Octopus Overlords

If the government makes X it's exclusive communication tool, doesn't that affect how X is viewed, legally?

Not that anyone's going to successfully push the issue.

Yeah, I'd think we're veering into state-sponsored media. I'm sure it's just a coincidence it belongs to Musk. No reason to do anything - plus,it's the weekend. Can't wait to see how much money is now going to be funneled to the platform - so they can make sure we see all official updates from various government agencies.

The only solution is for citizens to boycott X and get their news elsewhere.

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:23 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 2:06 pm Yeah, I'm not surprised but I'm still a little shocked. I'm guessing 99% of population has no idea what's happening and even if they did, they don't necessarily care, but the information that is being targeted for removal...it's insane.

I think even we here at OO, as cynical a bunch as we are, underestimated the extent that people are simply willing to bury their heads in the sand and ignore everything that is currently happening.

The country has taken to the streets over less. I don't understand why it isn't happening now.

Alefroth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:44 pm The country has taken to the streets over less. I don't understand why it isn't happening now.

It's a little cold and the Super Bowl is next week. After that, it's March Madness. Maybe early April? Hard to say.

But seriously, I think people have largely viewed it as useless. It feels good to be around people that think the same things and are angry/upset/passionate about an issue. But after Roe V. Wade was overturned I think it really took the fight out of a lot of people.

I honestly don't know what is going to happen any more. Protests are great but I'm fearing what's going to happen the first time one hits D.C. or a Red state that's trying to impress Trump. I feel like he's itching for a reason to get violent on a crowd of peaceful protestors and when it happens, maybe that'll kick off what ever is happening next.

Zarathud wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:44 pm The only solution is for citizens to boycott X and get their news elsewhere.

Yes please. I don't know that it's the only solution but it's the Tempest in Teapot tool my toolbelt. Even if it's meaninglessly passive aggressive, it's the best I have for now. And I've quit and never returned to places at my own detriment for a whole lot less than actively ruining my nation.

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:51 pm I feel like he's itching for a reason to get violent on a crowd of peaceful protestors and when it happens, maybe that'll kick off what ever is happening next.

He's been telegraphing it for years and has a base that are begging for it. And heaven forbid the protesting isn't peaceful.

How soon before we have one state radio and tv?

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:51 pm I feel like he's itching for a reason to get violent on a crowd of peaceful protestors and when it happens, maybe that'll kick off what ever is happening next.

This is my biggest concern, tbh.

They are practically begging for someone to even look at them funny so they have a reason to bring down the hammer on a group of protestors and justify additional crackdowns.

Alefroth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:44 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:23 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 2:06 pm Yeah, I'm not surprised but I'm still a little shocked. I'm guessing 99% of population has no idea what's happening and even if they did, they don't necessarily care, but the information that is being targeted for removal...it's insane.

I think even we here at OO, as cynical a bunch as we are, underestimated the extent that people are simply willing to bury their heads in the sand and ignore everything that is currently happening.

The country has taken to the streets over less. I don't understand why it isn't happening now.

Because everyone has been trained to express their outrage online. Shout into the void and then scroll some TikTok. You did your part, citizen.

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:41 pm Yeah, I'd think we're veering into state-sponsored media. I'm sure it's just a coincidence it belongs to Musk. No reason to do anything - plus,it's the weekend. Can't wait to see how much money is now going to be funneled to the platform - so they can make sure we see all official updates from various government agencies.

I predicted that Truth Social would be the official state media outlet but that was before Musk got X. It's clearly heading that way but with X and I expect X to acquire DJT.

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:51 pm But seriously, I think people have largely viewed it as useless. It feels good to be around people that think the same things and are angry/upset/passionate about an issue. But after Roe V. Wade was overturned I think it really took the fight out of a lot of people.

When the checks-and-balances system broke (building up speed with McConnell, and culminating with the current Supreme Court), the tools that most people relied on vanished. It's hard to protest when there's no mechanism left for change.

On top of that, the faction that's leading is one that encourages extremism and violence, builds their brand on retaliation and revenge, and dehumanizes their opponents. People are scared. They're used to being angry, but not to being terrified of the reprisals. Being jailed for protest used to be almost a badge of honor. They spend a week behind bars, and it mostly serves to firm their resolve and to cause others to see them as serious. Now? People are worried that 'civil disobedience' that this nation was built on will end their freedom, their careers, even see their families face reprisals.

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 4:23 pm Now? People are worried that 'civil disobedience' that this nation was built on will end their freedom, their careers, even see their families face reprisals.

That's clearly the goal. And if everyone yields, it's over. Fear and normalcy bias ("this is fine" dog) are what they're counting on.

Alefroth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:44 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:23 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 2:06 pm Yeah, I'm not surprised but I'm still a little shocked. I'm guessing 99% of population has no idea what's happening and even if they did, they don't necessarily care, but the information that is being targeted for removal...it's insane.

I think even we here at OO, as cynical a bunch as we are, underestimated the extent that people are simply willing to bury their heads in the sand and ignore everything that is currently happening.

The country has taken to the streets over less. I don't understand why it isn't happening now.

See previous post. More of the country wants this to happen than opposes it. Grass roots opposition to MAGA isn’t materializing because the grass roots are with Trump.

For now, at least.

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:21 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 12:17 pm
Next is complete media control.

It's happening quickly:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Saturday said it will stop e-mailing news organizations and reporters with updates about two plane crashes that occurred earlier this week.

Moving forward, the federal agency tasked with investigating transportation-related accidents and disasters said news organizations and reporters will have to follow the agency’s official account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, where “all NTSB updates about news conferences or other investigative information” will be posted moving forward.

The NTSB did not say why it was choosing to post information about public safety matters exclusively on X, a private social media platform owned by technology mogul Elon Musk, who has curried favor with President Donald Trump in recent weeks. The Desk has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the government agency to learn more about the NTSB’s decision-making process in moving updates to the news media exclusively to X.

I'm beginning to think my time with X is coming to a rapid end.

Wow. Wife's next Crisis Communications class is going to be a lively one.

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:27 pm If the government makes X it's exclusive communication tool, doesn't that affect how X is viewed, legally?

It's not just X. My home page, Google News, started feeding me press releases from the White House and the State Department last week. It had never done that before. I blocked both of those sources, of course, as they're unreliable propaganda. But the fascists are doing a remarkable job of suppressing and spinning the news.

Kurth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 5:32 pm Grass roots opposition to MAGA isn’t materializing because the grass roots are with Trump.

Well, partly. More salient, I think, is their strategy of overwhelming us with so much objectionable and illegal activity that we can't focus, can't rally to one cause. It's all moving too fast, and on too many fronts.

Kurth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 5:32 pmMore of the country wants this to happen than opposes it.

Trump didn't win most of the country.

Technically, he didn't even win most of the voters. And most of those who voted for him did it because they blamed Biden for the cost of eggs, not because they were enthusiastic (or even knew about) about MAGA fascism.

Grass roots opposition to MAGA isn’t materializing because the grass roots are with Trump.

There are many grass rootses.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 4:17 pm

Alefroth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:44 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:23 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 2:06 pm Yeah, I'm not surprised but I'm still a little shocked. I'm guessing 99% of population has no idea what's happening and even if they did, they don't necessarily care, but the information that is being targeted for removal...it's insane.

I think even we here at OO, as cynical a bunch as we are, underestimated the extent that people are simply willing to bury their heads in the sand and ignore everything that is currently happening.

The country has taken to the streets over less. I don't understand why it isn't happening now.

Because everyone has been trained to express their outrage online. Shout into the void and then scroll some TikTok. You did your part, citizen.

And in other countries social media has been the catalyst for successful popular revolt. We suck.

Where is Anonymous?

They grew up and got real jobs, I'd imagine.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 4:38 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 4:23 pm Now? People are worried that 'civil disobedience' that this nation was built on will end their freedom, their careers, even see their families face reprisals.

That's clearly the goal. And if everyone yields, it's over. Fear and normalcy bias ("this is fine" dog) are what they're counting on.

You've got people who feel there's literally nothing they can do.
Protests most likely won't work and are getting more and more likely to cause you and yiyr family harm.
Plus they people who are feeling it now are also usually the people less likely to try any sort of violent revolt.
So you can't win change through peace and your less inclined to choose violence. Even if you choose violence you're less likely to have the means to do anything meaningful. Or the numbers.

Then maybe buy guns and use them to fight the tyranny? If that doesn't work then what is the use of sacrificing children to school shootings just so that Americans can own guns.

Victoria Raverna wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 3:24 am Then maybe buy guns and use them to fight the tyranny? If that doesn't work then what is the use of sacrificing children to school shootings just so that Americans can own guns.

Lots are. The number of first time gun owners there is nuts. I'm not a fan of people panic gun buying but I'm less a fan of fascist authoritarianism so...go for it?

Kurth wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 9:20 pm I feel for everyone who is dealing with increased anxiety and stress from Trump 2.0. I get it. But I'm strangely feeling pretty zen about it.

I think if I were to trace my Trump-related anxiety and stress levels, they steadily rose during his initial campaign, election and first term. They were off the charts after Biden won and in the weeks preceding and following 1/6 and then receded. Then they gradually rose again when it became apparent no one was going to do anything about this traitorous scumbag and, in fact, they'd all fall in line and nominate him for the presidency again. After Trump won the popular vote and crushed Harris in the EC, my anxiety and stress really fell away, though. I think I'm just done.

Even after watching the clown show that was his first term and his refusal to respect (or acknowledge) that he lost the election in 2020, consider these numbers:

- 77,284,118 Americans voted for Trump to be President again in 2024.
- That's 3,059,799 more popular votes in 2024 than he won in 2020.
- That's 14,299,293 more than he won in 2016.

Americans know what they're getting in Trump, and the more they see of him, the more of them seem to like what he represents.

So as he and Stephen Miller and their clown posse of Hegseth and Tulsi and RFK Jr. and whoever get started burning things down - just like they promised - I'm not going to get upset about it. I'll do my best to enjoy my family and support all those around me who are impacted. But I'm pretty much in mode this time around.

Hey man, good for you.

BTW, this is how grass roots die.

Cross your fingers they don't ever 'come for you', I guess?

I'd strongly consider buying a gun, but I know that at times in my life it would have been a serious suicide risk.

I'm not sure those times are all behind me.

FWIW I don't think most Americans do know what they're getting in Trump. I think many (most?) pay almost no attention to the news, had some complaints about Biden, and were like "hey, things were ok for most of the time Trump was president." They should know, but they don't.

Back with the 51st State bullshit. At least he didn't say better health care this time

Trump also said in his Truth Social posts Sunday morning that if Canada were to become the 51st state it would face “NO TARIFFS!”

“Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!” the president wrote.

I have heard a few people not realize Trump would no longer have limits and would do the things he talked about. They didn’t believe.

They didn’t think he could be a fascist in Term 2 because the world didn’t end in Turn 1. They forgot how bad things were during the start of COVID.

Yeah, a lot of my friends said the same thing up here when he won...world didn't end last time, it won't this time. I'm not so sure

Looks like they quietly killed USAID this weekend.

The main website for USAID went offline this weekend and thousands of staffers may have lost access to their email accounts amid rumors that the Trump administration intends to eliminate the agency.

The website went dark after staffers associated with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency gained access to the domain and then blocked USAID employees, a person familiar with the matter told FedScoop. The source said around 2,000 email accounts associated with USAID workers have since been deactivated.

Unagi wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:57 am

Kurth wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 9:20 pm I feel for everyone who is dealing with increased anxiety and stress from Trump 2.0. I get it. But I'm strangely feeling pretty zen about it.

I think if I were to trace my Trump-related anxiety and stress levels, they steadily rose during his initial campaign, election and first term. They were off the charts after Biden won and in the weeks preceding and following 1/6 and then receded. Then they gradually rose again when it became apparent no one was going to do anything about this traitorous scumbag and, in fact, they'd all fall in line and nominate him for the presidency again. After Trump won the popular vote and crushed Harris in the EC, my anxiety and stress really fell away, though. I think I'm just done.

Even after watching the clown show that was his first term and his refusal to respect (or acknowledge) that he lost the election in 2020, consider these numbers:

- 77,284,118 Americans voted for Trump to be President again in 2024.
- That's 3,059,799 more popular votes in 2024 than he won in 2020.
- That's 14,299,293 more than he won in 2016.

Americans know what they're getting in Trump, and the more they see of him, the more of them seem to like what he represents.

So as he and Stephen Miller and their clown posse of Hegseth and Tulsi and RFK Jr. and whoever get started burning things down - just like they promised - I'm not going to get upset about it. I'll do my best to enjoy my family and support all those around me who are impacted. But I'm pretty much in mode this time around.

Hey man, good for you.

BTW, this is how grass roots die.

Cross your fingers they don't ever 'come for you', I guess?

Maybe. I don’t really know. It just feels somewhat silly to be hoping for a grass roots “resistance” to a regime that rode a wave of popular support and a wave of Democratic ambivalence into power.

I mean, this isn’t the Civil Rights movement:

On one hand, Americans continued to support the Civil Rights Act of 1964, at least in principle, but had concerns about its scope and implementation. A Gallup poll in October 1964 reported that the public approved of the new law by nearly two-to-one (58% to 31%). And in April 1965, Gallup found a whopping 76% in favor of a then-proposed equal rights voting law.

We’re not in a place where 3/4 of the country is going to coalesce in opposition to MAGA. Americans voted for Trump, and they had more than enough experience with him to know exactly that that meant. Now they get to experience the results. Maybe “resistance” becomes a grassroots movement once they feel the impacts of that decision. Or maybe not. Again, I’m not sure. I’m just not going to ruin my daily life doomscrolling and worrying about it.

Plus, our (Chinese) AI overlords will soon be in control of everything, so whatever power MAGA has today is probably fleeting anyway.

Kurth wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 12:51 pm

Unagi wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:57 am

Kurth wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 9:20 pm I feel for everyone who is dealing with increased anxiety and stress from Trump 2.0. I get it. But I'm strangely feeling pretty zen about it.

I think if I were to trace my Trump-related anxiety and stress levels, they steadily rose during his initial campaign, election and first term. They were off the charts after Biden won and in the weeks preceding and following 1/6 and then receded. Then they gradually rose again when it became apparent no one was going to do anything about this traitorous scumbag and, in fact, they'd all fall in line and nominate him for the presidency again. After Trump won the popular vote and crushed Harris in the EC, my anxiety and stress really fell away, though. I think I'm just done.

Even after watching the clown show that was his first term and his refusal to respect (or acknowledge) that he lost the election in 2020, consider these numbers:

- 77,284,118 Americans voted for Trump to be President again in 2024.
- That's 3,059,799 more popular votes in 2024 than he won in 2020.
- That's 14,299,293 more than he won in 2016.

Americans know what they're getting in Trump, and the more they see of him, the more of them seem to like what he represents.

So as he and Stephen Miller and their clown posse of Hegseth and Tulsi and RFK Jr. and whoever get started burning things down - just like they promised - I'm not going to get upset about it. I'll do my best to enjoy my family and support all those around me who are impacted. But I'm pretty much in mode this time around.

Hey man, good for you.

BTW, this is how grass roots die.

Cross your fingers they don't ever 'come for you', I guess?

Maybe. I don’t really know. It just feels somewhat silly to be hoping for a grass roots “resistance” to a regime that rode a wave of popular support and a wave of Democratic ambivalence into power.

Like all things related to Trump, the idea that he won in a wave of support is highly exaggerated. It was 1.5% of the populate vote - 2.3 million votes out of 155 million made the difference. Walking down a street, it's a coin flip that the person walking next to you voted the same as you. People looking at a lake and seeing a 1.5% difference in the surface would use terms like "disturbance" or "ripple".

Holman wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 11:36 am I'd strongly consider buying a gun, but I know that at times in my life it would have been a serious suicide risk.

I'm not sure those times are all behind me.

This is an extremely wise and enlightened choice. There will be a spike in suicides and accidental shootings with the spike of new gun owners.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 4:17 pm

Alefroth wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:44 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 3:23 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 2:06 pm Yeah, I'm not surprised but I'm still a little shocked. I'm guessing 99% of population has no idea what's happening and even if they did, they don't necessarily care, but the information that is being targeted for removal...it's insane.

I think even we here at OO, as cynical a bunch as we are, underestimated the extent that people are simply willing to bury their heads in the sand and ignore everything that is currently happening.

The country has taken to the streets over less. I don't understand why it isn't happening now.

Because everyone has been trained to express their outrage online. Shout into the void and then scroll some TikTok. You did your part, citizen.

They are employing many psychological techniques that layer on top of this established credo borrowed from our counter-intel programs to flip unfriendly countries. I don't think it's just the terminally online, in fact probably most of the country just isn't paying attention yet (let alone yelling about it on socials). I mean I am chomping at the bit and excited to start seeing some public demonstrations being planned, that said when there are eleventy billion things thrown out at once that are all at min intellectually troublesome and at worst existential threats to all one cares about, it gets really hard to effectively focus and resist. I personally think slash hope this effect will not last and we will start to see massive protests as the real pain starts to be experienced. And particularly hoping so for three letter agencies, military and business power brokers that have played nice so far that will quickly learn they have been conned badly.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 1:42 pm

Holman wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 11:36 am I'd strongly consider buying a gun, but I know that at times in my life it would have been a serious suicide risk.

I'm not sure those times are all behind me.

This is an extremely wise and enlightened choice. There will be a spike in suicides and accidental shootings with the spike of new gun owners.

I really appreciate you being here and so agree that you made a very wise choice.

Enough wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:22 pm I personally think slash hope this effect will not last and we will start to see massive protests as the real pain starts to be experienced. And particularly hoping so for three letter agencies, military and business power brokers that have played nice so far that will quickly learn they have been conned badly.

I get all that, but short of a general strike nationwide, I'm not sure what we can actually do at this point that will change anything. It's pretty clear the Democrats in Congress are (at best) neutered and at worst, complicit. I don't think the military leadership is going to engage in a coup so that means we need to hope that corporations somehow strong arm the administration into doing things that stop harming the average citizen? If that is the plan you''ll excuse me for thinking we are well and truly boned - and that's just as an "average" American. None of this addresses marginalized populations that have been clearly and actively targeted in the last ~2 weeks.

I'm all for protests, but I'm not sure we're going to protest our way out of this one.

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:33 pm

Enough wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:22 pm I personally think slash hope this effect will not last and we will start to see massive protests as the real pain starts to be experienced. And particularly hoping so for three letter agencies, military and business power brokers that have played nice so far that will quickly learn they have been conned badly.

I get all that, but short of a general strike nationwide, I'm not sure what we can actually do at this point that will change anything. It's pretty clear the Democrats in Congress are (at best) neutered and at worst, complicit. I don't think the military leadership is going to engage in a coup so that means we need to hope that corporations somehow strong arm the administration into doing things that stop harming the average citizen? If that is the plan you''ll excuse me for thinking we are well and truly boned - and that's just as an "average" American. None of this addresses marginalized populations that have been clearly and actively targeted in the last ~2 weeks.

I'm all for protests, but I'm not sure we're going to protest our way out of this one.

I can't really disagree with any of that and would even emphasize that I go to bed at night thinking about all the communities being gutted barely getting mentioned at all (like the disabled). I guess I do think a general strike is possible still and I have no idea, but have been led to believe that three letter agencies have a lot of power to do something if they want. I mean they just put half the FBI under investigation and everyone who worked on 1-6 knows they are coming for their jobs or worse. I can't see a group of hardcore fighters going down peacefully, but maybe this military counter-intel stuff works on our agencies too.

Enough wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:45 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:33 pm

Enough wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:22 pm I personally think slash hope this effect will not last and we will start to see massive protests as the real pain starts to be experienced. And particularly hoping so for three letter agencies, military and business power brokers that have played nice so far that will quickly learn they have been conned badly.

I get all that, but short of a general strike nationwide, I'm not sure what we can actually do at this point that will change anything. It's pretty clear the Democrats in Congress are (at best) neutered and at worst, complicit. I don't think the military leadership is going to engage in a coup so that means we need to hope that corporations somehow strong arm the administration into doing things that stop harming the average citizen? If that is the plan you''ll excuse me for thinking we are well and truly boned - and that's just as an "average" American. None of this addresses marginalized populations that have been clearly and actively targeted in the last ~2 weeks.

I'm all for protests, but I'm not sure we're going to protest our way out of this one.

I can't really disagree with any of that and would even emphasize that I go to bed at night thinking about all the communities being gutted barely getting mentioned at all (like the disabled). I guess I do think a general strike is possible still and I have no idea, but have been led to believe that three letter agencies have a lot of power to do something if they want. I mean they just put half the FBI under investigation and everyone who worked on 1-6 knows they are coming for their jobs or worse. I can't see a group of hardcore fighters going down peacefully, but maybe this military counter-intel stuff works on our agencies too.

My wife went out last night with some of her friends. They chose one of the friends' old neighborhoods (Little Village) because they heard the area has really been hurting for business since Trump 47 and the EOs.

It was no exaggeration. Apparently it was dead. The place they went to used to be SRO on Saturday nights. Only a handful of people there yesterday. Streets were empty. Most stores were closed. It is wrecking communities and presumably that's as planned.


Re: protests, given that some of the first of the Jan 6ers that were released were proud boys and other assorted thugs and their leaders, I think the message is clear that they won't have any issue with these groups "maintaining order." POS Daniel Perry was pardoned last year to send the same message.

You would quite literally be taking your life in your hands. And if you go armed, at least in Texas, you're a an acceptable target.

At a birthday last night for someone deep in AM radio, and she was talking about how radio antennas could be shut down and never start up again once dismantled. She fought to require every car to have an AM receiver for emergency purposes (as well as cultural spread), but Shumer and the Democrats had no interest. She views Trump as an existential threat to her industry.

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:56 pm

Enough wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:45 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:33 pm

Enough wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:22 pm I personally think slash hope this effect will not last and we will start to see massive protests as the real pain starts to be experienced. And particularly hoping so for three letter agencies, military and business power brokers that have played nice so far that will quickly learn they have been conned badly.

I get all that, but short of a general strike nationwide, I'm not sure what we can actually do at this point that will change anything. It's pretty clear the Democrats in Congress are (at best) neutered and at worst, complicit. I don't think the military leadership is going to engage in a coup so that means we need to hope that corporations somehow strong arm the administration into doing things that stop harming the average citizen? If that is the plan you''ll excuse me for thinking we are well and truly boned - and that's just as an "average" American. None of this addresses marginalized populations that have been clearly and actively targeted in the last ~2 weeks.

I'm all for protests, but I'm not sure we're going to protest our way out of this one.

I can't really disagree with any of that and would even emphasize that I go to bed at night thinking about all the communities being gutted barely getting mentioned at all (like the disabled). I guess I do think a general strike is possible still and I have no idea, but have been led to believe that three letter agencies have a lot of power to do something if they want. I mean they just put half the FBI under investigation and everyone who worked on 1-6 knows they are coming for their jobs or worse. I can't see a group of hardcore fighters going down peacefully, but maybe this military counter-intel stuff works on our agencies too.

My wife went out last night with some of her friends. They chose one of the friends' old neighborhoods (Little Village) because they heard the area has really been hurting for business since Trump 47 and the EOs.

It was no exaggeration. Apparently it was dead. The place they went to used to be SRO on Saturday nights. Only a handful of people there yesterday. Streets were empty. Most stores were closed. It is wrecking communities and presumably that's as planned.


Re: protests, given that some of the first of the Jan 6ers that were released were proud boys and other assorted thugs and their leaders, I think the message is clear that they won't have any issue with these groups "maintaining order." POS Daniel Perry was pardoned last year to send the same message.

You would quite literally be taking your life in your hands. And if you go armed, at least in Texas, you're a an acceptable target.

That is so damn sad. Our Latino areas around here are still hopping for now but I have not seen what it looks like in Greeley (near majority Hispanic pop) and will pretty soon and make sure I spend some money. And in the next town over, ICE already yanked a dad through his car window as he was dropping a kid off at school.

Every single time a person protests they should have that understanding of life at risk and preferably at least a crash course on non-violent resistance if that is their choice. If they start killing and beating protestors, it will instill a lot of fear but it will also be a rallying point like Kent State on steroids. These are very, very dangerous times. As harsh as all of this stuff is, we have some really big risks more in play than they have ever been in our lives, with things like civil war and global nuclear annihilation way too close to being possible right now. And this distraction could not come at a worst time for the survival of our species and current ecology overall.

We currently look to have zero chance of coming together to solve climate issues and appear dead set on speed-running carbon levels to worst-case scenarios. And obviously the climate pain has already begun in earnest (we're maybe at 1.5 degrees warming). We won't have to wait for peak temp rises, with warming already dialed in, the next super El Nino and other already severe weather events are going to be extra painful and many of the worst ills will exist long before peak temps. Much like a pandemic, you don't really know what the longer term effects of something like that will be until long after it happens (if humanity survives heh). But clearly we are heading to a massive shake up of the social order and I think lots of outcomes are still in play whether we can see them yet or not. And to think we all had thought this crazy shit would not be going down until decades after our deaths and yet here we are...

I just got a call from a former client letting me know that up to 100 people at their agency are potentially subject to "administrative action", primarily because they attended a DEI training course that I sold to them. This was loooooong before any of the current DEI executive orders happened, during first and second year of the Biden administration. Two of their senior leaders have been placed "administrative leave", apparently with that program specifically called out as one of the reasons why.

I need to go vomit now.

Skinypupy wrote: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:58 pm I just got a call from a former client letting me know that up to 100 people at their agency are potentially subject to "administrative action", primarily because they attended a DEI training course that I sold to them. This was loooooong before any of the current DEI executive orders happened, during first and second year of the Biden administration. Two of their senior leaders have been placed "administrative leave", apparently with that program specifically called out as one of the reasons why.

I need to go vomit now.

Wow. That has to suck to hear but definitely NOT your fault.

We're in 1934 Germany.