Reading

Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 09:30
I wonder why? This is distressing. It appears that No Labels is going ahead with its plans to sabotage the election in favor of Donald Trump. And they’re taking money from Trump donors to help make it happen: A major Republican donor and one-time financial backer of former President Donald Trump is now a leader in the Florida chapter of No Labels’ third-party presidential bid. Allan Keen, a Florida-based real estate developer and investor who gave more than $137,000 to Trump-related election entities last cycle, has joined the centrist political group in a leadership role with its Florida chapter. “I help when I can help. I believe in the cause,” Keen told POLITICO. After Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, he said he surrendered his Republican voter registration card for one that says, “No Labels Party of Florida.” Keen’s involvement with No Labels is an extension of the work he has done with the group since 2016, including donating to its Problem Solvers PAC. But it is likely to heighten Democratic criticism that the third-party presidential bid will only hurt President Joe Biden’s reelection prospects.
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 07:00
Thank you Brian Kemp is a right wing Republican whose political views are abhorrent to me. But at least he isn’t a coward. He continues to stand up to the MAGA cult, as do some others in the Georgia GOP: Gov. Brian Kemp is telling several far-right Georgia lawmakers to lay off the calls to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Georgia Sen. Colton Moore has led a charge via a letter to Kemp requesting a special legislative session to impeach Willis after a grand jury handed up an indictment against former President Trump and 18 of his allies in the state and beyond alleging a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election here in Georgia. During a news conference Thursday, Kemp said, despite his personal feelings about the investigation, he does not have the authority to call a special session. “We have a law in the state of Georgia that clearly outlines the legal steps that can be taken if constituents believe their local prosecutors are violating their oath by engaging in unethical or illegal behavior,” Kemp said.
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 06:02

Who are you? (biography/background)

My name is Vladimir Roudakov. I have called land Down Under (Brisbane, Australia) home for more than 2 decades. I'm an open source contributor, IT college teacher and organiser of various events (local meetups, conferences, training sessions and code sprints). I’m an active member of other open source communities such as Gitlab and WordPress. My Drupal username is VladimirAus. See the list of my contributions on my profile: https://www.drupal.org/u/vladimiraus

Why are you running for a board seat at the Drupal Association? (mission/motivation)

I’m passionate about the following initiatives:

Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 05:53

L3Harris hired a former senior Pentagon official who managed defense contracts after antitrust crusader Lina Khan was confirmed as Federal Trade Commission chair.

The post After Blocking Lockheed Martin Acquisition, FTC Allows Another Defense Firm to Close the Deal appeared first on The Intercept.

Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 05:33

Before a military coup removed Gabon’s hopelessly corrupt President, Ali Bongo, from office, he was courted by Obama and feted from Washington to Davos. The US war on Libya which destabilized the region may not have succeeded without him. When a military junta arrested President Ali Bongo Ondimba on August 30, Gabon became the ninth African nation to depose its government through a military coup. As citizens of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali did before them, crowds of Gabonese poured […]

The post ‘Obama’s man in Africa’ under house arrest as popular coup rocks Gabon first appeared on The Grayzone.

The post ‘Obama’s man in Africa’ under house arrest as popular coup rocks Gabon appeared first on The Grayzone.

Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 05:30
Oh Tucker, you really are a jackass: Donald Trump can boast all he wants about his interview with Tucker Carlson being “the Biggest Video on Social Media, EVER” (it’s not), but it sure seems like Carlson is missing Fox News. He’s, uh, not doing great based on a recent chat with Adam Carolla on The Adam Carolla Show podcast. When asked by the former The Man Show host if “they” are going to let Trump be president (“they” is probably everyone who doesn’t roast their nuts in the sun), Carlson answered, “No, of course. I mean, look, if, you know, they protested him, they called him names. He won anyway. They impeached him twice on ridiculous pretenses. They fabricated a lot about what happened on January 6 in order to impeach him again,” etc. You get the idea. But then Carlson predicted Trump will get assassinated if he becomes president. Carlson wasn’t done.
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:59
Sam Roggeveen’s Echidna Strategy rightly challenges Australia to act as a diplomatic powerhouse, not a military one. Sam Roggeveen’s basic storyline in The Echidna Strategy – that the China threat is grossly exaggerated, and that Australia should not, and need not, rely on America for our security protection – is causing predictable conniptions in our Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:58
Like Paul Keating, Australians should be angry. Australia’s security is at risk. No other nation is so foolish, so self- delusional, so divorced from the basics of statecraft, nor so feckless with its citizens’ security in pursuit of America’s objectives. Shouldn’t we be white hot with rage at this government’s abdication of sovereignty? Australia’s security Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:57
When corruption really gets into the bones of a society the damage it does to institutions can take generations to heal. Speech at the National Integrity Summit, Transparency International Australia, Melbourne, Wednesday, 30 August 2023. I acknowledge the people of the Kulin Nations, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather today. I Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:56
“Humanity created its current dire trajectory. It is now time to change course with a binding global treaty designed to empower individuals, institutions, and policymakers, and through this shared effort, reduce the existential threats to civilisation. The Earth Systems Treaty is potentially a major step forward, a step towards a healthy future for all.”–Paul R. Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:55
You have only to walk into Canberra’s fixed-site pill testing site to have one of the chief criticisms of such schemes palpably refuted. The criticism is that permitting drug testing sends a message that illicit drug use is not only OK, but safe as well. The messages at the city-centre site – in text on Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:54
Pearls and Irritations has been a source of enlightenment since its foundation in 2013. It has progressively increased in importance. What began as an interesting addition to the Australian media landscape has become an irreplaceable source of ideas and distinctive interpretations provided by a large collection of authoritative experts few of whom have access to Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:53
Do you have information about revolving door appointments involving Australia’s weapons industry? It’s time to speak up and contribute to a new database set to expose corruption. The long-term goal of creating a database that reveals the extent of the revolving door in Australia between the weapons industry and the government/military/public service is set to Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:52
Julian Assange could hardly be blamed for considering a possible plea deal that would alleviate the immense suffering he has endured since becoming the object of state persecution. Terms less brutal than those he potentially faces – anywhere up to a 175-year prison sentence in the cell of a US supermax – can only be Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 01/09/2023 - 04:50
Two years after the heart-breaking Kabul Moment that saw the withdrawal of US-led Western troops from their illegal invasion and occupation, the United States has been urged to assume liability for humanitarian sufferings of Afghanistan people. Amid chaos that caused civilian casualties directly from leaving US military planes, the United States pulled out its final forces from Continue reading »