bust

The Obama Kennedy Center 😊 Now wouldn't that send him into a rage

Thailand election stakes are high as progressives mount new challenge against establishment By Asia editor Karishma Vyas in Thailand Customers shop at the Khlong Lat Mayom floating market as Thailand prepares to vote in Sunday's election. As Thailand prepares to hold a snap election on February 8, the numbers do not look good. Three prime ministers in three years. A border conflict with Cambodia that cost at least $436 million, projected GDP growth of just 2 per cent, and multi-billion-dollar scam compounds flourishing metres from its border. The stakes for Sunday's polls are high but as the ABC travelled across the country to speak to voters, what we heard was caution. "I'm still not sure [who to vote for]. I can't decide now because all the parties are campaigning on their policies," said retired farmer Kanonengnit, who was eating lunch at Bangkok's famous Khlong Lat Mayom floating market. Hat Yai resident Chanchai Saeung is also still choosing among candidates and "will decide at the last minute". "In my opinion, politicians don't care about what people think. They do everything to hold onto power. "They keep promising things they can't do. They made promises and we had hope, but they couldn't do what they said." Once bitten, twice shy This cynicism is not surprising given the bitter experience voters have had with their country's fledgling democracy. In the last quarter of a century, only one elected government has managed to complete a full four-year term. The rest have been toppled by military coups backed by conservative elites, or dissolved by the Constitutional Court, also stacked with conservative elites. Thailand goes to the polls amid political instability During the last election in 2023, Thai voters had finally had enough. They turned out in record numbers to deliver a powerful rebuke to the conservative establishment by electing the progressive Move Forward Party, which promised to clip the military's power and reform laws criminalising criticism of the monarchy after a number of people were jailed under the lèse-majesté law. What happened next was stomach-churning for the 14 million people who had thrown their support behind Move Forward. Thai court dissolves progressive Move Forward Party Thailand's Constitutional Court has ruled to dissolve the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP). Despite winning the greatest number of seats in the House of Representatives, Thailand's military-appointed Senate refused to approve the party's leader as prime minister. The Constitutional Court then simply dissolved the party. "The result of the election and the forming of the government, this should align in a normal democracy," said Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the co-founder of the Move Forward Party. "People were sad that the party they elected won the election, but we couldn't form the government." 'They are trying every way to stop us' This was not the first time the billionaire businessman had tussled with the establishment. His first political party, Future Forward, was also dissolved by the court in 2020 for violating election laws. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has been barred from politics for 10 years. (ABC News: Karishma Vyas) Critics, and Thanathorn, maintain that the case was politically motivated. "In the last eight years, many of us have been banned from politics," Thanathorn told the ABC while helping local candidates campaign in the southern city of Hat Yai. "In my case, I've been banned from politics for 10 years. "They are trying every way they can to stop us. "They're afraid that the change we would bring to this country would stop the current system from benefiting the establishment." In this election, Thanathorn's Move Forward has resurrected itself as the People's Party and has consistently led in opinion polls. But even before a single vote has been cast, dark clouds are gathering over them. Forty-four of its party members have long- or even life-term bans from contesting in elections. In Hat Yai, first-time candidate Supat Hasuwannakit is facing a similar fate. Supat Hasuwannakit is campaigning in his home city of Hat Yai for the People's Party. (ABC News: Karishma Vyas) After working as a public health official for more than 30 years, and becoming increasingly frustrated by poor policy and government inefficiency, Dr Supat decided to resign and contest these elections under the People's Party banner. "I realised that if I truly wanted to change the system for the better, then I must step into the role of a representative," he told the ABC while handing out campaign leaflets with his wife and son in Hat Yai. "That's why I made the decision to run for Member of Parliament in this election." Thailand faces economic problems ahead of the election, including a drop in tourist numbers and a GDP that is projected to grow by just 2 per cent. (ABC News: Karishma Vyas) But two weeks before polling day, a sub-committee under the Health Ministry found that he had engaged in corrupt practices while purchasing COVID-19 test kits in 2021. The case stems from Dr Supat placing five separate orders for test kits instead of one large order as required by regulation. The Health Ministry did not respond to the ABC's queries about the case, but Dr Supat said that during the height of the pandemic he did not know how many COVID test kits he would need so he ordered them in smaller batches. He bought them at a cheaper rate than the ministry to help hospitals in Bangkok that were overflowing with sick patients. Dr Supat said that he is appealing the decision. If it is not overturned, he would be disqualified from taking up his seat in parliament if he wins in the election. "It is about destroying a political opponent," he said. "I knew it would be like this. There's nothing I can do." Dr Supat is convinced that the case is not about test kits. As the director of Chana Hospital in Songkhla province, he said he was openly critical of the delays in the Thai government's procurement of the COVID vaccine, and its push to legalise marijuana. At the time, Anutin Charnvirakul was the health minister spearheading both initiatives. Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul campaigns for the Bhumjaithai Party in Bangkok's famous Khlong Lat Mayom floating market. (ABC News: Karishma Vyas) Today, he is the prime ministerial candidate for the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, the main rival to the People's Party in this election. Speaking to Thai media, he denied any involvement in the case against Dr Supat. Critics say the progressive party is responsible for its own woes after breaking election regulations and defying the constitution. Yet, as the political manoeuvring speeds up before this critical vote, the biggest hurdle the People's Party faces may not be its conservative foes. It could be the cynicism of their own supporters. "I think at stake here is the future of democracy," party co-founder Thanathorn told the ABC. "Do not surrender. It's time for this country to change. Work with us."

Three incredibly talented musicians

Just remember Trump got a lot of his finance from Russia as well.

Under the direction of the account holder. Piece of shit is well practiced in loading the gun for someone else to fire

Turing test was established back in the 50's or 60's wasn't it? And developed for machinery.

World Anti-Doping Agency bosses 'will look at' claims of penis enlargement in ski jumping The surface area of the suit in ski jumping plays a huge role. In anti-doping matters, there are precious few matters to laugh about. So when the subject of penis enhancement came up in the WADA press conference at the Milano Cortina Games on Thursday, there were more than a few chuckles and smiles. Nevertheless, World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Bańka told journalists he would investigate suspicions that ski jumpers were using injections to artificially enhance their penises to help performance on the slopes. "Ski jumping is very popular in Poland," Bańka said, more than a hint of a smile on his face. "I promise I will look at it." Witold Bańka (left) and Olivier Niggli were a little taken aback by the question. A penis enlargement scandal may sound like an infantile joke thought up by schoolboys in the playground to test the teacher's patience and make their classmates snigger. But last month, German newspaper Bild reported claims that skiers were taking extraordinary measures to gain an advantage, including by injecting hyaluronic acid into their penises to enlarge them. One may reasonably ask why this is an issue, but it is important because ski jumpers are highly dependent on utilising the surface area of their suits to generate lift as they fly through the air. Suit dimensions for each athlete are strictly regulated on an individual basis. In part, the overall permitted dimensions are dictated by an athlete's stride length, with the lowest point of their crotch area determined by 3D modelling. If the genitals are larger and therefore hang lower, a larger suit will be needed. That would help their flight by generating more lift, much like a wing suit helps skydivers glide long distances. "I am not aware of the details of ski jumping and how this can help," WADA director-general Olivier Niggli said at WADA's press conference in Milan. "If anything were to come to the surface, we would look at anything if it were doping-related. "Our list committee would certainly look into whether this would fall in this category, but I haven't heard about this until you mentioned it." Marius Lindvik was banned for three months for suit manipulation. (Getty Images: Tom Weller) The topic has been widely discussed in Milan, with Austrian cross-country skier Mika Vermeulen telling the Skirious Problems podcast he co-hosts with British skier James Clugnet that cheating was widespread. Vermeulen, who used to compete in Nordic combined as a junior, said jumpers used to place lumps of plasticine in their underwear to lower their measurements. However, he acknowledged he had not been in the sport for a few years and could not say how widespread it was. Suit manipulation is a big deal in ski jumping, with officials taking to microchipping suits to ensure they are not changed after being scrutinised. ABC Sport Daily podcast ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines. In Beijing, five women's ski jumpers were disqualified from the mixed team competition for having oversized suits. This year, Slovenian jumper Timi Zajc was excluded from the Four Hills Tournament because his suit was too short. But the biggest scandal came last year: five Norwegian jumpers and three staff members were suspended for modifying suits with a sewing machine. Head coach Magnus Brevik was given an 18-month suspension, while defending large hill Olympic gold medallist Marius Lindvik and 2018 Olympic large hill champion Johann André Forfang were banned for three months.

Scammers staged a fake AFP set in a Cambodian compound. Here's what we know The scam compound in O'Smach included a mock Australian Federal Police office. The room in the abandoned Cambodian scam compound bears the familiar logos of the Australian Federal Police on its walls, and its desk is bookended by two Australian flags. But the office is fake — apparently staged by scammers who Thailand's military says operated from the six-storey scam centre in the border town O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey Province. The fake AFP set is among many rooms staged to resemble offices for police forces from around the world, including China, Singapore, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. The compound had what appeared to be a mock-up set resembling a Chinese police station. The discovery follows a warning from the AFP in November that scammers impersonating its officers were targeting Australians for cryptocurrency. Experts say while scammers have long been known to impersonate authorities, the images emerging from the Cambodian compound were striking. "It's confirmation that they're doing it at scale," said University of Melbourne academic Ivan Franceschini, who researches scam operations in South-East Asia. "They're targeting many different nationalities. That's terrifying because they're really good at it." Inside the compound Thailand's military said it discovered the fake AFP office inside the scam compound after seizing it during its border clashes with Cambodia late last year. Inside, it said it found evidence of transnational fraud, including staged sets for police forces from several countries. On a trip to the building organised by the Thai military, journalists and international observers on Monday saw rooms scattered with documents, equipment and personal belongings, likely abandoned in haste. Personal belongings appeared to be left behind in the scam centre's bedrooms. Thai officials said the compound housed thousands of people, many of them victims of human trafficking who were forced into scamming. Documents recovered from the site appear to list potential targets and their contact details. "They are well organised. They have good infrastructure and systems, and also the workflow and many, many tactics and techniques to do the scams," said Lieutenant General Teeranan Nandhakwang, director of the Thai army's intelligence unit. The Thai military said Cambodian forces had used the compound as a military base before it was seized. Under a ceasefire reached in December, the countries agreed to de-escalate tensions and hold their forces at the positions they occupied prior to the deal, including the compound on Cambodian soil now occupied by Thai troops. Dozens of rooms had wooden booths lined with foam for soundproofing, scripts written in multiple languages, lists of names and phone numbers, computer monitors and empty brackets for hard drives. Scammers 'weaponising' police authority While scammers are known to impersonate state authorities, they have operated largely out of public view. Experts say the photos from O'Smach give an insight into their tactics. Dr Franceschini said scammers used fake offices staged in compound "studios" to convince their targets they were credible. After initially calling or messaging their target, they aimed to override any doubts by following up with a video call. The fake sets didn't need to be accurate — only credible, he said. "They must conform to the idea that you might have of a police station office. "[The scammers] engage with people who might never have had any engagement with the police." Dr Franceschini said police impersonators also targeted victims in China, India, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Brazil. The AFP last year warned the public that scammers impersonating its officers were making video calls to Australians. 'Mass exodus' from Cambodian scam compounds a 'humanitarian crisis' Cambodia has witnessed a "mass exodus" from the country's online scam operations in recent weeks amid growing international pressure and the extradition to China of an alleged kingpin. Scammers used fake ReportCyber reports to deceive victims into sending them funds from their cryptocurrency accounts, using their personal information, likely to have been taken from a previous data breach. They provided reference numbers to make the reports sound valid, and asked targets to confirm the reports by checking their email and visiting the ReportCyber portal, the AFP said. Scammers impersonating police officers aimed to manipulate victims by creating a sense of fear and urgency, said Hai Luong, a researcher in criminology at Griffith University. The photos of fake police offices in O'smach showed scam centres were "weaponising" trust in police officials. "It is physical evidence of how state authority itself has become a tool of organised crime," he said. How is the AFP responding? Experts say the scam threatens to undermine public trust in police and plays on people's natural fear of authority. "It is very challenging to respond to, but law enforcement agencies like AFP should consider directing resources to public awareness campaigns to alert people to the risk," Dr Franceschini said. "The public also needs to be alert to these types of scams." A Thai journalist wears a fake Singapore police uniform at a mock-up set resembling a police station inside the scam compound in O'Smach. An AFP spokesperson said its officers in Cambodia were working with local authorities, including the Cambodian National Police, in response to scam centres targeting Australians. "The AFP is aware of scams where scammers pretend to work for the AFP and other law enforcement agencies to deceive victims into sending them funds," the spokesperson said. "Unfortunately, these set-ups can look quite convincing, resulting in victims losing funds to scammers." Among common warning signs, scammers acted quickly with a phone call and email, claimed to be from the AFP or other police agencies, and may try to video call their targets from a staged "AFP office", the spokesperson said. "The AFP will never contact you by video call, ask for money, demand action over the phone, or ask you to verify personal or banking details," they said. The spokesperson urged anyone contacted by someone claiming to be from the AFP to: Stop all communication with the scammer immediately — if in doubt, hang up the call and contact a physical AFP office Do not transfer funds or provide any information relating to bank or other financial accounts Notify their bank or account provider immediately if they have transferred funds or provided any sensitive information Report it to police "We are committed to equipping all Australians with the knowledge and resources to protect themselves against cybercrime," the spokesperson said.

Guy sets up Fake ICE Hotline 😀

There's always a "Silver Lining" ICE Employees Vent on Reddit, Saying They're Not Getting Paid and Still No Insurance Despite Promises Staff claim promised bonuses and insurance have failed to materialise, with some reporting they cannot afford medical care for sick children By Thea Felicity Published 02 February 2026, 12:01 PM GMT Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Share on Flipboard Share on Pocket ICE in action in Portland WikiMedia Commons US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing an unusual wave of internal backlash after employees began publicly accusing the agency of failing to pay salaries and activate health insurance weeks after recruitment. Despite a historic recruitment drive that added 12,000 agents in recently, the agency's administrative backbone appears to be buckling, with employees desperate enough to turn to the Reddit to detail their struggles. In raw, unfiltered Reddit posts now spreading beyond law-enforcement circles, ICE officers describe going a month or more without a paycheque, struggling to secure medical cover for sick children, and watching promised bonuses quietly stall. As immigration enforcement intensifies nationally, critics argue the complaints raise uncomfortable questions about how an agency tasked with enforcing the law is allegedly struggling to meet its most basic obligations to its own workforce. One officer reported being unable to cover medical costs for a sick child due to a coverage gap, while others claim five-figure signing bonuses have not materialised. This benefits breakdown comes at a critical time as the agency ramps up enforcement activity, leaving front-line staff questioning the government's ability to manage the very workforce it spent millions to recruit. What began as routine onboarding complaints has now snowballed into a viral reckoning about how a major US federal agency manages its workforce while aggressively expanding enforcement operations. As screenshots circulate across social platforms, critics argue the issue is no longer bureaucratic delay but institutional dysfunction, raising uncomfortable questions about morale, accountability and the human cost of America's immigration enforcement machine. Reddit Becomes an Outlet for ICE Staff The unofficial private subreddit, r/ICE_ERO, serves as a forum for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) employees to share experiences and advice. Although not officially affiliated with the agency, the forum attracts hundreds of officers who discuss career concerns and operational challenges. One post, shared by a new employee, explained that despite being on the job for two months, they still had no health insurance and were struggling to cover medical costs for a sick child. Other posts also complained about their confusion about bonuses and pay schedules. One officer noted a bonus of around £4,950 ($6,000) after taxes, but complained that deductions reduced the net payout to £4,125 ($5,000), showing frustration with payroll processes. Another user lamented, 'Monday is four weeks since I started and I haven't been paid yet', emphasising that delayed payments were not an isolated case. The Promises the US Govt Gave to ICE Applicants Prospective ICE applicants are recruited with the promise of competitive federal salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. Salaries vary by role and experience but generally follow the federal General Schedule (GS) scale, with entry‑level Deportation Officers typically in the £40,000–£70,000 range ($51,600–$84,000) and opportunities to rise significantly with seniority and locality adjustments. Officers can also receive Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime pay, which adds approximately 25% to base pay for law enforcement duties. In addition to pay, recruits are offered extensive benefits including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, a retirement plan under the Federal Employees Retirement System, a Thrift Savings Plan similar to a 401(k), paid leave and federal holidays. Recent incentive packages also include signing bonuses of up to £40,000 ($50,000), student loan repayment incentives up to £48,000 ($60,000), and retention bonuses for continuing service, aimed at boosting recruitment and retention. Critics Question How ICE Employees Stomach Their Job Commenters on the posts chimed in on the discussions, asking how ICE employees weren't aware they were being duped by the federal agency into hiring more people: 'how stupid do you have to be to think you're actually going to get paid by this administration lmao'. One user quipped that agents 'do it for the violence, not the money', implying that their motivations were more about power than pay, implying that they deserve what they tolerate. Others in the thread also labelled ICE personnel with hostile language and attacked the organisation as a 'criminal mob'. Many users expressed disdain for the agency's mission or tactics, with responses ranging from accusations of cruelty to calls for accountability and frustration over their 'ignorance'. One commenter described their situation as deserving, saying the job is 'breaking into people's houses and kidnapp[ing] people from school and their workplace as standard operating procedure'. Another critic wrote that it was 'like working for the Gestapo for a month without pay', using a historical analogy to Nazi secret police to emphasise the violence carried out by ICE operations. The comment also mocks the idea of performing such violent and stressful duties without reliable compensation, 'selling out your fellow man to the ruling class will never pay off, and these idiots are learning that the hard way'. An X user summed up the whole thread, saying, 'No one's getting that bonus. It's not gonna happen'. Despite the vitriol, the operational impact is a serious concern for the government. With net migration projected to hit record lows in 2026, the reliance on these 12,000 new agents is absolute. If the agency cannot resolve the payroll and health insurance crisis immediately, it faces a massive retention failure that could derail national enforcement targets. As the posts continue to circulate on social media, pressure is likely to grow for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to clarify whether the problems stem from administrative bottlenecks or broader mismanagement.

Is this thread actually real or AI generated 🤔

There also a moderately convincing one circulating about the senate voting on removing King Pedo from office.

Opening 24 hours in Australia had 7 ticket sales all by journalists 😊