This is the location for conversations that don't fall anywhere else on FlameFans. Whether its politics, culture, the latest techno stuff or just the best places to travel on the web ... this is your forum.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#630093
Biden administration is so much worse than I thought it would be. Covid strains from around the globe flowing across our wide open boarder. I now have a family member battling covid. Another family member on his way to Afghanistan to try and fix his mess. New TSA terror alert issues last week. God help us.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#630706
It's been a long time since my last post regarding Covid here in the DR, and the news is good. As I type this, it has been 3 days since anyone died of Covid here, and daily positive tests are in the 300 range (in a country with at least 11 million). Most of the draconian government mandated restrictions have been lifted. Masks are still required in most indoor settings, and they have clung to a curfew, but it is now 11 PM, with transit allowed to 1 AM, so it only affects the party animals (There used to be a lot of them here. Not so much now.) Vaccines (Pfizer and Chinese versions) are available free to the public. I got my first dose of Pfizer juice last week and will be fully vaccinated on 9/10.

I attribute the success to a couple of things. First and foremost, because of the wonderful weather, people in general live their lives outdoors more than most places, and with the pandemic, this has become even more prevalent. The virus is almost never transmitted outdoors, and exposure to sunlight results in a high level of vitamin D, which is great for the immune system. No way I could prove it, but I suspect the high recovery/low death rate has also been partially a result of the fact that the country has been a leader in the "compassionate use" of Ivermectin, and the results of an unscientific study of about 3000 patients who were given it when coming to the hospital with Covid-like symptoms are startlingly good.

https://www.longdom.org/open-access/the ... inical.pdf

To be honest, right now I feel like I am much safer here than I would be in Indiana, where I stay with family when I am in the US. I'm sure I will end up coming up for the holidays as usual, but as it stands now, it will be with some apprehension that I do so.
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630731
Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
By lynchburgwildcats
Registration Days Posts
#630733
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 1:58 pm Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
Stop violating terms of service and you won’t get suspended and banned.
By tyndal23
Posts
#630735
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 1:58 pm Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
Here is his sub stack.
https://alexberenson.substack.com/
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630746
lynchburgwildcats wrote: August 29th, 2021, 3:01 pm
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 1:58 pm Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
Stop violating terms of service and you won’t get suspended and banned.
That's nice to know. And yet, Jihadist groups have freedom on these platforms. Here's a tip if you wanna research that. Duckduckgo.
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By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#630751
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 1:58 pm Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
The tweet that got him suspended is scientifically accurate. He’s been a solid questioning voice through all this. Has he been right 100% of the time? No. But who has been?
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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#630762
I'm not sure vaccine is a good label for these shots. They seem to offer most people a temporary immune boost. And not without side effects for some. Also I'm learning of people who have had covid19 coming down with it a second time. I know of 3 cases personally.
By rtb72
Posts
#630768
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 5:39 pm
lynchburgwildcats wrote: August 29th, 2021, 3:01 pm
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 1:58 pm Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
Stop violating terms of service and you won’t get suspended and banned.
That's nice to know. And yet, Jihadist groups have freedom on these platforms. Here's a tip if you wanna research that. Duckduckgo.
So am I to assume, lynchburgwildcats, that those aforementioned " jihadists" are not be violating "terms of service", then? I'm just curious, could there be a double standard applied with this particular platform? What would you assert as a violation...for an example?
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630775
Purple Haize wrote: August 29th, 2021, 7:04 pm
paradox wrote: August 29th, 2021, 1:58 pm Alex Berenson, a former NY Times writer, has been permanently banned from Twitter. We get that Twitter has a right to be anti-free speech and even statist if they chose to be as a private enterprise. However, it's amoral and counterproductive to do so. Berenson wrote a recent piece in the WSJ about how the pandemic has ushered in a new era of censorship and suppression. He wasn't too far off.
The tweet that got him suspended is scientifically accurate. He’s been a solid questioning voice through all this. Has he been right 100% of the time? No. But who has been?
Looks like he may have a pretty substantial defamation case against Twitter. He's got science in his favor for sure. Twitter has scientism, conformity, and so-called consensus on their side.
Purple Haize liked this
By stokesjokes
Registration Days Posts
#630777
He may have a moral case, but he doesn’t have any kind of legal case. Twitter can boot as they please.

Berenson is a smart guy, he knows this. He’s playing to the outrage crowd to build his post-Twitter base. He’s also already kicking around the idea of crowdfunding the lawsuit, a cynic might say he’s looking to pocket some donations for a lawsuit that has no grounds.
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630778
Defamation of character. He was on the side of science. They were on the side of official orthodoxy & authority. They made him out to be a liar when he simply told the truth. Sound legal case.
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630780
Journalist tells the truth. Twitter labels him a liar and harms his reputation as a journalist. Twitter gets sued and suffers the consequences. Why on earth would anyone want to be an apologist for Twitter? The only skin that you should have in this game is the exact same skin as everyone else......freedom of expression
By rtb72
Posts
#630781
stokesjokes wrote: August 30th, 2021, 4:26 pm He may have a moral case, but he doesn’t have any kind of legal case. Twitter can boot as they please.

Berenson is a smart guy, he knows this. He’s playing to the outrage crowd to build his post-Twitter base. He’s also already kicking around the idea of crowdfunding the lawsuit, a cynic might say he’s looking to pocket some donations for a lawsuit that has no grounds.
I agree, they can. My point is...don't p&*% (slang for urinate) on me and tell me it's raining. Stop virtue signaling and hiding behind some silly "user agreement" that is clearly not fairly applied to all. Just admit you're a left wing biased communications forum which judges content based on personal political beliefs/preferences rather than what is necessarily true. While I believe the case of banning certain material has gone through "some courts", and determined they are a private company; I'm not sure that their position as being "publicly traded" might not still open them to some form of liability. Someone a lot smarter than me might be able to weigh in on that....

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomspiggle ... f028077b79


If this same precedent can be applied to twitter, however...I would ask how a private "mom and pop bakery" can be found liable for not making a particular cake that is against their beliefs? Did they not rule against the bakery in Portland (?) for the same sex marriage cake? That case just popped into my mind as being similar.
By stokesjokes
Registration Days Posts
#630783
The Portland case was vacated by the Supreme Court and was going to be retried in January 2020. I can’t find any info on the retrial, might have been a COVID casualty.

The Supreme Court’s precedent in the Masterpiece Bakery case is to be on the side of the bakers.

Regardless, it’s not apples to apples. Sexual orientation is a protected class, political affiliations aren’t.
By rtb72
Posts
#630784
stokesjokes wrote: August 30th, 2021, 7:36 pm The Portland case was vacated by the Supreme Court and was going to be retried in January 2020. I can’t find any info on the retrial, might have been a COVID casualty.

The Supreme Court’s precedent in the Masterpiece Bakery case is to be on the side of the bakers.

Regardless, it’s not apples to apples. Sexual orientation is a protected class, political affiliations aren’t.
Religious beliefs are....

But I get what you're saying.
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630785
rtb72 wrote: August 30th, 2021, 7:06 pm
stokesjokes wrote: August 30th, 2021, 4:26 pm He may have a moral case, but he doesn’t have any kind of legal case. Twitter can boot as they please.

Berenson is a smart guy, he knows this. He’s playing to the outrage crowd to build his post-Twitter base. He’s also already kicking around the idea of crowdfunding the lawsuit, a cynic might say he’s looking to pocket some donations for a lawsuit that has no grounds.
I agree, they can. My point is...don't p&*% (slang for urinate) on me and tell me it's raining. Stop virtue signaling and hiding behind some silly "user agreement" that is clearly not fairly applied to all. Just admit you're a left wing biased communications forum which judges content based on personal political beliefs/preferences rather than what is necessarily true. While I believe the case of banning certain material has gone through "some courts", and determined they are a private company; I'm not sure that their position as being "publicly traded" might not still open them to some form of liability. Someone a lot smarter than me might be able to weigh in on that....

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomspiggle ... f028077b79


If this same precedent can be applied to twitter, however...I would ask how a private "mom and pop bakery" can be found liable for not making a particular cake that is against their beliefs? Did they not rule against the bakery in Portland (?) for the same sex marriage cake? That case just popped into my mind as being similar.
Berenson is not suing for censorship. He's suing for malice, slander, defamation of character. This would appear to be a fairly strong case in his favor. A private company can censor to a degree. But they definetley can't slander. I mean they can if they want, but not without paying for it.
By stokesjokes
Registration Days Posts
#630786
Yeah, if Jack said he was going to kick all Christians off Twitter, then you might have something. He could kick all Republicans though and there wouldn’t be a legal recourse.

@paradox, defamation/slander are notoriously difficult cases to prove. The standards are super high and Berenson isn’t close.
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By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#630787
""Shana Chappell, mother of U.S. marine Kareem Nikoui, 20, who was killed in the recent Kabul attack, says Facebook disabled her Instagram account after she posted a picture and message about her son.""
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#630789
stokesjokes wrote: August 30th, 2021, 7:58 pm Yeah, if Jack said he was going to kick all Christians off Twitter, then you might have something. He could kick all Republicans though and there wouldn’t be a legal recourse.

@paradox, defamation/slander are notoriously difficult cases to prove. The standards are super high and Berenson isn’t close.
Not in this case. He's being publicly labeled a liar. The evidence is right there on Twitter. The burden of proof will be on Twitter to prove he's lying. It will be inconclusive, at best, for Twitter. Inconclusive is still a win for Berenson. He was labeled a liar, on a public forum. There's no question about that.
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