Tessera

@twinkle2s.bsky.social

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 5mo ago

“Don’t ever be the first to stop applauding.” -- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, writing about the unfortunate director of the local paper factory mannerofspeaking.org/2010/05/12/s...

At the conclusion of the conference, a tribute to Comrade Stalin was called for. Of course, everyone stood up (just as everyone had leaped to his feet during the conference at every mention of his name). ... For three minutes, four minutes, five minutes, the stormy applause, rising to an ovation, continued. But palms were getting sore and raised arms were already aching. And the older people were panting from exhaustion. It was becoming insufferably silly even to those who really adored Stalin.

However, who would dare to be the first to stop? … After all, NKVD men were standing in the hall applauding and watching to see who would quit first! And in the obscure, small hall, unknown to the leader, the applause went on – six, seven, eight minutes! They were done for! Their goose was cooked! They couldn’t stop now till they collapsed with heart attacks! At the rear of the hall, which was crowded, they could of course cheat a bit, clap less frequently, less vigorously, not so eagerly – but up there with the presidium where everyone could see them?

The director of the local paper factory, an independent and strong-minded man, stood with the presidium. Aware of all the falsity and all the impossibility of the situation, he still kept on applauding! Nine minutes! Ten! In anguish he watched the secretary of the District Party Committee, but the latter dared not stop. Insanity! To the last man! With make-believe enthusiasm on their faces, looking at each other with faint hope, the district leaders were just going to go on and on applauding till they fell where they stood, till they were carried out of the hall on stretchers! And even then those who were left would not falter…

Then, after eleven minutes, the director of the paper factory assumed a businesslike expression and sat down in his seat. And, oh, a miracle took place! Where had the universal, uninhibited, indescribable enthusiasm gone? To a man, everyone else stopped dead and sat down. They had been saved!

The squirrel had been smart enough to jump off his revolving wheel. That, however, was how they discovered who the independent people were. And that was how they went about eliminating them. That same night the factory director was arrested. They easily pasted ten years on him on the pretext of something quite different. But after he had signed Form 206, the final document of the interrogation, his interrogator reminded him:

“Don’t ever be the first to stop applauding.”

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5mo ago

oh my goodness -- watch Mike Johnson, Scalise, Emmer, and McClain clap like seals for Trump for nearly two minutes straight. None of them want to be the first to stop!

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Interesting article on AI use in military, its use and legitimacy. Wonder if AI more or less responsible for attack on Iran girls’ school.

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists@thebulletin.org · 5mo ago

In conflicts, "the capacity to act with AI-enabled tactical and operational speed should not be confused for solid strategy and clear political goals," writes Ian Reynolds @ijreynolds.bsky.social of @stanfordcisac.bsky.social.

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Agree strongly.

Chris Geidner@chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Tom Homan defended immigration agents' masks today. Of course a Trump administration official would say that. Tonight at Law Dork, I wrote about why they think that, how it is echoed in everything else they do, and why it cannot continue. www.lawdork.com/p/tom-homan-...

If a government’s actions in a democracy require masks — if the people being governed in that democracy cannot know who is acting — that is a problem with what the government is doing, not with the governed.

In fact, outside of the second Trump administration, I can really only think of two other instances where the government so fastidiously protects anonymity: The death chamber and the shadow docket.

The exceptions really do prove the rule.

The second Trump administration, in contrast, is constantly seeking to act in secrecy. The less we, the public know, the happier they are. The reasons are obvious: They know how unpopular their actions are. They know this is unsustainable. They know what they are doing is wrong.

Most importantly: They know that secrecy is essential to preventing accountability.

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · 7mo ago

www.facebook.com/share/p/1DAE...

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@twinkle2s.bsky.social · 8mo ago

L'Ood 🏜️@lmc55g95.bsky.social · 9mo ago

🚨🚨🚨 #Tucson #PSA If you see #ICE, or any group targeting folks in your neighborhood, call this number ⬇️ Protecting our #Neighbors is THE #American thing to do! #Persist and #Resist this hateful #regime.

Marc Fischer@marc-fischer.bsky.social · 9mo ago

All morning was spent chasing ICE out of my neighborhood in Chicago (Avondale) and meeting other neighbors who were out patrolling on foot, on bikes, and in cars. A caravan of ICE SUVs got within a half block of my house. I finally had to use my whistle. It works. It drew others out to the street.

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · 9mo ago

More information on the proposed for- profit Marana ICE facility.

Arizona Luminaria@azluminaria.org · 9mo ago

5 things to know about the proposed ICE detention center in Marana 🚨 A private prison company just bought a facility near Tucson — and could soon turn it into an immigration detention center holding 500 people — all with no public input. https://ow.ly/LKgL50XiH5x

It’s “Mrs. Powers” during my day job @mrspowersdayjob.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Tucson! Marana! Please join the efforts to stop MTC from creating a for-profit ICE detention center with ZERO oversight. Wear orange and bring friends!We want to pack the room. Aim to be there around 5:30 if you can. PLEASE share this information!

Sally Dodds @sdodds.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Downtown

Patti Olivier EPSTEIN FILES NEVER FORGET @patti3333.bsky.social · 10mo ago

#NOKINGS SO PROUD OF TUCSON 🏜 THOUANDS OF PEACEFUL PROTESTERS MARCHING ...SINGING... Thank you my fellow Tucsonans In America we have NO KINGS ALSO SWEAR IN ADELITA GRIJALVA

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · last yr.

Am listening to Cory Booker on C-SPAN2 and actually learning something. Thank you Senator Booker.

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · last yr.

www.facebook.com/share/r/167M...

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@twinkle2s.bsky.social · last yr.

Worth reading

Laurence H. Tribe@tribelaw.bsky.social · last yr.

We may see “rulings from this Supreme Court that narrowly limit what Trump can do while simultaneously expanding what unelected courts can do, specifically Republican courts, to frustrate a number of democratically passed laws in the future.” www.thenation.com/article/poli...

@twinkle2s.bsky.social · 2y ago

Holy shit

Ezra Levin ❌👑@ezralevin.bsky.social · 2y ago

When I was a Hill staffer in 2009, a Dem trifecta was trying to pass universal healthcare. In response, Senate GOP released a memo detailing all of the tactics they in the minority could use to delay the effort as much as possible. I'm recirculating that 2009 GOP memo here. Take inspiration from it.