WTF, are morons trying to destroy the internet as we know it?

I've bitched before about AOL and Yahoo and their greedy whoreson ways and how they are going to start charging to deliver email, even though AOL already charges its recipients and Yahoo has ads out the ass.

They've been leading up to this for months if you ask me. I get a report of how many of our opt-in only newsletter subscribers actually got their mail and for months Yahoo and AOL have had percentages of successful deliveries ranging as low as 0% and hovering around 40-60%.

Boingboing posts today about a reaction to a huge petition signed by millions of people, including me. I fucking hate AOL. I cannot use strong enough words to say how much I despise them.

Also in today's postings there is this, some assclown assemblyman in New Jersey wants to make every interactive site collect certain personal information about the posters and be liable for lawsuits for defamation etc. Not only that but the site would have to turn over all information when demanded, without due process of law.

3. An operator of an interactive computer service or an Internet service provider shall establish and maintain reasonable procedures to enable any person to request and obtain disclosure of the legal name and address of an information content provider who posts false or defamatory information about the person on a public forum website.

So you know, someone posts at the Grapevine and says watch out for Horrible Mortgage Company, they stole some money from a client and I've turned them over to the police and Horrible Mortgage Company can demand the name and address of the person who posted and they will get it. Then they firebomb the guy and that's that.

Or hey, how about my PTC support group? People post personal information about their illnesses and treatment, knowing that they are anonymous. Now anyone could find out who they are, insurance companies, employers, weirdos who like to torture sick people, whoever.

It's a terrifyingly awful idea and makes my head want to explode. And yes, I am extra grouchy. I've had a terrible headache and been throwing up all afternoon. I blame Intuit and their crappy tax software. They used to be decent but lately they've been so moneygrubbing they've pretty much ruined the tax freedom project that they brag about so much. It's about 200 times harder to use than last year. I'm finding a new company for next year.