The Trump Presidency, Season 2

[Isabeau]

stupid ugly logo. I would hate it even if someone I liked came up with it.

I also find the smiling dick Amazon logo insufferable.

 

[Free]

I also find the smiling dick Amazon logo insufferable.

An overly rigid arrow seems about right for them, though.

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

I also find the smiling dick Amazon logo insufferable.

Ignoring all their problematic issues... I do actually like the logo. It cleverly blends 3 different ideas into a very simple icon: It literally point "From A to Z" in the word Amazon. It suggests moving things. And, obviously the smile of 'customer fulfilment'. I'm sure they paid millions for it.

x1 however? Wtf is that? It's not an A, or an I that's for sure. It's Elusk Moron's seXual fetish for the letter X again, and probably something he designed himself before a crowd of fawning yes-bots. Or maybe it's "Lamda Prime One" who knows.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

JD Vance takes aim at UK and Europe over free speech and democracy

JD Vance told European and UK leaders "there is a new sheriff in town" in a speech that roamed across the continent, taking aim at perceived "backsliding".

news.sky.com

This, I think, is an example of how US and UK attitudes to free speech and assembly differ. Over on this side of the Atlantic, human rights law accepts that most rights are conditional, in that under certain circumstances they may legitimately be curtailed to the minimum amount needed to protect other equally important rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. Interestingly, the only two things our governments aren't allowed to do under any circumstances are executing or torturing people, even if they're interned offshore as "enemy combatants."

Consequently, people's freedom of worship, protest or assembly may legitimately be curtailed in order to protect other people's right to go peaceably about their legitimate business without undue obstruction, harassment or intimidation. This is why, in an example of which J D Vance may approve, last month the Metropolitan Police were able to ban a pro-Palestinian march against what the organisers saw as the BBC's bias in favour of Israel from assembling where they wanted to because it would mean marchers would be assembling close to a synagogue at a time when congregants would wish to Shabbat services and might well feel intimidated and prevented from so doing by the nearby protest, which had to take place elsewhere in central London.

Similarly, both staff and patients have a right to attend abortion clinics without being obstructed or feeling intimidated or harassed by anti-abortion protestors, who are at perfect liberty to pray to whoever and for whatever they like, so long as they don't do it in specific zones close to abortion clinics.

This prohibition, incidentally, enjoys huge popular support (77% pro, 14% against, 9% don't know, in 2023), not least because of what we've seen on our TVs happening in the USA when anti-abortion protestors are given carte blanche.

 

[WolfEyes]

It's Elusk Moron's seXual fetish for the letter X again,

He wants to be another Charlie Manson and X himself out of existence.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

JD Vance takes aim at UK and Europe over free speech and democracy

JD Vance told European and UK leaders "there is a new sheriff in town" in a speech that roamed across the continent, taking aim at perceived "backsliding".

news.sky.com

This, I think, is an example of how US and UK attitudes to free speech and assembly differ. Over on this side of the Atlantic, human rights law accepts that most rights are conditional, in that under certain circumstances they may legitimately be curtailed to the minimum amount needed to protect other equally important rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. Interestingly, the only two things our governments aren't allowed to do under any circumstances are executing or torturing people, even if they're interned offshore as "enemy combatants."

Vance made one thing clear with his speech: Trump wants only to deal with the big boys and hates democracies. Big boys for Trump are China, Russia and maybe India. The EU is for Trump insignificant and he does not care about a good relationship to it.

When reading the signs it could mark the beginning of the end of NATO as well, at least a NATO with substantial American contributions.

As consequence either the EU gets it shit together soon enough on its own, or it will be crushed between the new centres of power in the world. Trump's administration clearly wants to keep the EU small in power.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Part of it, too, I think, is that President Musk is worried about EU and UK legislation regulating social media, as is Mark Zuckerberg. This directly affects their income and share prices, and one of the things they expect Trump to do in return for their money is to try to stop attempts to bring them under control.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

We all do know by now that American tech companies give a shit about laws when creating own products, they only do care about it when it comes to protect their own products.

American tech bros definitely do fear what China is doing, which is the only real competitor they've got in that area of AI right now. China is not only copying technology, it's innovating and improving it.

The EU is only interesting for two things: as market to sell American services to, and source of data to them.

So this speech is all about "EU, we want to get rid of your privacy protection laws and give us all of your data for free."

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Knee's lookin a little bent

Bing still rockin' Double Mexico:

Apple Maps bent the knee world wide.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

I think the UK should rename Miami as "New Cleethorpes" or something, and insist maps use the new name. Other countries could join in the fun, naming it after their own run-down resort towns, and insisting their maps use their names.

 

[Casey Pelous]

I think the UK should rename Miami as "New Cleethorpes" or something, and insist maps use the new name. Other countries could join in the fun, naming it after their own run-down resort towns, and insisting their maps use their names.

"And that, kids, was when cartography died."

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

Mexico should call it the 'Gulf of America' and we should call it the 'Gulf of Mexico'.

They name highways/freeways after the place they go to, not the place they come from. It'd be so confusing otherwise.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

He wants to be another Charlie Manson and X himself out of existence.

He can't do it soon enough.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Mexico should call it the 'Gulf of America' and we should call it the 'Gulf of Mexico'.

They name highways/freeways after the place they go to, not the place they come from. It'd be so confusing otherwise.

Typically sea areas have different names when there is a power struggle in that area, e.g. Arabian vs. Persian Gulf. Or the sea around China. The Gulf is not contested, so the naming really must either come from the Spanish settlers, or when Mexico had war with the US.

It will not stop there by the way, because 2 days ago Trump's lackeys introduced a bill to

1. enter negotiations with Denmark to buy Greenland and
2. rename it to "Red, White and Blueland" anyway.

New Bill Proposes Greenland Be Renamed ‘Red, White And Blueland.’ Say What?

Earl Carter (R-Ga) introduced a bill titled "Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025’’. The purpose? Enable President Trump’s efforts for the US to rename and purchase Greenland.

www.forbes.com

 

[Free]

It's a good thing the geniuses are in charge. But of what?

“DOGE” Government Website Was Temporarily Alterable by Pretty Much Anyone

Elon Musk has made numerous unverified and false claims that his DOGE project has unearthed “fraud.”…

truthout.org

The official government website for Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” was easily hacked, as its source code included ways to breach its web pages.

The breaches by at least two individuals showcase the recklessness with which DOGE has been ripping through federal agencies and departments. Since President Donald Trump created DOGE through a legally dubious executive order, it has placed unlawful spending freezes on various programs that don’t align with the president’s far right agenda. It has also furloughed thousands of federal workers, ostensibly to cut wasteful spending and weed out supposed “fraud” within the government.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Typically sea areas have different names when there is a power struggle in that area, e.g. Arabian vs. Persian Gulf. Or the sea around China. The Gulf is not contested, so the naming really must either come from the Spanish settlers, or when Mexico had war with the US.

It will not stop there by the way, because 2 days ago Trump's lackeys introduced a bill to

1. enter negotiations with Denmark to buy Greenland and
2. rename it to "Red, White and Blueland" anyway.

New Bill Proposes Greenland Be Renamed ‘Red, White And Blueland.’ Say What?

Earl Carter (R-Ga) introduced a bill titled "Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025’’. The purpose? Enable President Trump’s efforts for the US to rename and purchase Greenland.

www.forbes.com

The Forbes article says, half-jokingly,

So, if you happen to fly into one of Greenland’s six international airports, know it’s possible that one day the airport code on your ticket from America may change from GOH to RWB, for Red White and Blueland.

Unfortunately RWB is already taken, by Rowan Bay, in Alaska.

 

[Noodles]

New Bill Proposes Greenland Be Renamed ‘Red, White And Blueland.’ Say What?

Earl Carter (R-Ga) introduced a bill titled "Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025’’. The purpose? Enable President Trump’s efforts for the US to rename and purchase Greenland.

www.forbes.com

This may in fact be the stupidest thing ever.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

This may in fact be the stupidest thing ever.

So far. The stupidest thing so far.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

This may in fact be the stupidest thing ever.

The Republicans in Congress have clearly had no interest in governing for several years -- they've made it clear that they're interested only in striking postures to impress their base, help with fundraising and, with any luck, earn them regular spots on Fox News.

They see their role as obstructing Democrats, so finding themselves with a Republican president and control of both houses must come as an unpleasant surprise.

Fortunately, Trump would far rather issue decrees and leave the governing to the placemen and women he has appointed to do Elon Musk's bidding, leaving Congress free to carry on with bits of legislative theatre to flatter and curry favour with the Emperor.

It's like Rome under the Caesars.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

The Melon Felon is considering paving over the Rose Garden, at least the grassy parts.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/us/politics/mar-a-lago-trump-grass-rose-garden.html