Lighter and Darker we go
We have been warned for years about the danger of Artificial Intelligence. Turns out it’s more dangerous than anyone thought. Check the video.
And to think it only took 4 GED programs to get this one trained for wanton killings (((shudder))).
Speaking of killings, if you aren’t watching Ken Burns 3 part documentary on PBS, you can also watch it here. It began Sunday.
Rather than the standard revisiting of the hideous detail of the well known details of Germany’s atrocities, it’s a serious look at the US response to the hundreds of thousands of European immigrants trying to flee to America. Along with a number of topics still relevant, like the pre-WWI embrace of the pseudo-science of eugenics, which helped foster the elimination of lives two decades later under Naziism.
It’s history, not myth nor conspiracy. And in light of the fears being stoked about certain immigrants today, its relevance is unquestionable.
This message comes courtesy of one of those people who understand climate science. You know…. one of those people.
I always thought Beyond Meat was a line of plant-based products, not from things harvested by angry cannibals in love with Razorbacks. Clearly I was misguided.
Ex-president Trump appointed a judge after the 2020 election. When a year of negotiation for a return of US documents failed to gain his compliance, a search warrant was authorized based on information received from Trump’s inner circle or staff.
The FBI retrieved the documents, discovering some included top security docs that could cause grave harm to our national security.
Trump called it a raid, has made numerous complaints about it, including that some docs were planted, that he declassified some of them (which there is no evidence of), and that the FBI agents failed to take off their shoes while walking on a bedroom carpet. To anyone familiar with Trump’s methods going back decades before he decided to run for office, these are typical deny, divert and delay tactics.
Then his attorneys called for the appointment of a Special Master to review the seized materials and determine if some were protected from DOJ review by executive privilege. Surprising all legal experts, his appointed judge agreed, essentially creating a new class of executive privilege that never existed before. So the judge acted like she was a lawmaking Congressional majority.
Team Trump followed up by suggesting a Reagan-appointed judge to be Special Master. The DOJ agreed to Trump’s choice while lodging an objection to the Trump-appointed judge’s ruling. Most people watching this circus sideshow play out already knew this much.
But today, the Special Master asked Team Trump to define which documents Trump had allegedly declassified. They refused, saying they wanted to wait to do that in case any court action made Trump a defendant first.
The Special Master disagreed, telling them “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.” By waiting to see if he’s charged with any crime, any document that he gets charged with illegally keeping, he could simply say “Oh, that one? I declassified that” as it’s the only potential defense he’ll have.
I believe he was such a disorderly mess as a President that he’s not even sure what all the documents were that he was retaining (that the FBI agents seized). So some were held for a Trump reason and some just ended up in boxes due to poor filing practices. And Trump doesn’t want to define the supposedly declassified ones because he’s afraid he’ll forget some crucial ones if and when a trial occurs.
Trump’s delaying efforts may have impressed the judge he appointed (though if the DOJ appealed her ruling, her ruling would likely be overturned) but it’s not working with the Special Master his team chose. Trump can bloviate, whine, lie and tweet about this one but he’s not going to succeed in changing the mind of the Special Master. It’s put up or shut up time with him.
However…. The Texas Attorney General's office also made an appearance in the 11th Circuit Court case today over the classified records at Mar-a-Lago. Their lawyer claimed to represent Texas, Montana, Utah, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana, South Carolina, Indiana and West Virginia and he claimed that the 11 AGs - all Republicans - believed Judge Cannon (the Trump judge) was right to set aside the "presumption of regularity," which she didn’t actually do. Their brief was a list of complaints about unrelated things President Biden or Vice President Harris have either said or done that they argue makes them untrustworthy in defining what is covered by executive privilege. Even though current presidents always have that power while ex-presidents lose that power.
The Texas lawyer is attempting to reverse that with no legal basis whatsoever. But it deserves watching because autocrats often try to wipe away established laws, regulations and public protections to gain complete control over every branch of government so they can stay in power in perpetuity. So the most important question remains whether any federal court will make rulings based on laws or based on their political loyalties to this very strange man, Trump.
And let’s end this with more from the lighter side. Like this good signage.
And this helpful serving tip.
Good night, all.