The screen kept saying “Preparing to launch”. But this wasn’t one of Elon Musk’s space rockets that soars through the stratosphere and settles into a comfortable orbit. This was one that blew up on the pad in a dazzling ball of flame.
[…]
Once people had got beyond the “What is Twitter Spaces?” stage, they were greeted with blank windows, broken snatches of conversation and other technical glitches.
The site creaked and buckled under the demand of more than half a million users.
Moderator David Sacks, a Republican donor and friend of Musk, tried to find a silver lining: “We’ve got so many people here we are kind of melting the servers, which is a good sign.”
The debacle was a fresh blow to the credibility of Musk, whose Tesla brand has lost its shine of late and who, having laid off dozens of Twitter staff, seemed to be on the end of divine retribution from the tech gods.
[…]
Soon, with delicious irony, the phrase “Failure to Launch” was trending on Twitter itself, while one headline observed: “Ron’s Desaster.” Both Trump and Joe Biden seized on the flop to score points and raise funds. A Trump campaign spokesperson said: “Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silences. A complete failure to launch. And that’s just the candidate!”
After nearly half an hour of malfunctions, DeSantis finally got going. He declared: “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback.” But by then thousands of people had given up and tuned out.
[…]
The sorry experience did little to suggest that Musk knows how to run a social media platform or that DeSantis is capable of governing a global superpower armed with nuclear weapons.
Perhaps their sole consolation is that they had both been upstaged in the evening news bulletins by the death of rock’n’roller Tina Turner at the age of 83. They could have done worse than fill their long silences with her posthumous plea: We Don’t Need Another Hero.
the rough in “roughstart” (NYT’s crossword for “inauspicious beginning”)
Fox News took a swipe at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Twitter owner Elon Musk over the chaotic launch of a Twitter Spaces event that the governor used to announce his presidential candidacy.
“Amateur hour,” the banner headline on FoxNews.com read Wednesday evening. “Much hyped Ron DeSantis presidential announcement a disaster on Twitter.”
The network’s homepage also featured a bright red crawl graphic that ran across the bottom of its website with the words “PROGRAMMING NOTE: Want to actually see and hear Ron DeSantis? Tune into Fox News at 8 p.m.”
DeSantis was slated to sit with Fox host and former Republican congressman Trey Gowdy on Wednesday evening, immediately following his discussion with Musk.
The Twitter Spaces event, the first of its kind, got off to a rocky start with audio and connectivity issues delaying the discussion by more than 20 minutes.
Musk and moderator David Sacks, a fellow tech entrepreneur, could be heard on the feed saying “so many people” were joining the space that it was “crashing the servers.”
At its highest point, the space had just more than half a million listeners, a number that pales in comparison to the nightly prime-time shows on Fox.
[continues]
relevant ‘toons on the timing
Attribution: Florida Is History by Christopher Weyant, CagleCartoons.com
and this [ironically from aforementioned germany]
Attribution: New welcome to Florida sign by Rainer Hachfeld, Germany, PoliticalCartoons.com
President Biden on Wednesday mocked the issue-laden presidential campaign launch of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), whose attempt to talk about his candidacy on Twitter Spaces was marred by tech problems.
“This link works,” Biden posted on his personal Twitter account, linking to a donation page for his campaign.
Biden sent the tweet while DeSantis attempted to launch his brand new campaign in an interview with Twitter CEO Elon Musk, an event that was beset by audio issues. DeSantis and Musk were supposed to speak on a Twitter Spaces, and hundreds of thousands of people had tuned in to listen.
But the audio repeatedly cut out. Nobody could be heard for more than a few seconds at a time.
[continues]
wonder what ron had to say about the rollout meltdown of obamacare.
remember the 24/7 GOPer glee over that inauspicious launch and their wall-to-wall panning?
Although national media hasn’t caught on, Florida media well covered the side deal that helps explain the Musk-Desantis connection: Florida bill protects SpaceX from accident liability. Under the law even crew members or their families cannot sue.
I detested Florida before detesting Florida was cool.
What it’s like when your hometown grows up.
There are those who leave early to avoid the rush. They fall in amongst all the other ones who leave early to avoid the rush.
Then there are those who wait a bit to leave so as to avoid the rush. They then fall in amongst all the others who wait a bit to avoid the rush.
Biden digital video team proving to be top rate. And fast…
@JoeBiden: “No matter what happens, you can hear Ron DeSantis’ agenda loud and clear.”
corben&lebatard in january came up with a campaign song worthy of repeat now that ron’s officially a candidate
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has banned Black history, drag queens, and Disney World. Next he'll probably ban this song (if only because Elton John). "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." — Maya Angelou https://t.co/EdUCJnwwwWpic.twitter.com/8SiFF7B3z8
BiD… thanks for that Tina YouTube last night. I did see that movie. I think it was on HBO.
Jamie… thanks… good to know it’s become a play on Broadway. Only a matter of time before it hits summer theatre in Ogunquit Maine. We will jump on tickets!
today’s meme…
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes just got 18 years in jail for seditious conspiracy, longest sentence so far for a J6 rioter.
Judge to Rhodes:
“You are not a political prisoner. You are not here for your beliefs. You stand convicted because 12 jurors found you guilty of sedition. That was a jury of your peers. Make no mistake about it.”
He also said Rhodes actions amounted to ‘domestic terrorism.
He also said Rhodes actions amounted to ‘domestic terrorism.
involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B)appear to be intended—
(i)
to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii)
to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii)
to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C)
occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States; and
Ya know, they were keeping fairly good track of those self-radicalizing on the interwebs after 9/11. I hope they are figuring out how to stop Vanilla Isis from doing the same.
The idiot, for example, who tried to crash into the WH this week, self-radicalized. Like the gunman in Allen, TX, he was a non-white, self-proclaimed nazi. He somehow thought that they won and that their leader didn’t scurry to his bunker and off himself. Not the winners he believed they were, to be sure.
They seem to also be lacking people skills, which is also why they can’t interact in a positive way with females, which is why they have so much time on their hands. If they would work on themselves, on their personalities, etc., maybe they would find a group of decent people to befriend, get involved in non-violent activities and find love.
…can’t interact in a positive way with females, which is why they have so much time on their hands.
It was horrible programming the machines that did process control rather than batch jobs (handling a lot of punch cards). Limited memory, slow clocking, and just plain not enough brains to work every day.
Bink – You focused on only one part; read the last line. It involves many things. Friends. Community. Meaningful relationships.
If they would work on themselves, on their personalities, etc., maybe they would find a group of decent people to befriend, get involved in non-violent activities and find love.
“In an unprecedented move, a Texas House committee voted Thursday to recommend that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office, citing a yearslong pattern of alleged misconduct and lawbreaking that investigators detailed one day earlier.”
Music to my ears; impeached and removed from office. Here’s hoping!
“The decision came minutes after a representative from Paxton’s office demanded Thursday to testify in front of the House committee probing Paxton’s alleged criminal acts and decried the committee’s actions as “illegal.”
“Hilton argued that the statute meant “any impeachment can only be about conduct since the most recent elections.”
“Overturning elections begins behind closed doors,” Paxton said on Twitter in a post that included video of Hilton’s conversation with reporters.”
Impeachment and, hopefully, being removed from office based on cause does not constitute “overturning an election.”
35 @HouseGOP Members write to @SpeakerMcCarthy to #HoldTheLine on debt ceiling to preserve GOP unity. Add policies to #LimitSaveGrowAct like border security. Demand Yellen shows her math on June 1 X-date. Rapidly pass COVID+IRS rescissions to push debt ceiling thru June.
“The US’ AAA credit ratings at risk of a downgrade due to ‘brinkmanship over the debt ceiling.’ This could impact trillions of dollars worth of Treasury securities.”
“But of course, the crisis is the fault of Republicans, who raised the debt ceiling three times under Donald Trump without any hardline spending conditions and have already laid bare the raw politics behind their standoff: During his CNN town hall earlier this month, Trump himself quipped there’s no problem with using the prospect of default as a negotiating wedge “because now I’m not president.”
“…Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel suggested Wednesday that while a default would likely be bad for the country, it would be good for her party politically…”
“…McDaniels’ political calculation seems to speak to a crucial dynamic of the standoff: Republicans appear to feel little compunction to back off their hardline demands—in part because they think Biden and the Democrats will pay the political price for a default…”
“How do you keep these negotiations from failing when some on the other side see that as a political success?”
When regular folks feel the pain of what the GQP is trying to do (tank the economy for political gain), and the wealthy still have their tRUMPsky tax cuts, the Republicans will pay at the polls. Right now, however, shortsighted and heartless Republicans don’t care.
Republicans don’t care about veterans.
Republicans don’t care about senior citizens.
Republicans don’t care about your 401(k).
Republicans don’t care.
“Target’s announcement comes just days before the start of June’s LGBTQ Pride Month and amid a growing wave of anti-LGBTQ efforts across the nation, including escalating threats of violence.”
“Since introducing this year’s collection,” the national retailer said in a statement, “we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.”
“As such, Target’s decision to get rid of some of its LGBTQ merchandise is no neutral act. Though their actions are the result of coordinated pressure, they nonetheless cede ground to those who seek to disseminate hate and enact violence. And they won’t suffice.”
“As the recent slew of book bans has shown, there’s no limit to the extreme right’s illiberal project, no concession that will appease them. Rather than making a pesky issue go away, Target has given anti-LGBTQ activists a foothold for their bigger battle against LGBTQ rights inside their very own stores.”
“To be sure, a cynical view of the corporate takeover of LGBTQ Pride Month has its merits, and the rollout of even more LGBTQ merchandise should not be heralded as the pathway towards queer liberation.”
“Yet as the right wages war on “woke corporations,” especially those associated with the LGBTQ community, the real threat to Pride Month may not be its capitalist excesses but instead the possibility of a corporate abandonment. That’s why Target’s retreat, however small, is so disappointing – and also so dangerous.”
Ban the Bible. Some are misinterpreting it to hurt those with whom they take offense.
Failure to launch: Twitter glitches deal double blow to Elon Musk and Ron DeSantis | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
the rough in “roughstart” (NYT’s crossword for “inauspicious beginning”)
Fox News trolls Elon Musk, DeSantis with banner ‘amateur hour’ headline | The Hill
relevant ‘toons on the timing
Attribution: Florida Is History by Christopher Weyant, CagleCartoons.com
and this [ironically from aforementioned germany]
Attribution: New welcome to Florida sign by Rainer Hachfeld, Germany, PoliticalCartoons.com
the hill:
wonder what ron had to say about the rollout meltdown of obamacare.
remember the 24/7 GOPer glee over that inauspicious launch and their wall-to-wall panning?
Great Tina tribute on Facebook
(7) The Hedge Witch – When Tina Turner left her first husband – who… | Facebook
The closing of TINA on Broadway
Although national media hasn’t caught on, Florida media well covered the side deal that helps explain the Musk-Desantis connection: Florida bill protects SpaceX from accident liability. Under the law even crew members or their families cannot sue.
I detested Florida before detesting Florida was cool.
What it’s like when your hometown grows up.
There are those who leave early to avoid the rush. They fall in amongst all the other ones who leave early to avoid the rush.
Then there are those who wait a bit to leave so as to avoid the rush. They then fall in amongst all the others who wait a bit to avoid the rush.
Biden digital video team proving to be top rate. And fast…
@JoeBiden: “No matter what happens, you can hear Ron DeSantis’ agenda loud and clear.”
A sign they want run against Trump?
corben&lebatard in january came up with a campaign song worthy of repeat now that ron’s officially a candidate
BiD… thanks for that Tina YouTube last night. I did see that movie. I think it was on HBO.
Jamie… thanks… good to know it’s become a play on Broadway. Only a matter of time before it hits summer theatre in Ogunquit Maine. We will jump on tickets!
today’s meme…
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes just got 18 years in jail for seditious conspiracy, longest sentence so far for a J6 rioter.
Judge to Rhodes:
“You are not a political prisoner. You are not here for your beliefs. You stand convicted because 12 jurors found you guilty of sedition. That was a jury of your peers. Make no mistake about it.”
He also said Rhodes actions amounted to ‘domestic terrorism.
He also said Rhodes actions amounted to ‘domestic terrorism.
18 U.S. Code § 2331 – Definitions
(5)the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—
Ya know, they were keeping fairly good track of those self-radicalizing on the interwebs after 9/11. I hope they are figuring out how to stop Vanilla Isis from doing the same.
The idiot, for example, who tried to crash into the WH this week, self-radicalized. Like the gunman in Allen, TX, he was a non-white, self-proclaimed nazi. He somehow thought that they won and that their leader didn’t scurry to his bunker and off himself. Not the winners he believed they were, to be sure.
They seem to also be lacking people skills, which is also why they can’t interact in a positive way with females, which is why they have so much time on their hands. If they would work on themselves, on their personalities, etc., maybe they would find a group of decent people to befriend, get involved in non-violent activities and find love.
lol, they do tend to put you to work, don’t they?
At last an article comparing the computers of the 60’s and 70’s to current cellular phones in computing power. A fun read.
It was horrible programming the machines that did process control rather than batch jobs (handling a lot of punch cards). Limited memory, slow clocking, and just plain not enough brains to work every day.
I am not Jewish, and for the most part not of anything anymore.
This is a very important piece of information regarding a religion and deserves dissemination.
I am happy to spread this bit of happiness.
Bink – You focused on only one part; read the last line. It involves many things. Friends. Community. Meaningful relationships.
If they would work on themselves, on their personalities, etc., maybe they would find a group of decent people to befriend, get involved in non-violent activities and find love.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/25/ken-paxton-impeachment-investigation/
“In an unprecedented move, a Texas House committee voted Thursday to recommend that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office, citing a yearslong pattern of alleged misconduct and lawbreaking that investigators detailed one day earlier.”
Music to my ears; impeached and removed from office. Here’s hoping!
“The decision came minutes after a representative from Paxton’s office demanded Thursday to testify in front of the House committee probing Paxton’s alleged criminal acts and decried the committee’s actions as “illegal.”
“Hilton argued that the statute meant “any impeachment can only be about conduct since the most recent elections.”
“Overturning elections begins behind closed doors,” Paxton said on Twitter in a post that included video of Hilton’s conversation with reporters.”
Impeachment and, hopefully, being removed from office based on cause does not constitute “overturning an election.”
Paxton is a tRUMPsky wannabe.
BB – Bad link
House Freedom Caucus
@freedomcaucus
·
Follow
35 @HouseGOP Members write to @SpeakerMcCarthy to #HoldTheLine on debt ceiling to preserve GOP unity.
Add policies to #LimitSaveGrowAct like border security. 
Demand Yellen shows her math on June 1 X-date. 
Rapidly pass COVID+IRS rescissions to push debt ceiling thru June.
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/debt-ceiling-negotiations-05-25-23/index.html
~Oddly, there is no demand to cut tRUMPsky’s tax cuts for the wealthy.~
No matter, the three-day weekend for average Americans starts a day early for the critterz in Congress.
oy – try this one.
https://www.businessinsider.com/debt-default-us-aaa-credit-ratings-downgrade-risk-fitch-2023-5
“The US’ AAA credit ratings at risk of a downgrade due to ‘brinkmanship over the debt ceiling.’ This could impact trillions of dollars worth of Treasury securities.”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/05/republicans-debt-ceiling-negotiations
“But of course, the crisis is the fault of Republicans, who raised the debt ceiling three times under Donald Trump without any hardline spending conditions and have already laid bare the raw politics behind their standoff: During his CNN town hall earlier this month, Trump himself quipped there’s no problem with using the prospect of default as a negotiating wedge “because now I’m not president.”
“…Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel suggested Wednesday that while a default would likely be bad for the country, it would be good for her party politically…”
“…McDaniels’ political calculation seems to speak to a crucial dynamic of the standoff: Republicans appear to feel little compunction to back off their hardline demands—in part because they think Biden and the Democrats will pay the political price for a default…”
“How do you keep these negotiations from failing when some on the other side see that as a political success?”
When regular folks feel the pain of what the GQP is trying to do (tank the economy for political gain), and the wealthy still have their tRUMPsky tax cuts, the Republicans will pay at the polls. Right now, however, shortsighted and heartless Republicans don’t care.
Republicans don’t care about veterans.
Republicans don’t care about senior citizens.
Republicans don’t care about your 401(k).
Republicans don’t care.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/25/opinions/the-mistake-target-made-by-removing-pride-items-young/index.html
“Target’s announcement comes just days before the start of June’s LGBTQ Pride Month and amid a growing wave of anti-LGBTQ efforts across the nation, including escalating threats of violence.”
“Since introducing this year’s collection,” the national retailer said in a statement, “we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.”
“As such, Target’s decision to get rid of some of its LGBTQ merchandise is no neutral act. Though their actions are the result of coordinated pressure, they nonetheless cede ground to those who seek to disseminate hate and enact violence. And they won’t suffice.”
“As the recent slew of book bans has shown, there’s no limit to the extreme right’s illiberal project, no concession that will appease them. Rather than making a pesky issue go away, Target has given anti-LGBTQ activists a foothold for their bigger battle against LGBTQ rights inside their very own stores.”
“To be sure, a cynical view of the corporate takeover of LGBTQ Pride Month has its merits, and the rollout of even more LGBTQ merchandise should not be heralded as the pathway towards queer liberation.”
“Yet as the right wages war on “woke corporations,” especially those associated with the LGBTQ community, the real threat to Pride Month may not be its capitalist excesses but instead the possibility of a corporate abandonment. That’s why Target’s retreat, however small, is so disappointing – and also so dangerous.”
Ban the Bible. Some are misinterpreting it to hurt those with whom they take offense.
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