I'm tired of checking to see what's supposedly a violation. I get so many of these and they're often posts that are nothing but a quote from a commentator in the NYT. But to see that the review didn't okay these pages... it's just mind-bending. I can't waste my energy dealing with this bullshit. In every case, I'm told that I've violated their policy with "Dangerous or derogatory content," which I find insulting. Here are recent posts that have been found in violation of that policy — even after review...
How did these articles get flagged? By robots or by opponents of this blog? What kind of review does Google have that would reinforce the idea that this is "Dangerous or derogatory content"?! Review by robots or by opponents of this blog? I can't imagine an unbiased human being finding all — or any — of these posts to have "Dangerous or derogatory content." It could be that I'm getting flagged for crap in the comments....I'm not dealing with it any more. So enjoy ad-free Althouse.
Well, I am going to deal with it now and in the future. I just turned AdSense ads back on. At least, Google was nice enough to offer me cake....
... yeah, Google, your AI did a nice job of knowing what I like. Cake. I like cake. But it's not yummy cake that has me coming back. And it's not the income from the ads. I realized I can use AdSense in self-defense. Google has the power to delete this blog. Whatever force caused those exasperating notifications is still out there, exerting pressure, whether I'm getting notifications or not.
As I noted in that October post, "It could be that I'm getting flagged for crap in the comments." In the comments there, Yancey Ward said:
It isn't your content that is getting flagged, Ms. Althouse, it is what we commenters are saying - they are flagging the separate blog post which contains all of the comments at the end. You just have too many of us deplorables.
I'm pretty sure that's what happened, and I gave up ads because it seemed like too much work to go searching for what might be the problem in the comments. But the mechanism for reporting abuse to Google remains. This presents a risk to me, and I think the risk has increased in the past week. So I want those notifications. I'm worried not only that Google will overdo its censorship but also that haters of this blog — of the comments section of this blog — will come in here with pseudonyms and write violent threats and racist crap for the purpose of drawing censorship down upon me.
There are various ways to deal with the problem of commenters who are here to hurt me, and some of them are too labor intensive. Some of them would diminish (or destroy) the flow of the comments. The comments at their best are phenomenal, and I'm very happy with the good commenters and have greatly appreciated their company these last 17 years. (Bloggiversary #17 is tomorrow.) But one thing I can do is to put the ads back up and then use the notifications to identify the comment threads that have something Google sees as a problem. Then it's a limited task to look for what needs to be deleted.
I delete comments without prodding from Google when I see threats of violence. I delete comments with the "n-word." I probably have a standard that's close to what Google is identifying, so I'm going to accept the help from Google now. I can't read every comment on every post — there are close to 4 million comments on this blog — but I can comb through the comments sections on posts where I get a Google notification. Google is getting vigilant about material that I don't want either — and, of course, I don't want a festering problem that I cannot see and that is undermining the existence of this blog.
And that's why there are ads on this blog.
Posts
431 comments:
1 – 200 of 431 Newer› Newest»Sounds like it’s doing the work of a publisher.
...
Althouse wrote: This presents a risk to me, and I think the risk has increased in the past week. So I want those notifications. I'm worried not only that Google will overdo its censorship but also that haters of this blog — of the comments section of this blog — will come in here with pseudonyms and write violent threats and racist crap for the purpose of drawing censorship down upon me.
The wicked idea behind this is to force Althouse (the blog author) to censor political POV. This is easily gamed by bad actors. Charles Green (of Little Green Footballs) used sock puppets to leave vile racist comments on the blogs of people he considered his enemies. He then used the comments as evidence that the blog author was a vile racist.
Hooray for our hostess! You've got balls, Althouse. [In the metaphorical sense, of course]. Thank you for upholding free speech.
Hopefully we all survive Biden*'s Dark Winter. Stay safe.
What is Google's interest in policing the speech on blogs and comments to blog posts? Are they attempting to protect ad revenue streams? Is there some twisted moral, ethical, or principled position they are taking? Your policy of not allowing certain speech that you deem to be violent or disturbing makes sense to me, it's your place. Other blogs I visit have similar policies (Powerline for example), and some don't allow anonymous and pseudonymous commenting.
It will be interesting to see what is flagged, and whether the list of offensive speech has expanded; such as now including the banned three word phrase (wink, wink).
I will typically read your blog before classes start (I work at a school district) and use incognito mode when doing so. My Adsense ad was for a concealed carry holster. IP Geolocation puts me in a deeply-red rural county. But when I actually log in to my Google account (incognito) and visit again and get served cake. Hmmmm.
How can we help?
I was just reading a Twitter thread about a new college graduate who interned on Trump's campaign and was fired by his company because an NHL team found out he did, and they said they'd stop working with his company if he wasn't fired.
So I'm thinking maybe talking openly about politics isn't a good idea anymore.
I still remember when Google locked my account (and Patterico's and many others) when Althouse had a dust up with them and we wrote supportive comments.
Ann, for one, welcomes our new insect overlords...
Soon we'll all have an opportunity make a similar choice...
“He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.”
Ann, if you don't already do it, you should make sure you keep a regular backup of your blog.
Is the bribe the guards strategy going to work? I'd reckon no...
This is terrifying...
Blogger MayBee said...
>I was just reading a Twitter thread about a new college graduate who interned on Trump's campaign and was fired by his company
What Trump and the gop need to do is make any company that does this pay a price...
Thanks for doing what you are able to do.
We all understand the freedom of speech is dead. Has been for a while. Big Tech has won this battle. Maybe the war. This is more depressing then the March on the Capital that gave the leftist agitators a window to riot and shift the blame.
There is now no mechanism to have any input into how we are governed. We are no longer self governing, because we can no longer elect those who share our views.
Go read the Declaration of Independence and go through the list of grievances. A mirror image of today.
Slouching towards Bethlehem, Redux.
I feel a sharp pang of sadness for Ms. Althouse.
This blog is her expression of talent, her place to write freely, and now there is the sense of the wolves at the door, for daring to believe in free speech.
I do not desire her to be a martyr for any cause that others wish to put upon her.
Good luck to all.
I am Laslo.
You should never trust the monkey's paw. You asked for boring. There's nothing more boring than having all worldviews save one be suppressed for your own good.
Oh well.
You're not the only one being proactive. I deleted most of my facebook posts this week.
At this point, it's impossible to trust everyone who has access. Some people have really gotten a taste for blood.
Did Atlas just shrug??
Watching Democrats embrace fascism so completely sets me to thinking they really have never forgiven Lincoln for using his position to keep the Union together and free the slaves. That is the true “original sin” Democrats hate and have held into hatred for, for over a century and a half. When they talk about “slavery” it is code for “that sumbitch dictator Lincoln” who simultaneously ended slavery and dissed the dominant political newspapers of the day. Go back and read what the NYT write about that baboon Lincoln. What we see now is just as much pent up class struggle against the populist Lincoln as it is reaction to what Trump revealed about the swamp.
We, The Living is just as appropriate!
What Trump and the gop need to do is make any company that does this pay a price...
Hahaha that's hilarious. Elected Republicans have backbones? Haven't seen much evidence yet.
Well, it was great while it lasted. I'm sure I will be censored by google, because I'm not a good little commie. Thanks.
Google is going to "move the goalposts" on you. I suspect combing the comments will turn into a full-time affair.
Dear Ann:
This is what happens when you vote for Democrats.
(Or in your case, don't vote for Republicans. Not that it matters much in WI)
XOXO
Fled
"What Trump and the gop need to do is make any company that does this pay a price..."
Trump and the gop have no more power in this country. Not one bit. And they never will again.
Oh great. So now where am I going to post comments about biting the heads off of cute kittens?
I hope you have the Althouse blog corpus backed up on a non-Google site. There's gold in there. Now that you're retired, you should think about self-publishing an anthology of your classic posts and marketing it through Amazon.
"Trump and the gop have no more power in this country. Not one bit. And they never will again."
-- How much power did Trump really have when his political opponents could call for uprisings against him, and he's the one who is in danger of impeachment on incitement?
And here we go. Fear is how they get it done. To illustrate how dumb and dishonest these tech companies are here is a post that appeared on the Twitter Public Policy page just yesterday.
“Ahead of the Ugandan election, we're hearing reports that Internet service providers are being ordered to block social media and messaging apps.
We strongly condemn internet shutdowns – they are hugely harmful, violate basic human rights and the principles of the #OpenInternet.”
See how this works?
We’re spiraling in the drain hole.
That chill you feel, Ann, is the chilling of your free expression.
On the plus side, I now get an ad for camo gear.
Behind every extraconstitutional act by an historic POTUS (segregating the military, Japanese internment, Tuskegee experiment) is the Democrat party, and busy rewriting history every day is the “free press” that serves its Democrat masters in good times and bad. The new corporate fascism fits right into this storied history.
MayBee said...
I was just reading a Twitter thread about a new college graduate who interned on Trump's campaign and was fired by his company because an NHL team found out he did, and they said they'd stop working with his company if he wasn't fired.
This kind of conduct needs to be included in tortious interference.
Although the specific elements required to prove a claim of tortious interference vary from one jurisdiction to another, they typically include the following:
The existence of a contractual relationship or beneficial business relationship between two parties.
Knowledge of that relationship by a third party.
Intent of the third party to induce a party to the relationship to breach the relationship.
Lack of any privilege on the part of the third party to induce such a breach.
The contractual relationship is breached.
Damage to the party against whom the breach occurs.[8]
The first element may, in employment-at-will jurisdictions, be held fulfilled in regards to a previously unterminated employer/employee relationship.
Thus, the plaintiff must present facts indicating the defendant’s interference is somehow wrongful—i.e., based on facts that take the defendant’s actions out of the realm of legitimate business transactions.” "[T]he competition privilege is defeated only where the defendant engages in unlawful or illegitimate means." "Wrongful" in this context means “independently wrongful”—that is, "blameworthy" or " independently wrongful apart from the interference itself." This may be termed use of improper means. “Commonly included among improper means are actions which are independently actionable, violations of federal or state law or unethical business practices, e.g., violence, misrepresentation, unfounded litigation, defamation, trade libel or trade mark infringement.” Other examples of "wrongful conduct" are "fraud, misrepresentation, intimidation, coercion, obstruction or molestation of the rival or his servants or workmen."
Since we were back to believing pollsters the other day...
Congressional approval at 15% according to Gallup. 60% in another poll say impeachment is a waste of $/time. 77% wish Congress were working on Coronavirus, not impeachment. And 80% of GOP voters in battleground states say they'd be less likely to vote GOP who support impeachment.
So - you've made arrangements to stay welcomed into his house if not actually cozying up in bed together.
I did that for several years but nothing I did was ever enough. Facebook kept putting me out and Twitter (!) warned me repeatedly about what, I knew not. Vague community standards never quite focused or defined.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google are now in my review mirror. I kicked them out of car and left them huddled on the side of the road.
Goodbye to all that.
It is a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.
Please keep up the good work Ann. Before I comment further, I should mention that I was born in 1956. I am not one to say the boomers are generally wise or anything like that; I'm even wondering now if they are going to leave the world better overall than they found it. On the other hand, whoever replaces boomers in positions of responsibility may be likely to be worse. Yes, I know old people always talk that way, but the difference now is that young people have been taught by boomers. I don't know of anything as good as your blog, anything of even close to the same kind, and I'm pretty sure that when it ends it won't be replaced by anything as good.
If you can't beat the bots, join them.
and you can't beat the bots
I cannot believe how fast this is happening.
Did the bots at least wish you a happy birthday?
Well on the plus side your social score just got a bump.
Go back and read what the NYT write about that baboon Lincoln.
"The man who votes for Lincoln now is a traitor and murderer... And if he is elected to misgovern for another four years, we trust some bold hand will pierce his heart with dagger point for the public good" - Marcus M. Pomeroy, LaCrosse Democrat, 1864
Queen Galadriel: The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was, is lost. For none now live, who remember it. It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven, to the Dwarf lords, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine, nine rings were gifted to the race of Men, who above all else, desire power. For within these Rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race. But they were all of them, deceived. For another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the dark lord Sauron forged in secret a master ring to control all others. And into this ring, he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all...
I've been thinking about Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and the Rings of Power as analogs to our digital devices, our computers and tablets and smartphones. They augment our lives to a degree that we would not have imagined thirty years ago. We have the sum of human knowledge at our fingertips (as well as the sum of all human disinformation). We can communicate instantaneously with people anywhere in the world. We can access all of the treasures of our culture and other cultures as well: Literature, film, music, all available for a price and much of it for almost free. There are sports and games on them to entertain us. We spend much of our time glued to the glowing screens of those devices, because we want to.
"But they were all of them deceived."
For yes, there is a figurative One Ring, a master ring that controls all of the others. It's held by our fascist tech overlords. If they don't like you, if you dare to disagree with them, they can cut off your access to the world. And if you use your Ring of Power, then like the Eye of Sauron, they can see you. And unfortunately, there is no Mount Doom to hurl the One Ring into, even if we could capture it from the Silicon Valley Saurons.
I believe the state embargoes can be effective. A north Idaho ISP dropped twitter and facebook but since they serve Spokane where theres a net neutrality law they put them back up. A shame. If states got tough and creative this way it would hurt the left- a lot.
Exactly, Iowan2. When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
Divorce on grounds of irreconcilable differences. Divorce or civil war.
Wikipedia Locks Page for Biden’s Tentative DOJ Civil Rights Chief so people can't add references to her own writings.
Citing 'censorship' concerns, North Idaho internet provider blocks Facebook, Twitter
One more thing coming out of this- we will have to return to relying on local reporting for fact-based news.
I've enjoyed this blog for some time now. The topics chosen by our hostess were consistently interesting and the comments were mostly sharp, witty and often funny.
I will miss this blog...
--- Big Tech has won this battle. Maybe the war. [iowan2]
Never! Iowan, don't you lose heart!
Big Tech is about to lose the bigger battle they have provoked in their recent string of victories.
I wanted to say "puny" string, but we all know it has not been puny. Nonetheless, their hubris is also their undoing. It is always thus and you know it too!
Too bad she's always wrong about everything...
WATCH: AOC Thought She’d Be Killed, Feared ‘White Supremacist Members Of Congress’ Would Turn Her Over to Trump Rioters
"Big Tech is about to lose the bigger battle they have provoked in their recent string of victories."
-- Based on what? What reason do you have to believe that all of a sudden the large monopolies, who have the support of the current in power government and the "resistance" forces who actively oppose anyone not on the left, will suddenly face consequences for their actions?
As always, your blog, your rules (mostly as it is actually Google's blog but I digress). It is a ratchet though, I am sure you are aware. What is A-OK today might not be in 3 minutes. Was was "civil discourse" yesterday can (likely will be) deemed subversive incitement tomorrow. I know you have to do what you have to do to keep the blog up but the tech nanny is in a foul mood and will not stand any "wrong-think" so just understand (and this has nothing to do with this decision) your blogging days are numbered. They WILL shut you down at some point. Can't have you pointing out the folly of the MSM and can't have you giving quarter to the deplorables. There is a target on your back and they are coming for you. I know there is little to nothing you can do about it as your blog is a reflection of you and if you morph it into something that is "sanctioned" it won't be you anymore and you will sour on putting in the effort much more quickly than you already are.
So, thanks for the hang-out, hope you are able to celebrate a 20 year, 25 year, 30 year anniversary but the odds are not in your favor. Oh, and thanks for all the fish!
"Google is getting vigilant about material that I don't want either"
Maybe. Then again, maybe they have different standards and priorities.
But the implication of the post is that the blog, and what little space for free and diverse speech it preserves, exists at the sufferance of our prog overlords.
Good luck staying alive, prof!
Scott Anderson spent the last 15 minutes of his podcast yesterday listing the possible methods the censors might use to shut him down.
"Let them advertise cake."
Google ads as a tripwire. Making the censors work for you. It just might work.
How does it feel to be considered "dangerous" Ann? Pretty soon we're all going to be labeled,"outlaws". I'm actually kind of proud of it.
When they find the mere stating of your ideas offensive, then you know you're on the right track. Pretty sad for a country founded on unalienable civil rights. Welcome to the fight for liberty, Ann. (And Meade).
Google is going to do whatever it wants either way so there's no reason not to see the "monitoring" service it provides as a helpful tool and to make a little money at the same time.
I never really notice the ads or the absence of ads here. I am thankful that they don't automatically pop up and obscure content, which happens at other sites.
Shorter post: Are you there Google? It’s me, Ann.
The boot is coming down hard and fast
You know what I would like:
ONE Congressperson who was at the Capitol to say, "I now understand what the people in the riot-torn cities felt, and I appreciate how frightening it is to be in the middle of violence. I apologize for not doing more to stop it or support you"
Embrace "supervision".
Authorities launch an unpersoning and censorship campaign to suppress the truth.
So, there’s zero doubt left in my mind that:
1. The election was rigged.
2. The Chinese deliberately released the virus.
3. Democratic governors met to conspire to enact shutdowns to bring down Trump.
4. Antifa and BLM are the paramilitary forces of the Democratic Party.
These are the truths that are meant to be buried and rendered unspeakable. Might be more.
Google to Ann: Advertise me a cake.
I hope you are able to keep the wolves at bay.
I am glad to see the foreign objections to the censorship. Maybe they’ll have the clout to wake Dem people up to the evil that it is. Our Rep clan seems to be failing us. Let’s see.
I'm seeing high-end stereo equipment in the ads.
What is everyone else seeing?
Kind of scary that they 'know' what ads to send (yes, I know how it works).
I understand making some extra dollars, but I would have thought a professors' pension from a state university would provide you with an F-U option...no ads at all.
It would be interesting to know what kind of money you do make from these ads if you'd care to disclose it.
Mere curiosity.
Blogger is owned by Google, so if hosting is the problem, you may want to look at switching platforms. I'd be interested to know if porting over a blog of this size and history is too impractical. And at the risk of being a bit churlish, I will offer the further opinion that if you didn't vote for Trump, you essentially voted for this treatment.
It will be interesting to see what is flagged, and whether the list of offensive speech has expanded; such as now including the banned three word phrase (wink, wink).
>>
Stop the SEALS!
I'd be interested to know if porting over a blog of this size and history is too impractical
Ann had said here repeatedly her blog is too big for Bloggers tools to do so.
LOL I’m seeing ads for Opticology, “the science of optics”
It's just a matter of time before Google lifts the burden for you and offers to block comments it doesn't approve of. And all you will need to do is accept their offer. Then the next step will be allowing your blog to be seen only by Google approved people.
I just turned AdSense ads back on.
It's interesting that you picked the precise moment when Big Tech is purging others on the Internet. Why now?
I'm worried not only that Google will overdo its censorship but also that haters of this blog — of the comments section of this blog — will come in here with pseudonyms and write violent threats and racist crap for the purpose of drawing censorship down upon me.
Are they really haters? Or lovers? Or love-haters or hate-lovers? People who abuse you really seem to love the space you have provided for them to express themselves.
Long-time posters may not want to get you banned but may relish going as far as they can and getting as much out of their system as they can. But maybe you are talking about new people coming in with trollish agendas.
*
I don't know about all these ads I've been seeing recently all around the internet. They show me things I have already looked into. Sites I have already been to. Products I have already researched buying.
At first I didn't understand. Then it seemed kind of helpful. Now it's beginning to seem creepy that Big Tech is keeping track of my every move online. Is that something one wants to encourage?
Did the AI just send a subliminal message with the cake ad?
Free speech = risk
Free speech isn’t.
"ONE Congressperson who was at the Capitol to say, "I now understand what the people in the riot-torn cities felt, and I appreciate how frightening it is to be in the middle of violence. I apologize for not doing more to stop it or support you""
-- But do they? Their Capitol Police were allowed to be armed with lethal weapons, and they opened fire on rioters/protesters/insurrectionists. People in cities had to arm themselves in a best case scenario as overwhelmed police were threatened to be burned alive in buildings, and some were killed in ambush style attacks.
The people in Congress weren't in much danger compared to the people in the riots.
There are alternatives. Grogger offers moderation by drunkards. Goggler, moderation by those with bad eyesight. Giggler only deletes the serious comments. Gagger deletes everything.
Remember: Antifa in DC got closer to Congresspeople, and some actually laid hands on Rand Paul and others. The anti-Kavanaugh protesters got closer to Congress people.
The rioters, while they shouldn't have rioted, were never close to harming a Congress person.
Kevin said...
Google to Ann: Advertise me a cake.
LOL.
Goldbelly is really good, friends. In case you are wondering.
They are niggling, poking at smaller bloggers. The censor kiddies are looking to
impress their bosses. This is just starting. The operators of a well read local blog in Chicago have just taken down their blog after FIFTEEN years. In their last statement to readers published at another blog they note:
"Over the weekend, we received information from a contact at Google that internal chat/e-mails led them to believe that certain precautions we had taken over the years had been breached by Google. We had gotten similar warnings from others in the past, and we dealt with or ignored them as the situation warranted. But this one was different."
You can see their statement at heyjackass.com as long as they can stay up.
Anyone know who the actual perps were who killed the Capitol policeman?
"If states got tough and creative this way it would hurt the left- a lot."
Red states cold pass laws that any curtailment of legal speech would result in multi-million dollar fines for each instance.
Flag a tweet? $2M. Delete a tweet? $3M.
Collecting would be difficult but a point would be made.
"I probably have a standard that's close to what Google is identifying, so I'm going to accept the help from Google now."
Good Lord.
There's a movie about the first female philosopher, and (SPOILER ALERT) when Christianity emerges as a force, after the Prefect is forced to join the religion, the leader of the "cult" demands to know why men are listening to a woman when Jesus walked around with 12 guys? The Prefect begs the woman - his teacher - to join, so there will be someone else "on the inside" with the intellectual heft to stop the atrocities to critical thinking they see happening under this new religion. But, instead, she informs him, that by merely asking her to join - instead of fighting - they'd already won. In the movie she's killed by a slave who loves her - a fictional character.
In fact, she was stripped naked, raped by multiple men - in the name of religion of course - beheaded, and then drawn and quartered.
I hope you and Meade know what you're doing.
As far as I can tell, the Althouse response to the threat of censorship is to attempt to be the last person eaten by feeding the rest of us to the crocodiles.
If Antifa thugs killed the capitol police officer - will the FBI and the media let us know?
Buy shares in VPN companies...
Oh my removing comments that threaten violence hardly abridges free speech on this blog.Imagine if some one threaten to shoot Mead because he thinks the election was stolen, or Pelosi because she believes the election was fair. While I prefer cheese cake, instead of chocolate, I think the fear of a sugar boot on the neck of Alhouse is an.alarmist exaggeration.
"Anyone know who the actual perps were who killed the Capitol policeman?"
-- No. We also don't know who shot the woman yet, unless there's been an announcement in the last day or so. Which is weird, since nearly every other police shooting publicized the nameand personal information of the shooter ASAP.
Alas, welcome back the BORG, AA. Enjoy.."Tis a far, far better thing" you do AA, but better you than me:) Good Luck!
The twitter policy team tweets yesterday re Uganda elections were my favorite part of this. The chorus of Euros decrying US big tech is ominous, or should be to these nerds. How can these leaders feel comfortable with American companies controlling their discourse? Every enterprising justice minister in Europe and Asia should be preparing monopoly/antitrust cases or whatever the local variation is. The implications could mean it becomes a matter of national defense and security to dominate the "national" internet. Our trusted role as a the forgiving policeman of the global commons is over. There could be positive developments, such as a decentralized architecture instead of the centralized, walled gardens our tech titans have erected. Maybe the not-Al Gore internet creator has something up his sleeve. But that's all very optimistic, and who knows where this struggle will lead. But besides pissing off and scaring a goodly number of Americans, these nerds have woken up the rest of the world to the dangers inherent to their empowerment. Things move fast in the digital age, so the backlash will be swift in any event. Nothing boring here.
Let them eat cake!
Buy shares in VPN companies...
Open source or die. Decentralized or die. The larger problem is a business model that requires monopolistic power, also known as the network effect in Web 2.0 terms.
I love cake.
All is proceeding as Poulos has projected.. Really, as McLuhan projected, and Poulos has updated for our new media patterns.
When they come for you, being "right" or "innocent" isn't a factor. Too many people still live by the old rules.
The best way to protect yourself is to understand the new rules.
Mimeograph machines are still available.
BTW, I'm not seeing ads. While I don't have Firefox any more, I have Opera and am still ad-free.
All we ask is that you sew the yellow star on your coat. What's the big deal?
@roesch/voltaire
I nominate you for the presidency of the Judenrat.
"figurative One Ring"
Jobs took it seriously building his ring building in CA.
"Apple Park is the company's second campus built in Cupertino, California, and one of the final products pitched by the late CEO, Steve Jobs. The massive ring-shaped building is now an iconic symbol of Apple's dedication to design, green energy, and the future of technology."
I am guessing that Biden’s new law to “make terrorism illegal” that focuses of course on “right wing terrorism” is going to be the end of anonymity on blogs like this. Anyway, this is like losing a war and we all have to come to terms with our new masters. For me, that means getting out of the hobby of commenting on politics at all, because who knows what the rules will be for today tomorrow?
I am also using a Swiss based paid VPN, whatever you do, don’t use a free VPN. Protonmail.com will give you a free Swiss based email address, it was designed to support dissidents from oppressive regimes, which is what we have become. However I know enough from professional experience in network surveillance to know that you can’t really hide from these people. And the scariest thing is that they have the power to retroactively make things crimes, thought crimes at least.
Let me eat cake!
Chuck said...
"I don’t really mind reporting your blog post pages."
Betrayal.
You guys, who've been here, while I've been away - who is this clown?
MayBee said...
You know what I would like:
ONE Congressperson who was at the Capitol to say, "I now understand what the people in the riot-torn cities felt, and I appreciate how frightening it is to be in the middle of violence. I apologize for not doing more to stop it or support you"
1/13/21, 8:08 AM
Hear!! Hear!! But we won't.
Oh my removing comments that threaten violence hardly abridges free speech
What a troll. Stupid troll. Did you read the Prof's explanation? Her posts were getting flagged. Not for her content, but what the commenters posted. Had nothing to do with threats of violence. 60? posts so far and you are the first that wants to veer off into some stupid back and forth. This blog has an expiration date, and it has nothing to do with violence being encouraged or advocated.
The biggest problem is giving voice to the constant lies from DNC/propaganda publishers. That is the danger.
Google wants to censor anyone it doesn't agree about. Youtube just pulled clips of President Trump's answering questions yesterday. Google wants total power over the internet. That make them part of a fascist machine. Break them up into tiny little pieces.
The real harassment and extortion - we know from where it comes.
And that's why there are ads on this blog.
Althouse, you crack me up. So conscientious! Reading books that are good for you. And checking those comments for bad comments because a robot complained!
I'm tired of checking to see what's supposedly a violation.
So don't check! Holy fuck, Althouse. Read up on the Bible so you know what you have to do, and what is complete bullshit that you don't have to do. This would be the latter. There is no Biblical--or legal--requirement to censor anybody. It's not your job. Screw the robot.
Mimeograph machines are still available.
I've missed the smell of wet purple ditto paper in the morning.
Chuck said...
"Strike that. "Harassment and threats" is the exact name of the tag."
Why don't you have a tag that says "You should leave"?
You guys, who've been here, while I've been away - who is this clown?
Crack, he's a deranged Midwesterner with severe TDS impersonating a 'Lifelong Republican' lawyer. He is neither, BTW.
Antifa committed most damage and violence at the Capitol. All that was needed to turn Trump into a non-person and censor and destroy everyone else.
I'm worried not only that Google will overdo its censorship but also that haters of this blog — of the comments section of this blog — will come in here with pseudonyms and write violent threats and racist crap for the purpose of drawing censorship down upon me.
I appreciate your predicament Althouse, but I am racking my mind to recall comments that were specific calls for violence. Some have warned of civil war, but that is an opinion. Some have warned that they are well armed in their homes, but that is a call against violence.
Maybe commenters can help me. Chuck is the obvious hater, but aside from wanting to poke people in the chest, he hasn't called for violence as far as I recall.
To be fair, I do not read a lot of the troll comments and may be missing something.
AOC Feared ‘White Supremacist Members Of Congress’
Chick you ARE white! Now that “Latinos” are switching to GOP Hispanics have been deminoritied. Sucks to be a majoritarian, huh Sandy?
comments that threaten violence
No you dishonest Democrat the words that threaten your side are “I question the results of the last election” even though that has also become the official greeting of progs for four years running. Funny how the alleged winners can’t stand any scrutiny of the glorious electoral activities. How transparent!
"One can only report a blog post. You can then comment that it relates to comments and not the blog-author's original post."
-- I honestly have never been so invested in punishing people for thinking differently than me or for e-threatening me that I've gone through this trouble. Have you thought, and I'm not saying this in a jerk way or demeaning way, that maybe you're too invested in someone else's blog and should maybe step away for awhile? Like, I honestly think a lot of posters here would benefit from that -- heck, that's why I disappear sometimes for days or weeks on end. Because the level of engagement here, and outright obsession from some people, isn't healthy.
Happy 17th. This blog was and is great. The comments are delicious if you navigate carefully. (Avoid the ones that begin, "Abandon hope all ye who enter here.")
Thanks for what you have done for all of us.
Hari said...
It's just a matter of time before Google lifts the burden for you and offers to block comments it doesn't approve of. And all you will need to do is accept their offer. Then the next step will be allowing your blog to be seen only by Google approved people.
Well? What's wrong with this?
Google is a privately held corporation (privately held by the Red Chinese, that is)
And, As Such; doesn't it Have an ABSOLUTE RIGHT, to control Every aspect of the world?
Isn't THAT, what capitalism All ABOUT?
The unencumbered right, for a communist state to control the world?
Clayton is on the Right Page... You ALL Need to get on that page!
“He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.”
"Maybe commenters can help me. Chuck is the obvious hater, but aside from wanting to poke people in the chest, he hasn't called for violence as far as I recall."
-- The problem is, you, Althouse and I aren't the ones determining what is and is not a call for violence. If you had a tool that would let you know what the refs in a game were going to call a foul and what they'd let go as just tough play, that would be an invaluable tool.
Chuck is involved in the leftwing "Lincoln Project" = a project that is creating lists of anyone who worked with Trump. The point is to destroy lives and livelihoods and punish and destroy because the Lincoln Project psychopaths are filled with hate and rage. So anyone who ever looked at Trump will be crushed. I guess that is what Abe would have wanted.
The Chicom takeover starts today for real.
I’ve watched their psy-ops campaign for the past year in terror and awe. They and the Democrats obviously war gamed this strategy in great detail.
You guys, who've been here, while I've been away - who is this clown?
A Republican! That's what I heard.
#BREAKING: Newly inducted Republican Congresswoman @LaurenBoebert
’s personal account has been suspended from Twitter until Inauguration Day without any further explanation.
Nobody's been attacked more on this blog than me - legitimately and otherwise - and do you know what I do with it?
I go away and think a while. I may have been the asshole.
This betrayal means Chuck's being an asshole.
She was probably suspended because people are pretending that her tweeting that Pelosi had been moved from the building, the same as the news was reporting at the time, was an incitement to tell the rioters where to go to find her. Just like AOC's deranged statement that Republicans might have lead rioters to her to kill her.
"I just turned AdSense ads back on. At least, Google was nice enough to offer me cake...."
As was already mentioned, you've been reabsorbed into the Borg. This is now your BorgBlog. But, hey- not every Borg gets cake!
This is the world we have been anesthetized to accept. Slowly at first, but over the last months, weeks, and certainly over the last weekend it was a rush like a tsunami of censorship. They've removed all pretense and here we are.
I've often wondered what the point is for you to retire if you've simply replaced reading overly wordy law essays from students with overly wordy comments from people like me. Seems like a lot more work than you need at this point in your life.
Know this: Google will remove you when they want to do so. Nothing you can do about it. If they don't like you, you're gone. I would suggest you enjoy the cake, keep doing what you do. It's unfortunate that there will be a lot of people looking to write horrible things here for the sole purpose of getting you booted. If you want to keep putting out amazing and interesting posts, but worry about Google, you can start looking at other options to do what you do, though I know you've been down that road before.
Either way, I'm sure we're all here with you for as long as the ride continues. Until you get tired of the battle/work or Google decides it does not like the cut of your jib. Borgs don't typically like jibs.
Ima start eatin' cake every day in anticipation of being sent to a re-education camp.
The heavier you are, the harder it is to drag you away. Make 'em work for it. Appeal to their inner procrastinator. All the skinnys will be first to go.
Get fat. Go limp.
That's gonna be my new bumper sticker. Next thing you know, it'll be a movement.
Besides, it'll be easy to lose that weight after I'm at camp.
@8:35
This is not about you. It is never about you. go away
...
-- The problem is, you, Althouse and I aren't the ones determining what is and is not a call for violence. If you had a tool that would let you know what the refs in a game were going to call a foul and what they'd let go as just tough play, that would be an invaluable tool.
...
If, say, Althouse had some kind of rule or set of rules on what would be tolerated or not tolerated on her comments pages, that would be nice, too.
"Nobody's been attacked more on this blog than me - legitimately and otherwise - and do you know what I do with it?"
-- To be fair to Chuck, there is a legitimate problem with people remembering things from months ago that he did and not treating each new thread as a new chance for people to engage and discuss. I generally treat each new thread like that; I don't bother recalling people's inconsistencies too often. But, then again, I've never been a particular target of anyone, so it's not personal for me.
I do think people would benefit some from just ignoring him if they can't interact with him civilly. And vice versa. Stop poking the bear people, in either direction.
"If, say, Althouse had some kind of rule or set of rules on what would be tolerated or not tolerated on her comments pages, that would be nice, too."
-- If you want a place with a set of rules you like more, there's an entire internet waiting for you. You'll be more likely to find a place you like by looking for it than by trying to change one place into it.
The woke gestapo are taught in college that they are a tiny, oppressed, and righteous minority. To make a living they may have to work for a wicked, oppressive corporation, but there are still ways that they can fight within the system! Fight oppression wherever you safely can! Report others for violating speech and behaviour codes! Use HR's rules to claim that the oppressors speech outside the workplace makes you feel "unsafe"! Cuz' that equals an unsafe work environment, baby!
Don't stop with getting that MAGA-hat wearing custodian fired, get him evicted and have his loans called in! Get his American Legion membership evoked! Get his military discharge changed to dishonorable & his citations & decorations revoked. Yeah, baby, stick it to the man!
"Google has the power to delete this blog." Wow. So this whole 'blogosphere' thing where people can speak freely is a sham. You are being censored and you are going along with it. What a shame.
Chu-cuck is the cherry-shaped turd on top of that cake. He was banned for stalking Althouse and propositioning Meade repeatedly. It was ugly. He and the alleged nurse and the one why shalt not be named are the root cause of the moderation experiments. If you wonder who in the world would ever read The Bulwark or donate to people like Mitt Romney he’s the one. Kinda like a ghetto unicorn.
MATHTDA
Make America Too Heavy Too Drag Away
"I am glad to see the foreign objections to the censorship.
They're not objecting to the censorship. They're objecting to not being the ones doing the censoring.
Chuck said...
"I expect that my treatment is exceptional"
Your choice of action says YOU are who's exceptional - exceptionally petty, immature, ungracious, and untrustworthy.
What IS it with Trump Haters and ETHICS?
Anyone know who the actual perps were who killed the Capitol policeman?
Well, I don't think its been established that anyone killed a capitol policeman. I haven't seen anything conclusive to suggest that the officer died from injuries he sustained during the riots. Is there even a cause of death yet?
I saw a picture of a guy who threw a fire extinguisher yesterday, but there was not real indication that any of the people he hit were the deceased officer.
“Who is this guy” ?
He’s the guy(?) that you’d least likely want to sit down with and have a cup of coffee with.
Sooooo. Now Althouse can have her cake and eat it too!!! JOKING
Seriously. I try to not personally attack other people on blogs. I certainly don't use the knickers word...(reference to a childhood story I related on another thread). Not in real life and not on the internet. Pointing out where "I" think people are wrong, and defending my own position is NOT hate speech or inciting violence.
I AM entitled to hold a difference of opinion about many things. Political, religious, cooking [yes...liver IS good]. We can have discussions about our differences.
The sea change that I see now, is that any difference of opinion, any deviation from the Prog agenda..any at all..... is now labeled as hate speech. If you even state a biological fact that men, transexual men do NOT have menstruation/periods....that is hateful. Reality now must bend and be distorted to accommodate the delusions of the Left.
This is something that must not be allowed to continue.
Ann: seven or so years ago you played with the idea of using
Althou.se
as your domain name, and getting off of Google in case the day came when bad things were imminent.
What happened to to those efforts?
Best wishes!
This has the whiff of inviting the Red Guards to selectively denouce your blog and re educate you to adjust it to stay afloat. I get why you're doing it, and it makes sense. But nonetheless, it's very sad. I hope they don't wear you down past the point where they get you to start compromising your principles.
BTW, in a particularly Orwellian turn, autocorrect insisted on changing "denounce" into "rejoice."
They're not objecting to the censorship. They're objecting to not being the ones doing the censoring.
I was gonna say that. Corruptocrats don't like anyone infringing on their turf...
At the moment it has an any-port-in-a-storm vibe...
Matt Sablan said...
-- To be fair to Chuck...
There's a new one.
...there is a legitimate problem with people remembering things from months ago that he did and not [write]
Rightly, that bothers Althouse a lot. "Clutter," she calls it. It bothers me when other commenters misquote me, and/or refuse to quote me in context and link to what I've written. it is generally proof that they can't back anything up.
I do think people would benefit some from just ignoring him if they can't interact with him civilly. And vice versa. Stop poking the bear people, in either direction.
I ignore 90%++ of Drago's insanely obsessive attacks on me. I have begged him, and Michael K (another Althouse regular), and others (Full Moon, etc.) to please feel free to ignore everything that I write. So I am way ahead of you.
Gahrie said...
I have come to the realization that what Chuckles needs is a good ass kicking.
1/13/21, 8:29 AM
Right. So there's a tag for "Violence." Another one for "Threatening."
I never said I was going to kick your ass, and I never asked anyone else to kick your ass. I just noted that you needed an ass kicking.
It's like watching the final minutes of a Godfather movie.
I have begged him, and Michael K (another Althouse regular), and others (Full Moon, etc.) to please feel free to ignore everything that I write. So I am way ahead of you.
What type of person hangs out where's he's not wanted so he can write posts that he doesn't want people to read?
How long before you need permission to travel?
Can I fly on a commercial flight? Do I have the social score to do that?
What type of person hangs out where's he's not wanted so he can write posts that he doesn't want people to read?
Perhaps someone being paid to post?
90% isn't 100%. You are completely in control of how you interact with others. Look, I'm saying this as neutrally as possible. You are clearly unhappy when you come here. You agitate others and get agitated in return; you are actively undermining the place. So... why do you keep coming back? There are places I wasn't welcome when I went to in real life or that I didn't like -- I remember when gaming store where the employees didn't step in when one of the female customers was being harassed, so I did, and then I told my gaming group we weren't using their store again for example.
You will be happier if you either change your approach to interacting here or find a place that is a better fit. I am legitimately saying this solely in regards to your own happiness -- and anyone else who finds themselves expending a lot of emotional energy here and only walking away with negative or angry feelings. You have *an entire internet and real world* of places you can go that might accept you or where you might fit in better. So... why keep banging your head somewhere that just makes you miserable and spreads misery to others?
I strongly suggest all Taiwanese get the hell out of Taiwan asap, before the CCP invades.
As for me, all I have to do is stop visiting here, to lessen my exposure to social control.
Of course, I have to sign in to post this comment, so I'm not getting cake later.
"Can I fly on a commercial flight? Do I have the social score to do that?"
-- There was a neat Black Mirror episode about that. Probably a Twilight Zone episode too that I don't remember.
One of the capital protesters who was charged just committed suicide.
I hope the Deepstate is happy.
I ignore 90%++ of Drago's insanely obsessive attacks on me. I have begged him, and Michael K (another Althouse regular), and others (Full Moon, etc.) to please feel free to ignore everything that I write. So I am way ahead of you.
And he's explained time and time again why he will not let the bullshit you publish sit there without being challenged.
A lot of people don't like it, but he's as determined to call out your bullshit as you are posting it.
Lewis said..
Don't stop with getting that MAGA-hat wearing custodian fired, get him evicted and have his loans called in! Get his American Legion membership evoked! Get his military discharge changed to dishonorable & his citations & decorations revoked. Yeah, baby, stick it to the man!
Chuck, the Lincoln Project, Liar Scarborough, and Nancy Pelosi are on it!
Can we all just resolve to ignore the twit who's name should never be mentioned? At root, it is all about attention. Don't waste your attention on this "exceptional" individual. This is the last time I will even consider doing so.
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...
Chu-cuck is the cherry-shaped turd on top of that cake. He was banned for stalking Althouse and propositioning Meade repeatedly. It was ugly. He and the alleged nurse and the one why shalt not be named are the root cause of the moderation experiments. If you wonder who in the world would ever read The Bulwark or donate to people like Mitt Romney he’s the one. Kinda like a ghetto unicorn.
That is a pure falsehood. You're a liar. And you're showing the real nature of the essential "viewpoint moderation" in effect despite Althouse's denials.
Back in the real world, mainstream Republicans like me are (a) going to turn out in some numbers (not yet clear how many) to support an article of impeachment against Trump. Mainstream Republican leaders in business, law and finance are going to put pressure on everyone in politics to marginalize Trump. And then, after Trump issues pardons to himself and his kids and his attorneys and God only knows who else, I expect that a supermajority of "the Senators present" will vote to remove him and a simple majority of the Senate will vote to bar him from federal office for life.
That's just this month, and next. Then there will be the indictments. The plea negotiations. The divorce. The bankruptcies.
It is the Golden Age of Anti-Trumpism.
Hey Chuck - look at this old blog post of mine from 2013. I'm talking some mad shit about Ann, Meade - and even the big daddy of them all - Glenn I-like-quackery-and-Crack-don't Reynolds. There's LOTS of those over there. YEARS of 'em.
But I've never tried to take 'em down. I've never reported them - or their commenters - to anyone. This is a salon. We chop shit up here. Feelings get hurt sometimes. I still read Instapundit everyday. I'm friends with Ann and Meade now - I hold them in high regard for letting me misunderstand this medium with them - so, we got history now (Glenn's probably too much like me to make that possible, but you never know, since we're both DEPLORABLES).
I think you should drop your vendetta, and then, either learn to fit in or leave. There's no one holding you here.
I do NOT want anyone's "help" with what I can say - whether it be an individual or a corporation - beyond the people who come here, to say what we want.
Having your cake and eating it too. Just put down the cake Althouse and back away slowly. Regroup under your own terms. Doing it sooner rather than when "under the gun" is advisable.
There is a wonderful scene in I, Claudius where a Senator, an enemy of Nero or Caligula, is visited by one of the Emperor's thugs, to be arrested and imprisoned, tortured and killed. The Senator takes his own life instead, telling the thug, "Watch how a Roman dies."
The thug, who has seen and helped numerous people die, isn't at all impressed, and is simply pleased he gets to go home early. There's a lesson in there, but damned if I know exactly what that lesson is.
Gahrie said...
...
I never said I was going to kick your ass, and I never asked anyone else to kick your ass. I just noted that you needed an ass kicking
It's not for me to judge. It's for Google to judge.
Ann have you considered Substack? You could charge for access, have modern moderating software, and the ability to import your old posts.
It's a tall task for sure, but far better than this bullshit.
"Mainstream Republican leaders in business, law and finance are going to put pressure on everyone in politics to marginalize Trump."
-- Not just Trump. Anyone related to Trump. Like the kid mentioned above who had an internship and had his life essentially ruined by taking it away from him. I don't like Trump; I've been open to having him face consequences if any wrong doing is found.
But the promotion of fascist enemy lists, like McCarthy's list of Communists, by the left and the Lincoln Project, and the aggressive marriage of large corporations with the state to punish people makes me not want to be a part of the "Mainstream Republicans" any more than I want to be part of Trump's Republicans.
DD - we were told my the media that a policeman was beaten to death with flag poles.
...by the horrible maga crowd.
If we could know who was arrested - perhaps we would find out the identity of the perpetrators.
I submit We will not hear about it now - because odds are high they perps are really Antifa.
The Crack Emcee said...
Hey Chuck - look at this old blog post of mine from 2013. I'm talking some mad shit about Ann, Meade - and even the big daddy of them all - Glenn I-like-quackery-and-Crack-don't Reynolds. There's LOTS of those over there. YEARS of 'em.
I frequently disagree with Althouse, but I always do it respectfully and substantively. More often, I am writing that one or another of her blog posts was beautifully written, or cleverly constructed. No one in the history of her blog has more often written in strong agreement with her blog's "Law" posts than me.
"we were told my the media that a policeman was beaten to death with flag poles."
-- I thought it was a fire extinguisher? Or am I behind in the reporting again?
Chuck you have the self awareness of an entity like Twitter.
I think what you just wrote is by far the most shocking thing I have ever seen written here.
Seems reasonable, except I use my LMHost file to avoid them. It's not that I don't want you to be compensated for your good work. It is just I prefer not to compensate some of the worse behaviors of Google. For those that are unhappy, please consider the donate button.
@Chuck
How much do the Chicoms pay you or do you just do it out of commitment to the cause?
Chcuk admits...
"Mainstream Republican leaders in business, law and finance are going to put pressure on everyone in politics to marginalize Trump."
A MOB TACTIC, to be sure.
It's more that this - you and your mob masters want to destroy lives. Anyone who associated with Trump.
Keep Chuck here - so we can see how craven the left has become.
Is there even evidence that the LEO at the Capitol who died was injured at all? I have not seen it.
Matt; so far, as far as I know, the intense pressure and scrutiny has been applied to (a) the large handful of Senators who voted in support of the Cruz-Hawley effort to contest the certification of electoral votes; (b) the House members who did the same, and (c) Trump White House staff.
They all deserve it.
Is there anybody else that you have in mind? I'd be interested to know.
Oh - and as fast as Ann and Meade are concerned:
LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE, YOU ASSHOLE.
You can put whatever tag on THAT you want.
Shouting Thomas said...
@Chuck
How much do the Chicoms pay you or do you just do it out of commitment to the cause?
As I was saying...
"Is there even evidence that the LEO at the Capitol who died was injured at all? I have not seen it."
-- It really is amazing that the two biggest stories to come out of the riots: the shooting of an unarmed protester/rioter by government officials, and the murder of a Capitol Police Officer, are among the worst reported/understood parts of the riots.
But the media had time to work hand in hand with the state to identify other rioters, even though they have actively worked to disguise the names and faces of people who tried to burn down police stations and murder police or breach the White House over the last several months.
Matt Sablan said...
"we were told my the media that a policeman was beaten to death with flag poles."
-- I thought it was a fire extinguisher? Or am I behind in the reporting again?
The policeman hit with flag poles did not die. The death seems to have occurred when someone threw a fire extinguisher into a crowd. It was a reckless illegal act resulting in death, not a specific attempt to kill. So a manslaughter or negligent homicide charge is forthcoming.
Perfect Timing:
Dems want to bring down anyone who ever backed Trump: Goodwin
Chuck said...
"No one in the history of her blog has more often written in strong agreement with her blog's "Law" posts than me."
What's that got to do with what you're doing now?
The Crack Emcee said...
Oh - and as fast as Ann and Meade are concerned:
LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE, YOU ASSHOLE.
You can put whatever tag on THAT you want.
I've been a commenter at this blog (and a very friendly -- at one time -- correspondent with Althouse) since around 2010, more or less. That you weren't even aware of my existence sort of proves my point that it's not that I am a "leftist" (because I am not), and not because I have any propensity for writing inflammatory thing (I don't), but rather because I am personally a determined anti-Trumper, and this blog became Trumpist. Pure and simple.
Google wants to move the method of determining government policy from ballots/bribes to bullets. They won't like how that turns out for them.
Blogger Matt Sablan said...
"Have you thought, and I'm not saying this in a jerk way or demeaning way, that maybe you're too invested in someone else's blog and should maybe step away for awhile?"
Good advice. I think I'll step away while the self-interested, feces flinging monkey from Michigan is present.
So, the real problem isn’t a national campaign of censorship.
The real problem is that Chuck’s feelings are hurt.
He’s slyly diverted this discussion to his hurt feelings. He must be paid to do this. By who?
Matt S - yes - fire extinguisher. and flag poles?
Media are trying so hard to spin it as a deadly maga attack.
That kind of attack smells like ANTIFA.
In any case - no word on who was arrested. I wonder why?
"Is there anybody else that you have in mind? I'd be interested to know."
-- I mean, there's that kid mentioned above. There's the unknown number of protesters who didn't breach the Capitol who are having their lives and livelihood's ruined. And this is all being made possible by people like the Lincoln Group and groups on the left saying enemy lists are cool, acceptable, and that these people are too dangerous to be allowed in public company.
You can pretend that just because your groups pretend to be selective with the names they put on their lists of "Communists" that you're not McCarthyists, but the simple fact is you are, you just have the level of PR McCarthy had at the start, before people started realizing that McCarthy and his acolytes were spiraling out of control and attacking and ruining innocent people, not just "Communists."
In a few months, or maybe years, the Lincoln Project will be synonymous with McCarthyism if they do not very publicly, and very quickly, denounce their enemies list and tell people to stop making their own.
It's not really a difficult choice: Do you join with the Mainstream Republicans and start a new Red Scare, or do you step back from that and promote tolerance, understanding and an end to the political tactics used by fascists and power hungry politicians like McCarthy?
BidenFamilyTaxPayerFundedCrackPipe said...
"Perfect Timing:
Dems want to bring down anyone who ever backed Trump: Goodwin"
I got canceled so long ago: I told you guys it just a matter of time before the cultists came for the rest of you.
It's the Invasion of the body snatchers now.
I’m leaving now because Chuck has successfully transformed this discussion into a weeper over his hurt feelings.
Those of you who respond to him are being gamed by a con artist who’s here to cause as much destruction as possible.
You decide what to do.
They have a clear picture of the face of the guy who threw the fire extinguisher, both of his face, and of him throwing it. He should rot in prison, same as any Antifa should who did the same.
The Crack Emcee said...
"Chuck said...
"I don’t really mind reporting your blog post pages."
Betrayal.
You guys, who've been here, while I've been away - who is this clown?"
You've got it exactly right. A clown. His stated purpose in being here, as he stated himself, is to destroy Trump and also to drive Althouse commenters away.
He has been an abject failure in both those things.
He's a grifter. Ignore him.
Browndog said... #BREAKING: Newly inducted Republican Congresswoman @LaurenBoebert
’s personal account has been suspended from Twitter until Inauguration Day without any further explanation.
--
The explanation is fear. She'll wear it as a badge of honor.
Nationalize.
" here to cause as much destruction as possible.”
It’s called “discourse engineering.”
. The death seems to have occurred when someone threw a fire extinguisher into a crowd.
We're all dying for verification. Do you have it? Or, is this still based on one tweet from one AP reporter citing 2 anonymous members of law enforcement?
Autopsy and cause of death have long been determined. Yet, still no verification.
Chuck and his ilk are why we can't have nice things.
It's refreshing to see DOJ and FBI drop their doughnuts and get excited, for a change.
I understand Ann's attempt to preempt Google's move toward censorship, but I, like others here, just see it as a band-aid to what's ultimately coming. And now with ads turned back on, evil Google gets income to thrive based on my daily viewing of the Althouse blog.
I've enjoyed reading the Althouse blog since 2005 (I only stopped being a lurker and started commenting during the COVID lock-down). I'll add my voice to imploring Ann to find a solution that takes the blog out of the clutches of Google, while recognizing that she has already considered many paths out, but has not found one that suits her criteria for doing so. Perhaps the thuggish behavior now seen will be the last straw...
@Althouse: Good luck with dealing with trolls like Chuck (by far the worst here now). And happy belated birthday.
Matt; I don't have any lists. I associate with the Lincoln Project. I am comfortable with everything that they are doing, so far as I am aware.
this is what chuck wants:
Numerous large corporations, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Cisco, Dow, Intel, Blue CrossBlue Shield, Marriott, Goldman Sachs, American Express and Mastercard said they would not make donations to Republican members of congress who objected to the 2020 election results. In effect, they are using money to block elected officials from carrying out their sworn oaths to protect the Constitution, as the officials see it.
The ultimate problem with cancel culture is that it brooks no exceptions. Yet given the way the First Amendment is embedded in our culture, combined with the political anger coursing through our nation, many, perhaps millions of Americans eventually will dissent from this coerced conformity. Whether they do it in support of a future Trump candidacy, other candidates or simply to criticize government policies, dissent is inevitable.
Then what? How will the goons crack down on those who dare to speak their minds?
My prediction is that we are watching the early innings of a movement to criminalize political speech. There already are efforts on the left to criminalize “hate” speech and the next step is obvious: label as hate speech anything the left doesn’t like.
"We're all dying for verification. Do you have it? Or, is this still based on one tweet from one AP reporter citing 2 anonymous members of law enforcement?"
-- What I think is probably slowing it up is the utter cluster it appears to be. The officer's family apparently wasn't informed when he went to the hospital and learned of his death from the press calling to ask about it, or some other way other than the appropriate channels.
The Capitol Police, remember, are not exactly competent (look at how easily they got breached in the years before today, and the fact that several of their members can't even identify the members of Congress.) I'm guessing that the autopsy is complicated; for example, at one point, we were told that it was a stroke brought on by a blow to the head... but that it took a day or so to manifest. This is possible; head injuries do weird things. But imagine being the PR flak or Capitol Police leadership who has to go out there and try and explain that to a bunch of angry people.
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