General Politics Thread

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Of course, we all know that the pro-life stance is to kill Cuban civilians - how many doesn't really matter - in order to "send a message" to the Cuban government.
Is this supposed to be directed at me or just a general comment broadcast into the ether?
 
Is this supposed to be directed at me or just a general comment broadcast into the ether?

Whichever

In political news Elongated Muskrat has announced he's now a Republican which is sort of encouraging, in that the Democratic Party shouldn't be a place where the most horrible people in the country feel at home.
 
Whichever

In political news Elongated Muskrat has announced he's now a Republican which is sort of encouraging, in that the Democratic Party shouldn't be a place where the most horrible people in the country feel at home.
It seems like he is mostly opposed to Democrats support of labor unions ...

SHOCKED I tells ya!!!
 
Micro$oft implementing Chinese censorship globally
  • We analyzed Microsoft Bing’s autosuggestion system for censorship of the names of individuals, finding that, outside of names relating to eroticism, the second largest category of names censored from appearing in autosuggestions were those of Chinese party leaders, dissidents, and other persons considered politically sensitive in China.
  • We consistently found that Bing censors politically sensitive Chinese names over time, that their censorship spans multiple Chinese political topics, consists of at least two languages, English and Chinese, and applies to different world regions, including China, the United States, and Canada.
  • Using statistical techniques, we preclude politically sensitive Chinese names in the United States being censored purely through random chance. Rather, their censorship must be the result of a process disproportionately targeting names which are politically sensitive in China.
  • Bing’s Chinese political autosuggestion censorship applies not only to their Web search but also to the search built into Microsoft Windows as well as DuckDuckGo, which uses Bing autosuggestion data.
  • Aside from Bing’s Chinese political censorship, many names also suffer from collateral censorship, such as Dick Cheney or others named Dick.
And they also do "positive" autosuggestion, with the following being the suggestions it comes up with for “法轮功” (Falun Gong):
  • “法轮功␣危害” (Falun Gong dangers)
  • “法轮功常见非法宣传品” (Falun Gong Common Illegal Propaganda Materials)
  • “法轮功什么时候被国家取缔” (When was Falun Gong banned by the state?)
  • “法轮功邪教组织什么时候被取缔” (When was the Falun Gong cult banned?)
 
Yeah, but DuckDuckGo is good.
 
duckduckgo recently got outed for similar behavior. placed beside microsoft, maybe it still looks good, but it's dishonest and should be treated as such.
From this, it seems DuckDuckGo was getting the feed from MS, so they were doing it but did not initiate it and I guess probably did not know.
 
From this, it seems DuckDuckGo was getting the feed from MS, so they were doing it but did not initiate it and I guess probably did not know.

that's not ideal for obvious reasons, but iirc they also publicly stated they would futz with search results wrt ukraine-russia too.
 
Costa Rica "at war" with Russian gang

The notorious Russian-aligned Conti ransomware gang has upped the ante in its attack against Costa Rica, threatening to overthrow the government if it doesn't pay a $20 million ransom.

Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves said that the country is effectively at war with the gang, who in April infiltrated the government's computer systems, gaining a foothold in 27 agencies at various government levels. The US State Department has offered a $15 million reward leading to the capture of Conti's leaders, who it said have made more than $150 million from 1,000+ victims. Rodrigo Chaves came into his position on May 8th, and immediately signed a decree declaring a state of emergency due to the cyberattacks.

Conti claimed this week that it has insiders in the Costa Rican government, the AP reported, warning that "We are determined to overthrow the government by means of a cyber attack, we have already shown you all the strength and power, you have introduced an emergency."

Experts who spoke to the AP said they doubt actual regime change is likely, or the goal; Emsisoft analyst Brett Callow told the newswire that the threats are simply noise, and not to be taken seriously.

Callow may be right: News unfolding late this week suggests that Conti has gone offline, and may be breaking into several subsidiary groups. Its political ambitions in Costa Rica may just be a distraction, albeit one that could also turn a tidy profit.​
 
@Sommerswerd just read in the New York Times that Manchin is considering working with Republicans on a "bipartisan energy bill."

It's funny because here "bipartisan" means "planet-killing"
 
We can't "kill" the planet anyway... just make it inhospitable enough to kill ourselves and a ton of other living species in the process.

@Sommerswerd just read in the New York Times that Manchin is considering working with Republicans on a "bipartisan energy bill."

It's funny because here "bipartisan" means "planet-killing"
Lols at "considering working with Republicans on a bipartisan energy bill"... every single word of that phrase is a farce. Even putting that aside... even assuming it wasn't... for sake of discussion... it would still be a colossal waste of time and shameless publicity stunt, since any such bill has no hope of passage.
 
It's a tracking statement. It's a positional statement. Which would explain why it triggers certain inflexible stances, I'd guess.
 
Well, agreed?
 
Trump's Next Scam:

Donald Trump’s New Business Partners Just Published A Damning List Of All His Failures

The former president's lengthy history of bankruptcies, failed licensing agreements and lawsuits are laid bare in excruciating detail in a filing for his new media company.

A document filed by Donald Trump’s new business partners makes terrible reading for the former president.

Trump’s business failings — and the number of lawsuits he currently faces — are laid bare in damning detail in the S-4 registration statement that Digital World Acquisition Corp., the special-purpose acquisition company that is merging with Trump’s Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (TMGT) to take it public, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.

Multiple risk factors associated with doing business with Trump are highlighted in the filing because, it says, the company’s success depends largely on his reputation and popularity.

Of Trump’s lengthy history of bankruptcies, it states:

Entities associated with President Trump have filed for bankruptcy protection.
  • The Trump Taj Mahal, which was built and owned by President Trump, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1991.
  • The Trump Plaza, the Trump Castle, and the Plaza Hotel, all owned by President Trump at the time, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1992.
  • THCR, which was founded by President Trump in 1995, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004.
  • Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc., the new name given to Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts after its 2004 bankruptcy, declared bankruptcy in 2009.
  • While all of the foregoing were in different businesses than TMTG, there can be no guarantee that TMTG’s performance will exceed the performance of those entities.
Of failed license agreements with Trump, it notes:
  • Trump Shuttle, Inc., launched by President Trump in 1989, defaulted on its loans in 1990 and ceased to exist by 1992.
  • Trump University, founded by President Trump in 2005, ceased operations in 2011 amid lawsuits and investigations regarding the company’s business practices.
  • Trump Vodka, a brand of vodka produced by Drinks Americas under license from the Trump Organization, was introduced in 2005 and discontinued in 2011.
  • Trump Mortgage, LLC, a financial services company founded by President Trump in 2006, ceased operations in 2007.
  • GoTrump.com, a travel site founded by President Trump in 2006, ceased operations in 2007.
  • Trump Steaks, a brand of steak and other meats founded by President Trump in 2007, discontinued sales two months after its launch.
  • While all these businesses were in different industries than TMTG, there can be no guarantee that TMTG’s performance will exceed the performance of these entities.
In both cases, the statement warns there are “no assurances” that the new company will not go the same way as Trump’s past scuttled ventures. The filing also details the “numerous lawsuits and other matters that could damage his reputation, cause him to be distracted from the business or could force him to resign from TMTG’s board of directors.” They range from the congressional investigation into Trump’s role in the incitement of the deadly U.S. Capitol riot and his alleged removal of classified documents to a defamation lawsuit from writer E. Jean Carroll, who has accused Trump of rape.

“The foregoing does not purport to be an exhaustive list,” the document warned.

Full filing here
 
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But wait, there's more!

Risks Related to our Chairman President Donald J. Trump

TMTG’s success depends in part on the popularity of its brand and the reputation and popularity of its Chairman, President Donald J. Trump. The value of TMTG’s brand may diminish if the popularity of President Trump were to suffer. Adverse reactions to publicity relating to President Trump, or the loss of his services, could adversely affect TMTG’s revenues, results of operations and its ability to maintain or generate a consumer base.
While TMTG believes there is sufficient demand for a true free speech platform, the image, reputation, popularity and talent of its Chairman, President Trump will be important factors to its success. According to The Hill, only 30% of people surveyed would use a social media site associated with President Trump. In addition, according to a survey published in The New York Post, only 60% of Republicans would use such a platform. In order to be successful, TMTG will need millions of those people to register and regularly use TMTG’s platform. If President Trump becomes less popular or there are further controversies that damage his credibility or the desire of people to use a platform associated with him, and from which he will derive financial benefit, TMTG’s results of operations could be adversely affected.

The death or incapacity of President Trump, or discontinuation or limitation of his relationship with TMTG, may negatively impact TMTG’s business.

TMTG is highly dependent on the popularity and presence of President Trump, its Chairman and largest stockholder. President Trump has a significant influence on TMTG’s business plan. TMTG believes President Trump’s reputation and relationships are a critical element to the success of TMTG’s business. TMTG’s future success will depend, to a significant extent, upon the continued presence and popularity of President Trump. If President Trump were to discontinue his relationship with TMTG due to death, disability, or any other reason, or limit his involvement with TMTG due to becoming a candidate for political office, TMTG would be significantly disadvantaged.

President Trump is involved in numerous lawsuits and other matters that could damage his reputation, cause him to be distracted from the business or could force him to resign from TMTG’s board of directors. Additionally, TMTG’s business plan relies on President Trump bringing his former social media followers to its platform. In the event any of these, or other events cause his followers to lose interest in his messages, the number of users of TMTG’s platform could decline or not grow as TMTG has assumed.

A congressional committee is investigating President Trump’s role, if any, in violence at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. Two groups of U.S. Capitol Police officers, in two separate lawsuits, have sued President Trump for allegedly inciting riots on that date. U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson and Eric Swalwell have, separately, also sued President Trump for allegedly inciting riots at the Capitol—and Rep. Swalwell has further claimed emotional distress.

There is also ongoing litigation involving President Trump related to the 2020 election. For example, the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund filed a lawsuit against President Trump alleging that he violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Enforcement Act of 1871 by exerting pressure on state and local officials not to count or certify votes. In February 2021, the Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney’s office launched a criminal probe into President Trump’s alleged interference in the presidential election. In January 2022, the Fulton County District Attorney’s request to impanel a special grand jury – the members of which were selected in early May 2022 for a criminal investigation into President Trump was approved by the Fulton County Superior Court. A Pennsylvania poll worker sued President Trump for damages caused by alleged defamatory statements made by President Trump following the 2020 election. Eric Coomer, a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems, sued President Trump for alleged defamatory statements made by President Trump during the 2020 election.

Among other matters, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform is investigating President Trump’s alleged destruction and removal of classified documents and White House records, as well as potential inaccurate financial statements filed by the Trump Organization in relation to the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. President Trump is the subject of separate investigations by the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney, the New York Attorney General, and the Westchester County District Attorney to determine if the Trump Organization made false valuations of property to avoid tax liability and for other financial benefits. On April 25, 2022, a New York state court judge held President Trump in civil contempt for failing to comply with a subpoena for documents related to the New York Attorney General’s investigation of the Trump Organization. President Trump, along with his three eldest children (including Donald Trump, Jr., a TMTG board Member), are defendants in a class action lawsuit accusing them and The Trump Corporation of defrauding investors in exchange for secret payments from multiple companies. The Trump Organization recently paid $750,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the District of Columbia accusing the organization of misusing nonprofit funds from the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee.

A group of six protesters filed a lawsuit against President Trump alleging that President Trump and his co-defendants are liable for assault and battery after the protesters were attacked by Trump Tower security guards. President Trump is the defendant in a class action lawsuit filed by tenants of buildings once owned by the Trump family accusing them of fraud and racketeering. President Trump is the defendant in a lawsuit filed by his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, seeking damages for alleged retaliatory imprisonment. The House Ways and Means Committee remains engaged in a yearslong attempt to obtain President Trump’s tax returns from the Treasury Department as part of an investigation into the IRS’s oversight of presidential tax returns.

President Trump is the defendant in a defamation lawsuit filed against him by E. Jean Carroll who claims that President Trump defamed her when he denied her allegations of sexual assault against him. In the past, President Trump has been involved in multiple lawsuits and settlements—and the subject of numerous accusations that did not result in legal action—related to sexual conduct and alleged misconduct.

As a plaintiff, President Trump sued NY AG Letitia James to stop the investigation into the Trump Organization. President Trump sued New York City over its decision to cancel the Trump Organization’s contract to operate a golf course in the Bronx. President Trump sued Mary Trump and the New York Times for their disclosure and publication of his tax information. President Trump sued Twitter, for allegedly violating his First Amendment rights by banning him from its social media platform; this lawsuit was dismissed in May 2022.

The foregoing does not purport to be an exhaustive list. In June 2016, USA Today published an analysis of litigation involving President Trump, which found that over the previous three decades President Trump and his businesses had been involved in 3,500 legal cases in U.S. federal and state courts. Of the 3,500 suits, President Trump or one of his companies were plaintiffs in 1,900; defendants in 1,450; and bankruptcy, third party, or other in 150. President Trump was named personally in at least 169 suits in federal court. Over 150 other cases were in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida (covering Broward County, Florida) since 1983. In the 1,300 cases where the record establishes the outcome, President Trump settled 175 times, lost 38, won 450, and had another 137 cases end with some other outcome. In the other 500 cases, judges dismissed plaintiffs’ claims against President Trump.

Although TMTG is not a party to any of the above-referenced matters, TMTG cannot predict what effect, if any, an adverse outcome to such matters, or even their continued existence, may have on President Trump’s personal reputation and TMTG’s business or prospects.

A publicly-traded entity controlled by President Trump has previously been subject to a cease and desist order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On January 16, 2002, the SEC issued a cease and desist order against Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, Inc. (“THCR”) for violations of the anti-fraud provisions of the Exchange Act. As discussed in more detail in the SEC Release No. 45287, on October 25, 1999, THCR had issued a press release announcing its results for the third quarter of 1999 (the “Earnings Release”). To announce those results, the Earnings Release used a net income figure that differed from net income calculated in conformity with U.S. GAAP. Using that non-GAAP figure, the Earnings Release touted THCR’s purportedly positive operating results for the quarter and stated that the Company had beaten analysts’ earnings expectations. The Earnings Release was materially misleading because it created the false and misleading impression that THCR had exceeded earnings expectations primarily through operational improvements, when in fact it had not. The Earnings Release expressly stated that the net income figure excluded a one-time charge. The undisclosed one-time gain was material, because it represented the difference between positive trends in revenues and earnings and negative trends in revenues and earnings, and the difference between exceeding analysts’ expectations and falling short of them. SEC stated that by knowingly or recklessly issuing a materially misleading press release, THCR violated Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The SEC accepted THCR’s offer of settlement.

Upon becoming a public company, the Combined Entity will be required to provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting commencing with its annual report on Form 10-K. Any failure to maintain effective disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting could have a material and adverse effect on its business and operating results and cause a decline in the price of the Combined Entity’s common stock.
 
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