Lou Katz @lou@entropyservice.com

I've actually noticed this kind of notion a lot when discussing freedom in the US. The US as a whole has always put a heavy focus on freedom from government, rather than objective freedom, which over time manifested in many people having this one dimensional mental model of freedom where less government = more freedom. Not only does it ignore all the time the government has had to step in to stop people from oppressing each other, but also ignores the massive power vacuum it leave which is filled by corporations who can easily infringe on people's freedoms because the same limits that protect people from the government protect corporations from the government too.

As far as I can tell, crypto currencies are absolutely identical to equities on a bona fide exchange like the NYSE, except that a) the exchange isn't bona fide, b) the "equities" don't represent anything real, c) there is no govt regulation, d) there is no self-regulation, e) there is no insurance or recourse of any kind if there's a failure, f) crypto values fluctuate becuz of magic and hope, g) crypto currencies are sold by obvious grifters, several of whom have been convicted of fraud, etc.

Project 2025 is anti-adoption, declaring on page 489 that “all children have a right to be raised by the men and women who conceived them.”

Really?!

This laughing thing needs more attention. When Trump says “You can tell a lot by a laugh,” he’s not wrong. Harris’s laugh is charming and genuine. Now let’s talk about his:

It doesn’t exist. Trump doesn’t laugh. Think about it. He smirks, he sneers, and he snickers, but he lacks whatever brain function is responsible for laughter.

Is it a neurological problem? Voters need to know

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/kamala-harris-laugh-criticism-trump-women-color-emotions-rcna164069

Israeli Militants Riot Over Investigation Into Torture of Palestinian Prisoner https://truthout.org/articles/israeli-militants-riot-over-investigation-into-torture-of-palestinian-prisoner/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

It's very much to Trump's benefit to be dismissed by those who oppose him as a ranting, incoherent windbag. But "this will be the last election that you'll need to vote in" is *exactly* what policy initiatives like Project 2025 set out to achieve.

Your occasional reminder that Josh Hawley represents Missouri in the Senate but doesn't have a bona fide residence there and hasn't for years.

His Missouri "residence" is a lake house owned by his sister.

Hawley actually lives in Virginia -- in violation of the Constitution.

They know they can't win, that's why they plan to cheat.

Kid, annoyed by lousy school #Internet #filtering devices, worked with techy father to make a better one. " Accustomed to pointing out how bad filters are, he offered surprised praise for Safe Kids, commending its focus on #privacy its open source code that offers transparency about its model, and its context-specific blocking". https://calmatters.org/education/2024/07/web-filter/

KOSA, just passed by the Senate 91-3, will allow politicians and federal commissioners to decide what Americans should read and watch online. It’s a blatant attack on our free speech. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/07/kosa-internet-censorship-bill-just-passed-senate-its-our-last-chance-stop-it

New, by me: A federal district court in New York ruled that U.S. border agents must obtain a warrant before searching the electronic devices of Americans and international travelers crossing the U.S. border.

The judge warned that had they ruled in the government's favor, this ruling could have be used to target political opponents, who "would only need to travel once through an international airport for the government to gain unfettered access" to their devices.

More: https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/29/us-border-agents-must-get-warrant-before-cell-phone-searches-federal-court-rules/

Trump is not only weird, he’s also old and creepy.

And a racist, a serial sexual predator, a serial philanderer, a serial fraudster and con man, an insurrectionist who tried to overthrow the government in a coup, and a convicted felon.

He’s a weird old creepy criminal.

Under the tax plan proposed in Project 2025, it's estimated that a family of 4 making $100,000/year would get a $2,600 tax hike. But a family of 4 making $5 million/year would get a $325,000 tax cut.

It's a trickle-down nightmare.

#mastotip
Deleting a post does not work the way you think. The post disappears to you, but if it has already been pushed to the people you are mentioning, they can still see what you wrote, because deletion often does not happen instantly.

3 times this week, someone responded to me, regretted it, and then deleted it. But their reply was already on my phone.

I think this needs to be fixed, because we all make mistakes, and wanting to clean up a mistake should be allowed. But it is not.

1/2

Google claims its “Privacy Sandbox” protects your privacy, but it really protects their profits. That's why Privacy Badger's latest update automatically opts you out. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/07/why-privacy-badger-opts-you-out-googles-privacy-sandbox

Trump: "I want to be a dictator on Day One."

Trump (last night): "Vote for me in this election, and you'll never have to vote anymore."

We should appreciate such plain talk.

Here's how to stop X from using your posts to train its AI:

Stop posting on X

The Pro Codes Act would allow for portions of the law to be copyrighted. This is bad and should be opposed.

SDOs like the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) play a critical role in crafting standards, such as GAAP, which are frequently incorporated into statutory and regulatory frameworks.

The Act seeks to allow SDOs to retain copyright over their standards. This would create a major access to justice issue.

#lawfedi #taxfedi #tax @law @eff @CenDemTech

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewleahey/2024/07/26/a-threat-to-justice-the-pro-codes-act-would-copyright-the-law/

Please keep in mind that the Harris euphoria will not -- cannot -- last nonstop through November. There's a natural ebb and flow to everything. Count on the Trump cult getting part of their vile act together after their initially flummoxed response.

Meanwhile, Big Journalism is going to do everything it possibly can to stir up trouble so it can cover the election, as it loves to do, as blood sport. Issues? Ha.

We will save democracy. The hardest work begins now -- please do what you can.