No Matter What Trump Does, Evangelicals Still Love Him

White evangelicals’ fascination with Trump won’t be the last time a large subset of the American public becomes enthralled by an authoritarian and incompetent politician.

Source: No Matter What Trump Does, Evangelicals Still Love Him

The better question is: What does this say about the state of American politics, that Trump is still somehow favorable in the minds of, say, a third of the country, compared to the rest of the field?

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X marks the motivated reasoning

 

So forgive me if I can’t even get marginally excited for this latest kerfuffle over the new X branding. Primarily because of just how utterly removed the discourse around it is from a good-faith assessment of the merits of the particulars. It’s all turned into an endless proxy war, and every argument is wielded only in service of yet another petty ideological skirmish.

Source: X marks the motivated reasoning

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The State of Javascript Development

Mocked in this article:

The pain is barely tolerable when you reach dependencies. So, so many of them. There’s left-pad, the legendary tiny package that broke all internet, collectively causing the amount of pain and drama comparable to the destruction of Alderaan.

Discussed here:

The Javascript Front End Developer Experience

I know just enough about the Javascript frontend world to understand that this is a good description of what it entails. When people try to gaslight me about how great Javascript is, pointing to Stack Overflow’s consistent top-tier ranking of the language, I know this is the part that isn’t being said out loud.

I’m just sitting over here enjoying the fact that my app isn’t big enough to warrant separating the front end from the back, and I can blissfully get away with server side rendering built into Rails, with bits of Javascript in the page, only for convenience.

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Reddit’s average daily traffic fell during blackout, according to third-party data | Engadget

Compared to the website’s average daily volume over the past month, the 52,121,649 visits Reddit saw on June 13th represented a 6.6 percent drop.

A day later, that metric fell to seven minutes and 17 seconds, or the lowest that stat has been in the past three years.

Source: Reddit’s average daily traffic fell during blackout, according to third-party data | Engadget

Well, so much for a “blackout.” I suppose it depends on how sensitive Reddit’s revenue is on these numbers, but given that they haven’t backed down from any of the behavior that led to this, my guess is “not much.”

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Me and My Impertinent Questions

That’s apparently what I get for calling him on conflating two very controversial, yet very different issues, and asking why he would do that. It’s too bad. I mean, I know we have different politics, but he’s a great writer with a lot to say, and he’s smack-dab on the money about the corporate “enshittification” of every online service, and, indeed, every business in America these days. On the other hand, he’s one of the charter members of the he-man Musk haters club, and says he’ll be “leaving” Twitter soon, so I guess I’ll have a chance to get blocked on Mastodon or something in the future.

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Amazon Locks Man Out of His Smart Home After Baseless Racism Accusation

This issue has raised questions about the risks of smart home technology.

Source: Amazon Locks Man Out of His Smart Home After Baseless Racism Accusation

However, despite clearing the air with Amazon, Jackson’s account was still locked for an entire week.

I mean… what?! The craziest part of Orwell’s dire warnings about total surveillance and control by the State is that the whole thing was subcontracted to corporations for tax benefits to avoid the Constitutional ramifications. Not only that, but “we” are lining up in droves to pay for the equipment to enable this in order to, say, save 10% on things bought through the poster child of an “enshittified” corporation.

Following the messy ordeal, Jackson said he is “seriously considering discontinuing” his Amazon Echo devices.

On what planet would someone who went through this not immediately rip out any and all Amazon-connected devices from their home? Why would anyone continue to install it with just this one story as an example of what can happen when you give a faceless corporation control over your home? Not only have the “lizard people” been revealed by this situation, this guy — and we, collectively — are saying, “Well, maybe they’re not so bad.” I literally can’t even.

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The Germans Hate Me

Current Profile
Twitter Notice

I’m not clear what about my profile someone in Germany could find offensive, but here we are. I appreciate this notice, and the German law that required it. We should have more of this kind of thing, to reduce the abuse of reporting systems that get accounts taken down over wrong-think.

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It Happens

Missing an Opportunity

I have great respect for Jason, but it feels like there’s an important point being elided here. Since her uncle owns it, Musk is accusing the Internet Archive of removing evidence of Taylor Lorenz’s online footprint, for the purpose of shielding her from her own embarrassing and/or incriminating writing. At first blush, this seems to be an attack on the mission of the Archive.

However, something like 15 years ago, I needed a fresh start with my online presence, and contacted Jason directly, and had him remove my site (this site) from the Archive. I had to send a copy of my driver’s license, which I thought was eminently reasonable.

What I didn’t know is that this would exclude this site from the archive forever. I suppose I could ask it to be re-added, but I think it’s fine. I don’t need to waste any more bits on any more hard drives.

Anyway, my point is that this sort of thing happens. Whether it happened because Lorenz asked, or her uncle directed it, and for whatever reason, people have a right to not be tracked. Further, the Archive may be the only site in the world that I trust to actually delete data when asked. Seems like a good time to expound the integrity of the institution. Instead, he indulged in some Musk Derangement Syndrome, as evidenced by the “emerald mine” reference, which isn’t actually a thing.

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ChatGPT, Answering the Serious Questions

Can you suggest songs that are similar to Rock Lobster?

Certainly! “Rock Lobster” by The B-52’s is a unique and energetic song with a distinct sound. While it’s challenging to find songs that perfectly replicate its style, here are a few suggestions that capture a similar blend of upbeat, quirky, and danceable qualities:

“Love Shack” by The B-52’s: This is another popular song by The B-52’s that features catchy hooks, playful lyrics, and a lively, dance-inducing vibe.

“Whip It” by Devo: Known for their eccentricity and new wave sound, Devo’s “Whip It” carries a similar energy to “Rock Lobster” with its offbeat lyrics and catchy synth-driven rhythm.

“Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and The Waves: This song shares the same upbeat and infectious spirit as “Rock Lobster.” It’s a feel-good, pop-rock anthem that’s hard to resist singing and dancing along to.

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads: While stylistically different from “Rock Lobster,” Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” is a quirky and captivating song that merges elements of new wave, funk, and art rock. It possesses an infectious rhythm and thought-provoking lyrics.

“Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo: As a new wave and alternative rock band, Oingo Boingo offers a similar sense of fun and eccentricity. “Weird Science” embodies their unique sound, blending catchy melodies, synths, and a touch of quirkiness.

“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel: This song is a vibrant fusion of rock, funk, and pop with an infectious groove. It shares a dynamic and lively atmosphere that aligns with the spirit of “Rock Lobster.”

While these songs may not be exact replicas, they capture elements of the energy, quirkiness, and danceable nature found in “Rock Lobster.” Enjoy exploring these suggestions!

Maybe not a great answer, but all of those songs are on my 80’s playlist.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a Democrat challenging Biden. But what is his platform? | Fox News

In announcing his long-shot candidacy for president Wednesday, Kennedy vowed to “end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power that is threatening now to impose a new kind of corporate feudalism on our country.”

Source: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a Democrat challenging Biden. But what is his platform? | Fox News

“Threatening?” Threatening!? Threatening to impose…

We’re way past “threatening.”

But other than that, I like everything I’m hearing from of this guy.

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