MARK Zuckerberg has stopped Meta’s fact-checking program and will rely on its users to consider content.
Isn’t this similar to sacking firefighters and letting arsonists decide which fires are serious and what to do about them?
Actually, it’s not a big concern for me as I don’t use social media and rely on newspapers for my news and analysis.
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Pooh-pooh Chinese censorship
Censorship of comments about actual events doesn’t change the reality that they happened although China has been trying to hide any reference to the Tiananmen Square Massacre on social media and now in Marvel games.
They have also had concerns about the character Winnie the Pooh after disparaging comparisons with President Xi.
Censorship is rarely valid or successful and banning specific words from online game chats as has happened with the new Marvel Rivals game is just short of farcical.
The best way of getting attention to something is to ban it or say “don’t look at this.” There are few people who would type “Tiananmen Square Massacre” into a game until they knew it was naughty.
Play the Marvel game, not the game of politics.
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Flag stands proudly at half-mast
The lowering of flags to half-mast is a symbol of respect when a US President dies and most recently when President Jimmy Carter died.
This has happened before but this time it coincides with the second inauguration of President Trump who has stated, “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it.” This is insulting and a complete misread of the average American citizen’s wishes.
He has also stated that this occurrence is the “first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President.” However, it happened when L.B.J was sworn in after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and when Nixon was sworn in for his second term after the death of President Harry Truman. History books and Google will confirm this.
There are odd quirks that occur as a result of this half-mast. This includes the opening scene of Gilligan’s Island showing all of the boat flags at half-mast. The show featured a loud buffoon of a captain and a second mate who caused more havoc than most do.
Another TV show affected by this was the initial episode of the British show Doctor Who which was delayed and then repeated as a result of audiences watching the main news, the Kennedy assassination. The main character there is a rather eccentric alien. These features are surely not being shared with the incoming President?
Keep the flag at half-mast and honor those that have served their country.
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Stay in the dark
The latest influencer trend, at least in countries like Australia that are in the summer season, shows them getting selectively sunburnt to show strap lines. The discussion of health issues is important but maybe the young influencers might consider the cost and damages. Medical authorities are condemning this stupidity.
I have had about half a dozen pieces of skin cut out which is expensive and leaves scars. A few scars on an influencers face will decrease their earnings. There are limits to how much Photoshop can do.
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April Fool’s Day?
Usually April Fool’s Day is April 1st, but then again with some of the presents given over the decades, it’s not that certain.
On the more serious side, Denmark is boosting the defense of Greenland and any increase in military action is always a worry.
Does Donald Trump also know that Greenland is mostly ice and Iceland is mostly green?
A lot of 78-year-old seniors start to get confused easily. /PN
