Friday morning links

I wonder how much of Zuckerberg's stance on speech is coming from reminders from the legal department that the Section 230 immunity that allows it to exist is conditional on it being a neutral platform. Once it can bee deemed to be exercising editorial control over posts and content, it becomes potentially liable for users' libel, or other illegal content.

#1 Another Guy Named Dan on 2020-07-10 09:07 (Reply)

Whatever.

Two cheers for his stance.

#1.1 James Graham (Link) on 2020-07-10 13:55 (Reply)

re PRINCETON FACULTY LETTER DEMANDS END TO ACADEMIC FREEDOM

QUOTE:

Constitute a committee composed entirely of faculty that would oversee the investigation and discipline of racist behaviors, incidents, research, and publication on the part of faculty, following a protocol for grievance and appeal to be spelled out in Rules and Procedures of the Faculty. Guidelines on what counts as racist behavior, incidents, research, and publication will be authored by a faculty committee for incorporation into the same set of rules and procedures.

So the Princeton faculty thinks they are the wise men who can determine what is racist and what is not, and that by following a protocol for grievance and appeal to be spelled out in Rules and Procedures of the Faculty, in other words, by creating a process, they can make the racism thing fair and just.

What a quaint notion. However, as public employees are wont to be, they are behind the curve. When people are accused of racism by the cancel culture, they are guilty and that's that. There is no appeals process. This committee can only have the effect of widening the net to snare suspected imagined racists.

The committee is also sticking their necks out. Suppose they exonerate someone that the mob has deemed racist? The mob will then accuse them of racism as well.

There is no way this can work other than as a tool to purge students and faculty from Princeton.

The message they are sending is that you better keep your head down and stay quiet. Anything you say or do could be branded as racist if you are not a POC.

#2 feeblemind on 2020-07-10 09:42 (Reply)

It's PoMo 101: there's no truth, only competing narratives. And if your narrative competes with mine, then you're racist.

#2.1 Another Guy named Dan on 2020-07-10 10:37 (Reply)

What these and other leftists are trying to do is marry Communism (as practiced by Mao, N Vietnam, and today's CCP) with Hitler's policies.

First, like Hitler, they assert that the problems we face are because of a race of people who are intrinsically bad, in this case white people. But there might be a chance of redemption if white people go to reeducation camps, a la Mao, at al. The Princeton demands are part of a broader effort to support that by limiting any discussion on race that doesn't comport with the approved position as stated by the leftist faculty.

As usual, these leftists are what they accuse their enemies of.

#2.2 mudbug on 2020-07-10 10:39 (Reply)

I, too, think lots of people could do with some education to cure them of various ignorant cognitive errors. The difference is, I don't think they'll improve my life if they learn better, I think they'll improve their own. It's a side benefit that they'll probably bug me less if that happens.

#2.2.1 Texan99 on 2020-07-10 12:33 (Reply)

In the end shutting down the economy won't make a significant difference in how many get covid-19 or how many die from it. It is a virus, it has no intelligence and doesn't know or care if we shutdown. It simply sits on surfaces and floats in the air until someone sucks it into their body where it flourishes and sends billions more virus out into the air and onto surfaces for others to attach to. At BEST a shutdown will simply drag this out over many more months. It won't stop it, it won't prevent it, it won't change the final numbers, it is wishful thinking.

#3 Anon on 2020-07-10 10:25 (Reply)

If liberals don't buy Goya - are they guilty of cultural appropriation for buying from a non-Latino company?

When they did buy from Goya - was THAT cultural appropriation?

...when they ate the taco?

#4 Ben David on 2020-07-10 10:33 (Reply)

Since one race/cultural predominantly makes the claim that someone other than their culture is guilty of cultural appropriation it logically follows that to even use that phrase (cultural appropriation) is in fact cultural appropriation.

#4.1 OneGuy on 2020-07-10 11:56 (Reply)

is it "cultural appropriation" when descendants of the native americans (Mexicans, Inuit, Navaho et al) use the wheel, or electricity, or become Christians (of a sort)?

#4.2 nunnya bidnez jr on 2020-07-10 13:17 (Reply)

It's not enough to simply not buy Goya products. One has to actively condemn all people for buying Goya products or consuming across culturally inappropriate lines. One must be Anti-Goya. Beans Lives Matter.

#4.3 Aggie on 2020-07-11 14:52 (Reply)

As always thank you for great article

#4.3.1 Marlin Wears (Link) on 2020-08-04 00:08 (Reply)

Zuckerberg - I think this is all theater. He's never been a person of character.

#5 DrTorch on 2020-07-10 10:52 (Reply)

The Princeton faculty letter, Fauci says we need to shut down again, New York schools part time...Yea, right. Angelo Codevilla has a comment on the ruling elite making the big power grab by any means necessary at https://americanmind.org/post/scamocracy-in-america/?
They emulate Stalin and his statues are not coming down.

#6 indyjonesouthere on 2020-07-10 11:10 (Reply)

Back in March (if the CDC had been more prescient it would have been January) it made some sense to take actions to slow the spread of the virus so that hospitals could better prepare for sick patients and so that America could get better control of the supply chain for PPE and medicines. We did that, to some extent the hospitals did some better preparations and we most certainly did acquire more PPE and medicines. At this point a shutdown is at best counter productive. I believe that the only reason anyone calls for it is exactly the same reason they are calling for masks and asocial distancing, i.e. to cover their ass. They will be able to say in the future that they did all they could do to prevent the covid-19 crisis from getting worse. That is the only purpose in these efforts.

#6.1 Anon on 2020-07-10 12:03 (Reply)

The SRAS outbreak in 2003 ans the H1N1 virus in 2009 with its much higher global reach and death rate were treated so much differently by the media and politicians. Given the PTB (Rockefeller Foundation, W.H.O. and Gates Foundation among them) have given warnings since 2001 of an extraordinary pandemic-to-come, why did numbskull Fauci not prepare for US-based manufacure of critical medical care products and medicines? The guy messed around with the HIV/AIDS issue trying to capture a Nobel Prize, putting thousands at risk when research into a cure was delayed while he chased patents, and he should have been fired then.

Now evidence suggests the virus itself has been weaponized with snippets of HIV segments interspersed into its genome to make it more "sticky" with greater side effects. The idea of the virus has definitely been weaponized to politically and economically level this administration and America's Main Street, not to mention the psychological effects of shutting people away from family, friends, access to necessities -- be it toliet paper, food, paychecks, banking, etc), legal freedoms, law enforcement, free speech and, most specifically, accurate information unedited by those very posers who started this whole debacle.

Fat chance we will give in. Who cares if we have to start back at square #1 to reconstruct our country during Trump's second term. We've done it before.

BTW, congratulations to Trump supporter Lauren Boebert for winning away the Western Slope of Colorado from the RINOs who are trying to turn the state blue. Send her a donation to help her campaign regardless of where you live. Every election, no matter where, counts.

#6.1.1 jma on 2020-07-10 14:39 (Reply)

Japan's Scandalous Penguins: But they dress so nicely!

PRINCETON FACULTY LETTER DEMANDS END TO ACADEMIC FREEDOM: All RIGHTY!! Academic JAIL has ROOM for THEM!!!111!!!

Mark Zuckerberg is getting mauled for standing up for basic free speech: Who does he think he is, to go against the wokies and the progressives?????

Unanue announced Goya employees were helping to donate one million pounds of food and one million cans of Goya chickpeas to food banks this summer to help ease a shortage at food pantries. What can I say, but "THE HORROR!! The horror.."

New York’s school decision a slap in the face to parents: NYC does not want children to learn!!!!!!!111111!!!!!! Time for parents to exit NYC post haste!

FBI chief slams Chinese cyberattacks on U.S., calls it ‘one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history’. The FBI is on our side this time.

#7 Sam L. on 2020-07-10 11:42 (Reply)

The fake "Russian Bounty" story was thought up by the same two New York Times "reporters" who thought up the fake "Russian Collusion" stories.

Sorry - I said "thought". My bad. Think is not their forte.

#8 oolioo on 2020-07-10 12:29 (Reply)

"Conspired" is the word you are looking for.

#8.1 OneGuy on 2020-07-10 12:51 (Reply)

Regarding the 'increasing level of Covid infections' - I've been tracking infected, deaths, and the like for a few months now.

On the CDC tracking site, there's a disclaimer that it can take up to 8 weeks for the deaths to be registered.

But - like I said, I've been tracking this for a while.

There was an increase in the CDC numbers of close to 4 THOUSAND in the last couple of days.

Backtracking, I saw they increased the numbers for Mark and April by about 3500. Okay, I can see they may have to add some more in June and May, on the 8 week schedule, but we're looking at 16 weeks.

This disturbs me greatly. First pic is today's - off of Chart 1 from here: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm

Second pic is Wednesday's numbers, same site.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10215658267641518&set=pcb.10215658451886124

[urlhttps://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10215658309162556&set=pcb.10215658451886124[/url]

#9 JLawson on 2020-07-10 12:48 (Reply)

Look up the reimbursement rate for DRGs (Diagnostic Related Groups) determining the Medicare reimbursement scale for various disease at entry to the hospital. The common flu is the lowest (about $6000 from my research), going up to $12,000 for low-level COVID, hiking again if a ventilator is required.

No wonder all new patients with upper respiratory complaints are entered with a minimum of a COVID-19 diagnosis. Our government system has created a financial monster with little relation to actual facts.

Also, those touted Electronic Medical Records systems have become a disaster. The bulky PPE gear prevents staff from entering data and the system is not constructed to allow for pertinent communication among departments, other sites, research centers, etc. As if the docs weren't complaining before about how entering computer data cut into face-to-face patient-care time.

#9.1 jma on 2020-07-10 16:39 (Reply)

To no one's surprise A new report from Fox News is claiming that John Durham may be looking to “punt” the end of his investigation beyond the November election.

QUOTE:

Two sources familiar with Durham’s investigation told Fox News this week that Durham is working expeditiously to try to finish the probe by the end of summer, but that several lines of investigation are not yet complete.

“He believes it’s critical to do them,” one source said. “He is feeling more pressure to get this done and wrapped up.”

The source also told Fox News that Durham “does not want this to be viewed political,” and the closer it gets to November, Durham could “punt it to after the election.”

Apparently there are credible sources saying this is the case.
https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/2020/07/09/report-john-durham-may-punt-on-investigation-until-after-the-election/

So does 'punting' seriously damage Trump's chances for re-election? Rush seems to think so.

#10 feeblemind on 2020-07-10 13:12 (Reply)

Bill de Blasio Admits: All Gatherings EXCEPT Black Lives Matter Protests Banned

Because it's not about public health. It's about pushing those around who won't push back.

QUOTE:

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio openly admitted that the city is restricting any and all public gatherings except for Black Lives Matter riots and protests, while speaking with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday.

De Blasio first emphasized his administration was committed to purging any public events and gatherings in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Things like outdoor concerts and parades… Things that here in this city could mean not just thousands, but tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people. It’ s just not time for that now.”

De Blasio pivoted shamelessly, openly flouting his double standard when Blitzer mentioned the ongoing protests and riots.

“Look, this is always a area of real sensitivity. If you’re just talking about health, we would always say, hey folks, stay home if you can… But we understand this moment in history people are talking about the need for historic changes. I mean today, in New York City, recognizing the power and the meaning of the message of Black Lives Matter, which we did in front of Trump Tower today,” said de Blasio of a puerile stunt the city had orchestrated, painting the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ on a street in front of Trump Tower in an empty gesture targeting Donald Trump. “This is a historic moment of change. We have to respect that.”

Blitzer declined to challenge de Blasio on his open double standard, immediately pivoting to a question about tennis and the upcoming U.S. open.

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/bill-de-blasio-admits-all-gatherings-except-black-lives-matter-protests-banned/

#11 feeblemind on 2020-07-10 13:36 (Reply)

I agree with Bird Dog that calling historical Christian and Jewish (or any religious) sites "holy" is silly. The word "holy" basically means "separated from sin". People can be (imperfectly) holy, things cannot. My wife and I did visit Israel 4 years ago. Very educational. Brought the Bible to life.

#12 Stargazer on 2020-07-10 13:40 (Reply)

The purpose/reason to call something/someplace "holy" or "sacred" is to assert power and ownership over it. Kind of like a squatter or usurper. There may be some reasonable assumption to support such a claim but that is just part of the ploy.

#12.1 Saul on 2020-07-10 15:16 (Reply)

Fauci needs to sit down and STFU.

#13 jimg on 2020-07-10 16:22 (Reply)

The administrative state is not accountable for anything so they see no reason at all to STFU. Sowing confusion is their unofficial job description.

#13.1 indyjonesouthere on 2020-07-10 20:00 (Reply)

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Friday, July 10. 2020

Friday morning links