We’re having a heat wave here in Portland, and I’m writing with my right eye shut. The vision is still quite blurry and I’m seeing double, which are things the doctor told me to expect. At the rate Killer Dawg is getting fed, we may start calling him Killer Donut.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:19 (average 4:44). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From KP Daily Funnies: Samantha Bee on GOP, Trump and Fascism
BEElicious!! Sam could not BEE more right!!
From Daily Kos (Classic 10/2014):
Michael Price, counsel in the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, has a disturbing article up at Salon.com.
Turns out, he bought a new "smart" TV, but is now afraid to turn it on.
You would be too — if you read through the 46-page privacy policy.
The amount of data this thing collects is staggering. It logs where, when, how and for how long you use the TV. It sets tracking cookies and beacons designed to detect “when you have viewed particular content or a particular email message.” It records “the apps you use, the websites you visit, and how you interact with content.” It ignores “do-not-track” requests as a considered matter of policy.
It also has a built-in camera — with facial recognition. The purpose is to provide “gesture control” for the TV and enable you to log in to a personalized account using your face. On the upside, the images are saved on the TV instead of uploaded to a corporate server. On the downside, the Internet connection makes the whole TV vulnerable to hackers who have demonstrated the ability to take complete control of the machine.
More troubling is the microphone. The TV boasts a “voice recognition” feature that allows viewers to control the screen with voice commands. But the service comes with a rather ominous warning: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party.” Got that? Don’t say personal or sensitive stuff in front of the TV.
The technocracy, in the employ of Wall Street corporations, has fully jumped the shark. Sharing the audio from the microphone with third parties?
Are liberals really going to allow this steady march into dystopia to continue? And if liberals and Democrats aren’t willing to fight it, who will?
This issuer needs to move to front burner.
From NY Times: With British politics in turmoil, there were already clear indications on Saturday of a tense and bickering divorce from the European Union.
Britons woke up to a diminished currency and much confusion about the consequences of their vote on Thursday to quit the European Union, including who would be their next prime minister. The leaders of the campaign to exit the bloc, or “Brexit,” continued to disagree over what kind of relationship they wanted with Europe, and thousands of Britons started signing a petition asking for a second referendum.
Meeting in Berlin, European leaders told Britain to hurry up and begin the formal process of exiting the union, while Prime Minister David Cameron said that process could wait until his replacement was chosen in October and leaders of the “Leave” campaign suggested it could come even later, after a new round of talks with Brussels.
I can’t say that I blame other EU leaders, but it sounds like many in the UK have buyers’ remorse.
Cartoon:
16 Responses to “Open Thread – 6/26/2016”
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4:00 Very attractive. Probably too soon for you to be in the water fishing. Maybe there's small game in the woods.
KP – Gestapo Bingo! Yay!
DKos – I couldn't agree more that the issue is important. However, there are so many people who don't care – many of whom are so accustomed to their smartphones already doing this – that I am afraid we need to get a Democratic grand slam – White House, majority Senate, majority House, majority Supreme Court – before trying to reeducate the apathetic. Worse, I fear if we bring this to the front burner too soon, it will substantially delay our getting that grand slam.
NY Times – Well, with Nigel Farage greeting the result of the vote with "Guess what! I lied! We won't be able to put ₤350 Million into National Health after all! Isn't that cute!" – who wouldn't have buyer's remorse? Or, at least, what sane person?
Cartoon – So true! (A bridge might have been even more telling.)
KP Daily Funnies: Samantha Bee says that the GOP will never get the fun people onto their side. Golly, could it be that the GOP/TP are a racist organization… with 13+ million members of the GOP/TP supporting bigoted Drumpf?
Salon: Shades of "Big Brother", or is it the beginnings of a real dystopia, is watching you with these "smart" TV's or should it be better named as "IT SPYS ON YOU" TV's. In order to beat this unwanted dystopia, it would be for someone to design an app to defeat it. A money-maker for that designer. One simple way to defeat the camera is to put a piece of tape over the lens.
NY Times: Brexit = Buyers' remorse. Yup, it is exactly that!
Cartoon: Yep, the GOP don't care about America's aging and crumbling infrastructures. High speed rail: Nope. Flint, Michigan: nope and many other "aliments" as well. They are only interested in weapons of war (profits) for their corporate masters.
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"Cuz you made me think of it Jim"
How George Orwell's Dystopian Novel '1984' Illuminates the U.S.'s Endless War on Terror
One can’t help but be reminded of another forever war, the endless shape-shifting struggle fought within the covers of the novel.
http://www.alternet.org/books/how-george-orwells-dystopian-novel-1984-illuminates-uss-endless-war-terror
I have referred to the book, 1984, countless times over the last 15 years. It appears that we will soon be living it.
1984 arrived when GW could steal the 2000 election fecause a bunch of fools voted for Nader,
Actually it was elections fraud that allowed that–not other candidates.
Even with one eye closed because of blurry and double vision it's good too have you back on board, TomCat. But don't overfeed Killer Dawg – Julie will have such a hard time with him if he's spoiled rotten when they leave – and take care of yourself too. Take it easy and rest. You're entitled.
KPDF: BEElicious indeed. She's so much more fun than the racists in the GOP are having fun now they've found their orange leader.
DK: Wll, it might have taken us about 20 years longer than expected, but 1984 has finally come. Big Brother is watching us. so "Don’t say personal or sensitive stuff in front of the TV." Best not to put a smart TV in your bedroom then.
NYT: Many Britons have second thoughts, 2.7 million want a second referendum (though it's unclear how they would vote), the EU leadership wants to start negotiations immediately because they do not want to remain in limbo any longer as the continuing uncertainty is costing the EU billions, and Brexit campaign leader Boris Johnson was nowhere to be found all weekend. Rumor is that the Brexiteers did not have a plan for how to Brexit and are desperately trying to put one together at this very moment. Nice :-{( Meanwhile, on the other side of The Channel, the EU faces a terrible paradox: if they play nice and let Britain off easy, the economic damage to the EU and to Britain caused by the Brexit could be kept under control. But if the damage is contained and the Britons seem to get away with it without too much economic damage, then other countries might want to leave too. So it is expected to be a fight-divorce (as we call it), with heavy losses on both sides, but with the EU surviving. Chaos anyone?
Cartoon: And they seem to be proud of it too!
Apparently there is a segment of Britons, no one knows how many, who never expected "Leave" to win but who voted "Leave" to make a point, feeling safe that it would never happen. Please, anyone thinking of voting for Trump, please take note of this.
That's why we can't vite for third parties of write-ins, thinking Rump Dump cab't win. People were saying the same thing about Bush.
Bush didn't have the votes without the election fraud that has been proven–the DNC bailed on Gore and didn't support him on that issue–that's who to blame not other candidates. It is the neocons who perpetuate that myth.
KP: Love Ms. Bee. She's awesome!
DK: Creepy. Really creepy!
NYT: Thanks, Lona for explaining the crisis there. What a shame.
Cartoon: And we're gonna build more too!
Hope that your AC is working good. We're at 92 here today. Enjoy your evening, hi, Killer Dawg! Take care, and Thanks, Tom.
It's late, and I will check out Ms. Bee tomorrow.
DK: I don't even have a smart phone, no less TV, but the picture painted is horrid, he said, with a dystopic look on his face, which, of course, none of you could see. Shit, would that mean I would have to smile as I barfed, each time I saw Christie, or Rumpy, on TV?
NYT: I doubt anyone ever thought of a "Do over" vote! I doubt that there is any procedure in place for same. I appreciate Lona's explication of the situation. Two friends of ours are sisters born and raised in Britain, who have relatives still living there, and these relatives are split evenly over exiting, or not. Chaos? There is an ancient Chinese curse, as I understand it, that says "May you live in the most exciting of times!" This is going to be a bitch!
Samantha rocks. She points out the racism and bigotry that is pushing Trump and nails his rhetoric to the wall.
Daily Kos: We bought a "smart tv" two years ago. We did not activate the computer, did not connect it, it is just a tv for us. Apparently, we are not smart enough for it.
NY Times: The Brits have been led down the same path as many of our Republicans. Gongoism abounds. I saw today that they have a petition with several million signatures asking for a new vote.
Cartoon: This is a perfect example!
Usually when we have been to Mississippi I say I am going to kiss the sign that says welcome to Kentucky when we come back. This year, I saw "Matt Bevins, Governor" on the sign and retched.
Puzzle — 3:06 Ah . . . a relaxing paddle with calm waters and gentle breezes.
KP Daily Funnies — That ditch again! I used this back on 21/06/16 and it is just as funny today! Sam Bee nails it!
Daily Kos — It used to be that you only had to watch what you said in front of the kids. Now the TV?! Not all that is new is good!
NY Times — From some of the things I have read since the vote, the leave campaign operated much like Drumpf — many lies and deceptions. It pulled the wool over a lot of eyes. Caveat Emptor!
Cartoon — Yup! Looks about right.
Puddy Tat, take it easy and don't stress either eye! We'd rather you healthy and comfortable and than stressed and growly!
BTW, shall I do the monthly report for June or are you OK?
Thanks all! Hugs!! Will upload articles after lunch.
Ms. Bee nails it!