What's in the news?

[Lustful Bride]

According to a Russian Newspaper, Chechen Authorities allegedly arrest and Kill Gay men, singling them out for removal.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/chechen-authorities-arresting-and-killing-gay-men-russian-paper-says/ar-BBzadSa?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Sara Nilsson]

http://abc7news.com/news/woman-told-to-stop-calling-911-found-fatally-shot/1831018/

link says it all. Woman told to stop calling 911, ends up shot along with her son.

*sighs*

[gaggedLouise]

An explosion (or possibly two) at a major station of the St.Petersburg metro. Severalk persons injured, the scale and motive of the balst are so far unclear.

If it's a terrorist attack there are multiple groups that might be behind it - ISIS, Chechyen activists, some Ukrainian far-right group, possibly even hardline communists. 

Update: Ten people killed and twenty injured, according to news agency TASS.

[SlipperySue]

Yes sadly there are too many groups that are willing to blow themselves up for their 'cause', and a crowded tube train is an easy target.

London, Brussels and now St Petersburg.

President Putin's response against whoever it was or he suspects it is, will no doubt be swift and violent.

[Lustful Bride]

Gas Attack in Syria leaves many dead and many more afflicted.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/gas-attack-kills-58-in-rebel-held-syria-town/ar-BBziQQm?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/20170404_court-rules-employers-cant-discriminate-against-gay-employees

In a groundbreaking, 8-3 decision, the full Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation violates federal civil rights law.

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39499546

A Malaysian MP has drawn outrage for saying it can be OK for rapists to marry their victims and that some 12-year-old girls were "physically and spiritually" ready to get married.

As a rape victim I will admit I may be more biased then most, but frankly that should make anyone's blood boil at the very notion of a victim having to marry his or her attacker. I can confidently state that if i was forced to do that it would end in one or both being dead. *fumes in anger*

As for the notion that some female children are ready to be married.. I am not even going to dignify that with a reply.

Fucking cocksucking cumdrooling donkeyasslicking twat of a man.

[Beguile's Mistress]

http://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/20170404_court-rules-employers-cant-discriminate-against-gay-employees

In a groundbreaking, 8-3 decision, the full Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation violates federal civil rights law.

Looking at the numbers - 8-3 in favor of this decision - it seems that Gorsuch's approval might not be enough for the current administration and party in power to get all they want.  This panel of 8 should temper any influence Gorsuch might try to exert.

[Valerian]

Facebook launches "news literacy" project to help people make informed judgments about online news.

"Trumpbot Overlord" explains how he games the system to make fake news trend on Twitter.

I feel like there's a very dark, cynical joke in here somewhere.

[Trigon]

The National Security Council has been restructured somewhat; Steve Bannon has been removed from the top post and replaced with General McMaster: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/national-security-council-stephen-bannon.html?_r=0

Bannon still retains full security clearance however, and he still has formal membership otherwise...

[gaggedLouise]

The National Security Council has been restructured somewhat; Steve Bannon has been removed from the top post and replaced with General McMaster: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/national-security-council-stephen-bannon.html?_r=0

Bannon still retains full security clearance however, and he still has formal membership otherwise...

It seems Bannon didn't even show up at any of their meetings... - but he's still got much more important positions that make him a "man in the middle" and a key policymaker close to Trump.

[TheGlyphstone]

Yup. It's not like 'formal membership' on the council actually means anything, considering the list of people who have been considered members in various administrations. Either this is McMasters being an actual damn professional and returning control of national security to actual national security experts, or it's just his bureaucratic empire-building refusing to share power with Bannon on 'his' turf, but either way that sounds like a net win as far as getting Bannon's fingers out of security policy goes.

[Beguile's Mistress]

Since Trump seems to be unable to make weighty decisions on his own I'm curious as to who machined this turn of events.

[TheGlyphstone]

Judging by the article, it was McMasters himself. More and more, it seems like Trump's more competent staff and advisors are working around him to either do their jobs or push their agendas (or both).

[Beguile's Mistress]

They may be learning to play the game the way it needs to be played to get through to Trump who, it has been said, is easily led when the leading is done indirectly and at a time when he can be kept away from others. 

[ShadowFox89]

Judging by the article, it was McMasters himself. More and more, it seems like Drumpf's more competent staff and advisors are working around him to either do their jobs or push their agendas (or both).

I'm having strong flashbacks to history books and President Grant. The only except is the fine details of the president.... other than that.

[TheGlyphstone]

I'm having strong flashbacks to history books and President Grant. The only except is the fine details of the president.... other than that.

Was Grant that bad? I know a lot more about his wartime career than his post-war presidency.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_presidents_of_the_United_States
Most polls there have him in the late twenties to early thirties, which isn't great.

[Iniquitous]

Grant's presidency was tarnished by scandals from untrustworthy associates.

During his first term, a group of speculators attempted to influence the government and manipulate the gold market. The failed plot resulted in a financial panic in September of 1869, known as Black Friday.  Then there was the Whiskey Ring scandal in 1875 where a network of distillers, distributors and public officials who conspired to defraud the federal government of millions in liquor tax revenue. (There are more scandals than these two)

Grant also struggled with alcoholism so that stained his reputation as well as the scandals.  Mind you, he was never personally involved in the scandals - it was just those he surrounded himself with and appointed to positions.

[Missy]

Facebook launches "news literacy" project to help people make informed judgments about online news.

"Trumpbot Overlord" explains how he games the system to make fake news trend on Twitter.

I feel like there's a very dark, cynical joke in here somewhere.

Your first link just takes me to a join page. Very odd actually, I get a slight chuckle do we secretly work for the same corporation, unlikely, but so oddly coincidental.

[Valerian]

Your first link just takes me to a join page. Very odd actually, I get a slight chuckle do we secretly work for the same corporation, unlikely, but so oddly coincidental.

Hm, odd.  Try this one: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathleenchaykowski/2017/01/11/facebook-unveils-journalism-project-to-strengthen-media-ties-and-promote-news-literacy/#40c53fa0d82a

[RedRose]

Another tragedy in Western Europe... http://forward.com/fast-forward/368204/french-jewish-woman-thrown-off-her-paris-balcony-in-possible-hate-crime/

[Lustful Bride]

Wow...I feel bad for the daughter, I hope she doesn't feel that this is her fault. :(

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/british-dad-fined-for-taking-daughter-out-of-school-for-disney-world-trip/ar-BBzuDzz?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/04/twitter-sues-us-over-demand-for-records-on-anti-trump-account/

http://gizmodo.com/twitter-sues-trump-administration-over-order-to-unmask-1794088714?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29

Twitter Inc said in a lawsuit on Thursday that it had received a demand from U.S. officials for records that could reveal the user behind an account opposed to President Donald Trump and that it was challenging the demand in court.


I.. what? I mean you hear "freedom of speech" so often these days when it has nothing to do with that, but this time I looks like it actually is about the government shutting down free speech.

[gaggedLouise]

Trump has ordered a direct airstrike on Syria, on the Assad-operated airfield where the planes that delivered the brutal gas attack are supposed to have come from. He's crossed the red line that Obama once talked about but then stepped back from.

Morally it's the right thing to do, it was high time anyway. But how will Russia respond?

[Lustful Bride]

Ugh this cannot go well. At all.