August 9, 2018 6:00 AM
Morning Reads — Thursday, August 9, 2018
On this date in 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The bombing came three days after the bombing of Hiroshima. About 74,000 people were killed. Japan surrendered August 14.
Peaches
- Who will vote on the Brunch Bill this November?
- Is it realistic to force Georgia to use paper ballots?
- Georgia and the list of top locations for film production
- Reality Winner will be sentenced soon
Jimmy Carter
- Kamala Harris for President – 2020?
- Federal agencies could spend 40% of the annual budgets in the next 2 months
- Twitter to crack down on ‘hate speech,’ defends decision to keep Alex Jones/InfoWars
- YouTube to begin adding fact check to anti-climate change vids
- Man breaks leg jumping border wall
- Senate summons Julian Assange
Sweet Tea
About Author
Jessica Szilagyi
49 Comments
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More Lib censorship! What’s next? Supermarket tabloids? National Enquirer, Weekly World News? “Batboy” better realize there be a target on his back!
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zahrahirji/youtube-climate-change-denial
Adding context would be pretty useful on the internet.
You’re right. It ain’t there. Irrelevant, though. Whatcha scared of, Sniv?? Why censor anyway? Hmmmm…? Lemme ask you this… Thus far, y’all are pretty successful in shutting down Jones. It won’t last, however, and all this free publicity if making him more well known. “Don’t throw me in that briar patch!” Them damn unintended consequences. Ain’t they a bitch?? LOL! So, who you gonna stifle next? Got your sights set on Drudge? Breitbart? Ohhhhh, guess who was the number one searched term on Google yesterday??? “Info Wars!” Awwwwwwww Nawwwww!
Are you defending Alex Jones?? Really?
Re: search terms: I guess this is important because in your sad world popularity is more important than truth.
I’m defending free speech, so, yep! He says controversial crap. Hell yes he does. If he defamed the Sandy Hook families with his comments back then, then he’ll be ruled against in his upcoming lawsuit by them. Big money for the families. Psssst….B…you don’t have to listen. Pretend you’re back in your old Biscayne and turn the knob. my friend. He’s crazy as a loon, but he does not deserve to be censored. Same querstion to you, B. Whatcha scared of?
B? Is this quote familiar to you and your side of Book Burners?
“I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my death your right to say it…”
NoWay, are you saying, effectively, that “Yeah, YouTube is a private business and can keep such content as Infowars out, but if people don’t want to hear it because they don’t like it or don’t understand it, they can just ignore it. YouTube should just let him speak.”
I just want to be clear.
I’ll be clear: YouTube can certainly censor content on their site. It’s private. My point is why would anyone, including YouTube, feel the need to censor opinions/viewpoints? The ‘turn the radio knob’ phrase was metaphorical.
Although, the “private entity” thing sure worked out for the Masters and the Boy Scouts, didn’t it. The Mob at The Gate sure shut them down.
Do you honestly believe that any person will not go to YouTube, a site with millions of videos from every imaginable subject, because Jones has 20 some odd videos on there, too? You’re an idiot!
NoWay, you asked why YouTube would “feel the need to censor opinions/viewpoints”. You then point out the mob at the gate shutting down the Masters and the Boy Scouts.
From my reading of these comments over time I have noted that you are somewhat fond of “whataboutism” so I thought I would utilize that in this situation.
What are your thoughts on Colin Kaepernick and the NFL? More specifically, why do you think the NFL would feel the need to censor his opinions/viewpoint? How do you feel about the “mob at the gate” threatening to shut down the NFL if they did not require censorship of views such as Kaepernick’s?
“I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my death your right to say it…”
You’re using a fake Voltaire quote from a Evelyn Beatrice Hall book from 1903 on Voltaire to justify the use of fake facts and fake stories….
I suppose it’s possible there are some liability issues too. They don’t want any involvement spreading crazy conspiracies that incite people to violence. And even if they can avoid legal liability, I’ll bet they don’t want the perception liability.
I’m defending free speech, so, yep!
You are not defending free speech. This has nothing to do with free speech. He still has his website. (and his ISP might put that in jeopardy if he keeps this crap up.)
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He says controversial crap.
It’s not controversial, it’s false, incitement to violence
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Whatcha scared of?
I think the Sandy Hook parents are scared because of this lunatics behavior. Are you calling them cowards?
The thing about FB and the rest is that they are PRIVATE companies. It isnt a free speech issue. Alex Jones is free to say whatever he wants. He just isnt allowed to use their platform any more than I can force Fox News to put me on air to publish my speech.
Now, if you think FB and the other platforms control too much of what one could call the “public square” and need to be regulated as media companies…thats a different conversation.
“Sorry user” experience? Many of Jones’ videos have multiple millions of user views. Some folks will disagree with your characterization.
Does that also apply to Al Gore videos too?
Whataboutism…what you use when you have nothing on your side. I was taught at a very young age that if I got caught doing something wrong that saying “what about my sister…she does it too” often would elicit a spanking
The Whataboutism you speak of is used to cite an unabashed double standard that is applicable to whatever brought it up. Totally valid response to the given situation. It highlights hypocrisy.
Manafort appears to be guilty of bank and tax fraud. Cohen may be charged with tax fraud. Ross at the Commerce Department has cause to pucker up. Yesterday the witch hunt charged early Trump supporter NY Congressman Chris Collins with insider trading.
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Who knew there were so many witches? Trump had better not have any loose ends, or we may see his tax returns after all
And there’s about 5 more GOP house members involved with Collins.
That’s not censorship, it’s more like editorializing. Censorship is closer to what the White House does when it revokes press access to journalists they don’t like.
“A combination of factors will see federal agencies trying to spend as much as 40 percent of their budgets in the final two months of the fiscal year.”
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Spending as we all know is only bad when Democrats do it. Kind of sounds like the GOP Trump administration is going to throw money at it, whatever it is. It’s not like there’s a grifter in charge, and besides, it’s the fiscally conservative thing to do!
Gee, it only took a few months after the PSC approved continued spending on Vogtle for construction manager Southern Nuclear to increase the estimated cost to complete by $1.1 billion, 15%. Convenient timing, since knowing it would cost another billion more would’ve helped make clear Vogtle is a money pit. The projected increase included $400 million for contingencies, a flag that cost to complete may continue to increase.
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The good news is there was no increase is the estimated construction time to complete. That’s only doubled since the project was announced (but costs are catching up). No worries though, construction won’t be completed until 2022, so there’s plenty more time for more delay. There’s a reason the GOP touts Georgia is No.1 for business.
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Meanwhile, Trump party people continue to fume about millage rate increases that increase their property taxes only few dollars a year as they give Georgia Power $10 a month for nothing. The GOP has done well cultivating suckers.
Noway, “I’ll be clear: YouTube can certainly censor content on their site. It’s private. My point is why would anyone, including YouTube, feel the need to censor opinions/viewpoints? The ‘turn the radio knob’ phrase was metaphorical.”
I’ll be clear, bakers can certainly refuse to bake cakes. It’s their bakery. My point is why would anyone, including a homophobic baker, feel the need to not bake a cake for a couple of guys?
Hotels, restaurants, hospitals, pharmacies, and retail stores are someone’s too. It’s their right to refuse service, am I right?
On this date in 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as president, helicoptered to Andrews where he boarded an official US plane (no longer Air Force 1) with Pat and Tricia, and departed to San Clemente. I watched the whole scene in real time and enjoyed every moment. I always note the anniversary.
Elementary school… I was already out of High school for over 10 years. SMH.
New space on the thread. The other was getting really stretched in the IPhone. I first became aware of Jones maybe five tears ago. He did a video on Bohemian Grove, a place I have actually visited with “high ranking government officials.” (For the record, I saw no one doing crazy-assed things there…). There were other Jones videos to be watched. This guy is/was high octane, probably manic and often off the wall. And to anyone who can discern bombast and bullshit, completely harmless. I haven’t seen enough Shapiro to know why he’s “bad!”
I’m coming around to agreeing with you. By agreeing with a Republican I probably made my dad roll over in his grave.
Alex Jones is crazy and stirs up other crazy people but I’m more scared of the technical companies starting to censor non-criminal speech.
Facebook, YouTube, and Apple have way too much power these days.
I’m getting nervous about the USA in general, it seems like we are in a modern version of the 1917-1929 era.
Almost everybody censors speech. The rules are pretty relaxed around here these days, but do you think the owners would allow threats to people, or posting other members personal info?
If you lived in a condo you would probably have an HOA with rules. And if you put big signs out in the common area saying “MY NEIGHBORS KIDS WEREN’T REALLY KILLED. THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE KIDS”, yeah, I think they might try to kick you out.
Some around here are like that. All they do is let their dogs shit in the grass and don’t pick it up and then laugh when people get upset. In fact, their admitted goal is to annoy other members. There are neighborhoods with people like that, but every community has their own rules and standards.
“It. Isn’t. Censorship. ”
You are right , I should have used “purge”, “withhold” , etc.
From April Glaser on Slate,
“One of the great ironies in this mess is that YouTube, Facebook, and Apple are all deciding to enforce community moderation policies against hate speech that they’ve long had on their books. Any one of them could have taken this action years ago. But they didn’t, perhaps fearing that they’d be labeled as censorious liberals executing a political agenda, as if there’s anything particularly partisan about preventing a popular and bigoted fabulist from using your services to spread lies that are leading to real-world harm. They helped Jones exit the fringe and penetrate the mainstream. Now their fear could be realized—they’re being labeled as left-wing tech companies acting out a political agenda by right-wing media critics.”
https://slate.com/technology/2018/08/alex-jones-gets-to-declare-a-real-info-war-now.html
I am still fearful of Google, Facebook, et al having so much power. And I realize I helped give them that power in return for convenience.
I’m not worried about apple being labeled something by rightwingers. We see around here everyday that anyone is subject to demonization for any reason, perceived or real, that threatens their fantasy worldview.
Yesterday’s hero can be today’s enemy with one little slip of the tongue or thumb. Even Nunes is dangerously close to be cast under the bus today. When you are operating without principles, the rules can be pretty whimsical.
You’re confusing 2 separate conversations. FB and other platforms dont censor speech. They have rules for using their platform. Break the rules and you dont get to use it.
Now, if you think FB controls the vast amount of public speech, then there is a separate conversation as to how to regulate FB as a media company. Right now…they are not and dont have to abide by the same rules
In related news…
https://www.axios.com/facebook-3d-printed-gun-ban-ad888eec-0ea9-400f-8aad-df6b5552f0c3.html
Democrats raising Kaine
“Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine holds a commanding 23-point lead — 49 percent to 26 percent — over Republican challenger Corey Stewart among likely voters in Virginia’s Senate race, according to a new statewide poll by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Twenty percent of likely voters and 57 percent of independents remain undecided.
Stewart is attracting only 66 percent of Republican or Republican-leaning respondents so far and trailing Kaine by more than a 2-to-1 margin among those independents who have already decided for whom they will vote. By contrast, Kaine has the support of 88 percent of Democrats.
The poll, a random sample of 802 adults in Virginia conducted by landline and cell telephone from July 10-30, has a margin of error of 3.49 percent. Likely voter estimates have a margin of error of 3.59 percent.
Kaine is winning every key demographic category. Kaine’s lead is significantly larger among women (56 percent to 21 percent) but he also leads among men (40 percent to 33 percent). Similarly, Kaine leads by a wide margin among minority respondents (74 percent to 7 percent) but also by a small margin among white respondents (39 percent to 35 percent). Respondents ages 18 to 34 and those with some college or a college degree were also significantly more likely to favor Kaine.”
https://wilder.vcu.edu/news-and-events/news-articles/senate-race-poll.html
GOP /Trump effect
“The GOP got some scary early numbers out of Washington state, whose top-two primary (in which Democrats and Republicans all run on the same ballot) is basically like a giant poll of November, in that its results are predictive of the general election. In Washington’s 3rd District, which was supposed to be a “Likely” if not “Solid” Republican district, Democratic candidates are currently winning more total votes than Republican candidates, 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent. The GOP-held 5th District looks competitive too — Republicans have won an aggregate 51 percent vs. 47 percent for Democrats. And Democrats appear to have an edge in the 8th District, expected to be a pure toss-up: Democratic candidates are pulling 50 percent of the vote there, compared with Republicans’ 47 percent.”
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-mattered-most-in-ohio-kansas-and-tuesdays-other-elections/
When I went to University of Richmond…I always thought the kids that went to VCU were much cooler. UR was a bunch of up tight white kids. (Thus most of my friends went to VCU)
One of the GOP operatives on Twitter said the race might as well have been called the minute Stewart won the primary.
In “local Low Country girl makes national news” (she lives in Bluffton SC, works in Savannah)…
Reason she should not go to jail after flying through a 4way stop at over 60 miles an hour and blowing a .18 blood alcohol;
Always got good grades.
Cheerleader.
National Honor Society member
Belonged to a sorority,
Graduated from “high accredited college’
“…pretty girl”
And finally, “very clean, thoroughbred white girl”
Seriously.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/a-woman-told-police-shes-a-thoroughbred-white-girl-as-she-tried-to-avoid-jail-for-dui/ar-BBLGr10?li=BBnbfcL&OCID=CALHeader
So comparing girls to horses…classy
Her words. She called herself that.
I can’t throw stones, when I was drunk/stoned back in the day I told quite a few people I was good looking and intelligent.
She is 32 so she needs to get sober and close the gate before all the horses disappear.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/08/dog-cloning-animal-sooam-hwang
“Inside the Very Big, Very Controversial Business of Dog Cloning”
“Ethicists from the White House to the Vatican have long debated the morality of cloning. Do we have the right to bioengineer a copy of a living creature, especially given the pain and suffering that the process requires? It can take a dozen or more embryos to produce a single healthy dog. Along the way, the surrogate mothers may be treated with hormones that, over time, can be dangerous, and many of the babies are miscarried, born dead, or deformed. When a dog was first cloned, in 2005—a scientific achievement that Time hailed as one of the breakthrough inventions of the year—it took more than 100 borrowed wombs, and more than 1,000 embryos. “Surrogate mothers are a little bit like The Handmaid’s Tale,” says Jessica Pierce, an ethicist and dog expert who teaches at the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado. “It’s a canine version of reproductive machines.” ”
I felt uneasy but I remembered agriculture used cloning a lot.
“When it became apparent that cloning could become a commercial venture in 2001, the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine asked that food from clones and their offspring be voluntarily kept out of the food chain. FDA then began an intensive evaluation that included examining the safety of food from these animals.”
https://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/animalcloning/ucm055513.htm
It still makes me uneasy about dogs being cloned. Perhaps it is getting too close to “home”?
I guess one day one of my great grandchildren may be cloned. Or a robot.
Adam (Imafool) Schiff completely punked! Collusion!!!! Collusion!!! “Are you gonna believe this audio or yor lying ears!!!!!” LMAO! When will The DS indict Schiff for collusion?
Kim Jong Un looked really happy touring a fish-pickling factory.
He’s positively beaming. Trump should look so happy touring, I don’t know, a poultry processing plant in Gainesville.
https://www.thisisinsider.com/kim-jong-un-visits-fish-pickling-factory-photos-2018-8
Mr. T looks happy when he gets to pretend to drive big trucks.
You want happy? Watch TGM at any of his rallies! Positively beaming!
Because I do not know, I understand that in KS, Kobach’s lead is dwindling over the current R gov. Is KS in danger of losing to the Dem nominee in Nov? Realistically?
Amazing the gyrations the NC legislature is going through to try to prevent a Dem being elected to a judgeship:
” North Carolina Republicans are convinced that Democrats’ majority is an accident: When Morgan ran in 2016, the party affiliation of state Supreme Court candidates did not appear on the ballot. But Morgan’s name was listed first, due to a random drawing by the state Board of Elections. After he won, toppling the incumbent GOP candidate, Republicans became convinced that he only triumphed because his name was listed first, and included no partisan affiliation. They speculated that many voters assumed he was a Republican, since Republicans were listed first in other races.
In response, the GOP’s legislative supermajority fundamentally altered the mechanism by which state Supreme Court candidates are nominated, eager not to repeat this ostensible mistake in 2018. First, they added partisan markers to the state Supreme Court ballot so no Republicans would accidentally vote for a Democrat. Second, they abolished judicial primaries for both parties on the theory that a free-for-all in the general election would benefit Barbara Jackson, the Republican incumbent up for reelection in 2018. Jackson, Republicans assumed, would draw no GOP challengers, while Democrats would compete against each other for the spot, canceling out Democratic votes.
Third, Republicans ensured that, this time around, the Democratic state Supreme Court candidate, Anita Earls, would appear last on the ballot. Here’s how: In February, Republicans hatched a plan after a state agency held a random drawing to determine the order of candidates in legislative primaries. It selected the letter “F”—meaning that candidates whose last names began with that letter would be listed first. Then came G–Z, and finally, A–E.
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Under pending legislation, the agency would have held another drawing for the general election. But legislators quietly rewrote the bill and applied the primary rules to the general election ballot—including judicial candidates. Thus, candidates with a last name beginning in E would be listed last in the general election, too. The last-minute change was almost certainly designed to ensure that Earls, the Democratic candidate, will be listed last. This so-called “position bias” could detract from her vote total, and, in a close race, tip the election away from her.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/north-carolina-republicans-plan-to-steal-a-state-supreme-court-seat-from-anita-earls-is-backfiring.html
As someone asked earlier- what are you afraid of?
Agreed! This sounds like partisan crap.