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@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

Nonya_Bidniss

@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to

Retired deep state IC/civil servant. Scientific & technical intelligence re pandemic threats, chem/bio weapons, bioscience, emerging tech; personal staff of senior GOs; tech writer, speech writer, senior editor; also worked at various analytic & research labs. Today I hike, cook, read & watch #scifi. Degrees in biology & strategic intelligence. Currently in N. Alabama :( #veteran #atheist #antifascist #natsec #fedi22 🌻
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mattblaze , to Photography
@mattblaze@federate.social avatar

31-41 Union Square West, NYC, 2024.

All the pixels, each of which will be famous for 15 minutes, at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/53731622110

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@mattblaze I always wonder how you manage to catch these places with no people wandering around.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@mattblaze Oh, right, I forgot, it's the crime!

TheConversationUS , to Random stuff
@TheConversationUS@newsie.social avatar

If $61 billion seems like a lot to spend now on military aid, it’s nothing compared with what will be needed in the months and years to come to rebuild

https://theconversation.com/the-price-of-rebuilding-ukraine-goes-up-each-day-but-shirking-the-bill-will-cost-even-more-229670

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@TheConversationUS If $61 billion seems like a lot to spend now on military aid, it’s nothing compared with what will be needed if Russia is left unchecked to steadily swarm over and brutalize one European country after another, drawing NATO into a disastrous WWIII scenario.

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

President Biden, at a campaign fundraiser in Georgia, says former President Trump is “unhinged.”

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa Accurate

dangillmor , to Random stuff
@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar

Palantir is an evil company, and its CEO showed at a conference that he is a supremely evil person.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/may/17/ai-weapons-palantir-war-technology

(Also, right on brand that a New York Times commentator moderated the panel and helped Karp avoid serious questions from one of only two reporters who bothered to attend.)

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@dangillmor [Karp] said [college anti-war activists would] have a hard time on the job market and described their views as a “pagan religion infecting our universities” and “an infection inside of our society”.
“The peace activists are war activists,” Karp insisted. “We are the peace activists.”

bethpdx , to Random stuff
@bethpdx@mas.to avatar

When I was an editor at the Chicago Tribune, I would’ve been in trouble if I’d let my wife put a political bumper sticker on our car. But a Supreme Court justice’s home can fly a flag of insurrection and he’s still allowed to rule on whether the head insurrectionist has immunity.” https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/may-17-2024?r=13f3k3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@hacks4pancakes @bethpdx We were allowed to have say, a campaign's bumper sticker on our POV, but yes, the duress flag would be a red flag. One civ I worked with lost his clearance, therefore his job, for posting right wing militia & gun nut type symbols in his cubicle.

jerry , to Random stuff
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

Why is everyone talking about bears lately?

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@jerry LOL I had to look it up the other day.

arstechnica , to Random stuff
@arstechnica@mastodon.social avatar

Tesla must face fraud suit for claiming its cars could fully drive themselves

Lawsuit targets 2016 claim that all Tesla cars "have full self-driving hardware."

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/05/tesla-must-face-fraud-suit-for-claiming-its-cars-could-fully-drive-themselves/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@arstechnica Every Tesla owner is an unwitting human test subject.

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Via Kyle Griffin:

Ex-Trump DOJ official Jeffrey Clark — the lawyer central to Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election — has been spotted in the overflow room at Trump's criminal trial

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff NFL / It's a regular parade of traitors up in there today

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

🧵starts HERE.

Remember: I cannot reply while live-posting, so plz use NFL (Not For Laffy.. no hashtag) so I can skip your replies. THANK YOU.

Running a little late, so some preamble included here.

1/… Via Rupar: Trump wraps up his morning rant by attacking one of the prosecutors, Colangelo, which is a flagrant violation of his gag order

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff NFL Trumpers are such idiots

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ A large House GOP group is discussing a trip to New York to back up Donald Trump at his trial — joining a growing Republican trend.—Politico

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff Can the judge close the courtroom to the public?

ArtPhotosDesk , (edited ) to Art
@ArtPhotosDesk@flipboard.social avatar

Earlier today, King Charles III revealed his first official portrait since his coronation in May 2023.

https://flip.it/OtdatX (via TOWN & COUNTRY)

The painting, by artist Jonathan Yeo, was commissioned in 2020 when the King was still Prince of Wales.

Reactions ranged wildly.

What’s your take?

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@ArtPhotosDesk Looks like a blood bath, sure, but the most disturbing thing in the article was the phrase "21st Century Monarchy." Good job on the head at least.

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Emptywheel:

Tommy Tuberville says he went to Gotham to help an accused felon threaten a judge's family.

Via David Lurie:

Tuberville is a bad co-conspirator.

Aaron Rupar:

Tommy Tuberville admits on Newsmax that "one of the reasons he went" to NYC yesterday was to "overcome this gag order"

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff He's a very stupid man, as are his voters.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff He's been a huge problem especially for us in the DOD but I maintain my position on his stupidity.

Nonya_Bidniss , to Random stuff
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

Hannah Arendt Explains How Propaganda Uses Lies to Erode All Truth & Morality: Insights from The Origins of Totalitarianism

I finally read this book about a year ago as I was trying to process beyond basic anger about the Trump regime & MAGA phenomenon. I came away from the book feeling depressed. But I'll probably read it again. It just has so, so much in it.

https://www.openculture.com/2022/02/hannah-arendt-explains-how-propaganda-uses-lies.html

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

preamble.

Pagliery:

It's Day 16 of Trump's NYC criminal trial. The moment has finally arrived.

The consigliere. The disbarred lawyer. The author of Revenge. Michael Cohen.

Prosecutors question him 1st, so get ready for a finger-pointing session.

Prosecutors have walked in.

The chief of the investigations division, Susan Hoffinger, is chatting w the court reporter.

Matt Colangelo and Joshua Steinglass are fiddling with papers.

Becky Mangold and Christopher Conroy are talking.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff Tuberville is an endless embarrassment to his state. So are the voters who put him there.

rbreich , to Random stuff
@rbreich@masto.ai avatar

Many of same Republicans in Congress sharing Mother's Day wishes also oppose paid family leave and universal childcare. Hello?

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@rbreich Also, I bet Mother's Day feels different when you're forced into it.

Nonya_Bidniss , to Random stuff
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

HOLY SHIT right now I'm seeing the northern lights in Huntsville, Alabama 🤯

Nonya_Bidniss , to Random stuff
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

Why do I keep getting no-follower, locked, French language accounts trying to follow me? Seems like what could be called "inauthentic behavior." I've been blocking them.

Nonya_Bidniss OP ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@jerry @DaveMWilburn @neurovagrant I hear you but these accounts - all French, all locked, all no bio, no posts, no followers, do have a photo. I've never been followed by a French speaking account and suddenly there's a handful of them all with the same characteristics at the same time. It's just noticeable. 🤷

Nonya_Bidniss OP ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@jerry @DaveMWilburn @neurovagrant Ok this is kind of weird but I just checked my blocks and the last 3 of them have completely disappeared.

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Barron named delegate for Florida at Republican National Convention - UPI.com https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/05/09/Barron-Trump-delegate-Florida-Republicans/7221715257682/

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff 🤦‍♂️

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon group
@kimlockhartga@beige.party avatar

@bookstodon Recently, Libby has changed (for me). I can no longer return an e-book directly through Libby, if I have sent it to my Kindle. I have to return it through Kindle. Is this also true of other e-book library services?

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@kimlockhartga I noticed this too, it's irritating. But what would happen before is I'd return the book in Libby but it'd sit there "live" in my Amazon account until the original checkout time expired. I assumed this disparity was the reason for the change. @bookstodon

Nonya_Bidniss , to Random stuff
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

Surprise! "The study found that so-called TRAP laws were associated with an increased rate of murders among young girls and women committed by their intimate partners."
https://gizmodo.com/tough-abortion-laws-boost-murder-rates-girls-women-1851459068

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Sigh.

A bill to ban the sale and transfer of semi-automatic firearms was nixed in ’s Democratic-controlled Legislature on Tuesday as lawmakers pressed forward with a slew of other gun control bills on the 25th anniversary year of the Columbine High School massacre.

https://apnews.com/article/colorado-semiautomatic-gun-ban-519bbc3271f148aa00e35e32530789d7?taid=663aa52c4bfa0f000165f7e8&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff "Semi-automatic" spans a huge range of guns. What they need to be banning is one particular breed: military-style assault weapons.

dangillmor , (edited ) to Random stuff
@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar

Boeing's incompetence strikes again, with yet another delay in launching a crewed spaceship. (Boeing co-owns ULA, which makes the rocket.)

The other co-owner is Lockheed Martin.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/boeing-scrubs-starliner-crewed-launch-rcna150843

Note: Getting a lot of pushback, and the comments are reasonable.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@dangillmor To be fair, the issue was with the ULA rocket, not the Boeing crew capsule.

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

A US Army staff sergeant who was visiting his girlfriend in Russia was arrested and remains in custody on charges he stole from her, https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2024-05-07/army-soldier-arrested-russia-theft-korea-13781609.html

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa I posted this on r/Army a few minutes ago and mods deleted it right away 😂

Green_Footballs , to Random stuff
@Green_Footballs@mastodon.social avatar

Jump into my mentions with anti-vaccination garbage and I will not mute you. I will block your dumb anti-science ass instantly.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@Green_Footballs Yuuuup.

Nonya_Bidniss , to Random stuff
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

Ruth Ben-Ghiat: "To normalize extreme ideas, you get them circulating through institutions and the public sphere, aiming for prestigious platforms that offer maximum legitimacy. Enter the Supreme Court, which is making itself the tool of bad actors who want issues that should be settled in a democracy seen as up for discussion–including whether a head of state can order an assassination of a political rival and pay no consequence."
https://lucid.substack.com/p/information-warfare-and-the-supreme

Jennifer , to bookstodon group
@Jennifer@bookstodon.com avatar

I need some new science fiction to read, who has some suggestions? I don't like military sci-fi. For reference, my favorite series is the Expanse, I also enjoyed Scalzi's Collapsing Empire, I love Robert Charles Wilson's books. I mostly enjoy space operas and unique stories about technology, for example I really liked the recent book Mountain in the Sea about AI and intelligent octopus. Suggestions from the awesome Bookstodon community? @bookstodon

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@philip_cardella Yes, this is a great recommendation. I would add, somewhat along the lines of The Mountain in the Sea, try the Poseidon's Children trilogy by Alastair Reynolds. Excellent. Also the Children of Time trilogy by Adrian Tchaikovsky. @Jennifer @bookstodon

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

CBS - Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) to be indicted. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/henry-cuellar-innocent-justice-department-indictment/

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa Great job that the Dem party backed him instead of the better candidate Cisneros. 🙄

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

Chicago PD leaders say they’ve decided not to punish any officers whose names appeared on the leaked membership list of the Oath Keepers, an anti-government extremist group that played a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/05/02/chicago-police-no-discipline-officers-extremist-group

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa Welp. ACAB

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

LOL, sidebar from Twitter:

Trending in United States

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff We are a gracious and sophisticated people.

MikeDunnAuthor , to Random stuff
@MikeDunnAuthor@kolektiva.social avatar

The antisemitism awareness act, passed by congress yesterday, makes it illegal to criticize Israel on college campuses. Clear violation of the constitution, free speech.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@MikeDunnAuthor It was approved by the House only. Congress includes the Senate, and the President would have to sign any new law. I don't think it will make it, but we'll see. It's just performative politics.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@MikeDunnAuthor I'm not ignoring it. It wouldn't stand a Constitutional test if it did pass, and the lawsuits would be immediate. I'm not ignoring it but I'm on the optimistic side because it's ridiculous.

mattblaze , to Photography
@mattblaze@federate.social avatar

US Capitol, Washington, DC, 2021.

A quorum of pixels at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/51221569646

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@mattblaze Wow!

dangillmor , to Random stuff
@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar

Understand: Trump's endless, loud violations of the judge's orders are designed to poison (or reinforce) just one juror's view enough to get a hung jury.

He's not trying for an acquittal. He wants to avoid jail and a guilty verdict.

Inflaming the larger public is a bonus.

It may well work.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@dangillmor Hopefully it disgusts the entire jury instead.

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

NY Times - Israeli officials increasingly believe that the ICC is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on charges related to the conflict with Hamas.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/28/world/middleeast/icc-arrest-warrants-israel-hamas.html?unlocked_article_code=1.n00.fKaD.GRWAC3b_4PSc&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa That'd be good, although it's probably their guilty paranoia starting to itch.

jerry , to Random stuff
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

Another formation of brown pelicans just gave a close flyby.

image/jpeg
image/jpeg
image/jpeg

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@jerry I loved seeing them during last year's Florida trip. They're so cool.

mattblaze , to Photography
@mattblaze@federate.social avatar

Pacific Ocean, Looking West from Pescadero, CA, 2014.

All the sandy pixels at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/14820439752

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@mattblaze Relaxing. Looks like the world's biggest cappucino.

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Lawyer: Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after his return to New York from upstate jail

“They examined him and sent him to Bellevue. It seems like he needs a lot of help, physically. He’s got a lot of problems. He’s getting all kinds of tests. He’s somewhat of a train wreck health wise,” Aidala said.

https://apnews.com/article/12b765ba6ec3b9522d2ff5ed46cc7af6

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff Awwww.

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

The South Dakota governor, who is a Trump VP aspirant, admits in her forthcoming book to shooting her puppy and goats. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/26/trump-kristi-noem-shot-dog-and-goat-book

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa I hope you told him that all govt officials need to be on Mastodon!

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Beijing, tells reporters he raised concerns today in his meetings with Chinese officials about China's support for Russia's military.

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa There's no shame in it 😂

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

MEANWHILE, at , via Ryan Reilly:

Supreme Court Trump immunity arguments underway.

"There can be no presidency as we know it" without presidential immunity, Trump lawyer John Sauer argues. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff NFL / TIL all the previous presidents were not in fact engaging in the activity or office known as "presidency"

w7voa , to Random stuff
@w7voa@journa.host avatar

“As we have noted previously, the United States assesses that Russia is developing a new satellite carrying a nuclear device. We have heard President Putin say publicly that Russia has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space. If that were the case, Russia would not have vetoed this resolution.” - White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@w7voa How is Russia still on the UNSC. What a joke.

dangillmor , to Random stuff
@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar

The word "conservative" now means right-wing extremist, and news organizations should be clear about that. They should make a major point of explaining that the traditional definition of conservative no longer applies in today's common usage of the word.

They don't, of course, and this is undoubtedly a source of confusion for news consumers.

Another example of the willful imprecision of journalism...

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@dangillmor I agree. I don't think they should use the word "conservative" anymore. Maybe someday it'll make sense but it has no meaning in today's political context.

GottaLaff , to Random stuff
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Whoever would have guessed?🤦🏻‍♀️

Conservative justices appear skeptical federal law requires emergency care

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/24/supreme-court-arguments-abortions-emergency-emtala/

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@GottaLaff To me the end result is a foregone conclusion. The right wing "desired result" is what we get from SCOTUS.

slashdot , to Random stuff
@slashdot@mastodon.cloud avatar

Biden Signs TikTok 'Divest or Ban' Bill Into Law https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/04/24/1514216/biden-signs-tiktok-divest-or-ban-bill-into-law?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon

Nonya_Bidniss ,
@Nonya_Bidniss@mas.to avatar

@slashdot A meaningless gesture. Meanwhile, foreign propaganda floods U.S.-owned social media without any restraint, warping the perceptions and behavior of tens of millions of Americans.

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