#corporate theft schemes

[ausetkmt]

Activists are posting their hauls on TikTok to raise public awareness.

Liz Wilson, 37, a mother of two in Pennsylvania, diving head first into a dumpster outside a store. She posts her finds on TikTok, where she is known by her 1.2 million followers as Salty Stella.Credit...Cory Foote for The New York Times

Nov. 21, 2022Updated 5:11 p.m. ET

At the third Duane Reade of the night, Anna Sacks, 31, a dumpster diver who goes by @trashwalker on TikTok, hit the jackpot. Half a dozen clear trash bags sat along Second Avenue not far from her home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Kneeling on the ground, Ms. Sacks untied the bags with a gloved hand and, using her iPhone flashlight, pulled out her haul: Tresemmé hair spray. Rimmel London Stay Glossy lip gloss. Two bags of Ghirardelli sea salt caramels. Six bags of Cretors popcorn mix. Wet mop refills. A Febreze air freshener. Toe warmers. A bottle of Motrin. All of it unopened, in the packaging and far from the expiration date.

“Oh my God,” said Ms. Sacks, digging out a 6-pack with one can missing. “My mom loves Diet Dr Pepper.”

The total value was perhaps $75, but money wasn’t the point. Ms. Sacks, a former investment bank analyst, films her “trash walks,” as she calls them, and posts the videos to expose what she sees as the wastefulness of retailers who toss out returned, damaged or otherwise unwanted items instead of repurposing them.

Fed up with the profligate practice, dumpster divers like Ms. Sacks have started posting videos of their haul on TikTok in recent years as a way of shaming corporations and raising awareness of the wasteful behavior.

A search of #dumpsterdiving on TikTok brings up tens of thousands of videos that collectively have billions of views. They include a video by Tiffany Butler, known as Dumpster Diving Mama, who found several handbags in the trash last year outside a Coach store in Dallas, all of them apparently slashed by employees. Ms. Sacks bought the bags and made a TikTok calling out the fashion brand. After the video went viral and sparked outrage (and was picked up by Diet Prada), Coach said it would stop “destroying in-store returns of damaged, defective, worn and otherwise unsalable goods,” and instead try to reuse them.

Most of the dumpster activists target mass retailers like CVS, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and Party City. Luxury fashion brands tend to keep a tighter control over their excess inventory and sometimes pay to have unsold items burned.

A video posted this month by Liz Wilson, 37, a mother of two in Bucks County, Pa., who goes by Salty Stella, shows a dumpster at a nearby HomeGoods store filled with Halloween-themed mugs, plates, dog bowls and holiday decorations. “This is absolutely horrendous,” Ms. Wilson told her 1.2 million TikTok followers. “The only reason these things were thrown away is because Halloween is over.”

Ella Rose, who goes byGlamourDDive, posted a video two months ago showing a dumpster outside a TJ Maxx store, filled with Zara dresses,grooming products by Fekkai and clothing from Victoria’s Secret.

At a time when corporations tout their commitment to the environment, the sight of $500 handbags or even $6 Ghirardelli chocolates discarded in a dumpster can be a bad look.

“Corporations don’t want people to see the overproduction, the wastefulness, the lack of donation,” said Ms. Sacks, who has 400,000 followers and has received significant media coverage. “To change behavior, it’s important to expose the wastefulness.”

Michael O’Heaney, executive director of The Story of Stuff Project, an environmental group in Berkeley, Calif., that raises awareness about waste through storytelling, called Ms. Sacks and other eco-minded dumpster divers “metal detectors for flaws in the system.” “What they’re finding in the trash are a fascinating lens into our waste economy,” said Mr. O’Heaney, whose organization recently filmed a trash walk with Ms. Sacks.

Some do more than just raise awareness. Ms. Wilson puts together “Stella’s Kits” — which contain feminine hygiene supplies like pads, tampons and flushable wipes assembled from dumpster dives — and distributes them at homeless shelters and other places where women experience what is known as period poverty.

While Ms. Wilson also posts to YouTube and Instagram, she said that her videos get the most reactions on TikTok. “People are just shocked and saddened,” she said. “Every day, I get the same reaction: ‘Oh, my god. Why do stores do this?’”

Mark Cohen, the director of retail studies at Columbia Business School, said that the practice is based on the cold calculation that “the simplest and most expediate way for a retailer to dispose of something, typically of low value, is to mark it out of its stock and dump it.”

Merchandise that was returned cannot always be resold because of regulations meant to protect consumer’s health — including food, some over-the-counter drugs and health and beauty aids, Mr. Cohen said. Items that have been damaged or worn, or are out of season like holiday decorations, may have lost too much value, even for third-party buyers.

“As egregious as it is to see seemingly perfect product put into a landfill,” Mr. Cohen said, “it’s the shortest and least expensive path.”

Activists like Ms. Wilson and Ms. Sacks would prefer to see retailers donate items to charitable organizations and others in need. “We should be incentivizing corporations ideally to produce less in general,” Ms. Sacks said, but if that’s not possible, they should “donate or sell it through, or store it for the next year, rather than destroy it.”

Many retailers say that they do, in fact, donate unsold goods, but some merchandise still needs to be sent to landfills. “The thought that everything leftover can be donated is a nice thought to hold,” but unrealistic, Mr. Cohen said.

CVS, for example, said it diverted 50 percent of its unsold merchandise last year to recycling or reuse, and donated about $140 million worth of goods to charities including Feeding America. CVS works “with nonprofit organizations to arrange for damaged or near-expired goods from our stores to be donated to communities in need,” said Ethan Slavin, a spokesman.

Andrew Mastrangelo, a spokesman for TJX, the parent company of TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, said that “only a very small percentage of merchandise from our stores goes unsold,” and that most of the unsold merchandise is bought by third parties or donated to charities.

Walgreens, which owns Duane Reade, said it donated 10 million pounds of goods in 2021. “Walgreens works diligently to divert from landfill unsold or discontinued products such as food, toiletries and household items,” said Candace Johnson, a spokeswoman.

Even so, some items cannot be donated, including perishable products within one month of expiration. “Products that do not meet applicable standards for donation or liquidation,” Ms. Johnson added, “may be discarded in the trash.”

Discarded merchandise is perhaps most abundant around the holiday season. Last Halloween, Ms. Wilson said she found more than 120 Halloween-themed dish towels outside two HomeGoods stores near her home, all in perfect condition.

Ms. Wilson has a circuit of dozens of retailers around southeastern Pennsylvania that she visits every week. She never comes up empty. “I could go to a dumpster today and get a bunch of stuff,” Ms. Wilson said, “and go back to the same dumpster 24 hours later and find new stuff in it.”

[iwonderwh0]

Imagine if at least a quarter of the effort tech giants and casual ai-enthusiasts put into promoting ai tools that no one wants was put into actual accessibility tools. Things like:

Native to every big platform image description engine instead of custom optional ALT that most places don't even have. (+it only needs to be queried once per image and then it can be held in image meta that is smaller than the image itself)

Native screen-readers that don't suck. Natural tone of voice, working controllers, adequate speed regulation, correct pronunciation. Those things partially exist, but they're subscription-based and have poor privacy regulations.

Good accurate captions (the only thing in this list that actually exists semi-decently) that DO NOT censor slurs that aren't censored in audio (otherwise it's not an accessibility feature, is it? *looking at YouTube*)

Native flash warning (should be a fucking required industry standard but isn't)

Real-time video description (into audio description of what's going on), option to have real-time camera that would narrate what's happening (partially exists but is far from casually accessible)

Enhanced captions that include descriptions of sounds that aren't spoken words. Or provide visual indicators of intonation (like empathised words are captioned in bold)

Real-time captions for voice/video calls

What do we have instead: creepy macaroni Jesus pictures, spam/scam bots, inaccurate summaries in google searches that tell people to eat rocks, generated porn of real people, texts with no artistic value, get-rich-quick greedy schemes of mostly scam. Art theft of unimaginable scale used for unauthorised use. Huge waste of electricity and limited natural resources for something that has minimal or close to non-existent value (best case scenario) or more likely is outright harmful and dangerous.

And then some of those corporations have the audacity to claim that their ai tools help accessibility... while having quite literally no significant impact on accessibility tools worldwide (at least not yet).

Widespread AI could have been great if it was actually used for making people's life better and more accessible instead of existing primarily for profit in expense of ethics, copyright and everything else.

[highwatermark]

I worked for Trader Joe's for just about 2 years before and through Covid lockdown. During that time, they tried closing the store I worked at due to theft concerns that were quickly sussed out to be because we were a 'problem store' that cared about safety and workers rights. We saved the store with a petition and they immediately fired the organizers for "creating a divisive work environment" AKA, they assumed we were trying to unionize. We were not, we were trying to keep our jobs during the pandemic.

This was in Seattle, during the peak of the BLM movement. Maybe a month after we got the store open again, protesters marched on the store for a policy we had not been made aware of as workers: the banning of BLM masks. Stories stopped being whispers. Management had been pulling people with BLM masks aside and told to swap them out. "No writing on masks anymore" was the official, cowardly rule, and the protesters were there to challenge the blatant racism of the choice. I, and a handful of others, chose to stay on the floor and chat with the protesters. They were the ones to tell us what the company had decided.

I was fired the next day. So were all but one of the other people who chose to stay and talk with protesters. What followed was the systematic firing of all trans people who worked there, and then all black people who worked there. Or, if not outright fired, quietly had hours cut until work was unsustainable. I, personally, was out of a job for almost 5 months. Again, this was peak pandemic time— the lockdown had only been lifted because the riots had been too successful and the city government realized the only way to return to the status quo was pulling social support and forcing everyone to go back to work.

The store we organized to keep open is still open. Still making money for a company who threw us out on suspicion of unionizing and supporting the Black community. If their racist naming schemes, packaging, and reliance on colonizer imagery isn't enough, let me reiterate: they are a mega-corporation. They do not care about anything but profit margins and convincing white people they're woke for their shopping choices.

Look at that! The petition website is still up with even more information I didn't remember. This was before the protest and everything that followed, but goes into more nuance about the issues present from the beginning.

[edupunkn00b]

Meus ex Machina, Chapter 18: Stepping Back

Edited public domain image of two hands reaching for each other, lit in deep blue and neon green.

Prev - Stepping Back - Next - Masterpost - [ AO3 ]

WC: 2525 - Rated: T - CW: non graphic nudity, suggestive, swearing. A major disinformation campaign and some not-so-subtle political manipulation.

New travels fast after Logan's machine makes its debut. After each of his machine's debuts, really.

“XHT-0731, you’re cleared for landing,” the comm squawked. “Proceed to platform seven-oh.” Eyes closed, Lucas let out a slow breath then pressed to talk.

“Affirmed, proceeding to platform seven-oh.” His hands shook as he switched off the mic and he forced his grip to relax long enough for the tremor to pass. Nearly there, then he could rest. He opened his eyes and focused on the beacon lights. The dash was awash in orange glow from his powers as he fought to control his nerves.

Thirty-eight hours ago, Lucas had been hunkered down a dozen miles south of the Honshu fires when a news report of a giant blue Kiryu mech attacking corporate facilities in the States hit his automated feed. He’d groaned and buried himself deeper into his sleep sack, hoping to tune it out and grab a bit of sleep when Jan’s DC number read in Japanese snagged his attention.

He set up a crawler to find more information and hit the air. Less than two hours later, the preliminary news reports of an accidental gas release had morphed into a suspected Powered terrorist attack, a world-wide conspiracy to expose the anti-theft measures at Abracadabra shipping facilities. Frantic talking heads—human and otherwise—chattered about this abhorrent abuse of power and betrayal of the secret knowledge granted their Powereds employees—

“More like fucking lapdogs,” he’d muttered, turning up the feed.

“… and what precisely does the Chancellor plan to do now about the rising risk of Powereds who’ve gotten too comfortable with the freedoms granted them in the last Act?”

Fuck.

The ship wasn’t far from the Siberian archipelago, so he landed and procured a new transport, one with a Russian transponder. While rising seas and toxic air had changed a lot of things in the world, some old prejudices never failed to make certain events ‘news’worthy.

He fed the latest reports into a textgen and translated the results back and forth between English, Russian, and Greek a few times before sending it out in a couple of worms to all the major news feeds.

The AI bots gobbled that shit up.

He hopped ships again and took off over the Arctic oil fields on a more direct route back to the East Coast. By the time he was back in range a couple hours later, the first trickles of outrage around the disinformation bots scheming to discredit Powerds had begun to fill the Atlantic and Euro news feeds. It turned out the gas leak had simply been a terrible, horrible, and completely unforeseeable accident and the mysterious Powereds who’d converged on the site to evacuate the Traditional workers had saved thousands of lives. 

A few progressive channels were even calling for commendations for the Powereds at the site.

Lucas paused the vidfeed, Ro’s bright red suit making him easy to pick out of the crowd. Pat’s baby blue unitard was covered in so much dust it matched the giant grey gates some reprogrammed picker bot was yanking off their hinges.

Squinting at the grainy footage, he zoomed in. There was a man inside the bot, wearing it like a suit. And Pat… 

Pat was guarding his back.

“Huh,” he said to the empty ship. “Looks like Jan finally recruited somebody new.” He unpaused.

The zoomed-in feed lingered on Jan’s face for one long moment before it cut away to another talking head extolling the glory of Corporate-Powered partnerships. Lucas switched it off. He pushed the engines and navigated to the nearest landing platform. One more hop to a new ship then he could head back to his cachette in the States.

The skids had just touched down when Re’s scream ripped through his mind. His head slammed forward, bouncing first against the controls and then the deck as he fell from his chair. Distantly, he registered the wet trickle of blood running sideways down his face as he reached out.

Re wasn’t hard to find. He was afraid, overwhelmed and hurt, but… purposeful. This was no accident.

Blinding orange leaking past eyes squeezed shut, Lucas curled on the floor. He hugged his knees tight to his chest, and held his breath, steeling himself.

Then he opened himself to the turmoil in Re’s mind.

It had been a long time since Jan had last dropped his shield, a long time since he’d last recruited Re to find someone in need. Who the fuck were they looking for now? And what made them so important they should hurt Re like this?

There wasn’t much Lucas could do from a distance, but he poured what little calm he had out into the world, smiling past his tears when Re picked up a bit of it before he was suddenly cut off again.

And just like that it was over.

Lucas lay panting, eyes slowly dimming as he scrabbled together his own composure. By the time he sat up, cold, sticky blood clung to the side of his head, a small, drying pool of it left on the deck. He washed himself and then the ship, spraying a thick layer of disinfectant and running the Steri-san on deep clean to eradicate any trace of his DNA. 

The sterilizer system’s whine made for good cover as he crept out onto the mostly deserted landing pad to find a fresh ship for the final leg of his trip.

~

-“It worked.”-

Janus’ eyes snapped open, his room filled with the silence that followed a rung bell. He blinked in the darkness, the last stubborn tendrils of his dream sticky and fighting to drag him back down into sleep. He touched his face and his hand came away wet.

The house was quiet and calm, not even the usual dreams and nightmares of four other sleeping minds woven through the air.

Five. There are five other souls in this house. Five other minds here…

Five, he nodded to no-one. Five when you count—

Janus sat up, breath caught in his throat as he reached out to each of them. Virge’s mind relaxed—for once—in a dreamless sleep. The Prince’s gleaming castles he didn’t even need dreams to build in his mind. Pat’s cotton candy sweetness wrapped around a permanent, prickly worry. Logan’s unshielded thoughts screaming out, want and need and hope and pain and—

Re…

-“I told you,”- Gentle laughter poured into Janus’s head. -“I like it when you call me ‘Muse.’”

-“Muse,”- he repeated, mouth forming the word his name dancing in his mind. “How?”-

-“I told you, Jannie…”- The Muse’s thoughts were quiet, happy. Peaceful and maybe even a little spacey. A hand drew through his hair as he drifted off to sleep. He wasn’t alone in his room.

-“It worked.”- The Muse sighed, warm and comfortable and calmer than Janus could remember him being in a long time. Flashes of his night poured into Janus’ mind and he pulled back.

Mentally, he kept his distance, not throwing up a shield between them, but giving The Muse a bit of space, a bit of privacy for his thoughts and perceptions.

-“‘Night, Jannie,”- The Muse sent, a small marigold sparking to life on the pillow next to him. So bright, it almost glowed in the dark, soft orange petals lush under his fingertips. -“Will I see you in the morning?”-

-“Yes! Good night, dear Muse,”- he sent back, smiling when The Muse’s thoughts settled into sleep. “See you in the morning.” Reaching slowly, half expecting the flower to dissolve at his touch now that The Muse was asleep, he plucked up the stem, brought the blossom to his nose and inhaled. It smelled just like the flowers Patton grew in the cool house out back. Even in sleep, The Muse’s control was flawless.

He lay there a while, waiting for the flower to disappear. It never did. The rest of the house was asleep, flitting in and out of dreams. But even The Muse’s dreams were peaceful and quiet, a hushed buzz in the air.

When Machina had come to him with his plan, Janus had been afraid to hope too much. He’d permitted the experiments as long as Ro wasn’t too worse for the wear and remained a willing partner in the tests. Subject might be a better word. But he’d never actually expected the device to work. It was such a careful balance, blocking just enough of the world from him—and blocking enough of The Muse from the world. Over the years, they’d tried more times than he could count to adjust the power of his room’s shield over the years, had tried to lower it.

But each time the world poured in, it had been too much. It had always been too much.

As he bobbed in the ebb and flow of The Muse’s dreams, Janus couldn’t deny Machina’s device had indeed worked. He’d been wrong. All these years, he’d been wrong.

Had he given up too soon? Had they truly been just months from a breakthrough, just months away from some magic machine that could give The Muse enough control to be free?

What would life have been like then? If he hadn’t given up? If The Muse was just Re, having dinner with them, bickering with Ro over who got the bigger cookie or who’s turn it was to fly the transport.

All those times The Muse had asked about Luc, eyes swimming in tears, asking him to explain again why Luc had left.

What else had he been wrong about?

Janus smelled the flower again, petals tickling his nose. Ro was sleeping better, he noticed, the white noise of his brother’s mental presence a tonic he hadn’t had in a very long time. Janus relished his own relief, too, an empty ache suddenly filled, like putting on a ring that had been lost.

Janus stared down at his left hand. It’s likely he and Ro weren’t the only ones who’d felt the return of The Muse’s presence. Still carefully cradling the flower, Janus pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed.

He had a visit to make.

~

-“The sun’s been up for hours, Sleeping Beauty,”- Re’s imagined voice needled him and Roman rolled over, head buried under the pillow.

Re could just fuck right off. Machina’s eyes had that gleam in them when the latest prototype had passed its first tests, muttering about how they almost had it and he needed some time for just one more adjustment.

The same gleam that invariably meant the next day he’d push it too far and Roman would end up with another migraine. Or worse.

So yes, Roman was going to get his beauty sleep while he could, thank you very much! He burrowed back under the covers and willed the return of sleep.

-”Come on, Ro Bro! Get up!”-

Roman’s eyes snapped open and he flipped over in the bed, listening. It wasn’t yet dawn and Virge shifted next to him. “Y’okay, Princey?” he mumbled, reaching blindly for his arm.

“Ye-yes?” he said, that old hole in his chest suddenly… filled. The eerie silence in his mind, the quiet corner he’d spent every waking moment over the past few years fighting to ignore was… no longer silent.

His mind hummed, music and phrases and snippets of stories twirling together in a happy pas de deux. Half-awake, his own thoughts swirled, a semi-conscious call and response of ancient lyrics, dialogue from movies. Old arguments, minor and serious.

“Do…” Roman rolled to his side and faced Virge. His eyes held the same confused wonder. “Do you hear that, too?”

Virge closed his eyes, brow furrowed. Then he nodded. “Maybe… maybe not everything you’re getting, but…”

-”Re?”- Virge managed actual words while Ro explored nearly a decade’s worth of ideas and memories. -”Re, how are you doing this?”-

-”Why don’t you come find out…”- A memory flashed across his mind, stifled too quickly for Roman to process. -”Just give me a few minutes, yeah?”-

Virge had already pulled on a hoodie and opened the door. “You coming, Princey?”

~

The elevator doors were just closing when they arrived. Virge’s hand bolted out faster than he could see and they slid back open, revealing Papa Bear, pulling on gloves.  Roman’s heart sank down to his toes when he saw the big med kit at his feet. “Padre, what’s going on? Is Janus with him?”

“I don’t know,” he shook his head, brows pinched in a little worried frown. “Jan messaged me in my room and he said he was getting ready and to go ahead. He…” He gave a little shrug, his tiny smile forced. “If it helps, he didn’t seem worried… just… Distracted?”

The elevator doors slid open on the lower level. The hall was silent.

“Distracted like he was talking with Re?” Virge asked, following them out of the elevator. They all stopped when they saw Re’s closed door, the shield’s warning light dark.

“Oh, fuck!” Patton muttered and ran to the door.

“Padre, wait!” Roman called after him but Virge beat them all and flung open the door.

“Re! Re, we’re here! We’re here, we’ll fix—Oh!” Virge froze just inside the doorway then looked down at the floor. “Oh, um, we—”

“Kiddo, what’s—Oh…” Papa Bear covered his mouth, the backs of his ears tinged pink.

Roman pushed past each of them. “What in the holy hell are you two—”

Re lay in bed with the blanket pulled up to his waist, pajamas in a heap on the floor. He held a single finger to his lips, glaring at them. -”I said to wait a bit! He’s sleeping!”-

Curled against Re’s side, equally bare chested, lay Machina.

-”Not anymore.”- Amplified by Re, Machina’s thought spilled out to all of them and Roman’s nerves boiled over into a laugh.

~

The Prince’s laughter was the final proof that the only way past this was through it. Logan pushed to sit up in the bed but only succeeded in knocking more of the blanket off himself. “So I suppose everyone knows we…” He pulled the covers up to his chin and tried to ignore his own heated cheeks. Remus smiled back at him, a wordless coo filling his mind before he smacked his forehead.

“Oh fuck, your pants!” he exclaimed with a laugh and ran across the room, heedless of his own nakedness.

“Kiddo!” Patton shook his head, a mix of laughter and admonishment in his voice as Remus gathered the clothes scattered around his room.

Shaking with laughter, Remus passed Logan his pants before scooping up his own discarded pajama bottoms. He looked around the gathering and grinned. “Oh, come on. Raise your hand if you haven’t seen me naked yet.”

Given Remus’ utter lack of shame, Logan was unsurprised to see no-one’s hand go up. However, his and Remus’ jaws dropped at the same moment.

“Wait, where’s—”

The hallway beyond Remus’ room burst into strobing yellow lights. 

-”Jannie.”-

Logan had wiggled into his pants just before Patton reached for him, eyebrows raised in the obvious question. He nodded, trading his pride for a speedier trip back to his chair and his mech upstairs. The movement broke Remus from his reverie and he followed the team upstairs.

[zyana-wyvern]

The Case of The Stolen Dashi Dragon

Just a silly little ASOIAF-Cyberpunk AU/Crossover that I cooked up back in autumn, but didn’t get to finish. Decided to post it as it is.

The short of it is that Zia is a rich, corporate brat and also an ASOIAF nerd and with her father’s money she decided to establish a company specialized in fire based weapons (their most successful product is a flame thrower named Vhagar 😆).

Her biggest idol is also Yorinobu for obvious reasons. Maelstrom are her biggest fans and the ones who help and fill her ranks most, also for obvious reasons.

This started out as a joke, but now I love it and started to take it waay too seriously, even if it is a bit of a crack!AU and should be treated as such.👀😄

Dialogue below

————————

Zia: Welcome to Erebus Incorporate, Takemura.

Goro: Thank you for receiving us, Valfrid. We are here regarding the assasination attempt upon Arasaka-sama. You and your… organization are main suspects, as you well know. He has been reasonable and offered cooperation, on particular terms.

Zia: On his terms you mean? I’ll have you know we are part of a fully registered and recognized incorporated entity, not an “organization” and numerous, important gangs of NC support us. It is probably why he’s choosing diplomacy, rather than violence. That being said, we deny any implication and rebuke such a horrific accusation. We would never try assassinating Arasaka. The idea is though quite…inspirational.

Goro: Do not mock me, Valfrid. I have not come here to be disrespected. Arasaka-sama is offering a chance that would be fruitful for you. You are but a child with too much money and power on your hands.

Zia: Would you say the same to Yorinobu’s face? After all, both he and I source our wealth and power from our parents.

Goro: Better if you don’t speak of anyone from the Arasaka family.

Zia: Ah, of course. You must admit I’ve achieved more in a shorter time and at a younger age than Yorinobu. Though, he and I do have many things in common, dragons and all. Takemura “sama”, if you would have come here in Yorinobu’s, name I do believe I would have been more opened to cooperation.

Goro: This is my last warning.

Zia: Alright. No more talk about them. I’ll be more lenient. I apologize. Back to the subject at hand. We are not guilty of anything. I presume that the only thing that can now happen is for us to meet in court.

Goro: It is up to Arasaka-sama to decide that, but it is probable. You also will be accused of theft.

Zia: Theft? We’re thieves and assassins? Ah, you insult us.

Goro: The dashi dragon. You stole a dashi dragon that was the property of Arasaka.

Zia: A dashi dragon? It does fit our aesthetic and branding, but I don’t see it anywhere.

Goro: It is right behind you.

Zia: Ah that old thing? It must have floated up here on its own.

Goro: You are mocking me again.

Zia: Perhaps a little… I can cooperate in my own way. By offering you a place among us. You’d be an exceptional addition to our ranks. You wouldn’t even have to change the colour scheme of your clothes.

Goro: I see there is no reasoning with you. You’re accused of assassination attempt and theft.

Zia: If I give you the dragon back will the theft part be annulled? Assassination on its own sounds better.

Goro:…

[snickers-the-fluffy-boi]

Abusive Sexual Contact

Advocating Overthrow of Government

Aggravated Assault/Battery

Aggravated Identity Theft

Aggravated Sexual Abuse

Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft

Airplane Hijacking

Anti-racketeering

Antitrust

Armed Robbery

Arson

Assassination

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Assaulting or Killing Federal Officer

Assisting or Instigating Escape

Attempt to commit Murder/Manslaughter

Bank Burglary

Bankruptcy Fraud/Embezzlement

Bank Larceny

Bank Robbery

Blackmail

Bombing Matters

Bond Default

Breaking and/or Entering Carrier Facilities

Bribery Crimes

Certification of Checks (Fraud)

Child Abuse

Child Exploitation

Child Pornography

Civil Action to Restrain Harassment of a Victim or Witness

Coercion

Commodities Price Fixing

Computer Crime

Concealing Escaped Prisoner

Concealing Person from Arrest

Concealment of Assets

Conspiracy (in matters under FBI jurisdiction)

Conspiracy to Impede or Injure an Officer

Contempt of Court

Continuing Criminal Enterprise

Conveying False Information

Copyright Matters

Counterfeiting

Counterintelligence Crimes

Credit/Debit Card Fraud

Crime Aboard Aircraft

Crimes on Government Reservations

Crimes on Indian Reservations

Criminal Contempt of Court

Criminal Forfeiture

Criminal Infringement of a Copyright

Cyber Crimes

Damage to Religious Property

Delivery to Consignee

Demands Against the U.S.

Destruction of Aircraft or Motor Vehicles Used in Foreign Commerce

Destruction of an Energy Facility

Destruction of Property to Prevent Seizure

Destruction of Records in Federal Investigations and Bankruptcy

Destruction of Corporate Audit Records

Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials

Detention of Armed Vessel

Disclosure of Confidential Information

Domestic Security

Domestic Terrorism

Domestic Violence

Drive-by Shooting

Drug Abuse Violations

Drug Smuggling

Drug Trafficking

DUI/DWI on Federal Property

Economic Espionage

Election Law Crimes

Embezzlement

Embezzlement Against Estate

Entering Train to Commit Crime

Enlistment to Serve Against the U.S.

Environmental Scheme Crimes

Escaping Custody/Escaped Federal Prisoners

Examiner Performing Other Services

Exportation of Drugs

Extortion

Failure to Appear on Felony Offense

Failure to Pay Legal Child Support Obligations

False Bail

False Pretenses

False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters

Falsely Claiming Citizenship

False Declarations before Grand Jury or Court

False Entries in Records of Interstate Carriers

False Information and Hoaxes

False Statement to Obtain Unemployment Compensation

Federal Aviation Act

Federal Civil Rights Violations (hate crimes, police misconduct)

Female Genital Mutilation

Financial Transactions with Foreign Government

First Degree Murder

Flight to Avoid Prosecution or Giving Testimony

Forced Labor

Forcible Rape

Forgery

Fraud Activity in Connection with Electronic Mail

Fraud Against the Government

Genocide

Hacking Crimes

Harboring Terrorists

Harming Animals Used in Law Enforcement

Hate Crime Acts

Homicide

Hostage Taking

Identity Theft

Illegal Possession of Firearms

Immigration Offenses

Impersonator Making Arrest or Search

Importation of Drugs

Influencing Juror by Writing

Injuring Officer

Insider Trading Crimes

Insurance Fraud

Interference with the Operation of a Satellite

International Parental Kidnapping

International Terrorism

Interstate Domestic Violence

Interstate Violation of Protection Order

Larceny

Lobbying with Appropriated Moneys

Mailing Threatening Communications

Major Fraud Against the U.S.

Manslaughter

Medical/Health Care Fraud

Missile Systems Designed to Destroy Aircraft

Misuse of Passport

Misuse of Visas, Permits, or Other Documents

Molestation

Money Laundering

Motor Vehicle Theft

Murder by a Federal Prisoner

Murder Committed During Drug-related Drive-by shooting

Murder Committed in Federal Government Facility

Narcotics Violations

Obstructing Examination of Financial Institution

Obstruction of Court Orders

Obstruction of Federal audit

Obstruction of Justice

Obstruction of Criminal Investigations

Officer Failing to Make Reports

Partial Birth Abortion

Penalties for Neglect or Refusal to Answer Subpoena

Peonage

Perjury

Picketing or Parading

Pirating

Possession by Restricted Persons

Possession of False Papers to Defraud the U.S.

Possession of Narcotics

Possession of Child Pornography

Private Correspondence with Foreign Government

Probation Violation

Product Tampering

Prohibition of Illegal Gambling Businesses

Prostitution

Protection of Foreign Officials

Public Corruption Crimes

Racketeering

Radiological Dispersal Devices

Ransom Money

Rape

Receiving the Proceeds of Extortion

Recording or Listening to Grand or Petit Juries While Deliberating

Reentry of an Alien Removed on National Security Grounds

Registration of Certain Organizations

Reproduction of Citizenship Papers

Resistance to Extradition Agent

Rescue of Seized Property

Retaliating Against a Federal Judge by False Claim or Slander of Title

Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim, or an Informant

Robbery

Robberies and Burglaries Involving Controlled Substances

Sabotage

Sale of Citizenship Papers

Sale of Stolen Vehicles

Searches Without Warrant

Second Degree Murder

Serial Murders

Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Sexual Assault

Sexual Battery

Sexual Conduct with a Minor

Sexual Exploitation

Sex Trafficking

Shoplifting

Smuggling

Solicitation to Commit a Crime of Violence

Stalking (In Violation of Restraining Order)

Stolen Property; Buying, Receiving, or Possessing

Subornation of Perjury

Suits Against Government Officials

Tampering with a Witness, Victim, or Informant

Tampering with Consumer Products

Tampering with Vessels

Theft of Trade Secrets

Torture

Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods or Services

Transmission of Wagering Information (Gambling)

Transportation into State Prohibiting Sale

Transportation of Slaves from U.S.

Transportation of Stolen Vehicles

Transportation of Terrorists

Trespassing

Treason

Unauthorized Removal of Classified Documents

Use of Fire or Explosives to Destroy Property

Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Vandalism

Video Voyeurism

Violation of Prohibitions Governing Atomic Weapons

Violence at International airports

Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity

Willful Wrecking of a Train Resulting in Death

Wire Fraud

That’s the list of all of my crimes

[darkmaga-retard]

In the age of digital globalization, scams have become a widespread problem, often orchestrated from across the globe. While scam stories are far from new, the evolving nature of fraud, the countries from which they originate, and the staggering financial losses for the United States require fresh analysis.

Key Scam Originating Countries

Several nations have been linked to high levels of fraud targeting American citizens and businesses, ranging from phishing and romance fraud to business email compromise (BEC). Here’s a breakdown of the most prominent ones:

·      Nigeria: Nigeria has long been associated with various forms of fraud, especially email scams, commonly known as “Nigerian Prince” scams. In recent years, sophisticated fraud networks have emerged, often involving cybercrime syndicates. These groups use social engineering tactics, romance scams, and fake business proposals to siphon billions from unsuspecting victims worldwide. The FBI estimates that Nigerian BEC scams alone result in losses of over $1.8 billion annually globally.

·      India: India has seen a rise in fraudulent call centers that target American consumers. These scams often involve tech support fraud, IRS impersonation scams, or fake credit card services. Criminal networks run many operations in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, where scammers impersonate IRS or Microsoft representatives. In 2022, it was estimated that tech support fraud originating from India led to losses exceeding $347 million in the U.S.

·      China: Chinese scammers are often linked to counterfeit goods, intellectual property theft, and fraudulent online marketplaces. China’s rise as a global e-commerce powerhouse has also enabled fraudsters to use platforms to sell fake products, affecting the fashion and pharmaceutical industries. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported that Chinese counterfeit scams cost the U.S. economy upwards of $600 billion annually.

·      Russia: Russian cybercriminals have become some of the most notorious worldwide. They are frequently linked to sophisticated hacking schemes and ransomware attacks. Russian crime groups target American corporations, government institutions, and critical infrastructure. The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in 2021, for instance, which was attributed to Russian hackers, resulted in a payout of $4.4 million in Bitcoin.

·      The Philippines: Call center scams, especially related to online dating, romance fraud, and fake investments, often originate from the Philippines. Scammers build elaborate counterfeit profiles, usually targeting emotionally vulnerable Americans. In 2023 alone, the FBI reported that romance scams from the Philippines resulted in over $700 million in losses.

[rauthschild]

We have described for you the deplorable criminality which has gained access to our world through the British Government(s) and their collusion with the Holy Roman Empire -- the impersonation of people as different kinds of corporations, the illegal and unlawful direct taxation of civilians by private banks, the use of commercial corporations to usurp national governments, and we have touched upon the corruption of the courts, especially Admiralty Courts and the so-called King's Bench (Maritime Commerce) courts.

We have plainly stated that the courts are bonding court cases and presenting them as investment opportunities. The bond numbers are case numbers, and the odds of conviction and "commission returns" on these bonds run at 96% on average, so the Hired Jurists running these courts are highly motivated to secure convictions by any means possible ---- the courts and the court's officers share in the booty they collect.

Government "Investors" are also highly motivated to keep this gravy train running. Where else can you guarantee yourself a 96% rate of return on a short term bond investment?

When first confronted about this "Court Registry Investment System" court officials stonewalled and denied the existence of any such bond investment (and ultimately, payola) system by which they receive commissions, aka, "pension" payments from all the loot rolling in from the illegal confiscation of privately-held American assets and equally illegal betting on the rigged outcome of court cases controlled by Hired Jurists in the King's Service.

The Guilty Parties observe that there is no law against murdering corporations, stealing from corporations, impounding corporations, etc., but then, in the same token, corporations should have no ability to make unlimited political campaign contributions, should they?

Those responsible for the unconscionable contracts allowing them to create all these Puerto Rican shelf corporations, and the Roman Inferior Cestui Que Vie Trusts that result when the shelf corporations are bankrupted, should be paying all the charges and expenses of maintaining these corporations and should also be paying all taxes owed by these imaginary corporate franchises, too.

The living victims of this personage scheme should be held absolutely harmless from all charges and harm, but as everyone can see and attest, the Parent Corporations and Administrators have been evading their Usufructuary Duty and foisting their responsibility off onto the victims of their inland piracy.

The Admiralty Courts have been busy collecting booty belonging purportedly to "rebels" engaged in illegal commercial mercenary "wars", and salvage fees owed by foreign sovereigns, and managing the Estates of imaginary British Merchant Mariners, who all just happen to be "Taxpayers" --- Warrant Officers who are responsible for collecting tariffs for the King, who are all based out of Puerto Rico and all declared "missing, lost at sea".

The Maritime Commercial Courts operated by the British Crown have been fraudulently confusing themselves -- the so-called United States District Courts -- with district courts of the United States authorized under Article V of the Federal Constitutions. Under this guise of borrowed rectitude, they have been operated as "concessions" to take advantage of the Cestui Que Vie ESTATES purportedly belonging to Municipal "citizens of the United States".

Are we all beginning to get the drift of just how crooked all these operations are and the nature of the "courts" that have been foisted off on the people of this country, who have all suffered crimes of impersonation and identity theft and human trafficking, at the hands of men employed by them to protect their "persons" and who are obligated by contract and treaty to do so?

As mentioned in our International Public Notice: Impersonation, the British Territorial Rump Congress created by Abraham Lincoln changed the meaning of the word "person" to mean "corporation".

See 37th Congress, Second Session, Chapter 49, Section 68.

This was followed up on February 2nd 1871, when the 41st British Territorial U.S. Congress declared itself to be the Successor of all United States Corporations.

The "United States" being referenced is the American Federal Republic and its corporations.

This takeover was done with no Notice to the Public, no listing in the Congressional Record, and, most importantly, no Notice to the Federation of States. It failed all requirements of Due Process.

How is that even possible?

By February 2nd 1871, all the State Governments had been confused with State of State Governments, and the Brits had illegally included State assets as if they were American State of State assets, and rolled everything into "State" Trusts.

They had also demanded that the people of each State write new Constitutions allowing their own British Territorial State-of-State operations to take over.

The American States of States, such as The State of New York, were replaced by British Territorial counterparts calling themselves, for example, "the State of New York". The name change was so slight, a change from "The" to "the", that nobody but British Collaborators knew there had been any change at all.

The new "State" Constitutions enacted between 1863 and 1871 were equally vague and deceitful, appearing very similar to prior service contracts and calculated to hide what was actually going on from the American Public.

By February 2nd 1871, the assets of the actual Autochthonous Nation States had been illegally and illogically misidentified as assets of the Federal Republic and had been cashiered in covert State Trusts, like the Michigan State (Trust).

This is what gives rise to the grammatical nightmare of "the Michigan State Capitol" and "California State University".

As an analogy, if the company hired to mow your lawn went bankrupt, or for any reason failed to perform, would this justify an assumption that your property was part of their bankruptcy or incompetence? Would this scenario justify an assumption that your home was an asset of their bankrupt business? Or an unclaimed chattel of theirs?

Certainly not, yet this is precisely the "reasoning" employed to secretly latch upon the assets of the American States and cashier them in State Trusts controlled by the Perpetrators of this gigantic fraud scheme.

With the State assets illegally cashiered in trusts controlled by the Perpetrators under False Pretenses, the original American State of State organizations inoperable, and British Territorial States of States operating as franchises of the British Territorial corporation calling itself "the United States of America" --- Incorporated, there was nothing to stop the Perpetrators from bypassing Due Process owed to the actual States and People.

According to them and what they told the rest of the world, we had ceased to exist. Our lawful American Government was reportedly "in interregnum" and in the meantime, our British Territorial and Holy Roman Empire Federal Subcontractors were "assuming" a "custodial interest" in our assets.

In this way, the British Territorial Government under contract to our States, contrived to unlawfully convert our State assets into Public Trust assets controlled by their Agents, and to mothball and substitute their own "services" for both our Autochthonous American States-of-State organizations and our lawful State Governments.

This is all premeditated, malicious, self-interested legal chicanery and constructive fraud, by which our foreign employees have attempted to erase our national sovereignty, use our assets as collateral backing their debts, and ultimately, bring False Claims on Abandonment against our assets for their benefit.

We never abandoned anything, just like we never volunteered to act as "Taxpayers" and never knowingly adopted U.S. Citizenship, and were told nothing about the Roman Inferior Trust ESTATES established for us under the resoundingly False Presumption that we were ever "citizens of the United States", either.

These False Friends and False Representatives impersonated the American States and seized upon their assets, and have controlled our State assets by dint of secrecy, False Legal Presumptions, and False Claims dependent on similar names deceits.

Our original state-of-state entities doing business as, for example, The State of New York, were members of the failed Confederation.

Likewise, the stricken State Republics and Republics of State, such as the Texas Republic and Republic of Texas, were members of the failed Federal Republic.

Their assets might, arguably, be salvaged and secured by the British Territorial Federal Subcontractors doing business as the United States of America, Incorporated ---- but not the assets of our Autochthonous Nation-States.

Our Autochthonous unincorporated States of the Union are members of the unincorporated Federation of States.

There are no "United States Corporations" present for British Interests to seize upon or assume any custodial interest in.

In the same way, there is no excuse for them impersonating our States as State Trusts, substituting their state-of-state organizations for ours, nor any of the criminal impersonations and undisclosed registrations of individual Americans that have taken place.

There is no plausible excuse for them bringing their Admiralty and Maritime courts ashore and misaddressing American civilians as corporate franchises and foreign persons in their own country.

All of this is in direct violation of both The Constitution of the United States of America and The Constitution of the United States, Article IV, in its entirety.

These men and women are present in our country to provide us with essential government services in "good faith", not to practice crimes of personage against us and pretend that they are our "representatives", custodians, guardians, and trustees.

For those who cannot believe that the Admiralty and Maritime courts presently operating in this country have been used to promote illegal and immoral confiscation of Autochthonous American assets, to commit personage against average Americans, to create a rigged bond market and to provide commissions masked as "pension payments" to the men and women engaged in this criminal activity, we are attaching a 66 page pdf file that adequately explains the Court Registry Investment System (CRIS) and documents its receipts.

[the-thoughtpolice]

>Be Japanese

>Have an obsession with watching action movies with your dad

>Have Dad die

>Obsession grows, want to make action movies

>Hear about these 'Video Gaymes' like monkey Island and other point and clicks

>TL;DR, playable movies

>Rub hands together maniacally

>Create video game about space police

>Absolutely cook, make a name for yourself

>Create video game about little robots doing identity theft

>Cook once more

>Remeber old movie

>Make Game about Espionage Action or whatever

>GAS, GET ALL THE SALES

>So good, corporate rips off w/ port & sequal

>Decide to do other squeal on your own

>PEAK FICTION

>wait until new tech

>new tech

>What if it was 3D?

>ALL THE MONEY

>What if fuck you?

>EVEN MORE MONEY

>What if instead jungle?

>PEAK FICTION

>What if missions?

>I mean, it's alright, I suppose

>Boyfriend leaves

>OK, I'm sick of this

>Make final game

>Nostalgia trip

>People are mixed, but understand

>Try to leave

>'Nuh uh' -Konami

>Fine

>Redeem SO with Peacewalker

>Absolute heat

>Try to leave

>'Nuh uh' -Konami

>FINE

>Release opening of a game with a bunch of side ops to show of

>Fans confused

>Run elaborate scheme to reveal real game

>Write Moby Dick but they are all depressed

>Go over budget

>'Can I Have More?'

>'Nuh-uh' -Konami

>Get kicked out

>75% finished game released

>Still peak

>Be now

>Corporate is gaming's NO.1 punchline

>Have everyone love you

>Make games about dad

>Be Hideo Kojima

I don't know why I wrote this

[r1yxhh444]

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒔 01: 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒎

"Why you pursue something is as important as what you pursue."

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 (𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕/𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅) 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐:

Film: Nightcrawler (2014)

played by: Jake Gyllenhaal

Full Name:  Louis Bloom (Lou)

Type of Villain: Psychopathic Snuff Filmer

Occupation: formerly a petty thief. Now a freelance video journalist and CEO of video production news. 

 Skills:

High intelligence

Business skills

Shot composition

Video editing

Driving skills

Thievery

Manipulation

Charisma

Hobbies:

Making money.

Driving around.

Filming crimes and accidents.

Caring for his plant.

Watching TV.

Ironing his laundry.

Sewing.

Goals: Corner the market for nightcrawling and avoiding karma (succeeded).

Crimes:

Mass murder by proxy

Public endangerment

Snuff filming

Theft

Blackmail

Destruction of public property

Vandalism

Assault

Obstruction of justice

Sexual extortion

Sabotage

Reckless driving

Breaking and entering

Abuse

𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚:

Louis Bloom is a complex character with sociopathic tendencies. He possesses an unrelenting dedication to his goals and is willing to employ morally questionable methods to achieve them, often rationalizing his actions based on the desired outcomes. Initially, he presents himself as kind and charismatic, concealing his more sinister traits. However, those who interact with him over time gradually uncover his manipulative and exploitative nature, finding themselves unwittingly drawn into his schemes. Louis demonstrates a proficiency in business and employs insincere motivational phrases, suggesting a knack for the corporate world. His intelligence and keen perception of others enable him to exploit people, both financially and sexually, at times revealing extreme or degrading sexual preferences. Remarkably, Louis is self-taught and a quick learner, showcasing the ability to grasp and master the intricacies of the video industry from scratch.

Louis Bloom's character is a prime example of an antihero or antagonist, as he engages in morally reprehensible actions while maintaining a complex and captivating persona. His character's complexity and the moral ambiguity surrounding his actions contribute to the intrigue and tension in the story.

𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔/𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒔:

Louis Bloom is a compelling character driven by his insatiable ambition and unyielding dedication to achieving his goals. His sociopathic tendencies are evident as he manipulates, exploits, and disregards the well-being of others to further his interests. Behind his charismatic facade lies a darker, more sinister personality that gradually surfaces as those who know him longer become pawns in his manipulative schemes. He is a master of corporate jargon and insincere motivational phrases, reflecting a keen business acumen he uses to gain the upper hand in various situations.

One of the most disturbing aspects of Louis's character is his propensity for sexual exploitation, particularly in his relationship with Nina. This adds a profoundly unsettling and sinister layer to his already complex personality. However, his ability to be a quick learner and self-taught individual is undeniably remarkable, allowing him to grasp and master the intricacies of the video industry from scratch. In Louis Bloom, we find a character who blurs the lines between the antihero and antagonist, making him a captivating and morally ambiguous figure within the story.

𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓:

Louis Bloom's character in the film "Nightcrawler" is deliberately portrayed as morally complex and disturbing, which makes him intriguing from a storytelling perspective. As a character, he serves his purpose well within the narrative and is portrayed convincingly by Jake Gyllenhaal. Therefore, I rate Louis Bloom as an 8 out of 10 for his effectiveness in the context of the film and his ability to evoke strong emotions and reactions from the audience. However, it's important to note that character ratings can be subjective, and individuals may have varying opinions about their character based on personal preferences and interpretations.

[leam1983]

Zeitgeist

Replaying Grand Theft Auto V is kind of depressing, seeing as you realize very little of its caricature of mid-2010s America has actually changed.

We're still choking under mountains of debt, we're still mostly powerless in the face of modern-day robber barons fleecing us of our cold, hard cash in crypto schemes that might as well be the 1920s Oil Plot scam dressed up in shiny new clothes, we're still slavishly adhering to corporate-mandated expectations of body image and self-esteem, we've effectively turned positivity into a corporate buzzword to be packaged and sold, kids retreat into extended childhoods in the face of an adulthood that seems more irrelevant than ever, which results in fortysomething YouTubers and Internet celebs with the maturity level of a fourteen year-old - and there's still misinformed machos proselytizing the idea that the Right Guy with a Gun could clean up North America's entire value system by selectively purging anything and anyone that doesn't fit with their worldview. We've also still got would-be tech evangelists that shit out the dumbest ideas in existence to the widespread approval of zealous sheeple whose only concern is of Fitting In. It was LifeInvader's Dock in GTA V, and the Metaverse for us.

Is it any wonder, considering, that we're still saddled with middle-class Average Joes that snap, grab themselves a gun with little to no oversight and then go on a spree?

Fuck, if I had to actually buy a house, I might as well pick up Mike DeSanta's toolset and rob myself a bank or two...

[mallowmaenad]

my new political ideaology is that I get a device called the dipshit detector that removes self-important white people’s ability to use cellphones for 1 month and I don’t fucking care if this is a fascist dictatorshit i actually would turn joe biden into joe woke and donald trump into pronoun trump if i see one more loud mouthed straighty act like their opinion fucking matters im introducing their shy 9 year old son to my little pony i cant fucking take this shit yes fuck it throw republicans in concentration camps they’re practically begging for it they wont shut the fuck up about how theyre gonna be hunted down and killed wish granted bitch blam blam its wabbit season bitch im sick of liberals im sick of voting im sick of norway if youre even slightly uncomfortable around gay people you should be set on fire black power asian power jewish power latino power and i fucking mean it im not just buying the stupid 30$ tshirt on fckhate.com the worst thing to ever happen in american history is abraham lincoln not publicly executing every confederate general and outlawing slavery full stop we literally live in starship troopers we are trapped in a shitty gmod half life dark rp server yeah I do think you’re basically a terrorist if you go to disney land and i also think that if the first words out of your mouth when the rustbelt gets set on fire is “those dirty rednecks deserve it” ill show you a fucking redneck you fucking yank prick you fucking racist i wish hilary clinton would explode on live tv charitys are fucking fake theyre as fake as those cardboard towns in north korea oppenheimer was a limpdick pussy and fallout is becoming a game franchise that fetishizes the mass genocide of asians and i want todd howard pinned under a large rock for it spec ops the line wasn’t ugly enough there is a conspiracy started by the cosmetics, nutrition and fashion industry in collaboration with the upper class descendants of fucking typhoid “moneybags” marys to fool the masses that fat people aren’t hot as fuck. My body and mind and soul degrade with the week because of yhe shit ass menial labor yhey made me do and the fucking lead in gasoline and world war 1 started a chain reaction of fathers beating their kids and wives because it’s cheaper to buy a gun than go to therapy because we’re fucking warhammer orks without any of the endearing mental stupidity we live in mordor. we live in fucking mordor. it literally does not matter who is president our two political parties are Nazis and Neo-Nazis bernie sanders was the closest thing to a centrist this country has ever seen. capitalism grinds up joy into a paste to divvy out on 500$ gucci toothpicks public urination should be legal rent is theft corporations are agents of satan who is jesus christ who is not jesus of nazareth jesus christ is the poster boy of white supremacy i fucking hate Hamilton white people should listen to MORE rap i want to get my dick sucked at a death grips concert. Laundromats and burger joints where you can get a meal for 5$ are far more important than police stations and walmart. pop anarchists want to personally confiscate your wheelchair uou fuckers treat yhis like a game fuckin e girls with hammers and sickles in their icons arguing about what form of communism or socialism or whateverism is right when bitch that is a pipe dream you are going to die in captivity arguing about which dragon ball z character is the strongest (girl broly) at least go punch a hole in your wall and fuck it to prove you’re human you facebook fetishist jesus christ every other day i want a biblical death just so my fucked up thouhhts mean something i need a fuckingjason vorhees bitch wheres the yandere tea party this is all so fucked up its not fucking real the christian god hates you whoever says otherwise is trying to make you a fucking slave. Mormonism and scientology should be wiped off the map any religion formed after the invention of the gun is a fucking pyramid scheme i wish i was a 9 foot toll shark lady with hugebrealssta so i could fucking knock over thechrystler building

DO 9/11 AGAIN

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Mission Man Sentenced For Gold Theft," Chilliwack Progress. October 13, 1943. Page 8. --- Four years in the B. C. penitentiary stretched before Donald William Duncan, Mission, after he had pleaded guilty at Dawson, Y.T., of the theft of $22,000 worth of gold from a Yukon mining company and smuggling $10,000 of it in the gears of a washing machine which he shipped to his home in British Columbia.

This was the first high-grading case in 30 years in the one-time gold boom town and created much excitement during the brief trial. Duncan, it was brought out by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, collected the gold, bit by bit, over a period of three years, while he was employed on a dredge owned by the Yukon Consolidated Gold Corporation of Dawson City.

RCMP officers found the $10,000 secreted in the gears of the washing machine shipped down from Dawson when they searched Dun- can's home at Mission. It had been shipped along with other furniture to his wife at Mission. The machine was still uncrated when searched. The other $12,000, police stated, had been found on Duncan's person and in his luggage when officers took him into custody at Dawson as he attempted to board a plane last Tuesday.

Duncan's wife was unaware of the scheme, RCMP officers believe.

[lenbryant]

No One Is Talking About What Ron DeSantis Has Actually Done to Florida

Media coverage of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s all-but-announced candidacy for president is already in full frenzy, and so far the script is exactly as his handlers would like it to be. The governor regularly opens up new fronts in the culture wars, sowing alarm over critical race theory, transgender rights, or border policies. In response, liberal pundits fall into the trap of accentuating the very issues DeSantis has chosen to fire up his base.

Omitted from the public debate about DeSantis’s policies is almost any discussion of his actual record of governance—what exactly he has delivered to the citizens of his state, especially those without seven-figure incomes and lush investment portfolios.

Even a cursory dip into the statistics of social and economic well-being reveals that Florida falls short in almost any measure that matters to the lives of its citizens. More than four years into the DeSantis governorship, Florida continues to languish toward the bottom of state rankings assessing the quality of health care, school funding, long-term elder care, and other areas key to a successful society.

Florida may be the place where “woke goes to die”—as DeSantis is fond of saying—but it is also where teachers’ salaries are among the lowest in the nation, unemployment benefits are stingier than in any other state, and wage theft flourishes with little interference from the DeSantis administration. In 2021, DeSantis campaigned against a successful ballot initiative to raise the state’s minimum wage, which had been stuck at $8.65 an hour. Under DeSantis’s watch, the Sunshine State has not exactly been a workers’ paradise.

Read More: Why “Woke” Is A Convenient Republican Dog Whistle

DeSantis weaponizes the cultural wars to distract attention from the core missions of his governorship, which is to starve programs geared toward bettering the lives of ordinary citizens so he can maintain low taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Florida is the ideal haven for privileged Americans who don’t want to pay their fair share of taxes. It has no income tax for individuals, and its corporate tax rate of 5.5% is among the lowest in the nation. An investigation by the Orlando Sentinel in late 2019 revealed the startling fact that 99% of Florida’s companies paid no corporate income tax, abetted by tax-avoidance schemes and state officials who gave a low priority to enforcing tax laws.

This is a pattern that shows up in the statistics of many Republican-led states, which on average commit fewer dollars per-capita to health care, public education, and other crucial services compared to their blue counterparts, while making sure corporations and wealthy individuals are prioritized for tax relief. Arizona cut taxes every year between 1990 and 2019, following up with a shift to a flat tax this year that will cost its budget $1.9 billion. Meanwhile, its public-school spending ranks 48 among the 50 states.

In Florida, the state’s tax revenues come largely through sales and excise taxes, which fall hardest on the poor and middle class. A 2018 study by the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that Florida had the third least-equitable tax system of the 50 states. In the state’s “upside-down” tax structure, the poorest 20% of Florida families paid 12.7% of their income in taxes, while the families whose income was in the top 4% paid 4.5%, and the top 1% paid 2.3%, according to the study.

Florida taxpayers get less for their money than residents of many other states. The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that studies health-care systems globally, found in its 2022 “scorecard” that Florida had the 16th worst health care among the 50 states. It’s no wonder that Florida ranks below the northern blue states in life expectancy and rates of cancer death, diabetes, fatal overdoses, teen birth rates, and infant mortality.

Largely because of DeSantis’s obstinacy, Florida is one of 10 states that have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, an act of political spite that has cost those states billions in federal health care dollars and cost thousands of people their lives. More than 12% of Floridians are without medical insurance, a worse record than all but four other states. Despite having the country’s highest percentage of retirees, Florida has the worst long-term care among the 50 states, according to the American Association of Retired Persons.

Public schools fare no better than health care in DeSantis’s Florida. Not only did Florida rank 49th in the country for average teacher pay in 2020, but the Education Law Center, a non-profit advocacy group based in New Jersey, found in a 2021 report that the state had the seventh-lowest per-pupil funding in the country. Education Week, which ranks states public school annually, looking beyond mere test scores, placed Florida 23rd in its 2021 report, a lackluster showing for a large and wealthy state.

It says something about the state of our political discourse that Florida’s denuded public sector was not more of an issue in last year’s gubernatorial campaign. In endorsing DeSantis’s Democratic opponent, Charlie Crist, the Tampa Bay Times spent so many column inches on the incumbent’s demagoguery, vindictiveness, and authoritarian tendencies that it never even got to the minutiae of his governance. “No matter what you think about the state of the Florida economy or its schools or its future…,” the paper wrote, “the choice really is this simple: Do you want the state governed by a decent man or a bully?”

To be fair to the media, DeSantis and his allies manned the trenches of the culture wars so ferociously that it was all reporters could do to keep up with all the bomb throwing. How do you delve into the state’s tax policy when your governor is flying planeloads of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard or declaring war on Disney for issuing a statement in opposition to the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay Law”?

But that is very much the point of wedge issues, as they have been wielded by scurrilous politicians for decades, to anger and distract voters so they won’t notice the actions of public officials that mainly benefit the wealthy and are against the public interest.

As the 2024 election draws closer, DeSantis must not be allowed to accomplish nationally what he did in his state—cloak his service to the wealthy by frightening working people with stories about transgender recruiting and “socialist” college professors. There are unmistakable signs that Americans are focused on what an activist government can do for the public good, as evidenced by Floridians’ vote to increase the minimum wage.

The failure of DeSantis to better serve the most vulnerable citizens of his state is his weak underbelly in a national campaign.

TIME Magazine

BY WILLIAM KLEINKNECHT MARCH 29, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

Kleinknecht is a longtime political journalist and author of States of Neglect: How Red-State Leaders Have Failed Their Citizens and Undermined America

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Implementation of Welfare Programmes

More welfare programmes for women are being introduced in Andhra Pradesh than in any other state in the union. N. Chandrababu Naidu met with women from self-help organisations in the state. The gathering was hosted as part of the "Pasupu-Kumkuma" scheme's fourth tranche of payments.The chief minister of the state, N. Chandrababu Naidu, is attempting to create a brand for the residents of Andhra Pradesh. Following the implementation of 21 social programs, such now seems to be the case. To assist rural towns in advancing their socioeconomic situation, he initiated a flurry of programs and projects.Visit our site for TDP Achievements and Developments .

He also emphasized the progress made in the infrastructure while he was in charge. With 25000 KM of CC roads, we have constructed infrastructure in rural areas. To defend women's dignity, we constructed toilets in every home. We are constructing 25 lakh homes for the underprivileged. In all villages, we installed LED lighting, a drainage system, gas for every home, and clean drinking water. Despite the problems with the bifurcation, we are not reluctant to invest money in facilities."

N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasized the need of using technology properly, claiming that tying Aadhar numbers to recipients of government programs will decrease misuse and theft. N. Chandrababu Naidu announced the formation of the Swacha Andhra Pradesh Corporation and advised that sanitation and hygiene be given first priority, with individual latrines being prioritized and constructed on schedule. Instead of merely upholding the Constitution, officers should strive to improve the lives of those they serve. Additionally, it was encouraged to be transparent in how Dalit, ST, SC, and minority group welfare and development programs were carried out.For more information follow Latest TDP News.

To accomplish social empowerment and poverty reduction, N. Chandrababu Naidu instructed the government ministries to coordinate their efforts. He also declared that all personnel who have worked for three years in Agency areas will receive postings in locations of their choosing.

Other choices made by the Chief Minister at the meeting included boosting tourism development and working to give each town in the State a distinct identity. Artisans would be given unique skill training, access to special colonies, and marketing facilities.

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RussianMarket.to: Unveiling the Dark Web’s Hub for Illicit Trade

In the shadowy corners of the internet, hidden from regular search engines and browsers, thrives a flourishing marketplace of illegal goods and services. The dark web, notorious for its anonymity and lack of regulation, has become a breeding ground for cybercriminal activities. One of the most infamous sites associated with this underworld is RussianMarket.to, commonly referred to as "Russian Market." This article delves into the rise, operations, and impact of RussianMarket.to, one of the dark web’s hubs for illicit trade, from stolen data to counterfeit goods.

The Rise of RussianMarket.to

RussianMarket.to, as its name suggests, originated from Russia and quickly became one of the top players in the world of online illegal trade. While several dark web marketplaces exist, each specializing in different criminal niches, Russian Market carved its reputation by offering high-quality stolen data, hacking tools, and counterfeit items.

The site's popularity grew due to its reliability, customer satisfaction, and broad range of illicit offerings. Like other dark web platforms, RussianMarket.to operated on the Tor network, which masks users' IP addresses and provides a level of anonymity difficult to penetrate by law enforcement agencies. Additionally, cryptocurrency transactions—usually in Bitcoin or Monero—allowed users to buy and sell with minimal risk of being traced.

Its strategic focus on the sale of personal data, credit card information, login credentials, and counterfeit identification made Russian Market a hotbed for identity theft and financial fraud. Users who were adept at navigating the dark web and engaging in cybercrime flocked to the site, not only for the stolen data but also for the services and tools it provided.

Illicit Offerings: What Can Be Found on RussianMarket.to

RussianMarket.to is best known for the wide array of stolen personal information it offers for sale. One of the most sought-after items on the platform is credit card data, often referred to as “CCs.” These CCs include detailed information, such as the cardholder's name, card number, expiration date, CVV code, and sometimes additional identifying information like billing addresses and phone numbers. Buyers use this information to make fraudulent purchases or to engage in card cloning, creating counterfeit physical copies of the stolen cards.

In addition to credit card information, Russian Market also traffics in stolen login credentials for bank accounts, online shopping platforms, and cryptocurrency wallets. With access to these accounts, cybercriminals can drain funds, engage in unauthorized transactions, or even blackmail the original account holders. Another popular category on the site is counterfeit identification documents, including fake passports, driver’s licenses, and Social Security numbers. These documents allow criminals to assume new identities, evade law enforcement, or engage in other illegal activities like smuggling and money laundering.

RussianMarket.to also offers hacking tools and tutorials for those who want to get involved in cybercrime but lack the necessary technical skills. These guides range from beginner-level tutorials on phishing schemes to advanced methods for breaching corporate networks and stealing sensitive data. Such resources make cybercrime more accessible to a broader audience, contributing to its growth and diversification.

The Business Model: How RussianMarket.to Thrives

Much like other online marketplaces, RussianMarket.to relies on a simple and effective business model. Sellers upload their listings, offering everything from stolen data to counterfeit goods, while buyers browse the available products, making purchases through a secure, anonymous payment system. Russian Market operates on a rating and feedback system, where buyers can rate the quality of the data or goods they purchase. This helps to maintain a level of trust between buyers and sellers, ensuring that only high-quality items are sold on the platform.

Payment on RussianMarket.to is primarily done through cryptocurrencies, which provide an added layer of anonymity and are difficult to trace back to the buyer or seller. Bitcoin and Monero are the most common forms of payment on the site, with Monero being preferred due to its enhanced privacy features.

To access Russian Market, users need to go through the Tor browser, which encrypts their internet traffic and anonymizes their browsing activity. This combination of Tor encryption and cryptocurrency payments makes it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to track down the users and administrators of RussianMarket.to.

Law Enforcement and the Battle Against Russian Market

Despite the site’s sophisticated layers of anonymity, it has not escaped the attention of international law enforcement agencies. Like other high-profile dark web marketplaces, RussianMarket.to is a target for cybersecurity experts and authorities. Agencies such as Europol, Interpol, and national cybercrime units continuously monitor these platforms, infiltrating them when possible to collect information on users and administrators.

However, taking down such platforms is no easy task. The decentralized and anonymous nature of the dark web, combined with the global nature of cybercrime, makes it challenging to pinpoint specific individuals responsible for the operation of sites like Russian Market. Moreover, even if law enforcement manages to take down a platform, new marketplaces quickly spring up to fill the void, as was seen with other notorious dark web marketplaces such as Silk Road and AlphaBay.

The Broader Impact of RussianMarket.to

The existence of RussianMarket.to is a stark reminder of the challenges posed by the dark web and the evolving nature of cybercrime. The platform enables financial crimes, identity theft, and hacking on a global scale, impacting individuals, corporations, and governments alike. The stolen data sold on Russian Market often leads to financial losses for individuals and businesses, not to mention the emotional and psychological toll of identity theft.

Moreover, by providing resources and tools for aspiring cybercriminals, Russian Market perpetuates a culture of lawlessness and illicit activity on the internet. While law enforcement agencies are continually working to combat the threats posed by these platforms, the ever-evolving nature of cybercrime ensures that the battle is far from over.