Category: Uncategorized

  • Thursday, December 19th 2024

    How Liberal America Came to Its Senses | The Atlantic

    • Great Read – A critical look at the “woke movement” & “cancel culture” throughout the past 10 years, and how its decline, or rather death, has been all but confirmed with Trump’s re-election. Looking back, even from a liberal view, it was bizarre the stories of social media mobs causing firings over issues that made no sense. With that, there were great advancements and positive movements throughout social media in the past ten years, the MeToo movement, and Geroge Floyd’s impact on Americans’ understanding of systemic racism, but alongside those important and critical movements were seemingly random and crusading movements that oozed superiority over non-liberal people.

    Manhattan man pleads guilty to helping establish secret Chinese police station in NYC | New York Times

    • A headline that seemingly only Hollywood could come up with shines a light on China’s very real and very dangerous overreach into the U.S. and other foreign countries’ affairs and citizens. China continues to desire a tight iron grasp over all Chinese citizens within and outside of their borders, regardless of their state status. They’ve been found to be setting up illegal “police stations” in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and other countries with the main intent to intimidate and blackmail Chinese dissidents.

    Donald Trump’s pledges seep into Federal Reserve’s outlook | Finacial Times

    • The U.S. stock market took a downward rush yesterday as the Federal Reserve signaled it was skeptical of the potential financial policy Trump would enact. By implying that there would be fewer rate decreases in 2025 the Fed paved the way for a gloomier outlook on what inflation and U.S. growth might look like if Trump’s most extreme policies come into play. The headliner of these policies is tariffs which could dramatically increase inflation.

    CDC confirms first severe human case of bird flu in U.S. | Washington Post

    • Coinciding emergencies arise in California and Louisiana. In California, Governor Newsome has declared a state of emergency as rising bird flu cases are spreading with cattle herds, essentially allowing a breeding ground for the virus to mutate and develop. In Louisiana, the U.S. reports its first-ever case of serious health complications as a result of someone catching bird flu. Are we all reacting with PTSD from covid or are these important warning signs about a possible future outbreak? Time will see.

  • Wednesday, December 18th 2024

    Johnson weighs spending plan B as Elon Musk stokes opposition | Politico

    • As the federal government nears a possible shutdown we see Elon Musk’s possible first big splash into the circus that is Congress. As the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, pushes forward a spending bill to keep the lights on which includes additional spending to appease democrafts, Musk cries on social media. Those wails seemingly have invigorated some Republicans to step away from the bill, denouncing the additional spending. With Democrats still in control of the Senate, additional spending was included in the hope of getting the bill passed with ease. This could be a preview of what power Musk might hold going into Trump’s new presidency.

    Supreme Court to Hear TikTok’s Challenge to Law That Could Ban It | New York Times

    • Whether TikTok will be banned or not has been a seesaw swinging back and forth ever since the idea was flaunted during the Trump presidency. Politicals on either side, including both Trump and Biden, have at times supported and opposed the bill. Finally, after years of deliberation and negotiation both Democrats and Republicans agreed TikTok was far too large of a national security risk, with it being owned majorly by China. With a bill passed requiring the sale of TikTok to a US-owned company and a deadline set for January 19th, there is only one hurdle remaining, the Supreme Court. How they will rule on the bill and if it complies with the First Amendment is yet to be known. Additionally, if the Supreme Court does allow the bill to stand Trump may still yet have pathways forward once he assumes the presidency to keep TikTok alive in its current form.

    The Once Booming Drug Town Going Bust Under Taliban Rule | New York Times

    • The drug industry fueled the Taliban during wartime. Once war was over the stain of drug money was more hurtful to their legitimacy than the revenue it generated. With that, the Taliban outlawed the drug production industry and did what America couldn’t even with their stealth fighters and bombs, completely dismantling and removing farmers, smugglers, and chemists who cultivated and sold heroin and meth. This article though takes a deeper look at the personal cost of that change and a town that once upheld a large source of income for the Taliban being left to crumble with the trade now outlawed.

  • Sunday, December 15th 2024

    How Will the Rebels Rule Syria? Their Past Offers Clues | New York Times

    • The overall sentiment from mainstream media around Syria and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (the rebels) has been surprisingly positive, highlighting how compared to similar Islamist groups and militias in the region they have taken a much more progressive stance, focusing on reclaiming their country rather than fighting to build an Islamist state. The rebels, who previously held the Idlib province of Syria functioned incredibly similar to normal local authorities, setting up schools, creating public amenities, and taxing goods and services to raise funds for its military. It seems this organized approach and more progressive thinking is what led the rebels to not only overtake the Assad regime but do it while being held in a positive light by western media.

    Grand Jury Said to Hear Evidence Against Chief Adviser to Mayor Adams | New York Times

    • One after another top aides of NYC Mayor Eric Adams fall like dominos. Over the past few months stories, trials, and resignations have plagued the mayoral office, including trials targeted at Eric Adams himself. There seems to be a large circle of corruption led by Adams wherein unqualified personnel are elevated to positions they have no right to be in because they either are loyal to Adams or have raised money for his campaign. Consistently these people use the positions to enrich themselves and the people around them.

    US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says | Associated Press

    • The uncertainty around possible drones on the East Coast, primarily in New Jersey, continues to bewilder citizens and many in the government. Local and state elected representatives are left without answers as federal government officials are providing no better answer than “we don’t know”. Online there is endless speculation, from people saying there are no actual drones and it is just planes, to people theorizing it’s secret military operations or even a fleet of military drones used to sweep for “dirty bombs”, similar to drones the US just sold to Ukraine.

    Some N.C. residents distrust FEMA so much they’re hesitant to apply for hurricane aid | Washington Post

    • Multiple forces converged to lead North Carolina residents to distrust FEMA, from decades of self-sufficiency to Republicans (including Trump) spreading negative opinions about FEMA. Unlike other states hit by Hurricane Helene North Carolina’s disaster relief aid applications remain startling low with residents voicing their concerns about FEMA’s true intentions and the possible risks associated with taking aid. A key moment was when Trump during a speech falsely stated the Biden administration “stole the FEMA money… so they could give it to their illegal immigrants.” After that day FEMA aid applications saw a steep decline. This deep distrust in the federal government and FEMA will hold back N.C. and the residents who need that aid the most.

    Sam Altman reckons with a growing threat to OpenAI: Elon Musk | Finacial Times

    • Elon Musk’s rise to political power as a devil (or angel depending on how you see it) on Trump’s shoulder raises concerns for Musk’s competitor companies including OpenAI. Musk, who used to be the Co-Chair of OpenAI, had an incredible falling out with the now leader of OpenAI, Sam Altman. Since then Musk has started his own rival AI company xAI, owned under X (formally Twitter). With Musk’s newfound political power, the concerns are centered on how he might use to disadvantage his rivals, as there are many. This concern goes beyond AI, as Musk’s litany of companies may now have the step-up needed to skirt regulation or rather shape new incoming regulation to benefit themselves.