Day: June 19, 2025

Where’s Your News?

For generations the American people would turn on their local news and then get the national news from reliable news sources……that has changed and social media is now the major sources of news.

Americans have officially put news websites and TV channels on the backburner, turning instead to social media and video networks like Facebook, X, and YouTube to get their news. Some 54% of people in the US now get their news from social media and video sites, making this the new main source, reports the BBC. In comparison, 50% get their news from TV and 48% from news sites and apps, according to an annual report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which surveyed nearly 100,000 people in 48 countries. Globally, 36% use Facebook for news each week, 30% use YouTube, 19% use Instagram, 19% use WhatsApp, 16% use TikTok, 12% use X, and 7% use AI chatbots and interfaces.

Yet 47% of respondents worldwide reported online personalities and influencers were a major source of false or misleading information. Populist politicians around the world are “increasingly able to bypass traditional journalism in favor of friendly partisan media, ‘personalities’, and ‘influencers’ who … rarely ask difficult questions, with many implicated in spreading false narratives or worse,” according to the report, which points out President Trump has invited social media influencers and content creators to press briefings while denying access to some traditional media outlets. The most widely-seen personalities in the US were Joe Rogan (22% of respondents reported getting news from him in the past week) and Tucker Carlson (14%), per Reuters.

The report finds “the rise of social media and personality-based news” is “happening faster—and with more impact” in the US than in other countries. The US had the highest proportion of people accessing podcasts for news at 15% and the biggest increase in scrolling news on X. Some 23% of Americans used the site for news, for an 8% increase over 2024, per the report. Rival networks like Threads and Bluesky are “making little impact globally, with reach of 2% or less for news,” it adds, per the BBC. Author Nic Newman said this “represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers,” though consumers of news also see a problem: 73% in the US and 58% globally said they’re concerned about their ability to tell truth from fiction.

It is sad the people refuse to look for the truth instead outsource their thinking to the likes of social media where misinformation is rampant.

To me this is the problem of our nation….propaganda and misinformation is the rule of the day.

I can see the influence of social media in some of the comments IST receives….regurgitation of crap from social media.

This explain so much from so many people.

So sad and I weep for this nation that is becoming a nation of idiots.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Farm Raids Back On

Just last week the DHS was told to cut farmers some slack on raids looking for those dangerous workers….and as usual Donny has done what he does best….waffle!

A week after telling agents not to conduct immigration raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants, the Department of Homeland Security has done a U-turn. On Monday, the agency told staff at 30 field offices across the country that the guidance had been reversed, coming in line with President Trump’s calls for mass deportations of anyone in the country without legal status, per the Washington Post. The change reportedly came after DHS leadership was informed the White House did not support the policy. It was initially shared after Trump indicated he was sympathetic to concerns that mass deportations would upend the nation’s agriculture and hospitality industries, which rely on migrant workers.

Some farmers warn a drop in agriculture workers could trigger “pandemic-era food supply chain disruptions,” reports NPR. Last week, Trump vowed “changes are coming” to protect farmers from losing workers. “We can’t take farmers and take all their people and send them back because they don’t have maybe what they’re supposed to have, maybe not,” he said. But there are no actual policy changes in the works, per the Post. By Sunday, Trump had ordered ICE officials to deliver “the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” A day later, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin made clear “there will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts.”

What kind of demented mind cannot come up with a policy and stick with it?

I am beginning to think there is more going on than just a simple change of thought.

There have been memes flying all around that crazy source we call social media about the mental stability of Dear Leader…..there are times that I think there may be something there….I do not want to believe that there is mental instability but the more he changes his tiny mind the more it is not looking good.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The ‘Ultimate Ultimatum’

The Middle East is busting with conflict and of course our clueless leader had to bring the US into it full bore…..

First he demands that Iran unconditionally surrender…..

President Trump ramped up his rhetoric against Iran in significant fashion on Tuesday, with a demand for the nation’s “unconditional surrender” as its conflict with Israel unfolds, reports the Wall Street Journal. Trump issued the all-caps demand on Truth Social.

The comments came after Trump left the G7 summit in Canada a day early on Monday to deal with the Israel-Iran conflict, though he made clear he didn’t just want a ceasefire but a “real end” to the war. He didn’t elaborate on what that meant. One option is to more directly join Israel’s military attack with bunker-busting weaponry; another is to push for new talks aimed at getting Iran to abandon its nuclear program, though Trump expressed frustration with Tehran’s unwillingness to do so in earlier negotiations. “They should have done the deal,” he told reporters. In the view of the AP, Trump “appears to be gradually building the public case for a more direct American role in the conflict.”

As usual Donny would not elaborate….he likes leaving things open ended so not matter the outcome he can claim victory.

After that demand he went and gave what he calls the ‘ultimate ultimatum’….

When asked if he gave Iran an ultimatum, Trump said he gave it the “ultimate ultimatum,” but he didn’t elaborate, reports ABC News. Trump added, per USA Today: “The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week.”

There you go….he left it undefined and open ended so he can claim victory no matter the outcome.

He is playing the media and the people of this country and he is full bore on propaganda to get the Congress and the population on his side when he throws the US military to the wolves of war.

Despite Donald Trump’s election night promise not to “start wars” and instead to “stop wars,” the United States is already fighting Iraq War 2.0 by defending Israel militarily, by arming Israel, by sharing intelligence with Israel, and by failing to stop Israel despite having advance notice of the war. President Trump called Israel’s attacks “excellent” last week and more recently said the U.S. military “could get involved.” Referring to Iran, Trump told ABC News, “There’s more to come, a lot more.”

If I am not mistaken he is starting this war in defense of Israel.

All this got my memory flying back to my 20s….

As I watch the conflict unfold I think back to the 1960s and a song that pretty much sums up my feelings about this stupidity in the Middle East….

We are moving ever closer, yet again, to all out war that could be the end to end all ends.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”