Twitter

Gutfeld on tweeting while wasted

A new study by New York University finds that a third of the people who get high post on social media while under the influence. And a large portion said they regretted their intoxicated actions. I like this study because I am this study. Many times I would tweet something rude after that third glass of wine. And the next day, regret the tweet, not the wine. I learned over time that I had to cut back on one or the other. So out went the wine, in came the vodka. But we’re missing the good news. The study isn’t about the destruction caused behind the wheel of a car — it’s now about the embarrassment caused in front of your smartphone screen. Wikipedia told me that between 1991 and 2017, the rate of drunk driving fatalities has decreased 46 percent nationally, and 68 percent among those under age 21. So we find ourselves no longer steering into lamp posts; instead we steer humiliating posts about our stupid thoughts, activities and selves into a ravenous public, who happily seek another opportunity to dance on our shame. Writer P.J. O’Rourke once called booze “liquid idiot,” but our tweets are “digital dumb.” Which is better? Nobody ever drove a tweet into oncoming traffic and wiped out a family of five. So consider it progress that more people are dying from embarrassment than internal injuries. If more high people are wrecking themselves online than on the road, that’s a win for all of us. We should all drink to that. In moderation, of course! And certainly not near Twitter.

Well said, Greg!  That was adapted from Greg Gutfeld’s monologue on “The Five” on Aug. 19, 2019. Greg Gutfeld currently serves as host of FOX News Channel’s (FNC) The Greg Gutfeld Show (Saturdays 10-11PM/ET) and co-host of The Five (weekdays 5-6PM/ET).  Excellent!!    🙂

Rep. Billy Long, an auctioneer, drowns out protester shouting at Twitter’s Jack Dorsey during hearing

Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo., on Wednesday drowned out a protester who was shouting at Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey by using an auction call. Laura Loomer, a far-right activist, was heard shouting pleas at President Trump “because Jack Dorsey is trying to influence the election, to sway the election, to [inaudible] Democrats steal the election.” “That is why he is censoring and shadow banning conservatives,” she added. After Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., repeatedly called for Loomer to stand down in the hearing room, or else risk her removal, Loomer continued — which is when Long stepped in with a fast-talking auctioneer chant to drown her out. Long chanted for a few minutes as Capitol Police worked to remove Loomer from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce panel. “I yield back,” Long joked to audible laughter, as the protester was escorted from the room. The owner of Billy Long Auctions, LLC, Long worked as an auctioneer for 30 years in Missouri, according to his campaign site. He was also “voted best auctioneer in the Ozarks for seven years in a row.”

This is so great!!  If you missed this, click on the text above.   Excellent!!      🙂

Ann Coulter Tweet About Alleged Illegal Immigrant Rape Flagged as ‘Hate Speech’ by Twitter

Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter had a tweet linking to a recent article flagged as “hate speech” by Twitter. Ann Coulter posted a link to a recent article on her website titled “To Say, ‘Stop Raping Me!’ In English, Press ‘1’ Now” on Twitter earlier this week. She added the comment, “Liberals are all for rape, provided that the penis forcibly inserted in you is attached to an illegal immigrant.” Coulter said she received an email from Twitter support informing her that the tweet had been flagged as violating Twitter’s hateful conduct policy. Coulter replied to the complaint by stating, “This warning is absolutely in error! It has obviously been generated by a computer because a human would read the linked column and find the proof that this tweet is completely, 100% truthful — fact by fact, in side-by-side cases. It is not a joke, not ‘hate,’ it is just the truth.” Twitter has a lengthy history of ignoring “hate speech” when it comes from those on the left, such as Ghostbusters (2016) actress Leslie Jones or rapper Talib Kweli, who called Breitbart News’ Jerome Hudson a “coon,” yet Coulter’s tweet was quickly flagged by the social media platform. Twitter’s warning email also noted, “if it is determined that the flagged content does not violate our hateful conduct policy, Twitter may still withhold content in Germany if the content appears to violate the laws of Germany.” In April, Germany’s Cabinet approved a bill that would fine social media sites like Twitter up to 50 million euros “if they fail to swiftly remove illegal content such as hate speech.”

Tony X. celebrated by St. Louis Blues at Game 3

Viral sensation Tony X. received a hero’s welcome at Scottrade Center on Tuesday. He mugged for photos, was videoed by the St. Louis Blues, shown on the jumbotron, and tweeted out a few observations from the contest. It was reportedly the first live NHL game for Anthony Holmes (aka Tony X. or @soloucity on Twitter) who became a social media hero during Game 7 of the Blues’ first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks. Holmes became such a big deal that he was interviewed on Good Morning America. There, Blues vice president Brett Hull offered Holmes tickets to Tuesday night’s Game 3 between St. Louis and the Dallas Stars. The Blues paid tribute to Holmes at the first TV timeout, showing him on the jumbotron, which included one of his signature tweets from Game 7. Holmes also tweeted a photo from his seat before the start of the game. Also, it appeared that Holmes listened to the pleas of sniper Vladimir Tarasenko, asking him to wear Tarasenko’s No. 91. Following the game, a 6-1 win by the Blues, Holmes was thrilled with the outcome. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch interviewed Holmes at the game. “It’s been amazing, it’s kind of surreal,” Tony X said after the second period, with “his” Blues leading, 5-1. “I still can’t believe it’s happening, even though it’s happening right now. … I’ve taken more pictures tonight than I probably have in the last five years. … It’s 10 times even more than what I thought it would be — you’re right here and you can feel the vibrations when they hit against the glass.” Holmes did tweet out a question asking about power play rules. He also was entertained by enforcer Ryan Reaves, who blew a kiss at the Stars bench after a fight near the end of the game. St. Louis may need to bring Holmes back for Game 4 considering how well Game 3 went with him in the building.

Agreed!!  I was wondering who the heck this guy was, as the cameras kept panning to him during the game.  And to think.. St. Blues legend, and now vice president, Brett Hull gave him tickets!   The power of social media..  To see videos and photos of Tony X, click on the text above.   🙂

Gaffney: Shariah-Compliant Twitter

Twitter seems to think 2016 is 1984. It has welcomed in the New Year with a change in the rules governing all of its accounts that is reminiscent of Orwellian thought-control. Or at least that practiced by another, non-fictional totalitarian system: the Islamic supremacist program known as shariah. Shariah’s adherents demand that no offense be given to them, their religion, deity or prophet. Now, all other things being equal, they are close to ensuring that none will be forthcoming in 140 characters. If successful, contemporary Islamists will have achieved a major step towards a goal they have been pursuing through other means for nearly two decades: the worldwide prohibition of “defamation of religions” – read, Islam. In particular, since 2005, their proto-Caliphate – the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – has been working through the United Nations on a ten-year plan to impose this restraint concerning freedom of expression on the rest of us. In 2011, with the active support of the Obama administration, this gambit produced UN Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18. It basically gives the imprimatur of international law to Shariah’s demand that speech, books, videos and now Tweets that “defame” Muslims or their faith be prohibited. In July of that year, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton implicated herself personally in this affront to our First Amendment guarantee of free expression. She launched with the OIC and the European Union the so-called “Istanbul Process,” a tripartite effort to accommodate the Islamic supremacists’ demands that Western nations conform to Resolution 16/18 by adopting domestic strictures against offense-giving to Muslims. On that occasion, Mrs. Clinton famously declared her willingness “to use some old-fashioned techniques of peer pressure and shaming, so that people don’t feel that they have the support to do what we abhor.” The message could not have been more clear to jihadists around the world: The United States was submitting to shariah blasphemy norms. According to shariah, the proper response is to redouble the effort to make the infidel “feel subdued.” That means, worse behavior from the Islamists, not better. Now, it seems that one of the greatest enablers of the global jihad, Saudi billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal, is seeing his substantial stake in Twitter stock translate into another breakthrough for Islamic supremacy: The suppression of Tweets that, according to the company’s new rule, involve “hate speech or advocacy against an individual, organization or protected group based on race, ethnicity, national origin, color, religion, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or other protected status.” To be sure Twitter is a private sector enterprise. It is, therefore, free to deny its services to those whose content it finds objectionable. At least, as long as it doesn’t try to deny service to approved “haters” like the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). This organization has deviated wildly from its early history as an effective advocate for civil liberties. Today, its invective-laced advocacy against individuals or organization who are supposed to enjoy “protected status” under our Constitution, namely that of citizens free to express themselves, can only be described as hate speech. Yet, the SPLC is embraced and even cited by the Obama administration and others among the leftists and Islamists who make up the “Red-Green axis” now feverishly working to silence any who they, as Hillary Clinton put it, “abhor.” (For more on this unlikely alliance, see Jim Simpson’s The Red-Green Axis: Refugees, Immigration and the Agenda to Erase America.) What is particularly concerning is that the new Twitter rule sounds a lot like what is coming out of the Obama administration these days. See, for example, the Justice Department’s “Guidance for Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Regarding the Use Of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Or Gender Identity.” Speaking of the Justice Department, Americans who are inclined not to worry about losing the ability to Tweet their concerns about jihadism, shariah and anything else that might offend Muslims should bear in mind that Attorney General Loretta Lynch has put us all on notice that considerably worse may be in store for our First Amendment rights. Last month she told a Muslim Brotherhood-tied organization, Muslim Advocates: “Now, obviously this is a country that is based on free speech, but when it edges towards violence, when we see the potential for someone…lifting that mantle of anti-Muslim rhetoric…When we see that, we will take action.” With Hillary Clinton’s prominent role in promoting restriction of free expression, and what appears to be accelerating momentum in the direction of ensuring conformity with shariah blasphemy restrictions, this would seem to be a good time for Republican presidential candidates – and the rest of us – to be expressing our adamant objections. If Twitter gets away with keeping us from doing it in 140 characters, we better make sure we do it otherwise, while we still can.

Agreed!  Thanks for raising awareness of this, Frank!  Frank Gaffney is the author of that excellent piece.  Pass it on to friends and family members!

Twitter account for US Central Command hacked, filled with pro-ISIS messages

The Twitter account for U.S. Central Command was hacked on Monday and for several minutes carried incendiary messages promoting the Islamic State — including one that said, “AMERICAN SOLDIERS, WE ARE COMING, WATCH YOUR BACK. ISIS.”

Not good..  I’m curious if Obama (who is apparently having some conference on Cybersecurity, go figure) will use the term Islamic terrorism now.  Yeah, I’m not holding my breath either.  This story is developing..

Ominous Tweet Connects ISIS Threat In Chicago

Ominous Tweet Connects ISIS Threat In Chicago

Very disturbing..  We need to be vigilant, and re-direct our federal law enforcement, Homeland Security, and military resources to addressing this very real, clear, and present threat in a robust, holistic manner that is strategic and multifaceted in nature; attacking the problem set from various angles.  Among that would be to secure our southern border TODAY!  That is absolutely critical!   Of course, as we oftentimes say here, it is absolutely critical that we BUILD THE WALL NOW!!..and put U.S. Army National Guard troops physically ON the border!!..NOT back about 40 miles!!  It is WAY past time to debate/discuss and have this touchy-feely hug-fest so as not to offend certain demographics, or worrying about the corrupt Mexican government getting upset.  I mean, c’mon.  Who cares?!? Lets be honest about this.. the Mexican government is no longer a partner in this anyway.  They are an adversary.  Nobody has the courage to say that in Washington, D.C.  But, I’m not a politician worrying about offending a certain demographic (and losing some of those votes).  The Mexican government has one of our U.S. Marines incarcerated in a Mexican federal prison now for several months, which is a complete disgrace.  And, they have been complicit in human trafficking and drug smuggling across our border (and God knows what else).  Plus the Mexican military makes over a hundred military incursions across our border on to U.S. soil each year and fires on our Border Patrol agents and so on.  This is well documented.  Again, its time to stop treating them as a friend and ally, and instead treat the corrupt Mexican government for what it is; a regional adversary that seeks to undermine our national sovereignty and our national security interests, while laughing at us as we give them millions and millions of tax-payer dollars each year in foreign aid.  To that end, we need to stop ALL foreign aid to Mexico until it frees our U.S. Marine, and stops its active support of illegal aliens crossing into our country, human trafficking in general, and its tacit (if not active) support of the Mexican drug cartels.  And that’s just the southern border with CA, AZ, TX, and NM!!  The bad guys won’t stop there.  The U.S. Coast Guard needs to be equally vigilant and well funded so it can perform its mission of protecting our coats.

As it relates to ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State..  We need to ramp up the air campaign in Iraq, and  expand it into Syria.  The notional geographic border between the two countries isn’t being respected by ISIS because they don’t recognize either country to begin with!  So, we cannot allow for let those geographic borderlines hold us back from attacking ISIS.  GEN. Dempsey understands this, and said as much last night.  That’s because, UNlike Obama, he’s not a lawyer.  He’s a soldier.  And soldiers are trained to win; NOT negotiate and equivocate.  Again, we need to ramp up that air campaign and stop this pinprick nonsense.  We need to target command and control nodes (“C2”), their forms of communication, and go after their leadership…and be “relentless” about it.  There is much we can do in that regard to degrade their capabilities.  Unfortunately, just using Navy F-18 Hornet fighter jets simply isn’t enough.  We need to use slower, more close-air support assets like U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthogs and U.S. Army Apache helicopters, and go after smaller targets and troops on the ground.  Yes, its riskier for those who fly those aircraft as they aren’t as fast as F-18s, and they are much closer to the ground.  But, that’s the only way you’re gonna be able to get some of these ISIS troops on the ground.  Dropping a 500 lb bomb from 30,000 ft, as cool as that is (and makes for equally cool videos), simply can’t get all of it.  Such precision with such large (and expensive) bombs are most effective on large targets like vehicle convoys, tanks, buildings, and such.  But, if ya want to chew up the troops on the ground, you can either put (to use a current buzz phrase) “boots on the ground,” OR bring in closer air support to support the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces who are actually staying IN the fight on the ground.  If Obama, and others don’t want to put a large U.S. Army/Marine Corp contingent on the ground, again, in Iraq and Syria…then we need to proactively support the Kurds and Iraqi military with weaponry, ammo, quality real-time intelligence, and training/coordination by U.S. Army Special Forces, as well as the close air support I just mentioned above. Those are just a few of the things we SHOULD be doing as part of that multifaceted, holistic, robust approach to attacking the “cancer” that is ISIS.  Of course, there will be missions that require us to send in our special operators (i.e. hostage rescue, downed pilot extractions, key enemy leadership capture/kill, etc.); where the target is a high value target, and we don’t want to trust such missions to the Kurds or Iraqis.  So, we need to ensure that there are enough teams in theater to accomplish such missions.  Otherwise, we SHOULD allow the Kurds and Iraqis to do the lion share of the ground fighting.  Yes, it is THEIR country and, “their fight.”  But, if we don’t help them fight it, it’ll become OUR fight on OUR soil.  These animals have already shown, brazenly, that they’re here in America!!  So, NOW is the time to take the fight to them over there and wipe them out…over there.  Anyway, this is the kind of adult conversation that the Pentagon needs to have with Obama, and he needs to sign off on…and then at some point, explain to the American people.  But, I don’t think he has the courage and moral backbone to do this; to do what is right and necessary.  Guess we’ll see..