bobgosane99 @bobgosane99@librem.one

Somebody really needs to make a "Fear is the Mind Killer" COVID-19 face mask that actually looks like something the Fremen of #Dune would wear. Seriously, it's a missed opportunity, folks, and I would totally buy at least one. Any takers?

Robert Michels: Political Parties

... published in 1911 and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy. It is considered one of the classics of social sciences, in particular sociology and political science. ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_Parties

http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=9A6922502CEF740CEBD8954CE05D5687

#RobertMichels #sociology #politicalScience #IronLawOfOligarch #power

Kim Stanley Robinson is feeling optimistic.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/the-coronavirus-and-our-future

<< Margaret Thatcher said that “there is no such thing as society,” and Ronald Reagan said that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” These stupid slogans marked the turn away from the postwar period of reconstruction and underpin much of the bullshit of the past forty years.

We are individuals first, yes, just as bees are, but we exist in a larger social body. >>

"It'll all be over by Christmas"

Charlie Stross, on #covid19

Spoiler: No it won't.

https://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2020/04/itll-all-be-over-by-christmas.html

"We find that Zoom has “rolled their own” encryption scheme, which has significant weaknesses. In addition, we identify potential areas of concern in Zoom’s infrastructure, including observing the transmission of meeting encryption keys through China."

Move Fast & Roll Your Own Crypto: A Quick Look at the Confidentiality of Zoom Meetings - The Citizen Lab

https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto-a-quick-look-at-the-confidentiality-of-zoom-meetings/

I work in IT which is the reason this house has:

- mechanical windows
- mechanical door locks
- no Alexa/HomeKit/Google
- no Internet connected thermostats, lamps, or whatnots
- a dumb TV
- wall switches for lights

Maybe we need a booster shot?

---

The Institute for Propaganda Analysis (IPA) was a U.S.-based organization operating from 1937 to 1942, composed of social scientists, opinion leaders, historians, educators, and journalists. Created by Kirtley Mather, Edward A. Filene, and Clyde R. Miller, because of the general concern that increased amounts of propaganda were decreasing the public's ability to think critically. The IPA's purpose was to spark rational thinking and provide a guide to help the public have well-informed discussions on current issues. "To teach people how to think rather than what to think." The IPA focused on domestic propaganda issues that might become possible threats to the democratic ways of life.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_Propaganda_Analysis

“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”
— Anne-Marie Bonneau

#UsPol #NPR's #BAMF #MarieLouiseKelley interviewing #SecretaryOfState

https://twitter.com/jayrosen_nyu/status/1220811047310938113?s=20

Aftermath: literally hauled out on the carpet, yelled at, cursed at, and threatened.

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1220837170484797445?s=20

Full interview is playing on NPR's All Things Considered:

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/24/798579754/transcript-nprs-full-interview-with-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo

‪„Donald Trump’s threat to target “cultural sites” in Iran would put him into an axis of architectural evil alongside the Taliban and Isis, both of which have wreaked similar forms of destruction this century.“ #TheGuardian https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jan/06/the-iranian-cultural-treasures-targeted-by-trump?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other‬

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/05/australia-fires-celeste-barber-fundraiser-reaches-20m-as-pink-nicole-kidman-make-huge-donations

I find it unbelievably sad that people feel that the best way to help is to donate to firefighters.

There is almost zero mention of the political dimension of a totally disconnected from reality australian govt, or that this is a first-world country.

It’s like donating to healthcare gofundme pages, ppl should be donating to political advocacy/climate change orgs instead imo

@szbalint If 40 odd years of effort in getting the government to act has gone nowhere, maybe it's time to change gears. I'm sure those orgs and activists and scientists gave it all they had, but now more than ever it's clear that the government isn't listening and doesn't want to hear it.

Maybe I'm just not patient enough, but that continual feeling of absolute futility was what burned me out.

Looking for recommendations on good instances that currently have open registration.

Boosts requested on this one.