normalaccess

I don't think that's ever really been a problem for Trump. Everyone I talk to who supports him expects him to be a hail-mary grenade thrown into DC—a big middle finger to the powers that be. They feel completely disenfranchised and want a shake-up.

Amazingly, so far, it hasn't hurt his approval numbers.

Advertising is just the surface layer—the excuse. Digital ads rely on collecting as much personal data as possible, but that data is the real prize. This creates a natural partnership with intelligence agencies: they may not legally collect the data themselves, but they can certainly buy access.

This isn’t new. Facebook, for example, received early funding from In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital arm, and its origins trace back to DARPA’s canceled LifeLog project—a system designed to track and catalog people’s entire lives. Big Tech and government surveillance have been intertwined from the start.

That’s why these companies never face real consequences. They’ve become quasi-government entities, harvesting data on billions under the guise of commerce.

Yeah, I doubt that there are enough tags or categories for the algorithm to use.

Big brush, broad strokes.

lets not forget that Trump created a new department and put Elon in charge, the DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. With that in mind Musk can hire anyone he wants yes? Trump gave Elon the clearances and powers needed to do this work. It's no different in my opinion than the CIA hiring confidential sources or the FBI hiring contractors.

I mean Elon isn't going to personally do the work as department head...

The problem is that the algorithms are programed to show people what they want to see OR what the platform want's you to see.

If it's orgasmic then this is no different than any other form of organic popularity. Seeing as Trump won the popular vote and the electoral collage, people were interested in republican content. On the same token it's very easy to AstroTurf and claim it was organic. From my personal conversations in meat-space I lean organic.

Is there funny business going on? Absolutely, all the time everywhere in every way. Can we say this was funny business? Not without the code.

TLDR: Popularity algorithms push popular content algorithmically.

I can see that, on the one hand he is removing what he thinks is bureaucratic fat while at the same time giving himself (or the position) powers to do so.

I personally believe the government of the USA is probably 10x the size it needs to be so i like seeing the cuts but I am well aware of the dangers you speak of.

Either way, we live in interesting times.

If there is one thing about Trump everyone can agree on, it's that he is a devastatingly effective communicator.

And when I say that I don't mean good or correct or proper, I mean effective. He has an innate ability (and if you watch old clips always has) to pull the conversation where he wants it.

Thank you, that is an important point. Voting numbers can only estimate the totals.

I should have use the term *Electorate*.

  The collective people of a country, state, or electoral district who are entitled to vote.

I stand corrected!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impoundment_of_appropriated_fu...

Oh, you learn something new every day. Gracias

Correct, the executive branch can always opt to not spend the money it was allocated.

It's just that as far as I can recall no one has ever really tried to spend less in the government.

EDIT: I was mistaken, please look up Impoundment of appropriated funds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impoundment_of_appropriated_fu...

As far as I can tell Elon has had security clearance since 2019 because Space X was (and still is) contracted to do work for the DOD. However I don't know what kind of clearance it was at that time.

Please correct me If I'm wrong.

Pence is a "Dominionist" and wants to reinstate a theocracy. Last time we tried that was called the Dark Ages and we tortured people and burned them at the stake.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_theology https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/01/30/a-theology-of-power-...

I'm under the impression that trump is doing exactly what at least 51% of the population want him to do. He campaigned on dismantling the wheels of established power in DC.

EDIT: To expand on that Idea there is the exact apposing view that Biden was doing the same thing by the people that voted Trump in. But as we all know the media prefers one candidate over the other. Trump is the grenade that is supposed to destroy the power structures (the so called Deep State or permanent bureaucracy) in DC.

Have you seen the research about "ablation"?

https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/jGuXSZgv6qfdhMCuJ/refusal-in...

I am 100% for this. During Covid some of my coworkers started second jobs. Some of them slept all day. Even now the ones who are hybrid I see get on steam and play games right in the middle of work hours.

It's a slap in the face to people who actually work hard.

These topics always remind me of this Dave Chappelle skit.

The system IS rigged, and everyone knows it. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lNi9DIVkXpo?feature=share

I'm not sure it's the de facto right thing to do. Recall that the USA didn't tax income until 1913, relying primarily on tariffs and excise taxes to fund the federal government. And yet, the country was doing just fine before that—expanding its infrastructure, winning wars, and growing its economy.

The introduction of income tax fundamentally changed the size and scope of government. With the current size of federal spending, much of it driven by entitlement programs, defense, and interest on debt, there is plenty of room to trim the fat. Bureaucracy, inefficiencies, and bloated administrative costs are all ripe for re-evaluation and the axe.

They can, it's just that most people don't have the savvy to pull it off.

You are right, part of every dollar must be paid back. If there is any interest on a loan then you need to pay back more than 100% the original cost.

Our FED operates the same way, the government must pay back the FED's loans, and these loans have interest. When the US was printing greenbacks without the FED there was no one to "pay them back to". This is how the USA operated before 1913.

The fact that every dollar that is printed MUST be paid back to the Federal Reserve Bank with interest means that every dollar printed is worth less than it's face value. This is the original and primary source of inflation. All debt biassed currencies have this, not as a defect, but as a feature. If you own the bank you can do some money magic and get filthy rich. The Federal reserve Over the last 100 years the dollar has lost something like 96% of it's value.

It's old and quite corny but this video gives the cliff notes on how the FED works

https://youtu.be/mII9NZ8MMVM

Well, for the purpose of this conversation the people at the top of the food chain believe free will exists. They also believe that they can eliminate it with AI and Biomedical manipulation.

Not only have the people changed but it is the belief of the elites at the top that humanity is entering a new era of hack-ability. They want to use these AI systems to rewrite humanity into their vision of the future.

Yuval Noah Harari talking about how the new "gods" are the data-centers and how free will is dead in the age of AI. https://youtu.be/QuL3wlodJC8

This 100%

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV0CtZga7qM

I feel like this is what corporate wants. A single way of speaking. A single way of thinking. Round off all the sharp edges and smooth out all the wrinkles. Humanity filtered through a sycophantic psychotic AI tuned to perfection by psychopaths who want to change humanity into their image.

"The idea of a Soul, Free Will -- these are Over!" - Technocracy explained by Prof Yuval Harari https://youtu.be/NV0CtZga7qM

It's not really a mind mapping application but when I need to jot down some complex idea I use yED.

You can do all the normal things that flow chart tools can do but it has an amazing suite if auto arrange abilities that are highly customizable.

Site: https://www.yworks.com/products/yed

Or kick the tires on the web version (less feature rich) https://www.yworks.com/yed-live/

I had an amazfit watch, didn't quite scratch the pebble itch and it has been relegated to the IT junk drawer. The thing I miss the most is the pebble display. I don't need heart rate, I don't need GPS, I don't need sleep tracking, I just want a watch that shows my notifications and has a great battery life.

I am pleased they are coming back!

OH HAPPY DAY! I loved my pebble. It was the perfect balance of features and battery-life.

My favorite watch face inspired me to get into may e-ink projects.

  Horizon by JR Mobley
  https://store-beta.rebble.io/app/5616d36a6ddd7fea8800001f

Even Obama is not a fan of "woke" culture and calls it out for the hollow vapid gotcha politics that it is: https://youtu.be/qaHLd8de6nM

You're welcome. But until then your comment has nothing of value for me to digest that is relevant to the conversation.