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Celerity
Celerity's Journal
Celerity's Journal
July 30, 2022
Last week, 2.4 million raffle entries were reportedly placed on Travis Scott’s web store ahead of the release of his anticipated Air Jordan 1 Low ‘Reverse Mocha’, plus countless more across global retailers. The resulting carnage was at the merciless hands of bots, who seemed to sweep up the lion’s share of available stock. EQL co-founder and chief technology officer Patrick Donelan has analysed the current state of hype releases with brutal honesty.
Penning a lengthy LinkedIn post, Donelan asks, ‘Why does everything fall apart at the crucial moment? Why is this still happening?’ With this latest TS drop just another exemplar of consumer disappointment due to the technological tug ‘o’ war between bots and retailers, one of most telling observations is that ‘the infrastructure that retailers have in place for hype drops hasn’t changed since Travis’s first Jordan Low in 2019’, meaning ‘retailers haven't had access to solutions that were designed for these moments.'
This infrastructure (or perhaps lack thereof) falters when ‘half the internet is sending you traffic all at once’, causing a spike on ‘most systems [that] are simply not designed to handle such extremes.’ And in the event the website can handle that load, there’s the question of separating the bot traffic from real users. According to Donelan, there are over 200 different bot programs on the market capable of wreaking havoc on releases. Even EQL, the platform he helped create in a bid to make getting the W fairer, deals with about 34 per cent bot raffle entries. He says retailers who have switched to their system have prevented a ‘feeding frenzy’ and seen a tenfold decrease in traffic as bots go elsewhere.
Donelan believes that ‘we’re quickly approaching a tipping point in hype commerce—things need to change.’ His proposed solution is to build ‘the solution, an end-to-end platform that prevents sites from crashing, filters out bots and fraud, processes payments, and ensures releases are easier to manage for retailers and and fairer for customers.’ After all, the scene has to accept ‘the next big record-smashing hype launch is always just around the corner.’
https://twitter.com/EQLofficial/status/1550319346622246913
snip
200-Plus Bot Programs and Millions of Fake Customers Are Ruining Sneaker Releases
https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/news/patrick-donelan-eql-sneaker-releases-bots-essayLast week, 2.4 million raffle entries were reportedly placed on Travis Scott’s web store ahead of the release of his anticipated Air Jordan 1 Low ‘Reverse Mocha’, plus countless more across global retailers. The resulting carnage was at the merciless hands of bots, who seemed to sweep up the lion’s share of available stock. EQL co-founder and chief technology officer Patrick Donelan has analysed the current state of hype releases with brutal honesty.
Penning a lengthy LinkedIn post, Donelan asks, ‘Why does everything fall apart at the crucial moment? Why is this still happening?’ With this latest TS drop just another exemplar of consumer disappointment due to the technological tug ‘o’ war between bots and retailers, one of most telling observations is that ‘the infrastructure that retailers have in place for hype drops hasn’t changed since Travis’s first Jordan Low in 2019’, meaning ‘retailers haven't had access to solutions that were designed for these moments.'
This infrastructure (or perhaps lack thereof) falters when ‘half the internet is sending you traffic all at once’, causing a spike on ‘most systems [that] are simply not designed to handle such extremes.’ And in the event the website can handle that load, there’s the question of separating the bot traffic from real users. According to Donelan, there are over 200 different bot programs on the market capable of wreaking havoc on releases. Even EQL, the platform he helped create in a bid to make getting the W fairer, deals with about 34 per cent bot raffle entries. He says retailers who have switched to their system have prevented a ‘feeding frenzy’ and seen a tenfold decrease in traffic as bots go elsewhere.
Donelan believes that ‘we’re quickly approaching a tipping point in hype commerce—things need to change.’ His proposed solution is to build ‘the solution, an end-to-end platform that prevents sites from crashing, filters out bots and fraud, processes payments, and ensures releases are easier to manage for retailers and and fairer for customers.’ After all, the scene has to accept ‘the next big record-smashing hype launch is always just around the corner.’
https://twitter.com/EQLofficial/status/1550319346622246913
snip
July 29, 2022
https://twitter.com/PuckNews/status/1551659959183720452
The Lieberman-led dark money No Labels is the parent organisation of the Gottheimer co-led Problem Solvers caucus who have been attacking Pelosi for years and trying to scupper Biden's agenda.
Some of the No Labels-affiliated super PACs—No Labels Action, Forward Not Back, United Together, Govern or Go Home, Citizens for a Strong America, and United for Progress
https://problemsolverscaucus.house.gov/about-co-chairs
Josh Gottheimer Is on a Mission to Destroy Joe Biden’s Presidency
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/07/gottheimer-is-on-a-mission-to-destroy-bidens-presidency.html
https://archive.ph/QCltv
Joe Manchin has absorbed most of the heat from liberals angry that the Senate has often blocked President Biden’s proposals. But Manchin represents an overwhelmingly Republican state, and he has been willing to negotiate a meaningful (albeit smaller) Senate reconciliation package that would move forward key progressive goals.
The true archvillain of the Biden presidency is Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat who keeps sticking the knife in Biden’s back. Axios’s Hans Nichols reports Gottheimer is organizing a small faction of House Democrats to present a “counteroffer” that would blow up the incipient deal with Manchin. The Gottheimer crew wants to take out the tax hikes on the wealthy that Manchin is proposing. That would mean what’s left of the bill could still contain the spending proposals, but it would lack the revenue measures that would make it a deficit-reducer, which is Manchin’s main rationale for supporting the bill in the first place. If that revenue is gone, Manchin’s support probably collapses, and the bill dies. Which is probably fine with Gottheimer, who may be evil, but isn’t stupid.
Gottheimer’s fixation seems to be insulating from taxation a slice of people so wealthy they account for a tiny percentage of even the most affluent districts. Gottheimer has cast himself as a hard-headed centrist who understands what the voters want. In an interview with Jason Zengerle for the New York Times Magazine, Gottheimer cast himself as a throwback to Clintonism:
Sounds great in theory. Except Bill Clinton raised taxes on the rich. Clinton understood that the political sweet spot was to promise middle-class tax cuts while also taxing the top one percent. Gottheimer’s formula is to avoid giving any benefits to the middle class and focusing on protecting the one percent.
snip
Centrist Group Behind Pelosi Holdouts Plotted to Make Her ‘Bogeyman’
No Labels contemplated turning the incoming House Speaker into a political punching bag during a primary fight.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/centrist-group-behind-pelosi-holdouts-plotted-to-make-her-bogeyman
No Labels and the ‘Problem Solvers’ are Wolves of Wall Street in Sheep’s Clothing
Political organizations hide their pro-finance politics under the cloak of bipartisanship while they rake in funding from corporate interests.
https://inequality.org/research/no-labels-problem-solvers-wall-street/
How No Labels Went From Preaching Unity to Practicing the Dark Arts
https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-no-labels-went-from-preaching-unity-to-practicing-the-dark-arts
The group, which was founded as a champion of political bipartisanship, has been quietly courting donations from some of the most notoriously partisan money men and women in politics.
Bipartisan ‘No Labels’ group’s super PAC network revealed: mega Chicago donors
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/3/12/18316470/bipartisan-no-labels-group-s-super-pac-network-revealed-mega-chicago-donors
No Labels funds dishonest attacks against Marie Newman to boost Blue Dog Dan Lipinski
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/13/1748758/-Centrist-group-No-Labels-funds-dishonest-attacks-against-Marie-Newman-to-back-Blue-Dog-Dan-Lipinski
Delusional Group Declares Donald Trump a ‘Problem Solver’
The only problem Trump could solve is that we don’t have a dumb enough president
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/delusional-group-declares-donald-trump-a-problem-solver-58107/
Group Tied To Lipinski Says Marie Newman Is 'A Holocaust Denier'
IL-3 Democratic challenger Marie Newman claims group tied to Congressman Dan Lipinski is texting voters saying she's a 'Holocaust denier.'
https://patch.com/illinois/oaklawn/group-tied-lipinski-claims-she-s-holocaust-denier
‘No Labels’ Needs A Warning Label
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-no-labels-mark-pocan_n_5c06b110e4b0cd916fb0b042
No Labels has raised over $50 million for the singular purpose of getting a third party candidate on
the presidential ballot in all 50 states. But when @tarapalmeri asked about this initiative, CEO Nancy Jacobson gave a surprising response:https://twitter.com/PuckNews/status/1551659959183720452
The Lieberman-led dark money No Labels is the parent organisation of the Gottheimer co-led Problem Solvers caucus who have been attacking Pelosi for years and trying to scupper Biden's agenda.
Some of the No Labels-affiliated super PACs—No Labels Action, Forward Not Back, United Together, Govern or Go Home, Citizens for a Strong America, and United for Progress
https://problemsolverscaucus.house.gov/about-co-chairs
Josh Gottheimer Is on a Mission to Destroy Joe Biden’s Presidency
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/07/gottheimer-is-on-a-mission-to-destroy-bidens-presidency.html
https://archive.ph/QCltv
Joe Manchin has absorbed most of the heat from liberals angry that the Senate has often blocked President Biden’s proposals. But Manchin represents an overwhelmingly Republican state, and he has been willing to negotiate a meaningful (albeit smaller) Senate reconciliation package that would move forward key progressive goals.
The true archvillain of the Biden presidency is Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat who keeps sticking the knife in Biden’s back. Axios’s Hans Nichols reports Gottheimer is organizing a small faction of House Democrats to present a “counteroffer” that would blow up the incipient deal with Manchin. The Gottheimer crew wants to take out the tax hikes on the wealthy that Manchin is proposing. That would mean what’s left of the bill could still contain the spending proposals, but it would lack the revenue measures that would make it a deficit-reducer, which is Manchin’s main rationale for supporting the bill in the first place. If that revenue is gone, Manchin’s support probably collapses, and the bill dies. Which is probably fine with Gottheimer, who may be evil, but isn’t stupid.
Gottheimer’s fixation seems to be insulating from taxation a slice of people so wealthy they account for a tiny percentage of even the most affluent districts. Gottheimer has cast himself as a hard-headed centrist who understands what the voters want. In an interview with Jason Zengerle for the New York Times Magazine, Gottheimer cast himself as a throwback to Clintonism:
Sounds great in theory. Except Bill Clinton raised taxes on the rich. Clinton understood that the political sweet spot was to promise middle-class tax cuts while also taxing the top one percent. Gottheimer’s formula is to avoid giving any benefits to the middle class and focusing on protecting the one percent.
snip
Centrist Group Behind Pelosi Holdouts Plotted to Make Her ‘Bogeyman’
No Labels contemplated turning the incoming House Speaker into a political punching bag during a primary fight.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/centrist-group-behind-pelosi-holdouts-plotted-to-make-her-bogeyman
Behind the scenes, No Labels and its leader, political strategist Nancy Jacobson, have been more skeptical of Pelosi and more willing to try and marginalize her among her members.
Emails obtained by The Daily Beast show that No Labels leadership contemplated a campaign to attack Pelosi aggressively after the primary campaign of centrist Rep. Dan Lipinski, who faced a primary challenge this year from Marie Newman, a progressive political neophyte. Lipinski’s pro-life stance had alienated a number of Democrats, but he was a proud member of the No Labels-backed House Problem-Solvers Caucus, and the group worked through a network of allied super PACs to support his reelection bid.
“Nancy, I have been thinking about our using Pelosi as the chief bogeyman in our messaging post-Lipinski,” began one email, subject line: “Pelosi as bogeyman.”
Emails obtained by The Daily Beast show that No Labels leadership contemplated a campaign to attack Pelosi aggressively after the primary campaign of centrist Rep. Dan Lipinski, who faced a primary challenge this year from Marie Newman, a progressive political neophyte. Lipinski’s pro-life stance had alienated a number of Democrats, but he was a proud member of the No Labels-backed House Problem-Solvers Caucus, and the group worked through a network of allied super PACs to support his reelection bid.
“Nancy, I have been thinking about our using Pelosi as the chief bogeyman in our messaging post-Lipinski,” began one email, subject line: “Pelosi as bogeyman.”
No Labels and the ‘Problem Solvers’ are Wolves of Wall Street in Sheep’s Clothing
Political organizations hide their pro-finance politics under the cloak of bipartisanship while they rake in funding from corporate interests.
https://inequality.org/research/no-labels-problem-solvers-wall-street/
Wall Street’s money oozes into many dark crevices in Washington. The financial services industry pumped $2 billion into the 2015-16 election cycle and managed to easily outpace that amount during this year’s midterm election. Other than the aggregate figures, there is much we don’t know about the exact ways this money is used to influence our political systems. But from time to time, we do get a particularly vivid peek into how Wall Street cash distorts debates about policy.
For years, the group No Labels and its close partner, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, have quietly promoted policies that are wrapped in the mantle of bipartisanship and pitched as “non-ideological,” while being in the pay of corporate interests. They produce reports, sponsor events, and weigh in on policy on behalf of unnamed corporate donors.
Even when Wall Street isn’t directly funding specific activities, its pervasive funding helps get its talking points into conversations with members of Congress. At an orientation program run by Harvard University, former executives or lobbyists with Goldman Sachs, Bank of New York Mellon, and the private equity trade association were on the agenda as “experts” on Congress. The label fits in the way the Big Bad Wolf is an expert in porcine house construction. Recently published internal documents blew the lid off how much of the money behind No Labels comes from Wall Street. Its donors include executives from major asset managers (Trian Fund Management), hedge funds (Oaktree Capital Management) and private equity (Apollo Global Management), among others. Donors pledged $4.8 million to the No Labels non-profit arm in 2017, and also sent industry money to PACs affiliated with the group.
Former Democratic senators Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh, who both worked as industry lobbyists after leaving Congress, are affiliated with No Labels and the Problem Solvers Caucus. Rep. Mark Pocan, now a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, has written with remarkable candor about being “duped” by both organizations when he first joined the House in 2012. Beneath the veneer of bipartisanship, Pocan soon discovered the true aim of both groups — to import a pro-corporate agenda into Democratic politics.
snip
For years, the group No Labels and its close partner, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, have quietly promoted policies that are wrapped in the mantle of bipartisanship and pitched as “non-ideological,” while being in the pay of corporate interests. They produce reports, sponsor events, and weigh in on policy on behalf of unnamed corporate donors.
Even when Wall Street isn’t directly funding specific activities, its pervasive funding helps get its talking points into conversations with members of Congress. At an orientation program run by Harvard University, former executives or lobbyists with Goldman Sachs, Bank of New York Mellon, and the private equity trade association were on the agenda as “experts” on Congress. The label fits in the way the Big Bad Wolf is an expert in porcine house construction. Recently published internal documents blew the lid off how much of the money behind No Labels comes from Wall Street. Its donors include executives from major asset managers (Trian Fund Management), hedge funds (Oaktree Capital Management) and private equity (Apollo Global Management), among others. Donors pledged $4.8 million to the No Labels non-profit arm in 2017, and also sent industry money to PACs affiliated with the group.
Former Democratic senators Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh, who both worked as industry lobbyists after leaving Congress, are affiliated with No Labels and the Problem Solvers Caucus. Rep. Mark Pocan, now a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, has written with remarkable candor about being “duped” by both organizations when he first joined the House in 2012. Beneath the veneer of bipartisanship, Pocan soon discovered the true aim of both groups — to import a pro-corporate agenda into Democratic politics.
snip
How No Labels Went From Preaching Unity to Practicing the Dark Arts
https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-no-labels-went-from-preaching-unity-to-practicing-the-dark-arts
The group, which was founded as a champion of political bipartisanship, has been quietly courting donations from some of the most notoriously partisan money men and women in politics.
snip
According to internal documents obtained by The Daily Beast, No Labels encouraged financiers known for backing hyperpartisan causes to back its own super PACs. Among those courted were individuals who’ve bankrolled massive parts of the Republican Party’s infrastructure, including David Koch, former AIG head Hank Greenberg, and billionaire hedge-fund manager Paul Singer; as well as top supporters of President Donald Trump, including PayPal founder Peter Thiel, businessman Foster Friess, and Home Depot founder Ken Langone. No Labels also courted liberal-minded moneymen, including Michael Vachon, a top political adviser to George Soros (one of the biggest funders of Democratic and progressive causes) and Reid Hoffman, an investor and entrepreneur who has called Trump “worse than useless.”
The group also targeted Wendi Murdoch (ex-wife of Rupert and rumored Ivanka Trump pal), uber-agent Ari Emanuel, and Dallas Mavericks owner and oft-rumored presidential aspirant Mark Cuban. Another possible 2020 candidate, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, was also among dozens of high net-worth individuals approached about donating to No Labels’ super PACs.
snip
By the end of the 2018 cycle, six No Labels-affiliated super PACs—No Labels Action, Forward Not Back, United Together, Govern or Go Home, Citizens for a Strong America, and United for Progress—had collectively raised more than $11 million from 53 individual donors. The average contribution to the groups was about $124,000, illustrating their reliance on high-dollar donors rather than grassroots financial support.
snip
According to internal documents obtained by The Daily Beast, No Labels encouraged financiers known for backing hyperpartisan causes to back its own super PACs. Among those courted were individuals who’ve bankrolled massive parts of the Republican Party’s infrastructure, including David Koch, former AIG head Hank Greenberg, and billionaire hedge-fund manager Paul Singer; as well as top supporters of President Donald Trump, including PayPal founder Peter Thiel, businessman Foster Friess, and Home Depot founder Ken Langone. No Labels also courted liberal-minded moneymen, including Michael Vachon, a top political adviser to George Soros (one of the biggest funders of Democratic and progressive causes) and Reid Hoffman, an investor and entrepreneur who has called Trump “worse than useless.”
The group also targeted Wendi Murdoch (ex-wife of Rupert and rumored Ivanka Trump pal), uber-agent Ari Emanuel, and Dallas Mavericks owner and oft-rumored presidential aspirant Mark Cuban. Another possible 2020 candidate, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, was also among dozens of high net-worth individuals approached about donating to No Labels’ super PACs.
snip
By the end of the 2018 cycle, six No Labels-affiliated super PACs—No Labels Action, Forward Not Back, United Together, Govern or Go Home, Citizens for a Strong America, and United for Progress—had collectively raised more than $11 million from 53 individual donors. The average contribution to the groups was about $124,000, illustrating their reliance on high-dollar donors rather than grassroots financial support.
snip
Bipartisan ‘No Labels’ group’s super PAC network revealed: mega Chicago donors
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/3/12/18316470/bipartisan-no-labels-group-s-super-pac-network-revealed-mega-chicago-donors
With a boost from Chicago-area mega donors, including White Sox and Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, No Labels, a group advocating bipartisanship in Congress, has created a network of super PACs to influence the 2018 elections — but doesn’t want its fingerprints on the money.
One of the super PACs, United for Progress Inc., has spent $740,334 as of Sunday to bolster Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., in his March 20 Illinois Democratic primary battle with Marie Newman in the 3rd Congressional District. The names of the super PACS don’t link them to No Labels. A Sun-Times investigation determined super PACS related to No Labels include: United for Progress Inc.; Citizens for a Strong America Inc.; United Together; Govern or Go Home; and Forward, Not Back.
The Sun-Times inquiry included interviews with donors or their representatives and an examination of documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. United for Progress, Inc., is playing political hardball, attacking Newman in the commercials and direct mail pieces it paid for. Lipinski is part of a No Labels offshoot, the congressional “Problem Solvers Caucus.”
snip
THE ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS: Last year, a No Labels leader, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, was a draw at a meeting at the Chicago Club, 81 E. Van Buren. Lieberman was the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who became an Independent senator from Connecticut.
snip
One of the super PACs, United for Progress Inc., has spent $740,334 as of Sunday to bolster Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., in his March 20 Illinois Democratic primary battle with Marie Newman in the 3rd Congressional District. The names of the super PACS don’t link them to No Labels. A Sun-Times investigation determined super PACS related to No Labels include: United for Progress Inc.; Citizens for a Strong America Inc.; United Together; Govern or Go Home; and Forward, Not Back.
The Sun-Times inquiry included interviews with donors or their representatives and an examination of documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. United for Progress, Inc., is playing political hardball, attacking Newman in the commercials and direct mail pieces it paid for. Lipinski is part of a No Labels offshoot, the congressional “Problem Solvers Caucus.”
snip
THE ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS: Last year, a No Labels leader, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, was a draw at a meeting at the Chicago Club, 81 E. Van Buren. Lieberman was the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who became an Independent senator from Connecticut.
snip
No Labels funds dishonest attacks against Marie Newman to boost Blue Dog Dan Lipinski
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/13/1748758/-Centrist-group-No-Labels-funds-dishonest-attacks-against-Marie-Newman-to-back-Blue-Dog-Dan-Lipinski
Well what do you know: It turns out the mysterious super PAC called United for Progress, which has spent at least $740,000 to help conservative Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski in his primary against progressive challenger Marie Newman, received much of its funding from the aggressively centrist group No Labels and billionaire mega-donor Jerry Reinsdorf, who is chairman of both the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls. No Labels promotes the same sort of naive #bothsides mentality that plagues the world of cable news punditry, and even went so far as to moronically label Donald Trump a "problem solver" during his presidential campaign.
While support from No Labels itself should be a mark of shame for any Democrat running in a safely blue district like this one, the mailer they've been funding is even more disgraceful. It takes the guise of an ominous fake-but-official-looking letter from "Illinois Restaurant Enforcement" that claims the restaurant Newman once owned was guilty of health code violations, then proceeds to outright lie about the economic impact of the single-payer healthcare plan Newman supports.
One would expect to see Republicans launch these sorts of dishonest attacks against a progressive challenger, not those who support a nominal Democratic incumbent. And it's one more reason why Democrats in this 55-40 Clinton district can do a whole lot better than Dan Lipinski.
snip
While support from No Labels itself should be a mark of shame for any Democrat running in a safely blue district like this one, the mailer they've been funding is even more disgraceful. It takes the guise of an ominous fake-but-official-looking letter from "Illinois Restaurant Enforcement" that claims the restaurant Newman once owned was guilty of health code violations, then proceeds to outright lie about the economic impact of the single-payer healthcare plan Newman supports.
One would expect to see Republicans launch these sorts of dishonest attacks against a progressive challenger, not those who support a nominal Democratic incumbent. And it's one more reason why Democrats in this 55-40 Clinton district can do a whole lot better than Dan Lipinski.
snip
Delusional Group Declares Donald Trump a ‘Problem Solver’
The only problem Trump could solve is that we don’t have a dumb enough president
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/delusional-group-declares-donald-trump-a-problem-solver-58107/
Here are some labels that apply to Donald Trump:
–Racist
–Egomaniac
–Bloviator
–Delusional
–Liar
–Asshole
On Monday, the nonpartisan group No Labels gave him a new, and hilarious, one: problem solver.
Six presidential candidates – Democrat Martin O’Malley and Republicans Ben Carson, Chris Christie, John Kasich, Rand Paul and Trump – signed the organization’s Problem Solver Promise, officially making them No Labels Problem Solvers. The group says it will bestow the label on any candidate who signs its meaningless pledge.
No Labels declined to make an exception for Trump – the candidate who has proposed, among many other things, building a giant border wall, deporting 11 million people, banning Muslims from entering the country and shutting down mosques. In just the last two days, he’s come out in favor of direct head-to-head collisions in the NFL and elephant torture.
snip
–Racist
–Egomaniac
–Bloviator
–Delusional
–Liar
–Asshole
On Monday, the nonpartisan group No Labels gave him a new, and hilarious, one: problem solver.
Six presidential candidates – Democrat Martin O’Malley and Republicans Ben Carson, Chris Christie, John Kasich, Rand Paul and Trump – signed the organization’s Problem Solver Promise, officially making them No Labels Problem Solvers. The group says it will bestow the label on any candidate who signs its meaningless pledge.
No Labels declined to make an exception for Trump – the candidate who has proposed, among many other things, building a giant border wall, deporting 11 million people, banning Muslims from entering the country and shutting down mosques. In just the last two days, he’s come out in favor of direct head-to-head collisions in the NFL and elephant torture.
snip
Group Tied To Lipinski Says Marie Newman Is 'A Holocaust Denier'
IL-3 Democratic challenger Marie Newman claims group tied to Congressman Dan Lipinski is texting voters saying she's a 'Holocaust denier.'
https://patch.com/illinois/oaklawn/group-tied-lipinski-claims-she-s-holocaust-denier
LA GRANGE, IL -- Challenger Marie Newman is calling out Congressman Dan Lipinski for running a "dishonest machine-style campaign" after some of her supporters complained of receiving text messages stating that Newman is a "Holocaust denier." Newman and Lipinski are said to be in a statistical dead heat in the contentious Democratic primary in Illinois's 3rd Congressional District. Supporters said they began receiving the text messages this past weekend.
A woman who identifies herself as "Leslie Benjamini" from the Washington, D.C.-based No Labels group -- a political centrist organization comprised of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who aim to combat partisan dysfunction in politics by focusing on bipartisan problem solving -- texted a voter asking him if he planned to vote for Dan Lipinski in the March 20 Democratic primary. When the the receiver stated he is voting for Newman, Benjamini states that Lipinski's opponent is a Holocaust denier. Benjamini tells the receiver to look up "No Labels, a new group that is trying to get government working again." The message goes on to state that Lipinski is a "believer in this group."
"His opponent is a Holocaust denier among other things," the text goes on to say. "Please educate yourself before you vote. All I ask."
Lipinski does have an opponent who is a Holocaust denier who is running as the lone candidate in the Republican primary in Illinois' 3rd District, avowed neo-Nazi Art Jones of Lyons. In the second message sent to the Newman supporter, Benjamini mistakes the receiver's phone number for his mother's.
"For the second time I am NOT [NAME] … she is my mother and she hosted a fundraiser for Marie Newman. And for the record, I voted for her early Saturday [March 10]." "Thanks for voting," Benjamini texts back. "Did you know she's a Holocaust denier."
The No Labels group based in Washington, D.C., was founded in 2010. The group strives to "create a vibrant New Center that supports leaders who put country before party." No Labels inspired the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of congressional members that includes Lipinski. A Chicago Sun-Times investigation has also tied No Labels to such Super PACS as United for Progress Inc. As of late, United for Progress Inc. has been sent out a flurry of political hit pieces attacking Newman's progressive agenda, as well as TV and radio commercials. An angry Newman demanded an apology from Lipinski, accusing the congressman of running "dishonest machine campaign."
snip
A woman who identifies herself as "Leslie Benjamini" from the Washington, D.C.-based No Labels group -- a political centrist organization comprised of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who aim to combat partisan dysfunction in politics by focusing on bipartisan problem solving -- texted a voter asking him if he planned to vote for Dan Lipinski in the March 20 Democratic primary. When the the receiver stated he is voting for Newman, Benjamini states that Lipinski's opponent is a Holocaust denier. Benjamini tells the receiver to look up "No Labels, a new group that is trying to get government working again." The message goes on to state that Lipinski is a "believer in this group."
"His opponent is a Holocaust denier among other things," the text goes on to say. "Please educate yourself before you vote. All I ask."
Lipinski does have an opponent who is a Holocaust denier who is running as the lone candidate in the Republican primary in Illinois' 3rd District, avowed neo-Nazi Art Jones of Lyons. In the second message sent to the Newman supporter, Benjamini mistakes the receiver's phone number for his mother's.
"For the second time I am NOT [NAME] … she is my mother and she hosted a fundraiser for Marie Newman. And for the record, I voted for her early Saturday [March 10]." "Thanks for voting," Benjamini texts back. "Did you know she's a Holocaust denier."
The No Labels group based in Washington, D.C., was founded in 2010. The group strives to "create a vibrant New Center that supports leaders who put country before party." No Labels inspired the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of congressional members that includes Lipinski. A Chicago Sun-Times investigation has also tied No Labels to such Super PACS as United for Progress Inc. As of late, United for Progress Inc. has been sent out a flurry of political hit pieces attacking Newman's progressive agenda, as well as TV and radio commercials. An angry Newman demanded an apology from Lipinski, accusing the congressman of running "dishonest machine campaign."
snip
‘No Labels’ Needs A Warning Label
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-no-labels-mark-pocan_n_5c06b110e4b0cd916fb0b042
I was duped.
When I was elected to Congress in 2012, I attended the Bipartisan Program for Newly Elected Members of Congress at Harvard University. I was so excited to be a member of a branch of government for the most awesome country on the planet. At the program, one of the presentations was from a group named No Labels. The organization put forward a proposal for governing that meant working across the aisle to solve problems and stopping the gridlock in Washington. I was excited! While I was a strong progressive in the Wisconsin Legislature, that was my governing approach. By working with people who do not always agree with you, you find out what you have in common and you can get good things done.
snip
However, things quickly went south. I attended a few meetings at the outset, but the rhetoric wasn’t about finding ways to get things done and breaking gridlock ― rather it was more about finding more centrist, more corporate and more special interest-focused things to do. Soon thereafter, No Labels became involved in elections with a closely contested U.S. Senate race in Colorado, backing Republican Cory Gardner over Democrat Mark Udall. That didn’t seem right. A group that wasn’t supposed to pick labels was doing exactly that: picking a label. When asked to join the Problem Solvers Caucus, members were never told that this would be part of the program.
snip
I drifted away from the organization, as apparently did most people who thought it was focused on trying to break through the gridlock in Washington. No Labels’ membership has dwindled steadily since 2015. Fast-forward to the past few weeks, when No Labels’ Problem Solvers Caucus tried to threaten Nancy Pelosi’s speakership. While No Labels was originally advertised as a group committed to getting things done and breaking gridlock, it now seems more focused on stopping Pelosi and providing a fast track for special interests and lobbyists.
Worse, this past week I’ve read a few articles regarding what No Labels has been up to in the last couple of years. First, the organization spent almost twice as much helping re-elect Republicans as it spent helping Democrats. Second, reporters reviewed email correspondence that showed No Labels contemplating a plan to attack Pelosi and use her leadership as a wedge to divide congressional Democrats. And third, it’s clear that No Labels never had any meaningful ultimatums or demands on rules for leadership during eight years of a Republican-led House, or over the last four years of a Republican-led Senate. No Labels only has challenges for Democratic leadership in the House, specifically, for our next speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
That sure seems like a label to me. Look, I get it. No Labels is slick, and I got duped. But no other current or newly elected member of Congress should fall for its shtick. No Labels is a centrist, corporate organization working against Democrats with dark, anonymous money to advance power for special interests. Period.
snip
When I was elected to Congress in 2012, I attended the Bipartisan Program for Newly Elected Members of Congress at Harvard University. I was so excited to be a member of a branch of government for the most awesome country on the planet. At the program, one of the presentations was from a group named No Labels. The organization put forward a proposal for governing that meant working across the aisle to solve problems and stopping the gridlock in Washington. I was excited! While I was a strong progressive in the Wisconsin Legislature, that was my governing approach. By working with people who do not always agree with you, you find out what you have in common and you can get good things done.
snip
However, things quickly went south. I attended a few meetings at the outset, but the rhetoric wasn’t about finding ways to get things done and breaking gridlock ― rather it was more about finding more centrist, more corporate and more special interest-focused things to do. Soon thereafter, No Labels became involved in elections with a closely contested U.S. Senate race in Colorado, backing Republican Cory Gardner over Democrat Mark Udall. That didn’t seem right. A group that wasn’t supposed to pick labels was doing exactly that: picking a label. When asked to join the Problem Solvers Caucus, members were never told that this would be part of the program.
snip
I drifted away from the organization, as apparently did most people who thought it was focused on trying to break through the gridlock in Washington. No Labels’ membership has dwindled steadily since 2015. Fast-forward to the past few weeks, when No Labels’ Problem Solvers Caucus tried to threaten Nancy Pelosi’s speakership. While No Labels was originally advertised as a group committed to getting things done and breaking gridlock, it now seems more focused on stopping Pelosi and providing a fast track for special interests and lobbyists.
Worse, this past week I’ve read a few articles regarding what No Labels has been up to in the last couple of years. First, the organization spent almost twice as much helping re-elect Republicans as it spent helping Democrats. Second, reporters reviewed email correspondence that showed No Labels contemplating a plan to attack Pelosi and use her leadership as a wedge to divide congressional Democrats. And third, it’s clear that No Labels never had any meaningful ultimatums or demands on rules for leadership during eight years of a Republican-led House, or over the last four years of a Republican-led Senate. No Labels only has challenges for Democratic leadership in the House, specifically, for our next speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
That sure seems like a label to me. Look, I get it. No Labels is slick, and I got duped. But no other current or newly elected member of Congress should fall for its shtick. No Labels is a centrist, corporate organization working against Democrats with dark, anonymous money to advance power for special interests. Period.
snip
July 29, 2022
Prosecutors in Spain say they’ll seek a sentence of eight years and two months for pop sensation Shakira if she’s found guilty of tax fraud at trial.
The Colombian singer has been charged with six counts, including allegedly failing to pay the Spanish government $15 million between 2012 and 2014. Prosecutors would additionally seek a $24 million fine if Shakira is convicted.
The musician’s representatives say she has always fulfilled her tax duties and has posited the amount she is said to owe, plus $3 million in interest. Details of the potential penalty come after Shakira rejected a proposed settlement this week, choosing instead to go to trial.
A date has yet to be set. According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, tax fraudsters rarely end up going to prison in Spain, usually getting away with a fine instead. Footballer Samuel Eto’o was given a 22-month suspended sentence in June for tax fraud despite prosecutors wanting 4.5 years in prison.
Read it at Associated Press
Spanish Prosecutors Want to Toss Shakira in Prison for 8 Years
https://www.thedailybeast.com/spanish-prosecutors-seeking-eight-year-prison-sentence-for-shakira-in-alleged-tax-fraudProsecutors in Spain say they’ll seek a sentence of eight years and two months for pop sensation Shakira if she’s found guilty of tax fraud at trial.
The Colombian singer has been charged with six counts, including allegedly failing to pay the Spanish government $15 million between 2012 and 2014. Prosecutors would additionally seek a $24 million fine if Shakira is convicted.
The musician’s representatives say she has always fulfilled her tax duties and has posited the amount she is said to owe, plus $3 million in interest. Details of the potential penalty come after Shakira rejected a proposed settlement this week, choosing instead to go to trial.
A date has yet to be set. According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, tax fraudsters rarely end up going to prison in Spain, usually getting away with a fine instead. Footballer Samuel Eto’o was given a 22-month suspended sentence in June for tax fraud despite prosecutors wanting 4.5 years in prison.
Read it at Associated Press
July 29, 2022
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/07/marvel-phase-five-multiverse-saga
https://archive.ph/alhvf
Marvel’s Phase Five is upon us, and with 29 movies so far and six TV shows (at least), it’s easy to get lost. If you need a roadmap to navigate the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, look no further. Each movie and TV show in the series builds upon the other like chapters in a larger story called “phases.” Three phases combine to make a saga, and The Infinity Saga ended with Avengers: Endgame. At the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, producer Kevin Feige revealed that the new one will be called “The Multiverse Saga,” and it’s not far off. In fact, it’s already underway.
We’re so far into Phase Four that it’s already ending, and Feige says this November’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will close it out. If that seems fast, you’re not keeping count. Phase Four started with the Disney+ shows WandaVision, Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye, and included the movies Black Widow, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love & Thunder. Then it was bookended by two more Disney+ shows, Ms. Marvel and the upcoming She-Hulk.
Face front, true believers—as the late Stan Lee used to say—because Phase Five is about to begin. The list features new titles but lots of familiar faces. It will all build to not one, but two back-to-back Avengers movies. There’s lots to explore in between—not just a whole universe, but multiple ones stacked atop each other. Here’s the complete release timeline for upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows and films. Below, we’ll explore the latest revelations.
snip
Marvel's Phase Five: A Guide To All The New Movies and TV Shows
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will end Phase Four. New titles include Daredevil: Born Again, Agatha: Coven of Chaos and two new Avengers movies.https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/07/marvel-phase-five-multiverse-saga
https://archive.ph/alhvf
Marvel’s Phase Five is upon us, and with 29 movies so far and six TV shows (at least), it’s easy to get lost. If you need a roadmap to navigate the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, look no further. Each movie and TV show in the series builds upon the other like chapters in a larger story called “phases.” Three phases combine to make a saga, and The Infinity Saga ended with Avengers: Endgame. At the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, producer Kevin Feige revealed that the new one will be called “The Multiverse Saga,” and it’s not far off. In fact, it’s already underway.
We’re so far into Phase Four that it’s already ending, and Feige says this November’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will close it out. If that seems fast, you’re not keeping count. Phase Four started with the Disney+ shows WandaVision, Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye, and included the movies Black Widow, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love & Thunder. Then it was bookended by two more Disney+ shows, Ms. Marvel and the upcoming She-Hulk.
Face front, true believers—as the late Stan Lee used to say—because Phase Five is about to begin. The list features new titles but lots of familiar faces. It will all build to not one, but two back-to-back Avengers movies. There’s lots to explore in between—not just a whole universe, but multiple ones stacked atop each other. Here’s the complete release timeline for upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows and films. Below, we’ll explore the latest revelations.
Phase Four:
Aug. 17, 2022: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (series)
Nov. 11, 2022: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Aug. 17, 2022: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (series)
Nov. 11, 2022: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
snip
July 29, 2022
https://www.thelocal.se/20220728/playtimes-over-new-law-in-sweden-from-september/
From the 1st of September, it will be illegal to ride e-scooters on pavements. Sweden’s infrastructure minister Tomas Eneroth made the announcement at a government event on July 28th.
“Now I can inform you that it’s the end of the line for e-scooters on pavements,” he said. “It increases the risk of accidents. I have seen myself how anxious it makes many elderly people and people with disabilities when e-scooters rush past at high speed”, he said.
Eneroth added that it’s not a “human right” for people to make a mess by parking e-scooters wherever they like. “There needs to be order on the roads. Playtime’s over.” The rules mean that, from September 1st, you can get fined for riding an e-scooter on the pavement.
The decision comes into place at the same time as a rule that forbids parking e-scooters on pavements and cycle lanes. With these new measures, e-scooters will now follow the same rules as traditional bicycles. “Together, these new rules will improve the accessibility and safety for everyone who walks on pavements”, added Eneroth.
snip
This year I have seen less issues here in central Stockholm (the firms themselves cracked down a bit), but 2021 was a nightmare.
'Playtime's over': Sweden to introduce new law on e-scooters
Sweden's infrastructure minister Tomas Eneroth has announced new rules for e-scooters valid from September 1st.https://www.thelocal.se/20220728/playtimes-over-new-law-in-sweden-from-september/
From the 1st of September, it will be illegal to ride e-scooters on pavements. Sweden’s infrastructure minister Tomas Eneroth made the announcement at a government event on July 28th.
“Now I can inform you that it’s the end of the line for e-scooters on pavements,” he said. “It increases the risk of accidents. I have seen myself how anxious it makes many elderly people and people with disabilities when e-scooters rush past at high speed”, he said.
Eneroth added that it’s not a “human right” for people to make a mess by parking e-scooters wherever they like. “There needs to be order on the roads. Playtime’s over.” The rules mean that, from September 1st, you can get fined for riding an e-scooter on the pavement.
The decision comes into place at the same time as a rule that forbids parking e-scooters on pavements and cycle lanes. With these new measures, e-scooters will now follow the same rules as traditional bicycles. “Together, these new rules will improve the accessibility and safety for everyone who walks on pavements”, added Eneroth.
snip
This year I have seen less issues here in central Stockholm (the firms themselves cracked down a bit), but 2021 was a nightmare.
July 29, 2022
https://www.thedailybeast.com/getting-rolled-mitch-mcconnell-was-outfoxed-with-his-own-playbook
For years, Democrats have watched Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell deploy ultra-partisan legislative tactics to outmaneuver them on everything from fiscal cliff negotiations to filling a Supreme Court seat. But this week, Senate Republicans may have gotten a taste of their own medicine—and it didn’t go down smoothly. On Wednesday, McConnell and 13 Republicans joined with all Democrats to pass a sweeping bill investing in U.S. high-tech manufacturing, a major bipartisan win.
Barely an hour later, after more than a year of halting negotiations, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) announced he had reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on a package of climate investments, tax hikes for the rich, and prescription drug reforms.
McConnell said in June that Republicans would hold the manufacturing bill hostage if Democrats moved forward with their broader bill, which would pass through a party-line vote process called reconciliation. After that, Manchin threw cold water on the idea of passing a sweeping bill, and Republicans expected Democrats to pursue a pared-down package only containing drug pricing reforms.
Clearly, Manchin never left the table. And Republicans, along with the rest of the world, found out when the senator released a statement announcing his support for a party-line bill—minutes after the GOP relinquished its leverage. “I think that could be something you call ‘getting rolled,’” Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) told The Daily Beast on Thursday. “There had to be a little bit of trust. I guess, someone, it looks like they either misunderstood or it didn’t work out the way it should have.”
snip
'Getting Rolled': McConnell Was Outfoxed With His Own Playbook
After Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin announced a deal on a climate and tax bill right after Republicans helped clear a manufacturing bill, the GOP got a taste of its own medicine.https://www.thedailybeast.com/getting-rolled-mitch-mcconnell-was-outfoxed-with-his-own-playbook
For years, Democrats have watched Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell deploy ultra-partisan legislative tactics to outmaneuver them on everything from fiscal cliff negotiations to filling a Supreme Court seat. But this week, Senate Republicans may have gotten a taste of their own medicine—and it didn’t go down smoothly. On Wednesday, McConnell and 13 Republicans joined with all Democrats to pass a sweeping bill investing in U.S. high-tech manufacturing, a major bipartisan win.
Barely an hour later, after more than a year of halting negotiations, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) announced he had reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on a package of climate investments, tax hikes for the rich, and prescription drug reforms.
McConnell said in June that Republicans would hold the manufacturing bill hostage if Democrats moved forward with their broader bill, which would pass through a party-line vote process called reconciliation. After that, Manchin threw cold water on the idea of passing a sweeping bill, and Republicans expected Democrats to pursue a pared-down package only containing drug pricing reforms.
Clearly, Manchin never left the table. And Republicans, along with the rest of the world, found out when the senator released a statement announcing his support for a party-line bill—minutes after the GOP relinquished its leverage. “I think that could be something you call ‘getting rolled,’” Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) told The Daily Beast on Thursday. “There had to be a little bit of trust. I guess, someone, it looks like they either misunderstood or it didn’t work out the way it should have.”
snip
July 29, 2022
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62295674
Police said the car had been confiscated from criminals. The €12,000 (£10,180; $12,255) cost of converting it for police use was about the same as buying a new Skoda hatchback, they added.
The Ferrari 458 Italia will be used for cracking down on illegal road races and chasing stolen cars among other things. It can do 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds.
Featuring fluorescent yellow and blue stripes, the vehicle will be used by the special surveillance department and will be driven by specially trained officers. Jiri Zly, head of the police's traffic department, said the Ferrari would, among other things, be used against "the most aggressive drivers" on Czech roads.
The Czech police has hundreds of confiscated vehicles that come from criminals and are used to combat serious criminal activity throughout the country, police said.
snip
Czech police add Ferrari taken from criminals to fleet
Police in the Czech Republic have unveiled the latest addition to their fleet of cars - a Ferrari capable of speeds up to 326km/h (202mph).https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62295674
Police said the car had been confiscated from criminals. The €12,000 (£10,180; $12,255) cost of converting it for police use was about the same as buying a new Skoda hatchback, they added.
The Ferrari 458 Italia will be used for cracking down on illegal road races and chasing stolen cars among other things. It can do 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds.
Featuring fluorescent yellow and blue stripes, the vehicle will be used by the special surveillance department and will be driven by specially trained officers. Jiri Zly, head of the police's traffic department, said the Ferrari would, among other things, be used against "the most aggressive drivers" on Czech roads.
The Czech police has hundreds of confiscated vehicles that come from criminals and are used to combat serious criminal activity throughout the country, police said.
snip
July 28, 2022
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/social-media-harm-facebook-meta-response/670975/
https://archive.ph/DeZUH
Within the past 15 years, social media has insinuated itself into American life more deeply than food-delivery apps into our diets and microplastics into our bloodstreams. Look at stories about conflict, and it’s often lurking in the background. Recent articles on the rising dysfunction within progressive organizations point to the role of Twitter, Slack, and other platforms in prompting “endless and sprawling internal microbattles,” as The Intercept’s Ryan Grim put it, referring to the ACLU. At a far higher level of conflict, the congressional hearings about the January 6 insurrection show us how Donald Trump’s tweets summoned the mob to Washington and aimed it at the vice president. Far-right groups then used a variety of platforms to coordinate and carry out the attack.
Social media has changed life in America in a thousand ways, and nearly two out of three Americans now believe that these changes are for the worse. But academic researchers have not yet reached a consensus that social media is harmful. That’s been a boon to social-media companies such as Meta, which argues, as did tobacco companies, that the science is not “settled.” The lack of consensus leaves open the possibility that social media may not be very harmful. Perhaps we’ve fallen prey to yet another moral panic about a new technology and, as with television, we’ll worry about it less after a few decades of conflicting studies. A different possibility is that social media is quite harmful but is changing too quickly for social scientists to capture its effects.
The research community is built on a quasi-moral norm of scepticism: We begin by assuming the null hypothesis (in this case, that social media is not harmful), and we require researchers to show strong, statistically significant evidence in order to publish their findings. This takes time—a couple of years, typically, to conduct and publish a study; five or more years before review papers and meta-analyses come out; sometimes decades before scholars reach agreement. Social-media platforms, meanwhile, can change dramatically in just a few years. So even if social media really did begin to undermine democracy (and institutional trust and teen mental health) in the early 2010s, we should not expect social science to “settle” the matter until the 2030s. By then, the effects of social media will be radically different, and the harms done in earlier decades may be irreversible.
Let me back up. This spring, The Atlantic published my essay “Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid,” in which I argued that the best way to understand the chaos and fragmentation of American society is to see ourselves as citizens of Babel in the days after God rendered them unable to understand one another. I showed how a few small changes to the architecture of social-media platforms, implemented from 2009 to 2012, increased the virality of posts on those platforms, which then changed the nature of social relationships. People could spread rumors and half-truths more quickly, and they could more readily sort themselves into homogenous tribes. Even more important, in my view, was that social-media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook could now be used more easily by anyone to attack anyone. It was as if the platforms had passed out a billion little dart guns, and although most users didn’t want to shoot anyone, three kinds of people began darting others with abandon: the far right, the far left, and trolls.
snip
Yes, Social Media Really Is Undermining Democracy
Despite what Meta has to say.https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/social-media-harm-facebook-meta-response/670975/
https://archive.ph/DeZUH
Within the past 15 years, social media has insinuated itself into American life more deeply than food-delivery apps into our diets and microplastics into our bloodstreams. Look at stories about conflict, and it’s often lurking in the background. Recent articles on the rising dysfunction within progressive organizations point to the role of Twitter, Slack, and other platforms in prompting “endless and sprawling internal microbattles,” as The Intercept’s Ryan Grim put it, referring to the ACLU. At a far higher level of conflict, the congressional hearings about the January 6 insurrection show us how Donald Trump’s tweets summoned the mob to Washington and aimed it at the vice president. Far-right groups then used a variety of platforms to coordinate and carry out the attack.
Social media has changed life in America in a thousand ways, and nearly two out of three Americans now believe that these changes are for the worse. But academic researchers have not yet reached a consensus that social media is harmful. That’s been a boon to social-media companies such as Meta, which argues, as did tobacco companies, that the science is not “settled.” The lack of consensus leaves open the possibility that social media may not be very harmful. Perhaps we’ve fallen prey to yet another moral panic about a new technology and, as with television, we’ll worry about it less after a few decades of conflicting studies. A different possibility is that social media is quite harmful but is changing too quickly for social scientists to capture its effects.
The research community is built on a quasi-moral norm of scepticism: We begin by assuming the null hypothesis (in this case, that social media is not harmful), and we require researchers to show strong, statistically significant evidence in order to publish their findings. This takes time—a couple of years, typically, to conduct and publish a study; five or more years before review papers and meta-analyses come out; sometimes decades before scholars reach agreement. Social-media platforms, meanwhile, can change dramatically in just a few years. So even if social media really did begin to undermine democracy (and institutional trust and teen mental health) in the early 2010s, we should not expect social science to “settle” the matter until the 2030s. By then, the effects of social media will be radically different, and the harms done in earlier decades may be irreversible.
Let me back up. This spring, The Atlantic published my essay “Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid,” in which I argued that the best way to understand the chaos and fragmentation of American society is to see ourselves as citizens of Babel in the days after God rendered them unable to understand one another. I showed how a few small changes to the architecture of social-media platforms, implemented from 2009 to 2012, increased the virality of posts on those platforms, which then changed the nature of social relationships. People could spread rumors and half-truths more quickly, and they could more readily sort themselves into homogenous tribes. Even more important, in my view, was that social-media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook could now be used more easily by anyone to attack anyone. It was as if the platforms had passed out a billion little dart guns, and although most users didn’t want to shoot anyone, three kinds of people began darting others with abandon: the far right, the far left, and trolls.
snip
July 28, 2022
https://www.thedailybeast.com/black-bird-star-paul-walter-hauser-is-giving-the-best-performance-on-tv
There may be more serial killer screen performances in movies and TV than there are actual serial killers, and yet Paul Walter Hauser’s turn in Black Bird is one for the ages. What the 35-year-old actor is doing in Dennis Lehane’s six-part Apple TV+ miniseries—the penultimate episode debuts Friday—is nothing short of astounding, putting a creepily new spin on a familiar archetype to fashion an indelible portrait of deviant evil. Even in a sea of maniacal villains, his Larry Hall stands out as a uniquely cunning madman, so unpredictable and unnerving as to be downright unforgettable.
Based on James Keene and Hillel Levin’s non-fiction book In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption, Black Bird concerns Keene (Taron Egerton), a young and cocky 1990s gun-runner who’s given an opportunity to escape his ten-year jail sentence by the FBI. They convince him to enter a maximum-security prison in order to cozy up to Hall (Hauser), who’s behind bars for the rape and murder of a fifteen-year-old girl.
Hall confessed to that slaying, but his history of lying—and taking credit for crimes he didn’t commit—threatens to derail his conviction and free him on appeal. The feds want Keene to get Hall to cop to his homicide, as well as the others they suspect he’s committed, thus requiring Keene to befriend a pedophilic sociopath and coax him into giving up his secrets, most of which he likes to talk about and then claim are his “dreams.”
It's a thrilling real-life scenario, and one that Lehane and company dramatize with suspenseful dynamism, especially a sterling Egerton, Greg Kinnear and Sepideh Moafi as the investigators on Hall’s trail, and the late Ray Liotta as Keene’s ailing father (in his final performance). The star of the show, however, is Hauser, the accomplished character-actor vet of I, Tonya, BlacKkKlansman, Richard Jewell, Cruella, and Cobra Kai, whose Hall proves a lunatic like no other.
snip
Paul Walter Hauser Is Giving the Best Performance on TV Right Now
The veteran character actor stars as a serial killer behind bars in Apple TV+’s “Black Bird,” and is an unsettling as he is captivating.https://www.thedailybeast.com/black-bird-star-paul-walter-hauser-is-giving-the-best-performance-on-tv
There may be more serial killer screen performances in movies and TV than there are actual serial killers, and yet Paul Walter Hauser’s turn in Black Bird is one for the ages. What the 35-year-old actor is doing in Dennis Lehane’s six-part Apple TV+ miniseries—the penultimate episode debuts Friday—is nothing short of astounding, putting a creepily new spin on a familiar archetype to fashion an indelible portrait of deviant evil. Even in a sea of maniacal villains, his Larry Hall stands out as a uniquely cunning madman, so unpredictable and unnerving as to be downright unforgettable.
Based on James Keene and Hillel Levin’s non-fiction book In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption, Black Bird concerns Keene (Taron Egerton), a young and cocky 1990s gun-runner who’s given an opportunity to escape his ten-year jail sentence by the FBI. They convince him to enter a maximum-security prison in order to cozy up to Hall (Hauser), who’s behind bars for the rape and murder of a fifteen-year-old girl.
Hall confessed to that slaying, but his history of lying—and taking credit for crimes he didn’t commit—threatens to derail his conviction and free him on appeal. The feds want Keene to get Hall to cop to his homicide, as well as the others they suspect he’s committed, thus requiring Keene to befriend a pedophilic sociopath and coax him into giving up his secrets, most of which he likes to talk about and then claim are his “dreams.”
It's a thrilling real-life scenario, and one that Lehane and company dramatize with suspenseful dynamism, especially a sterling Egerton, Greg Kinnear and Sepideh Moafi as the investigators on Hall’s trail, and the late Ray Liotta as Keene’s ailing father (in his final performance). The star of the show, however, is Hauser, the accomplished character-actor vet of I, Tonya, BlacKkKlansman, Richard Jewell, Cruella, and Cobra Kai, whose Hall proves a lunatic like no other.
snip
July 28, 2022
Rival right-wing convoy groups protesting non-existent COVID-19 mandates have turned on each other in Washington, D.C., leaving pepper spray deployed and police called early Thursday morning on the National Mall.
In recent days, right-wing YouTube live streamers “Freedom Squirrel” and “Defender of Ants” traveled into town to counter-protest the 1776 Restoration Movement, formerly the People's Convoy, over accusations that the latter and larger group has members among its ranks that are “pedo'[s].”
It didn't take long for things to boil over. By 2 a.m. on Thursday morning, police were called after a member of the 1776 Restoration Movement, a self-appointed “security” officer, pepper-sprayed a rival in the face. “I am going to pepper spray you!” the member yelled.
https://twitter.com/April__Rayne/status/1552521097068806146
Police Called as Rival Right-Wing Convoy Groups Duke It Out in D.C.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/police-called-as-rival-right-wing-convoy-groups-duke-it-out-in-dcRival right-wing convoy groups protesting non-existent COVID-19 mandates have turned on each other in Washington, D.C., leaving pepper spray deployed and police called early Thursday morning on the National Mall.
In recent days, right-wing YouTube live streamers “Freedom Squirrel” and “Defender of Ants” traveled into town to counter-protest the 1776 Restoration Movement, formerly the People's Convoy, over accusations that the latter and larger group has members among its ranks that are “pedo'[s].”
It didn't take long for things to boil over. By 2 a.m. on Thursday morning, police were called after a member of the 1776 Restoration Movement, a self-appointed “security” officer, pepper-sprayed a rival in the face. “I am going to pepper spray you!” the member yelled.
https://twitter.com/April__Rayne/status/1552521097068806146
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