bonginoreport--2020-07-04--This Is Six Flags’ Plan to Survive the Pandemic

In early 2020 , the Six Flags theme park chain found itself facing extinction for the second time in about decade , this time due to the coronavirus pandemic .
But investors say a recent influx of needed cash and a renewed focus on its core business have given it a solid chance of survival , and perhaps some good years ahead .
Often overshadowed by the massive and famous destination parks run by Disney and Universal , Six Flags is the biggest player in the business of regional theme parks , with 26 locations across North America .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Six Flags enjoyed a successful , though sometimes tumultuous rise , only to find itself bankrupt in the midst of the financial crisis .
The company reemerged and has enjoyed several years of strong sales .
But by the time the coronavirus pandemic struck Six Flags was already struggling with stymied plans to expand internationally .
After a $ 725 million debt offering in April to help weather the crisis , the company is focusing on gradually reopening its parks .
It is employing a number of health and safety measures .
Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time to keep attendance levels manageable .
Most jurisdictions that are allowing businesses to reopen are limiting customer capacity to about 25 % of a business 's typical maximum capacity , said then-interim Chief Financial Officer Lenny Russ on a Oppenheimer investment conference call on June 16 .
All guests and employees are required to wear face masks .
They will also undergo temperature screening before they enter the park with a new fast thermal scanning technology .
There are dedicated hand washing and sanitizing stations and cleaning teams .
Markers inidcate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space between guests and the park will leave empty seats on rides to keep parties apart .
Some parks were already open as of mid-June , Russ said .
These include Oklahoma 's Frontier City , a water park outside Phoenix and Six Flags over Georgia , among others .
Six Flags ' Great Adventure converted its safari in Jackson , New Jersey , back to a drive-thru attraction , and opened it on May 30 .
More parks will be opened as local governments loosen restrictions .
These decisions could allow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue during what is normally its busiest season .
With spikes in cases in parts of the country , there is still plenty of uncertainty .
Disclosure : Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC .

In early 2020, the Six Flags theme park chain found itself facing extinction for the second time in about decade, this time due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But investors say a recent influx of needed cash and a renewed focus on its core business have given it a solid chance of survival, and perhaps some good years ahead.
Often overshadowed by the massive and famous destination parks run by Disney and Universal, Six Flags is the biggest player in the business of regional theme parks, with 26 locations across North America.
Since its beginnings in Texas in 1961, Six Flags enjoyed a successful, though sometimes tumultuous rise, only to find itself bankrupt in the midst of the financial crisis. The company reemerged and has enjoyed several years of strong sales.
But by the time the coronavirus pandemic struck Six Flags was already struggling with stymied plans to expand internationally.
After a $725 million debt offering in April to help weather the crisis, the company is focusing on gradually reopening its parks.
It is employing a number of health and safety measures. Park guests will have to make reservations ahead of time to keep attendance levels manageable. Most jurisdictions that are allowing businesses to reopen are limiting customer capacity to about 25% of a business's typical maximum capacity, said then-interim Chief Financial Officer Lenny Russ on a Oppenheimer investment conference call on June 16.
All guests and employees are required to wear face masks. They will also undergo temperature screening before they enter the park with a new fast thermal scanning technology. There are dedicated hand washing and sanitizing stations and cleaning teams. Markers inidcate how riders should line up to provide space between guests and the park will leave empty seats on rides to keep parties apart.
Some parks were already open as of mid-June, Russ said. These include Oklahoma's Frontier City, a water park outside Phoenix and Six Flags over Georgia, among others. Six Flags' Great Adventure converted its safari in Jackson, New Jersey, back to a drive-thru attraction, and opened it on May 30.
More parks will be opened as local governments loosen restrictions. These decisions could allow the company to pull in some much needed revenue during what is normally its busiest season. With spikes in cases in parts of the country, there is still plenty of uncertainty.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.


bonginoreport--2020-07-04--Trump Signs Executive Order to Rebuild Non-Confederate Monuments Destroyed by Protesters

Ahead of the Fourth of July weekend , President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would create a new national park to display statues and monuments dedicated to “ American Heroes , ” including those that have been torn down by protesters in the past month .
The order lists specific criteria and examples of either names of potential persons to be honored or events from which historically significant persons may be honored , such as the “ discovery of America ” or the “ abolition of slavery.
” Neither the Confederacy nor the Civil War are mentioned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , statues of George Washington , Christopher Columbus , and even Abraham Lincoln have been destroyed , as well as monuments dedicated to abolitionists and Africa-American soldiers .
It is these statues and monuments Trump said he wanted to restore and preserve .
“ To destroy a monument is to desecrate our common inheritance .
In recent weeks , in the midst of protests across America , many monuments have been vandalized or destroyed .
Some local governments have responded by taking their monuments down .
Among others , monuments to Christopher Columbus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Benjamin Franklin , Francis Scott Key , Ulysses S. Grant , leaders of the abolitionist movement , the first all-volunteer African-American regiment of the Union Army in the Civil War , and American soldiers killed in the First and Second World Wars have been vandalized , destroyed , or removed , ” Trump ’ s order stated .
“ These statues are not ours alone , to be discarded at the whim of those inflamed by fashionable political passions ; they belong to generations that have come before us and to generations yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an assault on our collective national memory .
In the face of such acts of destruction , it is our responsibility as Americans to stand strong against this violence , and to peacefully transmit our great national story to future generations through newly commissioned monuments to American heroes , ” the order continued .
Trump created a task force to begin searching for a scenic location to build the “ National Garden of American Heroes , ” a national park that would display statues recreated from those that have been destroyed and highlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and localities will also be able to loan statues and monuments to be displayed at the park .
Trump listed the names of some people who should be memorialized in the park , including some well-known conservative figures such as Billy Graham and Antonin Scalia .
“ The National Garden should be composed of statues , including statues of John Adams , Susan B. Anthony , Clara Barton , Daniel Boone , Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain , Henry Clay , Davy Crockett , Frederick Douglass , Amelia Earhart , Benjamin Franklin , Billy Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin Luther King , Jr. , Abraham Lincoln , Douglas MacArthur , Dolley Madison , James Madison , Christa McAuliffe , Audie Murphy , George S. Patton , Jr. , Ronald Reagan , Jackie Robinson , Betsy Ross , Antonin Scalia , Harriet Beecher Stowe , Harriet Tubman , Booker T. Washington , George Washington , and Orville and Wilbur Wright , ” the order stated .
“ Statues should depict historically significant Americans , as that term is defined in section 7 of this order , who have contributed positively to America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Founding Fathers , those who fought for the abolition of slavery or participated in the underground railroad , heroes of the United States Armed Forces , recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor or Presidential Medal of Freedom , scientists and inventors , entrepreneurs , civil rights leaders , missionaries and religious leaders , pioneers and explorers , police officers and firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty , labor leaders , advocates for the poor and disadvantaged , opponents of national socialism or international socialism , former Presidents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , judges and justices , astronauts , authors , intellectuals , artists , and teachers .
None will have lived perfect lives , but all will be worth honoring , remembering , and studying , ” Trump added .
Priority will be given to “ statues of the Founding Fathers , former Presidents of the United States , leading abolitionists , and individuals involved in the discovery of America.
” The Daily Wire , headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro , is a leading provider of conservative news , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric to provide readers with the most important , relevant , and engaging stories of the day .
Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .

Ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would create a new national park to display statues and monuments dedicated to “American Heroes,” including those that have been torn down by protesters in the past month.
The order lists specific criteria and examples of either names of potential persons to be honored or events from which historically significant persons may be honored, such as the “discovery of America” or the “abolition of slavery.” Neither the Confederacy nor the Civil War are mentioned in the order.
In the past month, statues of George Washington, Christopher Columbus, and even Abraham Lincoln have been destroyed, as well as monuments dedicated to abolitionists and Africa-American soldiers. It is these statues and monuments Trump said he wanted to restore and preserve.
“To destroy a monument is to desecrate our common inheritance. In recent weeks, in the midst of protests across America, many monuments have been vandalized or destroyed. Some local governments have responded by taking their monuments down. Among others, monuments to Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Francis Scott Key, Ulysses S. Grant, leaders of the abolitionist movement, the first all-volunteer African-American regiment of the Union Army in the Civil War, and American soldiers killed in the First and Second World Wars have been vandalized, destroyed, or removed,” Trump’s order stated.
“These statues are not ours alone, to be discarded at the whim of those inflamed by fashionable political passions; they belong to generations that have come before us and to generations yet unborn. My Administration will not abide an assault on our collective national memory. In the face of such acts of destruction, it is our responsibility as Americans to stand strong against this violence, and to peacefully transmit our great national story to future generations through newly commissioned monuments to American heroes,” the order continued.
Trump created a task force to begin searching for a scenic location to build the “National Garden of American Heroes,” a national park that would display statues recreated from those that have been destroyed and highlight others who meet certain criteria. States and localities will also be able to loan statues and monuments to be displayed at the park.
Trump listed the names of some people who should be memorialized in the park, including some well-known conservative figures such as Billy Graham and Antonin Scalia.
“The National Garden should be composed of statues, including statues of John Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Daniel Boone, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Henry Clay, Davy Crockett, Frederick Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Benjamin Franklin, Billy Graham, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Douglas MacArthur, Dolley Madison, James Madison, Christa McAuliffe, Audie Murphy, George S. Patton, Jr., Ronald Reagan, Jackie Robinson, Betsy Ross, Antonin Scalia, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Booker T. Washington, George Washington, and Orville and Wilbur Wright,” the order stated.
“Statues should depict historically significant Americans, as that term is defined in section 7 of this order, who have contributed positively to America throughout our history. Examples include: the Founding Fathers, those who fought for the abolition of slavery or participated in the underground railroad, heroes of the United States Armed Forces, recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor or Presidential Medal of Freedom, scientists and inventors, entrepreneurs, civil rights leaders, missionaries and religious leaders, pioneers and explorers, police officers and firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty, labor leaders, advocates for the poor and disadvantaged, opponents of national socialism or international socialism, former Presidents of the United States and other elected officials, judges and justices, astronauts, authors, intellectuals, artists, and teachers. None will have lived perfect lives, but all will be worth honoring, remembering, and studying,” Trump added.
Priority will be given to “statues of the Founding Fathers, former Presidents of the United States, leading abolitionists, and individuals involved in the discovery of America.”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.


bonginoreport--2020-07-05--Armed Protesters Call for Removal of Confederate Carving at Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park

A large group of armed protesters on Saturday marched through Georgia ’ s Stone Mountain Park , calling for the @ @ @ @ @ carving to be removed .
The predominantly Black demonstrators spoke out against the huge sculpture @ @ @ @ @ , Confederate President Jefferson Davis , and Gen. Thomas J .
“ Stonewall ” Jackson @ @ @ @ @ mountain , the bas-relief sculpture is the largest Confederate monument ever crafted .
Stone Mountain @ @ @ @ @ there were around 200 protesters who came into the park while being escorted by police @ @ @ @ @ , the protesters left the park before it closed early at 4:30 p.m. Police described @ @ @ @ @ no issues .
Although the park has historically been a gathering spot for white supremacists @ @ @ @ @ Mountain nowadays has a majority-Black population .
The park usually holds a Fourth of July @ @ @ @ @ with the carving as a backdrop , but this year ’ s presentation was canceled @ @ @ @ @ .
Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts .

article
A large group of armed protesters on Saturday marched through Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park, calling for the park’s massive Confederate carving to be removed.
The predominantly Black demonstrators spoke out against the huge sculpture depicting Gen. Robert E. Lee, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Carved into a granite mountain, the bas-relief sculpture is the largest Confederate monument ever crafted.
Stone Mountain State Park police estimated that there were around 200 protesters who came into the park while being escorted by police.
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After a few speeches, the protesters left the park before it closed early at 4:30 p.m.
Police described the protest as peaceful with no issues.
Although the park has historically been a gathering spot for white supremacists, the city of Stone Mountain nowadays has a majority-Black population.
The park usually holds a Fourth of July laser show and fireworks display with the carving as a backdrop, but this year’s presentation was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.


bonginoreport--2020-07-05--Dem Senator Open to Discussing Removing Monuments to George Washington

Democratic Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth said Americans should “ listen to the argument ” for removing monuments to George Washington , the first president of the United States .
During a Sunday morning appearance on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , ” Duckworth was asked by guest anchor Dana Bash to react to President Donald Trump ’ s defense of U.S. monuments during his Thursday night speech at Mount Rushmore .
“ I know that you support changing the name of military bases named after Confederate leaders , but there are leaders like George Washington and Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some are demanding their monuments come down too .
In your view , where does it end ?
Should statues of George Washington come down ?
” Bash asked .
“ I ’ ll say we should start a national dialogue on it at some point , but right now we ’ re in the middle of a global pandemic , ” Duckworth responded before accusing Trump of spending “ more time honoring dead Confederates ” than speaking about those who have died from coronavirus .
“ That may be true , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think anybody would call him a traitor and there are moves by some to remove statues of him , ” Bash pressed .
“ Is that a good idea ?
” “ I think we should listen to everybody , ” the Illinois senator said .
“ I think we should listen to the argument there , but remember that the president at Mount Rushmore was standing on ground that was stolen from Native Americans who had actually been given that land during a treaty.
” ( RELATED : New York Times Ripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speech As ‘ Dark And Divisive ’ ) Duckworth again criticized Trump for his coronavirus response , saying she is “ more worried about the 130,000 who have lost their lives recently and the thousands and thousands more Americans who are currently sick than I am our historical past .
”

Democratic Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth said Americans should “listen to the argument” for removing monuments to George Washington, the first president of the United States.
During a Sunday morning appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Duckworth was asked by guest anchor Dana Bash to react to President Donald Trump’s defense of U.S. monuments during his Thursday night speech at Mount Rushmore.
“I know that you support changing the name of military bases named after Confederate leaders, but there are leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who were slave owners, and some are demanding their monuments come down too. In your view, where does it end? Should statues of George Washington come down?” Bash asked.
WATCH:
“I’ll say we should start a national dialogue on it at some point, but right now we’re in the middle of a global pandemic,” Duckworth responded before accusing Trump of spending “more time honoring dead Confederates” than speaking about those who have died from coronavirus.
“That may be true, but George Washington, I don’t think anybody would call him a traitor and there are moves by some to remove statues of him,” Bash pressed. “Is that a good idea?”
“I think we should listen to everybody,” the Illinois senator said. “I think we should listen to the argument there, but remember that the president at Mount Rushmore was standing on ground that was stolen from Native Americans who had actually been given that land during a treaty.” (RELATED: New York Times Ripped For Describing Trump’s Mount Rushmore Speech As ‘Dark And Divisive’)
Duckworth again criticized Trump for his coronavirus response, saying she is “more worried about the 130,000 who have lost their lives recently and the thousands and thousands more Americans who are currently sick than I am our historical past.”


bonginoreport--2020-07-05--Protesters in Baltimore Topple Columbus Statue, Toss it Into Harbor

A statue of Christopher Columbus now sits at the bottom of Baltimore 's Inner Harbor after a group of people toppled the statue on Independence Day .
Protesters used chains to rock the statue back and forth until it toppled on Saturday .
They then rolled it from its post near Little Italy to the water 's edge and tipped it into the Inner Harbor .
Lester Davis , a spokesman for Democratic Mayor Jack Young , told the Baltimore Sun that the protesters ' decision to topple the likeness of Columbus is part of a “ re-examination taking place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monuments and statues that may represent different things to different people . ''
“ We understand the dynamics that are playing out in Baltimore are part of a national narrative .
We understand the frustrations , ” Davis said .
“ What the city wants to do is serve as a national model , particularly with how we ’ ve done with protesting .
We ’ ve seen people who have taken to the streets , we have supported them .
We are going to continue to support it .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flyers throughout the city about plans to tear down all statues that honor `` white supremacists , owners of enslaved people , perpetrators of genocide , and colonizers . ''
The toppling of Columbus 's statue was part of large protests against police brutality and racial injustice that have taken place nationwide following the death of George Floyd , a 46-year-old black man who died after an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis .
Davis could not confirm if officers were told to stand down and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our officers in Baltimore City , who are some of the finest in country , they are principally concerned with the preservation of life , ” Davis said .
“ That is sacrosanct .
Everything else falls secondary to that , including statues.
” Several statues of Columbus have been removed or torn down since the protests began .
Other historical figures have been targeted as well , including monuments to Confederate soldiers , and Presidents George Washington , Abraham Lincoln , and Ulysses Grant .

A statue of Christopher Columbus now sits at the bottom of Baltimore's Inner Harbor after a group of people toppled the statue on Independence Day.
Protesters used chains to rock the statue back and forth until it toppled on Saturday. They then rolled it from its post near Little Italy to the water's edge and tipped it into the Inner Harbor.
Baltimore protesters pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into the Harbor on the 4th of July
pic.twitter.com/W78vLDnhQm — BallerAlert (@balleralert) July 5, 2020
Baltimore’s Columbus statue gets dumped in the harbor pic.twitter.com/ZwuNcqAH6d — J. M. Giordano photo (@jmgpix) July 5, 2020
Lester Davis, a spokesman for Democratic Mayor Jack Young, told the Baltimore Sun that the protesters' decision to topple the likeness of Columbus is part of a “re-examination taking place nationally and globally around some of these monuments and statues that may represent different things to different people."
“We understand the dynamics that are playing out in Baltimore are part of a national narrative. We understand the frustrations,” Davis said. “What the city wants to do is serve as a national model, particularly with how we’ve done with protesting. We’ve seen people who have taken to the streets, we have supported them. We are going to continue to support it. That’s a full stop.”
Protesters had hung flyers throughout the city about plans to tear down all statues that honor "white supremacists, owners of enslaved people, perpetrators of genocide, and colonizers." The toppling of Columbus's statue was part of large protests against police brutality and racial injustice that have taken place nationwide following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis.
Davis could not confirm if officers were told to stand down and allow the statue to fall.
“Our officers in Baltimore City, who are some of the finest in country, they are principally concerned with the preservation of life,” Davis said. “That is sacrosanct. Everything else falls secondary to that, including statues.”
Several statues of Columbus have been removed or torn down since the protests began. Other historical figures have been targeted as well, including monuments to Confederate soldiers, and Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses Grant.


bonginoreport--2020-07-05--NJ Gov Murphy: We Should Have a National Mask Requirement, It’s “Almost Undebatable”

Sunday on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press , ” Gov .
Phil Murphy ( D-NJ ) said it was “ almost undebatable ” the United States should have a national requirement for citizens to wear masks .
Guest host Andrea Mitchell asked , “ Do you think there should be a national mask requirement ?
” Murphy said , “ I do .
I do , Andrea .
It ’ s become almost undebatable .
As I mentioned , this virus is more lethal inside than outside .
When you leave your house put on a mask , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On delaying restaurant openings , Murphy said , “ We have nothing , but sympathy for them , believe me .
It ’ s why we need direct federal cash assistance to states so that we can help those restaurants and small businesses out , but the choice is either we open inside or based on the data that we saw and the lethality of this virus inside or we lose people , we literally lose lives .
When you combine indoors , lack of ventilation , sedentary , close proximity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off to eat , and those are bad facts , and we ’ re just not there yet .
We ’ ll get there , I hope , but we ’ re not ready for it .
”

Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) said it was “almost undebatable” the United States should have a national requirement for citizens to wear masks.
Guest host Andrea Mitchell asked, “Do you think there should be a national mask requirement?”
Murphy said, “I do. I do, Andrea. It’s become almost undebatable. As I mentioned, this virus is more lethal inside than outside. When you leave your house put on a mask, there ought to be a national requirement.”
On delaying restaurant openings, Murphy said, “We have nothing, but sympathy for them, believe me. It’s why we need direct federal cash assistance to states so that we can help those restaurants and small businesses out, but the choice is either we open inside or based on the data that we saw and the lethality of this virus inside or we lose people, we literally lose lives. When you combine indoors, lack of ventilation, sedentary, close proximity, and you have to take your mask off to eat, and those are bad facts, and we’re just not there yet. We’ll get there, I hope, but we’re not ready for it.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN


bonginoreport--2020-07-05--Florida Mayor Traces Recent Increase in Coronavirus Cases Back to Protests

On Friday ’ s “ MSNBC Live , ” Orange County , FL Mayor Jerry Demings ( D ) stated that the demonstrations over the past month are partially to blame for the recent increases in coronavirus cases that the area has seen .
Demings also said that the spike in cases can be traced back to Memorial Day weekend , when businesses reopened for the first time , and people going to bars in the area was also a factor in the increase in cases .
Demings said , “ Here within our locality , we track it back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of businesses that — that was the first weekend that we opened after the shelter in place orders went into effect .
Many of the people that attended some of the outdoor events , they did not mask up .
We had a number of demonstrations that continued , really , for the last month , almost daily , of large gatherings , and the young adults who were attending those events , they were not wearing masks .
Many of them went to our local bars and they — we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was done , that many of them were not masked up during that period of time .
”

On Friday’s “MSNBC Live,” Orange County, FL Mayor Jerry Demings (D) stated that the demonstrations over the past month are partially to blame for the recent increases in coronavirus cases that the area has seen. Demings also said that the spike in cases can be traced back to Memorial Day weekend, when businesses reopened for the first time, and people going to bars in the area was also a factor in the increase in cases.
Demings said, “Here within our locality, we track it back to Memorial Day weekend. We had a number of businesses that — that was the first weekend that we opened after the shelter in place orders went into effect. Many of the people that attended some of the outdoor events, they did not mask up. We had a number of demonstrations that continued, really, for the last month, almost daily, of large gatherings, and the young adults who were attending those events, they were not wearing masks. Many of them went to our local bars and they — we know now from the contact tracing that was done, that many of them were not masked up during that period of time.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett


bonginoreport--2020-07-05--84 Percent of Donations by Workers at the Five Largest Tech Firms Have Gone to Democrats

Their stock prices are near record levels .
So are their profits .
Their founders are among the wealthiest people on the planet .
But while the world 's most valuable tech companies have expanded their dominance in the 3 1/2 years of Donald Trump 's presidency , with an assist from corporate tax breaks , employees at those same companies are more adamant than ever about unseating him .
`` A lot of people have been making a lot of money in Silicon Valley while watching the world fall apart , '' said Misha Chellam , a former start-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council on Technology and Society to engage tech executives on political issues .
`` They 've seen their fortunes rise and seen much of the rest of the country 's fortunes fall . ''
For decades , the tech industry has leaned left , particularly in the hotbeds of Silicon Valley and Seattle .
Heading into this November 's contest , the partisan disparity has never been so lopsided .
Employees at the big five tech companies — Apple , Microsoft , Amazon , Alphabet and Facebook — have thus far contributed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic candidates , compared to just under $ 3 million to Republicans , according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics ' OpenSecrets website .
That means Democrats have received 84 % of employee donations , an increase from 68 % in 2016 and 79 % in the 2018 mid-term elections , when the Democrats won the House back from Republicans .
Campaign finance laws restrict the amount an individual can contribute in an election to $ 2,800 , or $ 5,600 between the primary and general election .
The gap could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A good chunk of tech spending to date went towards a competitive Democratic presidential primary , while Trump effectively ran unopposed .
But since Joe Biden became the presumptive Democratic nominee , the imbalance has actually expanded .
Between the two candidates , Biden has collected more than 92 % of the donated money from the top tech companies , according to OpenSecrets .
Tech workers are n't just eyeing the White House .
They 're also sinking money into tight Senate races , aiming to help Democrats pick up the four seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McGrath , who 's running to unseat Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky , is getting a big boost from tech money , along with Jaime Harrison , the Democrat taking on Lindsey Graham in South Carolina , and Mark Kelly , who 's running against Martha McSally in Arizona .
Trump 's tumultuous relationship with the tech industry dates back to his anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric and efforts to impose a Muslim travel ban shortly after he took office in 2017 .
That year , Trump also refused to call out white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled out of the Paris climate agreement .
His inconsistent and often incoherent trade war with China has won him few fans in tech , which benefits from healthy trade relations with the world 's second-biggest economy .
That was all before the calendar turned to 2020 , a year that started just after Trump 's impeachment in the House and brought with it wide criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide protests against police violence .
But Trump 's presidency has also coincided with record business success for Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( despite Trump 's vendetta against CEO Jeff Bezos ) have soared past $ 1 trillion in market cap , with Alphabet closing just above that mark on Thursday , and Facebook in fifth place at over $ 600 billion .
No other public U.S. company is close in value .
Shares have gained between 79 % ( Alphabet ) and 257 % ( Amazon ) in value since Trump 's inauguration .
Tech executives lauded the Trump administration in 2018 for lowering the tax on repatriated cash , allowing them to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas , paving the way for heftier buybacks .
He also reduced the corporate tax rate , giving a boost to earnings .
Regulations have n't posed much of a problem either .
Threats of regulating Big Tech have circulated since last July , when the Department of Justice said it was opening a broad antitrust review .
But the loudest voices demanding that tech giants be broken up have been on the left from Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders .
Silicon Valley veterans are quick to recall a tech industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but conservative on fiscal matters , in favor of small government and fearful of higher taxes and more regulation .
You do n't have to go far to find people who voted for Mitt Romney , John McCain and George W. Bush .
But Trump made it hard in 2016 for many mainstream Republicans to suck it up and support their party 's candidate .
Clinton won by a wider margin in Seattle and across most of the Bay Area than did Obama four years earlier , and employees at the five most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Clinton than to Trump .
They 've now had almost four years to see their concerns play out .
Jonathan Brown , a mobile apps developer at Adobe who started working there in 1995 , is doing great financially .
The software maker 's stock price is up 34 % this year and has quadrupled since Trump took office , pushing its market value past $ 200 billion .
But like many of his colleagues , Brown is unhappy with where the country is headed .
`` I 'm just exasperated at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highs at the same time that the economy has been hit so hard , '' said Brown , who 's based in Seattle .
`` I feel responsible to leverage some of my wealth to move politics in the right direction . ''
Brown contributed $ 500 to Jamaal Bowman , who just recently won his Democratic primary in New York over incumbent Congressman Eliot Engel , and $ 500 to Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota , who was first elected to congress in 2018 .
Brown says he 's no fan of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren in the presidential primary .
He 's mostly focused on backing liberal Democrats in their primary elections and has n't yet decided what he 'll do during the general elections .
`` This is the first year that I 've really paid that much attention to political campaign giving , '' Brown said , adding that he 's previously been more inclined to donate to nonprofits .
Adobe has always been a heavily pro-Democratic company , based on donations in past elections , but with four months still to go until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more to candidates than in any previous cycle , according to OpenSecrets .
But even some tech companies that were farther to the right on the political spectrum have swung dramatically toward the Democrats .
Employees at Oracle , whose founder Larry Ellison and CEO Safra Catz are Trump supporters , have sent 67 % of their cash to Democrats , up from 49 % in 2016 .
The shift at Cisco is even more stark , with Democrats receiving 80 % up from 36 % four years ago .
An executive at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject matter , said the overwhelming emotion among his peers is fear .
His company and the industry as a whole count on immigration for talent and sensible trade policies for conducting business .
Within his circle of tech workers , the executive said , people are concerned that the U.S. is losing its appeal and becoming a frightening place .
The executive has donated to Biden as well as Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama , who 's fighting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money to the Lincoln Project , a political action committee formed by anti-Trump Republicans to run a series of hard-hitting ads .
Margaret O'Mara , a history professor at the University of Washington , said that the tech industry is more politicized than ever .
Even before 2020 , employees at Google , Microsoft , Amazon and Salesforce had protested contracts their companies had with the government .
There was also the role that Facebook , YouTube and Twitter played in enabling the spread of misinformation and foreign meddling in our Democratic process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jeopardize their jobs to demand transparency and accountability from their bosses .
When it comes to political leaders , they 're voting with their wallets .
`` This is a different historical moment , '' O'Mara said .
`` It 's become harder to stay on the sidelines . ''
Even top tech execs are getting more vocal .
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins , who succeeded lifelong and vocal Republican John Chambers at the helm in 2015 , joined the parade of tech executives in tweeting # BlackLivesMatter after the killing of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer in Minneapolis set off a wave of nationwide protests .
Three days after Trump tweeted , `` when the looting starts the shooting starts , '' Robbins told his followers that Cisco was committing $ 5 million to groups including Equal Justice Initiative , Black Lives Matter and its own fund for fighting racism .
`` Look , I think what 's happened here is that the issues that exist have just been highlighted , and I think the entire community of business leaders and society have said , 'That 's it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mid-June interview .
without criticizing Trump directly .
Facebook 's billionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife , Priscilla Chan , said last month in a letter to scientists who fund their philanthropic organization that they were `` deeply shaken and disgusted '' by Trump 's rhetoric .
Zuckerberg was under pressure from donors for allowing hate speech to flourish on Facebook , an issue that 's become a major concern over the last couple weeks , with many global brands boycotting advertising on the site .
Jotaka Eaddy , founder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strategies , said CEOs are being forced into the action .
`` You ca n't say Black Lives Matter and I care about Black lives but then continue to allow the perpetuation of hate and violence on your platform , '' said Eaddy , who splits her time between Washington , D.C. , and the Bay Area .
`` They contradict each other . ''

US President Donald Trump (r) and Apple CEO Tim Cook speak to the press during a tour of the Flextronics computer manufacturing facility where Apple's Mac Pros are assembled in Austin, Texas, on November 20, 2019. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
Their stock prices are near record levels. So are their profits. Their founders are among the wealthiest people on the planet. But while the world's most valuable tech companies have expanded their dominance in the 3 1/2 years of Donald Trump's presidency, with an assist from corporate tax breaks, employees at those same companies are more adamant than ever about unseating him. "A lot of people have been making a lot of money in Silicon Valley while watching the world fall apart," said Misha Chellam, a former start-up founder who last year started the non-partisan Council on Technology and Society to engage tech executives on political issues. "They've seen their fortunes rise and seen much of the rest of the country's fortunes fall." For decades, the tech industry has leaned left, particularly in the hotbeds of Silicon Valley and Seattle. Heading into this November's contest, the partisan disparity has never been so lopsided. Employees at the big five tech companies — Apple , Microsoft , Amazon , Alphabet and Facebook — have thus far contributed a total of almost $15 million to Democratic candidates, compared to just under $3 million to Republicans, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets website. That means Democrats have received 84% of employee donations, an increase from 68% in 2016 and 79% in the 2018 mid-term elections, when the Democrats won the House back from Republicans. Campaign finance laws restrict the amount an individual can contribute in an election to $2,800, or $5,600 between the primary and general election.
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The gap could narrow as the general election nears. A good chunk of tech spending to date went towards a competitive Democratic presidential primary, while Trump effectively ran unopposed. But since Joe Biden became the presumptive Democratic nominee, the imbalance has actually expanded. Between the two candidates, Biden has collected more than 92% of the donated money from the top tech companies, according to OpenSecrets. Tech workers aren't just eyeing the White House. They're also sinking money into tight Senate races, aiming to help Democrats pick up the four seats necessary to reclaim a majority. Amy McGrath, who's running to unseat Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky, is getting a big boost from tech money, along with Jaime Harrison, the Democrat taking on Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, and Mark Kelly, who's running against Martha McSally in Arizona.
Travel ban and trade war
Trump's tumultuous relationship with the tech industry dates back to his anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric and efforts to impose a Muslim travel ban shortly after he took office in 2017. That year, Trump also refused to call out white nationalism after the violent Charlottesville rally and pulled out of the Paris climate agreement. His inconsistent and often incoherent trade war with China has won him few fans in tech, which benefits from healthy trade relations with the world's second-biggest economy. That was all before the calendar turned to 2020, a year that started just after Trump's impeachment in the House and brought with it wide criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide protests against police violence. But Trump's presidency has also coincided with record business success for Big Tech. Apple, Microsoft and Amazon (despite Trump's vendetta against CEO Jeff Bezos) have soared past $1 trillion in market cap, with Alphabet closing just above that mark on Thursday, and Facebook in fifth place at over $600 billion. No other public U.S. company is close in value. Shares have gained between 79% (Alphabet) and 257% (Amazon) in value since Trump's inauguration.
Big Tech under Trump CNBC
Tech executives lauded the Trump administration in 2018 for lowering the tax on repatriated cash, allowing them to bring hundreds of billions of dollars back from overseas, paving the way for heftier buybacks. He also reduced the corporate tax rate, giving a boost to earnings. Regulations haven't posed much of a problem either. Threats of regulating Big Tech have circulated since last July, when the Department of Justice said it was opening a broad antitrust review. But the loudest voices demanding that tech giants be broken up have been on the left from Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
I'm just exasperated at the fact that Adobe stock hits all-time highs at the same time that the economy has been hit so hard. Jonathan Brown Mobile apps developer at Adobe
Not even an economic crisis has impeded tech's growth. The travel and hospitality industries have been decimated by Covid-19, but the Nasdaq, powered by programmers working from home, is trading at an all-time high. While Apple, Amazon and Google are expected to take an earnings hit this year related to Covid-19, analysts expect them to all be back at record profits in 2021.
'I'm just exasperated'
Silicon Valley veterans are quick to recall a tech industry that was historically liberal on social issues but conservative on fiscal matters, in favor of small government and fearful of higher taxes and more regulation. You don't have to go far to find people who voted for Mitt Romney, John McCain and George W. Bush. But Trump made it hard in 2016 for many mainstream Republicans to suck it up and support their party's candidate. Clinton won by a wider margin in Seattle and across most of the Bay Area than did Obama four years earlier, and employees at the five most valuable tech companies contributed 60 times more to Clinton than to Trump. They've now had almost four years to see their concerns play out. Jonathan Brown, a mobile apps developer at Adobe who started working there in 1995, is doing great financially. The software maker's stock price is up 34% this year and has quadrupled since Trump took office, pushing its market value past $200 billion. But like many of his colleagues, Brown is unhappy with where the country is headed. "I'm just exasperated at the fact that Adobe stock hits all-time highs at the same time that the economy has been hit so hard," said Brown, who's based in Seattle. "I feel responsible to leverage some of my wealth to move politics in the right direction." Brown contributed $500 to Jamaal Bowman, who just recently won his Democratic primary in New York over incumbent Congressman Eliot Engel, and $500 to Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who was first elected to congress in 2018. Brown says he's no fan of Biden, and actually contributed to Sen. Warren in the presidential primary.
Former middle school principal Jamaal Bowman poses outside a subway station on June 17, 2020 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Jeenah Moon | Getty Images
He's mostly focused on backing liberal Democrats in their primary elections and hasn't yet decided what he'll do during the general elections. "This is the first year that I've really paid that much attention to political campaign giving," Brown said, adding that he's previously been more inclined to donate to nonprofits. Adobe has always been a heavily pro-Democratic company, based on donations in past elections, but with four months still to go until the 2020 contest, employees have already contributed more to candidates than in any previous cycle, according to OpenSecrets. But even some tech companies that were farther to the right on the political spectrum have swung dramatically toward the Democrats. Employees at Oracle , whose founder Larry Ellison and CEO Safra Catz are Trump supporters, have sent 67% of their cash to Democrats, up from 49% in 2016. The shift at Cisco is even more stark, with Democrats receiving 80% up from 36% four years ago. An executive at one San Francisco financial technology company, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject matter, said the overwhelming emotion among his peers is fear. His company and the industry as a whole count on immigration for talent and sensible trade policies for conducting business. Within his circle of tech workers, the executive said, people are concerned that the U.S. is losing its appeal and becoming a frightening place.
Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) speaks during a news conference on healthcare April 30, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Alex Wong | Getty Images
The executive has donated to Biden as well as Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama, who's fighting to keep his seat. He also sent money to the Lincoln Project, a political action committee formed by anti-Trump Republicans to run a series of hard-hitting ads. Margaret O'Mara, a history professor at the University of Washington, said that the tech industry is more politicized than ever. Even before 2020, employees at Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Salesforce had protested contracts their companies had with the government. There was also the role that Facebook, YouTube and Twitter played in enabling the spread of misinformation and foreign meddling in our Democratic process. Employees have shown a willingness to jeopardize their jobs to demand transparency and accountability from their bosses. When it comes to political leaders, they're voting with their wallets. "This is a different historical moment," O'Mara said. "It's become harder to stay on the sidelines." Even top tech execs are getting more vocal. Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, who succeeded lifelong and vocal Republican John Chambers at the helm in 2015, joined the parade of tech executives in tweeting #BlackLivesMatter after the killing of George Floyd in late May by a police officer in Minneapolis set off a wave of nationwide protests. Three days after Trump tweeted, "when the looting starts the shooting starts," Robbins told his followers that Cisco was committing $5 million to groups including Equal Justice Initiative, Black Lives Matter and its own fund for fighting racism. "Look, I think what's happened here is that the issues that exist have just been highlighted, and I think the entire community of business leaders and society have said, 'That's it,'" Robbins told CNBC in a mid-June interview. without criticizing Trump directly.
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Facebook's billionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, said last month in a letter to scientists who fund their philanthropic organization that they were "deeply shaken and disgusted" by Trump's rhetoric. Zuckerberg was under pressure from donors for allowing hate speech to flourish on Facebook, an issue that's become a major concern over the last couple weeks, with many global brands boycotting advertising on the site. Jotaka Eaddy, founder and CEO of political consulting firm Full Circle Strategies, said CEOs are being forced into the action. "You can't say Black Lives Matter and I care about Black lives but then continue to allow the perpetuation of hate and violence on your platform," said Eaddy, who splits her time between Washington, D.C., and the Bay Area. "They contradict each other." — CNBC's Jordan Novet contributed to this report. WATCH: Mark Zuckerberg pens op-ed, promises to help register 4 million voters


bonginoreport--2020-07-06--Chinese City Issues Bubonic Plague Alert

The warning forbids the hunting and eating of animals that could carry the plague and will be in effect through @

Health officials from a city in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia issued a bubonic plague warning on Sunday after a suspected case of the highly infectious disease known as the "Black Death" was revealed.
The health committee of the city of Bayannur issued a third-level alert, the second-lowest category in a four-level system. The notice requests citizens to report any suspected cases of plague or fever with no apparent causes. It forbids the hunting and eating of animals that could carry the plague. The alert also instructed the public to report any sick or dead marmots. The warning period will be in effect through the end of the year.
"There were four reported cases of plague in Inner Mongolia last November, including two of pneumonic plague, a deadlier variant of plague," according to the Independent. A Mongolian couple died of the bubonic plague after eating raw marmot kidney.
The bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by bacterium Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic bacteria usually found in small mammals and their fleas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines what people experience when they are infected with the bubonic plague:
Patients develop sudden onset of fever, headache, chills, and weakness and one or more swollen, tender and painful lymph nodes (called buboes). This form is usually the result of an infected flea bite. The bacteria multiply in the lymph node closest to where the bacteria entered the human body. If the patient is not treated with appropriate antibiotics, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body.
During the 14th century, the Black Death caused more than 50 million deaths in Europe. Thanks to antibiotics, the CDC says the mortality rate is approximately 16% these days, far less deadly than in the Middle Ages.
From 2010 to 2015, there were 3,248 bubonic plague cases reported worldwide, including 584 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
From 2009 to 2018, China reported 26 cases and 11 deaths, according to Reuters. The CDC reports that there is an average of seven human plague cases in the U.S. each year.
This comes a week after researchers in China discovered a new type of swine flu that is able to infect humans. The G4 virus is a strain of the H1N1 swine flu that exhibits "all the essential hallmarks of a candidate pandemic virus."
On Friday, the WHO admitted that China did not inform them of the original COVID-19 outbreak.


bonginoreport--2020-07-06--Iran May Be Criminally Liable for Downing of Ukrainian Plane

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Iranian authorities allowed commercial flights to fly in and out of Tehran while missiles were being fired, putting civilian lives at risk, as closing the airspace would have revealed the regimes' intention to strike US military bases in Iraq, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has heard.If the allegation is correct, the Iranian regime may be criminally liable for the deaths of those aboard the plane , a law professor has said.The allegation was made by Hassan Rezaeifar, the former head of Iran's investigation into the downing of Flight PS752, during a 91-minute phone conversation with the husband of one of the victims of the errant attack.Flight PS752 was departing Tehran en route to Kiev when it was struck by a stray Iranian missile, killing all 176 people aboard including 57 Canadians. The Iranian regime initially denied liability for the attack before admitting that the missile had been fired in error while attacking US bases in Iraq, in retaliation for the killing by America of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gen. Qasem Soleimani in early January.But during the conversation on March 7, a recording of which has since been obtained by CBC, Rezaeifar told Javad Soleimani (no relation to the general), whose wife was killed in the attack, that the regime purposefully chose not to clear the airspace for fear of losing the element of surprise."Some say we should have cleared the airspace... The National Security Council is in charge," Rezaeifar said in Farsi on the recording."But let's say we had cleared the airspace. Wouldn't [it] give away our imminent attack?"Delaying flights was also not an option, he continued. "Let's assume we had delayed the Ukrainian flight for ten hours. Wouldn't it have canceled all other flights afterward?" Rezaeifar said on the call. Iran earns hundreds of thousands of dollars daily from fees levied on flights in its airspace.The recording was reviewed by Payam Akhavan, a Canadian-Iranian international law professor at McGill University and former UN prosecutor at The Hague, at the request of CBC , who told the corporation that the Iranian government may be criminally liable for the deaths of those killed."The senior leadership of the government willingly and knowingly disregarded these risks," Akhavan said. "This is not just a question of human error or mistake: It's a question of criminal recklessness."To knowingly put civilian aircraft in harm's way, to use civilian airliners in effect as human shields, clearly implicates criminal responsibility."Akhavan also said that comments within the conversation indicate a cover-up by the Iranian regime, which swung into action shortly after the plane was downed.REZAEIFAR WAS head of the accident investigation board of the Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) at the time of the crash. In the recording, he can be heard telling Soleimani that he called the IRGC five minutes after the plane crashed, and that the commander of the Aerospace Force admitted that missiles had been launched."I was informed at 6:30 a.m., and I called the IRGC at 6:35 a.m. and asked, 'Did you have a missile attack?'" Rezaeifar says in the recording. "Mr. Hajizadeh explained and said yes, and we had orders. He said there are some national security considerations in the country."Futhermore, Rezaeifar can be heard during the course of the conversation attempting to coerce Soleimani into ceasing public criticism of Iran. Javad Soleimani has been outspoken in his criticism of the Iranian regime following the loss in the crash of his wife, Elnaz Nabiy, posting on Instagram that Iranians won't forget the crimes committed by the regime against its own people."Please delete it from your Instagram," Rezaeifar tells Soleimani on the call. "Do you agree that out of 83 million people of Iran, only 10 or 12 people have hurt you? Why should those other 82 million people be insulted by this post?"He then asks whether the Canadian government is more "benevolent" toward him, asking: "Are you certain that the whole Canadian government is good and not corrupt?"Two days after the call, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence put pressure on Soleimani's family members in Iran over his posts on social media, he told CBC."It's ridiculous. They just wanted to somehow threaten me to stop criticizing the regime on social media because I had many followers on Instagram," he said. "They tried to force me to be silent... but honestly, I have nothing to lose. And I told him I have nothing to lose, so you cannot stop me by just threatening me by conversation over the phone."Less than 24 hours after CBC emailed Rezaeifar a copy of the recording with a request for response, news broke that he had been removed from his post overseeing Iran's investigation.THOMAS JUNEAU, an associate professor of international affairs at the University of Ottawa and former analyst of Middle East affairs, told CBC that the content of the call proves that Iran's investigation into the crash is anything but independent of the regime."Having the lead investigator saying those things on that phone call really damages that fiction," said Juneau. "By removing him, they're trying to protect that facade."I did not expect the investigation to be independent – and few serious analysts did," he added. "This basically confirms it."Juneau said that for the lead investigator to put pressure on a victim's relative was "totally inappropriate" and "absurd," but added that he wasn't surprised by the move. "It's not very smart. It's just not a good move," he said.However, he also sounded a warning regarding the claims made by Rezaeifar during the call."Is it true?" said Juneau. "Is he boasting? Is he exaggerating some things to increase the level of intimidation towards family members? These are all questions that we don't know the answer to."A new lead investigator will now be appointed to conduct the investigation into the crash, but the victims' families say they are not holding out much hope of it being conducted independently of the Iranian regime."I don't see any different between Rezaeifar and the new investigator," said Hamed Esmaeilion, interim spokesman for the association representing the Canadian victims' families, who lost his wife Parisa Eghbalian, and their nine-year-old daughter Reera in the crash."CAO is not independent. The whole organization is closely working with the IRGC."Syrine Khoury, press secretary to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne, told CBC in a written statement: "The government of Canada denounces any and all attempts to coerce or pressure Canadians, especially those suffering the loss of a loved one," she added. "The government of Canada encourages anyone who feels threatened, unsafe or vulnerable to contact local law enforcement authorities."


bonginoreport--2020-07-06--U.S. Sends Carriers to South China Sea Amid Chinese Drills

Two U.S. aircraft carriers were conducting exercises in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday , the U.S. navy said , as China also carried out military drills that have been criticised by the Pentagon and neighbouring states .
China and the United States have accused each other of stoking tension in the strategic waterway at a time of strained relations over everything from the new coronavirus to trade to Hong Kong .
The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan were carrying out operations and exercises in the South China Sea “ to support a free and open Indo-Pacific , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It did not say exactly where the exercises were being conducted in the South China Sea , which extends for some 1,500 km ( 900 miles ) and 90 % of which is claimed by China despite the protests of its neighbours .
“ The purpose is to show an unambiguous signal to our partners and allies that we are committed to regional security and stability , ” Rear Admiral George M. Wikoff was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal , which first reported the exercises .
Wikoff , commander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ronald Reagan , said the exercises were not a response to those being conducted by China , which the Pentagon criticised this week as “ counter-productive to efforts at easing tensions and maintaining stability ” .
China dismissed the U.S. criticism of its drills on Friday and suggested the United States was to blame for increasing tensions .
U.S. carriers have long carried out exercises in the Western Pacific , including in the South China Sea , according to the U.S. navy .
At one point recently , the United States had three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week it had scheduled five days of drills starting July 1 near the Paracel Islands , which are claimed by both Vietnam and China .
Vietnam and the Philippines have also criticised the planned Chinese drills , warning they could create tension in the region and impact Beijing ’ s relationship with its neighbours .
The United States accuses China of trying to intimidate Asian neighbours who might want to exploit its extensive oil and gas reserves .
Brunei , Malaysia , the Philippines , Taiwan and Vietnam also lay claim to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through which about $ 3 trillion of trade passes each year .
The U.S. statement said the naval exercises gave commanders the flexibility and capabilities “ that only the U.S. Navy can command .
”

Two U.S. aircraft carriers were conducting exercises in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday, the U.S. navy said, as China also carried out military drills that have been criticised by the Pentagon and neighbouring states.
China and the United States have accused each other of stoking tension in the strategic waterway at a time of strained relations over everything from the new coronavirus to trade to Hong Kong.
The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan were carrying out operations and exercises in the South China Sea “to support a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the navy said in a statement.
It did not say exactly where the exercises were being conducted in the South China Sea, which extends for some 1,500 km (900 miles) and 90% of which is claimed by China despite the protests of its neighbours.
“The purpose is to show an unambiguous signal to our partners and allies that we are committed to regional security and stability,” Rear Admiral George M. Wikoff was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the exercises.
Wikoff, commander of the strike group led by the Ronald Reagan, said the exercises were not a response to those being conducted by China, which the Pentagon criticised this week as “counter-productive to efforts at easing tensions and maintaining stability”.
China dismissed the U.S. criticism of its drills on Friday and suggested the United States was to blame for increasing tensions.
U.S. carriers have long carried out exercises in the Western Pacific, including in the South China Sea, according to the U.S. navy. At one point recently, the United States had three carriers in the region.
China announced last week it had scheduled five days of drills starting July 1 near the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by both Vietnam and China.
Vietnam and the Philippines have also criticised the planned Chinese drills, warning they could create tension in the region and impact Beijing’s relationship with its neighbours.
The United States accuses China of trying to intimidate Asian neighbours who might want to exploit its extensive oil and gas reserves. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, through which about $3 trillion of trade passes each year.
The U.S. statement said the naval exercises gave commanders the flexibility and capabilities “that only the U.S. Navy can command.”
(Reporting by Matthew Tostevin; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by William Mallard)
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bonginoreport--2020-07-06--Ian Haworth: The Deadly Double Standard of Communism Vs. Fascism

The vast majority of us know who Adolf Hitler was .
Even with the slightest level of historical understanding , we know that he was an evil man with an evil ideology responsible for millions of deaths .
As a result , anyone who is accused of holding even a fraction of Hitler ’ s political views is judged with an understandable level of scorn , and those who openly align themselves with such an ideology are rightly exiled from mainstream society .
This is an easy position to understand .
After all , one only has to look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totalitarian fascism of Nazi Germany to know that such an ideology is based on entirely immoral principles .
However , if death tolls mean that Nazism , fascism , and white supremacy are evil ideologies , why is the same basic logic not applied to the politics of the far Left ?
Under the ruthless communist dictatorship of the Soviet Union alone , according to the Wall Street Journal , “ victims include 200,000 killed during the Red Terror ( 1918-22 ) ; 11 million dead from famine and dekulakization ; 700,000 executed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; 400,000 more executed between 1929 and 1953 ; 1.6 million dead during forced population transfers ; and a minimum 2.7 million dead in the Gulag , labor colonies and special settlements.
” After the murder of at least 16,600,000 civilians , surely those with even a tangential connection to this regime would be wholeheartedly rejected by a political party who claim to advocate for peace and tolerance ?
Quite the opposite !
Bernie Sanders , who has praised dictators and leftist regimes on multiple occasions – and even spent his honeymoon in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called “ progressive ” wing of the Democratic Party , which represents the party base .
If we take other communist and socialist regimes into account , including China , North Korea , Vietnam , Cambodia , Cuba , and Venezuela , the estimated death count rockets to almost 100 million people .
This number is more than five times greater than that of Nazi Germany , and yet the continued promulgation of the politics of communism , socialism , and Marxism is permitted in a way that would be ( thankfully ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fascism .
The shocking acceptance of radical Leftism simply must end if we hope to prevent continued damage in the wake of this evil ideology .
When politicians such as Bernie Sanders praise or effectively apologize for the actions of murderous dictators , they should be cast out of polite society with the same fervor as if someone said , “ Hitler may have killed lots of Jews , but the roads sure were pretty !
” Sanders said : “ When Fidel Castro came into office , you know what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program .
Is that a bad thing ?
Even though Fidel Castro did it ?
” This problem exists even at the pinnacle of American Leftism .
The fact that a potential vice presidential candidate survived refusing to reject Marxism – while offering a disingenuous apology for praising Fidel Castro – should terrify anyone who values freedom and liberty .
The number of graves beneath history ’ s bloodthirsty communist and socialist regimes is staggering .
Had it not been for the United States , these numbers would have continued to rise as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The United States must continue to stand as the world ’ s greatest single force against totalitarianism and tyranny .
This crucial moral battle will become impossible if we continue to allow these ideologies to fester within our borders .
The Daily Wire , headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro , is a leading provider of conservative news , cutting through the mainstream media ’ s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important , relevant , and engaging stories of the day .
Get inside access to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The vast majority of us know who Adolf Hitler was. Even with the slightest level of historical understanding, we know that he was an evil man with an evil ideology responsible for millions of deaths. As a result, anyone who is accused of holding even a fraction of Hitler’s political views is judged with an understandable level of scorn, and those who openly align themselves with such an ideology are rightly exiled from mainstream society.
This is an easy position to understand. After all, one only has to look at the unimaginable violence ushered in by the totalitarian fascism of Nazi Germany to know that such an ideology is based on entirely immoral principles. However, if death tolls mean that Nazism, fascism, and white supremacy are evil ideologies, why is the same basic logic not applied to the politics of the far Left?
Under the ruthless communist dictatorship of the Soviet Union alone, according to the Wall Street Journal, “victims include 200,000 killed during the Red Terror (1918-22); 11 million dead from famine and dekulakization; 700,000 executed during the Great Terror (1937-38); 400,000 more executed between 1929 and 1953; 1.6 million dead during forced population transfers; and a minimum 2.7 million dead in the Gulag, labor colonies and special settlements.”
After the murder of at least 16,600,000 civilians, surely those with even a tangential connection to this regime would be wholeheartedly rejected by a political party who claim to advocate for peace and tolerance? Quite the opposite! Bernie Sanders, who has praised dictators and leftist regimes on multiple occasions – and even spent his honeymoon in the Soviet Union – now leads the so-called “progressive” wing of the Democratic Party, which represents the party base.
If we take other communist and socialist regimes into account, including China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Cuba, and Venezuela, the estimated death count rockets to almost 100 million people. This number is more than five times greater than that of Nazi Germany, and yet the continued promulgation of the politics of communism, socialism, and Marxism is permitted in a way that would be (thankfully) unimaginable if it were applied to Nazism or fascism.
The shocking acceptance of radical Leftism simply must end if we hope to prevent continued damage in the wake of this evil ideology. When politicians such as Bernie Sanders praise or effectively apologize for the actions of murderous dictators, they should be cast out of polite society with the same fervor as if someone said, “Hitler may have killed lots of Jews, but the roads sure were pretty!”
Sanders said: “When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”
This problem exists even at the pinnacle of American Leftism. The fact that a potential vice presidential candidate survived refusing to reject Marxism – while offering a disingenuous apology for praising Fidel Castro – should terrify anyone who values freedom and liberty.
The number of graves beneath history’s bloodthirsty communist and socialist regimes is staggering.
Had it not been for the United States, these numbers would have continued to rise as radical Leftism spread across the globe. The United States must continue to stand as the world’s greatest single force against totalitarianism and tyranny. This crucial moral battle will become impossible if we continue to allow these ideologies to fester within our borders.
Ian G. Haworth is a conservative commentator who provides an honest, principled, and hard-hitting insight into our politics and culture from his unique perspective as a British immigrant to the United States. Ian hosts “The Ian Haworth Show” and “The Truth in 60 Seconds.” He is a regular columnist for Townhall.com, and his work has appeared in other outlets including The American Mind, The Washington Examiner, and The Federalist. Ian graduated from Oxford University, and now lives in California. Follow him on Twitter @ighaworth
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers with the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.


bonginoreport--2020-07-06--Rachel Bovard: If You Build It, We Will Trash It

It ’ s a bit rich for the “ free enterprise ” crowd ’ s first response to a surge toward a Twitter alternative to be so publicly negative , nasty , dismissive , and crude .
Twitter ’ s decision to ban the viral Trump meme creator Carpe Donktum from its platform last week precipitated an unexpected development in the normally stagnant , crippled marketplace of Big Tech : a departure .
Thousands of users , sick of Twitter regulating content to suit its political bias , started setting up accounts on a social media platform called Parler .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Matze , a University of Denver grad , and marketed as a more robust free speech platform than Twitter , whose insistence on regulating the content and viewpoints of its 330 million monthly users tends to go in one direction .
For years , the defenders of Big Tech , who generally dismiss accusations of viewpoint bias as hysterical , misinformed , or irrelevant , have told unhappy users to just “ build their own platform.
” So , somebody finally did .
But the sour grapes response to Parler ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most downloaded news app in Apple ’ s store ) , has presented an interesting Rorschach test for how the “ build your own ” crowd really feels about the people who actually go and , well , build their own .
Within days , the tech free-marketers were taking public shots at the free-market alternatives .
Staff at both the Cato Institute and the Charles Koch Institute began dunking on Parler ’ s terms of service which are , admittedly , somewhat extreme .
( The company has said the terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s striking that the same individuals who wax poetic on tech ’ s “ free marketplace ” had never once taken a good look at the free-market alternatives .
That is , until they needed something negative to say about them .
The libertarians at Reason magazine , who are forever finger-wagging at anyone with bad things to say about Big Tech , started making fun of the platform ’ s conservative slant .
Apparently it ’ s OK to call out the biases of Parler ’ s creators , but not Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Parler ’ s attempt to woo more liberals to its site to create more diversity of views , Mike Masnick of the tech industry blog TechDirt helpfully lit into them as a “ shithole platform for assholes and trolls.
” Reason senior editor Elizabeth Nolan Brown also slammed Senator Ted Cruz ( R-Texas ) for signing up for Parler , but not leaving Twitter .
Availing yourself of all the market alternatives apparently makes you a hypocrite .
No word on if Reason will also be trashing Representative Thomas Massie ( R-Ky. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and Senator Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) , all of whom have also set up Parler accounts alongside their Twitter presence , in part because they say they are sick of Twitter ’ s bias .
Gleefully , the writers at Reason , the tech industry blog TechDirt , and , of course , The Dispatch ’ s David French began pointing out that Parler—which markets itself as a “ First Amendment platform ” and says “ if you can say it on the streets of New York , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banning users for pornographic content , posting pictures of fecal matter , and other smutty content .
Haha !
This crowd exclaimed .
It ’ s not a “ free speech ” platform !
They ’ re banning people !
See ?
Content moderation is hard , isn ’ t it ?
( The unstated corollary being Twitter , the sainted platform , is thus entirely justified in its moderation practices . )
As Aaron Ross Powell of the Cato Institute hopefully put it , “ Parler will be a ghost town in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as a safe space for conservatives will be back on Twitter pretending the whole episode never happened.
” It ’ s a weird brand of free marketer who so earnestly wishes for the free market alternatives to spectacularly fail .
There are a few things to unpack here .
The first is the massive straw man that all these groups have created regarding what conservatives actually want from their social media platforms .
Claiming that we ’ re all a bunch of hypocrites because our “ free speech platform ” also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a big swing and a miss over the actual point .
Conservatives are not angry about content moderation as a matter of absolute principle—that is , the ability to take down harassing , smutty , or obscene content .
In fact , they realize how important that is .
It ’ s why every effort in Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is tied to the ability of platforms to do just that—generally with more accountability , transparency , and responsibility when it comes to things like child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fire up conservatives center around two aspects of content moderation , both of which are routinely dismissed , ignored , or downplayed by pro-tech advocates .
First , there is the objectivity and fairness with which content moderation is applied .
Twitter claims to be a “ free speech platform ” just like Parler , but it routinely applies so-called fact checks only to certain users , hides from view President Trump ’ s tweets for “ glorifying violence ” while leaving up death threats against Jews from the leader of Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in how Twitter subjectively applies its standards is limited , and users have very little recourse .
Second , there is the ripple effect of how this viewpoint discrimination—particularly because it is done on an unprecedented scale—has over free thought , market access , behavior , and even election integrity .
Ninety percent of the world uses Google .
When Google decides what you see and whose words matter , the ramifications are hugely consequential .
The question isn ’ t if these companies have a right to engage in content moderation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ question at the root of much of our policy debate is how that power is being weaponized at scale , the consequences of it , and if this power has become so unaccountable that Sundar Pichai , Mark Zuckerberg , and Jack Dorsey are effectively deciding the terms of our national political debate—and even worse , the terms of what constitutes “ appropriate thought.
” “ Build Your Own So We Can Trash You For It ” Parler may market itself as just an “ alternative to Twitter , ” but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the center of this political and policy debate over the power social media has over our society .
And , sadly for a new and growing business , the so-called “ free market advocates ” of the tech world are intent on distorting the actual concern that Parler is seeking to address .
Parler markets itself as a “ First Amendment platform ” seriously , but not literally .
The company does not want its platform to be a trashy mess of pornography and harassment , but it does want a diversity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the thing its newfound user base is responding to with enthusiastic approval .
Ironically , Twitter has said the same thing about itself .
Its actions prove otherwise—but you ’ ll never hear the pro-tech “ libertarians ” point out the obvious disingenuousness of Twitter execs .
That ’ s only reserved for Parler and its leadership .
It ’ s also ironic because , as one former Google engineer pointed out , Parler ’ s efforts are actually closer to what the law governing content moderation online originally intended .
Parler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from criticism , but it ’ s a bit rich for the “ free enterprise ” crowd ’ s first response to a surge toward a Twitter alternative to be so publicly negative , nasty , dismissive , and crude .
It adds a new , insincere spin to the line “ build your own ; ” a second clause that says : “ build your own—so we can trash you for it .
”

Twitter’s decision to ban the viral Trump meme creator Carpe Donktum from its platform last week precipitated an unexpected development in the normally stagnant, crippled marketplace of Big Tech: a departure.
Thousands of users, sick of Twitter regulating content to suit its political bias, started setting up accounts on a social media platform called Parler. The platform was launched in 2018 by John Matze, a University of Denver grad, and marketed as a more robust free speech platform than Twitter, whose insistence on regulating the content and viewpoints of its 330 million monthly users tends to go in one direction.
For years, the defenders of Big Tech, who generally dismiss accusations of viewpoint bias as hysterical, misinformed, or irrelevant, have told unhappy users to just “build their own platform.” So, somebody finally did.
But the sour grapes response to Parler’s surge (within days, it was the most downloaded news app in Apple’s store), has presented an interesting Rorschach test for how the “build your own” crowd really feels about the people who actually go and, well, build their own.
Within days, the tech free-marketers were taking public shots at the free-market alternatives. Staff at both the Cato Institute and the Charles Koch Institute began dunking on Parler’s terms of service which are, admittedly, somewhat extreme. (The company has said the terms are being updated.) It’s striking that the same individuals who wax poetic on tech’s “free marketplace” had never once taken a good look at the free-market alternatives. That is, until they needed something negative to say about them.
The libertarians at Reason magazine, who are forever finger-wagging at anyone with bad things to say about Big Tech, started making fun of the platform’s conservative slant. Apparently it’s OK to call out the biases of Parler’s creators, but not Twitter’s. Got it.
Upset about Parler’s attempt to woo more liberals to its site to create more diversity of views, Mike Masnick of the tech industry blog TechDirt helpfully lit into them as a “shithole platform for assholes and trolls.”
Reason senior editor Elizabeth Nolan Brown also slammed Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for signing up for Parler, but not leaving Twitter. Availing yourself of all the market alternatives apparently makes you a hypocrite. No word on if Reason will also be trashing Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), all of whom have also set up Parler accounts alongside their Twitter presence, in part because they say they are sick of Twitter’s bias.
Gleefully, the writers at Reason, the tech industry blog TechDirt, and, of course, The Dispatch’s David French began pointing out that Parler—which markets itself as a “First Amendment platform” and says “if you can say it on the streets of New York, you can say it on our platform”—were banning users for pornographic content, posting pictures of fecal matter, and other smutty content.
Haha! This crowd exclaimed. It’s not a “free speech” platform! They’re banning people! See? Content moderation is hard, isn’t it? (The unstated corollary being Twitter, the sainted platform, is thus entirely justified in its moderation practices.)
As Aaron Ross Powell of the Cato Institute hopefully put it, “Parler will be a ghost town in six months and everyone who ran to it as a safe space for conservatives will be back on Twitter pretending the whole episode never happened.”
It’s a weird brand of free marketer who so earnestly wishes for the free market alternatives to spectacularly fail.
Completely Missing The Point
There are a few things to unpack here. The first is the massive straw man that all these groups have created regarding what conservatives actually want from their social media platforms. Claiming that we’re all a bunch of hypocrites because our “free speech platform” also, like Twitter, engages in content moderation is a big swing and a miss over the actual point.
Conservatives are not angry about content moderation as a matter of absolute principle—that is, the ability to take down harassing, smutty, or obscene content. In fact, they realize how important that is. It’s why every effort in Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is tied to the ability of platforms to do just that—generally with more accountability, transparency, and responsibility when it comes to things like child sexual exploitation.
Rather, the issues that fire up conservatives center around two aspects of content moderation, both of which are routinely dismissed, ignored, or downplayed by pro-tech advocates.
First, there is the objectivity and fairness with which content moderation is applied. Twitter claims to be a “free speech platform” just like Parler, but it routinely applies so-called fact checks only to certain users, hides from view President Trump’s tweets for “glorifying violence” while leaving up death threats against Jews from the leader of Iran, and so forth. The transparency in how Twitter subjectively applies its standards is limited, and users have very little recourse.
Second, there is the ripple effect of how this viewpoint discrimination—particularly because it is done on an unprecedented scale—has over free thought, market access, behavior, and even election integrity. Ninety percent of the world uses Google. When Google decides what you see and whose words matter, the ramifications are hugely consequential.
(For a taste of the havoc Google’s “academic” definitions can render on both objective learning and individual reputations, see this unsettling essay from a former undergraduate professor of mine, Dr. Paul Kengor.)
The question isn’t if these companies have a right to engage in content moderation. They obviously do. Rather, the question at the root of much of our policy debate is how that power is being weaponized at scale, the consequences of it, and if this power has become so unaccountable that Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jack Dorsey are effectively deciding the terms of our national political debate—and even worse, the terms of what constitutes “appropriate thought.”
“Build Your Own So We Can Trash You For It”
Parler may market itself as just an “alternative to Twitter,” but it’s taken on an outsized role in the center of this political and policy debate over the power social media has over our society. And, sadly for a new and growing business, the so-called “free market advocates” of the tech world are intent on distorting the actual concern that Parler is seeking to address.
Parler markets itself as a “First Amendment platform” seriously, but not literally. The company does not want its platform to be a trashy mess of pornography and harassment, but it does want a diversity of views to flourish. And that’s the thing its newfound user base is responding to with enthusiastic approval.
Ironically, Twitter has said the same thing about itself. Its actions prove otherwise—but you’ll never hear the pro-tech “libertarians” point out the obvious disingenuousness of Twitter execs. That’s only reserved for Parler and its leadership. It’s also ironic because, as one former Google engineer pointed out, Parler’s efforts are actually closer to what the law governing content moderation online originally intended.
Parler, of course, is not immune from criticism, but it’s a bit rich for the “free enterprise” crowd’s first response to a surge toward a Twitter alternative to be so publicly negative, nasty, dismissive, and crude. It adds a new, insincere spin to the line “build your own;” a second clause that says: “build your own—so we can trash you for it.”