General Politics Discussion VII [ARCHIVED] • Page 1515

Ah, the elusive "white Evangelicals who think women are people" demographic, spoken of in legends

 

Microsoft’s TikTok: But why?

Why not someone like Disney which has dreams of being part of the digital revolution? Disney has the audience. It has sprawling global operations. It has the ability to walk the middle of the road where it can appease the autocratic governments and make the democratic countries satisfied. It also has a brand that has many sub-brands that cross many demographic categories. Disney wanted to buy Twitter. TikTok makes more of a strategic fit.

Why not Comcast?

Why not Apple? It has money. It has the desire to blunt Facebook and Google, even if it hasn’t said or done so explicitly! Or is it because they are a bunch of hard asses when it comes to privacy and may not play ball with the US government when it needs to access data of some TikTok-er?

Hence my question, why Microsoft?

I ask these questions but can’t help myself and not think about the event of last week?

Why was Microsoft not part of the showdown between BigTech and Washington DC? What makes them better than the other four? Why do they get to be excused from on-air humiliation while others get spanked for their monopolies?

Some good stuff here. Why is there not bidding? Why is Microsoft being allowed to swallow up another company? None of this is good.


Also pretty good:
https://500ish.com/tiktok-and-microsofts-clock-c4c9fd082b89

Something about this whole thing feels off. Very, very, very off. Unsettling, in a way. Actually, in quite a few ways. When you consider the highest level: that one of the largest companies in the world is buying one of the hottest startups in the world, that would seemingly make sense in a vacuum. But we don’t live in a vacuum. Though Microsoft may need one after this mess is over.

 

I voted today for Medicaid expansion and ending a tax that funds cops. It felt good.

 

cool

 

I’ve been checking for Clorox wipes literally every day for months online with no luck lol

I finally found some off brand wipes at Sprouts (not sure if they’re national) Check your more “organic” grocery stores y’all

 

In the past week I can’t find hash browns in any supermarket freezer section. Why the shortage? There are other available potato products so it’s not like there’s a potato famine here

 

more people are at home eating freezer food in general, there were weeks there was like no ice cream and I couldn't find frozen pierogis for a few weeks

 

A Trump big man would be the #1 poster target in all of basketball and I would like to see it

 

What I learned from Zac Efron’s travel show is that we have scientists dedicated to preserving our potatoes in the event of an apocalypse!

 

This very real video he posted makes it seem like he’ll leave office peacefully.

 

How long does he think he’s going to live?

 

Definitely just him trying to troll and cause a ruckus. But he’s gotta go

 

wouldn’t be surprised if he has a blood boy

 

Probably has never considered death

 

He tweeted that same video before, if not months a year or more ago

 

So here’s a story:

today my grade level (5th grade) was meeting. Wearing masks and socially distancing and it was actually nice. Doing a virtual meeting with the rest of the district about the new online program we are going to use for this school year.

We were all actually feeling pretty good and excited for the new program. We were all very excited about the program and the thought maybe it’s gonna be okay because the program is pretty good at combining distance learning and brick and mortar teaching.

Apparently, we all have subscribed to the local service that texts you with the daily Covid new case/death count. We all got the notification for it at the same time. 15 deaths yesterday, 301 new cases, and 34.9% positivity rate.

I’ve never seen the mood in a room change quicker than in that moment. Nobody said a word. We each got up and left to return to our classrooms and not one word was said about the new numbers.

Also, found out that five teachers have tested positive later in the day. We’ve been back at the school for two days.

the worst part of the day was today when my wife (who has already had the virus) pleaded with me in tears today to quit until it’s under control. And in tears I had to remind her that if I quit we can’t pay rent and won’t have anywhere to live.

needless to say, I’m 7 vodka drinks in now.

edit: fortunately I work with a pretty cool team and informed them I would not be on time tomorrow because “I just don’t care”