From Pine View Farm

The Rule of Lawless 0

Once again, the man who would be king demonstrates his contempt for the rule of law.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

A competent confidential counselor? At Psychology Today Blogs, psychology professor Hal Shorey warns us that “(s)ystems like ChatGPT do not adequately guard your privacy and are not accountable if they give you bad advice.”

Follow the link for more warnings.

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QOTD 0

Harry S. Truman:

When you get to be President, there are all those things, the honors, the twenty-one gun salutes, all those things. You have to remember it isn’t for you. It’s for the Presidency.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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The Planning Session 0

Stephen Miller:  Sir, we got backed into a corner on the Epstein files.  We're switching to our backup plan.  Donald Trump:  Stupid Republicans in Congress.  They should be executed for treason.  Miller:  Indeed they should, sir.  Pam has initiated an investigation, which should allow us to withhold anything we deem, ah, inappropriate to release.  (Trump dozes off.)  Sorry, sir, are you awake?  Trump:  What?  Of course I'm awake.  Who do you think I am, Sleepy Joe whatshisname, the auto-pen guy?  Miller:  Sorry, sir, my mistake.  Now, as I was saying, this issue isn't going away.  You'll need to be ready for more questions from reporters.  I've prepared a list of possible responses . . . .  Trump:  Reporters?  Like that little piggy on my plane?  Miller:  Yes, Sir, like that.  Trump:  The Saudis know how to deal with little piggies--they butcher them.  I wish we we had a country . . . like . . . that (Trump dozes off again.)  Miller:  We're definitely working on it, sir, but please don't say that out loud in public.  (To Vance)  You, whatever your name is, I need some new poll numbes showing that he's the most popular president in history--before he wakes up!  Vamce

Click to view the original image.

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The Gaslight Pipeline 0

David parses the Trump maladministration’s doubletalk on tariffs, while noting the authoritarian aspect of expecting persons to believe stuff when their own day-to-day experiences are contrary thereunto.

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The Entitlement Society 0

Via the Charlotte Observer, LZ Granderson argues that “(m)en like Trump represent what the founders were fighting against.” Here’s a bit of his argument:

Read Thomas Paine’s 250-year-old essay, “Common Sense,” and you see few things bothered Colonial men more than servitude to geopolitical nepo-babies. It’s evident in the writings and personal libraries of our earliest presidents, such as Thomas Jefferson. You can trace that sentiment all the way back to the Greek philosophers whom the founders studied before this nation began.

Their aversion wasn’t to wealth and power. It was about what can happen to a person who grows up knowing nothing but wealth and power.

Follow the link for the rest of his reasoning.

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Vaccine Nation 0

Speaker at the American Association of Computer Hackers says,

Click for the original image.

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“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0

Celebrate children’s birthdays with politeness.

And thus passeth more lives in the NRA’s Garden of Bleedin’.

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The Man Who Would Be King 0

Michael in Norfolk nails it. A snippet:

Indeed, the Felon appears increasingly detached from objective reality and seeming views himself as a monarch . . . .

Follow the link for context.

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QOTD 0

Tommy Douglas:

We believe that no nation can survive politically free but economically enslaved.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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The Test 0

Caption:  Captcha Test:   Select the 3 images that show seditious behavior.  Image One:  Crosswalk.  Image Two:  Stoplight.  Image Three:  Crosswalk.  Image Four:  Democratic Donkey saying,

Via Job’s Anger.

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Behind That Curtain* 0

David notes that, thanks to Elon Musk’s new feature on Xitter (a feature which I suspect Musk now regrets), a number of MAGA “influencers” have been revealed to be–er–less than veracious (but most definitely voracious). (And this surprises you how?)

One more time, “social” media isn’t.

________________

*With apologies to Earl Derr Biggers.

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The Press Conference 0

Woman reporter at Donald Trump press briefing says,

Click for the original image.

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American Stasi 0

Via the Las Vegas Sun, law professor Noah Feldman explores why ICE is being allowed to run rampant over the legal rights of immigrants–properly documented or not–and American citizens.

He is somewhat less than sanguine. Here’s a snippet:

. . . the ICE problem forces us to acknowledge the limits of our legal and political systems. Our norms and expectations are being shattered by an overreaching executive. So far, the judiciary isn’t coming to the rescue, and the legislative branch seems not to care.

I commend the piece to your attention.

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“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0

Brotherly politeness.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

A willing accomplice? Philadphia’s WPVI reports that scammers are using AI to hype their holiday scams.

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QOTD 0

Joan Robinson:

The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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