Grant W. Turner

Trump is going old-school Iraq war with his Venezuela tactics, so Jon is going old-school Daily Show, too

Shock and awe, indeed

www.politifact.com/factchecks/2...

The major U.S. trends in AI in 2025 - and what's next in 2026 | Context by TRF Here's what to know about AI in U.S. workplaces, surveillance, private lives and the courts heading into the new year

"We know they are certainly using automated systems” to comb visa-holders’ social media histories, EFF’s Jacob Hoffman-Andrews told @contextnewsroom.bsky.social. "Government use of AI for surveillance is an evergreen topic and is going to be even bigger in a year." www.context.news/surveillanc...

YouTube video by Democracy Docket Harvard Professor Explains Death of American Democracy

📽️ VIDEO: Harvard professor Steven Levitsky, who also co-authored the critically acclaimed novel How Democracies Die, joined Marc Elias to assess where the United States stands in 2025, and whether we’ve crossed the line into authoritarianism. Watch below👇

‘Sustainable’ Cashmere Won’t Save Mongolia’s Steppe Certification currently ignores the only path to restoring the country’s grasslands and preserving herders’ livelihoods: fewer goats

“In the span of just 30 years, cashmere has turned into an ecological disaster for Mongolia.”

As brands market “sustainable” fiber, herders face dying pastures and a collapsing steppe, write Aïda Delpuech, Sara Manisera and Daniela Sala for @newlinesmag.bsky.social

In Shocking Role Reversal, Ecuador Ordered to Pay Chevron $220 Million - Truthdig Indigenous communities that have lived with toxic pollution from oil operations for decades are now being forced to pay the company's owners.

Indigenous communities have lived with toxic pollution from Texaco’s operations for decades. Now, the victims are being forced to pay Chevron, which acquired Texaco in 2001.

Mainstream Media Aids Neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes’ Growing Popularity Piers Morgan’s interview with neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes became another boost for the Groyper movement, offering a committed Holocaust denier uncritical mainstream exposure. As Fuentes turns these appearan...

Piers Morgan’s interview with neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes became another boost for the Groyper movement. As Fuentes turns each appearance into a win, the media’s failure to confront his white nationalist rhetoric is normalizing extremist ideas and accelerating the radicalization of young audiences.

Source unknown

"The restrictionists start by talking about foreign rapists and murders. But they always wind up talking about the Aryan race—or 'heritage Americans.'" lnk.thebulwark.com/48sUQWT

Trump’s immigration data dragnet The US is pulling in vast amounts of personal information in its drive to deport 1mn people this year

Trump’s immigration data dragnet on.ft.com/4iNTrO9

YouTube video by GenericArtDad How do stores set prices? Studies have shown it’s not about cost, but what they can get away with.

Entertaining explainer: Pricing no longer reflects costs. The last several years' increases reflect price gouging and fixing, resulting 5-7% profit gains.

Sen. Warren (D) introduced a bill enhancing Biden era protections, but Trump has been encouraging these practices.

youtube.com/shorts/DYIIl...

When informal norms fail – how EU leaders lost their patience with Viktor Orbán - EUROPP Will Viktor Orbán derail future EU talks? New research shows the European Council stops obstruction only when the domestic political costs become too high.

When informal norms fail – how EU leaders lost their patience with Viktor Orbán

Humanity faces one of the biggest choices in history.

#GEO7 shows that investing in planetary health improves economies, livelihoods, and saves lives.

UNEP ED @ingerandersen.bsky.social urges countries to drive their economies toward a thriving, sustainable future: www.unep.org/interactives...

Ukraine Stands Firm Attacks on its infrastructure and a major corruption scandal have rocked the country. But President Trump is wrong that Ukraine is destined for defeat.

The Ukrainians are not giving up. but for Washington, it’s apparently easier just to assume Russia will win the war and foreclose Ukraine’s options at the negotiating table. lnk.thebulwark.com/4oBX1Mp

CFPB Says Judge Can’t Force It to Seek More Federal Reserve Cash An existing order blocking acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Russell Vought from dismantling the agency can’t be used to force him to seek more money to keep it alive, the Trump administration said.

An existing order blocking acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Russell Vought from dismantling the agency can’t be used to force him to seek more money to keep it alive, the Trump administration said.

Malaysia’s PM Calls for Calm After Conflict Reignites Between Thailand and Cambodia A high-ranking Thai military official has announced that the army plans to “render Cambodia militarily ineffective for a long time.”

A high-ranking Thai military official has announced that the army plans to “render Cambodia militarily ineffective for a long time.”

Supreme Court Poised to Vastly Expand Presidential Power, Again The 90-year-old precedent protecting independent agencies is likely on its way out.

Congress, once again, is the branch on the losing end of this.

1/ It was the height of the pandemic, but Phoebe Putney Memorial had good news: At 99 years old, Maude Burke was the oldest COVID-19 patient they were discharging.

In a video, staff waved balloons, celebrating Burke beating the disease.

There was one issue: It wasn’t true. 🧵

Canada launches billion dollar plan to recruit top researchers The move is part of an effort to poach intellectual talent looking to leave the United States because of President Donald Trump's policies.

Canada has launched a billion dollar program to recruit leading global researchers, part of the effort to poach intellectual talent looking to leave the United States because of President Donald Trump's policies.

Double Your Impact on Privacy & Free Speech Right now, your donation to EFF gets an automatic 2X match! Don't let tyrants co-opt tech.

🌟 ALERT 🌟
There's only a few hours left to support digital freedoms during EFF's Power Up campaign! All donations made online today will get a dollar-for-dollar match—meaning 2X support for EFF. eff.org/power-up

We asked critics from authoritarian regimes what they wish they’d known sooner. Here’s what they said Critics from Hungary, El Salvador and Turkey offer advice to the US about what they’ve learned about authoritarians

@theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Competition and Cooperation in the Race to AGI Technology companies worldwide are racing to develop artificial general intelligence but there are risks that extend well beyond market or geopolitical competition. A new model allows policymakers to ...

If both the U.S. and China believe that the benefits of being the first to achieve artificial general intelligence outweigh the risks, they are effectively locked in a prisoner’s dilemma.

New report explores the strategic dynamics of the race to AGI:

"Bond, Bots, and Bioweapons
'No Time to Die' and the Future of Assassinations, Warfare, and Genocide" via the US Army's Military Review journal.

Wrote this while the movie was still in theaters, but took till now to get it out.

www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Mil...
#irsky #polisky #legalsky

These people try to rule the world (and seem to succeed) bylinetimes.com/2025/12/05/h...
Via @bylinetimes.bsky.social

Read @nicolefoy.bsky.social's investigation that prompted the congressional probe.

We found that agents had detained >170 Americans this year. More than 20 citizens said they were held for at least a day without being able to contact a lawyer or their loved ones.

For years, ICE has used the latest surveillance technology to target immigrants, now it’s using this technology to target anti-ICE protesters. This is a serious threat to Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.

"Bond, Bots, and Bioweapons
'No Time to Die' and the Future of Assassinations, Warfare, and Genocide" via the US Army's Military Review journal.

Wrote this while the movie was still in theaters, but took till now to get it out.

www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Mil...
#irsky #polisky #legalsky

LIVE: The new U.S. National Security Strategy has real implications for Europe's approach to defense, tech regulation, and the longevity of the transatlantic bond.

🎙️ @maxbergmann.bsky.social @abenewman.bsky.social + Kristine Berzina
🕑 2:00 - 3:00pm TODAY
📍 Online only 🔗
www.csis.org/events/eurof...

Flood of retirement announcements expected soon from frusterated GOP House members - buff.ly/KMgC7Ye