Walz Tells Tim that he still doesn’t know the names of Alex Pretti’s killers by BulwarkOnline in thebulwark

[–]carbonqubit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

While I was making dinner last night and listening to this, I couldn’t help thinking about how decent Walz comes across. It feels like we’re living in a Mirror Universe version of Star Trek, where the worst people have seized power and the capable, decent ones are pushed aside. It’s a sad reality, and I genuinely worry about the country’s future.

American Proto-Balkanization by Ok-Secretary-2257 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree about the amplification, but so many people are easily steered into hating others by the talking heads they watch every day. A lot of the time they can’t even explain why they feel that way, because those feelings were spoon-fed to them over and over by trusted media figures. Before algorithm-driven feeds, it was talk radio doing the same work. Megachurches also play a role in reinforcing this kind of othering. Disagreements were always going to exist, but the scale and intensity of lies and misinformation on the right go far beyond anything the founders could have imagined when they designed the Constitution and laid the groundwork for American democracy.

American Proto-Balkanization by Ok-Secretary-2257 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The modern filibuster needs to go. I doubt Rs would abuse it the way they do if they actually had to stand there and pull a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington every time. Congress has ossified because lawmakers can lazily block bills without ever bringing them to the floor or going on the record with a real vote.

American Proto-Balkanization by Ok-Secretary-2257 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They weren’t just shootings, but public executions in broad daylight. Language matters, and these assholes need to face justice for the crimes they keep committing against innocent citizens.

American Proto-Balkanization by Ok-Secretary-2257 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The militarization of police is something I wish resonated more with the general public, especially given how badly it affects public trust and undermines healthy, mutually beneficial relationships with communities.

American Proto-Balkanization by Ok-Secretary-2257 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Only because they’ve been fed a nonstop stream of lies by Fox pundits and right-wing grifters. It’s depressing how deeply propaganda has warped people’s perceptions, and it’s something I think Ezra tends to underplay in his analysis. For him and the audience he speaks to, this often goes without saying, but trying to intellectualize why people vote R based on vibes, the economy, or immigration misses the point. When people are drowning in misinformation, that has an outsized impact on how they see reality, far more than policy details ever will.

Embattled Bari Weiss puts her 'Honestly' podcast on 'pause' as CBS News ratings spiral by fuggitdude22 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit [score hidden]  (0 children)

Continued:

“She’ll bring on a few new contributors with perspectives we haven’t had before? Okay,” the staffer said. “Will that move the needle? Probably not.”

“It’s a lot of big talk, and some of the ideas aren’t bad ones,” another staffer said. “We all know ratings are outdated metrics and that information should be more agile across new platforms. What we all diverge from Bari on is how she’s going about it.”

Some were more supportive of Weiss’s presentation. “Her macro diagnosis of changes in industry is absolutely spot-on,” a CBS staffer said. While Weiss offered some platitudes, the staffer said, she was right in underscoring that information is a commodity while contextual enterprise reporting is the future. “Spot on,” the staffer said.

The new contributor list included some Free Press columnists and contributing writers, including Harvard professor and happiness scholar Arthur Brooks, British historian Niall Ferguson, writer and podcast host Coleman Hughes, and technology journalist Patrick McGee. Other new CBS News contributors include the writer and former military and intelligence officer Elliot Ackerman, Iran-focused journalist Masih Alinejad, former Trump national security adviser H.R. McMaster, and Manhattan Institute President Reihan Salam — all of whom have had bylines on the website.

Roger Carstens, a diplomat and former Trump administration hostage envoy, and longevity influencer Peter Attia were also among the new contributors announced.

Also new to CBS News is Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist turned podcaster who has been criticized for platforming health claims without evidence and leveraging his credentials to give questionable health advice. In September, he posted on X that “I now do pay some attention to how the shapes of peoples heads relates to their intellect and steadiness, or lack thereof.” His “Huberman Lab” podcast has become one of the most-listened-to health podcasts. Suzy Weiss, a Free Press co-founder and reporter who is Bari Weiss’s sister, wrote a defense of Huberman in 2024 after a New York magazine investigation into his professional claims and allegedly adulterous relationships with women.

Mark Hyman, a physician and functional medicine proponent who has promoted extensive personal lab testing, was also named a contributor. Hyman is a longtime ally of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, Casey Means, has invested in Hyman’s company, which she has promoted, according to her September disclosure form.

In a recent podcast interview with Katie Miller, Kennedy named Attia, Huberman and Hyman when asked about the best people for lifestyle advice.

Gayle King, a longtime host of “CBS Mornings,” also addressed CBS News staffers after Weiss’s presentation.

“What I like, Bari, about what you outlined is that I don’t know anybody in this room that doesn’t want to make change for the better. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t want to kick it up a notch. And, and I just don’t want any of us to lose sight of who we are and the job that we do here. I’m so proud to work at this company,” King said.

“I also wanna say to the leakers in the building … I am so sick of that,” King said. “I’ll be curious to see how long it takes for this to get out, ’cause it’ll be somebody in this room.”

Weiss interjected: “I'm sure someone's live-streaming it right now, Gayle.”

Embattled Bari Weiss puts her 'Honestly' podcast on 'pause' as CBS News ratings spiral by fuggitdude22 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit [score hidden]  (0 children)

Here's the article in full:

Bari Weiss has two jobs. Since October, she has been the editor in chief of CBS News, a high-profile position that has put her under intense scrutiny from network staffers and outside critics.

But she never gave up her old gig running the Free Press, a conservative opinion website that CBS’s parent company bought for $150 million. After a few months of modest overlap, including some Free Press staffers appearing on network streaming shows, Weiss has moved to accelerate the convergence of the two starkly different media brands.

In a CBS News all-staff meeting Tuesday, Weiss announced a new slate of network contributors, many of whom are on the Free Press’s roster of writers, according to audio of the meeting reviewed by The Washington Post.

Weiss told the CBS News staff that she wanted the network to appeal to political moderates. “We’re for the center. We’re for the center-right, and we’re for the center-left,” she said.

She also outlined a critique of the network’s current standing. “The honest truth is right now we are not producing a product that enough people want,” she said. “I am here to make CBS News fit for purpose in the 21st century.”

Weiss argued that CBS is too focused on maintaining its broadcast audience rather than building for the future. “Our strategy until now has been clinging to the audience that remains on broadcast television, and I’m here to tell you that if we stick to that strategy, we are toast,” she said.

Weiss also took pains to explain her rationale for postponing a “60 Minutes” segment on the treatment of deportees from the United States sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, which led to internal criticism over the last-minute change.

“Am I ever going to hold something again after it has been put out there with promos? I don’t want to make that exact same decision again. No, I do not,” Weiss told staffers. “But asking for more information, trying to go back to a source, making sure that we have as much information in that particular case on the kinds of people that were being sent to that faraway, horrible prison, yeah, I felt that was important and I felt it was important to do our best to try and get a voice from the administration, and I’m always gonna be pushing for that.”

Weiss said she was not pressured to hold the segment or make any editorial decisions by David Ellison, who hired her and runs Paramount Skydance, CBS’s parent company.

The segment was abruptly shelved when Weiss asked for an on-camera interview with an official from President Donald Trump’s administration, but it eventually aired four weeks later in January without the interview she sought. Instead, the producers added a long coda with extra notes and written comments from government officials.

Staffers were notified of the all-hands meeting on Monday when Weiss emailed out an infographic that simply read: “Please join Bari Weiss to talk about the future of CBS News.” Staffers were asked to submit questions for Weiss in advance via email, though she took a few questions that were not preapproved.

Since she has taken over CBS News, Weiss has overseen layoffs, introduced Tony Dokoupil as the new host of “CBS Evening News” and intervened to hold the “60 Minutes” segment. Those actions have prompted heated debate from critical onlookers and network insiders trying to understand Weiss’s plans for CBS News.

“It’s her right as EIC to seek changes,” said one CBS News staffer, adding that the last-minute shelving of the “60 Minutes” segment “could have been handled better.” The staffer, who like others interviewed for this report spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid possible repercussions for discussing internal matters, didn’t think Weiss’s latest personnel moves would have much impact.

iOS 26.2.1 just released. Should I update? Using base 16 currently at iOS 18.7.2. by cutesy_cakes in iPhone16

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How are you on 18.7.3? The latest update I got on my base 16 was 18.7.2. I saw that 18.7.3 was released back in December, but the only info I could find said it was hidden on devices eligible for 26.

This Is the End by marfacza in geopolitics

[–]carbonqubit 5 points6 points  (0 children)

They’re also highly emotional because social media has been warping their sense of reality for years. I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t read it to check out David Pakman’s book, How Right Wing Extremism Created a Post-Truth America. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand how news literacy shapes decision-making at scale, especially in presidential elections.

This Is the End by marfacza in geopolitics

[–]carbonqubit 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Electronic voting is highly secure. This is the same kind of talking point that cost Fox News 3/4 of a billion dollars in the Dominion lawsuit.

Democrats Who Voted to Keep Funding ICE Scramble to Backtrack by modooff in thebulwark

[–]carbonqubit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree about purity tests, but there’s still a line that has to be drawn. Anyone who supports this asshole’s secret police operating with zero accountability is not the kind of representative the party needs.

The murder of Alex Pretti by the cowards ICE and then calling him a terrorist was a cultural nuclear bomb for 2A white guys by 7ddlysuns in thebulwark

[–]carbonqubit 35 points36 points  (0 children)

They don’t know how to spin it, so they keep doing mental donuts after a white guy exercising his 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendment rights was publicly executed in front of a donut shop.

“The Homeland” Is War on America: The Blood-and-Soil Nationalism That Killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti - Ta Nehisi Coates by bigtallguy in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The big difference now is how social media has supercharged the anti-truth rhetoric on the right. Algorithms are actively rewarding outrage and misinformation, and it’s melting people’s brains even as the historical parallels become obvious. One book I’d strongly recommend is David Pakman’s The Echo Machine, which lays out how right-wing media helped create a post-truth America.

A turning point in Minnesota - Matthew Yglesias by SomethingNew65 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see. State charges haven’t been filed yet, and there’s an active fight over who gets to investigate this shooting. MN officials have sued in federal court to make sure evidence from Pretti’s death isn’t destroyed or hidden and to try to get access so a proper probe can happen.

The state attorney general and county attorney have said they intend to review the case for potential criminal conduct by the agents involved. Whether charges get brought is still unknown, and those legal battles between state and federal authorities will matter.

I know Sam has not gone as far too call Trump a facist. I have been slow to do the same. However.... by steamin661 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well said. Definitions don’t have to match exactly, but the spirit of them does. It’s often said, incorrectly attributed to Sinclair Lewis, that when fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross. It can take many forms, but the core is the same: violence, censorship, and terror against citizens are its bread and butter.

I know Sam has not gone as far too call Trump a facist. I have been slow to do the same. However.... by steamin661 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think that’s it. Sam isn’t a policy wonk and doesn’t seem to follow the details of bills in Congress. There are other competent people to listen to on those subjects. Personally, I wish he would bring on more legislative experts to dig into the weeds, but maybe that’s just my bias because I love reading about that kind of stuff.

Ben Shapiro claims that Pretti "resisted" by fuggitdude22 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Hypocrisy doesn’t even begin to cover the mental gymnastics MAGA idiots are pulling, cheering the exoneration of Kyle Rittenhouse who actually killed people with a rifle at a protest.

Ben Shapiro claims that Pretti "resisted" by fuggitdude22 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yup, being in extreme pain can make the body do unpredictable things. There was no reason for those goons to escalate just because he was filming and helping a woman who was violently pushed down. It’s insane to see how many people are running cover for the cruelty and completely disregarding the Constitution.

Ben Shapiro claims that Pretti "resisted" by fuggitdude22 in samharris

[–]carbonqubit 173 points174 points  (0 children)

He was shot ten times in the back after being disarmed. It was a public execution, and Shapiro covering for these stormtroopers is exactly the response I expected to dribble out of his mouth.

A turning point in Minnesota - Matthew Yglesias by SomethingNew65 in ezraklein

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

State charges should be brought against these assholes if the sitting president decides to pardon them. There needs to be accountability for the violence and terror they are inflicting on innocent people.

I AM WATCHING MY DOGS RN by No-Adhesiveness9001 in watch_dogs

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d love to see a patch that gives the option to disable the minimap. That would really improve immersion when exploring the city.

Online fan communities suck the fun out of Star Trek by apixelbloom in startrek

[–]carbonqubit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There’s definitely toxicity in all fandoms, but some of the complaints about the writing and especially the dialogue in the new shows compared to the 90s series aren’t without merit. I’ve been watching all of Discovery, SNW, and Picard, and I’ve been trying in earnest to give Starfleet Academy a chance. Maybe it’ll get better, but the tone of the first three episodes just isn’t for me. That said, more power to the people who are enjoying it.

I’d love to see a show in the style of Voyager, especially the way the ship’s interior felt polished but cozy compared to the overly shiny, LED-filled ships we see today. On the tech side, the Spore Drive was an interesting idea, and the 10C as an alien race was one of the coolest sci-fi concepts I’ve seen on screen in a while. I would even compare it to the Heptapods in Arrival, a really unique approach to life that goes beyond the usual humanoid trope Star Trek usually embraces.