BUCKNACKT'S SORDID TAWDRY BLOG
We should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive & well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate, bier or wein in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WHOO-HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!"
It's here. The last full day of Donald Trump's presidency.
So how are things looking for our outgoing commander in chief? Well, he's getting hit with the worst approval numbers of his entire presidency. While no one seems to want to attend Trump's sad going-away party tomorrow, the president is reportedly fuming over the big names performing down the street at Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony. The city Trump will soon depart is virtually unrecognizable, with roughly 25,000 National Guard troops—five times the number of service members currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan—patrolling its streets thanks to the murderous attack he had a direct role in inciting. Meanwhile, the US is on the verge of reaching 400,000 deaths from the coronavirus—a stark reminder that while many of us made it to this last day, so many people did not.
The past two weeks have underscored, in deeply tragic terms, the overwhelming challenges that await the incoming administration. But holy moly, I couldn't be more thrilled to see the man out of the White House.
There’s a moment in Nina Simone’s tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., performed three days after he was killed, in 1968, when you can hear her exhale an under-the-breath “hm.” (Listen at the 1:34 mark.) It’s a sound of many things. It’s a note of contemplation, commemoration, exhaustion, and anguish. It’s also a sound of resilience and strength, a single syllable that reflects some of the history of ’68. Much has changed in the intervening decades, but her echoes continue.
As she began to sing, she told the audience, “This whole program is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King. You know that anyway.” Her bassist had written it hours earlier. It’s not just “a performance,” she added. “Not microphones and all that…but really something else.” In one verse she asks, “Will my country stand or fall? Is it too late for us all? He was for equality for all people, you and me. Full of love and good will. Hate was not his way…Folks you’d better stop and think, and feel again, for we’re headed for the brink.”
In commemoration of MLK Jr. Day this year, Healdsburg Jazz streamed a resounding celebration of his life by the bassist and artistic director Marcus Shelby, pianist Tammy Hall, and vocalist Kim Nalley, who performed Simone’s song with a topspin that lifted melodically what, for Simone, was a kind of sinking down. “Now more than ever we are compelled to use music as a healing force,” Shelby said.
If you've been paying even the slightest bit of attention to this year's presidential shitshow, you've seen at least a few Donald Trump's insane Twitter attacks. But since there are almost 20,000 of them, it's been next to impossible to sift through them all. That's all about to change thanks to a new website, which lets anyone search through a comprehensive database of every shitty thing the Republican candidate has ever said on Twitter from 2009 on, the Atlanticreports.
The Trump Twitter Archive is the brainchild of a for-now-unnamed programmer and former Peace Corps volunteer who is funding the whole project with the help of donations. On the site, the treasure trove of more than 16,000 tweets that the politician typed out with his tiny, tiny hands is divided into categories, like Conspiracy Theories and Retaliation, or can be searched by keyword—like "lyin' ted cruz" or "loser," for instance.
Police are using analytics and search capabilities sold by social media surveillance companies to monitor activists protesting police brutality.
These companies – like one called Geofeedia – have powerful tools that they are marketing to the police, allowing law enforcement to monitor your posts, what protests you attend, even the hashtags you use.
The ACLU of California found that over 500 law enforcement and public agencies used the services of Geofeedia – tools marketed to police to monitor protesters and activists of color.
At least 20 agencies in California used social media surveillance tools, and there’s evidence that law enforcement tracked South Asian, Muslim, and Sikh activists in San Jose and Black Lives Matter activists in Oakland.
In an important first step, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter just cut ties with Geofeedia – but that's only one piece of the puzzle.Other companies still offer police similar social media surveillance tools.
Social media is a driver for activism, political conversation, and the fight for human rights.We need to make sure it continues to be a safe forum for millions to connect about the most important issues in our lives – and can’t be used as funnels for a surveillance database.
We need to make sure Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram continue to be safe platforms for millions to connect about the most important issues in our lives – and can't be used as funnels for a surveillance database.
Thank you for taking action, Nicole Ozer for the ACLU Action team
I just don't get the whole deception on the computer thing. Here are some common sense suggestions to help protect you and your computer those who will take advantage of you if you let them.
We’re wired to be social creatures, and sites like Twitter and Facebook have capitalized on this to great success. According to its COO Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook draws 175 million logins every day.
But with this tremendous popularity comes a dark side as well. Virus writers and other cybercriminals go where the numbers are -- and that includes popular social media sites. To help you avoid a con or viral infection, we’ve put together this list of the top five social media scams.
5. Chain Letters You’ve likely seen this one before -- the dreaded chain letter has returned. It may appear in the form of, "Retweet this and Bill Gates will donate $5 million to charity!" But hold on, let’s think about this. Bill Gates already does a lot for charity. Why would he wait for something like this to take action? Answer: He wouldn’t. Both the cause and claim are fake.
So why would someone post this? Good question. It could be some prankster looking for a laugh, or a spammer needing "friends" to hit up later. Many well-meaning people pass these fake claims onto others. Break the chain and inform them of the likely ruse.
4. Cash Grabs By their very nature, social media sites make it easy for us to stay in touch with friends, while reaching out to meet new ones. But how well do you really know these new acquaintances? That person with the attractive profile picture who just friended you -- and suddenly needs money -- is probably some cybercriminal looking for easy cash. Think twice before acting. In fact, the same advice applies even if you know the person.
Picture this: You just received an urgent request from one of your real friends who "lost his wallet on vacation and needs some cash to get home." So, being the helpful person you are, you send some money right away, per his instructions. But there’s a problem: Your friend never sent this request. In fact, he isn’t even aware of it. His malware-infected computer grabbed all of his contacts and forwarded the bogus email to everyone, waiting to see who would bite.
Again, think before acting. Call your friend. Inform him of the request and see if it's true. Next, make sure your computer isn't infected as well.
3. Hidden Charges "What type of STAR WARS character are you? Find out with our quiz! All of your friends have taken it!" Hmm, this sounds interesting, so you enter your info and cell number, as instructed. After a few minutes, a text turns up. It turns out you’re more Yoda than Darth Vader. Well, that’s interesting … but not as much as your next month’s cell bill will be. You’ve also just unwittingly subscribed to some dubious service that charges $9.95 every month.
As it turns out, that "free, fun service" is neither. Be wary of these bait-and-switch games. They tend to thrive on social sites.
2. Phishing Requests "Somebody just put up these pictures of you drunk at this wild party! Check 'em out here!" Huh? Let me see that! Immediately, you click on the enclosed link, which takes you to your Twitter or Facebook login page. There, you enter your account info -- and a cybercriminal now has your password, along with total control of your account.
How did this happen? Both the email and landing page were fake. That link you clicked took you to a page that only looked like your intended social site. It's called phishing, and you've just been had. To prevent this, make sure your Internet security includes antiphishing defenses. Many freeware programs don't include this essential protection.
1. Hidden URLs Beware of blindly clicking on shortened URLs. You'll see them everywhere on Twitter, but you never know where you're going to go since the URL ("Uniform Resource Locator," the Web address) hides the full location. Clicking on such a link could direct you to your intended site, or one that installs all sorts of malware on your computer.
URL shorteners can be quite useful. Just be aware of their potential pitfalls and make sure you have real-time protection against spyware and viruses.
Bottom line: Sites that attract a significant number of visitors are going to lure in a criminal element, too. If you take security precautions ahead of time, such as using antivirus and anti-spyware protection, you can defend yourself against these dangers and surf with confidence.
Copyright (c) 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.
THIS week in civil liberties includes articles on Twitter and freedom of speech, gay marriage in N Carolina, Pres Obama and his administration on gay marriage, social networking and password protection AND gitmo and the fraudulent trials by military commission of five defendants in the 9/11 case, from the ACLU.....
Which Internet company is in court protecting one of its user's right to free speech?
Which state voted to ban marriage for same-sex couples?
Which politician endorsed the freedom to marry for same-sex couples this week?
Which judicial body did ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero
describe as a system is "set up to guarantee convictions and hand down
death sentences, nothing more?"
What bill would be a good start to prohibiting employers from asking
for employees' or job applicants' social networking passwords? Twitter Stands Up For One Of Its Users Twitter has filed a motion in state court
in New York seeking to quash a court order requiring it to turn over
information about one of its users and his communications on Twitter.
This particular case involves Malcolm Harris, who is being prosecuted
by the District Attorney's Office in Manhattan for disorderly conduct
in connection with the Occupy Wall Street protest that occurred on the
Brooklyn Bridge last year. North Carolinians Voted On Anti-LGBT Amendment One Tuesday North Carolinians went to the polls this week to vote on Amendment One,
a constitutional amendment that bans civil unions and domestic
partnerships by making marriage between a man and a woman the only
"domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized" in the state. ACLU Lens: President Obama Endorses Freedom to Marry for Same-Sex Couples President Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to endorse the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.
While in office, Obama and his administration have taken critical
strides toward LGBT equality by refusing to defend the discriminatory
and unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act in court and pushing
Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and reaffirming support for
the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The Shame of Guantánamo: A Close-Up View of Injustice
Last Saturday, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero watched, as a
human rights observer, the arraignment of five accused conspirators in
the 9/11 attacks. In this blog post, he demonstrates his disappointment
with the Guantánamo military commissions in describing government censorship of the court proceedings and the inadequate resources provided to the defense. Password Protection Act of 2012: A Good Start Against Employer Snooping
This week, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and a number of co-sponsors filed the Password Protection Act of 2012 in the Senate and House
to prevent employers from strong-arming employers and job applicants
into sharing information from their personal social networking
accounts. It's an important idea and one that we've been pushing for
more than a year, but the bill itself doesn't go as far as we think it
should. This is your week in civil liberties. Let us know if this is useful or if you'd like to see changes. Share your thoughts: ideas@aclu.org Learn more about your rights: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
VIDEO of an incredible act of bravery in the struggle for freedom and democracy in Cairo, Egypt and a report of the Egyptian protesters organizing via the internet and social media. And check out the audio report from a reporter from the Guardian on his being arrested and beaten while covering the protest.
By Michael Calderonemichael Calderone – Thu Jan 27, 12:47 pm ET
Egyptian security forces have cracked down brutally on protesters since Tuesday, with more than 1,000 detained and six dead. But the government appears to be disrupting more than street demonstrations.
Over the past 48 hours, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have been intermittently blocked as Egyptians rise up against Hosni Mubarak's authoritarian regime, which has ruled the country for nearly three decades. The power of social media—for both disseminating news and organizing protests in an authoritarian country—first drew significant attention during the 2009 protests of Iran's disputed election. More recently, Tunisian protesters utilized social media during the successful ouster of a corrupt president.
So as the Tunisian revolt spreads to Egypt (and Yemen), it's understandable that the government would want to disrupt any tools that could possibly be used to challenge state power. But despite some disruptions, the Internet has proven vital in making images and videos of the protests available to the world.
Twitter confirmed Tuesday night that the micro-blogging platform was being blocked in Egypt. And there were similar reports of Facebook being blocked, according to Herdict, a Harvard University project that tracks web accessibility through crowdsourcing. (The situation remains fluid, and some users report the social media platforms working again Thursday morning, in parts of the country.)
But even as Twitter's service is spotty (or nonexistent) in Egypt, users around the world have been able to keep tabs on the latest news from the country by following the the hashtag #jan25. In addition to on-the-ground reports, Twitter users have also linked to YouTube clips from the demonstrations that capture a perspective that few major media correspondents would be likely to get.
A YouTube clip from Tuesday, showing a protester standing in the path of a mounted water cannon, is already being described as Egypt's Tiananmen Square moment, a reference to the lone protester who faced off against Chinese tanks in 1989. You can watch the encounter below:
Meanwhile, many Egyptian bloggers have found ways around Internet restrictions to continue posting reports and videos of what's happening on the streets. The New York Times' Lede blog rounded up several videos from this week's protests, including a chilling video of security forces chasing protesters Wednesday night in Cairo. See below:
Social media sites, when accessible, have been especially crucial in the Egypt crisis since a number of independent Egyptian newspapers have seen their websites shut down. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned these instances of media repression on Wednesday.
Still, some journalists have found ways around the media crackdown and produced compelling reports.The Guardian's Jack Shenker, one of several reporters beaten this week by Egyptian security services, managed to produce an audio recording while he was trapped with dozens of protesters in the back of a truck en route to an unknown destination. Listen to Shenker's incredible recording here. (Note: includes profanity)
(Photo of Egyptian anti-riot police confronting activists outside a journalists syndicate in downtown Cairo, Egypt on Jan. 26, 2011: (AP /Ben Curtis)
Video of Egyptian security forces uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday night by a blogger who said that it was shot above Talaat Harb, a street in Cairo, at 9 p.m. local time.
Updated | Thursday | 9:30 a.m. Despite restrictions placed on the Internet and a ban on protests, Egyptians who oppose the continued rule of President Hosni Mubarak managed to post accounts and images of fresh demonstrations on the streets of Cairo online on Wednesday.
As my colleagues Kareem Fahim and Mona El-Naggar report, “In front of Cairo’s press and lawyers’ syndicate buildings, more than 100 people shouted slogans, outnumbered by a force of security officers.”
From outside the press syndicate, an Egyptian blogger who writes as Sandmonkey posted text accounts on Twitter and photographs on Yfrog.
Sandmonkey/YfrogEgyptian protesters and riot police outside the press syndicate in Cairo on Wednesday.
The blogger confirmed to The Lede via Twitter that these images were taken on Wednesday, despite the somewhat confusing decision by Egyptian bloggers to use the hashtag #25Jan to refer to all demonstrations following the mass unrest that started on that date.
Sandmonkey/YfrogProtesters are seen breaking through police barriers in Cairo on Wednesday.
Another Egyptian blogger, Mostafa Mourad, posted a link on his Twitter feed to an Associated Press photograph of a man he identified as a senior figure in the journalists’ syndicate being dragged away by the authorities.
Sandmonkey also posted a link to photographs that appeared to show a large police presence on a street near Egypt’s high court and tear gas being used against protesters.
Later in the day, a video blogger uploaded several clips to YouTube which appeared to show protests outside the lawyers’ syndicate and tear gas being used against protesters near the city’s high court on Wednesday:
(It is difficult to verify when this video was shot, but if any reader has more information about these clips, please contact us by writing in the comment thread below.)
Later on Wednesday, this video of clashes on the streets of Cairo, posted online by the independent Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, appeared to show some of the same scene near the high court:
This clip, also uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday, comes with a title that says it was shot at the Tahrir bus station in Cairo:
(A reader named Tim later contacted us to say that he shot this video of clashes “beneath the 6 of October Bridge around 4 p.m. yesterday.”)
Video uploaded to a YouTube channel called MrPeopleNews — which features dozens of clips of the far larger protests on Tuesday — shows what the video blogger describes as protesters on Abd al-Khaliq, a Cairo street, on Wednesday:
Later on Wednesday, Sandmonkey reported on Twitter that the authorities were slowly letting demonstrators out of a confined space outside the press syndicate (perhaps using the British police tactic known as “kettling”) and he intended to make his way to Tahrir Square, the site of the largest protest on Tuesday.
On Wednesday evening, an Egyptian-American blogger and activist, Gigi Ibrahim — who had used her phone to post several eyewitness photographs of Tuesday’s protests online — texted this report to Twitter:
Tahrir square has unbelievable amount of security I am worried to take out my phone to take a picture I would get arrested.
Ms. Ibrahim later uploaded this photograph of protesters at another location, outside the lawyers’ syndicate:
Standing in Tahrir Square, though, the blogger had good reason to fear a violent reaction from Egypt’s security forces. Minutes earlier, she reported “beating and shootings on Ramses street” as police officers tried to enforce the ban on protests.
The night before, police had used tear gas and beatings to clear Tahrir (Liberation) Square of thousands of demonstrators, as seen in a YouTube clip and a video report from Egypt’s English-language Daily News shot late on Tuesday:
As Egyptian bloggers struggle with Internet restrictions, some video clips of Tuesday’s demonstrations outside Cairo continue to be posted online. Thanks to the reader who drew our attention to this video, said to show a march through the streets of Alexandria on Tuesday:
Another reader pointed to this clip, apparently showing security forces in Alexandria on Wednesday:
This clip is said to show protesters on the streets of Suez late on Tuesday night:
This video appears to have been filmed outide the morgue in Suez, where protesters, including relatives of a man reportedly killed by the police, attempted to retrieve his body. Reuters, citing medical sources, reported that the man, Gharib Abdelaziz Abdellatif, “died of internal bleeding after police shot him in the stomach on Wednesday.”
On Wednesday morning, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that the Egyptian government had planned ahead of time to disrupt the Internet communications of its opponents:
Egyptian security authorities on Tuesday carried out a pre-planned block of Twitter, a social networking website, to impede wide-scale anti-regime protests across the country on 25 January, sources say.
A Facebook invitation earlier this month called for major protests during Egypt’s Police Day over rising prices, unemployment and reform, under the slogan “Day of Anger.”
Twitter users said they were unable to access their personal pages until Wednesday morning.
Late on Tuesday, Twitter posted a message on an official feed confirming that the service had been blocked from reaching at least some users in Egypt. The company wrote:
We can confirm that Twitter was blocked in Egypt around 8am PT today. It is impacting both Twitter.com & applications.
Re Egypt block: We believe that the open exchange of info & views benefits societies & helps govts better connect w/ their people.
Twitter also posted a link to a Web site that showed reports from Egypt documenting and complaining about the disruption to the service, which seemed to indicate that the problem continued for some users on Wednesday.
The Egyptian newspaper also reported:
Months ago, Al-Masry Al-Youm published the details of a meeting between security officials, [the government's National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority] and internet providers to lay down plans to block those websites which activists use extensively to coordinate their efforts.
Participants at the meeting also discussed ways to make page failures appear unintentional. These plans, however, were not implemented before the 25 January protests.
