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The Federal Election Commission is down to 2 members. So its work is at a standstill

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A man exits a voting booth at a polling station in Lancaster, N.H., on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.

The Federal Election Commission, which regulates campaign finance, has lost another member. But the FEC has actually been without a quorum for months, leaving the agency unable to do much of its work.

(Image credit: Joseph Prezioso)

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InShaneee
1 day ago
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Chicago, IL
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Google Calls ICE Agents a Vulnerable Group, Removes ICE-Spotting App ‘Red Dot’

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Google Calls ICE Agents a Vulnerable Group, Removes ICE-Spotting App ‘Red Dot’

Both Google and Apple recently removed Red Dot, an app people can use to report sightings of ICE officials, from their respective app stores, 404 Media has found. The move comes after Apple removed ICEBlock, a much more prominent app, from its App Store on Thursday following direct pressure from U.S. Department of Justice officials. Google told 404 Media it removed apps because they shared the location of what it describes as a vulnerable group that recently faced a violent act connected to these sorts of ICE-spotting apps—a veiled reference to ICE officials.

The move signals a broader crackdown on apps that are designed to keep communities safe by crowdsourcing the location of ICE officials. Authorities have claimed that Joshua Jahn, the suspected shooter of an ICE facility in September and who killed a detainee, searched his phone for various tracking apps. A long-running immigration support group on the ground in Chicago, where ICE is currently focused, told 404 Media some of its members use Red Dot.

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Do you know anything else about these apps and their removal? Do you work at Google, Apple, or ICE? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at joseph.404 or send me an email at joseph@404media.co.
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InShaneee
2 days ago
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The prison industrial complex’s wide-reaching tentacles

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We, as a country, are in the era of mass incarceration. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any democratic nation on the planet. There are nearly 2 million people locked up in our country’s prisons or jails, not to mention the thousands more on some form of electronic monitoring, probation, or parole. An […]

The post The prison industrial complex’s wide-reaching tentacles appeared first on Chicago Reader.

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InShaneee
2 days ago
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Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair finally gets theatrical release

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Try not to have any run-ins with a deadly assassination squad before December 5, because there’s a real treat coming to theaters. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair—the four-plus-hour epic that combines Kill Bill volumes one and two—is getting a nationwide release for the first time. There are also some extra goodies in store, including a never-before-seen 7 1⁄2-minute animated sequence and select screenings in 70mm and 35mm. Per a press release, The Bride (Uma Thurman) and her bloody revenge journey are hacking their way into most major markets.

While over four hours of gore may be a lot for some viewers, this was always director Quentin Tarantino’s preferred screening method. “I wrote and directed it as one movie—and I’m so glad to give the fans the chance to see it as one movie,” he said in a statement. “The best way to see Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair is at a movie theater in Glorious 70mm or 35mm. Blood and guts on a big screen in all its glory!” As originally intended, the cliffhanger ending from Vol. 1 and the recap from the beginning of Vol. 2 have both been removed to make this a fully cohesive experience.

In addition to Thurman, Kill Bill also stars David Carradine as the titular Bill, The Bride’s ex-lover and the former leader of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad that left her for dead at their wedding rehearsal. Other squad members include Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, and Daryl Hannah. Now we just have to wait and see what body part or weapon-shaped popcorn bucket AMC can dream up for this event.



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InShaneee
2 days ago
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Jane Fonda and over 500 celebrities revive McCarthy-era free speech initiative

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Jane Fonda continues to grow her legacy as one of the most engaged activists in Hollywood. The Grace And Frankie actor is relaunching the Committee for the First Amendment, a movement her father, Henry Fonda, was an early member of during the McCarthy era. The group was initially formed in the 1940s to protest the House Un-American Activities Committee, which accused many citizens, including top entertainers, of having communist ties. “The McCarthy Era ended when Americans from across the political spectrum finally came together and stood up for the principles in the Constitution against the forces of repression,” the Fonda-led committee wrote in a letter. “Those forces have returned. And it is our turn to stand together in defense of our constitutional rights.” 

“The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry,” the letter continued. It didn’t mention any specific examples, but we’ve all seen them in the news. Last month, Disney-owned ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host’s comments about the Republican response to Charlie Kirk’s death, prompting outrage from Hollywood, fellow late night hosts, and even Disney’s former CEO. Journalists and private citizens were also fired from their jobs for comments perceived as either celebrating the shooting or not mourning it properly. That’s on top of the attacks Donald Trump has launched on the Smithsonian, NPR and PBS, individual artists like Ariana Grande and Bruce Springsteen, and more since taking office in January.

“We refuse to stand by and let that happen,” the committee declared. “Free speech and free expression are the inalienable rights of every American of all backgrounds and political beliefs – no matter how liberal or conservative you may be. The ability to criticize, question, protest, and even mock those in power is foundational to what America has always aspired to be.”

Jane Fonda is joined by 550 celebrity signatories including Anne Hathaway, Barbara Streisand, Aaron Sorkin, Ethan Hawke, Celine Song, Ben Stiller, Elliot Page, Bill Maher, Julianna Moore, Cynthia Nixon, Damon Lindelof, Judd Apatow, Gracie Abrams, Hannah Einbinder, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Billie Eilish, Natalie Portman, and more. (You can check out the full list here.)

“We know there is power in solidarity and strength in numbers. We will stand together—fiercely united—to defend free speech and expression from this assault. This is not a partisan issue. That is why we urge every American who cares about the First Amendment—the cornerstone of our democracy—and every artist around the globe who looks to the United States as a beacon of freedom to join us,” the letter concludes. “And to those who profit from our work while threatening the livelihoods of everyday working people, bowing to government censorship, and cowering to brute intimidation: we see you and history will not forget. This will not be the last you hear from us.”

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InShaneee
3 days ago
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YouTube agrees to pay Trump $24 million to settle lawsuit over Jan. 6 suspension

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The YouTube logo is seen outside the company

YouTube is the latest social media company to pay Trump tens of millions of dollars to resolve lawsuits brought before he returned to power. The money will fund a new ballroom at the White House.

(Image credit: Josh Edelson)

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InShaneee
5 days ago
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