Marc Seldin

‘How gratifying’: Cheers in China as Trump dismantles Voice of America Hong Kong (CNN) — One nationalist influencer called it “truly gratifying.” Another said he was laughing his head off. And a state-media editorial hailed the demise of what it called the “lie factory.”

Well, at least the Chinese are happy. www.wral.com/story/how-gr...

Tech Execs Are Pushing Trump to Build 'Freedom Cities' Run by Corporations A pro-corporate libertarian movement is attempting to take over the U.S., with Trump's help.

I posted a link previously about how tech billionaires are engaging in a publicly documented effort to create a techno-feudalism. This is the latest step in that effort. gizmodo.com/tech-execs-a...

Author of Upcoming Elon Musk Biography Says ‘There Is No Evidence’ Billionaire Has Any ‘Intellectual Achievements’ "It does not take intelligence to throw money around and buy a company or buy a politician," Seth Abramson writes The post Author of Upcoming Elon Musk Biography Says ‘There Is No Evidence’ Billionair...

"It is also a particularly American disease to confuse wealth with intelligence and corporations with those who own them."

DOGE Staffer Known as 'Big Balls' Reportedly the Grandkid of a KGB Spy Sure, why not?

Nothing to see here. Our government is being overhauled by the best and brightest, the very mostest patriotic Americans.

Disgusting reprobates, all of them.

Trump Administration Wants to Help Get Professional Misogynist Andrew Tate out of Romania Tate and his brother are charged with human trafficking, sexual misconduct, and money laundering.

Tate is foul. This is part of a pattern of freeing and rehabilitating the images of some of the world's vilest human beings. If only Jeffrey Epstein were alive today, he'd surely have his moment in the sun.
gizmodo.com/trump-admini...

It’s Clear What’s Driving Trump’s Presidency Now—or Rather, Who Is Who’s the boss, exactly?

Part right. Musk is two teenage edgelords in a trenchcoat. slate.com/news-and-pol...

YouTube video by Blonde Politics | The Silly Serious DARK GOTHIC MAGA: How Tech Billionaires Plan to Destroy America

"I am Dark Gothic MAGA" - Musk
Although a bit long, this is a very well sourced report on how tech billionaires have either co-opted or found common cause with MAGA. The goal: techno-feudalism. There are few real secret conspiracies - this one is out in the open.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RpP...

I'm not sure about *more* destructive than Brexit, but at least certainly equivalent. This will be inflationary, destroy jobs, and reduce the real world wealth of millions of Americans. For no purpose that I can understand.

The Welsh told the Saxons this hill was called "pen" (meaning "hill"). The Saxons added their word for hill, "tor," and called it Torpen (hill hill).

Later the Norse added their world for hill. So it became Torpen Haugr (Hill Hill Hill).

Now the English call it Torpenhow Hill (Hill Hill Hill Hill)

The U.S. Government Just Declassified Cold War-Era Docs About DIY Nukes During the 1960s, the feds asked fresh-out-of-school physicists to try to build a nuke with no prior knowledge.

That time in the 60s when the US decided to find out whether three random physicists could figure out how to build a bomb. 60 years later, how easy would it be for three random biologists to create a plague? gizmodo.com/the-u-s-gove...

Replete with fake quotes and sources!

Not abstract ranting, dealing with this today.

The narcissist's main super power is an inability (or reduced ability) to feel shame. They are unashamed to be caught in a lie, or when confronted with the emotional damage they wreck upon the people around them. Narcissists are only affected by having their desires thwarted. And they aren't rare.

Meet the new rulers, same as the old rulers. Tech leaders have better seats than cabinet members. Ther are seated in the same section as Trump's family.

Hear ya, but IMO Twitter was a place for people who thought themselves important to pontificate at other people who thought themselves important. I'm not certain that it ever actually steered convos, may have just reflected the zeitgeist. Now, I'm even less convinced important matters arise there.

Is it though? Some people still use twitter, to be sure, but I don't think its influence remains strong. Not sure how to objectively measure that however. Re TikTok, other than shutting it down completely I don't see a way to escape its influence. IMO, short form video should be banned outright.

I agree wholeheartedly, but that doesn't alter the fact that Twitter is less influential now than before he bought it. I can only hope that, should he acquire tik tok in his insatiable lust for power, he would similarly corrupt and weaken it.

It is telling. But the good news is that Musk has a solid track record of destroying social media companies, so perhaps this might be for the best.

We need to talk about human genome editing In a few decades, gene-editing technologies could reduce the likelihood of common human diseases. Societies must use this time to prepare for their arrival.

What if we normalize eugenics and all that happens is a few diseases become rare? www.nature.com/articles/d41...

I can't tell you how happy I was to see this! Very fun and great memories.

I am sure that generations of residents of Soviet brutalist structures continue to think warmly of your dorm and Iowa!

YouTube video by Phil Edwards Why the Soviet Union was obsessed with corn

@marktough.bsky.social I'm sure you've heard plenty about Khrushchev visit to Iowa, but did you know the whole story behind it? It's a fascinating mix of politics, economics, and diplomacy. In the end it was undone by bad science. Pretty interesting! youtu.be/9w7WrXsHkIQ?...

UnitedHealth Is Strategically Limiting Access to Critical Treatment for Kids With Autism Advocates told ProPublica the insurer’s strategy may be violating federal law.

It's systems - not CEOs - people. A whole broken nation of a system.

I would pay money to see this movie

Redbox for software!

It's easier to be angry at an individual than it is to be angry with a system. Systems are nebulous and can't be shot dead on a sidewalk, but they are far more threatening to us.

It's fine, I guess. I use it. But the hype train is out of control. Both fears and prophecies are a bit hyperbolic, at least in the short to medium term.

Don't believe the underlying technology has much relevance to an inconsistent user experience, it's just a handwavey explanation for poor testing. Especially since React is everywhere these days and distributed and even serveless apps are the new norm. Tldr, it's interesting so far but not in love.

Weird, well now it is working that way for me too. User error on my part? I'm just happy to see the GUI working!