RIOTS BROKE OUT IN MINNEAPOLIS As peaceful protests turned into your typical looting and rioting situation. This is really annoying because it allows a lot of people who don't want to talk about what actually HAPPENED to George Floyd to redirect to stupid people stealing tvs from Target. Read about it here. I've got my pal Andrew Lee from Twin Cities News Talk on at 2 to bring us up to speed on what's happening in his town right now.
THE GOVERNOR HAS A PRESS CONFERENCE. I have no clue what he's going to talk about but if it's not new news we're out asap.
WE'RE MAKING OUR OFFICIAL "KID LIST" AND NEED YOUR HELP There are certain rites of passage that make up childhood. Depending on where you're from the list may be a bit different (Dave never built a fort as a city kid) but there are some quintessential things that every kid should do. We want to make a list today.
CORONAVIRUS IS WEARING US ALL DOWN And more people are showing signs of anxiety and depression than before because of it. Here's the thing I want to impart to many of you: you may not need any medication. You might, but don't rush there. What all this is with coronavirus IS depressing and stressful but it's temporary. I'm afraid we're losing the ability to manage difficult situations by rushing to get medicated. GET HELP but make it people help, not drug help. Therapists are doing online sessions, reach out to people you know and generally try to find a support system you can rely on (and online support groups are great for this) until we get through. But if you are suicidal, or finding it impossible to get out of bed, by all means talk to your physician about getting some drug therapy to get you through. There is no shame in using medication if you NEED it, just make sure you NEED it first.
CHRISTIAN TOTO NEEDS HIS OWN STUDIO And this column about unabashed conservative actor Nick Searcy trying to raise money for a studio that makes movies with traditional American values has some excellent suggestions for films about heroes of the right that should be made.
THIS IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING THREE MINUTES YOU'LL WASTE ALL DAY
I LOVE THIS DOG
NO MASKS ALLOWED IN SOME BUSINESSES And I'm on record as saying this is stupid. How can you deny someone the right to wear a mask in the name of freedom? And yet, it's happening at some businesses.
IS THIS WHAT SKIING WILL LOOK LIKE NEXT SEASON? A Basin opened up and skiers rejoiced. This article by 5280 shows what next ski season might look like, and I'm sure to many longtime skiers this looks like heaven.
DISNEY WORLD WILL RE OPEN WITH MASK WEARING CUSTOMERS And if anyone can figure out a way to make wearing a mask in billion degree humid heat, it's Disney. I fully expect they are already in production with Disney branded masks that will be available at the park entrance for purchase. It actually sounds like this is going to mean fewer lines and way fewer people, which I'm not going to lie, is very appealing. We used to go to Disney the day after Christmas EVERY year because there was NO one there. Those days are over, but I still remember what it was like. There are other restrictions in place so check them out before you book.
THIS JAPANESE AMUSEMENT PARK GROUP HAS ASKED PATRONS NOT TO SCREAM ON ROLLER COASTERS And this seems a little tough to enact, as many people scream involuntarily on roller coasters. They say screaming and even loud talking can spread droplets that may contain virus so they are asking everyone to keep it down. That would be weird. But not weirder than staying in our homes forever.
WOULD YOU PAY A FEE TO CLIMB THE MANITOU INCLINE? That is what has been tentatively approved by the Manitou Springs City Council. No word on how much, but they mentioned 5 or 10 bucks. You will also need a reservation to climb. Officials from The City of Colorado Springs, which is one of the three owners of the incline (none of which are the Manitou Springs City Council) has already expressed skepticism about the fee. We'll see where all this ends up.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS A POINT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA And I have to give him credit for going about his attack without CLEARLY violating the First Amendment. This is where he has the strongest case:
According to the drafts, the executive order would apply, at least in part, to section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which states that: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”
Section 230, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, essentially protects online platforms against a range of laws that may otherwise be used to hold them legally responsible for what others say and do. The provision of the law created broad protection and allows for free speech on platforms.
It lets companies like Facebook and Twitter moderate content on their platforms as they see fit, while protecting them from lawsuits over content shared on them. An executive order, though, likely could not amend or repeal the section on its own.
Moderating content, like pulling down graphic or violent videos, is far different than having a team decide if something needs to be "fact-checked". As SOON as Twitter began to fact check, they openly took sides and became a content CREATOR, not simply a provider. They have opened themselves up to be eliminated from Section 230 and it that happens, expect an absolute FLOOD of lawsuits from people (like a dude being portrayed on Twitter falsely as one of the Minneapolis cops) who are being harassed on the platform.
ZUCKERBERG SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAID ABOVE And in an interview with Dana Perino said this:
“I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn’t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online,” he stated. “Private companies probably shouldn’t be, especially these platform companies, shouldn’t be in the position of doing that.”
He is 100% correct.
DR. FAUCI SAYS A SECOND WAVE ISN'T INEVITABLE And I wonder how much play this interview is going to get. He also said he wears a mask for TWO reasons, one of which is symbolic. He ALSO says he wears one because he believes it works at the same time. Watch it for yourself.