Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Verified, but limited!

The revolution will be supervised.

… makes me wish i had hoarded more linguine

We still have time to mess this up!

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

Nevertheless, she persisted.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

We need fewer warriors in public service and more gardeners.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if I ever tried to have some of you killed.

All your base are belong to Tunch.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Deploy the moving finger of emphasisity!

People are complicated. Love is not.

Tick tock motherfuckers! Tick fucking tock!

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Militantly superior in their own minds…

It’s the corruption, stupid.

This is how realignments happen…

You are here: Home / Balloon Juice / Events / A Couple of Matters for Your Consideration

A Couple of Matters for Your Consideration

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Nothing too earth shaking, I hope, but there’s a couple of things I’d like to share. The first is that the article adapted from my keynote address at the US Army’s Psychological Operations Regiment’s 100th anniversary regimental dinner is now published. If you are interested, you can find it at this link or on page 26 of the pdf below.

Special_Warfare_32-1_JAN_MAR_2019_web

But wait, there’s more…

Thanks to one of our commenters, who I will let self identify, I have been honored with an invitation to give a keynote address at a digital media/digital news media conference in October 2019. I’ll also be giving the cocktail hour/party teaser talk on the first night and participating in a round table panel. The details on the conference are here. And it is my understanding that the organizers plan to stream this, and, if so, provided John doesn’t have a problem, I’ll put links up here so those so inclined can watch.

To build support for the conference, I’ve been asked to do a weekly column, entitled Thinking Security dealing with issues in the information domain  – information warfare, influence operations, etc – that are, or should be, major concerns for digital publishers, the digital news media, more traditional news media, and consumers of the news. The first column went up at the end of last week and the next one will be up next week. You can find that first column at this link.

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

98Comments

  1. 1.

    Formerly disgruntled in Oregon

    This truly is a full-service blog, if there ever was one. Thank you for these important contributions, Dr. Silverman!

  4. 4.

    VeniceRiley

    I get a 500 internal server error on the weekly column. But I’m looking forward to someone pointing out to those knobs how badly they’ve been played in regard to what they cover. it’s like they don’t even know they’re targeted for ops.

  5. 5.

    Miss Bianca

    Hi, Adam! Thanks for posting this! I will out myself as the commenter in question, and say that of course, I would be psyched to see Adam’s talk get live-streamed here, and thrilled to see any jackals who decide that they might like to attend this event, as well! With Adam as our keynote speaker, it will be lively intellectual fodder, to be sure!

    OK, back to Shakespeare!

  8. 8.

    Scamp Dog

    So you’ll be heading out to Colorado! If you wind up flying through Denver, we’d be happy to put together a meetup, just let us know.

  9. 9.

    Dan B

    I look forward to your arrival at the conference. Will it be more Beyonce or Pink? And you don’t have to give it up if you want it to be a surprise.

  14. 14.

    Miss Bianca

    @VeniceRiley: I tried Adam’s original link and it worked fine for me. But I will let our tech folks know we are still having some issues, apparently. Which browser are you using?

    ETA: And, uh…”knobs”? Really?

  19. 19.

    trollhattan

    They grow up so fast {sniff].

    Wonderful news and well-earned opportunities, I’d say. Congratulations!

  20. 20.

    The Lodger

    Nicely done, Adam! Looking forward to more of your work aimed at a general audience.

  23. 23.

    schrodingers_cat

    RIP Girish Karnad*, one of India’s theater greats.. I mostly knew him as an actor in parallel cinema in the 70s and 80s. But that was one of the least interesting things he did.
    He was a:
    An eminent playwright who used themes from both history and mythology to illuminate issues facing India.
    Rhodes Scholar
    Fulbright Scholar
    Jnanpith Award winner: The highest literary award in India. There is one Jnanpith for all Indian languages.
    Padmashree
    Padmabhushan
    Director of FTII (Film and Television Institute of India)

    Playwright
    Actor
    Director

    He acted in Marathi, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada movies, wrote movie scripts and directed movies too.

    * From Manthan (churning) directed by Shyam Benegal about the founding of the milk co-operative Amul in Anand, Gujarat. One of the many initiatives under the Green Revolution that made India self sufficient in food.

  25. 25.

    Immanentize

    Congratulations at least four ways:
    1). Your publication — amazing!
    2). Your upcoming gig — so cool
    3). On the conference sweeteners you are writing. Why not just cross post them here (like Cheryl does) to save hassles for all?
    4). MOST IMPORTANT!: For impressing Miss Bianca so much she was stirred to action!

  26. 26.

    Miss Bianca

    @schrodingers_cat: I have never heard of him, to my chagrin. Any suggestions on which plays of his to start with? (I am presuming that there are English translations).

  28. 28.

    trollhattan

    Two hilarious-galling threads at LGM right now re. Tiger Mom’s kid being awarded a clerkship with Justice Kavanaugh one year after Tiger Mom expressed heartfelt support for Kavanaugh’s nomination and was simultaneously accused of “grooming” hawt females to intern for…Judge Kavanaugh.

    Commenters note the going market rate signing bonus for a SCOTUS clerkship at a top law firm is currently circa $400k. Meritocracy, yo.

  29. 29.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Immanentize:

    On the conference sweeteners you are writing. Why not just cross post them here (like Cheryl does) to save hassles for all?

    I intend to at least post the links. On the agenda is getting permission from the Ark Valley Voice to repost them here.

  31. 31.

    Miss Bianca

    @Immanentize: Adam’s impressed me since his first articles on Malheur. In this case, I was merely the conduit to the real decision makers!

  32. 32.

    Kathleen

    @Adam L Silverman: So I’m assuming your doggies are actually your handlers courtesy of the Deep State?

    ETA: Also, Congratulations! I’m so happy your hard work and excellent analysis will gain more exposure!

  33. 33.

    Adam L Silverman

    @trollhattan: Tiger daughter would have to be released from her 7 year commitment to the US Army as a junior staff judge advocate post clerkship.

  35. 35.

    Immanentize

    @Miss Bianca:
    Well, in any case, well done. And stop being so damn self-depricating or you might lose your jackal badge with oak leaf clusters

  41. 41.

    Immanentize

    @trollhattan: @Adam L Silverman:
    This is really pissing me off. My not-privileged, many first generation lawyer, students fight hard for JAG placements and the cavellier way young daughter clerk is taking this position makes me weep for the not-privileged who see going to JAG as a great privilege (it is!).

    By July of last year, when she wrote the tweet that she was JAG bound, she knew whether that was a fabrication as her commission would have been offered.

    If she fabricated the JAG commission, she should be disbarred.

  43. 43.

    Miss Bianca

    @Immanentize: There’s a jackal badge with oak leaf clusters?? Wow! Guess mine is…still in the mail, that’s right…!

    I still think that we should do a Balloon Juice conference.

  44. 44.

    SFAW

    Thanks to one of our commenters, who I will let self identify, I have been honored with an invitation to give a keynote address at a digital media/digital news media conference in October 2019.

    Schlemazel tov! Right? That’s how you say it, ain’t it?

    Anyway, congrats, Adam, well done!

  45. 45.

    TS (the original)

    Congratulations Adam – I so wish all the good stuff would spread across the intertubes as quickly as the rubbish & lies. Why not sort that out in your spare time.

  47. 47.

    Adam L Silverman

    @rikyrah: This is a deferred ROTC commitment because she went to law school. I may be misremembering, but she’s got a minimum of either five or seven years depending on whether the Army also paid for law school.

  49. 49.

    Immanentize

    @Miss Bianca:
    A BJ conference would be awesome. There is so much talent here! And Omnes could have a mudwrestling match with Stevein!! Ok, not that….

    But JCole is not exactly Organization Man. Although we could bring some much needed scratch to W.V.

  50. 50.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Immanentize: No arguments from me. But under the current administration, no one is going to be willing to get crosswise with a Supreme Court justice.

  51. 51.

    SFAW

    @Miss Bianca:

    I still think that we should do a Balloon Juice conference.

    You know, I’ve never questioned your sanity. Before now, that is.

  52. 52.

    SFAW

    @Immanentize:

    But JCole is not exactly Organization Man. Although we could bring some much needed scratch to W.V.

    Especially if we all camp out at Chez Cole. Wouldn’t that be fun?

  54. 54.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @rikyrah: Oh, waiter*…

    One of my dorm mates in grad school’s father was a Navy captain, when I went my friend’s wedding, I was informed to not ask his dad for drink refills since the dress Navy officer uniforms look like what the wait staff wear in a restaurant.

  58. 58.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Miss Bianca: There are two volumes of his Kannada plays, which he translated into English, himself. His linguistic abilities are impressive, being fluent enough to write scripts, act in 4 or 5 languages is no joke. Plus he must have a good command over Sanskrit, because he translated at least one Sanskrit play that I know of into Hindi. And his Rhodes scholarship was in math! He apparently changed majors when he got to Oxford.

  59. 59.

    Dan B

    @rikyrah: Thanks!! Best comments / snark ever.

    Having a pulse in uniform. Ha! And the response to that! Plus the man in uniform. And more.

  60. 60.

    debbie

    Congratulations! I guess this means the cooking apron has been hung up for good. Alas…

  62. 62.

    trollhattan

    @Adam L Silverman:
    She seems a little…inconsistent with her story. This, one year ago when Mom was having her internet fracas re. Kavanaugh:

    Hi! Daughter here. Just to clarify your post: I was college ROTC, attended YLS on Army Ed Delay, and am joining Active Duty JAG after circuit clerkship (wherever that will be!). Won’t be applying to SCOTUS anytime soon bc will be in the Army. Proud of my brave mom as always. -SCR

  65. 65.

    Adam L Silverman

    @trollhattan: And that was a direct response to a respected NY attorney and legal journalist who predicted that this was going to happen.

  68. 68.

    Ruckus

    @rikyrah:
    A response to your link, from Louise Mensch
    Right?? Who the hell makes @Reince an officer? Lol
    Well I met a couple of ensigns who I can not imagine were really any better. There was Ensign Parker, not his real name but very worthy of the title. Lied to my face on more than one occasion. Respect not a word he understood at all. A natural born follower. And not real good at that.

  70. 70.

    trollhattan

    @Adam L Silverman:
    It’s one thing to find out that high-profile people demanding your respect are basically frauds (who could have guessed?) and quite another to watch their scams pay off before our very eyes as they line things up for a pretty good shot at grabbing the reins of power. I keep apologizing to my kid.

  73. 73.

    Gin & Tonic

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: One of my son’s classmates is the son of a well-known Admiral, head of US Naval Forces Europe. He wore a business suit to his son’s graduation. I guess a dress uniform if the event is not about him wouldn’t have been appropriate.

  75. 75.

    schrodingers_cat

    Girish Karnad in Jabbar Patel’s Umbartha (Threshold) with the late Smita Patil, who was my favorite actor of the 70s and 80s, she died too soon. Its explores the same themes as Ibsen’s Doll’s House.

  76. 76.

    Steeplejack

    @rikyrah:

    Wait, what now?

    Ensign Priebus, age 47. What a travesty. But, as one Twitter commenter pointed out, maybe now he’s subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. “Get your affairs in order, you wretched traitor!”

    ETA: Why the FUCK does Chris Matthews have Anthony Scaramucci on his show like he’s anything remotely resembling a “normal” pundit/​observer/​commmentator?! God, this is giving me premature PTSD at the prospect of Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway polluting the airwaves in 2021.

  79. 79.

    Mayim

    Wish the conference were closer ~ data security/privacy/integrity is a huge issue in the library world, with some spillover into my adjacent genealogy work.

    Hope it goes amazingly well for you!

  80. 80.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Mayim: Like I indicated. I think they’re planning on setting up streaming, So you might be able to do that.

  83. 83.

    dexwood

    Very cool. And, you deserve the recognition. I learn much from your posts, even the ones I think I’m not that interested in… until I begin reading. Give him a raise, John.

  86. 86.

    dexwood

    Ah. Consider, money is a cheap substitution for genuine respect. So I’ve been told by those who failed to consider my mortgage payment in the past.

  88. 88.

    SenyorDave

    @rikyrah: Can you say CHILD TRAFFICKING, ladies and gentlemen

    These people are so disgusting that the main comfort I have is that I believe in both karma and an afterlife. So even if these people don’t experience karma in the current life I believe they will be pushing a boulder up a hill or something similar for eternity.
    I did not know that there were this many evil people in positions of authority, but history does show that for some people power corrupts.

  91. 91.

    Kristine

    Congrats, Adam! Looking forward to the live stream.

    I also downloaded the magazine. I’m able to save the pdf to Apple Books, which makes it easier to read.

  92. 92.

    Amir Khalid

    @Miss Bianca:
    While you have the experts’ attention, could you also tell them that pages don’t complete loading for me? And that the edit box has the same problem?

  93. 93.

    The Pale Scot

    @Immanentize:

    A BJ conference would be awesome.

    Nope, It’s gotsta be a full 3 day convention, the local college can put us up in a dormitory if they have them.

    Who has a mushroom connection?

  94. 94.

    The Pale Scot

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Please seek immediate professional help

    Considering what our age group seems to be, masseurs, hot tubs and chiropractors would be the pros to ask for

  98. 98.

    lee

    I’ve been to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort that the conference is at!

    Several years ago we took the kids skiing/snowboarding to Monarch. We stay the Caulk Creek Campgrounds and visited that resort & Hot Springs while we were there.

    I liked it so much I’m half tempted to attend the conference just to visit again.

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