Only Ten Days In, 47 Has A Second Tech Disaster On His Hands

Moment of collision displayed on ADSB Exchange

Awoke this morning to news that a military helicopter had flown into a commercial jet and caused a fiery explosion that landed all 67 on board both aircrafts in the icy Potomac River. All are now believed to have died.

Immediately, the partisan information mongers reminded us that 47 had only a week prior frozen hiring of air traffic controllers, fired the head of the FAA, and dissolved the federal Aviation Safety Committee. These are among the big ideas that the elongated muskrat brought to the West Wing.

One of the three pieces that the passenger jet broke into in the Potomac River,, with recovery operations visible pre-dawn. Source: NPR

But could events so recent really cause such a catastrophic failure of air safety? I'm skeptical.

Here's the thing, though. Before the ascent of the tech bros as a kitchen cabinet, 47 (45 at the time) oversaw another policy change that is far more likely to be implicated: the FAA gave the Pentagon permission to have its helicopter pilots turn off their ADSB safety warning systems when running them was deemed a security risk. 

From Defense Daily July 22, 2019:

U.S. federal, state and local government aircraft performing sensitive operations are now permitted to fly with their installed automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) position reporting electronics turned off, according to a new rule published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Thursday.

From Zero Hedge:

There are reports that the Black Hawk was "flying dark,"—meaning the helicopter's pilots did not activate the crucial ADS-B signal, which allows air traffic control and surrounding aircraft to track its location in the extremely tight and heavily regulated airspace.

Community notes on Twitter have already popped up counterclaiming:

ADSB Exchange did not use the term flying dark. They said it was not broadcasting ADSB, the newest transponder technology. It was broadcasting using an older Mode-C transponder.

Either way what we do know is that air traffic control asked the helicopter crew if they had the airplane in their sight. They asked, "PAT 2-5 do you have the CRJ in sight?” and advised the helicopter crew to pass behind the jet. A few moments later, a fireball exploded and fell into the river.

Showing true leadership in a crisis, 47 quickly put out a statement blaming diversity for the disaster. Air traffic control staffers -- some of whom could be heard gasping audibly as the collision occurred -- heard the president claim that prior to his inauguration the FAA was "actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions".

This false assertion of danger is a dogwhistle that feeds into the big lie that immigrants are a threat to public safety. This irresponsible rhetoric already has undocumented and even documented immigrants fearful that going about their lives will result in being swept up in ICE dragnets happening all over the country. 

The second of the two tech disasters is arguably the biggest. China unveiled DeepSeek, an open (i.e. free) platform AI system built for a fraction of the cost of the now monetized Open AI. Take that, U.S. tech bros. Young talent in China did it with small processing units because sanctions prevented them from using the bigger, more powerful, more expensive units. 

Remember how 47 announced a "Stargate" project that would use $500 billion in investments to build power sources for the insatiable energy gobbling of AI? Within a few days China punked him, and just today they released another application that goes even farther, generating images in addition to text.

Ironically, this article appeared today in Pravda:

Telegram founder Pavel Durov commented that China’s rise in AI, stems from its Soviet-style education system, which fosters fierce competition—unlike Western schools that hide grades to protect feelings. “Eliminate the losers, and you eliminate the winners.”

47 thinks he is a winner. I will guarantee you that a rich kid like him bought his way through prep school and college, receiving grades he did not earn. That's one of many reasons that I think he's a loser. What do you think?

Police Issue False Press Release Accusing Air Base Protesters Of Violence, Vandalism

Sharing this great report back on recent direct action to oppose U.S.-Israel genocide in Gaza by Toby Blomé and Wynd Kaufmyn.

Dramatization of Hospitalcide at Main Gate:  

On Thursday morning, January 23, 2025, almost 50 people gathered at Fairfield’s Travis Air Force Base, to protest Travis’s role in shipping U.S. weapons  to Israel, aiding in the genocide of the Palestinian people. 

"While we rejoice in the current so-called ‘ceasefire’ for Gaza, we recognize that it is only for 6 weeks, and even that is precarious. It must become permanent. Until then, the only way to stop the obscenity and scale of Israeli war crimes in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and beyond is to EMBARGO ALL US MILITARY AID AND WEAPONS SUPPLY TO ISRAEL.”

The “hospitalcide” of Gaza was reenacted with dramatic street theater within sight of the U.S. Air Force's largest medical facility in the country. Carrying a very large cardboard Kamal Adwan Hospital, demonstrator “patients” in hospital gowns, bandaged body parts, walkers and wheelchairs were accompanied by “nurses and doctors.” All were attacked by “IDF soldiers” carrying large cardboard automatic rifles. Posters with the story of Director Hussam Abu Safiya rounded out the scene to recreate Israel’s Dec. 27 attack on and destruction of the last standing one in Northern Gaza. (Dr. Abu Safiya was arrested and “disappeared” and is thought to be in Israel’s notorious Ofer Military Prison, known for torture and other abuses.) Every time the light turned red for cars, the hospitalcide theater traversed the crosswalk, ending on the other side with “dead” patients and hospital staff and the kidnapping of Dr. Abu Safiya by the IDF soldiers.

This horrific scene was recreated for approximately two hours while educational flyers were distributed to accepting drivers stopped at the light. Anti-genocide signs and banners were displayed widely throughout the action, music and song kindled hope and inspiration, and numerous Travis visitors waved and gave sporadic peace signs and supportive horn honks. Vietnam era Veteran, Gerry Condon, organized a Veterans For Peace contingent that particularly addressed messaging, support and outreach needs to military personnel on the base; fostering GI resistance to help demilitarize our society is an added goal.

Grass Valley activist, Shirley Osgood, wore a long dress, with hundreds of names of Palestinian infants and babies known to have been killed in the genocide.  

It was a dramatic and heartfelt action that is sure to have an impact on all that observed it.

People’s Blockade at North Gate:

Later, at about 2pm, a group of 8 activists, along with  Franklin Sterling, KPFA’s independent journalist, regrouped at the North Gate to bring our “human blockade” insignia to the base:  “If our government won’t stop arming Israel, then we, the people, will stop it ourselves.” Quickly parking our cars, five human blockaders stretched across the two lane Gate Rd to create the “people’s embargo.” Their large banner said, "STOP GENOCIDE”;  their signs included:  "PROSECUTE COL. JOHNSON 4 WAR CRIMES” (Travis’ commander) and “NOT ANOTHER BOMB.” A legal observer was present and other support folks.

Tensions rose quickly:  Some of the drivers of the blocked cars became aggressive, using their vehicle as weapon to attempt to plow through the human blockade. The blockaders relinquished with the most aggressive drivers, allowing them to pass. They also allowed “special cases” to bypass the blockade (neighbors who live next to the base, people coming for medical appointments, a child being delivered home near the base, etc.) 

At one point, an irate man got out of his car, and without warning, grabbed veteran and Veterans For Peace member Michael Kerr by the shoulders near his neck and dragged him sideways to the other side of the street.  Luckily Michael was not harmed physically, and stayed calm without escalating the situation, in the spirit of our nonviolent campaign.

Ultimately the blockade held for approximately 45 minutes, at which point about 15 riot police arrived on foot from the base, giving orders to disperse. Three women, Kathie Moon, Shawna Bell and Toby Blomé remained in the blockade to continue to “put our bodies between U.S. weapons and the people of Gaza.” All three, two grandmothers and a therapist, were handcuffed and boarded onto a police van.

Shortly thereafter, Michael Kerr, acting only as a support person, was also handcuffed and boarded onto the police van because a driver (the same one who assaulted him earlier?) reported to the police that Michael had been throwing rocks. Thankfully, a short while later the false claimer recanted on his statement and Michael was released. Maybe he realized that the entire scene was captured on video?

 

The remaining arrestees were taken to Fairfield Jail and booked with two charges:  Disobeying an order and jay walking.  After almost eight hours they were cited and released at 11:00 PM. Our faithful jail support person, Fred Bialy, was ready to greet us. All three have orders to appear in court on March 20. 

Thus far, the many dozens who have been arrested at Travis in ongoing anti-genocide protests since December 2023 have all had their charges dismissed, with all scheduled court hearings cancelled. 

 

3 Cars Towed and the Vindictiveness of the Fairfield Police Department:

After the blockade, the Fairfield police (illegally) prevented the three remaining support folks from retrieving their cars for 30 minutes until three tow trucks arrived to tow their cars away. The cars were parked on the side of the road with (newly installed?) inconspicuous no parking signs. In previous actions we had parked in the same area without incident, despite dozens of police present.  

Using Uber to get to the police station, the vehicle owners had to pay $700 each in total fees to get their cars back!  There is a GoFundMe Fundraiser to support them.  We will have our day in court with the Fairfield Police.

In addition, Wynd received a call from a reporter at Bay City News Service who told her that the Fairfield police had issued a press release that claimed the protestors were violent, threw rocks, and broke the windshield of a car. Wynd corrected the false information, and the reporter published a more balanced article. Sadly, early news reports emphasized the false claims of violence by activists.

A legal observer present noted that many of the drivers trying to get into the base at the site of the blockade were the most aggressive they had ever seen.

David Solnit, well-known artist-activist who has contributed impactful visuals to our campaign, declared, “No good deed goes unpunished.” 

We are reminded of Mahatma Gandhi’s famous words: 

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they will fight you, and then you win.” 

They are fighting us now. We will not back down. 

But we need more to succeed.   Please join our campaign!

Huge Gratitude from the People’s Arms Embargo to Everyone who contributed in large and small ways!!!

***Please Donate to GoFundMe Fundraiser

To help 3 activists fined $2100 in fees to retrieve cars from tow companies.

PeoplesArmsEmbargo.org

I Dare A Reporter To Ask 47 If He Knows What Samoud Means

All images are screenshots from this video: Bittersweet Ceasefire: Trump Buries Gaza's Dreams by Indie Nile

Still recovering from flu so this is just to say that hearing 47 call for ethnic cleansing and development of Gaza's "phenomenal" waterfront real estate begs the question: does he know about samoud? 

The past 16 months of genocide have underscored the steadfastness of Palestinians, on display in myriad forms in the video linked above.

But imperial managers are clueless. They think resumption of shipping 500 pound bombs will accomplish what bombing has never accomplished; samoud always rises from the rubble. Always has, and always will.

On Air Force One from Las Vegas to Miami, President Trump says Palestinians in Gaza should be relocated. “I’d like Egypt to take people. I’d like Jordan to take people,” he tells reporters. ”We just clean out that whole thing.”

 

Slaughter continues in the West Bank, and many are speculating that 47's ceasefire deal with Netanyahu included giving Israel the green light for subduing and annexing that occupied territory.

Ramallah, January 26, 2025—Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian toddler near Jenin last night. Laila Mohammad Ayman Khatib, two, was shot and killed by Israeli forces around 8:30 p.m. on January 25 while she was in the living room in her family’s home in the Palestinian town of Muthallath Al-Shuhada.

Meanwhile the international campaign to punish journalists for sharing news from Palestine continues.  Because repression -- if it's brutal enough -- will collapse their resolve to tell the truth, right? Wrong!

From Kevin Gosztola writing in The Dissenter:

Swiss police in Zurich arrested Palestinian American author and journalist Ali Abunimah on January 25 in order to block him from delivering a lecture at an event organized by the Palestine Committee of Zurich. 

Abunimah, who works at Electronic Intifada, will not be intimidated by these gestapo tactics. 

That's my message for today: be steadfast like a Palestinian!

It's the least we can do for the children.

Hamas Warns Duplicitous "Israel"

Hamas released four more hostages today, young women who appeared healthy and well-fed. Note that the soldier on the left is holding one of the famous Hamas gift bags. Photo source: Middle East Eye

Amidst a changeover between one set of  Zionists for another set in Washington DC, the ceasefire in Gaza is tenuous (and most of the violence for now seems to have moved to the West Bank). 

Hamas leadership issued a statement on social media yesterday that strikes me as both credible and ominous.

⚡️BREAKING: Hamas statement to the families of "israeli" prisoners in the Gaza Strip:

As preparations are underway for the release of a second batch of "israeli" prisoners from Gaza, we have followed with great astonishment the statements of several occupation leaders from the extremist "israeli" government, who have hinted at the resumption of war and destruction in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas and the resistance have demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving the lives of "israeli" prisoners in our custody and ensuring their basic needs are met, despite the genocide, starvation, and targeting endured by our people.

"Imprisoned Palestinian scholar and leader Khalida Jarrar liberated in Toufan al-Ahrar after over 5 months in solitary confinement." Source: Samidoun

This includes the bombing of some detention sites multiple times over the past 15 months and the killing and torture of Palestinian detainees in occupation prisons, acts that shame humanity itself.

Upon reaching the ceasefire agreement and releasing the first group of female prisoners, we were deeply committed to ensuring their delivery in a civilized and humane manner, unlike the treatment our detainees experienced during their release.

Today, we address this message to you in a time of great complexity and pain for all. We sense a great danger in the recent statements made by "israeli" political leaders. These remarks signal an imminent threat to everyone, including your loved ones still in Gaza.

The recent statements by officials in the "israeli" government, suggesting intentions to resume war and destruction in Gaza, raise serious concerns about the safety of your children and the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians suffering under siege and war.

Here, we present to you the most prominent of these statements:

1- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on January 20, 2025, stated that he had received a personal promise from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume aggression on Gaza after the first phase of the agreement, considering the ceasefire to be merely a temporary stage, to be followed by a new war to eliminate Hamas.

2- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on January 18, 2025, indicated that the ceasefire agreement is temporary, asserting that "israel" would return to fighting "in a new way and with great force" if circumstances necessitate it.

3- Minister Dudi Amsalem on January 22, 2025, claimed that the second phase of the ceasefire agreement would not occur, calling for an inevitable return to war.

4- Knesset Member Tally Gotliv on January 22, 2025, demanded the seizure of land in Gaza and the establishment of military bases on it, describing the truce as "unreal." 

We warn that these statements not only threaten a return to escalation and destruction but also put the safety of your loved ones at direct risk.

We call upon you, as the families of the captives who are most impacted by what may happen, to take a responsible humanitarian stance and raise your voices to the "israeli" government and its leaders. These leaders prioritize their personal and political interests over the public interest, which should focus on ensuring the safety of your sons and everyone in Gaza, and adhering to the agreements.

We believe that your voices can bring about real change, and that your demands can make a difference in pushing back against the recklessness of this far-right government and its leaders. Your voices can pressure them to honor agreements that guarantee the safety of all and the return of your loved ones to you. War will only bring more destruction and loss, putting the lives of the remaining prisoners in real danger and an uncertain fate.

Office of Martyrs, Prisoners, and the Wounded

Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas

11th Rajab 1446 AH

January 23, 2025 CE

Prospects For Peace In 2025: Jacqueline Luqman

Reposting with permission this excellent essay on the imperialist Left and what to do about it. I read it on Black Agenda Report, a newsletter from Black Alliance for Peace that is a consistent high quality source of information and analysis about world events. Join me in supporting BAP with a recurring donation to enable them to continue their important work.

Jacqueline Luqman recently delivered these remarks at a webinar hosted by the International Manifesto Group, "Trump’s Presidency and the Prospects for Peace in 2025 ."

Thank you for having me on this panel today, on this eve of the anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Of course, there is something else going on tomorrow that we are marking and why we are here, and that is the inauguration of the next President of the Imperialist States of America, Donald Trump.

A lot of people are angry about the inauguration falling on MLK Day this year, but I actually believe the convergence of dates is auspicious because it gives me the opportunity to bring the issues that Dr. King raised in his speech Beyond Vietnam–Time To Break The Silence to this forum.

In this speech, Dr. King raised the issue of the triple evils plaguing this country and the world: racism, poverty, militarism. What Dr. King was alluding to what we in the Black Alliance for Peace recognize is imperialism, which is why BAP was founded on April 4, 2017, to commemorate this pivotal address, and as a means to pick up the mantle of Dr. King and raise the consciousness of the masses in this country to the issue of imperialism that he spoke of.

It is in the spirit of the struggle against imperialism that I assess the current state of the Left and its efficacy in meeting the challenge laid down by Dr. King. Many people today believe that we are facing a second inauguration of Trump and what many fear will be increasing fascist repression against marginalized groups and expanding war because enough people did not vote for Kamala Harris, or because too many people voted for third parties or did not vote at all in the recent presidential election.

But we in the Black Alliance for Peace understand that we have arrived at this point because the American Left has not been as successful as we needed to have been in advancing Dr. King’s anti-imperialist mantra. If we had, there would be no confusion of the two wings of the bourgeois kleptocracy represented by Democrats as well as Republicans that advance the interests of the dictatorship of finance capital over the people, which I believe is a large part of the real reason we are witnessing what feels like to many a triumph of white supremacist domination domestically that will definitely be exported abroad under a new Trump administration.

This is a grave challenge facing the Left in the US. We are confused about the true nature of the Democrat Party with many believing they truly are the lesser evil of the two major political parties in this country. Many delude themselves into believing in reformism and representational politics in which small gains in limited areas are seen as major victories for the people, but the corporate bosses lose nothing and no power is shifted in the people’s favor; or in representational politics in which voting for a person from a previously under represented group in power - women, Blacks, Indigenous, immigrant - signals a potential for political progress that never actually materializes for the people compelled to vote for these folks in the name of progres.

This confusion on the left was seen most sharply I believe in the recent elections and the frenzied demands that anti-imperialists had to vote for Kamala Harris despite all of her existing evil and the evil she promised to continue were she to be elected, to save us from Trump.

I do not want to dismiss the genuine fear many have of a Trump presidency and all of his evil, violent, racist, psychotic promises to do harm for the good of White Nationalist Christian America coming to bear. I do believe conditions for all of us working class, poor, queer, trans, immigrant, indigenous, African descended people will become more harsh under Trump in some ways, if we can imagine them being harsher than they are. However, it is important for us anti-imperialist Leftists to make clear that the rise of Trump was facilitated not because of the lack of votes for the Democrat candidate, but because of the lack of commitment to advancing a clear and consistent anti-imperialist position to US policy from both major political parties and its surrogates in US media, academia, and other bourgeois institutions. Simply put, the challenge facing the Left under this Trump administration is first admitting that there is confusion about Democrat support of imperialism and inconsistency in confronting them.

Left worker solidarity has been undermined by a labor aristocracy that talks radical labor talk, but capitulates to supporting the very Democrat Party that scuttled major union contract negotiations or did little to support others, such as Railroad workers , Amazon employees . One can certainly argue that Trump is no pro-worker candidate, despite his populist rhetoric. But the same is true of Biden and he has the existing track record to prove it. Regardless, major labor union leaders such as the Teamsters ’ Black Caucus endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, while the union itself issued no endorsement of any candidate, although the president of the union spoke at the Republican National Convention. And workers who are not represented by unions are also sold out by the duopoly, as the federal minimum wage still stands at a far below poverty-level rate of $7.25 per hour, something the Biden administration made no move to change, and we certainly do not expect the Trump Administration to either.

A form of social imperialism has emerged within the Left, with some being clear on the need for social change domestically, but also believing in the need for “American Might” to be used overseas to deal with those they agree with the State Department are “enemies.” These Leftists who are socialists or socialist-leaning in word, but imperialists in deed have spent the last four years expressing Left support of imperialist warmongering against Russia, support of war rhetoric against China, and now support of the imperialist US-backed coup in Syria. This has not only sewn deep division within the Left, but it has obscured Dr. King’s clear condemnation of US militarism and the money that goes to the war machine that destroys working class, poor & peasant peoples around the world, instead of onto the plates of the same class of people here.

There are myriad reasons some on the Left have supported these Democrat acts of imperialist thuggery against sovereign peoples around the world, but whatever those reasons, the outcome is that these Leftists become more like Democrat-light, believing that Democrats are less dangerous in their approach to both imperialist warmongering exported abroad and domestic repression in the working class and poor neighborhoods across the country has created this situation in which Trump is held up to the masses as a figure of singularly unique oppression and some say fascism, but the global toll of destruction, death, and human suffering accumulated over Biden’s four years in office is somehow diminished as they project dire warnings of Trump doing worse than Biden, and with that came the demand that we had to vote for Vice President Kamala Harrais to stop a second Trump presidency.

And now, Trump’s ability to stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza, even though his motives for doing so are involve his own neoconservative/settler colonial aspirations for the land and the resources offshore rather than a concern for the humanity of the 8 people, has caused those Leftists to have egg on their faces. Having been proven wrong about Trump making Biden’s genocide worse, they are now faced with reconciling their votes for a Democrat imperialist who lied months ago about fighting tireless toward a ceasefire, when the Republican imperialist merely seemed to have made a phone call to actually get it done when he did not even have the power of the Presidency yet to do it.

As tempting as it may be, this is not the time for gloating in the face of their folly. It is my hope that Leftists who compromised on imperialism for whatever reason they believed they had to these past four years realize now that compromise on anti-imperialist principles believing that Democrats will save us from Republicans.

As much as we know that there is no prospect for peace under Trump, we must be clear that there was no prospect for peace under Biden, even if some among us did not have that clarity then. This is a mistake that the Left cannot afford to make again.  Our struggle must not be centered on the personality of Trump, even as he is threatening to invade and colonize Greenland and retake the Panama Canal, or whatever other unhinged threat he may make. Rather, our focus must be on uniting with the working class, poor, peasant, and marginalized people and communities who are the targets of imperialist policies that emanate from the beating heart of imperialism, the United States, no matter which person from either part occupies the White People’s House.

It is our duty as Leftists in the U.S. to the masses around the world struggling against U.S. imperialism to be consistent in our analysis of and resistance to imperialism no matter which party exports it. International solidarity with the working class is the only real prospect for peace that we have Left.

Jacqueline Luqman is a radical activist based in Washington, D.C.; as well as co-founder of Luqman Nation , an independent Black media outlet that can be found on YouTube (here and here ) and Facebook.

Leaving Twitter

After the elongated muskrat threw the Nazi salute at the inauguration podium yesterday, my long pulling away from what was once Twitter came to an end (never could bring myself to call it what he wanted after he bought it). This morning I deactivated my account which had 2.6k followers yet almost no reach since the muskrat set the algorithms to discriminate against people with my political views. So no big loss on the communication front, right? I had been hanging in there for the news feed. Especially the direct news shared by Palestinians. I can get some of that on Bluesky and some on reddit, plus my inbox is full of links people want to share with me. 

Of course the servants of power quickly revealed themselves as useful.

Legacy media trotted out what they seem to think are euphemisms for Nazi salute (the NYT wins this dubious race to the bottom with the headline: "Elon Musk Ignites Online Speculation Over the Meaning of a Hand Gesture"). Looks like a full arm gesture to me, how about you?

Wild. Top is the NBC upload, bottom is the one aired as the live feed

[image or embed]

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog.lol) January 21, 2025 at 12:45 AM

More to the point, NBC and others simply edited out that segment of the video. As did Twitter.

Uber Zionist organization the Anti Defamation League (ADL) denied that it was any flavor of historical fascist salute. "Awkward gesture" was offered as an explanation without a trace of irony? What could be more awkward than Holocaust survivors and descendants pretending they don't know a Nazi salute when they see one? (This is why it is nearly impossible to write satire in these times.)

It's not that we haven't seen him make awkward gestures at an event honoring 47 before. Note that the "gesture" above at a campaign rally was more reminiscent of a high school cheerleader all aflutter over the quarterback.

Many in the high functioning autistic community are furious that giving the Nazi salute before a world audience is being excused on the grounds that the elongated muskrat is HF autistic. 

Remember back in 2022 when the muskrat announced that he had Asperger's? I did not, but I also did not know that term is now out of fashion because the person it was named after was a practicing eugenicist. Yup, Hans Asperger worked for the Nazis picking out children to be euthanized. 

You can't make this shit up.

Modern diagnostic terms are "on the autism spectrum" or the previously referenced "high functioning autistic." Another hot term that encompasses things like autism and ADHD is "neurodivergent." The actual historic Nazis exterminated neurodivergent people as weaklings and a burden on society. This is beyond ironic.

One thing we know for sure about the muskrat and his buddies seated in the front rows at yesterday's inauguration is that neurodivergent or not, they are CEOs -- at a time when public sympathy for CEO assassin Luigi Mangione is still surging.

What strange, post-ironic times we live in. 

I will miss Twitter but I've got plenty to keep myself occupied: learning Mandarin and also trying out Red Note 小红书 (xiao hong shu).

Link to Joyce's video on 小红书.