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Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.


“You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.” 
― Malcolm X, By Any Means Necessary




TRUMP - RUSSIA PROBE







WHITE HOUSE








REPUBLICAN PARTY






POLITICS






LGBTQ






"This is the use of religion to hurt people because you disapprove of who they are," said Harper Jean Tobin of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Any rule that grants a license to discriminate would be a disgrace and a mockery of the principal of religious freedom we all cherish." [Politico, Trump to overhaul HHS office, shield health workers with moral objections, https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/16/conscience-abortion-transgender-patients-health-care-289542]


 "Should the administration choose to move forward to implement a discriminatory policy, we will see them in court," Louise Melling, of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. [IBID]










Google News suddenly decides not to drop Russia's “troll factory” media outlet 🗞
Just two days after Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor asked Google to explain why its news aggregator stopped indexing stories from the Federal News Agency (FAN) — a media outlet with ties to the infamous “troll factory” — Google News suddenly restored coverage of FAN content, the outlet reported on November 5. Without any explanation, Google News dropped FANon October 27, leading the publication to accuse Google of censorship designed to benefit the U.S. government and restrict users’ access to information about the Russian-backed Syrian regime’s fight against terrorists. FAN vowed to appeal to Russian antitrust regulators and other officials. On November 3, Roskomnadzor — Russia's federal Internet censor — sent a letter to Google demanding an explanation, claiming that part of Roskomnadzor's role is the protection of free speech.
·        Based on the time of day that Google News restarted its aggregation of FAN content, the outlet believes the decision was made by Google’s headquarters in the U.S., not by the company’s Moscow office.

·        FAN was created in 2014, and it was initially based in the same office in St. Petersburg as the infamous “troll factory,” which was allegedly founded by the catering magnate Evgeny Prigozhin. According to an investigative report published by the magazine RBC in March 2017, the troll factory is tied to a whole “media group” that includes half a dozen publications, where FAN is the most prominent. The total audience for the media network was estimated to be 11 million unique viewers a month. (The Real Russia. Today. November 6)

1 big thing: Impact of Big Tech hearings

A SurveyMonkey poll for Axios found that Americans weren't impressed by tech firms' explanation of how Russian actors took advantage of their platforms during the 2016 election, but most people still don't embrace regulating the web platforms to prevent it from happening again, Axios' David McCabe reports:
  • 34% of Americans who paid some level of attention to last week's hearings said that they think worse of the way major tech companies are handling foreign election interference after the Capitol Hill appearances. Just 13% said they thought better of the companies.
  • More Americans are now wary of the government going too far to regulate web platforms than before the hearings.
  • In a slight shift from our survey two weeks ago, a narrow majority of Americans now believe social media helps (rather than hurts) democracy and free speech.
The bottom line: Neither Congress nor the tech companies did themselves any favors. But tech execs tell me they won by not losing: Their counsels answered hours of questions with no big gaffe or revelation.
Be smart: The wariness of government regulation is widespread and bipartisan enough to be a warning to lawmakers who want to pursue it. (Axios AM, November 7, 2017)

BOOKS







BERNIE SANDERS




CANDIDATES








NOTE: The news sources here vary.  Not all sources have the same credibility, but in an effort to share some different perspectives, they are included here.  This compendium itself cannot claim to be unbiased.  Please take into consideration where these different perspectives originate in assessing their value.  Thank you

NOTE: I have no official connection to any organization from which information is shared.. Occasionally, I post informational material and/or an opportunity to donate or join as  a "community service" announcement.  These again are shared for their varying perspectives.

Any books listed are random or topic-related to something else in the post.  Think of these as a "library bookshelf" to browse.  They are shared for informational or entertainment value only, not as being recommended
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