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Marco Rogers

@polotek.bsky.social

22K followers 390 following 3.9K posts

Web developer, movie buff, and pretty much the best guy you know.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · Jun 20

I think I'm going to end up talking about AI and LLM technology much more often. I think it's a good idea to pin this thread that outlines my more nuanced stance on things.

Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · May 29

I appreciate this discussion about the ethics of LLM technology. These are people I know to be smart and experienced in software development, as well as progressive and empathetic humans. And we still are going to land in different places when coming to terms with the impact of this AI tech.

Steve Klabnik @steveklabnik.com · May 29

So yeah anyway, I don’t really know. Which is why I’m trying to talk about it. There’s a lot of upside but also very intense downsides. The uncertainty is really bothering me.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 16h

Being linked to an article that you can't actually read is pretty enraging as well.

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Reposted by Marco Rogers

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 17h

i'm just a little independent journalist but i don't think the credibility of your reporting should be dependent on access to a paid government mouthpiece

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Reposted by Marco Rogers

Justin Zimmerman @jztidecat.bsky.social · 1d

Trump’s administration as well as Bari Weiss are clear reminders that white folks get to be incredibly unqualified and reach the top. No, marginalized person. You aren’t the imposter.

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Reposted by Marco Rogers

nephalia.bsky.social @nephalia.bsky.social · 2d

An excellent thread with a video that is well worth your time.

Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

I want to take this opportunity to connect some dots. This is not a mistake. This is on purpose. The right wing ethos hates government oversight. They try to take over government precisely so they can make it less effectual. We see this everywhere that has Republicans in charge.

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 2d

Last I checked the GOP controls all branches of our government.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

Whew. Listen.

Chantal James @chantalalive.blacksky.app · 2d

It's not mutual aid because that person's not part of your community apparently even though you see them online, but why don't people get that we must expand our notion of community & get out of who white capitalism says is it is even to band together to get through our fascist predicament.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

I want to be clear that I don't think this is going to work out for the Republican base. They're making a devil's bargain that is not going to give them the benefits they're hoping for. This is where white supremacy and xenophobia serve to fill in the gaps so they can't see their way clear.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

The Trump administration is actively breaking the rules around appropriation so they can direct government funds directly to their political allies and not everyone. That is the promise they're making.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

So while we're screaming "don't touch Medicaid", the Republican base is saying "if you're gonna touch Medicaid, make sure you tell me how you're gonna take care of me when it's gone." It's a completely different conversation. One that is much more politically tractable.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

This really helped me understand what we're dealing with. Republicans don't think any policy has to look a certain way. They only trade on what benefits them and what doesn't. You get bonus points if you can tell them how they will have an advantage over other people they don't like.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

The agreement Republicans have is "I'm gonna break a bunch of stuff that benefits other people we don't like. It'll be painful for a bit, but don't worry, I'll take care of you in a different way." This is all about creating selective policy that only benefits in-groups.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

What she lays out very plainly is that farmers knew Trump was going to hit immigration and start a trade war. And those things would heavily impact their livelihood. But last time this happened, they got a bailout. They're expecting one this time too.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

It's important to understand the agreement Republicans have with their base. I want to share this video from a democrat politician in a red state. She talks about why farmers voted for Trump. It's not because they didn't know what was gonna happen. They did.
youtu.be/badGHJLDpP8?...

Why Farmers Voted For Trump

YouTube video by Farm to Taber

youtu.be

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 2d

Last I checked the GOP controls all branches of our government.

Tweet from MeidasTouch: “Wow that’s crazy. Who’s running the federal government?”
Below, Acyn’s tweet quotes Rep. Mike Johnson: “If you look at polling, people’s faith in the federal government is at an all-time low. Why? Because they don’t see that it’s being done well.”
A C-SPAN screenshot shows Johnson speaking with another man standing beside him.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 2d

In the communities that are oppressed by police.

Reposted by Marco Rogers

The Alternate Historian @althistorian.bsky.social · 2d

This has become a load bearing tweet to me.

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Reposted by Marco Rogers

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 2d

The overriding goal of too many journalists is to provide “balanced” coverage from a “neutral” position in equidistance to both sides. That framework is much easier to justify if you pretend to be dealing with “normal” politicians – as opposed to committed ideologues pursuing an extreme project.

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 2d

a key thing about vought — and all of these guys — is that they have a totally top down and hierarchical vision of the world. they believe that the cultural changes they hate can be turned off by destroying the federal government because they can’t imagine that they emerged bottom-up in society

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 2d

What he’s railing against is a profound shift in culture, status… He’s obsessed with the idea that America is controlled by a leftist “ruling elite” - but “elite” isn’t defined socio-economically or by political power, it means something like: Getting to define “real America” and who gets to belong.