nostr:npub1dg354gaz6dqk7793q2tvnvst0rfp9acw9djt8c6t77ckcqszu6vqd5368f That’s crazy talk. Democrats are offering a president who’s actually doing a good job and making things better for everyone, and Republicans are falling in line behind a corrupt lifelong criminal who promises to destroy Democracy and govern as a dictator.
If you can’t distinguish between the parties, you will get the government you deserve.
By and large, the American press is not telling us how dangerous Trump is. He’s telling us himself; but many still pretend this will be a normal election. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/30/trump-interview-jail-political-opponents-glenn-beck
nostr:npub1gl7w3w4ssmvc2ufhppuf3sa4vjx4lfr5365l89akhmh7gpq7vthqhrnsv3 I don’t remember. My only (vague) memory of initial reaction to the show was disagreement over how true-to-life the profanity was, because it was pretty extreme for TV at the time. Of course there aren’t that many women on the show who AREN’T prostitutes. None of them, that I can recall, display contempt or condescension toward those who are.
I wouldn’t say the show romanticized sex work, though. It looks pretty brutal. Except maybe for Joanie Stubbs.
nostr:npub1gl7w3w4ssmvc2ufhppuf3sa4vjx4lfr5365l89akhmh7gpq7vthqhrnsv3 Yes. Trixie! Joanie!
nostr:npub1traay5jdde50ps7y3mqdullw29a0pncqsg9vy637c8x7uyrwnvsq0wnpqw Not sure I totally agree. I've had a good experience using Claude by Anthropic. It does make up things occasionally, but it has also been quite accurate for the majority of what I've requested.
nostr:npub1xn33a4wm3wawulaq35s8qvr5ryryj8s90mwpl9nxuflr2vwxxlcss3wrl8 I didn’t say it’s usually wrong. On the contrary. Just that you can never be sure. Checking facts, judging among competing authorities, reasoning about plausibility—none of these are in its skill set.
“Miss Grehan again seemed slightly taken aback. How do you know
all this?
It's on your Facebook, Elaine said.
They had sometimes experienced this with adults—surprise that information that they had made available to be viewed by anybody at any time had, in fact, been viewed by somebody.”
—Paul Murray, The Bee Sting
nostr:npub1g56s7a4hpexkuc6pk0xjzhws6nt5sc5z6aekw60naxmq9txjrtjs42czl2 I see various news about pending upgrades to Mastodon. If you’re ready to say, I’m interested in how that will affect zirk.us—particular whether we will be able to use full-text search.
If you didn’t already love Fani Willis, love her for this simple clause:
"In light of Defendant Donald John Trump’s other criminal and civil matters pending in the courts of our sister sovereigns ..." https://law-and-politics.online/@Teri_Kanefield/110901306376545526
“Smith chose to tell the story of an abstraction, crimes against democracy and the peaceful transfer of power. Willis is telling a concrete and detailed story of crimes against voters and election workers; Black voters in particular, female Black election workers in specific.… They are two very distinct acts of violence against elections. Smith reminds us what the country nearly lost, and Willis recalls what Black voters have almost never won.”
nostr:npub154j739ycyza4ef89sk5ajwartyhny05t6e4ccdgxzvgz6pj9fjkszck988
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/08/trump-indictments-jack-smith-fani-willis-themes.html
nostr:npub1lcwanq58vj8eexlq6zf0jxttma8vpuuq9r8vf0qcpcauamp7e4uqqw9mwm Oh, I couldn’t get by for a day without the New York Times. The good they do far outweighs the bad, not withstanding my ongoing exasperation with their handling of US politics.
nostr:npub1amxqe6nenagsfu6gqe7x2rlztpxm659lgmpfggclacw4w7mzcq7qj87frg I think that’s how he justifies it to himself. But where is the evidence that the nation, and not just a few savvy reporters, are bored and don’t think this is a big deal?
I thought I’d seen it all, but no. The lead news analysis in the New York Times, by its longtime chief White House correspondent, puts this unprecedented moment in American history into perspective:
“Another jury, another indictment.”
“surreally routine”
“The novelty … has somehow worn off.”
“short attention spans … seen this before”
“priced into the market, as the Wall Street types would put it”
First quote—GOP consultant: “white noise … it all blurs together”
“Let’s get serious: Everyone sees at least some members of the conservative majority for what they are—not simply intellectually but, to a stunning degree, actually dishonest, the kind of traffic-court hacks who can be bought with dinner at Applebee’s, a dime-store award plaque, and a weekend at Myrtle Beach.
“Blue states would be foolish not to try blocking future high-profile, adverse Supreme Court orders.”
Garrett Epps on our corrupt and self-destructing #Scotus
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2023/08/14/the-looming-supreme-court-nullification-crisis/
Here is a strong and timely amicus brief urging Judge Chutkan to proceed with a speedy trial of Defendant #Trump. It’s not just the accused that has a right to a speedy trial. It’s the nation.
Serious question (not answered here): What would it take to change Senate rules so that one rogue member can’t block appointments? And where is the majority leader?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/12/military-promotions-blocked-tuberville/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/12/military-promotions-blocked-tuberville/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most
nostr:npub1psdfxfpxz2cwmmnsk60y3nqpn2tqh9n24h4hstvfkwvr6eaek9js499sr7 Then maybe she had Edward Lear in her head.
nostr:npub1psdfxfpxz2cwmmnsk60y3nqpn2tqh9n24h4hstvfkwvr6eaek9js499sr7 I bet you are being (unconsciously?) influenced by “ansible.”
A new career in politics makes perfect sense because Michael Cohen is uniquely positioned to unify pro-Trump and anti-Trump voters. They ALL despise him.
@politico https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/11/michael-cohen-trump-lawyer-new-york-house-seat-00110832
The most blatantly corrupt Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history.
“At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to sporting events, typically perched in the skybox; two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica; and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club ...” @ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-other-billionaires-sokol-huizenga-novelly-supreme-court https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-other-billionaires-sokol-huizenga-novelly-supreme-court?utm_medium=social&utm_source=mastodon&utm_campaign=mastodon-post
nostr:npub1j4w5uycakemj3vndpg8qvftldw7n6amev970246r6p5ran8qctwstzp0fy nostr:npub1alqk9gq85d6zlzvjwmetzpch796as3cjzjugeghnu6e53cre5lnqvtmnj6 There are some terrible doctors out there, but one still wants the good doctors to have everything they need to do their jobs. As for journalists (I still identify as one), if you don’t want them to find your posts, you should absolutely be able to prevent that. But most of what’s posted in the fediverse is meant for people to see, so I’d say journalists ought to be able to see it too.