Germany’s Wary Merkel Awaits Visit By Obama

In case you need another reason to cancel your Threads, Instagram and/or Facebook accounts, here’s the latest from the Zuckerberg company that just got rid of its fact-checking in order to make Meta more of a cesspool like Twitter. Because why stand in the way of disinformation, Russian bots or white supremacy when it might cost Zuck a tax cut? From Axios: Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is terminating major DEI programs, effective immediately — including for hiring, training and picking suppliers, according to a new employee memo obtained by Axios. Why it matters: The move is a strong signal to Meta employees that the company's push to make inroads with the incoming Trump administration isn't just posturing, but an ethos shift that will impact its business practices.read more

Looks like the president is doing everything he can to thwart whatever nastiness the Giant Yam has in store for immigrants. Via the New York Times: The Biden administration on Friday issued sweeping extensions of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of people from Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela in a move that makes it almost impossible for President-elect Donald J.

Above, Secession performs, Sneakyville. You can’t fix stupid, but you can ignore it. That's how you deal with trolls. First Draft says that their senator is a troll. Balloon Juice reports on the bittersweet surrender: Gallego and Fetterman. Hullabaloo looks inside the DNC Black Box. News Corpse gives us a reminder of what The Orange Troll's leadership looks like. Bonus Track: Born In Space presents, "Jurassic Park But With Realistically Feathered Raptors." Round-up by Tengrain who blogs at Mock, Paper, Scissors.

Donald Trump, spray-tanned lard pile, attacked President Biden & CA Governor Newsom ("Newscum," very creative) as wildfires raged thru Los Angeles. Trump should be in a psych ward, not 1600 PA Ave. Which is probably what Gov Newsom thought as he ripped Trump, yet not w what he admitted he "wanted to say" after Trump politicized a wildfire that's killed at least 5 Californians. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has used the wildfires to relive his Apartheid glory day & launch racist lies contained in diatribes about how DEI, and not insane wind speeds, arson, lack of precipitation, climate change and/or other forces are the culprits.

In a racist and bigoted tirade on Thursday, conservative influencer Charlie Kirk blamed the California wildfires on lesbians and a lack of "white men" firefighters. "California has been the petri dish," Kirk bellowed on his Thursday podcast. "It has been the Wuhan Institute of Virology for the woke mind virus." "California's where all of the diversity, equity, inclusion, critical race theory, LGBTQIA plus ideology has been festering," he continued.

'Astronomical spike': Health officials issue warning about diarrhea-causing norovirus The Herald-TimesNorovirus can defeat most household cleaners. Here's what actually works CNNNorovirus cases are on the rise. Here's what you need to know about this nasty bug CBC.caWhat is the Norovirus? How many outbreaks are in NJ? NBC PhiladelphiaWhy everyone has a gnarly stomach bug right now, explained in one chart Vox.com