Big Data Power Lying

Perhaps you’ve seen the Trump re-election commercial featuring an older lady calling 911 while a bad man is breaking into her home. She is frantically calling 911 only to be told to leave a message. Someone will call her back the recorded message says, just as the bad guy apparently grabs her and she drops the phone. Next, an announcer declares: "you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America".

This ad sparked something in my mind from the Trump 2016 campaign. Please see: https://downriverusa.blogspot.com/2017/02/about-that-big-data-stuff.html.

Just as I thought.

Surprise! Cambridge Analytica is not dead after all. No, the undead former Cambridge Analytica employees are now back from the grave, living in the Trump re-election campaign, reprising their previously successful strategy, once again sowing Trumpian lies and fear mongering, trying to pump fresh blood into the Trump/Republican campaign, using “Big Data” lying techniques.

Certainly, Trump believers are ripe and more than willing to be won over by these misinformation and outright fabrication tactics.

But will those social media, micro-targeted voters be won over by the fear mongering, lying too? Or will Americans put aside the lies and their own fears, put two and two together, and realize who is trying to snooker them once again?

I guess we will see come November.

Here are the facts:
"Facts First: Biden has not proposed anything that could result in 911 calls no longer being answered. He has repeatedly and explicitly opposed the idea of "defunding the police," and he has proposed a $300 million increase in federal funding for community policing. Biden has not specifically weighed in on a proposal for a 50% cut to Seattle's police budget, which the ad insinuates he supports."

"The words "you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America" come on screen as the intruder confronts the woman. The phone falls to the ground."

About those "Big Data" zombies on the Trump reelection staff:
"Trump’s campaign strategists linked to a company hoovering up data on religious people..."

and

"But in an earlier phone conversation, in July, Moura channelled Nix in describing the power of personality-based targeting. When asked to give an example of such targeting, Moura suggested pro-gun communication. A traditional person could be targeted with messages about a grandfather teaching subsequent generations to hunt, while a more neurotic type would respond to messages highlighting the threat of a break-in, he said. Nix gave the exact same scenario four minutes into his 2016 presentation."

Leaf Blowers, Hockey Sticks, Moms & Dads

Day 54 in Portland. Photo Credit: Jon Cover, Screen Grab, see below.

Thousands of American citizens protesting Trump/Republican SS Goons, singing, “Hands Up Please Don’t Shoot Me”, that was the reality seen throughout the world the other day from Portland, Oregon, USA.

Later, “Dads with leaf blowers” tried to keep tear gas away from the moms and Black Lives Matter protesters, while others with hockey sticks tried to bat the tear gas canisters away from the protesters.

This is how Americans -U.S. citizens - defend their right to peaceful protest from Trump/Republican tyranny.

They are the real heroes defending the Constitution of the United States.

Portland Protest Day 54 - Walls of Dads (orange) joins moms & leaf blowers, Highlights (Part 1)

Jon Cover, 20 July 2020

Hero "Man of Steel" Chris David

Chris David, the Navy Vet, Portland Man of Steel. Photo credit: AP.

Heroes are a rare breed. They somehow find the courage within to do the possible while others shake with fear.

Chris David (53), the Naval Academy graduate and Navy vet, who stool his ground while the Trump/Republican SS beat him with their batons and pepper/tear gassed him point blank, is such a hero.

Many dubbed him, the "Man of Steel" for what he endured this past weekend. But Mr. David is not a cartoon character Super Man. No, he is the real thing. An American Hero.

Here's the story....

Portland protester describes beating by federal officers, Zane Sparling, Potland Tribune, 19 July 2020.

"Portland protester describes beating by federal officers..."

"He sat down on a park bench, before being pulled back from the flashpoint by a street medic, going by the name Tav, who treated David and ensured that he was taken by an ambulance to the hospital."

"David says he has two fractures in his hand and, while it's currently in a splint, he is expecting to need surgery later this week."

"After a flurry of attention, David is hoping life will return to normal soon. While he never did speak with the camouflaged feds, he said he hopes they hear his message:

"That oath of office is essentially swearing loyalty to the Constitution of the United States, and what they're doing is not constitutional anymore."

I’m the medic who took him to meet an ambulance, this guy is so badass, honestly I think he was calmer than I was. Looks like a broken hand, won’t say more for his privacy. 🖤#PortlandProtest https://t.co/4871dKn8SR

— 👁 TAV 👁 (@peyhubbard) July 19, 2020

Hero Moms

This morning I thought all was lost. I thought that the Trump/Republican SS troops would soon be rounding up all protesters... Democrats... anyone who dared to disagree with Mr. Trump.

This evening I have hope because a group of Portland Mighty Moms have joined arms. They are standing in front of the protesters, facing down the Trump/Republican SS goons.

These women are Heroes.. Heroes all.

Here is the story:
Wall of Moms Face Off Against Trump's Tear Gas , jqjacobs,dailykos.com, 20 July 2020.

With the new additions, the line of #PortlandMoms is now several moms deep. They are chanting “Moms are here, feds stay clear.” #portland #portlandprotests #portlandprotest #PortlandOregon #PortlandOR #oregon #BLMprotest #PDXprotests #PDX #clypiancoverage pic.twitter.com/XaMO92GpeF

— Clypian (@Clypian) July 20, 2020

Trump/Republican Neo-US-SS in Action

Just in case you missed it, Mr. Trump's secret police - no one knows which department these people call home - U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group, Customs and Border Protection’s BORTAC (Border Patrol Tactical Unit), Homeland Security, or Department of Justice agents - have been out in force, without identity, driving unmarked civilian vehicles, arresting Black Lives Matter protesters off the streets of Portland Oregon. This has been going on for weeks, up to and including last night, when they arrested the peaceful protester in the Tweet below.

By way of historical comparison, these are the actions of the infamous Nazi SS. But back then they wore SS insignia. Today they wear no insignia on their camouflage uniforms.

Where was the person arrested in the Tweet (below) taken, Mr. Trump? To your concentration camp? Are the gas chambers your next step?

And, to the federal agents who obviously illegally "arrested" that American citizen, did you, too, swear to: "...support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."? If so, just exactly, when will you demonstrate courage enough to stop being an instrument of illegal authoritarianism and stop being a member of the Neo-US-SS?

Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters. These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end. pic.twitter.com/PE4YfZ9Vqd

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) July 16, 2020

Here's the story...

Secret Federal Police Deployed by Trump Snatch Protesters Off Portland Streets, Jake Johnson, Common Dreams, truthout.org, 17 July 2020.

"Oregon’s Democratic governor and other state lawmakers are demanding that President Donald Trump immediately remove all federal law enforcement officials from the streets of Portland after alarming video footage posted online late Thursday showed unidentified officers dressed in combat fatigues arresting Black Lives Matter protesters without explanation and throwing them into unmarked vehicles."

“This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement. “The president is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government.”

“Trump is looking for a confrontation in Oregon in the hopes of winning political points in Ohio or Iowa.”

"Brown said she told Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to “remove all federal officers from our streets” but he refused, claiming that Portland “has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob.”

"Wolf’s response, said Brown, shows “he is on a mission to provoke confrontation for political purposes. He is putting both Oregonians and local law enforcement officers in harm’s way.”

“This, coming from the same President who used tear gas to clear out peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. to engineer a photo opportunity,” she added.

"Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Thursday that “federal law enforcement officers have been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protesters since at least July 14.”

“Personal accounts and multiple videos posted online show the officers driving up to people, detaining individuals with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and driving off,” OPB reported.

"In response to one such video, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) tweeted that “authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters.”

“These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end,” Merkley added.

During protests over the weekend, a federal agent shot a 26-year-old peaceful demonstrator in the head with a munition, fracturing his skull.

“Federal forces shot an unarmed protester in the face,” Merkley tweeted Thursday. “These shadowy forces have been escalating, not preventing, violence. If Wolf is coming here to inflame the situation so Donald Trump can look like a tough guy, he should turn around and leave our city now.”

In response to the incident, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici in demanding an full investigation and accountability for the officer who fired the munition.

“In recent weeks, the federal government has deployed to Portland a number of DOJ and DHS officers,” the lawmakers wrote. “This politically driven federal response is intolerable.”

Oregon Public Broadcasting confirms tweets today that federal officers in camouflage but no agency identification or badges, driving unmarked non-government rental cars, are grabbing protestors off streets in Portland and not talking w local authoritieshttps://t.co/sfY9TUkbDI

— David Burbach (@dburbach) July 17, 2020

*The (Nazi) SS, the Schutzstaffel, was the organization most responsible for the genocidal killing of an estimated 5.5 to 6 million Jews and millions of other victims during the Holocaust. Members of all of its branches committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during World War II (1939–45). The SS was also involved in commercial enterprises and exploited concentration camp inmates as slave labor. After Nazi Germany's defeat, the SS and the NSDAP were judged by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg to be criminal organizations. Ernst Kaltenbrunner, the highest-ranking surviving SS main department chief, was found guilty of crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials and hanged in 1946. Please go here for more...

Leaving Our Dystopian World Behind

After four years of swimming in the Trumpian sewer we have a chance to crawl back into the sunshine, clean all the muck off, change clothes and begin to move forward. If, that is, we are lucky enough to leave the psychopathic Republican Party and Mr. Trump swilling in their nightmare dystopian world come this November.

Here is a welcome sign that we once again can have a future rather than a worldwide neo-holocaust.

Biden pledges $US2 trillion on clean energy, says climate not a hoax, Joshua Hill & Sophie Vorrath, reneweconomy.com, 14 July 2020.

“US Democratic presidential candidate – and emerging favourite – Joe Biden has rolled out successive announcement outlining his commitment to clean energy investment in the US, both in the name of jobs and trying to tackle climate change.”

“Last week, Biden presented a blueprint for renewable energy success from the “Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force” which calls for the installation of 500 million solar panels within five years and the elimination of carbon pollution from power plants by 2035.”

“That plan has been swiftly backed up this week by the official unveiling of Biden’s climate policy, which proposes to spend $2 trillion over four years to significantly escalate the use of clean energy in the transportation, electricity and building sectors.”

“These are the most critical investments we can make for the long-term health and vitality of both the American economy and the physical health and safety of the American people,” Biden said at the policy launch.

“When Donald Trump thinks about climate change, the only word he can muster is ‘hoax.’ When I think about climate change, the word I think of is ‘jobs.’”

Please go here for the whole story…

Sun Is Gonna Shine - Carmen Cusack and the Original Broadway Cast - 2016

International Collaboration Scores Big Renewable Energy Win

When we work together great things are possible.

Six universities from around the world worked together to develop a breakthrough in solar flow battery technology that combines PV generation and storage in one device. The outstanding collaborative accomplishment was a product of: University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney in Australia, Utah State University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, the City University of Hong Kong and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Here's the story...

Solar flow battery breakthrough combines PV generation and storage in one device, Sophie Vorrath, reneweonomy.com, 14 July 2020.

"A US-led research collaboration including a team of PV scientists from Australia has produced an ultra-efficient and long-lasting solar flow battery – a way to generate, store and re-deliver renewable electricity from the sun in one device."

"Chemists from the Song Jin lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison said on Tuesday that the new device was made of silicon solar cells combined with advanced solar materials and integrated with optimally designed chemical storage components."

"Essentially, they combine the advantages of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity with the advantages of flow batteries, which use tanks of chemicals that can react to produce electricity and be recharged by the solar cells."

"The research team says that the solar flow battery produced through the collaboration has set a new record efficiency of 20 per cent, besting most commercially available silicon solar cells, and was 40 per cent more efficient than the previous record holder for solar flow batteries, also developed by the Jin lab."

"The work was done in collaboration with researchers from the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney in Australia, Utah State University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia and the City University of Hong Kong. It was published on July 13 in the journal Nature Materials."

Schematic illustration of an integrated solar flow battery. Image: Wenjie Li

"Lead author of the study, UW–Madison graduate student Wenjie Li, said that while solar flow batteries were years away from commercialisation, they offered the potential to provide reliable electricity generation and storage for lighting, cell phones or other fundamental uses for homes in remote areas."  -more-

Shinedown - Unity - 2012

President of All the People

Suddenly, Joe Biden is actually looking like a candidate for the presidency of all the people of the United States.

Why?

First, he has a plan to deal with the COVID crisis.

And, second, he speaks like a President of all the people of the United States.

Here's what I mean.

Biden's plan to deal with the COVID pandemic doesn't rely on killing grandma to save Wall Street.

"Biden offers additional funding and testing to the elderly so that they can safely obtain the things they need and get care without facing increased risk." Please go her for the whole story. 

Here are some important points of Biden's plan:

• A national program of free, regular COVID-19 testing for everyone, managed by a Pandemic Testing Board that would coordinate the data and provide consistent access. This includes expanding drive through test sites and test availability until no one has to wait, or to expose themselves to potential risk, to be tested for COVID-19. That compares with Trump’s complete withdrawal of the pitiful few federally-managed test sites, the irregular, and unpredictable testing provided by many states, and results that are so difficult to obtain or so slow in coming that they’re worthless.
• A national program of contact tracing that starts with at least 100,000 new hires and is dedicated to doing nothing but tracking COVID-19 cases, their contacts, and their progress through the healthcare system or in self-isolation. This would work in conjunction with states that are currently throwing up their hands at the impossibility of working through contacts with the available resources. Compare to nothing at all from Trump’s side, because apparently the federal government isn’t a clerk, or a manager, or worth a damn thing with Trump in charge.
• A consistently managed, sustainable supply chain for PPE, test kits, and safety gear for healthcare workers. Four months into the pandemic, states are again complaining that masks, gowns, gloves, and face shields are all in short supply, just as cases are surging. Compare to Trump, who has set state against state, and dispatched arbitrary amounts of supplies, often punishing blue states for not praising him sufficiently by denying them needed supplies.
• A team dedicated to looking ahead to needs that may crop up in the future, rather than just addressing the requests of states at the moment. Compare this with … whatever Jared is doing at the moment.
• A national promise to provide healthcare workers with:
• priority access to supplies of PPE.
• additional pay for placing themselves at risk.
• free housing to workers coming into crisis points.
• information hotlines and trustworthy on-line consultation.
• emotional-health support and psychological first aid with a promise that seeking help will not impact future employment.
• emergency leave for workers who get sick, or need to care for a sick family member.
• and no, there’s no comparison for any of this.
• A coordinated global effort to develop treatments and vaccines that doesn’t depend on “a hunch” about any drug, doesn’t involve taking the U.S. our of the World Health Organization, and doesn’t involve the U.S. trying to buy drug manufacturers to deprive other nations of access. Compare with the opposite. Biden is promising to immediately restore the U. S. association with and commitment to the World Health Organization.
• A guarantee that therapies and vaccines for COVID-19 will be made available to everyone, without allowing price gouging that limits benefits to the wealthy. Compare with … have you seen the price of remdesivir?
• Consistent national guidelines for reopening businesses and schools that include protections for worker safety, guaranteed sick leave, and guaranteed leave for those caring for a family member. Biden’s plan would also provide systems by which consumers could know that stores were following safety guidelines and were “Safer for Shoppers” while providing small businesses with a “restart package” that would help them retain existing workers and hire new workers while dealing with necessary changes to their business. Compare with chaos, no guidelines, and shoppers being bullied for wearing a mask.

Here's Biden's recent Fourth of July statement. It's the reason I believe he can be the President of all Americans.

Last Raw Nerve

You know when something bothers you so much that you just can't tolerate it? Some people say, "Leave me alone. You're on my last raw nerve!"

Is this tweet proof enough for you that Mr. Trump would best serve the interests of the United States if he were to resign the office of the Presidency forthwith?

Enough already. Mr.  Trump. You win. You are "undefeated". Please exit the office of the President of the United States and go back now to your Trumpian world.

Or, there's a vacant office waiting for you at the Confederate States of America.

I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren (of all people!) Amendment, which will lead to the renaming (plus other bad things!) of Fort Bragg, Fort Robert E. Lee, and many other Military Bases from which we won Two World Wars, is in the Bill!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2020