Donald Trump's endless threats against media companies and political opponents have had a dangerous chilling effect on the free press.
Instead of doubling down to defend free speech from the first large-scale danger it's faced in a century, American media elites keep choosing cowardice.
It's looking like the Washington Post might follow the Los Angeles Times's abject cowardice regarding presidential endorsement.
These endorsements don't sway voters, but they matter greatly for press freedom.
Mastodon is financed by crowdfunding instead of venture capital not because we don't know that venture capital exists, not because we don't have bills to pay, and not because venture capital isn't willing to give money to new social media platforms. VCs don't want a sustainable business, they want a big exit. Every VC-backed business is on a timer to deliver or die.
Another editorial page resignation at LA Times --
'For her part, Klein wrote her decision to quit was made “simple and easy” by Soon-Shiong’s statement, in part because forcing the editorial board to conjure up positive things about Trump “works as well as any other lie designed to make him look like anything better than sludge.”'
Early, in-person voting for New Jersey starts tomorrow and runs through Nov. 3.
Vote like your freedom is at stake.
#VoteBlueNJ
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Listening to [Paul] Dirac was a dreadful experience. We accepted Dirac's ideas and fell under their influence only when we read his papers. But a ta seminar ... Dirac would come in, no smile, no enthusiasm. He would take a piece of chalk in his long fingers and start writing formulae on the board, without saying a word. After a while [Max] Born couldn't stand it: "Paul, tell us, what are you writing?" Dirac, still writing, reluctantly started to speak: "W minus alpha ar pi ar minus alpha zero m c and all this multiplied by psi, then alpha mu by alpha nu ... " and so on in the same vein - and he sincerely believed that he was explaining.
-- Yuri B. Rumer
(Soviet physicist)
@lovelylovely
It's easy to tell that Putin tasked Tucker Carlson with trying to stoke violence if they're not successful at getting Trump and his enablers elected.
That story was pure incitement to violence, but of course with our strong First Amendment protections that would be impossible to get a jury to agree I suspect.
"The Conservative Leader is hiding something from Canadians.
He does not deserve their trust."
MP Karina Gould is done with Mr. Poilievre's games.
#cdnpoli #canada #poilievre
https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet/honourable-karina-gould
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/opinion/article-now-its-poilievre-facing-the-fire-on-foreign-interference/
In 1421 AD, a flood swept through the Netherlands, submerging 72 villages and drowning between 2,000 & 10,000 people.
Survivors saw a piece of wood floating on the water, and a cat was jumping back and forth on it.
People wanted to save it, but they were surprised to find a child sleeping peacefully. The cat was alternately jumping on the edges of the bed to maintain its balance so that the child would not drown.
This story was very famous in the Netherlands, and 4 centuries later the event was immortalized in the painting “The Inundation of The Biesbosch in 1421” by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
This story is the origin of the wording “the cat’s in the craddle”
The baby was named Beatrijs / Beatrix when she was found, which means “the bringer of good luck / joy” but also “the lucky one”
Although nowadays it’s not a commonly known story in majority of The Netherlands anymore, it is known to those who grew up in the Biesbosch area.
Via Nicole Hartwood, #Folklore
Photograph taken in Thurles around 1940. Why was the road so wide? So that cattle/sheep could be driven to market, maybe? Another reason?
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/41582
#Ireland #IrishHistory #Tipperary #CountyTipperary #Thurles #HistoricalPhotography
Heather Cox Richardson looks at the Atlantic's endorsement of Kamala Harris, only the fifth time it has made such an endorsement since its founding in 1857 and third time it has endorsed Trump's opponent. The journal says that Trump is “one of the most personally malignant and politically dangerous candidates in American history.”
#KamalaHarris #Trump #democracy #media #CommonGood #SocialContract #Atlantic
/4
@PattyHanson If he wins, and Biden doesn’t use his immunity to have them all rounded up, well I won’t be surprised, but it is what it is I would do. It’s probably best I don’t have immunity. 🙀
#Bipartisanship, schmipartisanship.
"There is no common ground with someone who thinks it's okay to hurt you.
There's no compromise in a debate on your right to survive."
Mostly reclusive and carrying slightly damaged goods. A survivor by some accounts. Definitely in need of much therapy. ;)
Staunchly anti-fascist
Bear in mind that, while I may "like" your "toot", about a person, event or particular topic, if it links to the "bird-site" I will no longer boost and inadvertently contribute to their grift. Everyone has a choice and a part to play when crimes go unpunished.
"We are dreamers, shapers, singers, and makers".
-Elric