ForeverExpat
@guiri99.bsky.social
Fascinated and often disappointed by how people make decisions, behavioral economics, data, scientific method, tech skeptic, history, reader of indictments, lover of football played with feet
Not a surprise but still disappointing. This was obviously less about incompetence and more about the DOJ protecting Russian allies.
Pro Russian Ukrainian oligarch, Dmitry Firtash, long identified as an RIS asset, wanted in the US on FCPA charges has won his case in Austria, not to be extradited to the US because US prosecutors failed to meet a deadline on submitting an appeal.
Ukraine Tycoon Wins US Extradition Fight After €125 Million Bail
An Austrian court has definitively blocked a US extradition request against former gas tycoon Dmitry Firtash after more than a decade of court hearings that included a record €125 million ($145 millio...
www.bloomberg.com
December 14, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Not a surprise but still disappointing. This was obviously less about incompetence and more about the DOJ protecting Russian allies.
"The Skin Graft Grift." The headline even writes itself. But Ms Weiss's CBS was instead busy reporting on a much smaller fraud case in the Minnesota Somali community. I wonder why?
Hmm, this Arizona case, five times larger than the Minnesota case, also came down on Friday. Wonder why they didn't spotlight this one?
www.justice.gov/opa/pr/wound...
www.justice.gov/opa/pr/wound...
December 13, 2025 at 4:23 PM
"The Skin Graft Grift." The headline even writes itself. But Ms Weiss's CBS was instead busy reporting on a much smaller fraud case in the Minnesota Somali community. I wonder why?
Reposted by ForeverExpat
I highly recommend reading this excellent peace.
Gave me a sense of optimism, and pessimism.
Gave me a sense of optimism, and pessimism.
Remarkable how brutal the ruling against Trump on Abrego Garcia truly is: It details flagrant and malicious abuses of power all throughout. Trump and Stephen Miller were testing their ability to spread lawless state terror. But the court held the line. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
Fiasco for Trump as Judge Issues Harsh Rebuke in Abrego Garcia Case
Judge Paula Xinis’s ruling temporarily freed Kilmar Abrego Garcia from custody. It also savagely indicted Trump’s lawless handling of this whole affair from start to finish.
newrepublic.com
December 13, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I highly recommend reading this excellent peace.
Gave me a sense of optimism, and pessimism.
Gave me a sense of optimism, and pessimism.
She will have 1000s of followers because of her Bible-reveals-conspiracy message, but also because some % of US finds the bleached blond aesthetic attractive.
@maklelan.bsky.social might find her Bible dogmatism a target rich environment for a, pardon the expression, a “come-to-Jesus-moment”
@maklelan.bsky.social might find her Bible dogmatism a target rich environment for a, pardon the expression, a “come-to-Jesus-moment”
White nationalist Lauren Witzke claims that God had to destroy the world with Noah's Flood because fallen angels and the Nephilim "brought pharmaceuticals to the world": "It's a form of witchcraft."
December 13, 2025 at 4:44 AM
She will have 1000s of followers because of her Bible-reveals-conspiracy message, but also because some % of US finds the bleached blond aesthetic attractive.
@maklelan.bsky.social might find her Bible dogmatism a target rich environment for a, pardon the expression, a “come-to-Jesus-moment”
@maklelan.bsky.social might find her Bible dogmatism a target rich environment for a, pardon the expression, a “come-to-Jesus-moment”
Reposted by ForeverExpat
I need you to listen to and share this story - of how Trump is preparing to abandon Ukraine in exchange for Russian money for his billionaire friends.
It could be the greatest corruption of American foreign policy in our history. Russia gets Ukraine. Trump's friends get rich.
It could be the greatest corruption of American foreign policy in our history. Russia gets Ukraine. Trump's friends get rich.
December 9, 2025 at 10:45 PM
I need you to listen to and share this story - of how Trump is preparing to abandon Ukraine in exchange for Russian money for his billionaire friends.
It could be the greatest corruption of American foreign policy in our history. Russia gets Ukraine. Trump's friends get rich.
It could be the greatest corruption of American foreign policy in our history. Russia gets Ukraine. Trump's friends get rich.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
WATCH: New reporting from the New York Times reveals Andrew Tate’s release from Romania—where he faced rape and human trafficking charges—may have involved powerful allies, including Barron Trump. Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter Megan Twohey joins to discuss.
Barron Trump's ties to accused sex trafficker Andrew Tate exposed in NYT report
YouTube video by MS NOW
www.youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:42 AM
WATCH: New reporting from the New York Times reveals Andrew Tate’s release from Romania—where he faced rape and human trafficking charges—may have involved powerful allies, including Barron Trump. Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter Megan Twohey joins to discuss.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
The “free speech” and “anti-cancel culture” party lets the mask slip a bit further…
SCOOP: The Trump administration may revoke the visas of critics of Elon Musk's Twitter.
The move would mark one of the admin's first attempts to revoke the visas of people they deem to be engaging in the “censorship” of Americans.
The move would mark one of the admin's first attempts to revoke the visas of people they deem to be engaging in the “censorship” of Americans.
SCOOP: Trump Admin Is Preparing to Revoke Visas of Critics of Elon Musk’s Twitter
Trump officials are considering revoking the visas of former European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton and Imran Ahmed, of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
zeteo.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The “free speech” and “anti-cancel culture” party lets the mask slip a bit further…
Reposted by ForeverExpat
"Seven German journalism students tracked Russian-crewed freighters lurking off the Dutch and German coast—and connected them to drone swarms over military bases."
Schau an. Von offizieller Stelle würde so was derzeit wohl kaum veröffentlicht. Dabei haben diese jungen Journalisten nur öffentlich zugängliche Informationen ausgewertet. #Drohnen
They Droned Back
Young journalists expose Russian-linked vessels circling off the Dutch and German coast
www.digitaldigging.org
December 11, 2025 at 10:30 PM
"Seven German journalism students tracked Russian-crewed freighters lurking off the Dutch and German coast—and connected them to drone swarms over military bases."
Reposted by ForeverExpat
Support independent, pro-democracy media. You can start with Democracy Docket. hubs.ly/Q03CbHTt0
The CBS News home page is featuring some high-quality content tonight
December 12, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Support independent, pro-democracy media. You can start with Democracy Docket. hubs.ly/Q03CbHTt0
Reposted by ForeverExpat
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
December 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
Reposted by ForeverExpat
Reminds me of that time I needed emergency appendectomy & I was on morphine & the hospital billing guy came to my room to ask me to pay the copay upfront
I was like dude I’m going next door to check the other hospital‘s price also what’s my name again
Ps I’m an economist, ok w/markets generally
I was like dude I’m going next door to check the other hospital‘s price also what’s my name again
Ps I’m an economist, ok w/markets generally
Roger Marshall: "We want patients to become consumers again. We want patients to see what the actual prices are. We believe that if we would add the price tags to this bill, that it would save the country a trillion dollars a year."
December 11, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Reminds me of that time I needed emergency appendectomy & I was on morphine & the hospital billing guy came to my room to ask me to pay the copay upfront
I was like dude I’m going next door to check the other hospital‘s price also what’s my name again
Ps I’m an economist, ok w/markets generally
I was like dude I’m going next door to check the other hospital‘s price also what’s my name again
Ps I’m an economist, ok w/markets generally
Reposted by ForeverExpat
Americans: you need to take what’s happening to your country as seriously as Bulgarians. Until you regularly have this many people in the streets, you have no real opposition.
Thousands rally again in Bulgaria to demand government's resignation
Thousands of Bulgarians rallied on Wednesday evening against the country's minority government and what they say is its failure to tackle endemic corruption in the European Union's poorest member stat...
www.reuters.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Americans: you need to take what’s happening to your country as seriously as Bulgarians. Until you regularly have this many people in the streets, you have no real opposition.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
“The Swiss army…was even interested in the purchase of Palantir software last year. An internal report shows that the fear that Palantir will pass on confidential data of the Swiss army to the American intelligence services CIA & NSA prevented the army staff from continuing the project.” 12/8/25…1/
Überwachungstechnologie: Wie hartnäckig Palantir die Schweiz umwarb
Das umstrittene Tech-Unternehmen blitzte wieder und wieder ab. Teil 1 unserer Recherche.
www.republik.ch
December 10, 2025 at 8:47 PM
“The Swiss army…was even interested in the purchase of Palantir software last year. An internal report shows that the fear that Palantir will pass on confidential data of the Swiss army to the American intelligence services CIA & NSA prevented the army staff from continuing the project.” 12/8/25…1/
Reposted by ForeverExpat
One of the items in the Ukraine “peace plan”: US officials are talking with BlackRock and the World Bank about setting up a Ukrainian Development Fund which could attract up to $400 billion for rebuilding Ukraine.
Trump wants the same…for Russia.
Trump wants the same…for Russia.
December 10, 2025 at 10:01 AM
One of the items in the Ukraine “peace plan”: US officials are talking with BlackRock and the World Bank about setting up a Ukrainian Development Fund which could attract up to $400 billion for rebuilding Ukraine.
Trump wants the same…for Russia.
Trump wants the same…for Russia.
ProPublica doing what it does best - uncovering the secrets of those in power. And man-oh-man the Trump admin has lots of secrets.
NEW:
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
w/ @robert-faturechi.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
w/ @robert-faturechi.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
The Trump administration has argued that Fed board member Lisa Cook may have committed mortgage fraud by declaring more than one primary residence on her loans. We found Trump once did the very thing ...
www.propublica.org
December 8, 2025 at 4:35 PM
ProPublica doing what it does best - uncovering the secrets of those in power. And man-oh-man the Trump admin has lots of secrets.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
I'll say again: we are oddly selective about the government services about which we will say, they operate at a loss.
We say Amtrak and the post office "lose money" but we never say highways, the court system, the Pentagon, etc lose money
We say Amtrak and the post office "lose money" but we never say highways, the court system, the Pentagon, etc lose money
The USPS posting a NINE BILLION DOLLAR LOSS!!! sounds terrible. Certainly worse than if you said "USPS costs thirty dollars per person per year" even though that means the same thing and more accurately describes a government service
December 7, 2025 at 7:24 AM
I'll say again: we are oddly selective about the government services about which we will say, they operate at a loss.
We say Amtrak and the post office "lose money" but we never say highways, the court system, the Pentagon, etc lose money
We say Amtrak and the post office "lose money" but we never say highways, the court system, the Pentagon, etc lose money
Reposted by ForeverExpat
If you missed the news about the EU Commission & its decisions to fine X for non compliance with the Digital Services Act, we reported on this here. www.cnbc.com/2025/12/05/e...
Elon Musk’s X fined $140 million by European Commission over 'deceptive' blue checkmark and lack of transparency
The social-media platform has been fined by the bloc after breaching transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
www.cnbc.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
If you missed the news about the EU Commission & its decisions to fine X for non compliance with the Digital Services Act, we reported on this here. www.cnbc.com/2025/12/05/e...
Reposted by ForeverExpat
A new report from Amnesty International, found that the Everglades detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz punished detainees in "The Box"—a 2x2 foot outdoor cage where victims are shackled, exposed to sweltering heat and swarms of insects, and denied water in a calculated act of torture.
December 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
A new report from Amnesty International, found that the Everglades detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz punished detainees in "The Box"—a 2x2 foot outdoor cage where victims are shackled, exposed to sweltering heat and swarms of insects, and denied water in a calculated act of torture.
Last month’s outrage: Our military killing crews suspected of smuggling drugs. I get the new outrage w/ the double‑tap strike. But each new horror risks normalizing the last. We can’t let the lawlessness of the initial transgression fade. Killing a boat's crew while not at war is murder. Period.
Trump laid the blame on Hegseth, and now Hegseth is laying the blame on Bradley. Is Bradley going to lay the blame on the 20-year-old naval man they ordered to fire the missile next? What a bunch of spineless little shits.
December 6, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Last month’s outrage: Our military killing crews suspected of smuggling drugs. I get the new outrage w/ the double‑tap strike. But each new horror risks normalizing the last. We can’t let the lawlessness of the initial transgression fade. Killing a boat's crew while not at war is murder. Period.
Good reminder thread.
In what way is the United States NOT an authoritarian state?
Authoritarian states disappear undesirable people without a trace.
Authoritarian states have the government silence people who express opinions they don’t like.
Authoritarian states have corrupt officials who take bribes to help
Authoritarian states disappear undesirable people without a trace.
Authoritarian states have the government silence people who express opinions they don’t like.
Authoritarian states have corrupt officials who take bribes to help
December 6, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Good reminder thread.
Why the silence from FBI agents, reduced to doing redactions, who had spent careers hunting pedophiles or human traffickers? They’ve interviewed victims & know the horrible consequences. How do they feel to be complicit in covering up crimes after spending their careers on such horrible cases?
December 6, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Why the silence from FBI agents, reduced to doing redactions, who had spent careers hunting pedophiles or human traffickers? They’ve interviewed victims & know the horrible consequences. How do they feel to be complicit in covering up crimes after spending their careers on such horrible cases?
Very good explanation of the disingenuous, cynical and “up is down/down is up” nature of this administration.
We literally found the stupidest people in the country and put them in charge.
December 6, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Very good explanation of the disingenuous, cynical and “up is down/down is up” nature of this administration.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
The metro in Kyiv tonight 💔 Due to the massive shelling of all cities in Ukraine, many residents of the capital chose the metro as a shelter on the night of December 6.
December 6, 2025 at 6:31 AM
The metro in Kyiv tonight 💔 Due to the massive shelling of all cities in Ukraine, many residents of the capital chose the metro as a shelter on the night of December 6.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
OTD in 1994 Russia signed the Budapest memo, guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial integrity in exchange for their nukes, 44 Ukrainian Tu-22 heavy bombers and 1,068 Kh-55 cruise missiles.
Which have been fired at Ukraine in this war.
Which have been fired at Ukraine in this war.
December 5, 2025 at 7:33 AM
OTD in 1994 Russia signed the Budapest memo, guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial integrity in exchange for their nukes, 44 Ukrainian Tu-22 heavy bombers and 1,068 Kh-55 cruise missiles.
Which have been fired at Ukraine in this war.
Which have been fired at Ukraine in this war.
Reposted by ForeverExpat
The American Economic Association says it has accepted Larry Summers' resignation and "imposed a lifetime ban on his membership." www.aeaweb.org/news/aea-sta...
Statement from the American Economic Association
www.aeaweb.org
December 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The American Economic Association says it has accepted Larry Summers' resignation and "imposed a lifetime ban on his membership." www.aeaweb.org/news/aea-sta...