wearechange--2020-12-21--Attorney General William Barr Sees “No Need” for Special Counsel on Hunter Biden

Answering questions during his PanAm 103 terrorist bombing probe press conference , Attorney General William Barr says he sees no reason to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden .
Additionally , Barr confirmed he does not plan to announce any actions on Hunter Biden before leaving DOJ .
Additionally , Barr said that he “ saw no basis ” for seizing voting machines , when asked if the President had legal authority… and with regard to election fraud , Barr added that “ if I thought a special counsel at this stage was the right tool , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t and I ’ m not going to.
” Presumably we , the people should just trust the American justice system to see this through without political intereference… This comes just days after Barr said in an interview published Friday that he has no regrets over not letting the public know before the election that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s son was under investigation .
We give the final word to Pepe Escobar , who appeared to sum up Bill Barr perfectly : “ Barr is now out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Barr is a notorious Daddy Bush asset since the old days – and that means classic Deep State .
Barr knew about all federal investigations on Hunter Biden dating back to 2018 , covering potential money laundering and bribery .
And still , as the Wall Street Journal delightfully put it , he “ worked to avoid their public disclosure during the heated election campaign ” .
”

Answering questions during his PanAm 103 terrorist bombing probe press conference, Attorney General William Barr says he sees no reason to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden.
Additionally, Barr confirmed he does not plan to announce any actions on Hunter Biden before leaving DOJ.
Attorney General William Barr says he has "not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel" to investigate Hunter Biden, and has "no plan to do so" before he steps down https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/My7WnkdTTq — CBS News (@CBSNews) December 21, 2020
Additionally, Barr said that he “saw no basis” for seizing voting machines, when asked if the President had legal authority… and with regard to election fraud, Barr added that “if I thought a special counsel at this stage was the right tool, I would name one, but I haven’t and I’m not going to.”
REPORTER: Does the president have legal authority to order the seizure of voting machines around the country? BARR: I see no basis for seizing machines by the federal government. pic.twitter.com/SpUgpqNqVW — August Takala (@AugustTakala) December 21, 2020
Presumably we, the people should just trust the American justice system to see this through without political intereference…
This comes just days after Barr said in an interview published Friday that he has no regrets over not letting the public know before the election that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s son was under investigation.
We give the final word to Pepe Escobar, who appeared to sum up Bill Barr perfectly:
“Barr is now out of the picture (see his letter of resignation). Barr is a notorious Daddy Bush asset since the old days – and that means classic Deep State. Barr knew about all federal investigations on Hunter Biden dating back to 2018, covering potential money laundering and bribery. And still, as the Wall Street Journal delightfully put it, he “worked to avoid their public disclosure during the heated election campaign”.”
Gatekeeper, indeed.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-22--House Passes 5,593-Page Spending Bill Worth Over $2.3 Trillion Without Anyone Having Read It

In the immortal words of Nancy Pelosi : “ we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what ’ s in it.
” Because , as Utah Senator Mike Lee so rambunctiously pointed out tonight , the bill is so huge that Lee said it will take three hours just to print out .
And they ’ ll still have to vote on the bill tonight .
It ’ s unreal .
Lee noted that “ this is by far the longest bill I ’ ve ever seen , ” and added that members won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in any way : Here ’ s the really sad thing : we ’ re being told that there will be no opportunity to amend or improve it .
As a result , nearly every member of Congress – House and Senate , Democrat or Republican – will have been excluded from the process of developing this bill , which will cost American taxpayers trillions of dollars .
This process , by which members of Congress are asked to defer blindly to legislation negotiated entirely in secret by four of their colleagues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t come to an end until no longer works for those empowered by it .
That can happen , but only when most members of both houses and both political parties stop voting for bills they haven ’ t read—and , by design , can not read until after it ’ s too late .
And so it came to pass that the House passed the bill… without a single member possibly being capable of reading it : And in case you wondered just what is in it , we summarized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needy Americans will care about here .

In the immortal words of Nancy Pelosi: “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it.”
Because, as Utah Senator Mike Lee so rambunctiously pointed out tonight, the bill is so huge that Lee said it will take three hours just to print out. And they’ll still have to vote on the bill tonight. It’s unreal.
1/4 This is the spending bill under consideration in Congress today. I received it just moments ago, and will likely be asked to vote on it late tonight. It’s 5,593 pages long. I know there are some good things in it. I’m equally confident that there are bad things in it. pic.twitter.com/SoWXnEWYfV — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) December 21, 2020
Lee noted that “this is by far the longest bill I’ve ever seen,” and added that members won’t be allowed to amend the bill in any way:
Here’s the really sad thing: we’re being told that there will be no opportunity to amend or improve it. As a result, nearly every member of Congress – House and Senate, Democrat or Republican – will have been excluded from the process of developing this bill, which will cost American taxpayers trillions of dollars. This process, by which members of Congress are asked to defer blindly to legislation negotiated entirely in secret by four of their colleagues, must come to an end. It won’t come to an end until no longer works for those empowered by it. That can happen, but only when most members of both houses and both political parties stop voting for bills they haven’t read—and, by design, cannot read until after it’s too late.
And so it came to pass that the House passed the bill… without a single member possibly being capable of reading it:
*HOUSE HAS VOTES TO PASS COVID RELIEF-FUNDING BILL; VOTE ONGOING
And in case you wondered just what is in it, we summarized the most egregious pork here… and what needy Americans will care about here.
Buried in the "relief" bill is a new law. If you stream copyrighted content without permission, you're now a federal felon, punishable by jail time, fines, losing your right to vote or own a firearm, etc. But they gave you $600 of your own money though. — Spike Cohen (@RealSpikeCohen) December 21, 2020
Reminder: The House has a rule to give everyone 72 hours to read the bills. Every Democrat in the House voted to suspend that rule and that’s why we’re voting on a 5500+ page bill tonight with less than 8 hours to read it. — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 21, 2020
$600 is a slap in the face to every American struggling due to the pandemic. You deserve better. I voted against the 5,593-page spending bill that gave billions to corporate interests, the military industrial complex & other countries, leaving crumbs for you who need help most. pic.twitter.com/82F1HYF43T — Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) December 22, 2020
Covid-19 relief bill includes a doubling of the health care budget — for members of Congress https://t.co/J1bBh53QOe by @lhfang — Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) December 21, 2020
Congress is expected to vote on the second largest bill in US history *today* – $2.5 trillion – and as of about 1pm, members don’t even have the legislative text of it yet. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 21, 2020
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-23--Hospital Workers Turn Down The Jab: “There’s Too Much Mistrust”

Less than a week after we reported on widespread resistance among healthcare workers in one Chicago hospital , BeckersHospitalReview.com ’ s Ayla Ellison reports that the virus of vaccine mistrust is spreading… Many employees at Howard University Hospital in Washington , D.C. , have reservations about taking the COVID-19 vaccine , and CEO Anita Jenkins is trying to get workers to follow her lead by getting vaccinated , according to CNN .
The hospital , a major healthcare provider for the Black community , received 725 doses of the Pfizer vaccine Dec. 15 and expects to receive a second shipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only about 600 of the hospital ’ s 1,900 employees had signed up for the shots , according to Kaiser Health News .
The vaccination numbers , though low , still exceeded expectations , Ms. Jenkins told CNN .
An internal hospital survey of about 350 employees in early November showed that 70 percent were not willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine or would not take it immediately after it became available .
Ms. Jenkins received the shot Dec. 15 in hopes of inspiring staff to get vaccinated .
She ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts and community leaders to combat vaccine hesitancy among Black Americans .
About 35 percent of Black Americans said they probably or definitely would not get the vaccine if it was determined to be safe by scientists and widely available for free , according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study cited by CNN .
Howard University Hospital isn ’ t the only healthcare provider with workers who turned down the vaccine .
At Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg , Texas , so many workers declined the COVID-19 vaccine that the hospital offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , according to ProPublica .
The hospital received 5,850 doses of the vaccine , and it quickly became clear that not enough people eligible for the vaccine , like staff who work directly with COVID-19 patients , were opting to get it , DHR Health CMO Robert Martinez , MD , told ProPublica .
After the first day of distribution , DHR reached out to other hospitals and healthcare facilities in the region to offer doses of the vaccine .
ProPublica reported that the vaccine ended up going to non-medical personnel as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jr .
He told ProPublica he was invited to take the vaccine by DHR after officials explained to him that all eligible workers who wanted the vaccine received it .
In short , as we noted previously , nobody wants to be a guinea pig .

Less than a week after we reported on widespread resistance among healthcare workers in one Chicago hospital, BeckersHospitalReview.com’s Ayla Ellison reports that the virus of vaccine mistrust is spreading…
Many employees at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., have reservations about taking the COVID-19 vaccine, and CEO Anita Jenkins is trying to get workers to follow her lead by getting vaccinated, according to CNN.
The hospital, a major healthcare provider for the Black community, received 725 doses of the Pfizer vaccine Dec. 15 and expects to receive a second shipment this week. As of Dec. 18, only about 600 of the hospital’s 1,900 employees had signed up for the shots, according to Kaiser Health News.
“There is a high level of mistrust and I get it,” Ms. Jenkins told Kaiser Health News. “People are genuinely afraid of the vaccine.”
The vaccination numbers, though low, still exceeded expectations, Ms. Jenkins told CNN. An internal hospital survey of about 350 employees in early November showed that 70 percent were not willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine or would not take it immediately after it became available.
Ms. Jenkins received the shot Dec. 15 in hopes of inspiring staff to get vaccinated. She’s part of a widespread effort by healthcare experts and community leaders to combat vaccine hesitancy among Black Americans. About 35 percent of Black Americans said they probably or definitely would not get the vaccine if it was determined to be safe by scientists and widely available for free, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study cited by CNN.
Howard University Hospital isn’t the only healthcare provider with workers who turned down the vaccine.
At Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg, Texas, so many workers declined the COVID-19 vaccine that the hospital offered doses to other medical workers in the region, according to ProPublica.
The hospital received 5,850 doses of the vaccine, and it quickly became clear that not enough people eligible for the vaccine, like staff who work directly with COVID-19 patients, were opting to get it, DHR Health CMO Robert Martinez, MD, told ProPublica.
“You start to see similar numbers across the country, all this mistrust and misinformation,” Dr. Martinez said.
After the first day of distribution, DHR reached out to other hospitals and healthcare facilities in the region to offer doses of the vaccine. ProPublica reported that the vaccine ended up going to non-medical personnel as well, including state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. He told ProPublica he was invited to take the vaccine by DHR after officials explained to him that all eligible workers who wanted the vaccine received it.
In short, as we noted previously, nobody wants to be a guinea pig.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-23--Trump Outflanks Democrats From Left, Demands $2,000 Stimulus Checks as Supporters Call for Veto of C

Trump Outflanks Democrats From Left, Demands $2,000 Stimulus Checks as Supporters Call for Veto of COVID Relief Bill

President Trump appeared to threaten to veto the COVID-19 stimulus package that Congress passed almost 24 hours earlier , telling lawmakers to boost checks for Americans to $ 2,000 as well as “ get rid of wasteful and unnecessary items ” in the spending bill Trump said “ throughout the summer , Democrats cruelly blocked COVID relief legislation in an effort to advance their extreme left wing agenda and influence the election… ” “ It ’ s taken forever ” to get a package and the bill passed “ is much different than anticipated.
” “ It really is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reeled off a list of disgusting ‘ pork ’ ( read the details here ) that has been piled into this record-breaking 5,593 page bill .
As Axios notes , many of the items Trump listed , such as foreign aid , which were not related to COVID-19 are not part of the coronavirus relief package .
These form part of the government funding bill , which was passed alongside the coronavirus relief package .
Then he took a shot at Biden and the election : “ Send me a suitable bill or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver a COVID relief package and maybe that administration will be me and we will get it done.
” Trump also asked Congress to “ get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items ” and to send him a “ suitable bill.
” “ For example , among the more than 5,000 pages in this bill , which nobody in this Congress has read because of its length and complexity , it ’ s called the COVID Relief Bill , but it has almost nothing to do with COVID , ” the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not happy .

President Trump appeared to threaten to veto the COVID-19 stimulus package that Congress passed almost 24 hours earlier, telling lawmakers to boost checks for Americans to $2,000 as well as “get rid of wasteful and unnecessary items” in the spending bill
Trump said “throughout the summer, Democrats cruelly blocked COVID relief legislation in an effort to advance their extreme left wing agenda and influence the election…” “It’s taken forever” to get a package and the bill passed “is much different than anticipated.” “It really is a disgrace,” he added.
Then reeled off a list of disgusting ‘pork’ (read the details here) that has been piled into this record-breaking 5,593 page bill.
As Axios notes, many of the items Trump listed, such as foreign aid, which were not related to COVID-19 are not part of the coronavirus relief package. These form part of the government funding bill, which was passed alongside the coronavirus relief package.
Then he took a shot at Biden and the election:
“Send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package and maybe that administration will be me and we will get it done.”
Watch the full statement here:
Trump also asked Congress to “get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items” and to send him a “suitable bill.”
“For example, among the more than 5,000 pages in this bill, which nobody in this Congress has read because of its length and complexity, it’s called the COVID Relief Bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID,” the president continued.
… and the market is not happy.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-22--Number of Journalists Murdered in Retaliation for Their Work More Than Doubled in 2020

In what one leading advocate called “ a failure by the international community , ” the number of journalists murdered in retaliation for their work more than doubled in 2020 , according to a report published Tuesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists .
CPJ ’ s annual report contains a database of 30 journalists who were killed in 15 countries during the course of the year .
Of these , six died while working “ dangerous assignments , ” three were caught in the crossfire during the ongoing Syrian civil war , and 21 were murdered .
Afghanistan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , with four each .
Illegal firearms—many trafficked from the United States—have reportedly been used to kill reporters in Mexico , where drug war violence has fueled a nearly doubling of the nation ’ s overall homicide rate over the past five years .
These two countries are followed by the Philippines with three murdered journalists ; India and Honduras with two ; and one each in Bangladesh , Iran , Paraguay , Somalia , Syria , and Yemen .
The death of a fifth Afghan journalist , Rahmatullah Nekzad—who was gunned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attend mosque on Monday—did not make the list , as it is still under investigation .
CPJ said that all 21 murdered journalists were slain in targeted killings it called “ direct reprisals ” for their work , an increase from 10 such murders in 2019 .
“ It ’ s appalling that the murders of journalists have more than doubled in the last year , and this escalation represents a failure of the international community to confront the scourge of impunity , ” CPJ executive director Joel Simon said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The most recent murders listed on CPJ database are those of Hussein Khattab , a Syrian reporter for the Turkish state-owned broadcaster TRT Arabic who was assassinated by masked men on a motorcycle in Al-Bab , Syria on December 12 ; Roohollah Zam , who was executed in Iran on December 12 for covering anti-government protests ; and Malala Maiwand , who along with her driver Mohammad Tahir was shot dead on her way to work at Enikass TV and Radio in Jalalabad , Afghanistan earlier this month .
CPJ said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other journalists this year to determine whether they were slain for reasons related to their work .
Last week , CPJ also reported that a record number of journalists are being jailed around the world , many for reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic or political uprisings .
“ The fact that murder is on the rise and the number of journalists imprisoned around the world hit a record is a clear demonstration that press freedom is under unprecedented assault in the midst of a global pandemic , in which information is essential , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come together to reverse this terrible trend.
” If there is a silver lining to the latest CPJ report , it is that the number of journalists killed covering wars and other military conflicts fell to its lowest level of the century , although at least four reporters died in war-torn Afghanistan and Syria .

In what one leading advocate called “a failure by the international community,” the number of journalists murdered in retaliation for their work more than doubled in 2020, according to a report published Tuesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
CPJ’s annual report contains a database of 30 journalists who were killed in 15 countries during the course of the year. Of these, six died while working “dangerous assignments,” three were caught in the crossfire during the ongoing Syrian civil war, and 21 were murdered.
Afghanistan and Mexico suffered the most journalist murders in 2020, with four each. Illegal firearms—many trafficked from the United States—have reportedly been used to kill reporters in Mexico, where drug war violence has fueled a nearly doubling of the nation’s overall homicide rate over the past five years.
These two countries are followed by the Philippines with three murdered journalists; India and Honduras with two; and one each in Bangladesh, Iran, Paraguay, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
The death of a fifth Afghan journalist, Rahmatullah Nekzad—who was gunned down as he left his Ghazni home to attend mosque on Monday—did not make the list, as it is still under investigation.
CPJ said that all 21 murdered journalists were slain in targeted killings it called “direct reprisals” for their work, an increase from 10 such murders in 2019.
The number of journalists singled out for murder in reprisal for their work more than doubled in 2020. At least 30 journalists were killed for their work as of December 15, 2020. 21 of those were murdered in retaliation for their work.https://t.co/6Sn5RjwN4O pic.twitter.com/adetcAs2d3 — Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) December 22, 2020
“It’s appalling that the murders of journalists have more than doubled in the last year, and this escalation represents a failure of the international community to confront the scourge of impunity,” CPJ executive director Joel Simon said in a statement accompanying the report’s publication.
The most recent murders listed on CPJ database are those of Hussein Khattab, a Syrian reporter for the Turkish state-owned broadcaster TRT Arabic who was assassinated by masked men on a motorcycle in Al-Bab, Syria on December 12; Roohollah Zam, who was executed in Iran on December 12 for covering anti-government protests; and Malala Maiwand, who along with her driver Mohammad Tahir was shot dead on her way to work at Enikass TV and Radio in Jalalabad, Afghanistan earlier this month.
Malala Maiwand's murder highlights plight of female reporters in#Afghanistan. She was the latest victim of a slew of attacks on #femalejournalists. pic.twitter.com/bIKgvUAwh0 — DW Hotspot Asia (@dw_hotspotasia) December 11, 2020
CPJ said it is currently investigating the killings of 15 other journalists this year to determine whether they were slain for reasons related to their work.
Last week, CPJ also reported that a record number of journalists are being jailed around the world, many for reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic or political uprisings.
“The fact that murder is on the rise and the number of journalists imprisoned around the world hit a record is a clear demonstration that press freedom is under unprecedented assault in the midst of a global pandemic, in which information is essential,” Simon said. “We must come together to reverse this terrible trend.”
If there is a silver lining to the latest CPJ report, it is that the number of journalists killed covering wars and other military conflicts fell to its lowest level of the century, although at least four reporters died in war-torn Afghanistan and Syria.
Republished from CommonDreams.org under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-12-22--Beautiful and amazing human being, we’ve got bad news…

In today ’ s video , we break down the massive $ 2.3 trillion spending and relief package , aka @ @ @ @ @ up for our newsletter : bit.ly/3ijjAop # 1 best VPN to use : bit.ly/3iT4Ew3 OH @ @ @ @ @ not corporate or government owned help us out here .
YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT US @

In today’s video, we break down the massive $2.3 trillion spending and relief package, aka the stimulus bill.
Follow us on Telegram: t.me/s/News4AChange
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/3ijjAop
Subscribe on LBRY: https://lbry.tv/@wearechange:1
Improve your gut health: bit.ly/34GHbdY
Filter your water: bit.ly/37QriDt
Storable food for emergencies: SafePreparedAndReady.com
#1 best source of Collagen: bit.ly/3mw5uRK
#1 best VPN to use: bit.ly/3iT4Ew3
Exclusive members-only content:
-> wearechange.org/donate
-> patreon.com/WeAreChange
-> subscribestar.com/wearechange


wearechange--2020-12-23--We’re all getting played…

We’re all getting played…

In today ’ s video , we explain the truth about the stimulus bill and Donald Trump ’ s veto @ @ @ @ @ our newsletter : bit.ly/3ijjAop # 1 best VPN to use : bit.ly/3iT4Ew3 OH YEAH , @ @ @ @ @ or government owned help us out here .
YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT US ON

In today’s video, we explain the truth about the stimulus bill and Donald Trump’s veto threat.
Follow us on Telegram: t.me/s/News4AChange
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/3ijjAop
Subscribe on LBRY: https://lbry.tv/@wearechange:1
Improve your gut health: bit.ly/34GHbdY
Filter your water: bit.ly/37QriDt
Storable food for emergencies: SafePreparedAndReady.com
#1 best source of Collagen: bit.ly/3mw5uRK
#1 best VPN to use: bit.ly/3iT4Ew3
Exclusive members-only content:
-> wearechange.org/donate
-> patreon.com/WeAreChange
-> subscribestar.com/wearechange


wearechange--2020-12-24--18-Year-Old American Girl Jailed for Two Months in Cayman Islands for Breaking COVID Rules

An American college student has been jailed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police for blatantly violating COVID-19 restrictions , according to CBS News .
Skylar Mack , an 18-year-old college student at Mercer University in Georgia , was slapped with a two-month sentence for violating quarantine to attend her boyfriend ’ s jet ski competition .
“ Whilst it was our hope that Skylar would be able to return home to resume her studies in January , we accept the decision of the court and look forward to receiving its written reasons in due course , ” Hughes said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vanjae Ramgeet , was also sentenced to two months by the Cayman Islands Grand Court for breaking quarantine .
After flying to Grand Cayman in late November , Mack was ordered by authorities to self-isolate for two weeks and given a wristband to track her movements .
She signed a document to remain inside for the quarantine ’ s duration , but on day number two , she was spotted at a jet ski competition with Ramgeet , who lives on the island , without the wristband .
It was not clear by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine .
At the hearing on Dec. 15 , Judge Roger Chapple explained his decision for jailing Mack and Ramgeet : “ This was as flagrant a breach as could be imagined ; it was borne of selfishness and arrogance , ” Chapple said , according to local newspaper Cayman Compass .
“ This was entirely deliberate and planned , as evidenced by her desire to switch her wristband the day before to a looser one that she was then able to remove.
” The Grand Cayman has been a hot spot for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark covid winter.
” Remote work has allowed many to work internationally , in countries where the virus isn ’ t rapidly spreading .
Americans jailed during the pandemic for breaking quarantine rules has not been uncommon .
Hawaii , back in May , arrested “ rogue tourists ” who ignored local virus rules .

An American college student has been jailed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police for blatantly violating COVID-19 restrictions, according to CBS News.
Skylar Mack, an 18-year-old college student at Mercer University in Georgia, was slapped with a two-month sentence for violating quarantine to attend her boyfriend’s jet ski competition.
Mack’s attorney Jonathan Hughes told CBS:
“Whilst it was our hope that Skylar would be able to return home to resume her studies in January, we accept the decision of the court and look forward to receiving its written reasons in due course,” Hughes said.
Along with Mack, her boyfriend, Vanjae Ramgeet, was also sentenced to two months by the Cayman Islands Grand Court for breaking quarantine.
After flying to Grand Cayman in late November, Mack was ordered by authorities to self-isolate for two weeks and given a wristband to track her movements. She signed a document to remain inside for the quarantine’s duration, but on day number two, she was spotted at a jet ski competition with Ramgeet, who lives on the island, without the wristband.
It was not clear by CBS who reported the couple for breaking quarantine.
Skylar Mack’s mom and stepfather say they are living through their worst nightmare as the jailed 18-year-old serves a 2-month prison sentence in the Cayman Islands for breaking quarantine rules. @VictorOquendo reports. https://t.co/i9rZzYvW4s pic.twitter.com/7dVCs21NIc — Good Morning America (@GMA) December 23, 2020
At the hearing on Dec. 15, Judge Roger Chapple explained his decision for jailing Mack and Ramgeet:
“This was as flagrant a breach as could be imagined; it was borne of selfishness and arrogance,” Chapple said, according to local newspaper Cayman Compass. “This was entirely deliberate and planned, as evidenced by her desire to switch her wristband the day before to a looser one that she was then able to remove.”
The Grand Cayman has been a hot spot for Americans fleeing the country amid a “dark covid winter.” Remote work has allowed many to work internationally, in countries where the virus isn’t rapidly spreading.
Americans jailed during the pandemic for breaking quarantine rules has not been uncommon. Hawaii, back in May, arrested “rogue tourists” who ignored local virus rules.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-24--Fauci Just Admitted to Lying About Herd Immunity

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the Democrat-approved ‘ science ’ in ‘ trust the science , ’ appears to have just admitted to lying about COVID-19 herd immunity in order to goad more people into taking the vaccine , according to a new report in the New York Times .
At issue is the percentage of the population which must require resistance to the coronavirus – through infection or vaccination – in order for the disease to disappear .
Early into the pandemic , Fauci repeatedly claimed ‘ 60-70 % ‘ herd immunity was required to achieve herd immunity .
Beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci ’ s estimate drifted higher – to “ 70 , 75 percent , ” and more recently telling CNBC “ 75 , 80 , 85 percent ” and “ 75 to 80-plus percent.
” When asked about it , Fauci essentially said he lied for political purposes due to vaccine skeptics .
In a telephone interview the next day , Dr. Fauci acknowledged that he had slowly but deliberately been moving the goal posts .
He is doing so , he said , partly based on new science , and partly on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally ready to hear what he really thinks .
Hard as it may be to hear , he said , he believes that it may take close to 90 percent immunity to bring the virus to a halt — almost as much as is needed to stop a measles outbreak .
Asked about Dr. Fauci ’ s conclusions , prominent epidemiologists said that he might be proven right .
The early range of 60 to 70 percent was almost undoubtedly too low , they said , and the virus is becoming more transmissible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immunity to stop it .
Dr. Fauci said that weeks ago , he had hesitated to publicly raise his estimate because many Americans seemed hesitant about vaccines , which they would need to accept almost universally in order for the country to achieve herd immunity .
And with polls now suggesting more Americans are willing to take the vaccines , Fauci ( who said in November COVID-19 ‘ won ’ t be a pandemic for much longer ‘ ) says he ’ s ready to come clean .
“ When polls said only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine , I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent , ” he said , adding “ Then , when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it , I thought , ‘ I can nudge this up a bit , ’ so I went to 80 , 85.
” “ We need to have some humility here , ” Fauci then said .
“ We really don ’ t know what the real number is .
I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not going to say 90 percent , ” because doing so might discourage Americans .
The Times ’ Ross Douthat called Fauci out for shifting the goalposts .
Will Democrats give Fauci equal treatment to Trump , who was viciously attacked by the left for downplaying the virus during its early days in order to prevent a panic ?

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Democrat-approved ‘science’ in ‘trust the science,’ appears to have just admitted to lying about COVID-19 herd immunity in order to goad more people into taking the vaccine, according to a new report in the New York Times.
At issue is the percentage of the population which must require resistance to the coronavirus – through infection or vaccination – in order for the disease to disappear.
Early into the pandemic, Fauci repeatedly claimed ‘60-70%‘ herd immunity was required to achieve herd immunity. Beginning around a month ago, however, Fauci’s estimate drifted higher – to “70, 75 percent,” and more recently telling CNBC “75, 80, 85 percent” and “75 to 80-plus percent.”
When asked about it, Fauci essentially said he lied for political purposes due to vaccine skeptics.
In a telephone interview the next day, Dr. Fauci acknowledged that he had slowly but deliberately been moving the goal posts. He is doing so, he said, partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks. Hard as it may be to hear, he said, he believes that it may take close to 90 percent immunity to bring the virus to a halt — almost as much as is needed to stop a measles outbreak. Asked about Dr. Fauci’s conclusions, prominent epidemiologists said that he might be proven right. The early range of 60 to 70 percent was almost undoubtedly too low, they said, and the virus is becoming more transmissible, so it will take greater herd immunity to stop it. Dr. Fauci said that weeks ago, he had hesitated to publicly raise his estimate because many Americans seemed hesitant about vaccines , which they would need to accept almost universally in order for the country to achieve herd immunity.
And with polls now suggesting more Americans are willing to take the vaccines, Fauci (who said in November COVID-19 ‘won’t be a pandemic for much longer‘) says he’s ready to come clean.
“When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent,” he said, adding “Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, ‘I can nudge this up a bit,’ so I went to 80, 85.”
“We need to have some humility here,” Fauci then said. “We really don’t know what the real number is. I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent. But, I’m not going to say 90 percent,” because doing so might discourage Americans.
The Times’ Ross Douthat called Fauci out for shifting the goalposts.
When you can't just "trust the science" because the scientists keep lying to you and then saying, "oh, that was just a noble lie, sorry about that."https://t.co/2SKAiGiBto pic.twitter.com/hl06rjM7tA — Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) December 24, 2020
Will Democrats give Fauci equal treatment to Trump, who was viciously attacked by the left for downplaying the virus during its early days in order to prevent a panic?
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-24--This Horrible Really Bad Guy Wants To Be In Charge Of The Jab Now!

In today ’ s video , we cover the mutant strains of the sickness and a really bad politician wanting @ @ @ @ @ the jab rollout .
Sign up for our newsletter : bit.ly/3ijjAop # 1 best VPN @ @ @ @

In today’s video, we cover the mutant strains of the sickness and a really bad politician wanting to be in charge of the jab rollout.
Follow us on Telegram: t.me/s/News4AChange
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/3ijjAop
Subscribe on LBRY: https://lbry.tv/@wearechange:1
Improve your gut health: bit.ly/34GHbdY
Filter your water: bit.ly/37QriDt
Storable food for emergencies: SafePreparedAndReady.com
#1 best source of Collagen: bit.ly/3mw5uRK
#1 best VPN to use: bit.ly/3iT4Ew3
Exclusive members-only content:
-> wearechange.org/donate
-> patreon.com/WeAreChange
-> subscribestar.com/wearechange


wearechange--2020-12-24--Shutdown Looms as Republicans Block $2,000 Checks Demanded by Trump — Here’s What Happens Next

House Democrats on Thursday failed to replace the $ 600 direct checks in the latest pandemic relief bill with $ @ @ @ @ @ Trump this week – which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-MD ) sought to @ @ @ @ @ only to be blocked by House Republicans .
House Democrats will try again on Monday @ @ @ @ @ bill for the $ 2,000 checks , according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA @ @ @ @ @ also attempt to override Trump ’ s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act as @ @ @ @ @ lapse .
To avoid a shutdown , the House could also pass another stopgap measure @ @ @ @ @ measures will also run out between Saturday and Dec. 31 , including $ 300 per @ @ @ @ @ and a moratorium on rent-related evictions .
Politico ’ s Jake Sherman opines on the @ @ @ @ @ lighter fluid and a match on GOP leaders , who largely failed to support his @ @ @ @ @ :

House Democrats on Thursday failed to replace the $600 direct checks in the latest pandemic relief bill with $2,000 payments demanded by President Trump this week – which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) sought to pass by unanimous consent, only to be blocked by House Republicans.
House Democrats will try again on Monday, with a new stand-alone bill for the $2,000 checks, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The House will also attempt to override Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act as government funding is set to lapse.
To avoid a shutdown, the House could also pass another stopgap measure – however several pandemic relief measures will also run out between Saturday and Dec. 31, including $300 per week in bonus unemployment insurance and a moratorium on rent-related evictions.
Politico’s Jake Sherman opines on the next steps after Trump tossed lighter fluid and a match on GOP leaders, who largely failed to support his challenge to the November election:
IN HIS FINAL INTVW IN 1973, LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON told WALTER CRONKITE that antagonizing Congress is never a good idea because it’s like a pilot having a co-pilot flying in different directions. TRUMP HAS taken it a step further. He has pressed the ejection seat on his allies — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 24, 2020
If worse comes to worst, he’ll have a better hand in a few weeks with JOE BIDEN in the White House. BIDEN’S a Democrat, but at least you know his administration’s word is likely to be good. — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 24, 2020
Trump's remaining Hill allies — all in the House — are convincing TRUMP that he has a chance of overturning electoral results Jan. 6, and that he should veto this bill — both deep rabbit holes without exit paths. — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 24, 2020
RIGHT NOW, Republicans tell us they have one goal: keep TRUMP calm and hope he changes his mind and signs the bill. — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 24, 2020
Republicans are going to offer to strip all the foreign money out of the bill they just passed, and replace it with a stopgap measure. Democrats will block that. We’ll then be back at square one. — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 24, 2020
Hoyer says he is going to talk to pelosi and to Dems about how to avoid a shutdown Monday. He says pelosi is talking to mnuchin — but to what end? Mnuchin doesn’t have trumps proxy. No one has a clue what trump is up to. — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 24, 2020
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-25--Leaked Documents Reveal How China’s “Army of Paid Internet Trolls” Helped Censor Coronavirus

In the early hours of Feb. 7 , China ’ s powerful internet censors experienced an unfamiliar and deeply unsettling sensation .
They felt they were losing control .
The news was spreading quickly that Li Wenliang , a doctor who had warned about a strange new viral outbreak only to be threatened by the police and accused of peddling rumors , had died of COVID-19 .
Grief and fury coursed through social media .
To people at home and abroad , Li ’ s death showed the terrible cost of the Chinese government ’ s instinct to suppress inconvenient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to double down .
Warning of the “ unprecedented challenge ” Li ’ s passing had posed and the “ butterfly effect ” it may have set off , officials got to work suppressing the inconvenient news and reclaiming the narrative , according to confidential directives sent to local propaganda workers and news outlets .
They ordered news websites not to issue push notifications alerting readers to his death .
They told social platforms to gradually remove his name from trending topics pages .
And they activated legions of fake online commenters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stressing the need for discretion : “ As commenters fight to guide public opinion , they must conceal their identity , avoid crude patriotism and sarcastic praise , and be sleek and silent in achieving results.
” Special instructions were issued to manage anger over Dr. Li ’ s death .
The orders were among thousands of secret government directives and other documents that were reviewed by The New York Times and ProPublica .
They lay bare in extraordinary detail the systems that helped the Chinese authorities shape online opinion during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media is deepening social divides in Western democracies , China is manipulating online discourse to enforce the Communist Party ’ s consensus .
To stage-manage what appeared on the Chinese internet early this year , the authorities issued strict commands on the content and tone of news coverage , directed paid trolls to inundate social media with party-line blather and deployed security forces to muzzle unsanctioned voices .
Though China makes no secret of its belief in rigid internet controls , the documents convey just how much behind-the-scenes effort is involved in maintaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous bureaucracy , armies of people , specialized technology made by private contractors , the constant monitoring of digital news outlets and social media platforms — and , presumably , lots of money .
It is much more than simply flipping a switch to block certain unwelcome ideas , images or pieces of news .
China ’ s curbs on information about the outbreak started in early January , before the novel coronavirus had even been identified definitively , the documents show .
When infections started spreading rapidly a few weeks later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast China ’ s response in too “ negative ” a light .
The United States and other countries have for months accused China of trying to hide the extent of the outbreak in its early stages .
It may never be clear whether a freer flow of information from China would have prevented the outbreak from morphing into a raging global health calamity .
But the documents indicate that Chinese officials tried to steer the narrative not only to prevent panic and debunk damaging falsehoods domestically .
They also wanted to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the authorities more capable — as the rest of the world was watching .
The documents include more than 3,200 directives and 1,800 memos and other files from the offices of the country ’ s internet regulator , the Cyberspace Administration of China , in the eastern city of Hangzhou .
They also include internal files and computer code from a Chinese company , Urun Big Data Services , that makes software used by local governments to monitor internet discussion and manage armies of online commenters .
The documents were shared with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that calls itself CCP Unmasked , referring to the Chinese Communist Party .
The Times and ProPublica independently verified the authenticity of many of the documents , some of which had been obtained separately by China Digital Times , a website that tracks Chinese internet controls .
The CAC and Urun did not respond to requests for comment .
“ China has a politically weaponized system of censorship ; it is refined , organized , coordinated and supported by the state ’ s resources , ” said Xiao Qiang , a research scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of California , Berkeley , and the founder of China Digital Times .
“ It ’ s not just for deleting something .
They also have a powerful apparatus to construct a narrative and aim it at any target with huge scale.
” “ This is a huge thing , ” he added .
“ No other country has that.
” China ’ s top leader , Xi Jinping , created the Cyberspace Administration of China in 2014 to centralize the management of internet censorship and propaganda as well as other aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency reports to the Communist Party ’ s powerful Central Committee , a sign of its importance to the leadership .
The CAC ’ s coronavirus controls began in the first week of January .
An agency directive ordered news websites to use only government-published material and not to draw any parallels with the deadly SARS outbreak in China and elsewhere that began in 2002 , even as the World Health Organization was noting the similarities .
At the start of February , a high-level meeting led by Xi called for tighter management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s offices across the country swung into action .
A directive in Zhejiang Province , whose capital is Hangzhou , said the agency should not only control the message within China , but also seek to “ actively influence international opinion.
” Agency workers began receiving links to virus-related articles that they were to promote on local news aggregators and social media .
Directives specified which links should be featured on news sites ’ home screens , how many hours they should remain online and even which headlines should appear in boldface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heroic efforts by local medical workers dispatched to Wuhan , the Chinese city where the virus was first reported , as well as the vital contributions of Communist Party members , the agency ’ s orders said .
Headlines should steer clear of the words “ incurable ” and “ fatal , ” one directive said , “ to avoid causing societal panic.
” When covering restrictions on movement and travel , the word “ lockdown ” should not be used , said another .
Multiple directives emphasized that “ negative ” news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoted .
When a prison officer in Zhejiang who lied about his travels caused an outbreak among the inmates , the CAC asked local offices to monitor the case closely because it “ could easily attract attention from overseas.
” Officials ordered the news media to downplay the crisis .
News outlets were told not to play up reports on donations and purchases of medical supplies from abroad .
The concern , according to agency directives , was that such reports could cause a backlash overseas and disrupt China ’ s procurement efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of personal protective equipment as the virus spread abroad .
“ Avoid giving the false impression that our fight against the epidemic relies on foreign donations , ” one directive said .
CAC workers flagged some on-the-ground videos for purging , including several that appear to show bodies exposed in public places .
Other clips that were flagged appear to show people yelling angrily inside a hospital , workers hauling a corpse out of an apartment and a quarantined child crying for her mother .
The videos ’ authenticity could not be confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ craft ideas for “ fun at home ” content to “ ease the anxieties of web users.
” In one Hangzhou district , workers described a “ witty and humorous ” guitar ditty they had promoted .
It went , “ I never thought it would be true to say : To support your country , just sleep all day.
” The death of Li , the doctor in Wuhan , loosed a geyser of emotion that threatened to tear Chinese social media out from under the CAC ’ s control .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s gag order leaked onto Weibo , a popular Twitter-like platform , fueling further anger .
Thousands of people flooded Li ’ s Weibo account with comments .
The agency had little choice but to permit expressions of grief , though only to a point .
If anyone was sensationalizing the story to generate online traffic , their account should be dealt with “ severely , ” one directive said .
The day after Li ’ s death , a directive included a sample of material that was deemed to be “ taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public opinion ” : a video interview in which Li ’ s mother reminisces tearfully about her son .
The scrutiny did not let up in the days that followed .
“ Pay particular attention to posts with pictures of candles , people wearing masks , an entirely black image or other efforts to escalate or hype the incident , ” read an agency directive to local offices .
Larger numbers of online memorials began to disappear .
The police detained several people who formed groups to archive deleted posts .
In Hangzhou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up reports describing how they were ensuring people saw nothing that contradicted the soothing message from the Communist Party : that it had the virus firmly under control .
Officials in one district reported that workers in their employ had posted online comments that were read more than 40,000 times , “ effectively eliminating city residents ’ panic.
” Workers in another county boasted of their “ severe crackdown ” on what they called rumors : 16 people had been investigated by the police , 14 given warnings and two detained .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” monitoring closed chat groups on WeChat , the popular social app .
Researchers have estimated that hundreds of thousands of people in China work part-time to post comments and share content that reinforces state ideology .
Many of them are low-level employees at government departments and party organizations .
Universities have recruited students and teachers for the task .
Local governments have held training sessions for them .
Local officials turned to informants and trolls to control opinion .
Government departments in China have a variety of specialized software at their disposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One maker of such software , Urun , has won at least two dozen contracts with local agencies and state-owned enterprises since 2016 , government procurement records show .
According to an analysis of computer code and documents from Urun , the company ’ s products can track online trends , coordinate censorship activity and manage fake social media accounts for posting comments .
One Urun software system gives government workers a slick , easy-to-use interface for quickly adding likes to posts .
Managers can use the system to assign specific tasks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track how many tasks a commenter has completed and how much that person should be paid .
According to one document describing the software , commenters in the southern city of Guangzhou are paid $ 25 for an original post of longer than 400 characters .
Flagging a negative comment for deletion earns them 40 cents .
Reposts are worth one cent apiece .
Urun makes a smartphone app that streamlines their work .
They receive tasks within the app , post the requisite comments from their personal social media accounts , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the task was completed .
The company also makes video game-like software that helps train commenters , documents show .
The software splits a group of users into two teams , one red and one blue , and pits them against each other to see which can produce more popular posts .
Other Urun code is designed to monitor Chinese social media for “ harmful information.
” Workers can use keywords to find posts that mention sensitive topics , such as “ incidents involving leadership ” or “ national political affairs.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further review .
In Hangzhou , officials appear to have used Urun software to scan the Chinese internet for keywords like “ virus ” and “ pneumonia ” in conjunction with place names , according to company data .
By the end of February , the emotional wallop of Li ’ s death seemed to be fading .
CAC workers around Hangzhou continued to scan the internet for anything that might perturb the great sea of placidity .
One city district noted that web users were worried about how their neighborhoods were handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning from out of town and potentially carrying the virus .
Another district observed concerns about whether schools were taking adequate safety measures as students returned .
On March 12 , the agency ’ s Hangzhou office issued a memo to all branches about new national rules for internet platforms .
Local offices should set up special teams for conducting daily inspections of local websites , the memo said .
Those found to have violations should be “ promptly supervised and rectified.
” The Hangzhou CAC had already been keeping a quarterly scorecard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managing their content .
Each site started the quarter with 100 points .
Points were deducted for failing to adequately police posts or comments .
Points might also be added for standout performances .
In the first quarter of 2020 , two local websites lost 10 points each for “ publishing illegal information related to the epidemic , ” that quarter ’ s score report said .
A government portal received an extra two points for “ participating actively in opinion guidance ” during the outbreak .
Over time , the CAC offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus : noisy construction projects keeping people awake at night , heavy rains causing flooding in a train station .
Then , in late May , the offices received startling news : Confidential public-opinion analysis reports had somehow been published online .
The agency ordered offices to purge internal reports — particularly , it said , those analyzing sentiment surrounding the epidemic .
The offices wrote back in their usual dry bureaucratese , vowing to “ prevent such data from leaking out on the internet and causing a serious adverse impact @ @ @ @

In the early hours of Feb. 7, China’s powerful internet censors experienced an unfamiliar and deeply unsettling sensation. They felt they were losing control.
The news was spreading quickly that Li Wenliang, a doctor who had warned about a strange new viral outbreak only to be threatened by the police and accused of peddling rumors, had died of COVID-19. Grief and fury coursed through social media. To people at home and abroad, Li’s death showed the terrible cost of the Chinese government’s instinct to suppress inconvenient information.
Yet China’s censors decided to double down. Warning of the “unprecedented challenge” Li’s passing had posed and the “butterfly effect” it may have set off, officials got to work suppressing the inconvenient news and reclaiming the narrative, according to confidential directives sent to local propaganda workers and news outlets.
They ordered news websites not to issue push notifications alerting readers to his death. They told social platforms to gradually remove his name from trending topics pages. And they activated legions of fake online commenters to flood social sites with distracting chatter, stressing the need for discretion: “As commenters fight to guide public opinion, they must conceal their identity, avoid crude patriotism and sarcastic praise, and be sleek and silent in achieving results.”
Special instructions were issued to manage anger over Dr. Li’s death.
The orders were among thousands of secret government directives and other documents that were reviewed by The New York Times and ProPublica. They lay bare in extraordinary detail the systems that helped the Chinese authorities shape online opinion during the pandemic.
At a time when digital media is deepening social divides in Western democracies, China is manipulating online discourse to enforce the Communist Party’s consensus. To stage-manage what appeared on the Chinese internet early this year, the authorities issued strict commands on the content and tone of news coverage, directed paid trolls to inundate social media with party-line blather and deployed security forces to muzzle unsanctioned voices.
Though China makes no secret of its belief in rigid internet controls, the documents convey just how much behind-the-scenes effort is involved in maintaining a tight grip. It takes an enormous bureaucracy, armies of people, specialized technology made by private contractors, the constant monitoring of digital news outlets and social media platforms — and, presumably, lots of money.
It is much more than simply flipping a switch to block certain unwelcome ideas, images or pieces of news.
China’s curbs on information about the outbreak started in early January, before the novel coronavirus had even been identified definitively, the documents show. When infections started spreading rapidly a few weeks later, the authorities clamped down on anything that cast China’s response in too “negative” a light.
The United States and other countries have for months accused China of trying to hide the extent of the outbreak in its early stages. It may never be clear whether a freer flow of information from China would have prevented the outbreak from morphing into a raging global health calamity. But the documents indicate that Chinese officials tried to steer the narrative not only to prevent panic and debunk damaging falsehoods domestically. They also wanted to make the virus look less severe — and the authorities more capable — as the rest of the world was watching.
The documents include more than 3,200 directives and 1,800 memos and other files from the offices of the country’s internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, in the eastern city of Hangzhou. They also include internal files and computer code from a Chinese company, Urun Big Data Services, that makes software used by local governments to monitor internet discussion and manage armies of online commenters.
The documents were shared with The Times and ProPublica by a hacker group that calls itself CCP Unmasked, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. The Times and ProPublica independently verified the authenticity of many of the documents, some of which had been obtained separately by China Digital Times, a website that tracks Chinese internet controls.
The CAC and Urun did not respond to requests for comment.
“China has a politically weaponized system of censorship; it is refined, organized, coordinated and supported by the state’s resources,” said Xiao Qiang, a research scientist at the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley, and the founder of China Digital Times. “It’s not just for deleting something. They also have a powerful apparatus to construct a narrative and aim it at any target with huge scale.”
“This is a huge thing,” he added. “No other country has that.”
Controlling a Narrative
China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, created the Cyberspace Administration of China in 2014 to centralize the management of internet censorship and propaganda as well as other aspects of digital policy. Today, the agency reports to the Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee, a sign of its importance to the leadership.
The CAC’s coronavirus controls began in the first week of January. An agency directive ordered news websites to use only government-published material and not to draw any parallels with the deadly SARS outbreak in China and elsewhere that began in 2002, even as the World Health Organization was noting the similarities.
At the start of February, a high-level meeting led by Xi called for tighter management of digital media, and the CAC’s offices across the country swung into action. A directive in Zhejiang Province, whose capital is Hangzhou, said the agency should not only control the message within China, but also seek to “actively influence international opinion.”
Agency workers began receiving links to virus-related articles that they were to promote on local news aggregators and social media. Directives specified which links should be featured on news sites’ home screens, how many hours they should remain online and even which headlines should appear in boldface.
Online reports should play up the heroic efforts by local medical workers dispatched to Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus was first reported, as well as the vital contributions of Communist Party members, the agency’s orders said.
Headlines should steer clear of the words “incurable” and “fatal,” one directive said, “to avoid causing societal panic.” When covering restrictions on movement and travel, the word “lockdown” should not be used, said another. Multiple directives emphasized that “negative” news about the virus was not to be promoted.
When a prison officer in Zhejiang who lied about his travels caused an outbreak among the inmates, the CAC asked local offices to monitor the case closely because it “could easily attract attention from overseas.”
Officials ordered the news media to downplay the crisis.
News outlets were told not to play up reports on donations and purchases of medical supplies from abroad. The concern, according to agency directives, was that such reports could cause a backlash overseas and disrupt China’s procurement efforts, which were pulling in vast amounts of personal protective equipment as the virus spread abroad.
“Avoid giving the false impression that our fight against the epidemic relies on foreign donations,” one directive said.
CAC workers flagged some on-the-ground videos for purging, including several that appear to show bodies exposed in public places. Other clips that were flagged appear to show people yelling angrily inside a hospital, workers hauling a corpse out of an apartment and a quarantined child crying for her mother. The videos’ authenticity could not be confirmed.
The agency asked local branches to craft ideas for “fun at home” content to “ease the anxieties of web users.” In one Hangzhou district, workers described a “witty and humorous” guitar ditty they had promoted. It went, “I never thought it would be true to say: To support your country, just sleep all day.”
Then came a bigger test.
“Severe Crackdown“
The death of Li, the doctor in Wuhan, loosed a geyser of emotion that threatened to tear Chinese social media out from under the CAC’s control.
It did not help when the agency’s gag order leaked onto Weibo, a popular Twitter-like platform, fueling further anger. Thousands of people flooded Li’s Weibo account with comments.
The agency had little choice but to permit expressions of grief, though only to a point. If anyone was sensationalizing the story to generate online traffic, their account should be dealt with “severely,” one directive said.
The day after Li’s death, a directive included a sample of material that was deemed to be “taking advantage of this incident to stir up public opinion”: a video interview in which Li’s mother reminisces tearfully about her son.
The scrutiny did not let up in the days that followed. “Pay particular attention to posts with pictures of candles, people wearing masks, an entirely black image or other efforts to escalate or hype the incident,” read an agency directive to local offices.
Larger numbers of online memorials began to disappear. The police detained several people who formed groups to archive deleted posts.
In Hangzhou, propaganda workers on round-the-clock shifts wrote up reports describing how they were ensuring people saw nothing that contradicted the soothing message from the Communist Party: that it had the virus firmly under control.
Officials in one district reported that workers in their employ had posted online comments that were read more than 40,000 times, “effectively eliminating city residents’ panic.” Workers in another county boasted of their “severe crackdown” on what they called rumors: 16 people had been investigated by the police, 14 given warnings and two detained. One district said it had 1,500 “cybersoldiers” monitoring closed chat groups on WeChat, the popular social app.
Researchers have estimated that hundreds of thousands of people in China work part-time to post comments and share content that reinforces state ideology. Many of them are low-level employees at government departments and party organizations. Universities have recruited students and teachers for the task. Local governments have held training sessions for them.
Local officials turned to informants and trolls to control opinion.
Engineers of the Troll
Government departments in China have a variety of specialized software at their disposal to shape what the public sees online.
One maker of such software, Urun, has won at least two dozen contracts with local agencies and state-owned enterprises since 2016, government procurement records show. According to an analysis of computer code and documents from Urun, the company’s products can track online trends, coordinate censorship activity and manage fake social media accounts for posting comments.
One Urun software system gives government workers a slick, easy-to-use interface for quickly adding likes to posts. Managers can use the system to assign specific tasks to commenters. The software can also track how many tasks a commenter has completed and how much that person should be paid.
According to one document describing the software, commenters in the southern city of Guangzhou are paid $25 for an original post of longer than 400 characters. Flagging a negative comment for deletion earns them 40 cents. Reposts are worth one cent apiece.
Urun makes a smartphone app that streamlines their work. They receive tasks within the app, post the requisite comments from their personal social media accounts, then upload a screenshot, ostensibly to certify that the task was completed.
The company also makes video game-like software that helps train commenters, documents show. The software splits a group of users into two teams, one red and one blue, and pits them against each other to see which can produce more popular posts.
Other Urun code is designed to monitor Chinese social media for “harmful information.” Workers can use keywords to find posts that mention sensitive topics, such as “incidents involving leadership” or “national political affairs.” They can also manually tag posts for further review.
In Hangzhou, officials appear to have used Urun software to scan the Chinese internet for keywords like “virus” and “pneumonia” in conjunction with place names, according to company data.
A Great Sea of Placidity
By the end of February, the emotional wallop of Li’s death seemed to be fading. CAC workers around Hangzhou continued to scan the internet for anything that might perturb the great sea of placidity.
One city district noted that web users were worried about how their neighborhoods were handling the trash left by people who were returning from out of town and potentially carrying the virus. Another district observed concerns about whether schools were taking adequate safety measures as students returned.
On March 12, the agency’s Hangzhou office issued a memo to all branches about new national rules for internet platforms. Local offices should set up special teams for conducting daily inspections of local websites, the memo said. Those found to have violations should be “promptly supervised and rectified.”
The Hangzhou CAC had already been keeping a quarterly scorecard for evaluating how well local platforms were managing their content. Each site started the quarter with 100 points. Points were deducted for failing to adequately police posts or comments. Points might also be added for standout performances.
In the first quarter of 2020, two local websites lost 10 points each for “publishing illegal information related to the epidemic,” that quarter’s score report said. A government portal received an extra two points for “participating actively in opinion guidance” during the outbreak.
Over time, the CAC offices’ reports returned to monitoring topics unrelated to the virus: noisy construction projects keeping people awake at night, heavy rains causing flooding in a train station.
Then, in late May, the offices received startling news: Confidential public-opinion analysis reports had somehow been published online. The agency ordered offices to purge internal reports — particularly, it said, those analyzing sentiment surrounding the epidemic.
The offices wrote back in their usual dry bureaucratese, vowing to “prevent such data from leaking out on the internet and causing a serious adverse impact to society.”
Republished from ProPublica.org under Creative Commons


wearechange--2020-12-25--New Study Suggests Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Cases Aren’t “Driver of Transmission”

Thanks in part to a massive investment in research by the British government , a lot of interesting data has come out of the UK , including a study which supposedly found evidence that immunity to COVID ‘ degrades ’ in the months after infection .
Now , other studies have come to seemingly contradictory conclusions .
It ’ s just another reminder how fraught and complicated the process of study and research can be during an unprecedented pandemic .
It should also be a reminder , particularly as all the world ’ s top COVID-vaccine manufacturers reassure the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more infectious mutated strains allegedly discovered in the UK and South Africa , among other places , that the leading scientific and public health authorities aren ’ t always 100 % certain when it comes to – as they like to call it – “ the science ” .
And in yet another reminder of this principle , the American Medical Association ’ s JAMA Network Open journal has published new research from a government-backed study that appears to offer new evidence that asymptomatic spread of COVID-19 may be significantly lower than previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might remember all the way back in February and January when public officials first speculated that mass mask-wearing might not be that helpful unless individuals were actually sick .
They famously back-tracked on that , and – for that , and other reasons – decided that we should all wear masks , and that lockdowns were more or less the best solution to the problem , even as millions of Americans continued to flout the new “ rules ” daily .
But for those who don ’ t , this paper makes one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the press about asymptomatic people being infectious , which included a heavy-handed rebuke of a WHO scientist who nonchalantly said a few months back that asymptomatic people don ’ t spread the virus as effectively , there haven ’ t been many large-sample-size longer-term studies that study how “ asymptomatic ” patients actually spread the virus vs. how “ symptomatic ” patients do , since most public health agencies don ’ t even collect data on whether people who test positive are asymptomatic , pre-symptomatic , or symptomatic ( a specification which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , can vary widely ) .
Since the pandemic has only been ongoing for less than a year now , researchers have instead tried conducting “ meta studies ” – that is , comparing data collected in dozens of studies examining some aspect of the virus ’ s functionality .
In the paper noted above which examined 54 separate studies with nearly 78K total participants , the authors claim that “ The lack of substantial transmission from observed asymptomatic index cases is notable…These findings are consistent with other household studies reporting asymptomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household transmission.
” This is of course not the first time we have heard this .
Aside from the WHO scientist example cited above , two British scientists recently published an editorial in the BMJ imploring scientists to rethink how the virus spreads “ asymptomatically ” .
They pointed to “ the absence of strong evidence that asymptomatic people are a driver of transmission ” as a reason to question such practices as “ mass testing in schools , universities , and communities.
” That ’ s not to say that asymptomatic people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s just to say that maybe there is a significant difference in risk levels in terms of exposure .
Of course , public health officials at this point seem to be afraid to acknowledge anything that questions the notion that everybody is potentially a threat .
To be clear , the WHO ’ s current guidance on the issue is that “ while someone who never develops symptoms can also pass the virus to others , it is still not clear to what extent this occurs , and more research is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this point , they have changed their guidance and flip-flopped so many times , who even knows , understands or cares what they say ?
Anyway , it ’ s just some more food for thought next time somebody tries to lecture you about “ the science .
”

Thanks in part to a massive investment in research by the British government, a lot of interesting data has come out of the UK, including a study which supposedly found evidence that immunity to COVID ‘degrades’ in the months after infection. Now, other studies have come to seemingly contradictory conclusions. It’s just another reminder how fraught and complicated the process of study and research can be during an unprecedented pandemic.
It should also be a reminder, particularly as all the world’s top COVID-vaccine manufacturers reassure the public that their vaccines will work against the more infectious mutated strains allegedly discovered in the UK and South Africa, among other places, that the leading scientific and public health authorities aren’t always 100% certain when it comes to – as they like to call it – “the science”.
And in yet another reminder of this principle, the American Medical Association’s JAMA Network Open journal has published new research from a government-backed study that appears to offer new evidence that asymptomatic spread of COVID-19 may be significantly lower than previously thought.
Some members of the public might remember all the way back in February and January when public officials first speculated that mass mask-wearing might not be that helpful unless individuals were actually sick. They famously back-tracked on that, and – for that, and other reasons – decided that we should all wear masks, and that lockdowns were more or less the best solution to the problem, even as millions of Americans continued to flout the new “rules” daily.
But for those who don’t, this paper makes one thing clear: For all the talk in the press about asymptomatic people being infectious, which included a heavy-handed rebuke of a WHO scientist who nonchalantly said a few months back that asymptomatic people don’t spread the virus as effectively, there haven’t been many large-sample-size longer-term studies that study how “asymptomatic” patients actually spread the virus vs. how “symptomatic” patients do, since most public health agencies don’t even collect data on whether people who test positive are asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, or symptomatic (a specification which, as most people probably know by now, can vary widely).
Since the pandemic has only been ongoing for less than a year now, researchers have instead tried conducting “meta studies” – that is, comparing data collected in dozens of studies examining some aspect of the virus’s functionality. In the paper noted above which examined 54 separate studies with nearly 78K total participants, the authors claim that “The lack of substantial transmission from observed asymptomatic index cases is notable…These findings are consistent with other household studies reporting asymptomatic index cases as having limited role in household transmission.”
This is of course not the first time we have heard this. Aside from the WHO scientist example cited above, two British scientists recently published an editorial in the BMJ imploring scientists to rethink how the virus spreads “asymptomatically”.
They pointed to “the absence of strong evidence that asymptomatic people are a driver of transmission” as a reason to question such practices as “mass testing in schools, universities, and communities.”
That’s not to say that asymptomatic people can’t spread the virus, it’s just to say that maybe there is a significant difference in risk levels in terms of exposure. Of course, public health officials at this point seem to be afraid to acknowledge anything that questions the notion that everybody is potentially a threat. To be clear, the WHO’s current guidance on the issue is that “while someone who never develops symptoms can also pass the virus to others, it is still not clear to what extent this occurs, and more research is needed in this area” – but at this point, they have changed their guidance and flip-flopped so many times, who even knows, understands or cares what they say?
Anyway, it’s just some more food for thought next time somebody tries to lecture you about “the science.”
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission


wearechange--2020-12-25--China And The Great Reset: What You Need To Know

In this interview , we cover China ’ s influence in the US , The Great Reset and the future @ @ @ @ @ .
Sign up for our newsletter : bit.ly/3ijjAop # 1 best VPN to use : @

In this interview, we cover China’s influence in the US, The Great Reset and the future of the Chinese Communist Party.
Follow us on Telegram: t.me/s/News4AChange
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/3ijjAop
Subscribe on LBRY: https://lbry.tv/@wearechange:1
Improve your gut health: bit.ly/34GHbdY
Filter your water: bit.ly/37QriDt
Storable food for emergencies: SafePreparedAndReady.com
#1 best source of Collagen: bit.ly/3mw5uRK
#1 best VPN to use: bit.ly/3iT4Ew3
Exclusive members-only content:
-> wearechange.org/donate
-> patreon.com/WeAreChange
-> subscribestar.com/wearechange


wearechange--2020-12-25--Major AT&T Outage in Nashville After RV Bombing

Update ( 1408 ET ) : Local television station WTVF is reporting a major outage of AT & T internet and phone service following the Downtown Nashville bombing .
According to The Tennessean , the recreational vehicle exploded “ near ” an AT & T facility that caused widespread disruption to communication services in the metro area .
• EXPLOSION TOOK PLACE NEAR AN AT & T BUILDING : TENNESSEAN Courtesy of Downdetector , the AT & T outage started around 1245 ET , or about six hours after the explosion .
Was this an attack on the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) : A new press conference is underway with the FBI , possibly shedding more light on the Christmas morning explosion in Downtown Nashville .
The FBI is asking the public for help : Update ( 1250 ET ) : Unconfirmed video appears to have captured the moments before and after the Christmas morning explosion in Downtown Nashville .
Right before the explosion , a woman can be heard on a loudspeaker , saying , “ all buildings in this area must be evacuated now.
” She also said : “ If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” After the warning , a loud bang could be heard as the camera was blinded by what appears to be the explosion ’ s bright light .
Moments later , the camera regains focus only to unveil a city street transformed into a warzone .
Update ( 1154 ET ) : According to White House spokesperson Judd Deere , President Trump has been briefed on the explosion in Downtown Nashville and will continue to monitor incoming developments .
The U.S. Justice Department said Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen was also briefed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist with the investigation .
Nashville Mayor John Cooper said the number of injuries was limited so far .
AP reports at least three people were wounded when the explosion , originating from a recreational vehicle , shattered windows and damaged dozens of buildings .
Here ’ s an alleged image of the initial explosion .
Update ( 1100 ET ) : Nashville ’ s Emergency Operations Center ( EOC ) has “ activated ” this morning after “ an intentional bombing incident in Downtown Nashville.
” Update ( 1005 ET ) : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media this morning of an explosion in downtown Nashville .
Now authorities believe the explosion was an “ intentional act.
” The FBI and ATF are responding .
ATF Nashville has tweeted they ’ re “ on the scene of the explosion/fire incident in downtown Nashville , Tennessee.
” A powerful explosion rocked downtown Nashville early Christmas morning .
Reports say a parked recreational vehicle exploded and caused damage to surrounding buildings .
According to local news WKRN , the explosion occurred at 6:30 am Friday around Second Avenue and Broadway near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Emergency Management said a parked recreational vehicle “ exploded and caused damage to several buildings.
” The explosion was so loud that some residents heard it “ 12 miles away.
” NewsChannel 5 ’ s Phil Williams said , “ Fire department personnel being told to pull back two blocks from the explosion site , concerned about potential vehicle bombs .
Police bomb squad and fire hazmat team on scene.
” While authorities don ’ t suspect foul play , scenes from the explosion area look like a warzone .
Here is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aftermath has surfaced on Twitter .
People are reporting their windows have been blown out from the explosion .

Update (1408 ET): Local television station WTVF is reporting a major outage of AT&T internet and phone service following the Downtown Nashville bombing.
MAJOR OUTAGE OF AT&T INTERNET AND PHONE SERVICE IN THE NASHVILLE AREA AFTER BOMBING – WTVF — FXHedge (@Fxhedgers) December 25, 2020
According to The Tennessean, the recreational vehicle exploded “near” an AT&T facility that caused widespread disruption to communication services in the metro area.
AT&T NASHVILLE-AREA SERVICE AFFECTED BY EXPLOSION: TENNESSEAN
EXPLOSION TOOK PLACE NEAR AN AT&T BUILDING: TENNESSEAN
Courtesy of Downdetector, the AT&T outage started around 1245 ET, or about six hours after the explosion.
Was this an attack on the nation’s communication grid?
* * *
Update (1314ET): A new press conference is underway with the FBI, possibly shedding more light on the Christmas morning explosion in Downtown Nashville.
The FBI is asking the public for help:
* * *
Update (1250 ET): Unconfirmed video appears to have captured the moments before and after the Christmas morning explosion in Downtown Nashville.
Right before the explosion, a woman can be heard on a loudspeaker, saying, “all buildings in this area must be evacuated now.”
She also said: “If you can hear this message, evacuate now.”
After the warning, a loud bang could be heard as the camera was blinded by what appears to be the explosion’s bright light.
Moments later, the camera regains focus only to unveil a city street transformed into a warzone.
* * *
Update (1154 ET): According to White House spokesperson Judd Deere, President Trump has been briefed on the explosion in Downtown Nashville and will continue to monitor incoming developments.
NEW: “President Trump has been briefed on the explosion in Nashville, Tennessee, and will continue to receive regular updates," White House says. "The President is grateful for the incredible first responders and praying for those who were injured.” https://t.co/5r6m5JHvOf — ABC News (@ABC) December 25, 2020
The U.S. Justice Department said Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen was also briefed on the incident and has directed resources to assist with the investigation.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper said the number of injuries was limited so far.
AP reports at least three people were wounded when the explosion, originating from a recreational vehicle, shattered windows and damaged dozens of buildings.
Here’s an alleged image of the initial explosion.
* * *
Update (1100 ET): Nashville’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has “activated” this morning after “an intentional bombing incident in Downtown Nashville.”
Just after 6:30 am on Friday December 25, 2020 an explosion outside of 166 Second Avenue North caused extensive damage. Representatives from OEM, Nashville Fire Department, Mayor’s Office, Metropolitan Police Department and Federal Agencies will use the EOC to coordinate ongoing response and investigative operations. -EOC Statement
* * *
Update (1005 ET): Absolutely terrifying images and video surfaced on social media this morning of an explosion in downtown Nashville. Now authorities believe the explosion was an “intentional act.” The FBI and ATF are responding.
BREAKING: Police spokesman says investigators believe explosion in downtown Nashville was an “intentional act” — FBI & ATF are responding — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 25, 2020
Scenes from local media show the horrific scene.
ATF Nashville has tweeted they’re “on the scene of the explosion/fire incident in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.”
BREAKING: .@ATFNashville is on scene of the explosion/fire incident in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Follow our partners @MNPDNashville for updates. pic.twitter.com/pGEpXj70Gl — ATF Nashville (@ATFNashville) December 25, 2020
* * *
A powerful explosion rocked downtown Nashville early Christmas morning. Reports say a parked recreational vehicle exploded and caused damage to surrounding buildings.
According to local news WKRN, the explosion occurred at 6:30 am Friday around Second Avenue and Broadway near Commerce Street.
The Metro Nashville Office of Emergency Management said a parked recreational vehicle “exploded and caused damage to several buildings.”
The explosion was so loud that some residents heard it “12 miles away.”
I have no idea what is going on but the explosion was loud enough to be heard and felt 12 miles away in my apartment. #Nashville — Elsmeree (@Elsmeree1) December 25, 2020
NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams said, “Fire department personnel being told to pull back two blocks from the explosion site, concerned about potential vehicle bombs. Police bomb squad and fire hazmat team on scene.”
BREAKING: Explosion in downtown Nashville, apparently from parked vehicle on 2nd Ave. Fire department personnel being told to pull back two blocks from explosion site, concerned about potential vehicle bombs. Police bomb squad and fire hazmat team on scene. — Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) December 25, 2020
While authorities don’t suspect foul play, scenes from the explosion area look like a warzone.
“Major damage to buildings close to and around scene of huge explosion in #Nashville. Shards of glass and windows blown out hundreds of yards from 2nd Av,” one Twitter user said.
Here is the video:
A video of the aftermath has surfaced on Twitter.
People are reporting their windows have been blown out from the explosion.
Watch Live:
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission