Surviving a second Trump admin*

[O Really]

Thought for the day:

“Hypernormalization” is a heady, $10 word, but it captures the weird, dire atmosphere of the US in 2025.

First articulated in 2005 by scholar Alexei Yurchak to describe the civilian experience in Soviet Russia, hypernormalization describes life in a society where two main things are happening.

The first is people seeing that governing systems and institutions are broken. And the second is that, for reasons including a lack of effective leadership and an inability to imagine how to disrupt the status quo, people carry on with their lives as normal despite systemic dysfunction – give or take a heavy load of fear, dread, denial and dissociation.

“What you are feeling is the disconnect between seeing that systems are failing, that things aren’t working … and yet the institutions and the people in power just are, like, ignoring it and pretending everything is going to go on the way that it has,” Harfoush says in her video.

Worth reading the whole article:

https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng ... status-quo

[Whack9]

Thought for the day:

“Hypernormalization” is a heady, $10 word, but it captures the weird, dire atmosphere of the US in 2025.

First articulated in 2005 by scholar Alexei Yurchak to describe the civilian experience in Soviet Russia, hypernormalization describes life in a society where two main things are happening.

The first is people seeing that governing systems and institutions are broken. And the second is that, for reasons including a lack of effective leadership and an inability to imagine how to disrupt the status quo, people carry on with their lives as normal despite systemic dysfunction – give or take a heavy load of fear, dread, denial and dissociation.

“What you are feeling is the disconnect between seeing that systems are failing, that things aren’t working … and yet the institutions and the people in power just are, like, ignoring it and pretending everything is going to go on the way that it has,” Harfoush says in her video.

Worth reading the whole article:

https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng ... status-quo

Great article. I think it's worth studying other periods in time that experienced changes to gain some insight into how things unfold.

One of the precursors to the sudden changes in Europe in the early twentieth century post ww1 was the rise of the radio. While the new dissemination of information probably wasn't the main catalyst of societal change it certainly helped push things over the brink. For us, social media and the internet are likely having a similarly profound affect. There would be no president Trump without the rise of social media. AI offers an entirely new conundrum for which we're not in the least but prepared for.

[Vrede too]

Thought for the day:


Worth reading the whole article:

https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng ... status-quo

In January, the comedian Ashley Bez posted an Instagram video of herself, trying to describe a heavy mood in the air....

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEYpqBsgHV8/

Digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush saw the video, and got it immediately.

“Welcome to the hypernormalization club,” Harfoush said in a response video. “I’m so sorry that you’re here.” ...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEhR7_Rg ... IwOQ%3D%3D

Knowing I'm not alone doesn't make me feel much better. It highlights our collective impotence. The USSR lasted for 75 years, Hitler set the world on fire and looking at "resistance efforts against authoritarianism in countries like Turkey, Hungary and India" aren't currently great examples of effectiveness.

EDIT: Maybe it's not just leftists:

New York Post Warns Donald Trump How He’s Burning Out Even His Biggest Fans

Now I feel a little better.

[GoCubsGo]

Great article. I think it's worth studying other periods in time that experienced changes to gain some insight into how things unfold.

One of the precursors to the sudden changes in Europe in the early twentieth century post ww1 was the rise of the radio. While the new dissemination of information probably wasn't the main catalyst of societal change it certainly helped push things over the brink. For us, social media and the internet are likely having a similarly profound affect. There would be no president Trump without the rise of social media. AI offers an entirely new conundrum for which we're not in the least but prepared for.

CNN and MSNBC also shoulder a good portion of the blame. They willingly put trump at every opportunity because he was drawing ratings for his nuttiness.

It greatly contributed to normalizing him.

[Supsalemgr]

Great article. I think it's worth studying other periods in time that experienced changes to gain some insight into how things unfold.

One of the precursors to the sudden changes in Europe in the early twentieth century post ww1 was the rise of the radio. While the new dissemination of information probably wasn't the main catalyst of societal change it certainly helped push things over the brink. For us, social media and the internet are likely having a similarly profound affect. There would be no president Trump without the rise of social media. AI offers an entirely new conundrum for which we're not in the least but prepared for.

CNN and MSNBC also shoulder a good portion of the blame. They willingly put trump at every opportunity because he was drawing ratings for his nuttiness.

It greatly contributed to normalizing him.

So CNN and MSNBC reported on what Trump was saying and doing normalized Trump? That is not a good admission.

[GoCubsGo]

So CNN and MSNBC reported on what Trump was saying and doing normalized Trump? That is not a good admission.

Most people tuned in to watch the car crash (me included, i couldn't believe the crazy) but he obviously resonated with enough to win the electoral college while losing the popular vote.

[O Really]

So CNN and MSNBC reported on what Trump was saying and doing normalized Trump? That is not a good admission.

Most people tuned in to watch the car crash (me included, i couldn't believe the crazy) but he obviously resonated with enough to win the electoral college while losing the popular vote.

And it depends on how reporting on what Trump says is done. If a regular guy on a street corner says "Annex Canada - invade Greenland" he'll get rolled eyes. If he says "execute (some Senator)" he might get arrested. But because Trump is president*, his statements carry weight greater than that guy on the corner. As such, it becomes more important to put those comments into context, one of which is, for example "Trump said (whatever).There is no evidence whatsoever that this is true, nor that the President* has the authority to change it." But nooooo, it's more like "President* Trump said today that the moon is made of green cheese, and that he will announce on Monday his plan to occupy the moon, make cheese production on Earth illegal and hold a monopoly on the sale of cheese universally. In other news, the daily shooting today comes to us from Houston..."

[GoCubsGo]

He's never pretended to understand the weight of his words, especially presidential words.

The rest of the world remained mostly baffled trying to figure them out.....and the solution is to mostly ignore him.

[GoCubsGo]

Make America Safe Again!

FBI deputy director says bureau will pour resources into cases including Supreme Court leak and cocaine at the White House

[Vrede too]

Make America Safe Again!

FBI deputy director says bureau will pour resources into cases including Supreme Court leak and cocaine at the White House

We know the Supreme Court leak was Alito or one of his aides in order to keep Boof or Barrett from wavering. Makes no difference at this point, MAGA successfully abused the women they despise.

They'll never find the source of the cocaine. Makes no difference at this point, all the Dems are out of the WH and plenty of Rs do coke, anyhow.

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino said Monday that his agency will revive or devote more resources into several investigations of unsolved cases from the Biden administration that have "garnered public interest" and have long ignited claims of corruption by allies and supporters of President Donald Trump.

Law enforcement by conspiracy theory, smart.

Bongino identified three cases that he said pointed to "potential public corruption," including an investigation into a pair of pipe bombs that were found near the Democratic Party and the Republican Party headquarters Jan. 6, 2021, and the discovery of a bag of cocaine at the White House in 2023.

The pipe bombs are most likely a RW radical. Fine with me if they investigate even if it turns out to be a lefty, but it won't be an official act.

The cocaine is an example of substance abuse. It's not "public corruption" unless it was planted by the Rs.

... "We made the decision to either re-open, or push additional resources and investigative attention, to these cases," Bongino wrote in a post on X.

BONGino . Sure beats their working on things that have a point.

Idiots.

[Supsalemgr]

Make America Safe Again!

FBI deputy director says bureau will pour resources into cases including Supreme Court leak and cocaine at the White House

We know the Supreme Court leak was Alito or one of his aides in order to keep Boof or Barrett from wavering. Makes no difference at this point, MAGA successfully abused the women they despise.

They'll never find the source of the cocaine. Makes no difference at this point, all the Dems are out of the WH and plenty of Rs do coke, anyhow.

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino said Monday that his agency will revive or devote more resources into several investigations of unsolved cases from the Biden administration that have "garnered public interest" and have long ignited claims of corruption by allies and supporters of President Donald Trump.

Law enforcement by conspiracy theory, smart.

Bongino identified three cases that he said pointed to "potential public corruption," including an investigation into a pair of pipe bombs that were found near the Democratic Party and the Republican Party headquarters Jan. 6, 2021, and the discovery of a bag of cocaine at the White House in 2023.

The pipe bombs are most likely a RW radical. Fine with me if they investigate even if it turns out to be a lefty, but it won't be an official act.

The cocaine is an example of substance abuse. It's not "public corruption" unless it was planted by the Rs.

... "We made the decision to either re-open, or push additional resources and investigative attention, to these cases," Bongino wrote in a post on X.

BONGino . Sure beats their working on things that have a point.

Idiots.

Vrede wrote:
"We know the Supreme Court leak was Alito or one of his aides in order to keep Boof or Barrett from wavering."

Please share how we know.

[Vrede too]

Rapacious bribery right out in the open.

Trump Pardons Massive Tax Cheat After Mom Attended $1 Million Dinner

Paul Walzack, a former nursing home executive guilty of tax fraud, got a full and unconditional pardon from President Trump after his mother attended a $1 million-per-person dinner with the president, according to The New York Times....

Walzack was found guilty of stealing over $10 million from the paychecks of the nurses and doctors who worked for him to finance a yacht and other luxury items....

No consequences. Thanks, Scotus.

[GoCubsGo]

BONGino . Sure beats their working on things that have a point.

Idiots.

[Vrede too]

https://bsky.app/profile/asharangappa.b ... cyqrnop22m

https://bsky.app/profile/mrsbettybowers ... dgbzfs3s2g

Trump's Air Force One deal with Qatar not finalized, being reviewed by legal teams: Sources

Despite previous claims from the Department of Defense that the United States has officially accepted the luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar, the United States and Qatar have not yet finalized the details of the agreement, which are still being reviewed by their respective legal teams, according to a White House official and sources familiar with the discussions.

Good luck with that, guys.

... Qatar wants to clarify the details surrounding the transfer, specifically emphasizing that the Trump administration was responsible for initiating the discussions about the donation of the luxury jet to the U.S. government, sources familiar with the negotiations said.

Aha! It is bribe solicitation or even extortion. Is anyone surprised?

... "As the President has said, this will be a sovereign-to-sovereign gift to the US Air Force," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.

It's not really a "gift to the US Air Force" if it has to spend up to a billion dollars only to rapidly transfer it to the Trump presidential library foundation.

... Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns that the plane could pose significant security risks and potentially grant a foreign nation access to sensitive systems and communications, raising counterintelligence issues. Conversely, Republican lawmakers have questioned the president's decision to accept a gift from a foreign nation, also raising intelligence concerns....

"I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer," Trump said earlier this month. "I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.' But it was, I thought it was a great gesture."

He LIES, as usual. It is not an offer or a gesture. It is a concession to a demand, we're now learning.

Thank SCOTUS for absolving TACO Don of any accountability for criminal acts. Maybe we can go after co-conspirators in the Air Force.

[GoCubsGo]

Thank SCOTUS for absolving TACO Don of any accountability for criminal acts. Maybe we can go after co-conspirators in the Air Force.

OFFICIAL criminal acts.

[GoCubsGo]

Opps....

[GoCubsGo]

A woman of color, how shocking.

[GoCubsGo]

[GoCubsGo]

WTF?

[GoCubsGo]

LOL