{"id":24772,"date":"2016-11-16T13:59:12","date_gmt":"2016-11-16T21:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=24772"},"modified":"2016-11-16T13:59:12","modified_gmt":"2016-11-16T21:59:12","slug":"open-thread-11162016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/11\/16\/open-thread-11162016\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread – 11\/16\/2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s not only a cold muggy day, but also very busy.  I’m waiting for a grocery delivery, and will have to put everything away, when it arrives.  Later Wendy is coming to scour the stinky TomCat, and do some light housework.  I’ll feed her chili dawgs<\/em>.  Sleep is still slow in coming.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today’s took me 2:47 (average 4:56).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From Media Matters<\/a>: <\/font>In the wake of the 2016 election, one thing has become increasingly clear: there is a huge problem with the news that tens of millions of Americans get from Facebook.<\/p>\n

According to a recent Pew poll, 62% of Americans now get news<\/a> on social media, with Facebook overwhelmingly being the most popular<\/a> platform. And yet too often it was not news that Americans found on Facebook, but rather fake stories dressed up as the news<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Evidence shows that Facebook is riddled with lies. One report<\/a> even found that teenagers in Macedonia were able to game Facebook and get their Trump propaganda posts shared into the news feeds of millions.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg sat down with conservatives<\/a> who complained that right-wing news was suppressed on Facebook. It was after that meeting that Facebook fired their human editors and replaced them all with algorithms. This decision further unleashed fake news on Facebook.<\/p>\n

A new bombshell report<\/a> revealed that Facebook knew about the fake news problem and had the ability to do something about it, but declined to fix the issue out of fear that the right-wing would complain.<\/p>\n

If we have learned anything from the past two decades, it is that it is crucial not to cave to right-wing bullying and manipulations.<\/p>\n

Despite overwhelming data and insider reporters, Mark Zuckerberg refuses to even acknowledge the problem publicly. (Which is odd given that he was willing to sit down with discredited right-wing misinformers over totally unsubstantiated cries of bias)<\/p>\n

Join us in asking Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook to take two concrete steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Acknowledge the problem of the proliferation of fake news on Facebook. <\/li>\n
  2. Commit to taking action to fix the problem. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It\u2019s high time that Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook fix their fake news problem and address the fever swamp\/cesspool of misinformation that Facebook has become.<\/p>\n

    If that hurts liberals, so be it. If that hurts conservatives, so be it. If that hurts teenagers publishing fake news in Macedonia, so be it. Let the chips fall where they may.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s time for the truth to have its day. That\u2019s all we\u2019re asking for.<\/p>\n

    I am sharing the entire article, because Media Matters want'[s it shared.  Considering that Facebook, which I quit many years ago, is owned by a collection of Billionaires, Banksters, and Vulture Capitalists, is this any surprise? Please click through and sign the petition<\/a>.<\/font><\/p>\n

    From Daily Kos<\/a>: <\/font>Share this article<\/p>\n

    That didn’t take long. Not even a week has passed, and the president elect’s team is already warning Trump critics to be "careful" about the way they criticize Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \n

    [Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid] on Friday had said that "the election of Donald Trump has emboldened the forces of hate and bigotry in America" and that "white nationalists, Vladimir Putin and ISIS are celebrating Donald Trump’s victory, while innocent, law-abiding Americans are wracked with fear." […] <\/p>\n

    Then, she added: "He should be very careful about characterizing somebody in a legal sense. He thinks — he thinks he’s just being some kind of political pundit there, but I would say be very careful about the way you characterize it."<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Donald Trump’s minions seem to be confused about this, so let’s fill them in on something they’re going to need to know going forward: The President of the United States has the least legal protection against criticism or libel of anyone in the country. As the ultimate public figure, courts are obliged to grant public citizens wide leeway. This is why, for example, elected public officials, private citizens, and the Fox News channel have been repeatedly able to peddle 100% false information about Barack Obama for a decade with absolutely no repercussions.<\/p>\n

    With the takeover of SCOTUS by SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) virtually guaranteed, that is likely to change.<\/font><\/p>\n

    From YouTube<\/a> (GQ Channel<\/a>): <\/font>Should We Give Donald Trump a Chance? | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann<\/p>\n