Facebook Avoids Facing the Music

Z U C K E D

Roger McNamee's new paperback edition -- revised and up-dated -- is a priceless look at, and into, the world of Facebook, and the other large Internet companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.

McNamee says that most users are not aware that much has changed since these companies came into existence, and that predominately the changes are for the worse, and are even dangerous.  I highly recommend this book to one and all.  This knowledge could save your freedom. 

Two Steps Forward, One Giant Step Backwards

Progress seems to come in fits and starts.  There are lurches forward, followed by a falling back.  At least this seems common. 

Looking through my high school yearbook from some years ago, I see several African-Americans in leadership roles.  I thought it would be good to share with you the names of some of these leaders and the leadership positions they filled.  The list includes both faculty, administration, and students. 

Our high school was quite diverse, with Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Italian-Americans, and others.  Few of us seemed to think about the nationalities of our fellows.  We were of a time rather far-removed from the early influxes of immigrants, or so we thought.  The few fights that occured were mostly within ethnic groups, not across them. 

What a story to be told!  America -- that great repository of learning and experience. 


Here are the African-American leaders from my high school:

Faculty

Mr. M. -- Boys' Physical Education, department head

Mrs. W. -- Business Education, department head


Sports Faculty Coaches

Coach M.  -- Varsity Football, Golf Team

Coach J. -- Varsity Basketball, Junior Varsity Football, Field Events

Coach G. -- Cross Country


Clubs

Mr. H --, Brotherhood co-sponsor

Mr. C. --  Distributive Cooperative Training, sponsor
 


Students

Miss Loretta. M. -- Junior Class President  

Miss Belinda W. -- Freshman Cheerleaders co-captain

Lauvenia B. -- Secretary, Girls' Athletic Association 

Greg. F., Parliamentarian, Sophomore Class


Administration

Mr. J. -- Dean



Other Ethnic --

Mrs. H. M. -- Foreign Language, department head 

Miss. G., Sr. D., Mrs. M. -- International Club 


and many others of various ethnic backgrounds in membership roles

Biden Campaign Said to Be Concerned About Fall Election Security

Coming Soon --

National TV News report today says the Biden campaign is increasingly worried about voter rights in the current campaign.  This concern was expressed long ago by this blog.

I'll have more on the specific concerns about the 2020 election soon.


For posts on this blog already published search especially for "Greg Palast" on my search function on this page. 

Days Difficult and Rich

The past days have been rich with news, profoundly difficult, yet somehow simultaneously hopeful. 

As for this writer, I have been at alternating times fascinated and sickened by events, as have many.  But today, fascination seems to be winning over horror, and this is a positive development.

As Joe Biden is said to be moving toward and FDR-style agenda, there is finally hope that the problem of police violence may be seriously addressed -- at least in Minnesota.  If these two developments constitute a trend, we can indeed by hopeful.

What stands in the way of this progress?  Two things, one an emotion, the other a group of people led by one very particular person.  The emotion is fear -- fear of difference, fear of the unknown, fear of loss of power and status.  These are the fears motivating the far right and Der Fuehrer.  The special person is the one I call OML -- Our Military Leader.   This is a moniker I created for this chief executive some few years ago.  Now, the meaning of this appellation is clearer and stronger than ever.  Guns stop people, but guns never stop ideas.  And ideas are what made America great in the first place.  So there is our hope. 

Do you feel it, too?