This isn't about saving lives. It's about using an emotionally charged emergency to score points, to draw Meta into a PR war in retaliation for their failure to succumb to Pablo Rodriguez’s charms.
I would add that sometimes, sometimes I say, Angry Jen can be even better than calm and considered Jen.
Don't get me wrong, I do like and enjoy immensely calm and considered Jen but Angry Jen makes very clear the idiocy ("dumbfuckery") of our worsers - they are definitely not our betters - and she is an equal opportunity skewer of dumbfucks of Ottawa and elsewhere.
I disengaged from social media two years ago, and have never looked back. When I see people interviewed on TV news saying, "I get my news on facebook..." I lose my remaining hope for Canadians. There are a variety of reasons for using facebook (pictures of the grandchildren, membership in your quilting group, etc.), but news? Nah.
You are right about AM radio, Jen, but you might have missed the newsflash that Ford will no longer include it on their new cars, and it is slowly passing into history, just like wooden barrels and Betamax. In fact, most people I know no longer own a radio. And being an apartment-dweller in downtown Vancouver, my super-cool, tiny Grundig only picks up static when I tune to AM.
Good piece, Jen - it's why I continue to subscribe!
Our abandonment of AM radio is a problem: however, I'd remind everyone that keeping a cheap AM radio in your emergency kit is still a standard recommendation.
However, I would also note that as AM radio becomes obsolete, it is being replaced with more effective methods of direct communication. Notably, emergency text alerts and broadcasts on cell phones.
Agreed: but this isn't necessarily how news flows do or ought to work during emergencies. During an active emergency, it's reasonable to expect citizens to take steps to inform themselves about imminent danger. We shouldn't be operating under the expectation that IMMINENT DEATH will be one of those items that will passively filter through a social media feed.
You are absolutely correct Jen. This has nothing to do about safety and everything to do with the G of C tripping over itself to justify a poorly thought out policy/legislative decision. I we are relying on FB/Meta to get critical information to citizenry we have already failed them.
Right when I started reading I set the F-bomb Over/Under at 4.5. I am getting shockingly good at predicting the amount of swearing in Jen's writing.
C-18 is the perfect example of our current government. Performative and useless, perhaps even detrimental, but it polls well and makes for good fundraising email headlines.
Good piece, Jen. I am a new subscriber to The Line and have been enjoying its content and podcasts. I am 60 years old and proudly call myself an old broad. My old broad experience means that I long ago new that government funded media would turn them into propaganda arms of the government in power.
I get my news from various sources however Facebook has never been one of them.
In an emergency situation, for example, the blackout of many years ago, I relied on my battery powered radio. I can get both AM and FM stations. Cell phone batteries will eventually die out as mine did during the blackout.
Information flows in various ways however if people are waiting for the government to get it together or have a cohesive plan for their safety and wellbeing they are sunk. The recent pandemic is proof of how poor government communication is. I have always used my own common sense and risk assessment to determine my actions.
Situational awareness, adaptability, critical thinking are what is required. I do not need MSM or Social Media to tell me there is a fire coming towards me. I can see and smell the fire. I don’t live in a
bubble.
So do I think any politicians comments about Facebook meta are valid? No, I think is just more government BS.
Love your writing, Jen, and your analyses...always. I quite love The Line and this form of journalism - I value appropriate profanity and amusing imagery in the written word. Like we are just having a chit-chat and a beer or two on my deck, discussing the dumbfuckery of the day.
Thank you for this thoughtful piece. I am a subscriber who wishes to pay for news. Can you refer me to independent, unbiased Canadian journalists, ones like you who do the real digging, ones that you admire?
Ensuring Canadians have access to local information about emergencies is part of the CBC's mandate, no? Of course CBC has gutted their local news infrastructure and people to preserve jobs in downtown Toronto if Calgary is any example.
Brilliant! As always Jen, in your own signature, punctuated prose. This one is special however; a keeper, suitable for re-reading with my weekend coffee, and a grin. Thanks for this.
We are at a point where it is not unreasonable to question if the Trudeau government's original plan with C-18 was to actually limit the proliferation of independent media and to ultimately make the CBC the only financially viable major news media organization in Canada. This can explain why, in spite of obvious indications that Facebook and Google will deplatform news, the government continued with their bill as is - with not a single notable change.
When looked from this perspective, Pierre Poilievre's comparison to 1984 does not actually seem that weird. Sure, it is all a hypothesis right now. But it weirdly can explain every action (or inaction) taken by this government.
Akshay, I always say that proponents of government run conspiracies simply do not take into account the idiocy (dumbfucerty?) and leakiness of so, so, so many government programs.
Now, having said that, I kind of buy in to your point except that the dumbfucks in the LPC simply didn't foresee that FB et al would fight back so the idea that they could subsidize "the chosen" at "no cost" has gone up / down in smoke and another government plan / conspiracy is in tatters. Emperor / no clothes? Yup.
100% agree that the incompetence of the Liberals always appear to trump the malice they have. But it is a useful question to ask if this one time, they knew what they were doing and the incompetence narrative worked in their favour.
Hmmmm...... "the incompetence narrative worked in their favour." A quite delicious thought, i.e. that the LPC set out to do bad but instead did badly (i.e. it didn't work out as they wanted). I would tend to believe that of the LPC except that I keep remembering that a) they would have trouble organizing an efficient punchup in a pub full of drunken sailors / soldiers / anyone; and b) if they somehow could organize said punchup they couldn't keep it a secret.
So, I respectfully agree that they set out to bad but instead did badly but I think that to believe that was their intention is giving them far far, far too much credit.
I like angry Jen. Her prose packs a punch when she gets frustrated, and we still get the sharp analysis that we would otherwise get. Bravo!
I would add that sometimes, sometimes I say, Angry Jen can be even better than calm and considered Jen.
Don't get me wrong, I do like and enjoy immensely calm and considered Jen but Angry Jen makes very clear the idiocy ("dumbfuckery") of our worsers - they are definitely not our betters - and she is an equal opportunity skewer of dumbfucks of Ottawa and elsewhere.
I disengaged from social media two years ago, and have never looked back. When I see people interviewed on TV news saying, "I get my news on facebook..." I lose my remaining hope for Canadians. There are a variety of reasons for using facebook (pictures of the grandchildren, membership in your quilting group, etc.), but news? Nah.
You are right about AM radio, Jen, but you might have missed the newsflash that Ford will no longer include it on their new cars, and it is slowly passing into history, just like wooden barrels and Betamax. In fact, most people I know no longer own a radio. And being an apartment-dweller in downtown Vancouver, my super-cool, tiny Grundig only picks up static when I tune to AM.
Good piece, Jen - it's why I continue to subscribe!
Our abandonment of AM radio is a problem: however, I'd remind everyone that keeping a cheap AM radio in your emergency kit is still a standard recommendation.
However, I would also note that as AM radio becomes obsolete, it is being replaced with more effective methods of direct communication. Notably, emergency text alerts and broadcasts on cell phones.
Wooden barrels are still essential to making wine and whisky.
I am certain that there is an analogy in there - somewhere - but I am rather dim today so please enlighten me.
Agreed: but this isn't necessarily how news flows do or ought to work during emergencies. During an active emergency, it's reasonable to expect citizens to take steps to inform themselves about imminent danger. We shouldn't be operating under the expectation that IMMINENT DEATH will be one of those items that will passively filter through a social media feed.
You are absolutely correct Jen. This has nothing to do about safety and everything to do with the G of C tripping over itself to justify a poorly thought out policy/legislative decision. I we are relying on FB/Meta to get critical information to citizenry we have already failed them.
Hunh, I never get my news from Facebook, or any social media...
I listen to AM radio every morning, it allows me to get the local news, weather and sports along with some international news.
PS
I also own a hand crank AM radio I bought years ago
Right when I started reading I set the F-bomb Over/Under at 4.5. I am getting shockingly good at predicting the amount of swearing in Jen's writing.
C-18 is the perfect example of our current government. Performative and useless, perhaps even detrimental, but it polls well and makes for good fundraising email headlines.
Good piece, Jen. I am a new subscriber to The Line and have been enjoying its content and podcasts. I am 60 years old and proudly call myself an old broad. My old broad experience means that I long ago new that government funded media would turn them into propaganda arms of the government in power.
I get my news from various sources however Facebook has never been one of them.
In an emergency situation, for example, the blackout of many years ago, I relied on my battery powered radio. I can get both AM and FM stations. Cell phone batteries will eventually die out as mine did during the blackout.
Information flows in various ways however if people are waiting for the government to get it together or have a cohesive plan for their safety and wellbeing they are sunk. The recent pandemic is proof of how poor government communication is. I have always used my own common sense and risk assessment to determine my actions.
Situational awareness, adaptability, critical thinking are what is required. I do not need MSM or Social Media to tell me there is a fire coming towards me. I can see and smell the fire. I don’t live in a
bubble.
So do I think any politicians comments about Facebook meta are valid? No, I think is just more government BS.
As an old dog to an old broad: what she said.
As a fellow old broad (56 YO) here, here 👏🏻🤝🏻✊🏻
Love your writing, Jen, and your analyses...always. I quite love The Line and this form of journalism - I value appropriate profanity and amusing imagery in the written word. Like we are just having a chit-chat and a beer or two on my deck, discussing the dumbfuckery of the day.
Your take on this issue is bang-on...as usual.
Carry on!
Thank you for this thoughtful piece. I am a subscriber who wishes to pay for news. Can you refer me to independent, unbiased Canadian journalists, ones like you who do the real digging, ones that you admire?
I am a big fan of Sam Cooper. I find his work worthy of a paid subscription.
Thank you!
Curse of Politics is entertaining. Sam Cooper is excellent. Tara Henley also good.
Jen, I have been on grandfather duty all day so I have just finished your wonderful rant.
As always, my dear, so well written and clear as a bell as to what your point is. Again, as always, Bravo.
I would add further comment but my fellow commenters have said it so well, so, "What they said!"
Thank you ma'am.
Just when I think I'm the only one who thinks a certain way, along comes Jen to put it to the world in such a flamboyant way!
Best thing I’ll read today. *chef’s kiss*
You're a friggen delight. I'd love to know how many coffee's fueled this masterpiece?
Stupid really does get tiring. If only Canada had a leader....anywhere....at any level. For that, I still think we're screwed.
Ensuring Canadians have access to local information about emergencies is part of the CBC's mandate, no? Of course CBC has gutted their local news infrastructure and people to preserve jobs in downtown Toronto if Calgary is any example.
Brilliant! As always Jen, in your own signature, punctuated prose. This one is special however; a keeper, suitable for re-reading with my weekend coffee, and a grin. Thanks for this.
Face Book? Gone. Twitter? Never. National Post? Second week without. Luv ya Jen. Keep up the good fight.
We are at a point where it is not unreasonable to question if the Trudeau government's original plan with C-18 was to actually limit the proliferation of independent media and to ultimately make the CBC the only financially viable major news media organization in Canada. This can explain why, in spite of obvious indications that Facebook and Google will deplatform news, the government continued with their bill as is - with not a single notable change.
When looked from this perspective, Pierre Poilievre's comparison to 1984 does not actually seem that weird. Sure, it is all a hypothesis right now. But it weirdly can explain every action (or inaction) taken by this government.
Akshay, I always say that proponents of government run conspiracies simply do not take into account the idiocy (dumbfucerty?) and leakiness of so, so, so many government programs.
Now, having said that, I kind of buy in to your point except that the dumbfucks in the LPC simply didn't foresee that FB et al would fight back so the idea that they could subsidize "the chosen" at "no cost" has gone up / down in smoke and another government plan / conspiracy is in tatters. Emperor / no clothes? Yup.
100% agree that the incompetence of the Liberals always appear to trump the malice they have. But it is a useful question to ask if this one time, they knew what they were doing and the incompetence narrative worked in their favour.
Hmmmm...... "the incompetence narrative worked in their favour." A quite delicious thought, i.e. that the LPC set out to do bad but instead did badly (i.e. it didn't work out as they wanted). I would tend to believe that of the LPC except that I keep remembering that a) they would have trouble organizing an efficient punchup in a pub full of drunken sailors / soldiers / anyone; and b) if they somehow could organize said punchup they couldn't keep it a secret.
So, I respectfully agree that they set out to bad but instead did badly but I think that to believe that was their intention is giving them far far, far too much credit.