Political Randomness

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:45 am

pr0ner wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:21 am Of course, both Russia Today and the Trump campaign went off on Twitter's decision.

Russia doesn't care. Their bots can retweet and follow all day long. Now they don't have to pay for ads just to keep up.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:16 am

pr0ner wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:21 am Of course, both Russia Today and the Trump campaign went off on Twitter's decision.

Not a fan of @Jack but if RT and Trump are opposed then I guess it was the right call.

Enough · Post by **Enough** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:04 pm

Member berry when?

TransCanada's spill risk assessment estimated that the chance of a leak of more than 50 barrels from Keystone to be “not more than once every seven to 11 years over the entire length of the pipeline in the United States..."

The Keystone pipeline system, an addition to which has been the subject of environmental protests for years, leaked about 383,000 gallons of crude oil in North Dakota, covering an estimated half-acre of wetland, state environmental regulators said.

The spill, which has been contained, occurred in a low-gradient drainage area near the small town of Edinburg in northeast North Dakota, less than 50 miles from the Canadian border, according to Karl Rockeman, the director of the state Department of Environmental Quality’s division of water quality.

“It is one of the larger spills in the state,” he said in an email on Thursday.

There are no residences near the site and the wetland is not a source of drinking water, he said. State regulators and cleanup equipment are on site, but Mr. Rockeman could not say whether cleanup had begun.

That's something like 12k barrels and on top of earlier spills, including an equally big one in 2017.

Before constructing the pipeline, TransCanada provided a spill risk assessment to regulators that estimated the chance of a leak of more than 50 barrels to be “not more than once every seven to 11 years over the entire length of the pipeline in the United States,” according to its South Dakota operating permit.

For South Dakota alone, where the line has leaked twice, the estimate was for a “spill no more than once every 41 years.”

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:31 pm

Exodor wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:16 am
pr0ner wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:21 am Of course, both Russia Today and the Trump campaign went off on Twitter's decision.
Not a fan of @Jack but if RT and Trump are opposed then I guess it was the right call.

You should read his tweetstorm, it's a really good look at how advertising and politics clash in a social media world.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:38 pm

Enough wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:04 pm Member berry when?

TransCanada's spill risk assessment estimated that the chance of a leak of more than 50 barrels from Keystone to be “not more than once every seven to 11 years over the entire length of the pipeline in the United States..."

The Keystone pipeline system, an addition to which has been the subject of environmental protests for years, leaked about 383,000 gallons of crude oil in North Dakota, covering an estimated half-acre of wetland, state environmental regulators said.

The spill, which has been contained, occurred in a low-gradient drainage area near the small town of Edinburg in northeast North Dakota, less than 50 miles from the Canadian border, according to Karl Rockeman, the director of the state Department of Environmental Quality’s division of water quality.

“It is one of the larger spills in the state,” he said in an email on Thursday.

There are no residences near the site and the wetland is not a source of drinking water, he said. State regulators and cleanup equipment are on site, but Mr. Rockeman could not say whether cleanup had begun.
That's something like 12k barrels and on top of earlier spills, including an equally big one in 2017.

Before constructing the pipeline, TransCanada provided a spill risk assessment to regulators that estimated the chance of a leak of more than 50 barrels to be “not more than once every seven to 11 years over the entire length of the pipeline in the United States,” according to its South Dakota operating permit.

For South Dakota alone, where the line has leaked twice, the estimate was for a “spill no more than once every 41 years.”

Estimate. Worth the paper it's printed on. If you want a guarantee, make it part of their conditions or contract with actionable consequences for failure.

Especially when the estimate is as laughable as that one.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:13 pm

https://twitter.com/bogpunk/status/1189566207285809152

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:13 pm

WTF is happening in North Carolina??

https://twitter.com/JeffJacksonNC/statu ... 4992230401

Political corruption in real time:

A viral video shared by a Democratic state lawmaker in North Carolina shows "political corruption in real time," as Republican state senators refuse to hold a vote while Democrats are present—in order to secure corporate tax cuts in their proposed budget.

State Sen. Jeff Jackson posted a video to Twitter on Thursday in which he is shown demanding that Republicans, who control both houses of the state legislature, call a vote on Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the state budget.

...

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:10 pm

I really hope to God they send out the Republican vote people to go door to door, because I'm going to tell them what a bunch of criminal corrupt fucking assholes they work for.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:21 pm

What is insane is they weren't even really pretending the override wasn't a gotcha game of trying to sneak in a vote...like they did in the House on 9/11. If you aren't familiar, the Dems went to a memorial event for 9/11 and the Republicans snuck in a vote to override the veto there. They pretty much were laughing about it and essentially do not give a shit that they've basically thrown all sense of comity out the window.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 12:57 pm

CBS News

Shelly Simonds handily defeated four-term Delegate David Yancey Tuesday in a race for the 94th District in Newport News.

The close 2017 race between the two went to a recount, then to court. Eventually, officials used the luck of the draw, placing the name of each candidate on a piece of paper and each piece of paper in a separate film canister.
...
On Tuesday, Simonds won nearly 58% of the vote. Yancey won about 40%.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 12:59 pm

Thanks Trump!

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 1:48 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:10 pm I really hope to God they send out the Republican vote people to go door to door, because I'm going to tell them what a bunch of criminal corrupt fucking assholes they work for.

Do it with a puppet show and then post the video here.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:50 pm

Can you tell real Trump from AI Trump? I got 6/10.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:56 pm

6/10 as well.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 11:05 am

Kraken wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:50 pm Can you tell real Trump from AI Trump? I got 6/10.

I got the first 3 wrong and called it quits there.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:10 pm

9/10 - the scary difference I latched onto was I found was that the AI was slightly more coherent. Very slightly. So the way to tell is that he is less coherent than an AI that learned from him. Sad!

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:36 pm

Did they accidentally program an artificial intelligence instead of an artificial imbecile?

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 4:06 pm

Pro-Crackdown propagandists are uploading anti-HK protest videos to Pornhub after they were banned by Youtube, FB, and Twitter.

https://boingboing.net/2019/11/14/sexy- ... rfers.html

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 5:08 pm

malchior wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:10 pm 9/10 - the scary difference I latched onto was I found was that the AI was slightly more coherent. Very slightly. So the way to tell is that he is less coherent than an AI that learned from him. Sad!

9/10 is really good. I tried to assign the clearer passages to the AI, as well as looking for words that Trump wouldn't know. If the passages had all come from Trump speaking extemporaneously, they'd be easier to spot, but with no audio it's hard to tell when he's just mangling a speech written by somebody else.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Nov 14, 2019 5:16 pm

I thought I was just lucky but halfway through I got a good sense of it. I resisted using the [Chant USA] and [Crowd chants Lock Her Up] because the AI learned where to put those. Also relevant, I am in a Master's program and have developed a corpus driven AI before.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:29 pm

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1195420906669182981

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:33 pm

https://www.newsweek.com/ok-millennial- ... ssion=true

In a recent interview about her organization's media presence, a senior executive of AARP—the American Association of Retired Persons—took a jab at the viral "OK, boomer" meme by making fun of the relative destitution of younger Americans.

The executive, Myrna Blyth, made the comment during an interview with Axios. Blyth serves as the senior vice president and editorial director of AARP Media. AARP is a non-profit organization, 38 million members strong, whose mission is to "empower people to choose how they live as they age," according to its website. To qualify for membership, applicants must have already passed their 50th birthdays.

"OK, millennials," Blyth reportedly said in the interview. "But we're the people that actually have the money."

whoops!!!!

On Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for AARP reached out to Newsweek via email. "Myrna Blyth's words are being taken out of context," he wrote. "Blyth's point is that ad and marketing execs routinely pit generations against one another and overlook older people, especially older women."

"Our societal challenges need generations to work together to solve them," the email concluded.

I'm not sure how "But we're the people that actually have the money" translates to marketing execs pitting generations against each other or how saying "we have that money" to those who won't be getting pensions or work sponsored medical when they retire and are essentially victims in the greatest economy ever is an appeal to need for generations to work together.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:41 pm

The whole "OK Boomer" inter-generational fighting of late, between all the generations just strikes me as unnecessarily divisive. Every generation has good people and bad people and tons of people in between. Yes, older people were more likely to vote for Trump, but you're talking about 55% voting for Trump at one end vs 55% voting for Clinton at the other end.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 4:10 pm

Defiant wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:41 pm The whole "OK Boomer" inter-generational fighting of late, between all the generations just strikes me as unnecessarily divisive. Every generation has good people and bad people and tons of people in between. Yes, older people were more likely to vote for Trump, but you're talking about 55% voting for Trump at one end vs 55% voting for Clinton at the other end.

it isn't just about politics. It is also downstream of the effects of economic factors on millennial and gen-x folks. 'OK Boomer' is the proxy complaint about a 'ruling class' that has denied climate change, protected sexual abusers, saddled them with debt, the economic crisis, endless war when they wouldn't fight it themselves, etc. What do millennials hear? Snide comments about how they are lazy, bad with money, won't leave home, etc. I think the dam has broke because now they see the ultimate boomer Trump destroying our country. It isn't that these are 100% wrong but it is an incomplete picture. It is a reflection of the zeitgeist now.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 4:19 pm

malchior wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 4:10 pm
Defiant wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:41 pm The whole "OK Boomer" inter-generational fighting of late, between all the generations just strikes me as unnecessarily divisive. Every generation has good people and bad people and tons of people in between. Yes, older people were more likely to vote for Trump, but you're talking about 55% voting for Trump at one end vs 55% voting for Clinton at the other end.
it isn't just about politics. It is also downstream of the effects of economic factors on millennial and gen-x folks. 'OK Boomer' is the proxy complaint about a 'ruling class' that has denied climate change, protected sexual abusers, saddled them with debt, the economic crisis, endless war when they wouldn't fight it themselves, etc. What do millennials hear? Snide comments about how they are lazy, bad with money, won't leave home, etc. I think the dam has broke because now they see the ultimate boomer Trump destroying our country. It isn't that these are 100% wrong but it is an incomplete picture. It is a reflection of the zeitgeist now.

I hope it makes them vote.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:02 pm

noxiousdog wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 4:19 pm I hope it makes them vote.

+1 and also hope they stay invested and "enfranchised". They are the now and the future. They are the consumers and the future of the producers and if they have the will, they can and will be the decision makers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demograph ... ted_States

in 2018, people born in 63 or before only made up 28% of the population. I'm reasonably certain they'll make up less than that in 2020. Or course in 2020, people born in 65 will start to think more about protecting their life savings and investments. Though less of them will have lifelong pensions and employer subsidized lifelong healthcare.

0–14 years: 18.62% (male 31,255,995/female 29,919,938)
15–24 years: 13.12% (male 22,213,952/female 21,137,826)
25–54 years: 39.29% (male 64,528,673/female 64,334,499)
55–64 years: 12.94% (male 20,357,880/female 21,821,976)
65 years and over: 16.03% (male 22,678,235/female 28,376,817)

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2 ... y-boomers/

Millennials are on the cusp of surpassing Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest living adult generation, according to population projections from the U.S. Census Bureau. As of July 1, 2016 (the latest date for which population estimates are available), Millennials, whom we define as ages 20 to 35 in 2016, numbered 71 million, and Boomers (ages 52 to 70) numbered 74 million. Millennials are expected to overtake Boomers in population in 2019 as their numbers swell to 73 million and Boomers decline to 72 million. Generation X (ages 36 to 51 in 2016) is projected to pass the Boomers in population by 2028.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:11 pm

Ok, Boomllenials. Screw you both.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:25 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:11 pm Ok, Boomllenials. Screw you both.

I find the "OK Boomer" thing amusing. Millennials did come of age in hard times, and they do have legitimate gripes against The Man, but it's a class thing, not a generational thing. Is "the ultimate boomer Trump" a horrible person because he's a boomer, or because he's an awful person who amassed power and wealth?

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:29 pm

I think it's more a reaction to trying to paint a large swath of people with one brush. Those labelled Millennials got sick of it and found a way to push back. OK Boomer is equally dismissive and tarring. I think it's smart.

Treat people as individuals and they will do the same.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 6:45 pm

I've been trying to do better at painting groups of people with a broad brush (failing miserably most of the time, I might add). But it is true that those in power stay in power when we're divided.

At some point people have to stop focusing on how we're different and figure out how we're alike. Because look around - the world's going to shit while we bicker about stuff that ultimately doesn't matter that much.

We DESPERATELY need a hostile alien invasion right about now.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Nov 15, 2019 7:27 pm

YellowKing wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 6:45 pm At some point people have to stop focusing on how we're different and figure out how we're alike. Because look around - the world's going to shit while we bicker about stuff that ultimately doesn't matter that much.

Yeah, IDK very many millennials but the ones I do know range from hard-working and responsible to a 27-year-old living in his parents' basement, playing computer games and getting high all day and making no pretense of ever changing that. There are boomers who fit the villain stereotype just as there are millennials who fit their snowflake stereotype; there are also plenty of examples of each who don't conform to expectations. Just like any other large groups.

"OK Boomer" is a clever diss, but I probably ought to have a witty comeback if some whippersnapper ever uses it on me. All in good fun, of course.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 12:40 am

https://twitter.com/chinfo/status/1195500836673196033

https://twitter.com/Dalton642/status/11 ... 9906928644

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 1:05 am

Trump shot himself in the foot with this one. He thought he would get soldiers on his side but many former soldiers are tweeting out that Gallagher was a disgrace. If you haven't read about what Gallagher was accused of - it was horrific and Trump signaled that someone who committed war crimes is ok by him. The man is a complete stain on *HUMANITY* much less our nation.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 1:23 am

Tonight's news in ginned-up generational wars: the Zoomers call Gen X the "Karen Generation." That's got some meta levels right there, but I'll let you fill in your own blanks.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 1:34 am

The "Karen" generation?

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:00 am

Julia, a 23-year-old in Norway wrote:"They’re usually racist, homophobic, and transphobic, don’t believe in vaccines or climate change, and are mostly also the parents of Gen Z children."

Gen Z wasn't even alive when Boomers started fighting for civil rights and when Boomers and Gen Xers died to AIDS in significant numbers. Polls showed more Gen Xers supported gay rights than opposed them back in the 00s (and overwhelmingly support them now), and a majority believe in climate change and support addressing it. And when it comes to vaccines, skepticism in vaccines grows the younger you are.

But you got them on that last point, Julia. Many of them are the parents of Gen Z kids. You certainly pwned them there.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:10 am

And it was Boomers who brought 'gay' out of the closet, putting themselves at huge risk in order to tell the world that they shouldn't have to hide out of shame and fear.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:14 am

Yep. Like I said, in every generation there's a chosen... errr, there are good people and bad people and lots in between. And even as I recognize that, I'm thankful of the advances pushed forward by earlier generations and respect what they had to endure to make those advances so that I don't have to endure them now.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:12 am

Kraken wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 1:23 am Tonight's news in ginned-up generational wars: the Zoomers call Gen X the "Karen Generation." That's got some meta levels right there, but I'll let you fill in your own blanks.

Thanks. Now I know what we're talking about. meh

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:53 pm

Defiant wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:14 am Yep. Like I said, in every generation there's a chosen... errr, there are good people and bad people and lots in between. And even as I recognize that, I'm thankful of the advances pushed forward by earlier generations and respect what they had to endure to make those advances so that I don't have to endure them now.

Yeah, the notion that a whole generation gets credit or blame for the iconic qualities of a few is pretty ridiculous.