Richard Stallman's Political Notes' Journal

Porn ban

A magat senator has proposed a bill that would make it a crime to distribute or even own anything that his religious extremism would call "obscene". Including, arguably, The Game of Thrones.

I think that distributing copies of The Game of Thrones should not be a crime unless they are perverted by DRM.

As for web site age checks that block access based on the user's age, I think they are acceptable provided they convey no information about the user to anyone aside from whether perse qualifies according to the age check. One way to implement this with free software is with a variant of GNU Taler.

"AI" therapy

Big Tech wants you to share your private thoughts with chatbots -- while backing a government with contempt for privacy. That's not to mention that chatbots can be set up to implement or inculcate prejudices.

Please don't propagate the error of referring to chatbots as "AI".

Global heating

The US secretary of the interior theoretically recognizes that global heating occurs, but denies that it is happening already.

Domestic violence aid programs targeted

The bully is targeting programs that aid victims of domestic violence.

Why? Could it be simple performative misogyny?

Condemnation and punishment

Countries that provide arms to Israel, and their leaders since 8 Oct 2023, may face condemnation and punishment for supporting Israel in its mass killing in Gaza.

UK defense

*[So-called "AI"] to play increasing role in UK armed forces, defence secretary says.*

I can see it now. "Oops! Three of the four divisions we sent to Poland do not actually exist, and the other one was ordered to Finland at the same time."

Space-based nuclear weapon defense

The bullshitter wants to build space-based nuclear weapon defenses that would cost a trillion dollars (spread over 20 years).

Even if this system works against nearly all of the attacking missiles, it won't stop 100% of them. It doesn't require many nuclear explosions to cause a nuclear winter and destroy both sides (and the rest of civilization).

However, the system could be effective deterrence for a nuclear first strike intended to destroy the US nuclear capability. That might assure a nuclear war between great powers never happens.

But is that indeed likely ever to happen? Maybe its inherent dangers are enough to deter it. Would that first strike itself start a nuclear winter and destroy both sides?

UK fascist in charge of vetting

A candidate in the UK's fascist party who praised Hitler and Assad has been put in charge of deciding who is an acceptable candidate for that party.

This follows the bully's approach in the US: a strategy of radical rejection of reality, to a point verging on insanity.

Immediate deportations

The deportation thugs wait outside the door of the buildings where immigration courts meet, so that they can immediately arrest and deport people who lose their cases.

That way, the victims won't have a chance to peacefully arrange their own departure, pack up their possessions, or say goodbye to their families.

ICC sanctions

*The wrecker's sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted tribunal's work.*

UK defence

*[So-called "AI"] to play increasing role in UK armed forces, defence secretary says.*

I can see it now. "Oops! Three of the four divisions we sent to Poland do not actually exist, and the other one was ordered to Finland at the same time."

Outlawing the free press, HUN

*EU urged to act over Hungary's plans to "effectively outlaw free press."*

The question is, what can the EU actually do? Under the EU treaties, intervening in a member country's "security" arrangements is very difficult.

Urgent: Refocus FBI on real crime

US citizens: call on Congress to have the FBI investigate real criminals, especially abusive corporations, not immigrants who have done no wrong to anyone.

If you phone, please spread the word! Main Switchboard: +1-202-224-3121

Urgent: block flying bribe

US citizens: call on Congress to block Trump's $400 million flying bribe.

If you phone, please spread the word! Main Switchboard: +1-202-224-3121

Dissidents of China

*China accused of using mental health law to lock up critics.*

Various dictatorial countries have used this approach to jail people who criticize the government.

Labour backlash concerning poor

Massive disapproval within the Labour Party, inside and outside if Parliament, compelled Starmer to cancel some of the plans to reduce support for poor people.

While the decision affects just one issue, aid for home heating, he may have to reprioritize more broadly and serve the non-rich.

Surveillance state Orwellian US

*U.S. Spy Agencies Are Getting a One-Stop Shop to Buy Your Most Sensitive Personal Data.*

Your data will probably be available to them, because you use systems that collect the data about your movements and your actions. That data collection creates an Orwellian system, whose results we see here.

I reject nearly all such systems because I am against the Orwellian society that they create. The database of mobile phone location data can't have any information in it about me, since I have never had one.

Please join me in rejecting these systems and demanding that they not collect data about who people talk with, where people go, and what they do there.

Urgent: Big Ugly Bill in Senate

US citizens: phone your senators and call on the to vote against the magats' Big Bad Bill.

Robert Reich summarizes facts about the Big Bad Bill. Cutting Medicaid and food stamps are just the start of the suffering.

One thing not mentioned there is that the bill would automatically cause a large cut in Medicaid because it would increase the federal deficit.

The bill would also block federal courts from enforcing court orders by declaring the officials who ignore them in contempt of court.

If you phone, please spread the word! Main Switchboard: +1-202-224-3121

Babies and elderly starving, Gaza

*If aid doesn’t enter Gaza now, 14,000 babies may die. UN peacekeepers must step in.*

The UN General Assembly has the power to do this as a last resort. I think the time for a last resort came a year ago.

Big Pharma subterfuge campaign, US

*At least six organizations that claim to champion patient rights have deep financial and operational ties to Big Pharma and work to advance corporate profits.*

Young couple assassinated, D.C.

Kenneth Roth: shooting embassy workers to make a point about Gaza is inexcusable. It is also self-defeating, since Netanyahu is citing that killing to try to discredit all the others who condemn the bombardment and siege of Gaza. Irrational as that argument is, it will have an effect.

Hong Kong's "random" tax audits

Hong Kong's "random" income tax audits seem to fall strangely often on independent journalism.

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Bullshitter's "evidence" for accusing South Africa for practicing bigotry

The bullshitter's "evidence" for accusing South Africa for practicing bigotry against whites is, as usual, full of bullshit.

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Keywords in emails of Microsoft employees arriving late or not at all

*[Microsoft] Employees on Wednesday began noticing that email messages sent from their company account containing a handful of keywords related to [the war in Gaza] [arrived late or not at all].

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Brazil's congress passed law to dismantle regulations

Brazil's congress has passed a law to "dismantle regulations in farming, mining and energy, increasing risk of widespread destruction."

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Children and elderly dying from starvation in Gaza

*Children and elderly are dying from starvation in Gaza, says health minister.*

Meanwhile, the insufficient supplies of food aid are somehow snagged and not reaching the starving Palestinians. I have no information on the cause of the snag, but I have to suspect it is no accident.

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RFK Jr's distorted report on health of US children

RFK Jr's distorted report on the health of US children by disregarding the main causes of children's death: guns and car crashes.

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Head of Committee for Public Safety did not know what Habeas Corpus means

The head of the Committee for Public Safety, aka Department of Homeland Security, did not know what Habeas Corpus means.

I suppose that she never was interested in learning about systems to protect people from arbitrary arrest and punishment.

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Britons want legal requirement for acceptance of cash

Most Britons want a legal requirement for businesses and services to accept cash payments. If you live in the UK — or anywhere else — please support the cause of cash. You can do it through organizing for such a law. And you can do it through direct action by paying cash.

You can also turn around and walk out of a business if it won't let you pay cash. That is what I do.

Another good way to respond to refusal to accept cash is to ask other customers, those who don't see the reason to pay cash, to accept your money in cash, then pay it to the business using a card.

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If you're concerned about the US national debt, tax the rich!

If you're concerned about the US national debt, or about effects of others' concern about the national debt, tax the rich!

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Perception of bullshitter's welcome to "refugee" Afrikaners

How the bullshitter's welcome to "refugee" Afrikaners is perceived in South Africa — mostly as a butt of ridicule.

The article linked to just above displays symbolic bigotry by capitalizing "black" but not "white". (To avoid endorsing bigotry, capitalize both words or neither one.) I denounce bigotry, and normally I will not link to articles that practice it. But I make exceptions for some articles because I consider them important — and I label them like this.

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Israeli troops fire 'warning shots' at diplomats

*Israeli troops fire ‘warning shots’ at 25 diplomats [representing 31 countries] visiting [Jenin in the] occupied West Bank.*

The Israeli government says they were "warning shots". What sort of government considers it appropriate to use "warning shots" to ask a group of diplomats to go down the other street? And what did Israel not want the diplomats to see?

The visit was arranged with the Palestinian Authority. Perhaps the intended warning was, "Don't talk with the PA."

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Judge ordered not to deport anyone to South Sudan

A judge ordered the government not to deport anyone to South Sudan without the court hearing that every deportee is entitled to, but they did it anyway. He has ruled that they violated the court order.

South Sudan is on the edge of civil war, and is not a safe place to deport anyone to.

The judge will proceed to consider punishment for the officials responsible. I fear that the wrecker will stage an autogolpe by defying this. On the other hand, if the judge backs down, that would give the wrecker the same victory.

Perhaps the judge will impose a small but symbolic penalty, which would seem absurd to defy.

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