“Pausing” operations means that they HAVE BEEN ALLOWING IT until now.

Flock makes money per query. They are incentivized to allow “law enforcement” types to query their systems for as many things as they want, including tracking people down for violating anti-abortion laws, suspected “immigration” issues, and who knows what else.

Your tax dollars are paying for this. Flock cameras should be taken down.

#surveillance #kakistocracy #enshittification#FlockCameras#ALPR

“License plate camera company halts cooperation with federal agencies among investigation concerns”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/license-plate-camera-company-halts-225436172.html

“Pausing” operations means that they HAVE BEEN ALLOWING IT until now.

Flock makes money per query. They are incentivized to allow “law enforcement” types to query their systems for as many things as they want, including tracking people down for violating anti-abortion laws, suspected “immigration” issues, and who knows what else.

Your tax dollars are paying for this. Flock cameras should be taken down.

#surveillance #kakistocracy #enshittification#FlockCameras#ALPR

“License plate camera company halts cooperation with federal agencies among investigation concerns”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/license-plate-camera-company-halts-225436172.html

Jon Michaels, a professor of #law at UCLA who lectures about #NationalSecurity, said that the documents found in the printer of the Alaskan hotel reveal a lapse in professional judgement in preparation for a high-stakes meeting.

"It strikes me as further evidence of the sloppiness & the incompetence of the administration," said Michaels. "You just don't leave things in printers. It's that simple." [And you don’t use the hotel’s public business center FFS!]

#Trump #idiocracy #kakistocracy

The list provided phonetic pronouncers for all the Russian men expected at the summit, including "Mr. President POO-tihn."

Pages 6 & 7 in the packet described how lunch at the summit would be served, and for whom. A menu included in the documents indicated that the luncheon was to be held "in honor of his excellency Vladimir Putin."

#Trump#NationalSecurity #idiocracy #kakistocracy

The admin has already terminated thousands of #research #grants at agencies like the #NSF & #NIH, including on topics like transgender health, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation & diversity, equity & inclusion.

The order could affect emergency relief grants doled out by #FEMA, #PublicSafety initiatives funded by the #DOJ & #PublicHealth efforts supported by the #CDC. Experts say the order is likely to be challenged in court.

#USpol#Trump#BrainDrain #research #progress #idiocracy #kakistocracy

“This is taking #political control of a once politically neutral mechanism for #funding #science in the US,” said Joseph Bak-Coleman, a scientist studying group decision-making at the University of Washington.

The changes will delay grant review & approval, slowing “progress for cures & treatments that patients & families across the country urgently need,” said the Association of American Medical Colleges in a statement.

#USpol#Trump#BrainDrain #research #progress #idiocracy #kakistocracy

Agencies cannot announce new #funding opportunities until the new protocols are in place, according to the order.

The #Trump admin said these changes are part of an effort to “strengthen oversight” & “streamline agency grantmaking.” Scientists say the order will cripple America’s scientific engine by placing control over federal #research funds in the hands of people who are influenced by #politics & lack relevant expertise.

#USpol#BrainDrain #progress #idiocracy #kakistocracy

An #ExecutiveOrder signed by Trump late Thursday aims to give #political appointees power over the billions of dollars in grants awarded by #FederalAgencies. Scientists say it threatens to undermine the process that has helped make the #US the world leader in #research & #development.

#USpol#BrainDrain #progress #idiocracy #kakistocracy
https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-order-federal-funding-grants-nih-fema-4b4b6c23a25a8ae3fdc7b43c4586c999

Tariffs are basically a sales tax. You pay it when you buy something from another country.

Trump is boasting about increasing your sales tax.

I wish journalists would point this out.

#kakistocracy #tariffs

This year, I think #Republicans are setting up most US residents for a financial disaster. Consider the cumulative effects of these recent changes:

- Tariffs causing inflation and uncertainty
- Tariffs causing businesses to shrink or shut down
- Loss of international trading partnerships
- Loss of income from tourism
- Removal of healthcare from tens of millions of residents
- Unbridled AI use causing widespread job losses
- ICE raids making people too afraid to go to work
- ICE raids causing businesses to suddenly lose labor force
- ICE raids destroying the economy of countless families
- DOGE laying off massive numbers of government workers
- Shutdown of disaster warnings increasing the risk of personal tragedy and economic loss
- Shutdown of climate incentives increasing the risk of climate crisis

With these changes, what do you think is going to happen to the economy of the bulk of US residents? Not only the poorest 50%, but even the 90th percentile?

#kakistocracy #economy

When Microsoft locked an ICC prosecutor out of their email, it proved just how easily U.S. power can reach across borders and into the heart of global justice, writes Paul Budde.

THE RECENT INCIDENT involving Microsoft and the International Criminal Court (ICC) should send a chill down the spine of every democratic nation.
Following a sanctions order from White House, Microsoft locked ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan out of his enterprise-level Office 365 account.
That account wasn’t personal — it was part of the ICC’s institutional infrastructure.

And just like that, an American tech giant disabled access to a key international legal actor.

...

What’s worse is the normalisation of it all. We scroll past headlines like “Microsoft cuts #ICC access” and carry on with our day. The sociologist Alexei Yurchak coined a term for this: hypernormalisation — the idea that everyone knows the system is broken, but we all pretend things are normal because no one can imagine how to change them..."

#Tyranny#Kakistocracy#ManufacturingConsent#Office365#Censorship

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/trumps-war-on-the-icc-goes-digital-with-microsoft-as-an-ally,19894

When Microsoft locked an ICC prosecutor out of their email, it proved just how easily U.S. power can reach across borders and into the heart of global justice, writes Paul Budde.

THE RECENT INCIDENT involving Microsoft and the International Criminal Court (ICC) should send a chill down the spine of every democratic nation.
Following a sanctions order from White House, Microsoft locked ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan out of his enterprise-level Office 365 account.
That account wasn’t personal — it was part of the ICC’s institutional infrastructure.

And just like that, an American tech giant disabled access to a key international legal actor.

...

What’s worse is the normalisation of it all. We scroll past headlines like “Microsoft cuts #ICC access” and carry on with our day. The sociologist Alexei Yurchak coined a term for this: hypernormalisation — the idea that everyone knows the system is broken, but we all pretend things are normal because no one can imagine how to change them..."

#Tyranny#Kakistocracy#ManufacturingConsent#Office365#Censorship

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/trumps-war-on-the-icc-goes-digital-with-microsoft-as-an-ally,19894

I’m sorry, what?

SORRY. WHAT?

TRUMP GAVE PERMISSION TO IRAN TO STRIKE A US AIRBASE WITH US PERSONNEL IN IT?

HOW IS THIS NUMPTY NOT CONVICTED FOR TREASON!?

I’m really beyond being flabbergasted at this point, but HOLY SHIT.

#Trump #kakistocracy #impeach #convict

PS: Fact check: TRUE.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/unfathomable-to-me-veteran-pentagon-reporter-shocked-trump-said-he-okayed-iranian-attack-on-us-air-base/ar-AA1Hq19T

PPS: The missiles were all shot down. But still…there were personnel on the base that could have been injured or killed if a single one of those missiles made it through.

https://mastodon.social/@tofugolem/114752760360893719

I’m sorry, what?

SORRY. WHAT?

TRUMP GAVE PERMISSION TO IRAN TO STRIKE A US AIRBASE WITH US PERSONNEL IN IT?

HOW IS THIS NUMPTY NOT CONVICTED FOR TREASON!?

I’m really beyond being flabbergasted at this point, but HOLY SHIT.

#Trump #kakistocracy #impeach #convict

PS: Fact check: TRUE.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/unfathomable-to-me-veteran-pentagon-reporter-shocked-trump-said-he-okayed-iranian-attack-on-us-air-base/ar-AA1Hq19T

PPS: The missiles were all shot down. But still…there were personnel on the base that could have been injured or killed if a single one of those missiles made it through.

https://mastodon.social/@tofugolem/114752760360893719

Exclusive: US #CDC #vaccine presentation cites study that does not exist, author says

A review on the use of the preservative thimerosal in vaccines slated to be presented on Thursday to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's outside vaccine committee cites a study that does not exist, the scientist listed as the study's author said.

#Trump#RFKJr#AI#HHS #science #medicine #idiocracy #kakistocracy
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-cdc-report-shows-no-evidence-linking-thimerosal-containing-vaccines-autism-2025-06-24/

The meeting has become increasingly controversial after #Health Secretary #RFKJr just weeks ago abruptly fired all previous 17 members of the expert panel & named 8 new members, half of whom have advocated against #vaccines.

Kennedy, a long-time #AntiVaccine activist, founded the Children's Health Defense.

#Trump#AI#HHS #science #medicine #idiocracy #kakistocracy

The meeting has become increasingly controversial after #Health Secretary #RFKJr just weeks ago abruptly fired all previous 17 members of the expert panel & named 8 new members, half of whom have advocated against #vaccines.

Kennedy, a long-time #AntiVaccine activist, founded the Children's Health Defense.

#Trump#AI#HHS #science #medicine #idiocracy #kakistocracy

Exclusive: US #CDC #vaccine presentation cites study that does not exist, author says

A review on the use of the preservative thimerosal in vaccines slated to be presented on Thursday to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's outside vaccine committee cites a study that does not exist, the scientist listed as the study's author said.

#Trump#RFKJr#AI#HHS #science #medicine #idiocracy #kakistocracy
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-cdc-report-shows-no-evidence-linking-thimerosal-containing-vaccines-autism-2025-06-24/