The All things Political Topic - The Night never knew that its end was fleet.

[Maedhros]

Hey, at least the transparency is good!

https://truthout.org/articles/sinema-opposes-drug-bills-after-receiving-750k-in-donations-from-big-pharma/

Quote

Sinema is a longtime favorite of the pharmaceutical industry and now appears ready to undermine Biden’s entire agenda as Big Pharma wages a lobbying blitz in hopes of torpedoing the bill

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/30/joe-manchin-climate-coal-baron-stocks

Quote

Should any lawmaker with such a sizable financial conflict of interest wield decisive influence over what the US government does about a life-and-death issue like the climate emergency? Shouldn’t there be public discussion about whether that lawmaker should recuse himself from such deliberations?

[Raithe]

BBC - Universal Credit : Devolved leaders call for top up to remain

Universal credit, which is claimed by more than 5.5 million households in the UK, was introduced to replace six benefits and merge them into one benefit payment for working-age people.

The £20 top-up - which the chancellor said was only a temporary measure to help people through the pandemic - was extended by six months in March, but MPs across the political spectrum, along with charities and campaigners, have called for it to continue beyond the autumn.
They said there was "no rationale for cutting such crucial support at a point when people across the UK are facing an unprecedented squeeze on their household budgets".

"To support a meaningful recovery from this pandemic we must first ensure the needs of our most vulnerable are met," they wrote.

"This cut threatens to undermine the recovery by diminishing the capacity of six million people to make ends meet.

[Raithe]

And for that slice of international not quite politics...

https://thehackernews.com/2021/10/chinese-hackers-used-new-rootkit-to-spy.html

A formerly unknown Chinese-speaking threat actor has been linked to a long-standing evasive operation aimed at South East Asian targets as far back as July 2020 to deploy a kernel-mode rootkit on compromised Windows systems.

Attacks mounted by the hacking group, dubbed GhostEmperor by Kaspersky, are also said to have used a "sophisticated multi-stage malware framework" that allows for providing persistence and remote control over the targeted hosts.

The Russian cybersecurity firm called the rootkit Demodex, with infections reported across several high-profile entities in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, in addition to outliers located in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan.

*****

The disclosure comes as a China-linked threat actor codenamed TAG-28 has been discovered as being behind intrusions against Indian media and government agencies such as The Times Group, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), and the police department of the state of Madhya Pradesh.

[BruceVC]

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Edited October 3, 2021 by BruceVC

[Zoraptor]

"Pandora Papers" leaks show wealth of some prominent leaders.

Not exactly news in most cases though, anyone who didn't know Aliyev was looting Azerbaijan probably didn't because they didn't what Azerbaijan is or who its President is.

[pmp10]

9 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

"Pandora Papers" leaks show wealth of some prominent leaders.

Not exactly news in most cases though, anyone who didn't know Aliyev was looting Azerbaijan probably didn't because they didn't what Azerbaijan is or who its President is.

But they did caught Babis just days before election.
I wonder if the timing is a coincidence. 

 

[Gorth]

9 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

"Pandora Papers" leaks show wealth of some prominent leaders.

Not exactly news in most cases though, anyone who didn't know Aliyev was looting Azerbaijan probably didn't because they didn't what Azerbaijan is or who its President is.

Much of it isn’t necessary “illegal” (even if unethical), but it shows how big an industry money laundering is for the UK. People used to point at Swiss banks, but they seemed to get their act together. You want to hide or launder money today, the UK is the go to place. Gibraltar, Isle if Man, Cayman Islands etc. Oh yeah, “City of London” too, although they used to be a bit more picky when the EU Commission was looking over their shoulders every now and then. Not any more though.

[BruceVC]

52 minutes ago, Gorth said:

Much of it isn’t necessary “illegal” (even if unethical), but it shows how big an industry money laundering is for the UK. People used to point at Swiss banks, but they seemed to get their act together. You want to hide or launder money today, the UK is the go to place. Gibraltar, Isle if Man, Cayman Islands etc. Oh yeah, “City of London” too, although they used to be a bit more picky when the EU Commission was looking over their shoulders every now and then. Not any more though.

Gorthfuscious I just had an interesting chat and I thought of you. I am not sure if you remember I mentioned I have cousins who  immigrated to Oz in 1998 and we love each other but we dont have much contact , in fact  I only chatted to Paul for the first time in 2020. But they are the kids of my moms sister who passed away in SA so my mom  has real connection to them and also when I was grade 6&7 I often went to their house  and my aunt was very welcoming so we had contact in SA

Paul lives in Brisbane and he wants to come  Cpt for NY and we will spending time together which is going to be our first contact in 22 years but speaking to him its very easy and its interesting how quickly we can reconnect ....he also sent me some photos of the beach where he lives, dont you  live in Brisbane ?

[Gorth]

1 hour ago, BruceVC said:

Paul lives in Brisbane and he wants to come  Cpt for NY and we will spending time together which is going to be our first contact in 22 years but speaking to him its very easy and its interesting how quickly we can reconnect ....he also sent me some photos of the beach where he lives, dont you  live in Brisbane ?

I do indeed. Around 10km south of the city centre. Close to the "Chinese" neighbourhood no less. Lots of decent Asian foods, both takeaway, small restaurants and grocery stores, to be had (I really need to try out the crocodile meat some day)

 

Edit: Close, as in about an hour on foot away...

https://www.mustdobrisbane.com/features/sunnybank-brisbanes-little-asia

 

[BruceVC]

1 hour ago, Gorth said:

I do indeed. Around 10km south of the city centre. Close to the "Chinese" neighbourhood no less. Lots of decent Asian foods, both takeaway, small restaurants and grocery stores, to be had (I really need to try out the crocodile meat some day)

 

Edit: Close, as in about an hour on foot away...

https://www.mustdobrisbane.com/features/sunnybank-brisbanes-little-asia

 

That looks great, some great restaurants and I like that flea-market

And some news that has just occurred and this could change but it should happen. I have never been to Oz and my cousin said I must come stay with him, I also have an ex-best friend who lives in the Gold Coast so next year, more or this time, I will go to Oz for 2-3 weeks and stay with Paul. And if you keen we can meetup maybe at one of those restaurants ....no pressure but it will nice 

Now this may seem rushed but why not accept his offer and that will  save me money...but obviously I will keep you updated but I do like the idea and my mom will like this because this is her way of us reconnecting and she sees Paul as her sister child and she always wanted  us to spend time together because she considers us close family ....even though we didnt speak for 22 years  But to he honest it feels very normal and I will know after NY how we get  on 

I had to post this, my types of restaurants

https://www.mustdobrisbane.com/features/best-smokehouses-around-brisbane

Edited October 4, 2021 by BruceVC

[Guard Dog]

15 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

"Pandora Papers" leaks show wealth of some prominent leaders.

Not exactly news in most cases though, anyone who didn't know Aliyev was looting Azerbaijan probably didn't because they didn't what Azerbaijan is or who its President is.

This would be a segue into one of my rants about the inherent evil of "government" but meh.... you've all heard it before so... government bad yadda yadda

[Gorth]

2 hours ago, BruceVC said:

 And if you keen we can meetup maybe at one of those restaurants ....no pressure but it will nice 

Mate, happy to meet most forum members in real life with a few notable exceptions (which doesn't include you)

I'm an omnivore and feel no religious obligations to avoid alcohol. By all means, lets meet somewhere for some nice food, have some drinks and some long chats if you make the way over to the far east (relatively)

[BruceVC]

2 minutes ago, Gorth said:

Mate, happy to meet most forum members in real life with a few notable exceptions (which doesn't include you)

I'm an omnivore and feel no religious obligations to avoid alcohol. By all means, lets meet somewhere for some nice food, have some drinks and some long chats if you make the way over to the far east (relatively)

I know your food and alcohol habits, its not critical but its nice to enjoy a few drinks over a delicious steak or rib lunch 

My cousin stays in an area called Hawthorne , he has just moved their and doesnt know your region

[Gfted1]

On 10/2/2021 at 5:01 PM, Hurlsnot said:

You are probably being facetious, but it does remind me that when my wife taught in an inner city high school for years, before winter and summer breaks a number of the kids would act out. Their thinking was that if they get sent to juvenile hall for a couple weeks, they will get to eat during the breaks. 

The pandemic has intensified food insecurity across the US as well.

Like Ive been typing myself blue in the fingers, the essential basics of life should be provided at no cost to every single citizen and any immigrant, legal or otherwise. GET IN MY POCKET!

[Pidesco]

17 minutes ago, Gfted1 said:

Like Ive been typing myself blue in the fingers, the essential basics of life should be provided at no cost to every single citizen and any immigrant, legal or otherwise. GET IN MY POCKET!

Your posts read as sarcastic more than half the time.

[Gorth]

1 hour ago, BruceVC said:

I know your food and alcohol habits, its not critical but its nice to enjoy a few drinks over a delicious steak or rib lunch 

My cousin stays in an area called Hawthorne , he has just moved their and doesnt know your region

Nice. Living just on the south bank of the river (same side of the river as me). Fortitude Valley is a nice place to spend an evening. It has all the bars, theaters, night clubs etc. Located on the other side of the river from his place.

[Gfted1]

11 minutes ago, Pidesco said:

Your posts read as sarcastic more than half the time.

Then dont add your personal bias' to them.  

[Guard Dog]

40 minutes ago, Pidesco said:

Your posts read as sarcastic more than half the time.

LOL! Can’t sneak anything past you!

[Pidesco]

34 minutes ago, Gfted1 said:

Then dont add your personal bias' to them.  

I'm not unaware that your whole deal with UBI and the like is written maybe-really-actually-obviously-sarcasm, and plausible deniability in order to avoid actual discussion and defuse debates.

5 minutes ago, Guard Dog said:

LOL! Can’t sneak anything past you!

I'm a regular genius sleuth. I am so good I even infer things

[Gfted1]

No, I really really really want UBI, UHC and UFH. True story. Scouts honor. Also, water is wet.

[BruceVC]

17 minutes ago, Pidesco said:

I'm not unaware that your whole deal with UBI and the like is written maybe-really-actually-obviously-sarcasm, and plausible deniability in order to avoid actual discussion and defuse debates.

 

Pidesco please dont start acting like a socialist, Gfted1 is not being sarcastic. You know I never lie to you, all he is saying is we cant all become like Sweden because most countries dont have your government funding success and citizen buy in to support the system 

People in most countries cant just expect handouts with no productivity ....these things need to balanced

 

 

[Malcador]

2 hours ago, Gorth said:

Mate, happy to meet most forum members in real life with a few notable exceptions

Make sure you wear body armour. 

[Gfted1]

For those of you in the cheap seats.

[Amentep]

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