2018 archive
Facebook Frolics, All the News that Fits Dept. 0
At the San Francisco Chronicle, Audrey Cooper comments on the Zuckerborg’s latest stunt to shape (I originally typed “shave” and am wondering whether that was a typo or a Freudian slip) its news they-laughingly-call-it-a “feed.” A snippet:
The thing is, my relatives will still share fake news on Facebook, and it will show up in my “news” feed under your new rules. I’ll still see the partisan opinion pieces that my friends share. But I won’t see posts from responsible news outlets I choose to follow unless I take several steps to force the newsfeed to prioritize it.
Do please read the rest.
Decoding De Code 0
Sam and his guest discuss how racism is much more present in American society than most persons think.
Meatless Monday 0
Badtux reviews the menu.
Cheaters Do Prosper . . . 0
. . . but, for once, not tonight.
Little Drips Cause Big Erosions 0
After disparaging the content of the Nunes Nothingburger, Cynthia Dill considers the larger implications of the many memogates. A snippet–follow the link for the rest.
Remember the Comey Memo? And the Rosenstein Memo? And the fussy-named dossier?
All these are compilations and placement of words by wordsmiths of the highest caliber. Thrown into the public discourse and bandied about by pundits as if memos are smoking guns, these documents take on the air of fact or reality. In politics, memos and dossiers are catnip for ravenous media content whores trying to make a living. Memos get quoted and retweeted and “analyzed” to death.
The cumulative effect of all these ginned up scamdals is, I think, far more corrosive than many realize or others are willing to confront. They erode the foundations of the polity and undermine the social contract, all in a short-term quest for power.
Super Stray Thought 0
It’s not that contest’s stated purpose, but nothing illustrates the inanity and vacuousness of television sports commentary more than comparing it to a segment or two of The Puppy Bowl.
