steve2470
steve2470's Journal"The President threw us under the bus...." says Ezra Cohen confidant to ex-acting SecDef Miller
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/01/embedding-with-pentagon-leadership-in-trumps-chaotic-last-weekgreat article..let me pick something to quote....
snip
What did Miller think of the criticism that the Pentagon had dragged its feet in sending in the cavalry? He bristled. Oh, that is complete horseshit. I gotta tell you, I cannot wait to go to the Hill and have those conversations with senators and representatives. While Miller confessed that he hadnt yet emotionally processed the days events, he said, I know when something doesnt smell right, and I know when were covering our asses. Been there. I know for an absolute fact that historians are going to look at the actions that we did on that day and go, Those people had their game together.
Miller and Patel both insisted, in separate conversations, that they neither tried nor needed to contact the president on January 6; they had already gotten approval to deploy forces. However, another senior defense official remembered things quite differently, They couldnt get through. They tried to call himmeaning the president.The implication: Either Trump was shell-shocked, effectively abdicating his role as commander in chief, or he was deliberately stiff-arming some of his top officials because he was, in effect, siding with the insurrectionists and their cause of denying Bidens victory.
As for Mike Pence, Miller disputed reports that the vice president was calling the shots or was the one who sent in the Guard. The SECDEF stated that he did speak with Pencethen in a secure location on the Hilland provided a situation report. Referring to the Electoral College certification that had been paused when the mob stormed the building, Miller recalled Pence telling him, We got to get this thing going again, to which the defense secretary replied, Roger. Were moving. Patel, for his part, said that those assembled in Millers office also spoke with congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Mitch McConnell. We were called upon to do our job, and we executed because we had the reps and sets built into our process to get the troops where they were requested, to put up a fence, to secure a perimeter, and to help clear the Capitol compound. I mean, thats just what we do. Others, of course, believe reinforcements came far too late that day, possibly serving to embolden extremists for years to come.
Ezra Cohen, another of Millers top confidants, believes that his colleagues words and deeds may be well and good, but are beside the point: The president threw us under the bus. And when I say us, I dont mean only us political appointees or only us Republicans. He threw America under the bus. He caused a lot of damage to the fabric of this country. Did he go and storm the Capitol himself? No. But he, I believe, had an opportunity to tamp things down and he chose not to. And thats really the fatal flaw. I mean, hes in charge. And when youre in charge, youre responsible for what goes wrong.
snip
Help me understand: Why would a R congresscritter WANT to carry a gun onto the floor ?
A gun in your car ? I can understand that.
A gun in your house ? I can understand that.
A gun in your private business to protect it ? I can understand that.
Concealed carry if you're doing it legally and have some rational reason to do so ? Ok.
But carrying a gun onto the House or Senate floor ? I do not get that, at all. The House and Senate floors are about as safe as any place in the entire country. Yes, there was that incident in 1954. There was the violent insurrection recently. There have been occasional fistfights and the infamous caning in the 1850's. Perspective though... this is over a 232 year history.
To be very clear, I do NOT carry at all or even have a gun. I know many DU'ers do.
Help me understand why a Republican/Fascist Party congresscritter would carry on the House or Senate floor.
Thanks.
Steve
Google threatens to close its search engine in Australia....
https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/22/google-threatens-to-close-its-search-engine-in-australia-as-it-lobbies-against-digital-news-code/Facebook would also be subject to the law. And Facebook has previously said it would ban news from being shared on its products owing if the law was brought in, as well as claiming its reduced its investment in the country as a result of the legislative threat.
The principle of unrestricted linking between websites is fundamental to Search. Coupled with the unmanageable financial and operational risk if this version of the Code were to become law it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google Search available in Australia, Google warned today.
Last August the tech giant took another pot-shot at the proposal, warning that the quality of its products in the country could suffer and might stop being free if the government proceeded with a push to make the tech giants share ad revenue with media businesses.
Germany Expected To Put Right-Wing AfD Under Surveillance For Violating Constitution
https://www.npr.org/2021/01/22/959264440/germany-expected-to-put-right-wing-afd-under-surveillance-for-violating-constitu"This agency has the power and not only to do surveillance on fringe groups, domestic terrorist threats, but also to keep an eye on any political institution, like a political party," explains Melanie Amann of the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the author of a book about the AfD. "Like if their program becomes more radical or if they notice that a political party, maybe that's even sitting in the parliament, goes into a direction that might be harmful to our political system."
The agency has wrapped up a two-year investigation into Germany's largest right-wing opposition party, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, and is expected to announce soon that it will place the entire party under surveillance for posing a threat to Germany's political system and violating the constitution. The unprecedented move would mean that all AfD lawmakers, including several dozen in Germany's parliament, would be put under state surveillance.
The driving force behind the creation of the Verfassungsschutz agency and its surveillance powers was the American-led Allied forces, who, after World War II, helped write a new German constitution with an eye toward preventing the return of Nazi ideology. That's why the very first article of the constitution guarantees the right to human dignity an article that the agency determined a far-right branch of the AfD violated. It placed that group, known as der Flügel ("The Wing" , under surveillance nearly a year ago.
Because of Germany's horrendous history, I think this is a GOOD thing. If we had a Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, I have no doubt that the fascist Republicans would be under surveillance. Of course, we will never have such an agency.
A new "shiny toy" to play with: Windows 10X Preview
https://www.windowschimp.com/install-windows-10x/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-10x-a-closer-look-at-microsofts-new-operating-system/
You can download and install it at the windowschimp link above.
Actually this link is the download link at Mega, and it's always been safe for me. Of course, you can scan the multi-gigabyte download (which is in zip format) once it is downloaded.
The directions at the windowschimp link are very easy to follow, but I would highly recommend having a bit of experience with Hyper-V Manager. When I first cranked up the virtual Windows 10X Preview, it took a few minutes and I had to endure a black screen. I looked around a little. Navigation is definitely different from Windows 10 desktop version.
Windows 10x is supposed to be the direct competitor to Chrome OS and Ipad.
Enjoy!
Lest we forget: The Dictator-wannabe FAILED to purchase more vaccine from Pfizer
Trump administration officials passed when Pfizer offered months ago to sell the U.S. more vaccine doses.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/us/trump-covid-vaccine-pfizer.html
By Sharon LaFraniere, Katie Thomas and Noah Weiland
Published Dec. 7, 2020
Updated Dec. 14, 2020
But the administration, according to people familiar with the talks, never made the deal, a choice that now raises questions about whether the United States allowed other countries to take its place in line.
As the administration scrambles to try to purchase more doses of the vaccine, President Trump plans on Tuesday to issue an executive order that proclaims that other nations will not get the U.S. supplies of its vaccine until Americans have been inoculated.
But the order appears to have no real teeth and does not expand the U.S. supply of doses, according to a description of the order on Monday by senior administration officials.
eta: confirmed by AP HERE: https://apnews.com/article/feds-pfizer-vaccine-doses-covid-19-88fd7c59fd0af8669ed3cdafdf08881e
THIS ....is one of the MANY reasons President Biden will have to work so hard to get us vaccinated.
Time's latest cover shows Biden in an Oval Office trashed by his predecessor
https://adage.com/article/campaign-trail/times-latest-cover-shows-biden-oval-office-trashed-his-predecessor/2307551The Biden administration has asked for a full intelligence assessment on the Russian bounties on US
The Biden administration has asked for a full intelligence assessment on the Russian bounties on US servicemen in Afghanistan.
https://twitter.com/MollyMcKew/status/1352370916622282752
https://twitter.com/joshscampbell/status/1352369766707695623
British Larry the Cat wants to join the Biden White House :)
https://twitter.com/Number10cat/status/1352231045245132800https://twitter.com/Number10cat
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/13/485834353/larry-the-cat-stays-put-amid-upheaval-of-british-politics
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/592523/larry-the-cat-uk-chief-mouser-facts
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Gender: Do not displayMember since: Sat Oct 16, 2004, 01:04 PM
Number of posts: 37,457