Ah, thank you! I don’t know anything about wrestling - only that the US Secretary of Education, Lisa McMahon, is the wife of wwe wrestling promoter Vince McMahon, who has been tried several times for rape and sex trafficking (and is, of course, a good friend of the orange rapist). I thought that was what this comment referred to.

Yes, that’s why all of this provides such good material for conspiracy theories: the dull-witted MAGA workforce certainly didn’t come up with this themselves, but most likely rather their financial backers behind the scenes. The people in the administration are also benefiting, of course, but I think most of them are more like the front for smarter people who prefer not to appear in public office - people like Thiel and the like.

As I said, this is all conspiracy theory because it cannot be proven beyond doubt, but it is remarkable how well particularly unscrupulous fascists are working together worldwide these days, how visible they are in both traditional and social media, and how respectable their standing is in the business world despite their blatant Nazi rhetoric.

When you consider that it is not a conspiracy theory but reality that the power to bring this about actually lies in the hands of a few billionaires, you have to at least be suspicious.

But yes, all these strange developments could easily turn you into a conspiracy theorist yourself - and probably in a way that is at least some what plausible, despite the lack of evidence. At least it seems to me that there is significantly more circumstantial evidence here than for all the ridiculous fantasy stories that the fascists continue to spread.

Pretty much everything “New World Order”: One of the oldest and most common labels for conspiracy theories that claim a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world under a totalitarian one-world government.

Edit: Although there are certainly some signs of such conspiracies today, the absurd thing about many of these theories is that they are often used by right-wing extremists to gain support for ideas that are very close to the goals of the conspirators described in such theories.

The best example is probably MAGA with its “cabal” of child molesters. Now that their leader is president, it is telling that MAGA has gone quiet on this conspiracy theory - and no one there is talking anymore about the fact that influential billionaires are becoming richer and more influential under the MAGA regime.

I have always found such things interesting, as they themselves give rise to conspiracy theories.

A quick reminder in this context: The German government wants to introduce Palantir nationwide, even though this violates applicable law - both at the European and national levels. Contracts have even already been signed in some federal states.

Here is a link to a Campact petition calling on the SPD to block the CDU/CSU’s plans.

And here is a petition addressed directly to the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg, demanding that the contract already signed with Palantir be disclosed and revoked.

In my opinion, everyone living in Germany should sign both petitions - it is scandalous that this is even necessary, but unfortunately, conservative german politicians in particular continue to pursue their shady dealings.

Yes, I think so too. And I think that ICE is intended for this purpose, since the regime cannot be sure of the loyalty of the police, let alone the military. I mean, why else would ICE need such an astronomical budget? Further embezzlement of public funds via private prison companies, in which members of the government are certainly involved, surely also plays a role. But when you look at the ruthless actions of ICE and what die-hard fascists they are, it seems pretty obvious to me that it’s already an SS-like secret police force. Maybe it will be renamed once they have seized absolute power.

They are not there yet, but I think it is very likely that the regime will not allow free elections anymore—then it would risk being held accountable for all its crimes, which is unlikely under the US legal system, but not impossible.

Perhaps the Millers will learn their lesson on political terror when ICE comes knocking on their door. Traditionally, the goddamned Nazis end up stabbing each other in the back sooner or later—see “The Night of the Long Knives”.

They are therefore by no means only a threat to their opponents.

Looks like Taylor Greene will probably be one of the first to be dealt with, but of course, no one is safe from narcissistic psychopaths without a conscience. So, like anyone else, it could happen to the Millers at any time.

It wouldn’t surprise me or make me sad in any way—quite the contrary.

Sonic 3: Ice Cap Zone Act 1

You said that philanthropy is not misused to avoid taxes—that is definitely wrong, but if you want to believe it, please do.

You need to be more specific. I’m not going to waste my time refuting your statement because I can’t even begin to imagine how you came up with that.

I’ve seen this news story so many times – months ago. And considering the inhumanity of this administration, the blatant violations of the law it commits, the blatant racism, and how it tramples on constitutional democracy, I am constantly amazed that it seems to be this stirring up American sentiment. That’s probably how it is in the age of social media. Not reason but a sob story with a puppy dog is what it takes to reach people.

Edit just to be on the safe side: This does not only apply to the US, of course—it is the same worldwide.

I can’t say how the tax avoidance strategies of the super-rich work in practice, but in any case, their feigned philanthropy is a key part of it.

I assume that tax avoidance is also a factor.

Wouldn’t Kinder Surprise me at all.

ChatGPT is allowed, but chocolate eggs with toys inside are supposed to be too dangerous? 🤔

I’d say what was passed under the name “big beautiful bill” is sadly more than just symbolic and the deportation of thousands upon thousands of foreigners is not either.

With this comment, you are simply stating that you are incapable of engaging in rational discussion.

Indeed, but I believe that was just a test run to see what people would tolerate — now it’s getting serious.

Yes, it’s really frightening how incredibly stupid many of my fellow countrymen are.

That’s because there is no longer any independent journalism. Neither in the traditional form of newspapers, magazines or TV, nor online. “The media” has long since been taken over because the billionaires who own it profit from fascism. The frightening thing is that the great utopia of the internet, namely to break the power of mass media, has turned out to be false: it has only made things worse - although people could freely obtain information, but they do not do so.

In the age of AI, it’s only going to get worse.

Unfortunately, it’s still Joseph Goebbels’ program: whoever controls the media controls people’s minds.

I think that’s just as true today as it was during the Nazi era, which is now reviving. Nothing has changed, since people are utterly incapable of learning from history.