sidcow Posted January 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2021 (edited) 6 hours ago, OutByEaster? said: Bill Belichick has refused to accept the Presidential medal of honour from Trump. That'll get him right in the demographic. Was that awarded for training Patriots? Edited January 12, 2021 by sidcow 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrusr Posted January 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2021 12 minutes ago, Awol said: FWIW I think this is more of a sovereignty issue, a national leader unhappy that US tech oligarchs have the power to censor anyone worldwide. It was Trump this time and he’s a bad guy so it’s easier to rationalize, but we’ve gone from Alex Jones to the President of the United States in what, 18 months? Reading through the article, she raises concerns that it is the decision of the company as there is no legislation governing what can/can’t be done in respect of hate speech. From the article: Quote Ms Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said free speech was a “fundamental right of vital importance” that could be restricted, “but only in accordance with the laws and within a framework defined by the legislator — not by the decision of the management of social media platforms”. He said for that reason the chancellor found it “problematic” that Mr Trump’s accounts had been indefinitely suspended. It then goes on to describe the hate speech. I think what she is raising concerns with is who is making that decision what is and what isn’t hate speech and that should be government rather than a company. I think my issue with all of this is that it feels that Trump has gone further previously and nothing was done. I appreciate that this maybe was more of a “straw that broke the camels back”, but if they were going to ban him, why not sooner when he appears to have been breaching the T&Cs so much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted January 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2021 Looking at those pictures of the insurrection you wonder how many Covid infections will be caused by that, amongst communities who strongly object to wearing masks. So many people there are going to get infected and bring it back to their communities and families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 44 minutes ago, Awol said: FWIW I think this is more of a sovereignty issue, a national leader unhappy that US tech oligarchs have the power to censor anyone worldwide. It was Trump this time and he’s a bad guy so it’s easier to rationalize, but we’ve gone from Alex Jones to the President of the United States in what, 18 months? What’s to stop Trump just posting his musings on his own website? If he doesn’t like obeying other peoples rules then it’s really the only option open to him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXD Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, cyrusr said: I think my issue with all of this is that it feels that Trump has gone further previously and nothing was done. I appreciate that this maybe was more of a “straw that broke the camels back”, but if they were going to ban him, why not sooner when he appears to have been breaching the T&Cs so much? Agreed. They lose credibility doing it so late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted January 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Genie said: What’s to stop Trump just posting his musings on his own website? If he doesn’t like obeying other peoples rules then it’s really the only option open to him. Or announcing a press conference in the White House Briefing room where the entire worlds TV and Press reporters will be there? He's hardly been forced into a darkened room with a gag on has he? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Genie said: What’s to stop Trump just posting his musings on his own website? If he doesn’t like obeying other peoples rules then it’s really the only option open to him. One thing Trump used to do *all the time*, both as a private citizen and in the earlier days of his presidency as well, is call in to news programmes. Back in the 90s and 2000s, he favoured Howard Stern; more recently it has been Fox News. There is a very interesting question why he isn't doing that now, given that his social media accounts have been taken off him. He knows he could communicate through these channels, but he isn't; why? I suspect the answer is that there has been a kind of 'back-room 25th amendment' in which the other participants in the executive and the legislature have removed him any authority. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Like they say in the Western’s “it’s quiet, too quiet”. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ml1dch Posted January 12, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2021 This was a good read. Quote QAnon Woke Up the Real Deep State To the QAnon community, and others involved in storming the Capitol: The Deep State is real, but it’s not what you think. The Deep State you worry about is mostly made up; a fiction, a lie, a product of active imaginations, grifter manipulations, and the internet. I’m telling you this now because storming the Capitol building has drawn the attention of the real Deep State — the national security bureaucracy — and it’s important you understand what that means. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted January 12, 2021 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2021 3 hours ago, cyrusr said: I think my issue with all of this is that it feels that Trump has gone further previously and nothing was done. I appreciate that this maybe was more of a “straw that broke the camels back”, but if they were going to ban him, why not sooner when he appears to have been breaching the T&Cs so much? My take on that is that it was deemed illegal but that this is right at the end of his presidency means there isn't enough time left in his tenure for him to do anything about it. Also as @HanoiVillanalludes to upthread, he's been told to do nothing or the GOP will vote against him in the impeachment hearings and it's quite possible that Twitter, Facebook et al have been tipped off to that effect so know they are safe to do so without any repercussions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumerican Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 3 hours ago, Genie said: Like they say in the Western’s “it’s quiet, too quiet”. Eastenders drums .... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted January 12, 2021 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2021 3 hours ago, sidcow said: He's hardly been forced into a darkened room with a gag on has he? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumerican Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 (edited) I imagine Pompeo will be on TV soon blaming Iran for The Last Jedi. Edited January 12, 2021 by Brumerican Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 17 hours ago, Awol said: On a slightly more important note (in human terms) than the business with Trump, Pompeo today designated the Houthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist organisation. This matters because in the short term companies will now find it very difficult to trade with the part of Yemen occupied by the Houthis, which is also where most of the people live, without falling foul of US law which is applied extra-territorially. For reference, Yemen imports 90% of its food and is already the worst humanitarian disaster in the world today according to the UN. In short order, this move will likely drive millions already on the brink of starvation - after years of siege and bombardment by the Saudi coalition - into chronic famine. Pompeo has done this as a favour to the Saudis and UAE on his way out the door, despite they and he knowing exactly what it means for the civilian population. I expect this kind of psychopathy from the Gulf Monarchies, they are steeped in it, but for the US government to pull a stunt like this is beyond shameful. It's the kind of thing Stalin and Mao got up to when they fancied indulging their genocidal urges. Biden needs to reverse this on day one because even after the designation is lifted (assuming he does) it will take time to purchase and ship basic food-stuffs like wheat and rice, then for NGOs to distribute it. Having watched this place collapse from the inside since 2011 its unimaginable that this is being done to them now, by design. And just for giggles Pompeo's re-designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, too. ... and they've also had important US officials stating that China is not one. This is quite interesting as China is as close to a bi-partizan consensus as one gets in D.C. So probably, not quite boxing the Biden admin in as having the desirable but potentially costly done by the contemptible. Hence, a new card for the American hand. Value uncertain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 16 hours ago, Awol said: The new CIA Director in 8:30 minutes, for anyone who's interested: Neo-liberals on the march. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Brumerican said: Eastenders drums .... Sheldon Adelson has died. "American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who built lavish gambling palaces that made him one of the world’s richest men and became a potent supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is dead at the age of 87." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-adelson-obituary/sheldon-adelson-casino-mogul-who-made-big-bets-on-trump-and-netanyahu-dies-at-87-idUSKBN29H1SM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 12, 2021 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2021 Yay! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrusr Posted January 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2021 Fame > than doing a good job for your client 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrusr Posted January 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 12, 2021 15 minutes ago, sne said: I'm going to miss the interviews near helicopters... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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