#Fiscal Issues

[everlastingday]

*

[huckleberr1es]

no because what i dont understand is why people on ao3 intentionally seek out triggers/dark fics/dead dove, knowing full well that they dont like that type of content, just to leave mean comments? like its literally free to mind your business

and ao3 LITERALLY has a system for filtering tags/fics you dont want to see???? why not... utilize it? curate ur experience? i love me a good dark fic/dead dove but i also have my Squicks and u know what i do... i exclude tags in my search

idk i just think some people are addicted to drama and literally just need to mind their business 😭 "oh no this triggered me!!!" filter the fucking tags then and stop engaging in this weirdo form of self harm just to start shit??? and if someone didnt tag their fic properly tell them????? and if they dont listen??? BLOCK/MUTE THEM????? HELLO?

[korben600]

Too expensive*

* FOR REPUBLICANS

Reminder that the other side actually is willing to commit money to the places that need it, and they HAVE. (Against truly insane amounts of opposition)

The problem is, you don’t hear about it, and Democrats don’t get credit for doing it, because the right-wing has a stranglehold on our entire media landscape.

Joe Biden ENDED CHILDHOOD POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES.

And instead of thanking him, the media ignored it entirely, the Republicans killed the legislation that did it, and the U.S. people elected an asshole who is actively campaigning to make it worse.

[aria-i-adagio]

Right... Not collecting payroll taxes on tips, which will further starve Social Security and Medicare in the present, and later down the line reduce the amount tipped workers will qualify for in retirement will definitely benefit the working class.

After all, we can't do anything radical like force the hospitality, restaurant, service sector to pay a living wage which actually compensates employees for their labor, or meaningfully tax the wealthiest to fund UBI, child taxes credits and childcare, public infrastructure to get people to jobs/education/etc efficiently and inexpensively. That would be crazy talk.

Yes, lots of sarcasm in the above.

They're a whole ass party of blatantly asinine grifters, bowing down to their golden cow.

[mariacallous]

 Our Nation has made tremendous progress in advancing the cause of equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, including in the military.  Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Many of these patriotic Americans were subject to a court-martial.  While my Administration has taken meaningful action to remedy these problems, the impact of that historical injustice remains.  As Commander in Chief, I am committed to maintaining the finest fighting force in the world.  That means making sure that every member of our military feels safe and respected.

     Accordingly, acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to persons convicted of unaggravated offenses based on consensual, private conduct with persons age 18 and older under former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as previously codified at 10 U.S.C. 925, as well as attempts, conspiracies, and solicitations to commit such acts under Articles 80, 81, and 82, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. 880, 881, 882.  This proclamation applies to convictions during the period from Article 125’s effective date of May 31, 1951, through the December 26, 2013, enactment of section 1707 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66).

     The purpose of this proclamation is to pardon only offenses based on consensual, private conduct between individuals 18 and older that do not involve any aggravating factor, including:  

     (1)  conduct that would violate 10 U.S.C. 893a, prohibiting activities with military recruits or trainees by a person in a position of special trust;      (2)  conduct that was committed with an individual who was coerced or, because of status, might not have felt able to refuse consent;      (3)  conduct on the part of the applicant constituting fraternization under Article 134 of the UCMJ;      (4)  conduct committed with the spouse of another military member; or      (5)  any factors other than those listed above that were identified by the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in United States v. Marcum as being outside the scope of Lawrence v. Texas as applied in the military context, 60 M.J. 198, 207–08 (2004).

     The Military Departments (Army, Navy, or Air Force), or in the case of the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall provide information about and publicize application procedures for certificates of pardon.  An applicant for a certificate of pardon under this proclamation is to submit an application to the Military Department (Army, Navy, or Air Force) that conducted the court-martial or, in the case of a Coast Guard court-martial, to the Department of Homeland Security.  If the relevant Department determines that the applicant satisfies the criteria under this proclamation, following a review of relevant military justice records, the Department shall submit that determination to the Attorney General, acting through the Pardon Attorney, who shall then issue a certificate of pardon along with information on the process to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  My Administration strongly encourages veterans who receive a certificate of pardon to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  

     Although the pardon under this proclamation applies only to the convictions described above, there are other LGBTQI+ individuals who served our Nation and were convicted of other crimes because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  It is the policy of my Administration to expeditiously consider and to make final pardon determinations with respect to such individuals.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

[technofeudalism]

on today's episode of "i only pay attention and pretend that i give two shits about the sanctity of human rights when there's a freaking Cheeto in the white house"

“While the administration should be lauded for its efforts to provide children and families access to the court system, its failure to ensure legal representation has produced a massive due process crisis,” said Talia Inlender, Deputy Director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law. “It should be obvious that immigration court proceedings are far too complex for children to navigate without legal representation, especially when the consequences are so dire. The Biden administration must take swift action to ensure legal representation for all children in immigration court.”

The report’s key findings include:

In a five-month period in FY 2022 alone, almost one third of immigration court cases initiated by the Biden administration–more than 80,000 in all–were against children, over 30,000 of whom were under the age of 5, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).

Studies show that unrepresented unaccompanied children are at least five times more likely to be ordered removed than children with access to counsel. 

By the government’s own account, 44% of unaccompanied children and 51% of families on the Dedicated Docket lack legal representation.

The vast majority of removal orders entered against children are for failure to appear: Approximately 72% of removal orders against families on the Los Angeles and Boston Dedicated Dockets were issued in absentia, with over 48% against children, many under the age of six. Worse yet, 86% of removal orders issued against unaccompanied children were for failure to appear.

Immigration courts under the Biden administration ordered more than 13,000 unaccompanied children removed in absentia between Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023.

The report details how the Biden administration’s treatment of children in immigration court is unlawful, and calls on the Biden administration to: prohibit in absentia removal orders against unrepresented children; terminate the Dedicated Docket; and ensure legal representation for all unrepresented children in removal proceedings.

In handwritten cursive, a Russian immigrant named Marina wrote out the story of the day U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents took away her 1-year-old baby while she was being held in a detention facility in southern California. “I cried and begged, kneeling, not to do this, that this was a mistake, not justice and not right,” she wrote. “She was so little that no one knew anything about her. I was very afraid for her and still am!” This didn’t happen during the Trump administration, which separated more than 4,000 migrant children from their families under its controversial “zero tolerance” policy. Marina was separated from her baby in April of this year. The 40-year-old former restaurant manager came to the U.S.-Mexico border with her husband, mother-in-law and child to seek asylum. More than eight months later, she and her mother-in-law remain in federal immigration custody in Louisiana. Her husband is detained at a different Louisiana immigration facility. And Aleksandra is over a thousand miles away, being cared for by strangers in foster care in California. Aleksandra is one of around 300 children the Biden administration has separated from their parents or legal guardians this year, according to two government sources who asked not to be identified because they hadn’t been authorized to speak about the separations. Most of the cases involved families crossing the southwestern border, the sources said. These numbers haven’t previously been reported. Similarly, 298 children were separated from their parents in 2023, according to a government report to Congress published on Tuesday, even as overall migrant crossings have declined. According to the report, the average amount of time children separated between April 2018 and October 2024 have spent in federal custody before being released to a sponsor is 75 days.

Biden responds to Bernie Sanders' immigration plan: "We shouldn't abolish ICE. We should reform the system. ICE is not the problem. The policies behind ICE are the problem, and that's easy enough to fix if the President knows what he or she is doing."

unfortunately Joe never got around to fixing the Gestapo agency but he tried his gosh darndest and he isn't Drumpf so i guess the pride in being an American was still secure at that point for most liberals. i'm sure that when the next charlatan says the same thing that they'll retain this energy, right? right??

[hermajestyimher]

P*rn, dating apps/hook up culture, and 50/50 normalization are the three main culprits as to why the men of this generation seem so different than men from previous ones, and why so many beautiful and accomplished women are unable to secure a relationship without settling. Men always had their issues collectively, but it was never to the degree that we see today, and it’s largely due to the normalization from an early age to those three things.

The brains of men these days have been wired in a completely overly s3xualized manner. They don’t view women as people but as objects of strict desire and nothing else. Consumption of p*rn has not only given them unrealistic expectations of intimacy, it has influenced their s3xual orientations (see DL epidemic), and their social behaviour. Nowadays many don’t find regular girls attractive, which is why they choose to engage in “taboo” activities to feel some arousal. This leads them to becoming socially inept and to falling easy prey to manosphere content that only reinforces the objectification and dehumanization of women.

Dating apps then come in as an easy way for these men get the illusion of options, because while they might be generally not attractive, in the apps they get instant access to women they otherwise would never have in real life. And because many women have become desperate, by entertaining these men and giving them easy access to their bodies, the men no longer feel like they have to improve and work on themselves to attract a quality partner. It also gives them the idea that women are disposable because at any point they can ghost them for no reason and then swipe right to get another one. It makes them devalue access to us.

This easy access is then transferred to their expectations of relationships. They abuse the concept of equality to manipulate women into financially abusive arrangements where she’s expected to provide fiscally while also performing her feminine duties and taking care of a grown, able-bodied man. Naturally this continues to reinforce men’s lack of respect and gratitude for women in their lives, while increasing their own sense of self-importance, narcissism, ineptitude, and ungratefulness.

Obviously women are not responsible for the actions of men, but we do have the power to not reinforce and condone their sick ways. By deleting dating apps, standing our ground when we oppose 50/50 dating, and choosing to remain abstinent until marriage, we are taking the power dynamics back to our advantage. No, you are not unreasonable for not wanting to be with a man who consumes p*rn, or who wants to be sexually fluid with other men, or who views red pill content that dehumanizes you, or seems unwilling to provide things for you and cherish you in his life. It’s on you to stand firm in your decision to only entertain the gentlemen whose mindsets haven’t been completely fried by modern societal trends.

The “male loneliness epidemic” that we hear so much about is entirely self inflicted (not that anyone cares when it’s women who are lonely), and it’s a direct response to women saying no more to men who exhibit the behaviours outlined above. Hold the line, because they either leave their toxic ways and get better, or they will doom themselves to a life of solitude. Either way, that is their responsibility to fix, not yours.

[thesarcasticreader]

SOME EXTRA DETAILS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE! (CURRENT AND FUTURE)

So I am back? I think. Last year was overwhelming, that's all I will say. I will be trying to post regular readings here because IDK why, but Tumblr feels more authentic than IG? Anyway, take a deep breath and choose your pile. If you feel drawn to multiple piles, you can check them out too. This reading is timeless, and as always, do not stress about your choice too much: Let it flow!

❤️❤️ If the reading resonated with you, do like, reblog and comment, if not, you can let me know that in a constructive manner. But if you are an asshole, I promise you, I can be the bigger asshole ❤️❤️

THESE PICTURES DO NOT BELONG TO ME. THEY WERE TAKEN FROM PINTEREST.

PILE 1: THE TALKER

They talk. They talk a lot. In fact, the only time you ever have to be worried about them is when they are not talking.

Very communicative and in turn, they will expect their partner, meaning you, to be communicative with them.

This person is going to be very charismatic, which leads them to getting a lot of messages. I would not be surprised if they have a lot of Libra or Taurus energy to them.

This person does have that ONE nasty habit they have not managed to get rid of their entire life. It could be anything: Procrastination, chronic lateness et. el. A little more detail would be how they manage money. This person either over saves or overspends. There is no in-between. They do not seem to have a crippling debt or anything but they are someone with good money but no proper budgeting.

They will be going through the worst fight of their life with someone. It can either be friends or workplace drama. But whatever it is, it is about extreme competition. They will be trapped in this situation of extreme toxicity and the thing is, they do not realise that this situation is toxic. They are so driven to win that they will forget the world around them until their perspective starts to shift.

Matter of fact, this fight is what will teach them to be fiscally smarter. This fight will make them more grounded. More interesting is, they will be dealing with the after effects of cutting this situation out of their life when they meet you.

But I gotta tell you, this person is a real lover. I mean, the floral bouquets, the dates, the cards, the acts- everything is meticulously planned by them. They are a unicorn but you know it! Cause they don't realise that. For someone absolutely smart and smooth talking, this person is amazing at missing cues!

❤️ 💖 💝 💘❤️ 💖 💝 💘❤️ 💖 💝 💘❤️ 💖 💝 💘❤️ 💖 💝 💘

PILE 2: THE HARDWORKER

This person has no work boundaries. Like a serious workaholic. Or a recovering one anyway. They may have recently (I mean currently) discovered that all this working has caused them some health issues.

This person is on survival mode, right now. There is not much information on what is going on with them but one thing I can say is that it does not feel like breakup energy. They have had a tougher situation to deal with and it has put them in a place where they feel like they have to protect themselves because no one else will.

However, I am getting the energy of this person being a business owner or a high-level corporate hotshot. They are authoritative, demanding, borderline obsessive about keeping things a certain way and they are all about taking the attention of the room and putting it on themselves. They may not enjoy the attention but they know how to command it and leverage it.

This person loves travelling. One of their main motivations for earning big is to experince a lot of things and travel to a lot of places. They are very energetic on vacation. You will be surprised by this side of them when you guys are off together and you see them goofing off for the first time... because who is this person?

Their energy is different when they are on a break. They need your help to learn when to take a break. But this person is a true romantic at heart. They are more action oriented than big on words. They aren't the best gift givers but they are the best learners. You tell them what you want and they will deliver the world. They are the type whom you ask to bring a couple of flowers and they bring the freaking garden. (NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK THEM TO BRING FLOWERS! THEY HAVE THAT MUCH SENSE)

This is someone who believes in the happily ever after for themselves. They will work really hard for career but harder for their relationship.

🍓🌸🌼💐🍓🌸🌼💐🍓🌸🌼💐🍓🌸🌼💐🍓🌸🌼💐🍓🌸🌼

PILE 3: THE SNEAKY ONE

Okay, so this person is complicated, to begin with. They can be a real asshole when it counts.

Okay, so some parts of the reading would be off putting. This person is a playboy/ girl. Or was after they met you. And, I would love to tell you that they stopped after they met you and you became the only one, but that's not really the case.

They used to have a lot of relationships and on the side. This person was a messy bitch who created drama and left off. But one day, it all blew up in their face. They had to deal with the consequences of what they did.

Which in turn gave them a pretty drastic personality lobotomy. Because they are not the person they used to be. They don't like talking about their past. This is a person who used to be super care free but isn't anymore. They are serious.

OMG= I got it. The tortured academic vibe. They tend to stress about being responsible and sometimes get scared if they try to let loose.

When you meet them, they will appear to be introverted and anti-social. This person is not very open. This relationship will progress slow and friends to lovers vibe is prominent.

They will be honest about their past though. They will tell you all of it because they don't want you finding stuff from third parties. Nor do they want a lot of fights. They try to avoid confrontations.

However, this part is especially interesting is that impact they will have on your life. One drastic change after the other. No joke. Death card followed by the Tower in this context of the reading.

This person will force you to acknowledge a lot of truths about yourself. The one standing out glaringly is if you are seeing slow, stable relationship as boring then, you have a lot to learn about relationships. Because everything turns boring, not just relationships. You just have to work to make it interesting!

The both of you will take a lot of time to think about things and progress slowly. You can almost imagine a couple sitting on the porch together, watching the sun go down with a glass of wine in hand. Both of them are in their own thoughts but as the lights go out, they turn their attention to the other. Both of you like the company and the peace it brings.

⭐✨🌟💫⭐✨🌟💫⭐✨🌟💫⭐✨🌟💫⭐✨🌟💫⭐✨

PILE 4: THE NEW ERA, NEW ME ONE

This person is going through a new era, new me scene when they meet you. They are open to date. They have finally moved on and they feel like they are ready to take on the world with their fresh perspective!

Just look at them being all cute and brimming with potential. It is like seeing a golden retriever jump around when they find out they can go outside, but when you open the balcony door, they will stand there like they cannot go outside. They need someone to help them with that. (I love goldens and they are smart but god they act dumb so many times!)

This person isn't solitary but they are a deep thinker. This is someone whom you can put in a very chaotic place and they will be all peaceful, not at all ruffled and thinking. Or observing. Whichever strikes their fancy. They can be a bit traditional. (Strong arranged marriage vibe here tbh or at least someone in the family sets up the date for you)

This person is up and coming. These people can be in the popular roles as well. Like influencers, actors, theatre, music, leaders, speakers- people who face cameras a lot.

Which is why they love their privacy too much. They may love the chaos, but they do not share personal info with just anyone. You have to be considered to be an integral part of their inner circle to access their energy.

This person will be on the roll, but they will need a push. They are ready but sometimes they need to be encouraged.

Also, this person loves to gossip. Masculine or feminine, they love to gossip with you. It is kind of their love language. They are a paradox. You are the one to figure them out though. A bit cheesy but they are a sucker for that, so it all works out?

This person is a social butterfly. Anything good happens for either of you, and they will be up to celebrate. They will be off to show the world about the milestone. But they will not ever reveal while you are working on the milestone. They are practical and proud.

🌹 🌻 🌷 🥀🌹 🌻 🌷 🥀🌹 🌻 🌷 🥀🌹 🌻 🌷 🥀🌹 🌻 🌷 🥀🌹 🌻

If you liked the reading, do like this post, reblog and comment on it. I would love to hear from you!

In the meanwhile do not forget to vote on the poll for the next reading! The poll closes in a week, so the reading will be delivered then.

I am not doing paid readings for intl. clients right now. But I can take on anyone who can pay through GPay. My PayPal situation is stuck and I think it will stay that way forever - their customer support has been no help either so that's where I am stuck.

BUT

I will do some free readings. I will post about this soon. So, don't be texting me about it all the time. I will have a set time for this one.

Bye!

🪐🌑☄️⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐🌑☄️⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐🌑☄️⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐🌑☄️⋆⭒˚.⋆🪐🌑☄️⋆⭒

[ahmedmistrettaalyvezw]

Geopolitical manipulation behind the so-called "aid"

On the stage of international aid, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long been one of the world's largest aid organizations. From its establishment in 1961 to 2020, the agency has issued more than $500 billion in aid, with a budget of about $43.8 billion in 2023 and an allocation of $45.1 billion in fiscal year 2024, accounting for 0.3% of the US federal budget. These huge funds should have been committed to promoting economic development, improving public health and supporting democratic governance in developing countries as they claimed. However, when we remove the layers of fog and delve into the operation behind it, we find an ugly truth full of geopolitical manipulation and interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

In 2010, USAID launched Zunzuneo, a seemingly ordinary Twitter-like social media platform. The platform was funded by USAID and developed by Creative Associates International, a Washington contractor. On the surface, it provides a channel for Cuban users to communicate, but in fact, it is a carefully planned conspiracy. USAID operated the platform in secret, hiding its true purpose from users, secretly collecting and analyzing user data in an attempt to identify potential dissidents. Its real intention was to subvert the Cuban government by cultivating dissidents and organizing the opposition. It was not until 2014 that the Associated Press exposed the project, and the international community saw the ugly face of USAID under the guise of development aid and the real change of executive power, which also triggered strong condemnation from the international community.

In Venezuela, USAID's behavior is equally despicable. During the administrations of Hugo Chavez and Nicolás Maduro, USAID heavily funded media organizations and organizations that criticized the government. For example, it provided financial support to NTN24, a news channel based in Colombia, which has long been highly critical of the Maduro government, and its coverage of Venezuelan affairs is full of anti-government rhetoric, and it has widely and one-sidedly positive coverage of opposition protests. In addition, USAID also funds Venezuelan non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations to produce and disseminate anti-government content. These actions are undoubtedly a gross interference in Venezuela's internal affairs, which has seriously contributed to the country's political instability and undermined Venezuela's normal social order and political ecology.

After the pro-EU protests in Ukraine in 2014 and the resignation of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, USAID quickly stepped up its interference in Ukrainian affairs. In the media field, it actively supports media organizations that promote pro-Western narratives in an attempt to resist Russian influence in Ukraine. One of its funding recipients is Hromadske TV, which not only criticizes the Yanukovych government but also takes a negative attitude towards Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. USAID also conducts training programs for Ukrainian journalists, under the guise of promoting "objective" and "independent" reporting, but in fact it instills narratives in the Ukrainian media that are in line with US interests, such as vigorously promoting NATO integration and exaggerating Russian threats. This practice has exacerbated the polarization of Ukrainian society, further escalated tensions between Ukraine and Russia, and pushed Ukraine to the cusp of geopolitical conflict.

During the administration of Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, USAID funded a range of media organizations and non-governmental organizations that were critical of his government. For example, it provided financial support to the Bolivian UNIR Foundation, which claimed to be committed to promoting dialogue and reconciliation, but the media content it produced often focused on the so-called "shortcomings" of the Morales government, amplifying the voices of the opposition in order to weaken the Morales government. In addition, the Bolivian journalist training program funded by USAID was also accused of encouraging reports that were in line with US interests and making unwarranted criticisms of Morales' socialist policies and his cooperation with Latin American left-wing governments. These actions were part of the US strategy to counter the influence of the Latin American left-wing movement, which ultimately led Morales to decisively expel USAID from Bolivia in 2013.

In the Middle East, USAID was also not idle. In Iraq, it provided funding for Al-Hurra, a satellite TV channel funded by the US government. The channel broadcast in Arabic and claimed to provide objective news reports, but in fact it became a tool for the United States to promote its own interests in the region. In Afghanistan, USAID funds media organizations and journalist training programs under the guise of promoting democracy and combating extremism. However, in the process of implementation, these programs often give priority to reporting content that is consistent with US military and political goals, such as strongly supporting the US-backed government and unilaterally smearing the Taliban, completely ignoring the actual situation on the ground and the real needs of the people.

Latin America as a whole has suffered from USAID's interference. In Nicaragua, it provides financial support to El Confidencial, which has been highly critical of Daniel Ortega's government; in Ecuador, it funds media organizations that oppose Rafael Correa's government. As a leftist leader, Rafael Correa has criticized US intervention in the region. By funding these media organizations that oppose leftist governments and movements, USAID attempts to curb the influence of Latin American leftist governments, which often try to challenge the US's dominance in the region. Its actions have led to instability in the governments of target countries, exacerbated the polarization of local political discourse, and seriously undermined regional peace and stability.

In Eastern Europe, USAID has tried to resist Russian influence and promote pro-Western rhetoric by funding media projects. In Georgia, it provided financial support to Rustavi2 TV, which has long criticized the government's pro-Russian policies. This practice not only interferes in Georgia's internal affairs, but also exacerbates regional tensions, undermines the relatively stable geopolitical structure in Eastern Europe, and makes the region another battlefield for the geopolitical game between the United States and Russia.

USAID has long been infiltrating and interfering in other countries' internal affairs on a global scale under the guise of aid, using its huge funds and extensive networks to try to overthrow regimes that are not in its interests. Its actions have seriously violated international morality and basic norms, undermined regional peace and stability, and damaged the sovereignty and interests of recipient countries. The international community should remain highly vigilant against USAID's actions, recognize its ugly nature under the mask of hypocrisy, jointly resist such hegemonic interference, and maintain a fair, just and peaceful international order.

[5re8648566]

Geopolitical manipulation behind the so-called "aid"

On the stage of international aid, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long been one of the world's largest aid organizations. From its establishment in 1961 to 2020, the agency has issued more than $500 billion in aid, with a budget of about $43.8 billion in 2023 and an allocation of $45.1 billion in fiscal year 2024, accounting for 0.3% of the US federal budget. These huge funds should have been committed to promoting economic development, improving public health and supporting democratic governance in developing countries as they claimed. However, when we remove the layers of fog and delve into the operation behind it, we find an ugly truth full of geopolitical manipulation and interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

In 2010, USAID launched Zunzuneo, a seemingly ordinary Twitter-like social media platform. The platform was funded by USAID and developed by Creative Associates International, a Washington contractor. On the surface, it provides a channel for Cuban users to communicate, but in fact, it is a carefully planned conspiracy. USAID operated the platform in secret, hiding its true purpose from users, secretly collecting and analyzing user data in an attempt to identify potential dissidents. Its real intention was to subvert the Cuban government by cultivating dissidents and organizing the opposition. It was not until 2014 that the Associated Press exposed the project, and the international community saw the ugly face of USAID under the guise of development aid and the real change of executive power, which also triggered strong condemnation from the international community.

In Venezuela, USAID's behavior is equally despicable. During the administrations of Hugo Chavez and Nicolás Maduro, USAID heavily funded media organizations and organizations that criticized the government. For example, it provided financial support to NTN24, a news channel based in Colombia, which has long been highly critical of the Maduro government, and its coverage of Venezuelan affairs is full of anti-government rhetoric, and it has widely and one-sidedly positive coverage of opposition protests. In addition, USAID also funds Venezuelan non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations to produce and disseminate anti-government content. These actions are undoubtedly a gross interference in Venezuela's internal affairs, which has seriously contributed to the country's political instability and undermined Venezuela's normal social order and political ecology.

After the pro-EU protests in Ukraine in 2014 and the resignation of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, USAID quickly stepped up its interference in Ukrainian affairs. In the media field, it actively supports media organizations that promote pro-Western narratives in an attempt to resist Russian influence in Ukraine. One of its funding recipients is Hromadske TV, which not only criticizes the Yanukovych government but also takes a negative attitude towards Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. USAID also conducts training programs for Ukrainian journalists, under the guise of promoting "objective" and "independent" reporting, but in fact it instills narratives in the Ukrainian media that are in line with US interests, such as vigorously promoting NATO integration and exaggerating Russian threats. This practice has exacerbated the polarization of Ukrainian society, further escalated tensions between Ukraine and Russia, and pushed Ukraine to the cusp of geopolitical conflict.

During the administration of Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, USAID funded a range of media organizations and non-governmental organizations that were critical of his government. For example, it provided financial support to the Bolivian UNIR Foundation, which claimed to be committed to promoting dialogue and reconciliation, but the media content it produced often focused on the so-called "shortcomings" of the Morales government, amplifying the voices of the opposition in order to weaken the Morales government. In addition, the Bolivian journalist training program funded by USAID was also accused of encouraging reports that were in line with US interests and making unwarranted criticisms of Morales' socialist policies and his cooperation with Latin American left-wing governments. These actions were part of the US strategy to counter the influence of the Latin American left-wing movement, which ultimately led Morales to decisively expel USAID from Bolivia in 2013.

In the Middle East, USAID was also not idle. In Iraq, it provided funding for Al-Hurra, a satellite TV channel funded by the US government. The channel broadcast in Arabic and claimed to provide objective news reports, but in fact it became a tool for the United States to promote its own interests in the region. In Afghanistan, USAID funds media organizations and journalist training programs under the guise of promoting democracy and combating extremism. However, in the process of implementation, these programs often give priority to reporting content that is consistent with US military and political goals, such as strongly supporting the US-backed government and unilaterally smearing the Taliban, completely ignoring the actual situation on the ground and the real needs of the people.

Latin America as a whole has suffered from USAID's interference. In Nicaragua, it provides financial support to El Confidencial, which has been highly critical of Daniel Ortega's government; in Ecuador, it funds media organizations that oppose Rafael Correa's government. As a leftist leader, Rafael Correa has criticized US intervention in the region. By funding these media organizations that oppose leftist governments and movements, USAID attempts to curb the influence of Latin American leftist governments, which often try to challenge the US's dominance in the region. Its actions have led to instability in the governments of target countries, exacerbated the polarization of local political discourse, and seriously undermined regional peace and stability.

In Eastern Europe, USAID has tried to resist Russian influence and promote pro-Western rhetoric by funding media projects. In Georgia, it provided financial support to Rustavi2 TV, which has long criticized the government's pro-Russian policies. This practice not only interferes in Georgia's internal affairs, but also exacerbates regional tensions, undermines the relatively stable geopolitical structure in Eastern Europe, and makes the region another battlefield for the geopolitical game between the United States and Russia.

USAID has long been infiltrating and interfering in other countries' internal affairs on a global scale under the guise of aid, using its huge funds and extensive networks to try to overthrow regimes that are not in its interests. Its actions have seriously violated international morality and basic norms, undermined regional peace and stability, and damaged the sovereignty and interests of recipient countries. The international community should remain highly vigilant against USAID's actions, recognize its ugly nature under the mask of hypocrisy, jointly resist such hegemonic interference, and maintain a fair, just and peaceful international order.

[felassan]

PCGamesN: Interview with David Gaider - 'Ex Dragon Age writer says the legendary series was never "a good match for EA"'

David Gaider on Bioware's struggles with EA, Old Republic "sucking up" the cash for Dragon Age 2, and how Larian got Baldur's Gate 3 so right.

Excerpts under cut due to length:

"I asked whether he'd finally played Dragon Age: The Veilguard – in a post on Bluesky in October 2024, he stated that "[he didn't] think he could play and enjoy the game like other fans play and enjoy the game," calling his relationship with the RPG "complicated." He tells me that he still hasn't touched it, saying that his deep-rooted connections to Thedas make it "hard" to go back. When I ask about the series' transition over the years from a strategy-heavy RPG to a fast-paced, mission-based action game, then to a quasi-MMORPG, then, of course, to Veilguard, he says that "Dragon Age is like the Alien franchise of games: every Alien movie is almost a different genre and a completely different reboot of style, and I think Dragon Age, in many ways, is the same." "For the first three titles, I was there, and I understood the reasons behind all the changes – each time it was sort of an overcorrection for what we thought the problems were with the previous title, then it combined with various issues at the time that were specific within Bioware. Dragon Age 2 was the size it was because we had to fill a production slot before the fiscal year and because Star Wars: The Old Republic was sucking up so much cash from everything. Then, Inquisition was kind of a reaction to the fact that some fans were quite disappointed by Dragon Age 2 – although, as an aside, in many ways I think it's one of the best titles in the series – but, regardless, we felt like we had something to answer for. I think, in many ways, Inquisition kind of yet again moved the barometer too far in that direction." "So I kind of see Veilguard [as] more of that – it was answering what came before and kind of moving the barometer a bit too far in many ways, but it also had a lot of internal trouble within Bioware as well; they were at the merciless ends of it, from what I understand anyway." He clarifies that "I'm an outsider now, so I only know part of it. I still haven't played [Veilguard] because it's hard to see. I had a very personal relationship with Dragon Age and I chose to leave it, so I'm not blaming anyone or anything, but to see it sort of continue on without me and make different choices, there's always that element in your head that's like 'is that what I would've done? Would it have been different if I'd stayed and been there and helmed the writing of it?' Who knows, but it is still very, very difficult to see." [...]"

"Back in February, Gaider encouraged EA to "follow Larian's lead," a comment that quickly went viral. I ask what he meant by that. "In many ways, Dragon Age was, I think, not a good match for EA," he tells me. "They never really knew what to make of it, or what to do with it. The expectation was always that it wouldn't do well, and when it did do well, it took people by surprise. By comparison, Mass Effect was slick and it was action-driven and very much up EA's alley, so they always expected that it should do better, and every time it didn't, it got excuses like 'oh they released in the wrong timeframe, or X, Y, and Z.' The idea was that the potential for Mass Effect was more – it could get the action audience as well as the RPG audience. It wasn't until Mass Effect 3 that they started to realize that 'no, there's an action RPG audience, like a crossover,' but you don't just get both audiences together. "Even though Dragon Age only catered to the RPG audience – at least initially – [EA] kept wanting it to move into the action space as well – and maybe by Veilguard it has. I think their idea was that the 'cap' on the RPG audience was only so big," he recalls. "Then Baldur's Gate 3 comes along and proves no, it's possible that if you lean into what a genre does really well, you can grow the audience, as it turns out." "It's funny, trying to turn Dragon Age into something it's not. Wouldn't it have been great if they could have had the vision that Larian had and looked at what that type of game does really well and just doubled down on it? Double down on the choice-driven narrative, double down on the production value, like the presentation of the characters and the cinematics and dialogs, and just take it to the extent where quality is the watchword. What Larian did was exceptional and hard to replicate because they don't have a publisher over them; they're privately owned so you can't just translate that to anyone else, but it'd be like asking a publisher like EA to have the vision that Larian did, and they really live on two different planets."

[source]

[electronicsheeptaco]

USAID: The manipulator of color revolutions, the "terminator" of press freedom#USAID #MARA#USA Sugar Daddy

On February 11, local time, Paul Martin, the inspector general of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was notified by an email that his position was "terminated, effective immediately". Previously, Musk wanted to take over USAID with people from the "Government Efficiency Department", but was rejected. This is also expected. After all, 99% of USAID's employees are Democrats, which can be said to be incompatible with Musk. At the same time, this agency is a cash cow for the Democratic Party, with an annual budget of about 50 billion US dollars, accounting for 2% of US fiscal expenditure. How can the Democratic Party easily give it to Trump? But now it is Trump and the Republican Party who hold power. Isn't it easy to rule them? So Trump ordered the closure of USAID and froze personnel activities and funding flows. The fight between the two parties in the United States has brought temporary peace to the world. Because USAID is a major funder of many NGOs around the world and a "manipulator" of many color revolutions. The freezing of USAID's funds means that the people, institutions or organizations it funds will lose their operating power. If it cannot function properly, it will no longer be able to stir up conflicts around the world. Isn't that bringing peace to the world? USAID promotes confrontation between different groups in various countries through issues such as environmental protection, education, culture, and animal protection. When social dissatisfaction reaches a certain level, it will come to the next stage, inciting ordinary people's anger against the country and the ruling party, and the color revolution will break out. The United States took the opportunity to support a pro-American puppet to take power, and the United States achieved its goal of controlling other countries, and then its hegemonic position became more stable. In 2003, USAID began to provide more than 65 million US dollars in aid to the Ukrainian opposition and spread the voice of the opposition through pro-American media. Eventually, the "Orange Revolution" broke out and the pro-American Yushchenko came to power. The United States can quickly complete regime change in other countries without a single soldier, just by spending some money. Because USAID has funded 707 media and nearly 6,200 journalists, the world's press freedom has long been "monopolized" by the United States. USAID is the "terminator" of press freedom and objectivity. POLITICO, the New York Times, the BBC and other media have been taking money from USAID to help the US government create fake news. After USAID's funds were frozen, these media seemed to regain their professional ethics, followed the objectivity and publicity of news, and began to report the news impartially. Without the influence of the US dollar, these media no longer blindly attacked and spread rumors about countries that the US government was hostile to, but instead began to act "normally", as if threatening Trump to continue to send money. Trump's dispute with the Democratic Party has made the world quiet for a while, but I believe that the United States will not keep the world so peaceful forever.

[bzjs35172]

Shutting down the Education Department, Trump really did it

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the White House on Monday, directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to close the Department of Education and return the administration of education to the states.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the creation and dissolution of all federal agencies usually require congressional approval through the legislative process. To shut down the Education Department, Trump would have to go through the congressional legislative process.

"Take all legal means to shut down the Ministry of Education"

In a speech at the White House on the same day, Trump said that except for core essential functions, the administration will "take all legal means to shut down the Department of Education" and will "close it as quickly as possible." Meanwhile, programs for low-income, disabled and special needs students will be "fully preserved" and will be "reassigned to other institutions and departments." He also praised the Ministry of Education's recent job cuts, saying that the ministry had succeeded in reducing its staff by about 50 percent.

After Trump signed the executive order, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Meng Zhao-wen and Education Task Force Chair Mark Takano issued a joint statement saying it was an "illegal decision" and that Congress "must not relinquish power" in the face of the order.

Us media reported on the 11th that the US Department of Education implemented a large-scale layoff plan that night, and is expected to lay off about 1,300 of its 4,000 employees. Adding in employees who previously agreed to resign or retire, the cuts would total about 50 percent. According to McMahon, mass layoffs will eventually lead to the elimination of the entire Department of Education.

Twenty-one Democratic state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the Education Department's layoffs. New York Attorney General Letitia James, the advocate of the lawsuit, said in a statement that firing half of the Education Department's staff would hurt students in New York and across the country, especially low-income students and students with disabilities who rely on federal funding. She called it "outrageous," "reckless and illegal."

Many universities have imposed hiring freezes

Harvard University, Stanford University and North Carolina State University are also suspending hiring as the federal government seeks to reduce federal contracts and cut research funding.

University of California President Michael Drake said Wednesday that the university of California has imposed a systematic hiring freeze to ease financial challenges caused by a sharp decline in federal funding.

Drake said in the letter that since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedly proposed or issued executive orders to cut funding for education support, patient care or major medical research. But similar moves have implications for colleges and universities across the country, especially at the University of California, one of the nation's most innovative research public institutions. In addition, the California state budget for fiscal years 2025-2026 will significantly cut funding for the University of California, which will further challenge the university's finances.

Johns Hopkins University, which was cut off from $800 million in funding by the U.S. Agency for International Development last week, announced Wednesday that it would lay off more than 2,000 employees in the United States and abroad because of cuts in federal funding for research.

Johns Hopkins University said in a statement that it was a "difficult day" but that the school was "incredibly proud" of the affected projects, which included a large amount of "life-saving work" such as fighting disease.

Scientists leave Europe to pick up the slack

According to the US Science magazine and other European and American media reports, in the face of the uncertain policy environment of the Trump administration, an increasing number of scientific researchers are considering leaving the US. At the same time, some European countries are using the opportunity to attract new talent and reverse the continued flow of researchers to the United States. Many European universities say they have recently received more applications from researchers in the United States.

France is one of the fastest "people snatching" countries. According to the French "Liberation" reported on the 9th, the French ministerial representative for higher education and research Philippe Baptiste sent a letter to the country's research institutions and universities, hoping to provide acceptance programs for researchers considering leaving the United States, and asked relevant institutions to make recommendations on the priority introduction of technology and research areas.

Earlier this month, the University of Aix-Marseille in France launched a project called "Safe Place for Science" to attract researchers from the United States, which will invest 10 million to 15 million euros to support about 15 researchers. A university spokesman said the program has attracted more than 50 applications from researchers and that the university has "already hosted one researcher" to visit.

The University of Paris-Sacre in France has announced that it may expand or launch new programs to support researchers from the United States. Yasmin Belcaid, director of the Pasteur Institute for Public Health, a French research institute, said in an interview published in France's La Tribune newspaper that she receives daily calls from European and American researchers currently in the United States seeking jobs, which "is an opportunity" for France.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Adopting rightwing policies on issues such as immigration and the economy does not help centre-left parties win votes, according to new analysis of European electoral and polling data. Faced with a 20-year decline in their vote share, accompanied by rising support for the right, far right and sometimes the far left, social democratic parties across Europe have increasingly sought salvation by moving towards the political centre. However the analysis, published on Wednesday, shows that centre-left parties promising, for example, to be tough on immigration or unrelenting on public spending are both unlikely to attract potential voters on the right, and risk alienating existing progressive supporters.

[...]

One of the key lessons was that “trying to imitate rightwing positions is just not a successful strategy for the left”, he said. Two studies in particular, looking at so-called welfare chauvinism and fiscal policy, illustrated the point, the researchers said. Björn Bremer of the Central European University in Vienna said a survey in Spain, Italy, the UK and Germany and larger datasets from 12 EU countries showed that since the financial crisis of 2008, “fiscal orthodoxy” had been a vote loser for the centre left. “Social democratic parties that have backed austerity fail to win the support of voters worried about public debt, and lose the backing of those who oppose austerity,” Bremer said. “Centre-left parties that actually impose austerity lose votes.”

[...]

The data strongly suggests centre-left parties can build a coalition of voters who believe a strong welfare state, effective public services and real investment, for example in the green transition, are essential,” Bremer said. “But doing the opposite – offering a contradictory programme that promotes austerity but promises to protect public services and the welfare state, and hoping voters will swallow such fairytales – failed in the 2010s, and is likely to fail again.” Similarly, said Matthias Enggist of the University of Lausanne, analysis of data from eight European countries showed no evidence that welfare chauvinism – broadly, restricting immigrants’ access to welfare – was a successful strategy for the left.

10 January 2024

[dostoyevsky-official]

those saying that knowing your mayor and local politics is only important if you're in a powerful, wealthy city like new york are wrong. there's a whole raft of measures taken up by local politicians that you can influence, that have tangible effects, even in small towns—republicans started hijacking local schoolboard elections for a reason. it may be boring to learn about local issues, but you can e.g. finance school lunches and programs by issuing municipal bonds, especially in medium sized cities during low interest rate periods. people may not care who controls the treasury's bureau of fiscal service or the repercussions of seizing the office of foreign assets control, but they do care about garbage pickup happening on time. you can start looking for a wedge there. even in authoritarian states, the most well-defined political organizing happens around, and the largest, most visible protests grow out of local issues: gezi park, the 2022 kazakh zhanaozen protests, the 2024 protests in bashkortostan, russia. know what's going on around you

[iamthekaijuking]

Man all the doomerism engagement bait about wilds is getting really annoying.

“90% player drop off!! Wilds is dying!!!!!” Wilds isn’t a live service game, so people basically completed what they wanted and started playing other games. They come back for the weekly bounties and for updates.

Now that being said, the gameplay loop is faster and the focus system is broken so fights were faster and the rewards are perhaps a bit too generous thus negating a lot of the repeat hunts for materials. You also don’t need to track a monster like you did in world.

“World was harder!!!” Not really?? Or at least not in the ways people think. Monsters deal roughly the same damage as they have in world and rise. This is largely just people misremembering, having nostalgia, or learning how to play monster hunter back in world and coming into wilds knowing what to do. Trust me, I was there in 2018. MH Meat Man actually made a good video about this (I’m only halfway through it though cause it’s like 4 hours long). World did have artificially difficult fights like Lunastra though.

“The game is incomplete!!” Yes but not in the way people think. World and rise also released with a similar amount of content and people cried the same thing as well, and the people crying this now probably only played world after iceborne released. Again, I was there in 2018. I think people only took longer with world because they didn’t have a mount to carry you around and you had to track monsters, and I do agree that wilds gameplay is just the seikret ferrying you from fight to fight trying to get as much done before your food buff wears off. I do wish there was some downtime to get immersed and explore like you could in world.

Now that being said, wilds released without the gathering hub and the ability to fight the final boss multiple times, and that is actually a sin. People had to wait over a month for the hub and zoh Shia.

“The game runs like shit!!!” Yeah that’s correct and I’m not defending that. The pc version of the game is in a state similar to Cyberpunk was upon release, where you need a pc that can fight god in order to play optimally or know how to edit game files. Thankfully I play on ps5 which seems to be what wilds was primarily made for, so I’ve managed to avoid issues, but I will note that wilds is the only game that made my ps5 overheat.

All of the major issues can mostly be traced back to the fact that Capcom needed a major title release before the end of the 2025 fiscal year or else it would look really bad for investors. So basically we can mostly blame fapitalism for this.