2024 archive
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
The things that you’ve seen,
And can read on your screen,
They ain’t necessarily so.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Writing at the Detroit Free Press, Arlene Frank, a daughter of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to the United States, listens to Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and hears a rhyme.
Here’s a bit:
Follow the link to read the article.
______________
*Mark Twain.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
In the old movie I’m watching as I type this, the I-assume-it’s AI doing the subtitles rendered “Miss Serova” as “Mr. Obama.”
If you want to see for yourself, it’s at about the 30 minute mark.
The Wannabe, One More Time 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, David Kyle Johnson identifies characteristics common to fascist movements (note that he does not claim this to be a complete list) and asks whether it reminds us of anyone in the news.
Here’s the list; follow the link for a detailed discussion of each item.
- Nostalgia for a Mythical Past
- Leader Cult and Hero Worship
- Us vs. Them Thinking
- Anti-Intellectualism and Distrust of Expertise
- Victimhood and Conspiracy Thinking
- Glorification of Violence and Aggression
- Obsession with Purity and Control
Afterthought:
In a related vein, Steve M. offers some thoughts as to why so many persons seem willing to overlook the warning signs that Donald Trump, if given the chance, will try to become America’s Hitler.
The Wannabe, Reprise 0
Seth suggests that the media is missing the point in its (lack of serious) coverage of Donald Trump’s documented admiration of Adolph Hitler (and of dictators in general).
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Yet another oxymoronic “responsible gun owner” performs random acts of politeness.
Guns and stupid, guns and stupid.
They go together like love and Cupid.
Let me tell you brother,
You can’t have one without the other.
A Trumpled Presidency . . . . 0
. . . deserves to be suitably memorialized.
QOTD 0
Leonard Goldberg:
Everyone is an idle gossiper if the gossip is interesting enough.
Goldberg, Leonard, The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes (New York: Minotaur, 2017) p. 88.
A Tune for the Times 0
Mangy’s voice is a bit off, but his lyrics are spot on.
Republican Thought Police 0
A Trump-appointed judge wants law schools to commit originalist sin.
The Graham Cracker 0
At The Charlotte Observer, Isaac Bailey argues that that cookie crumbled long ago. A snippet:
He’s not.
Read the full article for Bailey’s evidence.
This Trumpled Kleptocracy 0
Sam and the crew discuss how the robber barons of this new gilded age are poisoning dis coarse discourse.
