From Pine View Farm

Too Venal for Words category archive

Facebook Frolics 0

Fallacious frolics.

One more time, “social” media isn’t.

Indeed, it amplifies the antisocial and propagates the pollution of the polity.

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The Patriot Gamer 0

As a Memorial Day memory, Dick Polman offers a quick review of occasions at which Donald Trump showed his (dis)respect for American service members.

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Vaccine Nation 0

A prescription for peril:

The stupid. It burns.

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More Mean for the Sake of Mean 0

You can’t make this stuff up.

Methinks one could make a strong case that mean for the sake of mean is a core Republican Family Value, at least for today’s Republican Party.

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Misdirection Play, Crime Wavers Dept. 0

Thom makes the case that, despite conventional wisdom, inequality (such as, for example, the effects of Ronald Reagan’s “trickle on economics”), not poverty alone, is the primary root of crime.

He provides some telling examples.

In related vein, speaking of arrogant billionaires . . . .

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And, in News of Mean for the Sake of Mean . . . . 0

At Above the Law, Joe Patrice theorizes that, in trying to prove just how cruel and cold-hearted she can be, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem may have just possibly stepped in it.

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Candy Crushed 0

I think I have expressed before in these electrons my skepticism as to the benefits of legalized on-line gambling.

Barnum was wrong.

There’s more than one born every minute.

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Foxy Shady 0

Fox News has a fit of tamper.

Thom Hartmann has more.

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Vaccine Nation 0

Speaking of merchants of death . . . .

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A Sure Thing 0

At The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jonathan Zimmerman looks at the effects of the sudden burst of sports betting and, in particular, the advertisements therefor. He is less than optimistic. A snippet:

That’s why U.S Rep. Paul Tonko (D., N.Y.) introduced a bill last year to ban sports-gambling advertising, which he likened to advertising for cigarettes. “This is a public health crisis,” Tonko said. “They’ve replaced Joe Camel with celebrity spokespeople.”

Methinks he makes some good points and commend the article to your attention.

Aside:

I find the spate of solicitations for suckers to be most off-putting.

And the thought of a betting app on a phone, well, that’s an invitation to dumb scrolling.

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Nor Any Drop To Drink 0

More mean for the sake of mean.

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Establishmentarians 0

Missouri Republicans want to put proselytizers on the public payroll and deploy them to public schools.

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Maskless Marauders 0

An Alabama Republican lawmaker wants to outlaw the very notion of protecting the public good and promoting the general welfare.

Methinks selfishness is the ultimate Republican family value.

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All the News that Fits 0

Thom points out that mongering fear boosts ratings for television stations sells.

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Dis Coarse Discourse 0

Just when you think it can’t get any coarser . . . .

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Republican Family Values 0

Yearning for the good old days.

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Withdrawal Symptoms 0

Ohio women take drive-through banking to the next level.

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American Exceptionalism, Trumpled 0

Title:  World leaders react to Putin killing his enemies.  Image:  Every world leader says,

Via Job’s Anger.

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No Place To Hide 2

I think it’s safe to say that the internet invasion of privacy has been out of hand for quite a long time. and it certainly has more than its share of nefarious.

Here’s some nefariousness with an establishmentarian twist. Here’s a snippet from a report by the EFF:

In May 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that Near was selling location data to anti-abortion groups. Specifically, the Journal found that the Veritas Society, a non-profit established by Wisconsin Right to Life, had hired ad agency Recrue Media. That agency purchased location data from Near and used it to target anti-abortion messaging at people who had sought reproductive healthcare.

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My Downward Spiral 0

Every time I find myself thinking that nothing can sink my opinion of humankind further, I find myself, as my old boss used to day, “in error.”

For example.

One more time, “social” media isn’t.

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