@roofpig.bsky.social
Please forgive my cynicism, but wouldn’t it depend on who controls the Palestinian Authority in the future? It’s Hamas’ policies and practices that are the problem…not the name.
(Although in Hebrew I think Hamas means “violence” so it’s true that getting rid of the name would be a welcome step.)
(Although in Hebrew I think Hamas means “violence” so it’s true that getting rid of the name would be a welcome step.)
July 29, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Please forgive my cynicism, but wouldn’t it depend on who controls the Palestinian Authority in the future? It’s Hamas’ policies and practices that are the problem…not the name.
(Although in Hebrew I think Hamas means “violence” so it’s true that getting rid of the name would be a welcome step.)
(Although in Hebrew I think Hamas means “violence” so it’s true that getting rid of the name would be a welcome step.)
An LLM reflects the data it was trained on. If you don’t want it to replicate real-world biases, you’d need to scrub the data somehow…at which point it may no longer reflect reality in other important ways.
Fix society and the LLMs will follow.
Fix society and the LLMs will follow.
July 21, 2025 at 7:12 PM
An LLM reflects the data it was trained on. If you don’t want it to replicate real-world biases, you’d need to scrub the data somehow…at which point it may no longer reflect reality in other important ways.
Fix society and the LLMs will follow.
Fix society and the LLMs will follow.
Thank you. Not as easy as it should be. OpenSecrets only lists top donors. A 1/2 M donation from AIPAC is dwarfed by those, both making it hard to confirm *and* making me wonder how influential they are as donors.
Would love to know how much she got from progressive Jews, eg J Street…
Would love to know how much she got from progressive Jews, eg J Street…
July 20, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Thank you. Not as easy as it should be. OpenSecrets only lists top donors. A 1/2 M donation from AIPAC is dwarfed by those, both making it hard to confirm *and* making me wonder how influential they are as donors.
Would love to know how much she got from progressive Jews, eg J Street…
Would love to know how much she got from progressive Jews, eg J Street…
Given enough time to test messaging, maybe…but I don’t think she had that time.
And as the current VP she had less freedom than other candidates might have. She was responsible for not undermining whatever diplomacy Biden’s team was undertaking at the time.
And as the current VP she had less freedom than other candidates might have. She was responsible for not undermining whatever diplomacy Biden’s team was undertaking at the time.
July 20, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Given enough time to test messaging, maybe…but I don’t think she had that time.
And as the current VP she had less freedom than other candidates might have. She was responsible for not undermining whatever diplomacy Biden’s team was undertaking at the time.
And as the current VP she had less freedom than other candidates might have. She was responsible for not undermining whatever diplomacy Biden’s team was undertaking at the time.
Mostly I agree. It’s awful. 😢
I hesitate to blame the Israeli government as a whole. As an American, I don’t support what my current government is doing; I blame the people at the top.
I think Israel is the same; Netanyahu is corrupt, and knows it is only his reign as PM keeping him out of jail.
I hesitate to blame the Israeli government as a whole. As an American, I don’t support what my current government is doing; I blame the people at the top.
I think Israel is the same; Netanyahu is corrupt, and knows it is only his reign as PM keeping him out of jail.
July 20, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Mostly I agree. It’s awful. 😢
I hesitate to blame the Israeli government as a whole. As an American, I don’t support what my current government is doing; I blame the people at the top.
I think Israel is the same; Netanyahu is corrupt, and knows it is only his reign as PM keeping him out of jail.
I hesitate to blame the Israeli government as a whole. As an American, I don’t support what my current government is doing; I blame the people at the top.
I think Israel is the same; Netanyahu is corrupt, and knows it is only his reign as PM keeping him out of jail.
And the current situation is what it is because it keeps both Netanyahu and Hamas in power. You want them out? Don’t take sides. Undermine them both.
July 20, 2025 at 2:09 AM
And the current situation is what it is because it keeps both Netanyahu and Hamas in power. You want them out? Don’t take sides. Undermine them both.
And from a political perspective it is worth remembering that the largest demographic in Israel is refugees from other places: Muslim countries, USSR. If you want progressives to come to power (and I do) you need to address the fact that Israel takes in refugees while Arab countries strand them.
July 20, 2025 at 2:07 AM
And from a political perspective it is worth remembering that the largest demographic in Israel is refugees from other places: Muslim countries, USSR. If you want progressives to come to power (and I do) you need to address the fact that Israel takes in refugees while Arab countries strand them.
Israel is not an apartheid state - that’s rhetoric and I think you should think hard about it.
Ask the Arabs who live and vote in Israel.
I’m opposed to Netanyahu’s actions. I’m opposed to Hamas’ actions. I’m not super thrilled with the way the Arab countries are using Gazans as pawns, either.
Ask the Arabs who live and vote in Israel.
I’m opposed to Netanyahu’s actions. I’m opposed to Hamas’ actions. I’m not super thrilled with the way the Arab countries are using Gazans as pawns, either.
July 20, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Israel is not an apartheid state - that’s rhetoric and I think you should think hard about it.
Ask the Arabs who live and vote in Israel.
I’m opposed to Netanyahu’s actions. I’m opposed to Hamas’ actions. I’m not super thrilled with the way the Arab countries are using Gazans as pawns, either.
Ask the Arabs who live and vote in Israel.
I’m opposed to Netanyahu’s actions. I’m opposed to Hamas’ actions. I’m not super thrilled with the way the Arab countries are using Gazans as pawns, either.
One of AIPAC’s notable strategies in 2024 was to direct funds to moderate Democratic candidates in primaries against progressives.
I don’t know that AIPAC had that kind of financial leverage over Harris. I think her constraints were fear of voter reaction, and preserving relations with Israel.
I don’t know that AIPAC had that kind of financial leverage over Harris. I think her constraints were fear of voter reaction, and preserving relations with Israel.
July 20, 2025 at 1:49 AM
One of AIPAC’s notable strategies in 2024 was to direct funds to moderate Democratic candidates in primaries against progressives.
I don’t know that AIPAC had that kind of financial leverage over Harris. I think her constraints were fear of voter reaction, and preserving relations with Israel.
I don’t know that AIPAC had that kind of financial leverage over Harris. I think her constraints were fear of voter reaction, and preserving relations with Israel.
And the Right understood both these things, which is why they tried to persuade liberals that this should be their purity test for Harris. It was a loser for her either way.
I’m not that confident that the election was free and fair, but I am very confident that the far left got played.
I’m not that confident that the election was free and fair, but I am very confident that the far left got played.
July 20, 2025 at 1:06 AM
And the Right understood both these things, which is why they tried to persuade liberals that this should be their purity test for Harris. It was a loser for her either way.
I’m not that confident that the election was free and fair, but I am very confident that the far left got played.
I’m not that confident that the election was free and fair, but I am very confident that the far left got played.
Recognizing Palestine is a nonstarter for the US as long as Hamas is in power.
Stopping Netanyahu’s genocide is statecraft for the US to work behind the scenes, with all credit handed to Israel and the Palestinians. Taking such a public stand only makes it harder.
Stopping Netanyahu’s genocide is statecraft for the US to work behind the scenes, with all credit handed to Israel and the Palestinians. Taking such a public stand only makes it harder.
July 20, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Recognizing Palestine is a nonstarter for the US as long as Hamas is in power.
Stopping Netanyahu’s genocide is statecraft for the US to work behind the scenes, with all credit handed to Israel and the Palestinians. Taking such a public stand only makes it harder.
Stopping Netanyahu’s genocide is statecraft for the US to work behind the scenes, with all credit handed to Israel and the Palestinians. Taking such a public stand only makes it harder.
Seems doubtful that support of Trump (which is common in rural counties of CA) is protecting anyone.
What’s your basis for feeling sure that red states won’t experience this?
What’s your basis for feeling sure that red states won’t experience this?
July 12, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Seems doubtful that support of Trump (which is common in rural counties of CA) is protecting anyone.
What’s your basis for feeling sure that red states won’t experience this?
What’s your basis for feeling sure that red states won’t experience this?
This is awful. Just awful.
He wasn’t in Iraq, though, Kye; if he had been we might have treated him properly. I think Iraq was an official “war,” that should have earned him a path to automatic citizenship. NPR interview said he was shot in Panama in 1989.
He wasn’t in Iraq, though, Kye; if he had been we might have treated him properly. I think Iraq was an official “war,” that should have earned him a path to automatic citizenship. NPR interview said he was shot in Panama in 1989.
June 25, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This is awful. Just awful.
He wasn’t in Iraq, though, Kye; if he had been we might have treated him properly. I think Iraq was an official “war,” that should have earned him a path to automatic citizenship. NPR interview said he was shot in Panama in 1989.
He wasn’t in Iraq, though, Kye; if he had been we might have treated him properly. I think Iraq was an official “war,” that should have earned him a path to automatic citizenship. NPR interview said he was shot in Panama in 1989.
Like, I can’t teach my child how to manage a classmate who follows them around all day announcing the time every minute, or the one who is a youngest of four with finely honed “get the other kid in trouble” skills. We don’t face those situations at home.
June 5, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Like, I can’t teach my child how to manage a classmate who follows them around all day announcing the time every minute, or the one who is a youngest of four with finely honed “get the other kid in trouble” skills. We don’t face those situations at home.
By the same token, sometimes it’s the teachers who get the teachable moments, not the parents. It is understandable that the teacher has other priorities, but if the reactions only happen in the classroom they have to be handled where they occur.
June 5, 2025 at 8:58 PM
By the same token, sometimes it’s the teachers who get the teachable moments, not the parents. It is understandable that the teacher has other priorities, but if the reactions only happen in the classroom they have to be handled where they occur.
I agree; “prohibitively expensive labor” may have been an unconscious buy-in to capitalist rhetoric. I wonder if those cheap workers are making a decent living.
I also think Europeans are used to paying more for EU-produced, high-quality products. Americans seem more inclined to buy cheap junk.
I also think Europeans are used to paying more for EU-produced, high-quality products. Americans seem more inclined to buy cheap junk.
May 21, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I agree; “prohibitively expensive labor” may have been an unconscious buy-in to capitalist rhetoric. I wonder if those cheap workers are making a decent living.
I also think Europeans are used to paying more for EU-produced, high-quality products. Americans seem more inclined to buy cheap junk.
I also think Europeans are used to paying more for EU-produced, high-quality products. Americans seem more inclined to buy cheap junk.
So, we look at Biden’s track record and blame Harris for it. But we don’t look at Trump’s support for Netanyahu’s policies in his first term, because…?
…we don’t care. We aren’t trying to predict what will actually happen once one of them takes office; we just want an excuse to not vote Harris.
…we don’t care. We aren’t trying to predict what will actually happen once one of them takes office; we just want an excuse to not vote Harris.
May 15, 2025 at 7:40 PM
So, we look at Biden’s track record and blame Harris for it. But we don’t look at Trump’s support for Netanyahu’s policies in his first term, because…?
…we don’t care. We aren’t trying to predict what will actually happen once one of them takes office; we just want an excuse to not vote Harris.
…we don’t care. We aren’t trying to predict what will actually happen once one of them takes office; we just want an excuse to not vote Harris.
Everyone has their favorite short answer to this, even though it’s a complicated question.
My short answer is that Trump’s disinformation campaign was wildly successful with marginal voters; if they had gone to Harris she’d be president.
My short answer is that Trump’s disinformation campaign was wildly successful with marginal voters; if they had gone to Harris she’d be president.
May 15, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Everyone has their favorite short answer to this, even though it’s a complicated question.
My short answer is that Trump’s disinformation campaign was wildly successful with marginal voters; if they had gone to Harris she’d be president.
My short answer is that Trump’s disinformation campaign was wildly successful with marginal voters; if they had gone to Harris she’d be president.
The Gaza thing is a purity test, applied to one candidate and not the other. It stuns me how many people refused to vote for her because of that. If your one issue was the Palestinian genocide, you would vote for the candidate more likely to help them, and that was obviously Harris and not Trump.
May 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The Gaza thing is a purity test, applied to one candidate and not the other. It stuns me how many people refused to vote for her because of that. If your one issue was the Palestinian genocide, you would vote for the candidate more likely to help them, and that was obviously Harris and not Trump.
It’s a sad excuse. And a demonstration that they don’t understand (a) how far right the Overton window currently is, (b) that you need the independents in order to win an election, or (c) what political patience looks like. It was decades-long strategy by the right that has us this deeply screwed.
May 13, 2025 at 7:34 PM
It’s a sad excuse. And a demonstration that they don’t understand (a) how far right the Overton window currently is, (b) that you need the independents in order to win an election, or (c) what political patience looks like. It was decades-long strategy by the right that has us this deeply screwed.
Ditto. I was rather shocked the day a tow truck driver couldn’t handle my car’s manual…
May 13, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Ditto. I was rather shocked the day a tow truck driver couldn’t handle my car’s manual…
It’s an AI image. :-(
May 13, 2025 at 5:40 AM
It’s an AI image. :-(