Steve Lunceford

Corporate America is showing unprecedented support for Donald Trump’s inauguration, donating record-breaking amounts. Many companies from the tech, fossil fuel, financial services, and automotive industries have doubled their donations since Trump’s first term in 2017. Not only are companies giving larger amounts than they did for Trump’s first inauguration, but they are also announcing their contributions months before required federal reporting – a contrast from 2017, when many companies tried to distance themselves from the president-elect, or in 2021, when many companies publicly cut ties with Trump following the Jan. 6 insurrection. Top donating companies include the world's five biggest tech firms like OpenAI and Uber, major auto manufacturers like Toyota, Ford, and GM, healthcare companies like Pfizer, and financial services like Robinhood and Intuit – all of which have each donated at least $1 million. Microsoft doubled its usual contribution to $1 million, while Google more than tripled its previous donations to $1 million as well.

Of interest from today’s @gzeromedia.com newsletter:

My (just back to college post-break) just pinged me this as well. Unreal, <15 hours down?

US officials have struck binding deals for 85% of the CHIPS Act funding; sources: Gina Raimondo said her successor, Howard Lutnick, is committed to the program (Mackenzie Hawkins/Bloomberg)

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11:38pm EDT and TikTok dead for me. Can’t scroll any new/saved content

a cartoon of a lion laying down next to a cub ALT: a cartoon of a lion laying down next to a cub

@detroitlions.bsky.social fans right now.

#HTTC @wshcommanders.bsky.social

@wshcommanders.bsky.social #destiny

Such a strange reaction from Dan to Terry going to town

Oh, I’m sorry for you and @jeffdaniels in advance 😂#miracleseason

Right? It really is crazy. Let’s hope we have the same kinda crazy later

Apple uses models to provide many of the features of the Apple Store app. These models are used to improve your experience in the app, such as by ensuring the content that is displayed to you will be relevant to your interests and to provide you with an efficient shopping experience. In addition, models are used to improve the search relevance in the Apple Store app and, in some jurisdictions, to power our chat functionality. Subject to your Apple Store app settings, data associated with your Apple Account may be aggregated and used to improve these models. In relevant jurisdictions, to customize the personal information you share with the Apple Store app and how it is used, go to Account > Settings in the Apple Store app.

New Apple Store app (v6.3) includes new terms:

"Subject to your Apple Store app settings, data associated with your Apple Account may be aggregated and used to improve these models."

If enabled, Apple will train their models with your data.

#NewAppleStoreApp

@skylight.social the “end” of tiktok is so wild right now.

Weird algo serving up new accounts, memories of memes past, drafts from favs, goodbye messages, TikTok shop spam, #Commanders chest thumping (#HTTC) and more.

He doinked his way in. #HTTC

Gonzalez has so much pressure on him here!

Underrated moment of the Zuck on Joe Rogan podcast was when Joe was asking him why he uses a rifle more than now to hunt, and Zuck says the “conversation rate” is higher

Ten cool science stories we almost missed - @arstechnica.com

Vacation breakfast of champions whilst charging the car 😂

Of particular note:

"I hear rumors that Elon has about 40 or so engineers already squirreled away in a building near Lafayette Square...spinning up AI systems that are going to change the playing field in ways few in Washington understand."

Um, Congress, you might want to take a look at this What might DOGE have brewing?

Good read today from @pahlkadot.bsky.social: www.eatingpolicy.com/p/um-congres...

A graph showing what Lil Wayne spent his ittle-known pandemic-relief program money on

Lil Wayne received an $8.9 million grant from a little-known pandemic-relief program. Here's how he spent it: www.businessinsider.com/lil-wayne-ch...

ICS 206–01: The New Standard Every OSINT Professional Must Know Explore ICS 206–01: Essential updates for OSINT pros on AI citations, sourcing rules, retention, and a checklist for seamless compliance.

Good read shared by @ckras.bsky.social on LinkedIn.

publication.osintambition.org/ics-206-01-t...

The Top Cybersecurity Agency in the US Is Bracing for Donald Trump - WIRED

How Sony turned itself around by innovating its games business beyond consoles and making acquisitions to expand its IP and focus on original content (John Towfighi/CNN)

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Microsoft finally delivers AirDrop-style file sharing between iPhones and PCs – here's how it works AirDrop for all your devices

This is big

Microsoft finally delivers AirDrop-style file sharing between iPhones and PCs – here's how it works www.techradar.com/phones/micro...

Pew Research center graphic showing the number of American teenagers using different social media plat

📱@pewresearch.org found American teens are mostly on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, & Instagram — some are online almost all the time: www.pewresearch.org/internet/202...
Pew told me they’ll ask if adults & teens are using Bluesky in 2025.

Steep decline in teen Twitter & Facebook use seem notable.

Government 2.0 | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio - Page: 3 Taking Government 2.0 - collaborative and transparent governance - LIVE and worldwide. Producers: Meghan Harvey and Adriel Hampton. - Page: 3

Wayback has most episodes + descriptions, but nonworking audio. Blast from the past!

web.archive.org/web/20100826...

Yammer: Enterprise Social Networking Yammer CEO David Sacks talks to Gov 2.0 Radio about secure social networking in government and the enterprise, including use of Yammer in the Gulf oil spill response.

This is the BTR page - description but no file: www.blogtalkradio.com/gov20/2010/0...

Trump picks venture capitalist David Sacks as 'AI & Crypto Czar' Sacks is a venture capitalist, the former CEO of enterprise social network firm Yammer, a podcaster and member of the so-called "PayPal Mafia."

Reading this today @fedscoop.bsky.social and remembered we interviewed David Sacks back in the pre-MSFT Yammer days. I tried to find the audio but while there is a page at BlogTalkRadio, there is no file. @adrielhampton.com did you ever create back-ups?

fedscoop.com/trump-david-...

#dog @fetcherdog TikTok video by Nowhere Man

If TikTok goes, where will I find an algo to serve me vids of shelter dogs reactions to being kissed?

www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYPy3M6K/

Very good piece highlighting contradictions in Muskawamy's approach:

We need to cut costs, defund the IRS, but also update tech (expensive and badly needed).

Better data can allow us to identify fraud and waste (maybe not tho), but what about using it to help people?

How the Global Engagement Center hopes to fight deepfakes abroad Public records show the agency wanted to build a “meme detector” and use other AI to detect deepfakes.

The State Dept is looking to at ways to better ID Deepfakes using custom-built #AI

fedscoop.com/how-the-glob...