edel

No much. He would have to declare if conflict of interest or to IRS. But strong feeling that is not the case. Again, if evidence was there, the FBI and even Trump would be all over with the evidence. This guy, probably had no even Confidential Security Clearance (lowest one). The only thing I can think of is industrial espionage but those are brought by the injured party and goes to a normal judicial channel... nothing indicates that is the case here.

I get in on UK now... Japan... gosh, I hope not but I am very afraid that is the underlying truth.

That is very hard to asses. I prefer to look it like this, what chances is that you will find a partner (like for marry to) out of 100 or so. I do believe, if given equal chance of interaction, you could find a marrying-material partner every 7 or 8 people. Now, in a world of plenty of choices, biases etc, we shuffle through hundreds of people before settling with one... and, even then, still unhappy with the choice for the people we haven gone through yet in our search. Now, that is for me... Chances is you would choose a different person out of these very same 7 to 8 people. Both chosen persons have the same chance of being equally good persons, as the non chosen ones.

You have a point... a scary point!

I presume the concern is governments banning apps left and right so a federated repository will be mostly immune from that. But you are right, technologically is not as straight forward.

What surprised me is that F-Droid is avoided by many FOSS enthusiasts (due to signing it themselves so delayed updates and potential tampering). Aurora is great but 100% on Google's merci and Google frequently cuts its winds. Did not know Aptoide was community based... have to check it out.

You really don't know how researches work... they get to be in multiple projects globally, specially when working in a university... that is why of the name. Besides, the US is highly sensitive with confidential information and for the most ridiculous things you need a "security clearance" that he will never get even the most basic one. Today, most on the spying is not done presentially within the target country, let alone with such a prominent position.

I agree with many of your premises, but not the main one. People are brainwashed for sure that migrants, jews, muslims, etc are the problem, but they do have grievances that the state does not care for them. Blaming Putin on that perception is silly, he wish he was that powerful. US had for decades massively aired propaganda in all corners of the world, financed NGOs, payed journalists and the results were mixed. Putin does not employ not even a 5% of the US budget into those operations. Farage is a good example, he noticed that the British are not happy, that Brussels was getting more powerful and blamed all in Brussels with memes like curved bananas etc (I know trade and knew Brexit was horrible for both side of the Channel) but I don't blame Putin for Farage or Trump... they both are just opportunistic in a situation those countries fail to deliver. UK and US are both in a worse situation due to these two politicians, but banning them both would have been far worse since the discontent still unaddressed. Blaming in Putin for them both is just ridiculous, he wish he had that power!

I don't think is that... the EU happily come to "rescue" Uyghurs from Beijing, or Kosovars from Belgrade, or Chechens from Moscow... the pattern I find is always to support Washington DC. For sure, you have much more chances of success by standing with the US (till now at least), but tens and tens of countries... that is not a normal statistical curve! And Corbin's expulsion doubt US had anything to do with it.

One thing you said lighted my mind though, countries that committed genocide are very into Israel today though... well, no Belgium though... it is complicated I guess, not a normal curve though.

It is normal... first Social Media desensitizated all of us... by the masses. It is hard to prove now what is true or false... Even "sensible Governments", left and right are applying techniques that Trump popularized... Look at the EU today! Add that to a fragile real economy (not what you see in the stock market) so everyone is afraid of a bold move and being written into a black list. I used to have a professor in that showed us documents (from FOIA) how, in the 80s, the FBI contacted his employers after his interviews no to hire him because his Communist ideas... Today you would not even get FOIA on that. Imagine now with the technology how a government hostile to you can ruin your life. The best way to survive, put your head down and go as unnoticed as possible.

The colonial abuses of 2 centuries ago were not recorded for most to see. Most recently, from blaming Spain for the sinking of the Maine to blame 9/11 on Afghanistan and Iraq the press got away with it, but now sources are so varied it is hard to suppress the reality any longer. True, we are less likely to protest in streets for change (I blame social media), but no one now trust the system and their arguments either. As we won't protest, we won't also join any army to fight in a foreign land for any cause. This will eventually corrode the system from within... just wait for a mayor financial crisis.

What puzzles me is not US, the lobbies are very strong and the media gets funded by well know institutions... but why the EU? Why Japan? Why even the UK since financial contribution is capped... how virtually every single one leader is blind or worse? Even calling for an investigation is outrageous for them!!!

Thanks for the article! Yes, South America is not free from this. One thing I have learned in my life is that how similar people we are everywhere... only circumstances make us seem different. Long gone are my admiration for Scandinavians! What most South America seems however (specially if a sizeable country), is distant enough from China, US and Russia to be easily dragged along in a conflict... and also their governments are weak enough to implement a global draft for instance.