January 5th • 3h 7m
Shownotes
Every new episode of No Agenda is accompanied by a comprehensive list of shownotes curated by Adam while preparing for the show. Clips played by the hosts during the show can also be found here.
China
Big Tech AI and the Socials
X algo change
While Biden was president and Harris was running for president, X (or Twitter) was maximally negative by design. Now that Trump is about to become president, Elon Musk has announced that the X algorithm will be changed to favor positivity.
Unregretted User Seconds
New Orleans
Updates on Inspire Incidents - LEO BOTG
I'm a law enforcement officer in a large city in the southeast with 10+ years of LE experience. I'm also a FBI Task Force Officer so I have access to some (top secret) FBI resources and information. Most of the work I do is related to criminal gangs.
I just got off of a conference call with the FBI that was open to "partner" law enforcement agencies. There were about 5000 law enforcement on the call. The call opened with FBI Director Chris Wray and Secretary of Homeland Secuity Mayorkas. The call then went to the FBI Counter Terrorism Director to provide details and updates on the investigations in New Orleans and Las Vegas.
Here are some take aways from the call:
- Everyone was adamant that each incident was a solo undertaking e.g., Lone Wolf.
- Livelsberger was an active duty Soldier on leave from his unit in Germany, and he died of a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head prior to the cyber truck explosion
- US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is part of this investigation since one attacker was an active duty Soldier.
- Din Jabbar had ties in Texas and Georgia so those local field offices are doing background work there.
- There is no connection between the two incidents according to the presenters on the conference call.
- As expected, all the directors and leaders highlighted the need for future funding to ensure several large upcoming public events e.g., Mardi Gras, the Superbowl, etc
- There was very little discussion on Isis or other terror groups being the propagators of these attacks
- There was a lot of discussion about "copy cat" attacks but there are no "credible threats."
Here are some personal insights and cautions:
I would be very aware of what is going around you. Be cautious in large public gatherings, and always have a plan of escape. Set up pre-arranged meeting places in case something happens while you're out.
Whether these were genuine terrorist attacks or 6 week cycles gone awry, we will probably never know. But innocent people were hurt, and I'd never want that for any of No Agenda's producers.
Logan Anti CIA Post
Lara Logan on X: "I learned months ago from multiple US intel sources that the CIA was urging their “friends” in the Taliban/Haqqani terror network to use their sleeper cells inside the US for an attack that would be blamed on ISIS. So I am very skeptical - it is too easy to blame ISIS. They do it" / X
CyberTrucker
Elon
The Rape of Britain - The American Conservative
The events themselves are so horrible as to be almost inconceivable. From the late ’80s to the present, tens of thousands of young British girls, most between the ages of 10 and 15, have been raped, abused, and forcibly prostituted by gangs of Pakistani Muslim men in the UK. British authorities, from the local police to the town council to members of Parliament, were not only aware of the abuses taking place, but obstructed attempts to stop the horrific crimes, bring perpetrators to justice, or allow the public to become aware of the situation, all in order to prevent “racial unrest” from taking place.
The numbers themselves are awful to contemplate; some estimates put the total number of victims at as much as 250,000. The details of the abuse are worse still. Girls were raped with broken bottles, branded, sold out by their abusers dozens or even hundreds of times. Others were passed around between friends and family—brothers, uncles, and cousins all abusing the same victim. Some were doused with gasoline and threatened with lit matches. Many had their families threatened with rape, torture, or murder. Some were murdered in horrific ways themselves. Others were forced to recruit new victims.
This occurred with the complicity of the British state. When girls reported their abuse to local law enforcement, they were told there was nothing that could be done and turned away. Police refused to open criminal investigations, arguing that girls as young as 11 were engaging in consensual sex. When parents understood that the police would not help them, they attempted to remove their daughters from the hands of their rapists personally, only to end up arrested themselves. In at least one case, police encountered a young girl who was being abused by seven men, and arrested her for drunk and disorderly conduct while leaving the men to go free.
X algo change
While Biden was president and Harris was running for president, X (or Twitter) was maximally negative by design. Now that Trump is about to become president, Elon Musk has announced that the X algorithm will be changed to favor positivity.
Trump
Trump Hush Money Case from Rob BOTG
Adam—Update on the Trump hush-money case in NY.
Yesterday, Judge Merchan rejected Trump’s immunity arguments and set sentencing for January 10. He issued an 18-page order, which I’ve highlighted for you and attached.
**I’d say the lede is that Judge Merchan declares his intention to impose a sentence of “unconditional discharge”** **rather than incarceration.** An unconditional discharge is essentially a sentence of “no punishment.” As in, “You have a conviction now, but we’re done. You don’t have to pay a fine, do time or community service, or even go through probation. Go home.” I expect that Judge Merchan will honor this statement (although who knows—he may change his mind if Trump badmouths him again). The interesting part about this is that unconditional discharge is usually reserved for crimes that aren’t serious. By issuing this sentence, Judge Merchan will arguably declare Trump’s crime to be nonserious.
But there’s lots more to unpack. I think bullets are the best way to address them:
- **About Judge Merchan:** Judge Merchan does not like Trump, and Trump has made no bones about it. Among other things, the New York State Commission on Judicial Ethics sent Judge Merchan a letter of caution after he made small (but clearly prohibited) political contributions through ActBlue—including donations to “Biden for President” and “Stop Republicans.” Despite this, the Commission didn’t find that these contributions created the impression of bias or favoritism.
I raise this point only because it colors all of Judge Merchan’s decisions. (This is why the ethics rules strive to avoid even the _appearance_ of impropriety, because even the appearance of propriety undermines public faith in the judiciary.)
- **Brief history:** I’ve chronicled this case’s long and torturous path in my previous emails below. But here’s a quick summary: Trump was convicted in May. In July, SCOTUS issued the immunity decision. Then came Judge Merchan’s order pausing the case until after the election. In November, Judge Merchan halted the case again to figure out how to proceed. Both Trump and the prosecution agreed that the case can’t proceed while Trump is in office, but they disagreed whether the case should be dismissed. Trump was allowed to file a motion to dismiss. Meanwhile, Judge Merchan kept the sentencing phase on ice.
- **The motion and the parties’ positions:** Trump has raised two theories of immunity: (1) immunity from _liability_, which says the defendant can never be _convicted_ of the alleged conduct, and (2) immunity from _prosecution_, which says that, guilty or not, the defendant can't be the subject of criminal _process_—and thus can’t be tried or even indicted. He also raised what’s called a “_Clayton_ motion”—a kind of catch-all motion that asks the court to dismiss the case “in the interests of justice” (a loose standard).
The prosecution opposed outright dismissal. But here’s where it gets interesting: Instead of dismissal with prejudice, the prosecution proposed two alternatives. First, they proposed putting the case on ice until 2029 when Trump gets out of office. Second, they proposed using a device called the “Alabama Rule.” Under that rule, the case would be frozen in Limbo forever—without a dismissal and without a sentence.
- **Judge Merchan’s order:** Both sides agreed that sentencing shouldn’t go forward, but Judge Merchan disagrees. Here are the main points in the order (let me know if you have any questions about any of this):
- Judge Merchan finds that immunity from prosecution doesn’t apply to a President-Elect. Thus no impediment to proceeding to the sentencing phase before Trump takes office.
- Judge Merchan tacitly rejects any contention that Trump is immune from _liability_ either. The order is a little muddled on this point, but basically he’s saying that the conduct happened before Trump took office, so it isn’t shielded by immunity. That seems correct.
- Surprising no one, he rejects Trump’s _Clayton_ motion asking to dismiss the case in the interests of justice. He runs through the relevant factors—and along the way, he takes aim at Trump’s character. That is appropriate, but it certainly opens a window into Judge Merchan’s state of mind. Anyway, the _Clayton_ motion was DOA; Trump was just preserving arguments for appeal.
- Judge Merchan rejects the prosecution’s proposal that the case be stayed permanently under the Alabama Rule because it would deprive Trump of his appeal rights. (I detect crocodile tears, LOL.) He also rejects the prosecution’s other proposal that the case be stayed until 2029 because “it is less desirable than imposing sentence prior to January 20.” He adds that “The reasons are obvious”—but for what it’s worth, it doesn’t seem obvious to me. Seems more like a tell.
- He says that he’s not inclined to impose a sentence of incarceration, but rather unconditional discharge.
- He points out that this case presents “an unprecedented, and likely never to be repeated legal scenario.” This is not a throwaway statement. When a party seeks review from SCOTUS or a state high court, one of the factors is whether the issue will arise frequently. If it’s truly a one-and-done situation, high courts are less likely to accept the case. It’s certainly not the only factor, but it’s interesting that Judge Merchan felt the need to say this.
- Trump can appear at sentencing either in person or virtually.
- **Next steps:** There are a lot of ways this thing can go. Last time I checked, Trump was trying to “remove” the case to federal court, where he might have better luck on the immunity issues. I’m not sure about the status of those attempts, but obviously they haven’t yet succeeded. Barring removal, Trump could seek an immediate appeal of Judge Merchan’s final judgment. I would expect them also to seek a stay of that judgment (and whatever sentence it carries), keeping it from being effective. Getting a stay is a crap shoot—I’m sure Judge Merchan won’t give one, and the appellate courts tend to defer to the trial judge. Alternatively, Trump could attempt to get a writ of mandamus ordering Judge Merchan to stand down and suspend or vacate his order, but that seems unlikely unless Trump can articulate some form of harm that can’t be fixed on appeal. Whatever the path, you can be sure there will be some twists that you and I don’t see!
We are the life-raft in an ocean of narcissism.
Connection between narcissism and marxism
The connection between **narcissism** and **Marxism** is a complex and debated topic, often explored through the lens of social theory and psychoanalysis. Here are some key points regarding their relationship:
- **Ideological Self-Justification**: Marxism, as a political and economic theory, has been critiqued for its potential to foster narcissistic tendencies within its ideological framework. Some argue that the revolutionary zeal and focus on collective identity can lead to a form of narcissism, where the movement's goals overshadow individual needs and identities[1](https://www.jstor.org/stable/828585)[2](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229852739_Marxism_Communism_and_Narcissism).
- **Critique of Individualism**: Marxism critiques capitalist individualism, which can be associated with narcissistic traits. In a capitalist society, the emphasis on personal success and self-interest may cultivate narcissistic behaviors. Marxist thought advocates for a collective approach, aiming to transcend individualistic narcissism by promoting communal well-being[3](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356270270_On_humanistic_interpretation_of_Marx_Communism_or_narcissism)[4](https://www.quora.com/Is-communism-the-same-as-narcissism).
- **Psychoanalytic Perspectives**: Some scholars have examined Marxism through psychoanalytic theory, suggesting that the dynamics of power and class struggle can reflect narcissistic relationships. The interplay between the ruling class and the proletariat may mirror narcissistic patterns of domination and submission[5](https://www.jstor.org/stable/41035493)[6](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249478765_Marxism_Communism_and_Narcissism_Rejoinder).
- **Cultural Critique**: The "culture of narcissism," a term popularized by Christopher Lasch, critiques modern society's tendencies toward self-absorption and superficiality. This critique aligns with Marxist views on how capitalism fosters alienation and commodification, which can lead to narcissistic behaviors[7](https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/828585.pdf)[8](https://medium.com/illumination/when-privilege-met-narcissism-marxism-was-born-6426e8280f3a).
- **Humanistic Interpretations**: Some interpretations of Marx emphasize a humanistic approach that seeks to address human needs and promote social justice, contrasting with narcissistic tendencies that prioritize self over community[3](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356270270_On_humanistic_interpretation_of_Marx_Communism_or_narcissism)[9](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/law-and-social-inquiry/article/abs/marxism-communism-and-narcissism/701B5EA514B9B15C5FC4A30FB532FBD0).
In summary, while Marxism and narcissism are fundamentally different concepts—one being a socio-political ideology and the other a psychological condition—there are intersections in how they relate to individual identity, power dynamics, and cultural critiques. The discussion often revolves around how societal structures influence personal behaviors and vice versa.
Climate change
H1B
H1B Visa's everywhere, not just SV BOTG
Don't know if you're done beating this subject to death but I wanted to weigh in with my personal experience. I think your discussion is somewhat off base for a couple of reasons. First, this is not just an issue in the "tech sector" but is a problem in every IT shop in the country. It isn't just entrepreneurs and silicon valley startups that are abusing H1B visas, it's every company in the country that has IT employees. Go to Normal Illinois (yes there is a town called Normal) and walk through the State Farm campus - there used to be 2000 American citizens working IT jobs there and now it's all Indians. State Farm can easily find Americans to do these jobs. They get around this by hiring contractors vs. employees. But it's not just the onshore contractor positions that take jobs from Americans - the bigger problem is the contracting companies use the H1B visa to bring inexperienced Indians to this country where they learn english and improve their skills. Once they reach a certain level of proficiency, they are sent back to India so an American job can get offshored. This is exactly what happened to me several years ago. Trained my replacements and my job went to India. So, America loses a job, and the income taxes.
My second point is that you implied we're just getting spun up about this and it's no big deal. But this is real for a lot of people (not just the "tech sector"). Remember back in the run-up to the 2016 election and it was supposed to be Jeb Bush vs. Hillary? They were both all in on handing out H1B visas like candy. This is when I realized there wasn't a dimes worth of difference between them. There really is a uniparty. Only Trump was opposed to H1B visas so I will be very disappointed if he backslides on this. I guess my point is that MAGA world has a right to be spun up on this issue.
Biden
Presidential medals of freedom
- Bono, the frontman of rock band U2
- Michael J. Fox, the “Back to the Future” star
- Earvin “Magic” Johnson, a Los Angeles Lakers legend
- Ralph Lauren, the visionary fashion designer
- Lionel Messi, the MLS star and captain of Argentina’s World Cup-winning soccer team
- Denzel Washington, the Academy-Award-winning actor
- Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue
- William Sanford Nye, the television presenter better known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy"
- Robert Francis Kennedy, the slain former New York senator and US Attorney General
- Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist and anthropologist
- David M. Rubenstein, the billionaire co-founder of The Carlye Group
- José Andrés, the celebrity chef and founder of the World Central Kitchen charity group
- Ashton Baldwin Carter, the former Defense Secretary
- Tim Gill, an entrepreneur whose work has advanced LGBT rights
- George W. Romney, the late businessman and former Michigan governor
- George Stevens, Jr., an author and playwright
- Fannie Lou Hamer, the late civil rights leader and founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party
