From Pine View Farm

The Rule of Lawless 0

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gene Collier finds Doanld Trump’s SNAP decisions somewhat–er–disquieting. Here’s a tiny bit from his article.

“SNAP BENEFITS … will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT.”

Thus the president defies multiple court orders to feed hungry children, or am I oversimplifying?

You have to wonder at this point why the administration even bothers to retain lawyers, to go into courts, to file briefs, to meet deadlines. Under Trump, Trump is the law. Any legal judgment not in his favor is simply ignored.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

Your BFF? Don’t bet on it, per Heather Lench, who notes that

  • AI can now convincingly create or alter emotional expressions.
  • People rely on emotional expressions to determine what is important and how to behave.
  • Chatbots allow people to create personal echo chambers where AI is appreciative and positive.
  • Emotions expressed by avatars can be altered to deceive others.

Follow the link for a detail exploration of each point.

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QOTD 0

Jerome Bruner:

Education must be not only a transmission of culture but also a provider of alternative views of the world and a strengthener of the will to explore them.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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Devolution 0

Ronald Reagan says,

Click to view the original image.

Aside:

Not that I have ever been fan of “Reagonomics.” Reagan’s embrace of the Laffable Curve, aka “Trickle-On Economics,” has done much to contribute to the erosion of the middle class, but, as regards tariffs, he got it right.

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The Hunger Gamers 0

Farron comments on the Trump maladministration’s mean for the sake of mean.

Finish reading this post »

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Still Rising Again after All These Years 0

Michael in Norfolk decodes de code:

The Felon’s mantra of “make America great again” truly translates to “make America white again” . . . .

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This New Gilded Age 0

Man at Natural History Museum Endangered Species exhibit looking a picture of family labled

Click to view the original image.

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“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0

Yet another oxymoronic “responsible gun owner” performs a random act of politeness while playing with his portable phallus.

So many guns.

So much stupid.

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Facebook Frolics 0

The Zuckerborg is planning to add your AI chats to its assimilation algorithm.

Starting December 16, 2025, Meta will begin adding AI chats to the behavioral data it gathers to further personalize its experiences and ad targeting.

Pamela B. Rutledge has more at the link.

Which lead to the question, are you using AI or is it using you?

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QOTD 0

Thomas Jefferson:

The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.

I wonder what he would have said about “social” media?

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Fly the Fiendly Skies 0

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The Recruiting Drive 0

Group of mobsters sitting around a table playing cards.  One gets up th answer the phone and then says to the others,

Click for the original image.

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This New Gilded Age 0

Thom runs the numbers.

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Suffer the Children 0

We are again reminded that that is not scripture. Rather, it’s a Republican family value.

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The Blueprint 0

Title:  White House Reconstruction Chart.  Image:  Picture of the White House, showing items such as

Click to view the original image.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

A digital gaslighter? At Psychology Today Blogs, Koustuv Saha notes that (emphasis added)

At first, people experience genuine relief and emotional comfort (when “talking” with AI “companions”–ed.). The companion “listens,” remembers details, and responds with warmth—offering a sense of being heard that can be difficult to find in everyday life.

But as emotional reliance deepens, many gradually withdraw from real-world and in-person human contact. Over weeks and months, users can feel heightened loneliness and decreased engagement in the physical world. The comfort that once felt supportive can quietly transform into dependence.

Follow the link for context.

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Election Day 0

We shall be going to the polls in a little while.

As my father taught me through example, voting is not a right. It’s a duty.

And I am certain that, if more persons had done their duty a year ago, the country would not be facing the dangers it faces today.

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QOTD 0

Edmund Crispin, in the voice of Gervase Fen:

Never forget that political zealots are people who are over-indulging their emotional need of hatred.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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