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John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
91–100 of 292 posts
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#92Earlier quoted context omitted.
What constitutes acknowledgement?
I think the options are two: bully and harass the debtors until they pay or go to courts and try to get the default judgement. As the program points out what they buy is name and number. So I suppose if the person involved showed up in court and demanded any sort of confirmation of debt (like original bills perhaps?) then the case would be dismissed. After all the company needs some proof. But they overload the court…
If all they have is a name and number, can they really go to court, and win, with that alone, even if the presumed debtor does not show up?
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
Often it seems that facts, evidence, and observation are derided as "left". I find John's commentaries to be suitably supported by substance, with constructive conclusions. I worry that characterization as "left" is a defence against cognitive acknowledgements that just happen to be dissonant with neurostatic precepts.
Thats the thing though. This is not a question of substance. He can be right in the specifics, but still not provide the only perspective. My problem with him is his facts, but his interpretation of them.
How can you interpret things like "the Trump University fraud case" as anything but a problem for a Trump administration?
Even the parts where Olliver makes fun of Trump, for example the epic sagas about his hands or how he impersonated his own press secretary, are very clear signs whom I don't want to see in possession of nuclear launch codes. Or drones for that matter.
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#94Georestricted: The uploader has not made this video available in your country Someone else provided a different link: https://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=912968418832168&id... That returns with: Sorry, this page isn't available The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed. I look forward to the day we finally realise we are out of the transition period between not having the web at all…
Julia Reda, MP for the German Pirate Party with Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, has recently launched a campaign to introduce EU laws against geoblocking: https://juliareda.eu/2016/05/end-geoblocking/
So there's a little bit of movement, I guess?
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a good show (he's funny and you learn stuff) but it's way too preachy. He gets just a little too excited about things that are basically impossible for anyone to get excited about. Clearly pandering to the young, left crowd. I'm sure it makes some people feel very warm at night but it gives me a bad taste in my mouth after binge watching.
Totally. Always loved John Stewart and Steven Colbert because they were comedians first and educators/activists whatever you want to call it second. Even when you didn't agree with them politically you still got a laugh and saw what might be some ridiculous holes in your own beliefs. John Oliver was pretty funny but he has just become a left wing slacktivist at this point. Larry Wilmore doesn't seem to be a comedian…
Is it really fair to call him a "slacktivist"?
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thats the reason why I stopped watching it too. No doubt it has something but it's just too one sided IMO. It's bashing from a very specific political angle. I.e. it always possible to know what side of critique he is going to fall down on, and that for me isn't interesting.
Yep. Same here. He wasn't nearly as judgmental in The Bugle, while being as funny as ever. [1] [2] [1] http://podcast.timesonline.co.uk/rss/thebuglemp3.rss [2] https://soundcloud.com/the-bugle
Love that podcast. Really a shame he's stepping down from it.
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a good show (he's funny and you learn stuff) but it's way too preachy. He gets just a little too excited about things that are basically impossible for anyone to get excited about. Clearly pandering to the young, left crowd. I'm sure it makes some people feel very warm at night but it gives me a bad taste in my mouth after binge watching.
Thats the reason why I stopped watching it too. No doubt it has something but it's just too one sided IMO. It's bashing from a very specific political angle. I.e. it always possible to know what side of critique he is going to fall down on, and that for me isn't interesting.
Somehow, comedians falling on the "political right" side of the argument are rarely funny or insightful...
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#98I'm not aware of any other show that so seamlessly combines rip-roaringly funny comedy with essential insight into the way our society and system of government is deeply flawed. And on top of that, he even manages to direct action to fix the issues he draws attention to -- taking down the FCC website being one example[1]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/03/john-oliv...
The show is very entertaining and sheds some light on important issues, but don't kid yourself: you are being manipulated by masterful editing and writing, just like any other compelling "news" program. Everything in the show is filtered through a carefully worded script and is biased as hell. But I still love it. Just be sure you know what you're watching.
Example(s) where that makes the show less factual? I don't watch it and am curious.
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#99Earlier quoted context omitted.
You took the words out of my mouth and I'm glad someone else feels the same. It's a difficult thing to articulate but I think he crosses a line into unbearable preachiness and pandering. It's a bummer because I think the guy is a riot, but I just can't take the lectures anymore, and yes, given that this is almost a Daily Show spinoff, it's not terribly surprising to see a heavy left-leaning slant to everything...that…
Often it seems that facts, evidence, and observation are derided as "left". I find John's commentaries to be suitably supported by substance, with constructive conclusions. I worry that characterization as "left" is a defence against cognitive acknowledgements that just happen to be dissonant with neurostatic precepts.
Not sure what your last sentence means. I get the gist but neurostatic precepts is new to me.
Just because data supports global warming doesn't mean everyone agrees how to solve it or likes being berated and shamed because don't drive an electric car or ride a bike to work. Not everyone agrees we should shut off the US economy to slow down global warming. This is where partisan politics gets messy and people start merging their facts and their opinions.
Re: John Oliver buys $15M in debt and forgives all of it on 'Last Week Tonight'
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
For trading debt I would certainly hope that the actual contracts under which the debt was agreed where included. Yes that would be difficult, but it ought to be a minimum requirement.
The problem is that this debt is for very small amounts, often a few hundred dollars/thousand dollars traded for pennies on the dollar. This is a risk the seller/buyer is willing to take since the cost is so low and it isn't even worth taking the time to review the contract in depth for such a small payout.
But because these cases aren't reviewed, debt is often created out of nothing. For example if the debt has expired or was even paid, the debt changes hands, and they file a law suit somewhere, there is the real chance the debt is brought back to life in full. And if it doesn't work that time, the debt is just sold off to the next collector to try it again.