Yesterday, I realized I am starting to run ahead on news stories. I’ve had times when I was running ahead on videos (and I am that too now, but only a little bit), but haven’t seen this may good stories all at once since I started. And I hate to cut most of them out. So I hope you’ll be tolerant of the stories getting posted a bit late, and if there’s breaking news that you think we shouldn’t have to wait for, please feel free to put it in a comment.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
Wonkette – Please Watch Frances Haugen’s ‘60 Minutes’ Interview Before Logging Onto Facebook Again
Quote – Facebook recruited Haugen in 2019 and she agreed to join only if she could work against disinformation because she’d watched a friend get trapped in the alternate reality of online conspiracy theories. She was assigned to Civic Integrity, a showy bit of PR sleight of hand intended to show that Facebook cared about disinformation during the 2020 election. However, the company pulled the plug once the election was over, which is true in only in the most literal sense. Practically speaking, the Big Lie is actively gaining ground, arguably thanks to Facebook.
Click through. I am putting this here and not in the Video Thread, partly because it’s a little long (at 13:36), but partly so that more people will see it. I know Nameless watched it when it aired, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Colleen also did. But I didn’t, and everyone should.
Center for Media and Democracy – ALEC Leaders Boast About Anti-Abortion, Anti-Trans Bills
Quote – At the 40th anniversary meeting of the Council for National Policy (CNP) in May, ALEC leaders boasted about their extensive efforts to advance state legislation to severely restrict access to abortion and limit the rights of trans students, as well as voter suppression bills. CNP is a secretive network of far-right Christian political figures and donors that works behind the scenes to influence Washington.
Click through for the status of the investigation. It just never ends!
Mother Jones – This Is the Newest Front in Anti-Vaxxers’ War on Instagram Misinfo Controls
Quote – Janny Organically is a person. Or maybe she’s a few people—it’s hard to tell. At any rate, Janny Organically is an Instagram account, and, with 104,000 followers, a decently popular one at that. Fans enjoy stylishly composed memes in fonts and hues that look like they might belong on a tea towel in a hipster souvenir shop, with lightly anti-authoritarian yet vague messaging. Janny Organically might be urging you to try a new yoga class, or fomenting a revolution, it’s not entirely clear. “Be careful not to confuse cowardice with morality,” reads one post in a script that evokes a 1970s romance novel, in front of some softly blurred flowers. Another one is less subtle: against a sepia-filtered photo of a desert road, are the words, “Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not.”
Click through for story. This is the nightmare of what happens when people with actual brains and skills get involved in right wing disinformation. It is horrifying.
Food for Thought –
12 Responses to “Open Thread for October 9, 2021”
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No worries, Joanne. You’re doing a fine job, through and though, if I say so myself.
Cartoon: As a child visited the Washington Monument two or three times, and went up the steps a couple times. I think there are close to a 1000 steps to ascend to the top. I don’t know if it’s open to the public or not anymore. Good memories though, and also visiting Arlington National Cemetery. I always get choked up visiting the Hallowed Grounds and final resting place for our veterans, active duty, and families.
Wonkette: Interesting. I’ll watch it later on today. Thank you for the tip.
CMD: What a shame. They do things that’s not on the up and up. Secretive and liars all.
FFT: Thank the Lord that TOT is not in office. I gagged when he saluted the NK general. Hope Justice prevails to the ID. He deserves justice and prison time, imho.
THIS JUST IN: TJI ““There is no freedom more fundamental than the right to vote.” ~ The Democrats ~
2. “US and Chinese envoys meeting in Zurich today reached an agreement in principle for President Biden and Chinese President Xi to hold a virtual meeting before the end of the year, per a senior administration official.” ~ Steve Holland ~
3. “After a week of purposely evading the January 6th Committee, Trump aide Dan Savino is finally found and served his subpoena. Now he must comply or be held in contempt of court and thrown in jail.”
~Occupy Democrats ~
4. “My thoughts are with the students, faculty, and families of Timberview High School in North Texas. It’s a terrible tragedy that yet another school shooting in America has occurred without meaningful action on common sense gun safety legislation.” ~ Joaquin Castro ~
5. “Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen: The U.S. honors our debts and that reputation has served us in many ways including the U.S. dollar being the gold standard around the world. She adds that the U.S. must avoid “catastrophe” at all costs as well as “pain, turmoil andhardship.” ~ Yamiche Alcindor ~
TJI #3 – Glad to see old Dan Scavino finally got served his subpoena. Turns out he was in New York, but the subpoena was accepted by a proxy at Trump’s Moron-Lardo club … errr … Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/08/bannon-jan-6-subpoena-515681
LOL! Glad they found him,surprised he wasn’t under a rock or out of the country. What a bunch! Grind, oh wheels of justice!
TJI #1 – You know, I think the Rethuglicans would not agree. They would say “religious liberty” is the most fundamental. And if they didn’t mean by that the liberty to impose their beliefs onto everyone, they might even have a point. Unfortunately, their definition is wrong, and they are wrong-er.
TJI #2 – Good. Since we now have a real President, it’s good when he’s talking with other nations.
TJI #3 – They got him! Good! Now lock him up.
TJI #4 – No words. You know, what the NRA and all the Second Amendment nuta are doing is another form of running out the clock. They seem to think if we are exposed to enough mass shootings and other senseless killings – even by children – none of us will have any words and we will start taking shootings for granted.
TJI #5 – Elect clowns, expect a circus. Not that Janet (or we) would ever vote for these clowns, of course.
TJI from John Pavlovitz: 1 Hour ago.
“Stopped by for brief recovery update.First day home has been wonderful. Just family, good food, rest.Listening to my body and stopping when I feel tired/shaky/dizzy.7 day post-brain surgery and haven’t had a pain med in days. Just amazing.Appreciate all the support. It is a huge lift.Thanks, friends.Body says “Nap time.”
This made me smile. Prayers are still in order, of course.
Wonderful to hear John is doing well at home. Pleased that he’s being careful not to over exert himself. Will be continue to be in my prayers.
Please Watch Frances Haugen’s ‘60 Minutes’ Interview Before Logging Onto Facebook Again
Well, there’s one task I’ll never have to do…. I’ve never belonged to Facebook!
(Although I did watch the interview, and I do recognize it has usual features to keep up w/ far-flung family & friends.)
ALEC Leaders Boast About Anti-Abortion, Anti-Trans Bills
ALEC literally writes about 200 bills a year that are passed by state legislatures.
Maybe we should let corporations write the bills, and remove ALEC as the middleman.
This Is the Newest Front in Anti-Vaxxers’ War on Instagram Misinfo Controls
Boy, Zuckerberg gladly promotes evil … IF it produces a profit.
Food for Thought
Ain’t that the truth!
For me, email works just fine to keep up with family and friends. But there is one thing Facebook can do that email can’t – and that is th spread an Amber Alert or similar need for as many people as possible to be searching for someone to save a life. It has accomplished that -many times – I’ll give it that. But is that useful enough for us to allow it to destroy our democracy? I think not.
Comments from Mitch:
‘Toon: I’m surprised they’ve no tried to fly their own plane in to it!Wonkette: I’ve read some of Haugen’s presentation before congress, and am glad that I do not do FB, never have. Zuckerberg is just one more vicious, greedy bastard, with no moral compass!
CMD: ALEC, as I understand it, is funded, was founded , by the Koch boys, and there is no surprise, here, that a religious offshoot was borne of it.
MJ: I can’t access the story, but I get the drift. I’m expecting that Orwell would recognize this in an instance.
FFT: RIGHT ON! Asshat stared into the sun during an eclipse, and, apparently, felt no ill effects. That’s because eyes are an extension of the brain, and his is so damaged, from the get-go, that more damage just does not show up.
Mitch
Cartoon: One important monument.
Wonkette: I heard so much about Fakebook when it first started that I never wanted to be a part of it. Now hearing these evil facts, I’m grateful I never did.
CMD: I agree with Nameless’ thought regarding removing ALEC.
MJ: Awful. Wish these sites would be shut down for spreading such lies.
Food for Thought: Ain’t that the truth?
Hope you’re enjoying your Saturday.
Take care. Thanks Joanne
Wonkette: Like most here, I never joined Facebook, apart from inadvertently when they bought WhatsApp which I had joined to easily communicate with family and friends in Europe. From what has come out over Facebook, I’m glad I never did. It does exactly what I expected it to do.
CMD: Secretive? There’s nothing secretive about CNP: They openly boast about their extremist accomplishments and nothing can be done about it.
MJ: It’s terribly sad that all this knowledge on how to manipulate people is always used to steer a country into the abyss instead of using it to let people do the right thing.
FFT: Thank goodness the majority of voters valued Joe Biden’s sanity above that of TFG.