Victoria “Fuck the EU!” and “Yat’s our guy!” Nuland most recently showed her hand when she told a Senate Committee that, like Sen. Cruz, she took satisfaction in knowing that NS 2 had become “a hunk of metal on the ocean floor.”
Interesting how the Rep's are caught so flat-footed when their hypocrisy over Big Tech reg's are brought to their attention. Once a politician, always...
I wanted to comment on the train derailment. Two things does anyone know why the right is going insane beating up Pete? And why has the media not paid more attention to the train. Norfolk Southern has become well known as a profit machine for its stockholders (would very much like to see an in depth on how they used their tax windfall). Workers joke about at Norfolk Southern Safety is Fourth. It is my hope that the NTSB will lay out ALL of the causes of the train derailment. And the EPA a long hard look at what actually happened to the environment with the wreck the dump and the burning. The people of East Palestine are right they don't deserve this.
Apologies for the length of this response, but here is what I think Twitter needs to do to remain a viable, profitable platform:
1. Require that everyone is validated with an actual name (parody and other non-personal accounts would have person behind the tweet identified in the bio). This should lessen the amount of anonymous trolling done.
2. Charge a membership fee. Something like $25 would hurt multi-account spammers and bots, and requiring a credit card would facilitate identification/verification. And $25 X # of Twitter users would provide revenue for the platform. Anyone who thinks $25/yr. Is too much is either a bot or someone not really engaged (and thus not seeing advertising). (I personally would be glad to pay up to $50/yr. for a Twitter without trolls and threats.)
3. Eliminate (or severely restrict) access to the Twitter API, primarily to prevent bots. Perhaps legitimate add-on developers (like TweetBot) could be given access, but their software would have to be reviewed by Twitter to ensure that it actually adds value (similar to what App Store reviews are supposed to do).
4. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report grossly insulting or threatening tweets. The key here is not disagreeable or even offensive tweets, but tweets that (based on objective criteria) insult a person’s appearance, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, etc. The idea is to promote discussion, even argument, without getting overly personal or threatening.
5. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report significant misinformation. Thus would need to be reviewed by a Twitter content review. If found to be mid/disinformation, either a warning could be applied or the tweet taken down.
6. Rebuild the content review group to implement #4 and #5. Ideally, with objective standards (it should not be hard to codify what is a threat, for instance) and rapid review, the platform can be more of a trusted source without personal invective or threats.
7. Institute a Twitter “death penalty” for users who continually violate #4 or #5. Maybe three bad tweets and you’re out. Since all users must be verified, this would make it hard (though not impossible) for the offending user to open another account.
Obviously, this needs more thought and nuance. But the roadmap outlined here should be a strong starting point for fixing a vital platform. And given that Twitter has some nascent competition (Post and Mastadon and maybe some others), fixing the platform before too many users leave would be essential to Twitter’s future financial health.
It's not really a vital platform. If it blew up tonight and fell into a hole, there are a bunch of other platforms waiting to fill it's shoes.
Twitter and its ilk are so vital that I lived the majority of my life without them.. and didn't feel the lack... and don't actually use them now... and don't feel the lack.
And the people running the platforms don't want to be involved in the expense and hassle (and politics) of doing the things you list above... because regardless of how objective you are being or think you are being, the people you come down on (and the people they voted into office) will do their whiny beotch act all over you. Just like what is happening now.
You may need to study up on the history of US covert actions over the past seven or so decades and of Seymour Hersh’s record of exposing some of those actions. Then draw your own conclusions. However, one fact is inescapable. US officials, from Biden to Nuland to Blinken, admitted to US intentions, benefit, and complicity.
It sounds like you've bought into some Russian spin. No one ever mentions Nuland's name except to promote a false Russian narrative about Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity.
I have to presume you have not read Hersh’s account. He describes a very complex operation requiring highly skilled divers, sophisticated equipment and powerful explosives (C-4). You are free to disbelieve him but I think most observers agree that his record as a Pulitzer Prize-winning and longtime NYT investigative journalist is exemplary.
Coming off Trump being our 12 yo bully as POTUS, now we have another heading up a social platform. One can only hope Musk loses his wealth in his investments as Donny did.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Musk is found responsible for all these balloons being taken down.
The only tweets I have read have all been courtesy of NYT and The Bulwark. Don't have a Twitter account, don't want one, sure as hell don't need one. Won't be buying a Tesla, either. I might consider my swapping my 39K-mile '66 Mustang for a new Mustang or Bronco EV, though.
Consider a Toyota hybrid. Depending on your daily commute length, you may only rarely use the gasoline engine, so you would get the upside of a BEV with the insurance policy of an ICE.
Already have a 2018 RAV4 with only 20K and a 2019 Tacoma (traded a 2010 Tacoma) with 19K on them. Toyota makes great cars, but I still would pick the Ford EV for their performance capabilities over Toyota's hybrid. Plus, I have a PV solar panel array on my home's roof that can probably, with the addition of a battery storage system, allow me to keep the Mustang/Bronco on the road at practically no out-of-pocket fuel costs.
Whats going to happen is the people to use Twitter will be far Right wing zealots. They exchange Tweets about how all Democrats are terrorists, all Independents are wishy washy and Republucans who don't support authoritarianism are weak babies.
They will have fun playing with each other in their private sandbox.
I think Republicans have now marinated in their supposed victimhood for so long that they cannot conceive of themselves as part of any establishment. My old roommate, a senior official in a cabinet-level department, raved in his Christmas letter about the Deep State, seemingly oblivious to the reality that if there were really a Deep State, he would be the Deep State.
Read the piece, “”No conclusive evidence Russia is behind Nord Stream pipeline attack” in the WaPo, 12/23/22. Also read Hersh’s piece on his Substack account page.
Musk is the most needy and attention/affection starved person in the world. One day he is going to demand that everyone see his tweets even if he is not on FB. The richest man in the world sulks like a six-year old
Why does Musk rate being called "the most needy and attention/affection starved person in the (same) world" as TFG? Before your tweet , in my mind, TFG was the clear winner of that niche.
I know. Reading that account was really aggravating. Particularly since you know the GOP have no interest in investigating his actions. Is being on Twitter really worth being forced to read his crap?
I'd blocked his account a long, long time ago, and it's holding even with the recent changes. So not every person on Twitter is force fed his inanities.
And, Republicans & Fox Hosts are going to great lengths to not acknowledge that Mr Musk is excessively exposed to manipulation from the Chinese government. Elon Musk is a national security risk just waiting to blow. Cybersecurity personnel need to go over SpaceX with a flea comb just to be on the safe side...and no satellite launches through SpaceX until it is done.
Victoria “Fuck the EU!” and “Yat’s our guy!” Nuland most recently showed her hand when she told a Senate Committee that, like Sen. Cruz, she took satisfaction in knowing that NS 2 had become “a hunk of metal on the ocean floor.”
It's not strange at all. Republicans are hypocrites who never, ever apply their rules for others to themselves.
What is it with the childishness of musk, and for that matter trump? The repubs seem to be enthralled by it.
Tommy Tuberville can always be counted on for the Stupid Quote of the Day. Alabama must be so proud.
Ummm, maybe it is because Eagles fans hate pretentious rich guys who jump on the bandwagon?
Interesting how the Rep's are caught so flat-footed when their hypocrisy over Big Tech reg's are brought to their attention. Once a politician, always...
I wanted to comment on the train derailment. Two things does anyone know why the right is going insane beating up Pete? And why has the media not paid more attention to the train. Norfolk Southern has become well known as a profit machine for its stockholders (would very much like to see an in depth on how they used their tax windfall). Workers joke about at Norfolk Southern Safety is Fourth. It is my hope that the NTSB will lay out ALL of the causes of the train derailment. And the EPA a long hard look at what actually happened to the environment with the wreck the dump and the burning. The people of East Palestine are right they don't deserve this.
Apologies for the length of this response, but here is what I think Twitter needs to do to remain a viable, profitable platform:
1. Require that everyone is validated with an actual name (parody and other non-personal accounts would have person behind the tweet identified in the bio). This should lessen the amount of anonymous trolling done.
2. Charge a membership fee. Something like $25 would hurt multi-account spammers and bots, and requiring a credit card would facilitate identification/verification. And $25 X # of Twitter users would provide revenue for the platform. Anyone who thinks $25/yr. Is too much is either a bot or someone not really engaged (and thus not seeing advertising). (I personally would be glad to pay up to $50/yr. for a Twitter without trolls and threats.)
3. Eliminate (or severely restrict) access to the Twitter API, primarily to prevent bots. Perhaps legitimate add-on developers (like TweetBot) could be given access, but their software would have to be reviewed by Twitter to ensure that it actually adds value (similar to what App Store reviews are supposed to do).
4. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report grossly insulting or threatening tweets. The key here is not disagreeable or even offensive tweets, but tweets that (based on objective criteria) insult a person’s appearance, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, etc. The idea is to promote discussion, even argument, without getting overly personal or threatening.
5. Institute a mechanism (if not already available) for users to report significant misinformation. Thus would need to be reviewed by a Twitter content review. If found to be mid/disinformation, either a warning could be applied or the tweet taken down.
6. Rebuild the content review group to implement #4 and #5. Ideally, with objective standards (it should not be hard to codify what is a threat, for instance) and rapid review, the platform can be more of a trusted source without personal invective or threats.
7. Institute a Twitter “death penalty” for users who continually violate #4 or #5. Maybe three bad tweets and you’re out. Since all users must be verified, this would make it hard (though not impossible) for the offending user to open another account.
Obviously, this needs more thought and nuance. But the roadmap outlined here should be a strong starting point for fixing a vital platform. And given that Twitter has some nascent competition (Post and Mastadon and maybe some others), fixing the platform before too many users leave would be essential to Twitter’s future financial health.
It's not really a vital platform. If it blew up tonight and fell into a hole, there are a bunch of other platforms waiting to fill it's shoes.
Twitter and its ilk are so vital that I lived the majority of my life without them.. and didn't feel the lack... and don't actually use them now... and don't feel the lack.
And the people running the platforms don't want to be involved in the expense and hassle (and politics) of doing the things you list above... because regardless of how objective you are being or think you are being, the people you come down on (and the people they voted into office) will do their whiny beotch act all over you. Just like what is happening now.
You may need to study up on the history of US covert actions over the past seven or so decades and of Seymour Hersh’s record of exposing some of those actions. Then draw your own conclusions. However, one fact is inescapable. US officials, from Biden to Nuland to Blinken, admitted to US intentions, benefit, and complicity.
It sounds like you've bought into some Russian spin. No one ever mentions Nuland's name except to promote a false Russian narrative about Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity.
I have to presume you have not read Hersh’s account. He describes a very complex operation requiring highly skilled divers, sophisticated equipment and powerful explosives (C-4). You are free to disbelieve him but I think most observers agree that his record as a Pulitzer Prize-winning and longtime NYT investigative journalist is exemplary.
Coming off Trump being our 12 yo bully as POTUS, now we have another heading up a social platform. One can only hope Musk loses his wealth in his investments as Donny did.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Musk is found responsible for all these balloons being taken down.
The only tweets I have read have all been courtesy of NYT and The Bulwark. Don't have a Twitter account, don't want one, sure as hell don't need one. Won't be buying a Tesla, either. I might consider my swapping my 39K-mile '66 Mustang for a new Mustang or Bronco EV, though.
Consider a Toyota hybrid. Depending on your daily commute length, you may only rarely use the gasoline engine, so you would get the upside of a BEV with the insurance policy of an ICE.
Already have a 2018 RAV4 with only 20K and a 2019 Tacoma (traded a 2010 Tacoma) with 19K on them. Toyota makes great cars, but I still would pick the Ford EV for their performance capabilities over Toyota's hybrid. Plus, I have a PV solar panel array on my home's roof that can probably, with the addition of a battery storage system, allow me to keep the Mustang/Bronco on the road at practically no out-of-pocket fuel costs.
Whats going to happen is the people to use Twitter will be far Right wing zealots. They exchange Tweets about how all Democrats are terrorists, all Independents are wishy washy and Republucans who don't support authoritarianism are weak babies.
They will have fun playing with each other in their private sandbox.
Whether Cruz is aware of the irony that he is now a member of Congress strategizing about Twitter with its CEO was unclear.)
It is simply the republican belief in their rules. The rules are for thee but not for me.
I think Republicans have now marinated in their supposed victimhood for so long that they cannot conceive of themselves as part of any establishment. My old roommate, a senior official in a cabinet-level department, raved in his Christmas letter about the Deep State, seemingly oblivious to the reality that if there were really a Deep State, he would be the Deep State.
Read the piece, “”No conclusive evidence Russia is behind Nord Stream pipeline attack” in the WaPo, 12/23/22. Also read Hersh’s piece on his Substack account page.
Musk is the most needy and attention/affection starved person in the world. One day he is going to demand that everyone see his tweets even if he is not on FB. The richest man in the world sulks like a six-year old
Abject narcissist rolling in billions.
Why does Musk rate being called "the most needy and attention/affection starved person in the (same) world" as TFG? Before your tweet , in my mind, TFG was the clear winner of that niche.
Still is. No question, no debating it, EOD. Musk may be world class but he's up against a universe-class pitiful, whiny sniveler.
Most def. Trump is the undefeated and still reigning champion of this. Until he dies, Musk will have to settle for the #2 ranking.
And to think that I once thought my little sisters were whiny....compared to Trump, they were paragons of stoicism.
I know. Reading that account was really aggravating. Particularly since you know the GOP have no interest in investigating his actions. Is being on Twitter really worth being forced to read his crap?
I'd blocked his account a long, long time ago, and it's holding even with the recent changes. So not every person on Twitter is force fed his inanities.
Sanity preserved, at least in this instance.
And, Republicans & Fox Hosts are going to great lengths to not acknowledge that Mr Musk is excessively exposed to manipulation from the Chinese government. Elon Musk is a national security risk just waiting to blow. Cybersecurity personnel need to go over SpaceX with a flea comb just to be on the safe side...and no satellite launches through SpaceX until it is done.