Did we forget about the dot com bust? The two front war? Oil prices being high? on that subject why the oil spiked is because for the last 30 years or so we had a deal with Saudi Arabia to sell us gas at an unbelievable low price, when that contract was up, things started to skyrocket. If we had build drilling plants off the coast 10 years ago, we wouldn't be suffering as much. Bush knew this and was working really hard with Saudis to renew this contract. Some of the reason why i think he went into Iraq, and of course it was a bad decision. Also don't be blaming all this economic mess on the republicans, this mortgage mess started under the Clinton administration. lead by Barney Frank, a democrat.

My point is people need to know all the facts before making their decision.

Totalfixation

@Totalfixation:

Hire* not higher

Totalfixation

@The Brain: Yes. Gawker.

metalgear08

@LittleJon: Basic economic lesson: When you're in debt, as everyone undoubtedly knows we are, you either gain more revenue to get yourself out, or cut spending in order to make surplus out of savings.

Obama's tax plan wants to increase taxes on anyone/anything making over $250k/year, including small businesses.

Most of the US is employed, meaning most of the US has an employer. The employer, in order to afford the increased taxes in such a bad economic situation will invariably cut spending, as the economy limits increasing revenue. As an employee under Obama's plan, you're looking at significantly decreased benefits, raises, time off, and even facing being laid off.

So, what do you think is better? A slight tax cut and largely increased unemployment? Or prosperity by reduced taxation on the companies that keep America running?

Seriously, man, think about it.

metalgear08

@iomatic: That's really untrue overall. It's a shame really, these terrible candidates have given the GOP a really bad name, there hasn't been a REAL republican in power for quite sometime. Republicans are about keeping government out of everyones lives, and about fiscal stability, not 10 trillion dollar debt, and the "patriot act".

unibrow4o9

@Avizzv92:

johnnyabnormal

@unibrow4o9: If half of these whiners voted Ron Paul, we'd have a "real" Republican in the running.

johnnyabnormal

Awww, the truth hurts, huh? Look at all these little butt-hurt Republican commenters. Talk about a "nation of whiners"!! Don't let the door smack you on the ass on the way out to Engadget.

johnnyabnormal

@FrankenPC: I'm glad your response made little to no sense.

Kymeira

*reads other comments*

Nothing like politics to bring the straw men out in everyone.

I can't wait for election season to be over with.

ZekeSulastin

Amen, Zeke!

Let's just throw Obama into the White House - no matter what you may think of him, he's gonna end up there anyway, and anybody who doesn't realize that is fooling themselves - and get on with life.

I'll be glad just to have those idiots stop calling my house!

EricAlder

I guess the Democrats have to start getting those build boards out at some point. Best way to keep the populous informed of O's Marxist agenda is to have it out where the Average Joe can read it.

It's funny, that Giz would pull for the poor when it's those rich white/asian guys who buy all the gadgets.

You know, if we are going to stereo type, do it right.

LoganSix

@danger the pirate: Agreed...

closhedbb

@unibrow4o9: Exactly why Romney should have been the Republican candidate.

closhedbb

That's nothing! The Republics were going to rent the Hadron Collider - before it experienced those awful technical difficulties - how's that for tech-savvy?

EricAlder

On the tech savvy side, I am impressed that a lot more Republican Congressmen/women (it seems to me) have Twitter feeds than Democrats. And also, more Republicans actually write in the feed themselves, whereas Dems tend to have staffers write.

fussball

@Justifan: Wha?

kwicherbichin

@LoganSix:

If you are going to stereotype, learn that "stereotype" is one word. (Accidently posted my reply to the wrong comment)

Mpls_Mikey

@LoganSix:

If you are going to stereotype, learn that "stereotype" is one word.

Mpls_Mikey

@arzkkr: You miss the point. This website isn't about politics. Most of us come here to read gadget news.

Political views from people that waste money on crap like $400 phones, 62in LCD's, and $3000+ laptops, are the last group that I would be listening to... ;)

UnderLoK

Of course no mention of Biden's "forgetfulness". "Our helicopter was forced down in Afghanistan by enemy fire." Apparently the taliban has mastered the weather and now control the forces of nature. Please this is just one more example of complete and total hypocrisy on the left, instead of engaging in a substantive debate they send hate filled screeds messages. When you have no ideas of your own, you must attack the messenger. As a minority and former democrat. I'm glad I'm no longer a democrat and am deeply ashamed that so many minorities are voting democrat this time around b/c the candidate is a minority without ever substantially looking at this pinheads actual views.

coolkiwilivin

@danger the pirate: Yes, I actually do. One candidate is the most liberal candidate ever, even more so than the socialist senator from VT. This candidate is also committed to putting in judges who want to make up laws from bench, as opposed to one wants to appoint judges who will leave the law making to the elected officials. I'm constantly amazed that democrats who scream its all about the people are so pro judges that make up things from the bench rather than trusting in the legislature who are responsible for their constituents.

coolkiwilivin

@matt buchanan: I agree, the billboard is interactive and will possibly get the younger voters to participate in the process as opposed to a static sign that may get ignored...although I don't think this really means the democrats are more tech savvy, more like their PR people are tech savvy. I doubt Obama himself comes up with all the ad ideas.

GTgeek

Somewhat neat idea, asinine questions on the board though. And retarded political flame-war in the comments.
This whole bailout is pennies compared to the social security debacle, and yet some questioner thinks that now more than ever privatization is a bad idea??!?

The Chad

@coolkiwilivin: Believe fiction much? Let's see you prove that "most liberal senator" bullshit. It's been debunked a million times, but like a good useful idiot, you keep parroting the same line with disregard to all facts. Keep it up. You're losing this election anyway.

johnnyabnormal

@johnnyabnormal: Why is it you have to flame every single person that you disagree with? Is it that you are just one of those guys who has to act tough on the internet, or is it just because you are so angry with god for modeling you after Gary Johnston from Team America… that is, after the plastic surgery to make him a terrorist.

Either way, you're nothing more than a childish douche bag with a man crush on Obama, yea we all get it. Mr. Johnston knows everything and obviously because he calls everyone idiots, morons, or worse he must know what he is talking about.

Grow up, wipe that dirt off your face, and try having a conversation where you don't belittle every person you interact with that doesn't share you opinion.

UnderLoK

@UncleArgyll: If I could appeal to you on technology alone:

johnnyabnormal

I think McCain eats babies and Obama is a terrorist supporter.

Anyone who supports either of them is guilty of pure jackassary.

UncleArgyll

@UnderLoK: Someone is feeling a little testy today, huh? Your assertions are hilarious:

- I only attack people.
- I'm a "tough guy".
- I'm angry at "God".
- I'm a "terrorist".
- I'm a "douche bag".
- I've had "plastic surgery".
- I have homosexual urges for Obama.
- I think I know everything.
- I need to "grow up".
- I need to practice better hygiene.
- I need to learn how to "have a conversation".
- I need to stop "belittling everyone" who doesn't agree with me.

That's quite the laundry list!! Wow, I must be such an asshole. I'd believe you except for one little hint that you might be wrong:

UnderLoK has no friends
UnderLoK has no followers

johnnyabnormal has 173 friends
johnnyabnormal has 101 followers

But hey, maybe you're right and I'm a HUGE JERK and so are all the jerks that are my friends and followers! Shame on us all!

Maybe McCain's buddy, Phil Graham, was talking about you in this video? Are you having a "mental recession"?

+ Watch video

johnnyabnormal

@UncleArgyll: If someone eats babies and is a terrorist, who do they vote for?! Damn.

johnnyabnormal

@Kymeira:

Does it make sense now? Or do you need a rubber mallet to the head?

Two black Monday's in a row. Republican deregulation FTL.

FrankenPC

@johnnyabnormal: hahahahaa. Nice. *saves*

geckospots

@johnnyabnormal: Comments were down when I tried to respond yesterday, but maybe you'll still see it.

So in other words I am wrong because I don't have friends or followers on this network? You can't be serious… But just incase you are serious; you are 100% correct in that my interaction on this network is lack luster at best. Here and there I might chime in on something, but the idea of interacting with people on a site without any real means of communication (other than a splatter wall) doesn't appeal to me. I guess I'm old fashion and expect a forum (adding reply was a good start though).

So you have 173 friends (note I never said a word about them, just you)… That's great! Although... people adding you has nothing to do with people actually liking you. It also doesn't mean that they care about what you have to say nor does that mean they are actually a real friend. They add you to increase their friends/followers count for the exact reason you just outlined, so you can say "Hey look I'm popular! Out of the 50 million pageviews a month the network gets 173 of those views resulted in someone liking me!". It has no true meaning and the fact that you use that as your argument is completely pathetic to say the least. Some people I'm sure do find your whit funny, but I can assure you that the majority do not. Your comments are full of holes which you fill with condescending bs because that is the best you can do. It is however possible that I just focus on the bad and only notice your off-topic comments and flaming…

You definitely beat me when it comes to a popularity contest on Gawker (no offense intended to the sites - love giz n lifehacker and I am a long time fan), but I'm not sure basing your argument on that lends much in the way of credibility. You can toss your childish retorts at me all you want and they will fail, they will fail like you did when you tried to grow that beard (I can't grow one either which is why I shave).

As far as that video, I think I AM having a mental recession. I just caught myself dragged in by a troll, and for the record… I never said you were a terrorist… I guess you didn't see Team America, but if you did and didn't get the connection, Gary was the actor and a good guy not a terrorist. I also never said you had bad hygiene, I basically said you are sloppy which I'm sure carries on to other things.

Side note: I know the staff loves users like you as it keeps some of us coming back to respond which in turn drives pageviews, so while I don't like you comments, they are a necessary evil.

Am I testy? You bet… Watching you time and time again flame people for no good reason and constantly dragging discussions into YOUR feelings about Obama is ridiculous as there is a time and place for such things. I don't understand why it goes unchecked, but I guess I answered that for myself above.

UnderLoK

@UnderLoK: That was quite the response. Yeah, I do check back at least a day or two on comments because I value responses. You have to know that I joke a LOT. I'm over the top and I do provoke and invite debate. However, I wouldn't say I'm flaming everyone. Maybe you haven't read any comments where I agree with people or admit I was in error or show respect even in disagreement. Some of the people on my friend list have completely opposite views than my own, but we still respect each other & even email often. I'm cool with heated exchanges, but I don't ever hate anyone. It's the inter-tubes, so it's just silly to actually hate someone for their different point of view. Anyway! Just so you know, I'm not trying to piss you off. If my comments are like swiss cheese, call me on it and prove me wrong. Sorry my humor comes of as condescending to you. We all have our flaws!

p.s.

I'm more likely to vote Ron Paul. Figure THAT one out. :)

johnnyabnormal

@closhedbb: Romney? Romney?!

You mean the guy that:
* spent millions of MA government dollars on fighting the court decision upholding same sex couple's right to marry?
* invoked a law from the early 1900s to try to prevent out of state same sex couples from marrying?

Yeah, right. He's all for government out of your business as long as it doesn't go against his personal beliefs.

Actually part of me wishes the GOP had nominated Romney. Then the people that would never vote for a Mormon or an African American would sit out the fucking election and allow more sensible people to decide the future of the country.

TheRealCMJ

and obama said there were 57 states. and mccain couldn't recall how many cars he had. and biden said FDR got on tv in 1929 to talk about the depression when hoover was the actual president and there was no tv. what's your point? they all say idiotic stuff. i think most people get upset when only one side is pointed out.

KyleLeda

@johnnyabnormal: Man comments are jacked up AGAIN! Tried posting a couple times then I was getting redirected like it was posting but nada. Anyways…

You know what; I honestly thought that you were dead serious in your posts. For that I'm truly sorry. Now that I'm in the loop maybe I'll actually get a laugh out of your posts rather than getting heated. ;)

I think what happened (if you care) is that the posts where I actually read the comments are baited. You know those posts where you just have to know what people are saying and I always see you there flaming… Now I realize that you are just messing with people baiting them into a response which normally I find funny, but for some reason when it's done when politics are involved I get pissed. I guess that's why I never talk about them because unless the person agrees with you people tend to get pretty heated!

Anyways, again I'm sorry for singling you out like that, if I was more active on the site I would probably know better. Generally I love the conversations here so I'm sure that is soon to change (my activity level). I've seen 2 10k+ post counts on sites that died over the past 3 years and I need a new home anyways… ;)

UnderLoK

Please learn more about our economy before you try to talk about it. You say that "companies keep America running." Well it works the other way, too. Taxes are what pay for a huge amount of what makes businesses in our country able to operate and prosper. Do you want roads to move your products or bring customers to you? Taxes pay for that. Do you want police to keep people from robbing you? Or courts to protect your company's patents and other rights? Taxes pay for those, too. The list is longer than you could imagine. Those who have prospered because of the services provided by our government have a responsibility to support it in return. Warren Buffett, the richest person in the world, says that the government should tax him more. For a long time now, too many people have been taking more from their government than they are willing to give in return. Do you know what that gets us? Debt. And in more than one sense of the word. So please, quit your greedy, narrow-minded complaints about how you pay too much in taxes. If you don't like it, move someplace else. I can guarantee you that wherever it is, it won't provide you with all of the luxuries and opportunities afforded by simply living in America.

EnricaDoris

@UnderLoK: No problem, man. Everyone needs to be called a douche-bag once in a while. I can take the heat.

Yeah, the comments have been jacked... I wrote this long-ass reply the other day and it totally vaporized. I was so pissed because then I was like, "Uh, what did I say exactly?".

Funny thing is, when the comments in here go nuts...especially with politics...it can get crazy. I probably confuse some people because I don't fit in a box too easy. I'm probably equal mixtures of Libertarian and Democrat, so it throws some people for a loop. Plus, my twisted sense of humor...

Inter-tubes or not, there are some pissed people out there lately... I saw some video today of some people at a McCain rally calling for Obama's head to be chopped off, calling him a terrorist, etc. I mean, damn! It's been a bit over the top. Mob mentality + true hatred is some nasty shit, no matter what you believe in.

FYI: Giz editors are mainly in SF & NYC, so expect a liberal bias there. The readers are pretty much up the middle if you didn't notice. I'd almost say it's 45% Liberal, 40% Republican and 15% Libertarian with the USA commenters.

johnnyabnormal