Greg Spradlin @spradlig@qoto.org

One funny thing about the "Harris should give press conferences" discourse is that I work at a publication where we are almost never given access to CEOs or politicians, and yet we break news constantly. In fact, we often beat better funded publications that have press passes to presidential palaces and that get invited on corporate tours.

If your goal is to break news, press conferences are one of the worst places to do it.

@falcennial @dannotdaniel @jeff @tchambers

Yes ... following people and actually engaging matters on Mastodon.

Regretfully, too many who were used to larger accounts on Twitter were accustomed to hanging out in DM rooms with their friends and just sending out posts to be algo-pushed. No real engagement.

This platform is different in that being social is part of it. It takes a bit of effort.

I signed up to all my Patreon subscriptions on their website years ago. They don’t /need/ an iOS app. I never use the iOS app. I’ve tried it but it offers nothing and takes 30%.

Just go all-in on your website, Patreon. Tell Apple to fuck off. Let the open web win again.

Mockery online as slurring Trump steamrolls Musk 'sounding like Sylvester the Cat' - Raw Story

https://www.rawstory.com/elon-musk-trump-2668951926/

trump told TWO LIES A MINUTE at his so-called press conference⁉️ I believe it—that’s probably everything he said—he never gets to the point.

Another useful statistic to keep in politics is: “How Many Times the Candidate DID NOT Answer the Question”. Yes, I know politicians are known for pivoting & deflecting, but at least they start out by responding to the topic. In trump’s recent at his club/home, he rigged his sound system so that the reporters’ questions couldn’t even be heard! #weird

If the point of the “press conference” was to show trump’s prowess at unscripted answers, he failed. trump exposes himself over and over as a candidate who is ignorant of the issues confronting the nation, and unable to speak of anything other than his persecution & grievances. Giving timeworn lie-filled responses IS NOT showing an ability to ad lib.
It’s laughable for an inadequate & ignorant candidate like trump to charge his opponent with being scripted.

#trump #uspol

https://mstdn.ca/@Downshift/112943482565126026

Surprised more people on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” didn’t become ill when having dinner at Rob and Laura’s.

Every meal was a Petrie dish.

If OpenAI were a serious and responsible company they would enable their watermarking feature. But they know that it would completely undermine their product: Nobody wants to read "AI" generated shit and having that easily detectable would shed a bad light on their users. Which it should: If you don't want to write it, I don't want to read it.

(Original title: OpenAI won’t watermark ChatGPT text because its users could get caught)

https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/4/24213268/openai-chatgpt-text-watermark-cheat-detection-tool

“I’m only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris.”
- 99-year-old Jimmy Carter

He's been in hospice for over a year and wants to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris. What's your excuse for not voting? #VoteBlue

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/08/03/jimmy-carter-kamala-harris-vote-100/74657161007/

So proud that #MastodonforHarris is part of this surge in funding for #HarrisForPresident. CNN coverage of July reporting by the campaign here https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/02/politics/harris-fundraising-july/index.html.

Let’s keep it up. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mastodon-for-harris

@kamalaharrisforpresidentnews

Superb line, superbly delivered. Needs to be seen to be appreciated. #kamalaharris cc: @kamalaharrisforpresidentnews

From: @Nonilex
https://masto.ai/@Nonilex/112878044846663005

🔥
Via Elie Mystal:

Really mean thing for JD Vance to say about Ginni Thomas

Kamala HQ:

Unearthed video: #JDVance says people who don’t have children are “sociopathic,” “psychotic,” and “deranged”

#Harris2024

"These diversified businesses are, in fact, some of the country’s largest nonprofit hospital systems. And they have somehow managed to keep myriad for-profit enterprises under their nonprofit umbrella — a status that means they pay little or no taxes, float bonds at preferred rates, and gain numerous other financial advantages."

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/commentary-nonprofit-hospitals-rolling-in-money/

#healthcare #hospitals #CostsOfCare #taxes #nonprofit

I'm watching the White Dudes for #Harris zoom call on YouTube, and it's really touching to see all these white men rally around a WOC presidential candidate and advocate for each other, all the women in their lives, labor unions, political activism, etc. It's heartwarming to see men lift each other up and create a culture of male positivity.

Never thought I'd say it, definitely never thought I would see it. This feels way more inclusive than most clubs for white men.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnnKXuYcDU0

"After nearly a decade of being forced to take Trump seriously, Democrats increasingly call BS on the whole charade"

"Old and quite weird": Democrats finally discover new effective attack — and Republicans hate it | Salon.com

https://www.salon.com/2024/07/29/old-and-quite-weird-democrats-finally-discover-new-effective--and-hate-it/

Carol Cadwalladr is a hero. She was the reporter who broke the Cambridge Analytica social media story, and has been subsequently hounded by some of the most powerful shady operators on the planet. If she is talking about something way beyond anything we have ever seen before pay attention. It's certainly coming. It will be sophisticated and infect every corner of media and social media.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/27/misogyny-emergency-huge-outpouring-kamala-harris-us-electionction

I like futons and I cannot lie
You MAGA lovers can't deny
When you walk in Ikea, the first time you see it
Cotton mattress in your face, you get sprung

-- JD Vance campaign song

A couch can’t consent.

Just sayin.

#uspol

@spradlig @JonChevreau

“A spox for Butler Mem Hosp…told the Daily Beast Mon, 'We’re deferring any comment to the Trump team.' The Trump campaign declined to respond to questions about Trump’s condition & treatment.

“…so far, the Trump camp has not disclosed what kinds of tests the former president underwent, how he was treated & for what types of injuries….”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/mystery-over-donald-trumps-medical-condition-and-treatment-after-assassination-attempt