Former public school students speak out on the dangers of adequate funding for public schools. pic.twitter.com/1JqcaLDAm6
— Mark Humphries (@markhumphries) February 11, 2024
Showing posts with label satire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label satire. Show all posts
Saturday 17 February 2024
Best of Mark Humphries: public school funding
Wednesday 19 February 2020
Monday 6 March 2017
The American Resistance has many faces and this is just one [or two or three or more] of them (5)
Every day, Americans across the political spectrum are recognizing that our country is at risk of sliding toward a modern form of authoritarianism. We are already seeing signs of that happening.
But we have stronger tools than those found anywhere else in the world to prevent this. We the People, armed with our Constitution and the rule of law, can act to stop it.
That is our mission. Linking together lawyers who served at the highest levels of our federal government, in service of all concerned Americans, we are United to Protect Democracy. Join us.
Politico, 23 February 2017:
Top lawyers who helped the Obama White House craft and hold to rules of conduct believe President Donald Trump and his staff will break ethics norms meant to guard against politicization of the government — and they’ve formed a new group to prepare, and fight…..
has already raised a $1.5 million operating budget, hired five staffers and has plans to double that in the coming months. They’ve incorporated as both a 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4), allowing them to operate as a nonprofit but participate in some forms of political advocacy as well…..
They started by submitting 50 Freedom of Information Act requests this week that they believe will confirm their suspicions. The plan is to bring what they find to reporters, build it into pressure for congressional oversight with the help of a campaign director they’ll hire, and, as necessary, to file lawsuits.
They’re also hoping to establish themselves as a base for government employees worried about ethics violations — up to and including becoming whistleblowers — and are hoping that their website, https://unitedtoprotectdemocracy.org/,can become a resource.
The time for normalizing, dissembling, and explaining away Donald Trump has long since passed. The barring of respected journalistic outlets from the White House briefing is so far beyond the norms and traditions that have governed this republic for generations, that they must be seen as a real and present threat to our democracy. These are the dangers presidents are supposed to protect against, not create.
For all who excused Mr. Trump's rhetoric in the campaign as just talk, the reckoning has come. I hope it isn't true, but I fear Mr. Trump is nearing or perhaps already beyond any hope of redemption. And now the question is will enough pressure be turned to all those who enable his antics with their tacit encouragement. There has been a wall of unbending support from virtually every Republican in Congress, and even some Democrats. Among many people, this will be seen as anything approaching acceptable. And mind you, talk is cheap. No one needs to hear how you don't agree with the President. What are you going to do about it? Do you maintain that an Administration that seeks to subvert the protections of our Constitution is fit to rule unchecked? Or fit to rule at all?
This is an emergency that can no longer be placed solely at the feet of President Trump, or even the Trump Administration. This is a moment of judgement for everyone who willingly remains silent. It is gut check time, for those in a position of power, and for the nation.
#OrangeBeatles: "I wanna grow my hands! I wanna grow my haa aaa sands. I wanna grow my hands." pic.twitter.com/0QQWSAqmNJ— Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (@ASE) February 25, 2017
#OrangeBeatles: "This song is called fake news." pic.twitter.com/pnn9610y3G— Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (@ASE) February 25, 2017
Statement of Purpose
Those involved in Rogue Potus Staff are not part of a partisan attack against Republican politics. To the contrary, most of us are devout Republicans. We are, however, opposed to the egregious incompetence, idiocy, and pettiness of President Trump's White House, and the effective divorce from reality with which it is run. We aren't working to support Democratic victories. We want the American People to regain control of their government through civic engagement, careful contemplation, intellectual scrutiny, activism, and ultimately voting action. This is why we encourage people to be skeptical about who we claim to be, but we vigorously attack absurd reasoning and attacks against the movement.
If our actions were to inspire anything, we hope it would be to underscore the necessity for our country's civic process to be ruled by higher principles than those that characterize President Trump. Those who wish to rally in support of merely different principles have wandered into the wrong place (especially if those principles are equally petty as those offered by President Trump). Nero is fiddling while Rome burns. We all have a choice to make. We can either stand in opposition to the emperor's negligence that's causing the destruction and chaos, or we can take a stand against bad music. Those who choose the latter should not expect to find their cause championed by us.
We have no objection to anyone who does not want to sign the petition we created, or participate in an event we suggested. Everyone has the right to choose for his or her own self. We don't believe that a White House petition will magically make President Trump change his behavior. The success of a White House petition is in gaining enough signatures to require a response. It provides an opportunity to focus the public conversation. In this case, our petition hopes to demand for President Trump to address his negligence head on, and on the record. Maybe he makes excuses. Maybe he gaslights. By itself it may not have any substantive effect. But just like mounting pieces led to Flynn being forced out, the sum of many small chinks in the armor can eventually penetrate President Trump's aura of protected recklessness.
We are not whistleblowers of illegal activity. We are not a news agency. We are not here to leak secret information to the public. We don't offer news, we offer context. We are here to show people those truths that aren't news worthy. If any one of us decides to engage in leaking news to media sources, they do so with 100% separation from Rogue Potus Staff (and yes, it has happened). We are not heroes. We are not magical wizards, nor do we hold any special keys to take him down. The only way that our country can be spared the damage President Trump would exact upon us is through the power of the people.
Resistance is not about hitting a grand slam, or a barrage of knockout punches. It's about wearing down the target. It's about small successes that add up over time. It's about being asymmetrical against an overpowering opponent. It's not about instant gratification, it's about realigning yourself to persist against all odds. It's not about painting profanities on the wall to express your disdain, it's about doing the work to swing the hammer against the wall, even if it will take a million swings.
https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/834916218914095104NEW VIDEO: #BecauseHisActionsAreEmotionalTerrorism He. Must. Go. pic.twitter.com/duttzf0W4O— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 24, 2017
Friday 9 January 2015
GROUND ZERO: a rather strange use for a little Google api
Carlos Labs asks: Have you ever wondered what would happen if a nuclear bomb goes off in your city?
Here is ground zero on what would possibly be three popular targets if the political opinion polls were weaponised:
Sunday 7 September 2014
On the anniversary of the 7 September 2013 Australian Federal Election
Happy anniversary to a prime minister that was not universally liked to begin with and quickly became hated by many.
The Tony Abbott Song.........
http://youtu.be/Z-qUBPyqHPs
Although this September 2013 song is satire, it is telling that at around 7:09 minutes into the video a member of the audience suggests killing Prime Minister Abbott.
In October that year this desire was being turned into calligraphy on Instagram.
By February 2014 he was being beheaded on stage by GWAR to cheers from the audience during the Soundwave tour.
While someone is squatting on a Facebook page titled Kill Tony Abbott and on another page one contributor suggested in May that; If every Australian donated just $1 we could have a private Hitman kill Tony Abbott anyone up for the job you will be WELL payed.
In June a page called Tony Abbott should be assassinated appeared.
Come July and one blogger was posting; Please kill Tony Abbott. No need
to make him suffer. Just make him stop being alive. He’s hurting pretty much
everyone. He’s happy about it. His actions benefit no-one other than handful of
ultra-wealthy people who don’t really need him. He brings nothing good, kind or
honest to the world, only selfishness and suffering.
And sentiments such as this were floating in cyberspace; Excuse
me while I go kill Tony Abbott with a shovel and feed his corpse to a pack of
dingoes.
As well as this; someone kill Tony Abbott already. I
know he has a family and that’s tragic, but he needs to be stopped.
A Google search
this month reveals the term I hate
Tony Abbott occurs 4,890 times and Kill Tony Abbott 13,800 times on the Internet.
Before November this year Abbott is taking delivery of an est. $500k custom made BMW capable of withstanding explosive devices and automatic fire from AK-47s or rounds from armour-piercing weapons.
By Christmas I expect to hear that he has hired two official food tasters to compliment his Close Personal Protection (CPP) detail which accompanies him
everywhere.
Saturday 21 June 2014
Friday 16 May 2014
When Joe Hockey Dances
When millionaire Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey dances.....
ABC News 14 May 2014:
Oakes: You were dancing in your office before you got up to give that speech, why were you dancing?
Hockey: Dancing?
Oakes: You put on a song called This Will Be the Best Day of My Life and danced with your wife.
Hockey: I think that was more about our little boy was there. I hadn't seen him for three weeks. I think that was more of the focus.
Oakes: The unemployed, the sick, the welfare recipients have been hit by the budget. They're not going to be dancing, are they?
Hockey: No, Laurie, they are not.
Oakes: Won't be the best day of their life.
Hockey: No, but it is the best day for Australia, Laurie. It's the best day for Australia because we are actually getting on with the job of building a stronger nation. That's what we're focused on, building a stronger nation. Hugely important.
When the unemployed, the sick, pensioners and low-income welfare recipients dance.....
Created image
Friday 27 April 2012
Australian Mining Industry: So which version do you believe is the more accurate?
mUmBRELLA 20 April 2012:
Less than two hours after publishing the story we received the following letter from XStrata Coal:
I refer to the video titled “Ad pastiches mining industry’s ‘This is our story’ campaign” published on your website:
http://mumbrella.com.au/ad-pastiches-mining-industrys-this-is-our-story-campaign-86514
The video found on this link contains a parody of the piece concerning (name withheld by Mumbrella for legal reasons).
Xstrata recognises that there is legitimate scope for parody in public debate, and appreciates the importance in public life of a free and frank exchange of views. Nonetheless, we take exception to the piece concerning (name withheld by Mumbrella) because it makes a number of suggestions concerning (name withheld) that are unfair and defamatory. In particular:
• (allegation withheld by Mumbrella for legal reasons);
• (allegation withheld by Mumbrella for legal reasons);
• (allegation withheld by Mumbrella for legal reasons);
• (allegation withheld by Mumbrella for legal reasons);
These examples are by way of illustration only.
Xstrata is happy to accept robust criticism. But we are not content to allow a valued employee to be defamed in so unfair and personal a fashion. We therefore require that the video found in the above link (and on any other website hosted by Mumbrella or YouTube) be removed immediately and remind you that all persons involved in the publication of defamatory material are equally liable for defamation. We also observe that the reproduction of the whole of the video taken from www.thisisourstory.com.au appears to constitute a breach of copyright. We request your immediate confirmation that the videos will be removed from Mumbrella and YouTube and we expect that it will be taken down forthwith.
We do not wish to escalate this to a legal dispute, but you should not underestimate our willingness to do so if your website continues to defame our employee.
Yours sincerely
Tom Cregan
Legal Counsel
Xstrata Coal
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