Shutdown Averted? Schumer, Corker Strike 11th Hour Deal

Fri, 12/21/2018

Update2: The Senate has voted to proceed with debate on the House-passed spending bill after Vice President Mike Pence broke a 47-47 tie.

Outgoing Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) – who contributed to the Kavanaugh confirmation spectacle – said “there is no path forward for the House bill.”

Update: The House has voted to meet tomorrow at Noon, 12 hours into the potential government shutdown.

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) said Friday that Senate leaders have an “agreement” in place for a House-passed stopgap measure to avert a government shutdown which includes funding for President Trump’s border wall.

Emerging from a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) office, Corker said that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and McConnell are expected to enter into an agreement on the Senate floor, according to The Hill.

“This is will be an agreement between McConnell and Schumer about what next happens on the Senate floor. You’ll see them to enter into a little discussion,” said Corker. “It charts the course forward that gives us the best chance of actually coming to a solution.”

Corker suggested that a government shutdown may be averted – citing meetings with White House officials.

“Some of the folks at the White House seem to be optimistic,” he said, adding that President Trump “is very aware of what’s happening.”

The potential breakthrough comes after Schumer met with Vice President Pence, incoming White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and White House advisor Jared Kushner on Friday afternoon.

The negotiations later moved over to the House, with Pence, Mulvaney and Kushner huddling in Speaker Paul Ryan’s ceremonial office with Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), Freedom Caucus leaders Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker (R-N.C.).

Corker warned that the danger of a partial government shutdown is not completely gone. –The Hill

“It’s just how we’re going to proceed in a manner that we think is best,” said Corker. “The first discussion is not substance, it’s process.”

Meanwhile, looks like Trump may go medieval on illegal border crossers…

December 21, 2018 0

Report: Facebook-Owned WhatsApp Used to Spread Child Pornography

By Tom Ciccotta

Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp has a child pornography problem, according to several reports.

According to a report from TechCrunch, mobile messaging application WhatsApp is being used to spread child pornography around the world. The app features end-to-end encryption, which means that WhatsApp, and its parent company, Facebook, do not have access to user conversations.

TechCrunch’s investigation revealed that Facebook could easily do more to police the spread of this content on the platform. Although messages on the platform are private, the names of the groups in which the child pornography is spread are not. A simply scan of the existing WhatsApp groups led TechCrunch’s team to several that blatantly advertise their focus on child pornography.

TechCrunch’s investigation shows that Facebook could do more to police WhatsApp and remove this kind of content. Even without technical solutions that would require a weakening of encryption, WhatsApp’s moderators should have been able to find these groups and put a stop to them. Groups with names like “child porn only no adv” and “child porn xvideos” found on the group discovery app “Group Links For Whats” by Lisa Studio don’t even attempt to hide their nature. And a screenshot provided by anti-exploitation startup AntiToxin reveals active WhatsApp groups with names like “Children ” or “videos cp” — a known abbreviation for ‘child pornography’.

Facebook doubled their content moderation team from 10,000 to 20,000 in 2018. However, WhatsApp is monitored by a separate, smaller, staff that is inadequate for the app’s 1.5 billion users.

In a statement, WhatsApp claimed that they are working to prevent child sexual abuse on their platform. They claimed that they have banned 130,000 accounts for such violations in the past 10 days.

WhatsApp has a zero-tolerance policy around child sexual abuse. We deploy our most advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, to scan profile photos and images in reported content, and actively ban accounts suspected of sharing this vile content. We also respond to law enforcement requests around the world and immediately report abuse to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sadly, because both app stores and communications services are being misused to spread abusive content, technology companies must work together to stop it.

In early December, Tumblr announced that they would be banning all adult content in an effort to prevent child sex abuse.

December 21, 2018 0

Maddow’s latest crystal ball reading: Putin ‘ordered’ Trump to withdraw from Afghanistan

Rachel Maddow (R) and a US soldier in Afghanistan © AFP / Theo Wargo; Reuters / Shamil Zhumatov

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow – a pioneer of Putin-ate-my-homework journalism – has predictably mused that Donald Trump is considering pulling troops out of Afghanistan on the orders of Russia’s president. The evidence speaks for itself.

In a segment on her critically-acclaimed show, “Watch Me Scream ‘Russia’ Until I Dislocate My Jaw”, Maddow made an adroit observation of seismic proportions: Reports that Donald Trump is mulling a partial withdrawal from Afghanistan emerged only hours after Vladimir Putin said that the US keeps promising to leave the country but never does! In layman’s terms: Putin ordered Trump to pull troops out of Afghanistan, during a live broadcast? It seems Maddow believes that she decrypted their top-secret communications channel.

Within hours of Vladimir Putin's pivot to mention the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal had news of Donald Trump ordering a reduction in U.S. troops in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/zfuclGBgSe

— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) December 21, 2018

Apparently she cannot fathom that there may be any non-Putin related motives for leaving Afghanistan after 17 years. But in August, the MSNBC host accused Trump of “flip-flopping” after announcing that more US troops would be deployed to Afghanistan.

So Rachel Maddow opposes sending more troops to Afghanistan – but anyone who wants to withdraw US forces from the country is a Putin stooge. A daunting pickle, indeed.

As Vox pointed out at the time, Trump “spent years railing against the war in Afghanistan and calling for a US withdrawal from the country.” Before moving into the White House, he made it clear to lawmakers that his administration would not send US troops to fight abroad unless “absolutely necessary.”

ALSO ON RT.COMPutin: ‘US right to leave Syria, but no signs of pullout – remember Afghanistan’

Maddow’s other celebrated Russiagate hits include having a stroke – live on television – after discovering that Russia shares a border with North Korea. She also famously revealed that Rex Tillerson was hand-picked by Putin to serve as Secretary of State – you know, the guy who allegedly called Trump a “f*cking moron”.

Imagine Maddow’s on-air meltdown if Trump really does withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

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December 21, 2018 0

Psyop which saw Democrats pose as Russians ahead of Alabama poll swept under carpet (VIDEO)

A $100,000 Democrat psyop to fake Russian interference in an Alabama election was brushed aside by the US media as nonconsequential. But the alleged Russian operation of similar cost is treated as a Pearl Harbor-like attack.

The controversial social media operation, launched to undermine Republican candidate for Senate Roy Moore, was exposed by the New York Times this week.

The newspaper said it was an experiment which had little if any consequence on the outcome of the 2017 vote, which Democrat Doug Jones won by a less than 2-percent margin.

ALSO ON RT.COMTwitterstorm as bombshell Russiagate report suggests SEX TOYS penetrate US democracy

RT’s Murad Gazdiev wonders why a false flag operation involving Russia is not a bigger scandal for the US media. After all, they eagerly reported Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, which is claimed to have a similar budget, as a major crime or even an act of war on par with Pearl Harbor.

Watch the video and take a guess.

December 21, 2018 0

Pure Evil: ISIS Sent Beheading Video of Scandinavian Female Hikers to Victim’s Mother!

By Jim Hoft December 21, 2018

Over a dozen ISIS terrorists were arrested this week after the slaughter of two female Scandinavian hikers in Morocco.

ISIS beheaded one of the women and posted the video online.

The police released photos of three ISIS terorists were arrested for the crime.

The ISIS killers then sent video of the beheading to the victim’s mother.

The Daily Mail reported:

Horrific images showing one of the murdered Scandinavian tourists being beheaded in Morocco have been sent to a victim’s mother, it has emerged.

ISIS fanatics gloated about the killing of Dane Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and Norwegian Maren Ueland, 28, by spreading the gruesome footage on social media.

The clip, in which a suspected ISIS terrorist shouts ‘it’s Allah’s will’, was also sent to friends of Ms Jespersen via ‘private messenger’, it has been claimed.

It has since been revealed that horrific images of the slain tourists have been posted on the Facebook page of Ms Ueland’s mother Irene. Some Moroccans bizarrely posted the images in a misguided bid to express sympathy along with calls for the killers to be executed.

Earlier, it was claimed that footage itself had been sent to friends of Ms Jespersen. While it is not clear exactly who sent them the footage, there will be strong suspicions it would have been from warped ISIS sympathisers.

What a lovely woman.

Louisa Jespersen's video.

Rest in Peace… pic.twitter.com/fODUrWOGx2

— Melisa (@cmellaniac) December 20, 2018

December 21, 2018 0

German minister who said “Happy Ramadan”, omits Merry Christmas on official Christmas card

By LAURA CAT 21 December 2018

’Frohe Weihnachten’, which is German for ‘Merry Christmas’, is the traditional greeting heard all throughout Germany.

Strangely, that was omitted from an official Christmas card from Annette Widmann-Mauz, Germany’s Minister for Migration, Refugees and Integration.

There was a photograph of the minister with several employees and included a Christmas tree in the background. However, otherwise it was a relatively un-festive card.

The card’s message, “No matter what you believe in, we wish you a contemplating time and a good start of the New Year,” was cause for criticism.

In Germany, Christmas is traditionally the largest holiday, so it seems amiss that Widmann-Mauz would omit Christmas from the official card.

Especially when she has congratulated other faiths on their holidays and didn’t miss wishing a happy Ramadan to those of the Muslim faith.

December 21, 2018 0

Woman threatened with murder after saying Islam should submit to French laws and criticism

By VOICE OF EUROPE 21 December 2018

Moroccan-French journalist Zineb El Rhazoui says she has received death and rape threats for saying “innoccous” things like: “Islam has to submit to French laws, humour, reason and any form of criticism just like any other ideology, sect or religion”.

According to the former cartoonist of Charlie Hebdo “There is no valid reason for Islam to be an exception”.

Women who SPEAK about Islam in France are threatened with Rape & Death!

Do Americans understand this is happening here in the USA too?

Not only do Jihadists threaten my life for criticizing Islam BUT Leftist media libels me & helps Terrorists locate me and my loved ones – WHY? pic.twitter.com/uf4HgKNDo6

— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) December 21, 2018

December 21, 2018 0

Conservatism Inc.’s Erick Erickson Suggests ‘Military Coup’ to Stop Trump Leaving Syria

By Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation

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“Conservative” Erick Erickson suggested Thursday that folks at all levels of our military are so outraged that they won’t have the chance to die in Syria as a result of President Trump pulling out that they might stage a coup to keep the war going.

“If we lived in a lesser country than our great nation, today is the day we really would be talking about a military coup,” Erickson tweeted. “Soldiers down to the enlisted ranks are raising hell about the President’s Syria decision.”

Capture

Erickson later claimed he wasn’t advocating for a coup but merely saying our country is so great because “we live in a stable democracy where the military can disagree and still carry out orders.”

He also said everyone criticizing him is a Russian bot:

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December 21, 2018 0

Facebook Allows Terrorist Who Beheaded Canadian Tourist To Keep Account & Actively Post

By Laura Loomer

An investigation has been launched in Canada after it was revealed that one of the Abu Sayyaf militants who beheaded Canadian tourists John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, in the Philippines is still actively posting on the social media site.

Screenshots captured on Facebook page of Bhen Tatuh appear to show the jihadis holding the decapitated heads of the Canadian tourists, as well as pictures with the ISIS flag and a suicide vest.

Facebook, which has made an active effort to silence Conservatives, Jews, and Christians, was unavailable for comment as to why they are allowing jihadi killers to use their platform to post terrorist propaganda.

Something must be said about how Facebook has found it necessary to ban Conservative Jewish journalists like myself, Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, and other Conservatives like Alex Jones, Gavin McInnes, Tommy Robinson, but if you’re a terrorist, you’re allowed to use Facebook. Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, Louis Farrakhan, and Iranian dictators who chant “death to Israel” and “death to America” all have verified Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Are freedom loving Conservatives a bigger threat than Islamic terrorists who are decapitating innocent young women?

Last week, Facebook banned Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a post critical of Islamic terrorists.

How is it that a Jewish Conservative journalist and the Israeli Prime Minister’s son get banned on social media for posting facts about Islam, actual Islamic terrorists are allowed to post pictures of themselves beheading innocent people?

Through their pro-Sharia terms of service, Facebook and Twitter are clearly signaling that it’s ok to be a terrorist, but not ok to be a Conservative, or a Jew.

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Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been made aware of the Facebook posts, but as usual, he has sided with terrorists over Canadians and has yet to condemn Facebook.

Perhaps Mark Zuckerberg and Trudeau will be confronted and asked about their jihadi fetish someday.

As you can see, something is very wrong with this “Silicon Valley Sharia.”

Read More about “Silicon Valley Sharia” here.

December 21, 2018 0

Neocons and Media Unite to Attack Trump’s Syria Decision

By Mark Alan

President Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from Syria has been met with some push back among neoconservatives and the media. Although the move seems consistent with the presidents previous statements about the conflict, that didn’t stop some from expressing shock over the decision. Undoubtedly, the two loudest voices among Republicans were Senators Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio.

Graham called the move an “Obama-like” mistake. Rubio, apparently trying to establish himself as the leading figure of the neoconservative movement, went as far as calling the president’s decision a “retreat.” Graham and Rubio have both expressed past support for using the US military to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The response from many in the media hasn’t been too different from that of the neocons. CNN’s Erin Burnett strongly condemned President Trump’s decision. She said the president was giving Vladimir Putin an early Christmas present by withdrawing US soldiers from Syria. However, she failed to articulate why she believes the lives of US soldiers are less valuable than the alleged disruption between the US and Russia.

Burnett wasn’t the only CNN personality to attack the president for his decision. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria also bashed the withdraw of US troops from Syria. He claimed President Trump was making an even bigger mistake than former president George W Bush’s “mission accomplished” fiasco during the Iraq War. It’s worth noting that Zakaria is one of many prominent members of the media who supported the decision to invade Iraq.

Anchors from other networks also condemned the president’s choice to withdraw troops from Syria. Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade called Trump’s decision “stunning and irresponsible.” He also suggested the president was “cutting and running.” MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough expressed similar sentiments on his show this morning.

The reaction of the neoconservatives and like minded members of the media shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The two groups have united numerous times in the past, salivating at the idea of a ground war to overthrow Assad in Syria. Thankfully, peace has prevailed.

United States military forces have been in Syria for over four years. The first known instance of American troops fighting on the ground in Syria occurred in July of 2014, as part of a hostage rescue operation. The Global War on Terror has already cost US tax payers nearly 6 trillion dollars. To provide that number some context, the combined value of the entire US housing market is worth about 30 trillion dollars.

Elsewhere, President Trump’s decision has been met with praise. Senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul both applauded the president’s withdraw of troops from Syria. Senator Paul saidthe president’s decision is another example of Trump keeping his campaign promises. Paul further defended the move, saying the president’s decision in Syria illustrates why he won the 2016 election.

This article contains the personal opinions of the author. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Mess of Media. This disclaimer appears on all articles that feature the personal opinions of the author, as Mess of Media is an unbiased and nonpartisan source of information.

December 21, 2018 0