Hunter Biden Laptop Reparman Loses to Twitter in Federal Court, Badly

Paul Collier September 2, 2021

It appears that the computer repairman that turned over the Hunter Biden laptop will be paying Twitter’s legal fees after losing in Federal court badly. John Paul Mac Isaac claimed Twitter’s throttling of information alleged to have come from that laptop pretty much made him appear to be a hacker, which would do serious damage to his business.

The Court disagreed. It dismissed the case with prejudice and ordered the repairman to pay Twitter’s legal fees. Not being a lawyer myself, it is diffiuclt to determine the soundnes of this ruling, but, on the surface, it seemed a bit of a reach to attempt to sue Twitter for this, not that I’m losing sleep about Twitter facing lawsuits.

Still, it is a big win for Twitter, for better or for ill, and a bad loss for our computer repairman, for better or worse.

Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Twitter Over Ban on Hunter Biden Laptop Story

From lawandcrime.com
2021-09-01 16:56:00

Excerpt:

A federal court in Florida has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against Twitter by the Delaware computer repairman who briefly captured national attention during the Hunter Biden laptop story. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be filed again, and the plaintiff was ordered to pay Twitter’s attorneys’ fees.

John Paul Mac Isaac sued the technology giant (and a wholly-owned subsidiary) in February. He argued that Twitter’s decision to lock The New York Post‘s account while Post staffers “attempted to post and disseminate its exposé [about the lurid contents of the laptop] on the social media platform” was akin to calling him a hacker because Twitter cited its rationale for the time-limited ban as a violation of Twitter’s rules against “distribution of hacked material.”

“Further actions taken by Defendant Twitter in response to the NY Posts’s story included limiting the distribution of the story by others on its social media platform pursuant to the same policy thereby spreading the belief among its users, including Florida resident users, that the Plaintiffs is a hacker,” the lawsuit, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleged.

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95 Percent oof Ocean Surface to Change by 2100 on Current Carbon Path

Parker Davis September 2, 2021

A secret group of researchers called US-based researchers have produced a theory that, based on current carbon emission projections, by 2100, 95 percent of the oeath’s ocean surface will change, which, they say, will lead to this terrifying conclusion, “Without (emissions) mitigation, novel and disappearing climates in the sea surface will be widespread around the globe by 2100,” said Lotterhos. (from article linked below).

Nowhere in this article does this suggest the death of life in the oceans, rather, it suggests changing of life in the oceans. Perhaps scientsts have a hard time arguing that the biological life patterning throughout our known existence as a planet is capable of adapting and producing new patterns where new circumstances arise.

Carbon emissions will change ocean surface climate by 2100 by 95 percent: Study- Technology News, Firstpost

From www.firstpost.com
2021-08-30 12:22:56
Agence France-Presse
Excerpt:

Up to 95 percent of Earth’s ocean surface will have changed by , tthe end of the century unless humanity reins in its carbon emissions, according to research published Thursday.

Ocean surface climates, defined by surface water temperature, acidity and the concentration of the mineral aragonite — which many marine animals use to form bones and shell — support the vast majority of sea life.

The world’s seas have absorbed around a third of all carbon pollution produced since the Industrial Revolution.

But with atmospheric CO2 levels increasing at a rate unprecedented in at least three million years, there are fears that ocean surface climates may become less hospitable to the species it hosts.

US-based researchers wanted to see what effect carbon pollution has already had on ocean surface since the mid-18th century. They also projected the impact of emissions through to 2100.

To do so, they modelled global ocean climates across three time periods: the early 19th century (1795-1834); the late 20th century (1965-2004); and the late 21st century (2065-2014).

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Myanmar Junta Economic Plan Putting Country at Critical Risk

Mark Clouse September 1, 2021

Myanmar Junta Chief’s Wild Economic Plans at Odds With Reality

From www.irrawaddy.com
2021-09-01 11:01:02

Excerpt:

Recently, the senior general said that the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar’s military is known, had been growing tissue-culture bananas. Bananas are nutrient-dense and good for health, he explained, as he offered to provide banana saplings at reasonable prices to departments at the regional, state, district and township levels that wished to grow the crop. The move reminded Myanmar people of Min Aung Hlaing’s predecessor as dictator, Senior General Than Shwe, and his fruitless state project of growing castor oil trees across the country—including at schools—to produce biofuel for energy security. The ambitious scheme never came close to producing biofuel, and succeeded only in wasting time and money.

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After Corroption Exposed in Civil Asset Forfeiture Programs, Massachusetts Wants Answers

Freedomist Editor September 1, 2021

Lawmakers Call For Reforms To Civil Forfeiture After WBUR And ProPublica Investigation

From www.wbur.org
2021-08-30 10:00:45

Excerpt:

WBUR’s investigations team is uncovering stories of abuse, fraud and wrongdoing across Boston, Massachusetts and New England……

Lawmakers and criminal justice advocates in Massachusetts are calling for changes to the laws that govern how law enforcement seizes, and keeps, cash and property confiscated in suspected drug crimes. The push follows a WBUR and ProPublica investigation that found a top prosecutor stockpiling people’s money for years, even when they weren’t charged with a drug offense or their cases were dismissed.

The system, known as civil asset forfeiture, was designed to disrupt criminal drug operations, but in Massachusetts, it’s easier for prosecutors to hold onto cash indefinitely once it’s seized. That’s because, under state laws, district attorneys need only meet the lowest legal burden of proof, probable cause, to support suspicions that the money was involved in a drug crime; DAs also face no deadline to notify a person that they intend to keep the cash.

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India Working to Become World Model for Regulating “Fake News” Online

Freedomist Curator September 1, 2021

New IT Rules prevent fake news, misuse of freedom of press: Centre tells HC

From www.outlookindia.com
2021-08-31 16:14:30

Excerpt:

The Centre has defended the legality of the new Information Technology (IT) Rules before the Delhi High Court, saying that the rules seek to “prevent the misuse of the freedom of press” and protect the citizens from fake news in digital media space which used to be largely unregulated.The Centre, in its counter affidavit filed on a challenge to the constitutional validity of the new IT Rules, has submitted that although the right to freedom of speech and expression, including the freedom of press, is critical for a vibrant democracy like India, citizens “cannot be treated as passive consumers.”

While submitting that there have been “past incidents of disinformation on digital media leading to disturbance of public order”, the Centre has asserted that digital media “allows sensational content being re-circulated in a different context leading to misinterpretation by the audience”, making it susceptible to being used as fake news.

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Now China and Russia Own What the Taliban Does as Supporters for Years

Freedomist Editor September 1, 2021

After Withdrawal: How China, Turkey, and Russia Will Respond to the Taliban

From warontherocks.com
2021-08-31 07:55:29
Michael Kofman
Excerpt:

Having cultivated a good relationship with the Taliban for the past decade, and with a recent high-profile official visit by a Taliban delegation led by the group’s number two leader Abdul Ghani Baradar on July 28, Beijing sees itself as having finally bet on the right horse in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban’s takeover of the country, China has demonstrated an unprecedented level of positive reception, political endorsement, and diplomatic support of the Taliban. However, there are ferocious debates ongoing in China as to what the best strategy is moving forward vis-à-vis its poor, unstable, and destabilizing neighbor.

Having proclaimed the Afghan Taliban a “critical military and political force in Afghanistan,” China’s abandonment of the former Ghani government, and of its balancing diplomacy, was swift despite high-level engagement with both parties as recently as July. Beijing has not moved to recognize the Taliban, or the Taliban-led regime, yet. However, such recognition is implied in the many messages Beijing has sent. On Aug. 18, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson subtly commented that recognition of a…

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DNC Tries Last Push to Legalize Mass Mailer Elections

Parker Davis September 1, 2021

‘Democracy will be in shambles’: Democrats in last-ditch effort to protect voting rights | US voting rights

From www.theguardian.com
2021-08-31 12:40:00

Excerpt:

Democrats are pushing what may be their last chance to hold off voter suppression efforts by Republicans, and say that their control of both the House and Senate is at risk if they do not pass their new legislation to protect elections.

Their bill, which cleared the US House on a party-line vote last week, has now been taken up by a bitterly divided Senate. It would ensure that states with a recent history of voter suppression must obtain federal approval before making any changes to their election systems, while also undoing a recent supreme court decision that makes it harder to challenge laws under the Voting Rights Act.

But Democrats appear unlikely to get more than a handful of GOP votes in the Senate on the bill. They need the support of 10 Republicans to overcome the filibuster, the procedural rule requiring 60 votes to advance legislation. Just one Senate Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, has said she supports reauthorizing the provision, an early signal of how difficult it will be to get Republicans to sign on at a time when state party members are pushing more voting restrictions.

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West Virginia Woman Takes Plea Deal to Capitol Riot Related Charges

Freedomist Editor September 1, 2021

College Senior Who Bragged About Capitol Riot ‘Infamy’ Takes Plea Deal

From www.huffpost.com
2021-08-30 18:04:34

Excerpt:

A college student who bragged about her participation in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol on social media and swiped a “Members Only” sign as she walked through the building pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor as part of a plea deal on Monday.

Gracyn Courtright, a woman from West Virginia who was a senior at the University of Kentucky in January, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count: unlawfully and knowingly entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. As part of the plea agreement, the prosecution and defense agreed that Courtright’s sentencing guidelines would be between zero and six months in prison. As part of the deal, the government will request that the four other counts Courtright faced will be dropped after her sentencing.

Courtright, who pleaded guilty in a court hearing conducted via videoconference, sounded emotional as she spoke to the judge on Monday morning and told the judge she was “shaking.”

Courtright was arrested on Jan. 19, the…

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If the Taliban Wants US Aid, “It’s Going to Be Up to Them” Says Biden WH

Ivo Fysic September 1, 2021

WH’s Sullivan Won’t Rule Out Giving Aid to Taliban — ‘It’s Going to Be Up to Them’

From feedproxy.google.com
2021-08-31 15:33:50
Trent Baker
Excerpt:

Tuesday, Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan did not rule out providing aid to the Taliban following the United States’ withdrawal out of Afghanistan.

Sullivan told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” that giving aid to the Taliban “will be about whether the terrorist organization follows through on its commitments,” including safe passage for Americans and Afghan allies.

“[F]irst of all, we do believe that there is an important dimension of humanitarian assistance that should go directly to the people of Afghanistan,” Sullivan outlined. “They need help with respect to health and food aid and other forms of subsistence, and we do intend to continue that. Secondly, when it comes to our economic and development assistance relationship with the Taliban, that will be about the Taliban’s actions. It will be about whether they follow through on their commitments, their commitments to safe passage for Americans and Afghan allies, their commitment to not…

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News Creators Have Yet Another Reason to Abandon Facebook

Parker Davis September 1, 2021

At some point, we in the news world became largely dependent on traffic from social media sites rather than placement in google search results, especially those of us in the bottom tier of scale as far as newsing is concerned.

Twitter was once a relaible source for traffic to news websites, but, in time, it became more and more difficult for smaller scale operations to get any results worth any time that might be spent to get those results. Facebook, however, continued to be a great driver of news traffic to news websites, such as ours. And even as I write this, Facebook continues to be a major driver of traffic to this site as well, though not nearly as signficantly as it once was.

We at The Freedomist have been working on other methods of traffic generation with an awareness that Facebook should not be looked upon as a secure space to set up shop for any significant period of time. We have in our network multiple Facebook pages, some of which have well over 100k likes, but we view these almost as ghosts still able to produce a few worthwhile results for a little while longer.

WIth the news that facebook will be throttling political content, which is most news these days, since everything is political now, we can expect to have even less traffic from Facebook than we already have, and many other operations such as ours will as well, which might cause some short-term for some (some more than others), but will produce longterm gains in terms of leading more and more people to build social media sharing platforms that are more stable and more free speech rooted in their method of governance, and more fundamentally aligned with the spirit of the Bill of rights and not the CCP or DNC or even GOP for that matter.

Facebook’s continued zeal to be the moral gatekeeper of socety is leading it to conclude its poor uneducated roobs that utlize its platform are hardly smart enough to discern for themselves what they find offensive, what they find misleading, what they find good, what they find bad. For this reason, Facebook will try to hide all those flame-shooting links that might upset the poor delicates who can hardly dress themselves each morning let alone think for themselves.

This means the political links gots ta goes, and Facebook gives the primary drivers of traffic to their platform, news creators, more incentive to develop better non-Facevook ways to get traffic to their websites.

Facebook to downrank political content, hurting news publishers

From www.washingtonexaminer.com
2021-08-31 16:08:42
Nihal Krishan
Excerpt:

Facebook will reduce the amount of political content on its news feed due to negative user feedback, a move that could hurt news publishers and those that post about politics, according to reports Tuesday.

The social media giant will reduce political content by not relying so heavily on its content engagement algorithm, which focuses on the likelihood that a user will share or comment on a post based on past behavior, Axios reported .

It will also start to experiment with limits on how much political content people outside of the United States will see on their news feeds, including countries such as Costa Rica, Sweden, Spain, and Ireland.

Facebook announced in February that it would look into ways to reduce political content on the platform to better meet the needs of users, it said. According to the company, an average of 6% of a user’s feed represents political content.

“There has been this trend, I think, across society…

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