Sunday, January 19, 2025

What AOC says about TikTok & Trump

 

“Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”

First of all, Donald Trump is not president right now.

He's a private citizen. He does not have access to presidential powers. He does not have the ability to do any of that.

Please understand that TikTok's decision to name Trump in the notification is a choice. They are signaling that they have agreed to privately collaborate with Donald Trump and the Trump administration.

For all of those concerns that people were saying that TikTok is gonna be used as a propaganda tool by the Chinese, understand they're using it as a propaganda tool for the right.

Now, I want you all to put all the pieces together because what this effectively means is that every mass social media platform in the United States has been taken over by the right wing, with the exception of Blue Sky (but Blue Sky is still very small, relatively).

So when I say put the pieces together:

Elon Musk took over Twitter, and there's open reporting that they have artificially manipulated the algorithms to boost right-wing content on X and to amplify harassment.

Then you have Meta. You have Mark Zuckerberg saying that they're basically also bending the knee to Trump with their changes to fact checking, regardless of how effective that was in the first place.

Now TikTok is now saying, “Hey, we are agreeing we will use our push notification system for all 170 million American users to promote Donald Trump.”

Just understand that government announcements like this with companies, they never name politicians — they will usually name law or policy. TikTok is making an explicit agreement to do this.

And if I were a betting person: they probably are making a deal with Donald Trump to not just use these push notifications — they probably would consider algorithmic changes. Which is ironic because at the time when people voted for the TikTok ban, because there was a lot of pro-Palestinian content, that argument was being used as being somehow “anti-American,” which, you know — I guess supporting human rights is somehow bad.

So what does this mean for us?

We are on the eve of an authoritarian administration. This is what 21st century fascism is starting to look like. Republicans model themselves after Viktor Orbán’s Hungary. You can look to Hungary to get a taste of how they will try to control media and companies in the United States. This is a kind of entrée to that.

As far as what we do:

This is a time of experimentation. A lot of people can and will still use platforms, but I also look towards places where you have more ownership and develop your audiences there — like Blue Sky.

More soon,

Alexandria

(bold text as in AOC's original message)

Davy Jones (aka David Bowie) with the Lower 3rd - 1965

Going by his birth name, Davy Jones (aka David Bowie) and The Lower 3rd released their first and only EP, The Manish Boys, containing 4 songs, in 1979. Even then, David Bowie displayed the talent that would later in his career bring him such exceptional and unique notoriety. David Jones adopted the stage name David Bowie so not to go by the name of the lead singer of The Monkeys.

In 1966, long before the the release of their EP, Davy Jones and The Lower 3rd released in the UK their first 45 rpm single with the songs Can't Help Thinking About Me and And I Say to Myself.


Saturday, January 18, 2025

Florida Republicans BLAST Ron DeSantis For Sucking Up To Trump


What Stogie Had For Lunch

Fish Sandwich
With Fries

 Tom's Tavern - Forest Hills

Bernie Sanders Exposes Trump Cabinet Swamp's Fake Populism


I thought Trump would be president again when hell freezes over

Trump inauguration moved indoors due 
to frigid forecast. more

Florida's Public Camping Crackdown: Impact on Homeless Communities


The words for the 21st century are 'apathy' and 'rhetoric'

'We’ve left the domain of effective protest'


Just outside the White House on January 21, 2017, a dense sea of something like 500,000 protesters, known as the Women’s March on Washington, had formed, stretching from the marble steps of the United States Capitol past the towering Washington Monument.

Eight years have passed, and the Women’s March, rebranded as the People’s March, consist of a tenth the number of protesters, will march on Washington. The People's March is a reflection of the internal struggles that have roiled the movement, raising questions about who felt included — and who did not.



Friday, January 17, 2025

Pam Bondi: ‘Donald Trump may finally have what he has long been looking for’


West Riverwalk Project: Is it worth the money?


What Stogie Had For Lunch

Chili
 Tom's Tavern - Forest Hills

Biden Warns of "Oligarchy" in America as Billionaires Flock to Trump Inauguration:


Face the facts: America has outsourced military supply chain to China


With President Trump’s inauguration coming up soon and Beijing already levying new export restrictions and sanctions, 2025 promises to be an eventful year for the U.S.-China trade war. And while the impact is likely to be widespread, Beijing is explicitly targeting the American defense sector.

The actions by China are forcing a reckoning with the uncomfortable reality that America has outsourced large parts of its military supply chain to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party. Successfully infiltrating an adversary’s supply chain presents opportunities to conduct devastating acts of sabotage.


Decoding Donald Trump's new official portrait


Those are some of the descriptions of Donald Trump's newest official portrait, captured by his chief photographer, Daniel Torok. In the photo, the president-elect wears a stern expression, eyes cocked.

"The official portrait of the president is the most printed, most seen image of the president, ever," former White House photographer Eric Draper told the BBC.


The Senate advances a migrant detention bill that could be Trump’s first law to sign


The Senate is heading toward a final vote on legislation that would give states the power to challenge federal immigration policies and require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes, setting a new tone on immigration as Donald Trump enters the White House.

Newly in the majority, Senate Republicans have made the so-called Laken Riley Act — named after a Georgia student who was killed last year by a Venezuelan man — a top priority, potentially making it the first bill Trump signs as president.


Then they came for me

Trump inauguration protests underscore how the resistance has changed


First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
—Martin Niemöller—

Protesters are set to descend on Washington, D.C., on Saturday ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, an event that will lay bare how the resistance has changed in the eight years since he first took office.

Organizers of the People’s March, which is being put together by a diverse coalition of groups including the Women’s March, expect roughly 50,000 attendees Saturday — a stark contrast to the 500,000 that marched on Washington in 2017.

Experts say the difference reflects a shift in strategy in how they oppose Trump, as well fatigue among some advocates.


Medicare targets 15 more drugs for price negotiations — including Ozempic


The Biden administration, in its last full weekday in office, has announced the next 15 drugs up for Medicare price negotiation. Blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic is on the list.

That means the federal government and the pharmaceuticals industry are about to go head-to-head once again. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services negotiated prices for a first batch of drugs last year — something it could only do because of the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in 2022.....MORE

Kristi Noem has confirmation hearing today; Senate holds key vote on Laken Riley Act

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), President-elect Trump’s pick to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is set to appear for her confirmation hearing before a Senate panel today at 9:00 a.m.

Watch live HERE

Florida Bar: We Are Investigating Matt Gaetz. Here's What Could Happen Next.


Pink It Up 16!: Ska Bands Against Breast Cancer


Wednesday, January 15, 2025

What's the secret to Denmark's happy work-life balance? A secret totally unknown in the US.

Meik Wiking of the Tivoli Gardens amusement park

Mr Wiking is another Dane who cites the concept of bosses trusting their employees to do the right thing. He uses the example of staff at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, where they follow the three-metre rule.

The idea is that you are CEO of everything within a radius of three metres. "If you see garbage within your three-metre radius you pick it up, and if you see a guest looking for something, you stop and ask them if you can help," says Mr Wiking.



Senate hearings to examine the expected Trump nominations continue today


The Senate confirmation hearings continue today. See the schedule of the hearings and live video feeds below.

9 a.m.: Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Department (postponed until 9:00 a.m. Friday, Jan. 17)
9:30 a.m.: Pam Bondi, Justice Department (live video HERE)
10 a.m.: Sean Duffy, Transportation Department (live video HERE)
10 a.m.: John Ratcliffe, CIA (live video HERE)
10 a.m.: Marco Rubio, State Department (live video HERE)
10 a.m.: Chris Wright, Energy Department (live video HERE)
1 p.m.: Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget (live video HERE)