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[#1]

[JMOldeVintage]

From Tampa Local NBC News:

"Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new laws Tuesday to combat Big Tech’s “censorship” of right-wing political candidates.

“What began as a group of upstart technology companies from the west coast, has since transformed into an industry of monopoly communications platforms that monitor, influence, and control the flow of information in our country and among our citizens,” DeSantis said from the Cabinet Meeting Room.

The governor said ‘Big Tech’ is becoming more like ‘Big Brother’ with “each passing day.”

“Used to be that consumers were trusted to make their own decisions about what information to consume, about which leaders to ‘follow,’ about what news to watch,” he said. “Now those decisions are increasingly made by nameless, faceless boards of sensors.” (sic)

DeSantis said when 2.8 million Americans downloaded the social media app Parler, a self-described “free speech” platform, it was canceled by Amazon, Google, and Apple.

What about the 88 million Americans who chose to ‘follow’ Donald Trump [on Twitter]? Sorry! Content moderators on Twitter pulled the plug,” the governor said.

DeSantis said they can’t let Big Tech “manipulate” news content and design algorithms to give an upper hand to the candidates of their choice.

“That’s why in Florida we’re gonna take aim at those companies and pull back the veil and make sure those guys don’t continue to find loopholes and grey areas to live above the law,” DeSantis said. “Under our proposal, if a technology company de-platforms a candidate for elected office in Florida during an election, that company will face a daily fine of $100,000 until the candidate’s access to the platform is restored.”

DeSantis also proposed that if a company promotes a candidate for office against another, the value of that free promotion must be recorded as a political campaign contribution."

Yes, this is something very important that DeSantis & the Florida Legislature need to handle immediately. 

Got to see the Anderson Cooper special on Qanon repeated Sunday night. Some person named "Q" posts stuff that might need to be de-coded so they all know what to do? You really do start thinking about people becoming involved in cults & how they think. 

And the breaking news that Jeff Bezos is stepping down as Amazon CEO. This is interesting. 

[JMOldeVintage]

IMO - Facebook & Twitter (especially) did not start out as a "news Platform". They were initially set up as ways to stay in touch Socially with friends & family; a way for celebrities to promote the lasted movie/music or whatever.
Then slowly but surely various individuals began posting more "serious" events, or making comments on a much wider range of topics.
Most social media sites have TOU's that they've had to amend as society changes. 
While I don't think they should not be looked at as News Sites I'm not sure how you balance out factual info. from "BS". For example many local Health Depts have postings on their "social media pages". But if you want to sign up for a covid vaccine you need to go to an actual website. But I certainly Do Not think that Non-Governmental Social Media Sites need to guarantee "free speech", to have an open door policy - especially if any lawmakers are intent on changing Section 230 rules. 

[finickypatternshop]

Seems if elected people can’t be blocked or the platform is fined then those elected should also not be allowed to block individuals, something trump did regularly. It is just more whining and hypocrisy from the right. They know if they can’t lie they are doomed. We have several elected who try and pull that here too, I point out their lies and they block me, sadly it is both on the right and the further left, the one I usually support. I understand blocking if someone is abusive but not if you just don’t like their message. They removed trump because he was lying and those lies were encouraging a reaction, obviously not soon enough.

Q-nut stuff is crazy and though some have given up on the mass arrest garbage, some are hanging on. Their next date for it is early March, maybe the 5th but can’t remember. They say it was the original inauguration date. Some think at the hearings next week. What gets me is that many claim to be Christians, post bible quotes next to hate filled garbage. Their videos are the same, one second preaching, the next spreading lies and cursing. Always asking for donations.

[finickypatternshop]

Randy Rainbow on that Q-nut just elected. Hopefully the link works.
https://twitter.com/RandyRainbow/status/1356974994748809216?s=20

[PillowDetails]

My sister and I send each other Randy Rainbow videos the second we see them!  LOL!

[PillowDetails]

Liz Cheney vote last night - "Secret ballot".  Seriously?  If today's vote for Marjory Taylor Greene is also a secret ballot - maybe, just maybe - it will go that way for Trump's impeachment? Ya think?  LOL!

[PillowDetails]

Not getting enough attention - Trumps fascist propaganda.  I saw it from the beginning, and I still maintain Trump was "somebody's" Useful Idiot.  He's just not smart enough to orchestrate this, but narcissistic enough to go along with it.  Too much to be a coincidence.  Chilling.

https://www.justsecurity.org/74504/movie-at-the-ellipse-a-study-in-fascist-propaganda/

[JMOldeVintage]

I'll have to see that. 

The Liz Cheney vote being secret would have been amusing if it weren't for the Greene Situation. Supposedly Greene apologized to the Republican Party & they gave her a standing ovation. OMG - for acting like a normal human being for all of five minutes maybe, she gets a standing ovation?! Why didn't she call a press conference and apologize to the entire House and the Senate too? 

I think the House vote today on stripping Greene of her committee assignments is going to be public. There will be a record of how each and every individual voted. This may or may not be telling.

Last night Faux still trying to push the "Swalwell knew a Chinese Spy" story. If I remember, once he was advised by the FBI that she was a "person of interest" to them/DHS etal, I thought he immediately cut off any further contact. But I guess in Faux's eyes everyone should be suspicious of anyone who isn't "american looking" enough? 

And Swalwell's actions in direct contrast to Trump & his Campaign. They knowingly met with people from Russia to discuss "stuff" & it was all so innocent (yeah, right). I agree, Trump was someone's useful idiot. Apparently all you have to do is pour on some flattery, top it with the lure of money or something equally as desirable to him, and whoever the "user" is has total access & probably even guaranteed a favorable outcome.

[finickypatternshop]

Finally got around to reading the article and watching the messed up video. Fricken nuts. I still think that gross bannon was behind much of the trump garbage, including dabbling in the Q stuff. Read anything by him or watch videos by him, they are his ‘style’. Not saying he made this video, not sure if it said who did, but his scorched earth mentality is there. I think he got the ball rolling and others  took over. There was some dude on Twitter who made similar videos and trump would retweet them. I seen an interview and he was so proud his dear leader took notice of him. Though lots of the nuts gave up on the conspiracy crap sadly there are many who are still waiting for the mass arrests to happen. Not exclusive to the US, I’ve seen some from around the world.

[JMOldeVintage]

Well I guess by now everyone has seen the news story about the Grocery Store in Naples, Florida & the wacky owner who somehow "just knows" that masks don't work. Oh, and that most people that died from COVID really didn't - they died from their pre-existing conditions. Never mind that the CDC states 92% of COVID deaths occurred in people without contributing illnesses/conditions.

But, just in case, link to video & story below:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/video-shows-umasked-employees-shoppers-florida-grocery-store-n1...

[JMOldeVintage]

From AP News: 

"President Joe Biden said Friday that Donald Trump should not be allowed to receive classified intelligence briefings, a courtesy that historically has been granted to outgoing presidents.

Asked in an interview with CBS News what he feared if Trump continued to receive the briefings, Biden said he did not want to “speculate out loud” but made clear he did not want Trump to continue getting them.

“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said. “What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier this week that the issue of granting Trump intelligence briefings was “something that is under review.”

Some Democratic lawmakers, and even some former Trump administration officials, have questioned the wisdom of allowing Trump to continue to briefed.

Susan Gordon, who served as the principal deputy director of national intelligence during the Trump administration from 2017 to 2019, in a Washington Post op-ed last month urged Biden to cut off Trump.

“His post-White House ‘security profile,’ as the professionals like to call it, is daunting,” Gordon wrote days after a pro-Trump mob laid siege to the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers sought to certify his defeat in last November’s election. “Any former president is by definition a target and presents some risks. But a former president Trump, even before the events of last week, might be unusually vulnerable to bad actors with ill intent.”

Whether to give a past president intelligence briefings is solely the current officeholder’s prerogative. Biden voiced his opposition to giving Trump access to briefings as the former Republican president’s second impeachment trial is set to begin next week.

Gordon also raised concerns about Trump’s business entanglements. The real estate tycoon saw his business founder during his four years in Washington and is weighed down by significant debt, reportedly about $400 million. Trump during the campaign called his debt load a “peanut” and said he did not owe any money to Russia.

“Trump has significant business entanglements that involve foreign entities,” Gordon wrote. “Many of these current business relationships are in parts of the world that are vulnerable to intelligence services from other nation-states.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, also urged Biden to cut off briefings for Trump.

“There’s no circumstance in which this president should get another intelligence briefing,” Schiff said shortly before Trump ended his term last month. “I don’t think he can be trusted with it now, and in the future."

[PillowDetails]

Bravo!  

[JMOldeVintage]

From NPR:

"Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a new public health disaster proclamation Friday that will ease previous public health regulations geared to controlling the coronavirus.

Starting Sunday, Iowa residents will no longer be required to wear masks. Reynolds' previous order, which was put into place last November, required individuals to wear masks when indoors in a public space and within six feet of individuals who are not part of their household.

Instead, her new proclamation "strongly encouraged" residents with medical conditions and those over the age of 65 to limit activities outside of their home. Those who are not at substantial risk should limit their interactions with those more susceptible to the virus, Friday's proclamation said.

Additionally, Iowans will no longer be held to 15 people for indoor gatherings, or 30 if outdoors. Reynolds strongly encouraged event organizers to take reasonable measures to protect the health of their guests as well as the public, the order said.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported three confirmed cases of the variant first discovered in the United Kingdom on Monday. The variant is believed to spread easier than the original strain of COVID-19. IDPH also encouraged residents to wear a mask and practice social distancing."

This quite rural State averaged over 850 new cases a day this past week & if I read the date correctly, the positivity is at 15%. Granted things are going down for them recently, but WHY does anyone feel the need to do away with Health Guidelines that are working and may be really necessary with the influx of covid variants?

[JMOldeVintage]

I just don't think I can watch the Impeachment stuff tomorrow. It has been rather nice, Trump unable to "tweet" & he apparently hasn't said anything outrageously idiotic in public of late. So I'm going to keep a more positive attitude going & watch something "silly" tomorrow.

[PillowDetails]

I saw it on Twitter first, so I thought I'd check Etsy - Yup!

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=nebraska%20thinking%20place

LOL!  That was a quote from the first defense lawyer, who rambled and went off on tangents -

"How bad is Bruce Castor's presentation in defense of Trump so far? Newsmax cuts into it so Alan Dershowitz can trash it. "There is no argument. I have no idea what he's doing. I have no idea why he's saying what he's saying!"

https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1359238940453199873

[finickypatternshop]

I actually forgot it was on today so missed most of it but seen Twitter clips and yikes on trumps guys. He must be pleased lol.

[JMOldeVintage]

The news reports really dumping on Trump's attorneys. Even GOP Senators appear confused - Sen. Graham said something to the effect that "they knew what they were talking about but we (the Senate) just didn't understand." Now that's a new one! 
I wonder how Faux News handled the situation? (Yeah, I'm real concerned)

[JMOldeVintage]

The following my my Florida search - hmmm, makes one wonder:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/real-estate/mystery-russian-bought-most-expensive-florida-home-for-140m-...

Then there's this:

..."Florida has the most known cases in the United States of the U.K. coronavirus variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

DeSantis on Thursday called the idea of travel restrictions absurd and promised that the state would fight back.

“It would be unconstitutional, it would be unwise, and it would be unjust,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said any move to restrict travel would not be based in science and claimed it would be a “political attack against the people of Florida.”

White House officials said no policy announcements are imminent, and that the Biden administration would consult states and local governments before imposing any travel restrictions or health measures, according to the Miami Herald.

The newspaper also reported that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has sent a letter to President Biden saying that travel restrictions on Florida would be “reckless and economically harmful.”

The Biden administration is considering a rule that would require negative COVID-19 test results for domestic air travel, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg....

There's an active conversation with the CDC right now," Buttigieg told Axios. "What I can tell you is, it's going to be guided by data, by science, by medicine, and by the input of the people who are actually going to have to carry this out."

Last March, DeSantis ordered visitors coming to Florida from New York or New Jersey to self-quarantine for two weeks upon arrival."

I remember DeSantis' quarantine measures - the photos of cars from New York & New Jersey backed up on the entrance ramps to the State Welcome Centers. So, it was okay to enact what he deemed a Public Health Measure upon residents of certain States, but then immediately jumps to calling a possible measure "against" Florida as a "Political Attack"?!  That's almost on par with Fox News ridiculing the CDC's new guidance on masks & how to wear them as a "non scientific", "freedom restricting" whim. 

[JMOldeVintage]

This afternoon I happened upon Rep. Joaquin Castro's presentation during today's trial session. If there is a way to watch, hear or read it I found it quite stirring & worth the time. 

[PillowDetails]

Looks like impeachment vote will be tomorrow.  I have a feeling we may be surprised.

Fingers crossed!

[JMOldeVintage]

Oh I hope you are right!

[finickypatternshop]

I watched a bit more today but what a sh*t show. The outright lies and hypocrisy. The difference between Dems skill and intelligence compared to Reps blah blah blah was very stark. The trump lawyers were so bad, definitely speaking to an audience of one.

Not sure what the rules are but if it was possible to do a blind vote it might help. I suspect at this point the Reps are getting death threats should they vote against their dear leader. A small taste of what some Dems have been going thru for years, largely due to trumps rhetoric. They were okay with that until it affected them.

I kind of wish they would call witnesses and make them defend him under oath.

[PillowDetails]

And now - Witnesses!  Should be interesting!

[JMOldeVintage]

And then there were none.
I'm confused, though does this have something to do with the possibility that some Senators (as mentioned on CNN) didn't know what they were voting "yes" on? 
Or maybe a deal has been struck on the Senate voting on - oh my brain has failed me - banning Trump from ever holding office again? Think that was a simple majority of Senators in attendance during the vote. That could be interesting.

[PacificKnots]

The witness is my representative, Congresswoman Jamie Herrera-Beuttler.  She has never been afraid of going against the former president.  Unfortunately, this will probably end her political career.  My district is pretty conservative.