Recent Posts of member Ananas2xLekker

Topics:

Car porn 23,Aug,25 10:36
YouTube can be educational too (let's share videos) 27,Sep,24 08:09
Let's help Elon make twitter great 02,Nov,22 05:44

Posts:

By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 13:53
Wow, 1000s of terrorists, and then still 95% of the terrorist attacks coming from right-wing lunatics. Trump is deporting the wrong people.

Those terrorists are just asylum seekers with "Mom" and 'autism awareness' tattoos, abused for justifying your crimes against humanity. Do you think that Hitler didn't come up with terms like "terrorist" and "vermin" for the Jews?
You are just as dumb to believe Trump as Germans were to believe Hitler.



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 13:44
That's how he treats EVERYONE, although his name-calling is slipping with his deteriorating brain.

"Marjorie Taylor Brown"?

He probably had Epstein killed too.

Epstein was afraid that Trump would kill him.
only registered users can see external links

"Days Before He Died by Suicide, Jeffrey Epstein Gave Specific Reason for Why He Would Never Take His Own Life"
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By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 13:14
Don't straw-man me, I think the law applies equally to everyone.

Trump is NOT charged for crimes from private citizens.
Trump is charged for JUST his OWN crimes, unless he is clearly guilty of Incitement.

Come up with actual argument for blaming Tim Walz for this, instead of associating him with just something random happening in his state.

Minnesota is consistently ranked as one of the best states to live in, praised for its high quality of life, strong healthcare, excellent education, natural beauty, and civic engagement, often appearing in the top 10 overall in rankings by U.S. News & World Report and WalletHub.

You could have had a VP with actual experience, indeed. Instead you have one that we only knew from calling the current president "Hitler", admitting to fuck couches and being a loyalist to one of the most dangerously insane wealthy men in your country.
That's not good. You should be happy that he is always on vacation.



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 13:04
I have posted lists of what Trump has been found guilty for or liable of before, but here is it again. I don't know why I even bother, because you will deny everything anyway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS

New York State v. Donald J. Trump (2024)
• Crime: Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree
• Counts: 34 felony counts
• Verdict: Guilty on all counts
• Finding: Criminal conviction
• Sentence: Unconditional discharge (no jail, fines, or probation)
• Legal status: Convicted felon (appeal pending)

CIVIL LIABILITY JUDGMENTS

E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump (2023)
• Liability found for: Sexual abuse and defamation
• Court: U.S. District Court (jury verdict)
• Damages awarded: $5 million
• Legal status: Liability affirmed on appeal

E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump (2024)
• Liability found for: Additional defamation (statements made after 2023 verdict)
• Court: U.S. District Court (jury verdict)
• Damages awarded: $83.3 million
• Legal status: Judgment entered; appeals ongoing

New York Attorney General v. Trump et al. (2024)
• Liability found for: Persistent business fraud, falsifying financial statements
• Court: New York State Supreme Court (bench trial)
• Finding: Civil fraud liability
• Penalty: Large monetary judgment (later reduced on appeal; liability itself not overturned)
• Legal status: Liability stands; final penalties adjusted through appeal
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now it's your job to provide lists like that for Obama, Biden and Harris.
I imagine these are the people you have in mind when you call the alternatives for Trump: "just bastards that don't belong there. Pure egoists, pure bastards, pure evil and liars"



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 12:40
If it makes you happy, you can imagine me as coming from New York.
It just takes away the argument that I am missing information, because
I live in another country.



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 12:21
If your choices are based on these principles, you should never support Trump. The fact that you now refuse to explain those same points,
is because you can't, without completely unraveling your own delusion.

"You don't see evidence is because you don't see it." If it requires self-deception, I indeed don't. If the evidence is clear, you should be able
to argue it.

"The true nature of existence and physical evidence is totally different" Existence looks very damn physical to me. I have never seen anything that could not be explained by physics. To me, what you are saying is nothing but superstition.

The fact that I am here is not evidence for anything supernatural. Everything I am is natural, and everything we know about how I got here is natural, starting with my parents fucking.

I have literally seen hundreds of hours of debates, where the religious person asks: "Was it random?". If you think that is a 'got you', then I know you have not informed yourself on this question, like me.
That question is now only relevant for the existence of our universe, while religious people have asked that same question for literally everything. Did humans pop into existence? According to religious people, yes, mostly. Adam was created from dirt and MAGIC. Does that explain anything? No, not in the slightest, it stops our thinking. All your magical thinking has been reduced to ONE question: "Did the universe came into existence at random?". The answer is that I don't know. However, religion claimed to be the answer to all the questions that science has now clearly answered. ALL your previous magical explanations before got DESTROYED. That gives me a good reason to assume that your side is wrong for this last question too, and that science will find a good explanation. First we even need to find out IF the universe ACTUALLY came into existence. The discovery that it has been expanding for about 13.8 billion years is not evidence that it didn't exist before that. If you think that not knowing the answer to that question, is evidence for a creator, then you are just making the creator a placeholder for knowledge.

"Living to you is what?" TEMPORARY!
"You are just going to die and not mean anything?" The results of my actions live on. Some people will remember me. Besides that, yes.
I am not adopting wishful thinking, out of fear.

I think you're trying to say: "Life’s meaning (motivation) is rooted in desire, wanting, striving, longing, impulse." Sure, I don't need anything supernatural for that.

Please explain your sentence about "divergence". Are you talking about life diverging from non-life?

"God at one point of his evolution was us, humanoid."
So a material primate existed, before the universe existed? How did that 'humanoid' pop into existence then? At random? And then he/she/it evolved to a supernatural being? How does that evolution work, without reproduction, random mutation, and natural selection? And how does that work, without the existence of a universe?

"Finding God is not searching for evidence. It has to do with faith."
Faith is indeed thinking you know something, without having a good reason (evidence) to know it.

"the 7 levels of civilizations that exist in the universe today"
The Kardashev scale is very much ARBITRARY. Nikolai Kardashev imagined that civilizations could reach almost unlimited potential, if they would keep evolving. He did not consider the limits of physics. Starting at Type II, it's highly questionable to assume further evolution, because that requires breaking the physics limits of the universe, with the speed of light, and the conservation of energy, limiting them to their own star. No serious scientist ever claimed that any levels above our own are EXISTING in the universe.

You answer to why you voted for Trump explains nothing. Your whole comment is full of 'deepities', but that the main discussion subject falls completely flat in its primitiveness. You have no argument for why the others are "bastards that don't belong there", and why Trump is better. Trump's whole life centers around his egoism, his greed, and his disrespect for every other human being. If he ever had friends, than they show his character too (Epstein). Evil, you say? I am interested in your definition of evil. Is it to serve yourself, without any concern for anyone else? That too is what Trump's character projects clearly.
And lying? Trump doesn't even understand the meaning of truth.
Truth, to him, is just what he wants other people to believe.
If this is all you can muster, after trying to act philosophical, you are deeply humiliating yourself.

Trump had been breaking the law all his life. You know that, and that's why you are now moving the goalpost to "not guilty of breaking any constitutional law". You need HIM to be judges guilty in court of law for breaking The Constitution, while you just accuse other candidates of being "pure egoists, pure bastards, pure evil and liars". The bias cannot be more clear.

And of course you now have to lie to yourself that the people who accused Trump of crimes are somehow guilty of the same or worse. You ASK for piles and piles of evidence, completely ignore everything and trow out wild accusations, without the slightest justification.
It's all so childishly obvious.

And then, when you understand that you are failing, you become irritated, and vent your anger towards me. Be angry at yourself,
for failing to justify your support for Trump.

Yes, I came to you, to hold your feet to the fire, and you are going up
in flames.



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 10:29
Of course, but that doesn't involve crime from private citizens.
If that oversight is nationally organized, the buck stops at Trump.



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 10:24
When you prefer peace, the last thing you should do, is vote in a fascist dictator.
I know you don't know much history, but that should even be clear to you.



By Ananas2xLekker 01,Jan,26 10:19
It seems correct that the tough manual labor oil rig jobs don't require much in education, but if you want to do a different job, when that job becomes too physically demanding, which will be long before retirement age, it's better to have some college.

Men still want to come home alive, that's not "laziness".

You are projecting too much of yourself on other men.
Most men don't want to sacrifice a life for a job.
You read to much manosphere bullshit. Be a man, not a victim.



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 12:06
----------Trump calling Epstein a "teriffic guy":----------

In October 2002, New York Magazine published a profile of Jeffrey Epstein titled
“Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.”

In that article, Trump, then a private businessman, was quoted from a telephone interview about Epstein:
“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump reportedly said.
“He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it, Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”

How We Know It’s Real? Multiple independent fact-checking outlets confirm this quote was authentic and correctly attributed to Trump in the 2002 New York Magazine interview.
The same quote has been widely cited in subsequent news reporting and analyses of Trump’s past relationship with Epstein.

----------Epstein calling Trump a "horrible human being":----------

"He is a horrible human being"
"He does nasty things to his best friends, his best friends' wives...."
"... anyone who he first tries to gain their trust and then uses it to do bad things."
"That's how it goes."

only registered users can see external links

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMAGINE THAT!!!



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 09:28
Why the pay is high?

1. Remote and Isolated Location
- Oil rigs are often hundreds of miles offshore. Workers can’t just “pop home” at the end of a shift.
- This isolation requires higher pay to make the job attractive to qualified workers.

2. Demanding Skill Sets
- Many positions require technical expertise (engineers, drill operators, safety officers).
- High-stakes work with dangerous equipment justifies premium pay.

3. Long Hours in Harsh Conditions
- Typical rotations are 2–4 weeks on, followed by a week or more off.
- Shifts are long, sometimes 12 hours a day, often 7 days a week.
- The high pay compensates for these grueling schedules.

4. High Risk
- Oil rigs are hazardous: heavy machinery, high-pressure systems, exposure to chemicals, risk of fires, and potential for accidents in extreme weather.
- Companies offer hazard pay to attract workers willing to take on these risks.

5. Physical and Mental Stress
- Jobs can be physically demanding: lifting, climbing ladders, standing for hours, and working in confined spaces.
- Mental stress comes from isolation, monotony, and being away from family for weeks.

6. Onboard Living Trade-offs
- Workers live in shared, cramped quarters. Privacy is minimal.
- Meals are provided, but dietary options may be limited.
- Entertainment is restricted (though some rigs have gyms, TV, and internet).

Safer, less uncomfortable jobs, requiring similar skills and that make (almost) the same money are:
- Subsea / Offshore Engineering (onshore-based roles)
- Industrial / Plant Maintenance Engineer (oil, chemical, or power plants)
- Pipeline or Subsea Infrastructure Inspector / Engineer
- Robotics / Automation Technician in Oil & Gas or Manufacturing
- High-Pressure Equipment / Turbine Engineer (if you don't fear heights)



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 09:19
- There are real fraud investigations in Minnesota involving government aid programs. Many individuals have been charged or convicted.
- Al‑Shabaab/terror funding claims are not verified by prosecutors and remain unproven allegations from political commentators and advocacy reports.
- Tim Walz is criticized politically for oversight failings, but there is no legal finding that he personally facilitated or supported terrorism or directed fraud funds to any terror group.



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 09:07
Oh yes, in many cases it is proven by the justice of the court that he is guilty, but when they do, you deny their legitimacy.
For the outstanding indictments, Trump was not acquitted, but they were extended on the argument that you cannot indict a sitting president, which is a hot point of debate.
I would say that he was already indicted, so there was no reason to obstruct justice.
All the court cases related to Trump alone, is ample reason to not support him.

Besides that, I will give you some other examples of his actions:
- Trump granted clemency to many individuals, including those charged under prior administration investigations, prompting criticism that these pardons could amount to pay‑for‑play or cronyism rather than traditional justice considerations. Example: Paul Walczak got his pardon after his mother attended the April 25 Mar‑a‑Lago fundraising dinner, that charged $1 million per person.
- Trump pardoned Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar, facing bribery and other corruption charges. Corruption is a crime and justice should be served in all corruption cases, Democrats and Republicans alike.
- A conflicts of interest relating to cryptocurrencies. The Trump family has full ownership or big stakes in several cryptocurrencies, while Trump is also pushing legislation related to cryptocurrencies.
- In early 2025, Trump fired 17 inspectors general—independent officials who audit and investigate government waste and corruption, which was widely condemned as undermining transparency and accountability. A judge later ruled those firings unlawful, even as they stayed in effect.
- Allowing Elon Musk or entities tied to him, including those associated with DOGE cryptocurrency, to influence or manage U.S. government finances, violating federal ethics laws, designed to prevent private individuals from profiting from public office. It raises significant questions about transparency, as any financial dealings or decisions could occur without the standard disclosure, reporting, or auditing required of government officials. Oversight mechanisms could be undermined, since regulatory bodies and Congress rely on clear separation between private interests and public duties to ensure accountability. Collectively, this scenario would create a high risk of legal challenges, potential breaches of anti-corruption statutes, and erosion of public trust in government financial management.
- Retaliatory use of prosecutions and investigations: Organizations tracking legal actions under the Trump administration warn of prosecutions seen as politically motivated or retaliatory against opponents, rather than impartial law enforcement.
- Trump issued an executive order pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for 180 days and instructed DOJ to change how corruption enforcement works, an action some see as reducing accountability for corporate bribery and foreign corruption.
- Under Trump’s direction, US fines related to money laundering and sanctions breaches fell sharply in 2025, as enforcement became much more lenient.
- Accepting a luxury Boeing 747‑8 aircraft from the royal family of Qatar, valued at around $400 million. This would be among the most valuable “gifts” ever offered to a US president or the US government. The plan is to eventually transfer it to Trump’s personal presidential library, where he would see personal benefit. Possible Pay‑to‑Play: Trump traveled to Doha and signed a series of large economic and commercial agreements with Qatar: $1.2 trillion “economic exchange” framework between the U.S. and Qatar, including trade, investment, and defense cooperation. Qatar Airways agreed to purchase up to 210 Boeing aircraft (~$96 billion), one of the largest commercial orders ever. Additional commitments on infrastructure projects, technology joint ventures, and defense procurement worth tens of billions. Trump Organization exploring business ventures in the Middle East. No proven legal quid‑pro‑quo cases, as of yet, but appearance of conflict of interests should also be avoided.

A special category: Trump‑Branded Merchandise:
- Trump sneakers — Premium branded shoes often selling for around $399–$499 or more despite standard equivalents costing much less.
- Trump watches — Including limited‑edition luxury watches priced up to $100,000.
- Trump‑branded cologne and fragrance — Around $199–$249+ for bottles marketed on political imagery.
- “Trump Bibles” — Special editions of the Bible, sometimes with extras, ranging from ~$60 up to $1,000+.
- Trump guitars and memorabilia — Electric or acoustic guitars with prices often well above basic models.
- Trump Store miscellaneous merchandise — Flags, mugs, memorabilia with markups well above standard political swag; over 1,700 items sold, often at premium prices.

Many of these items are sold at prices that far exceed what similar products cost elsewhere, largely because they carry the Trump name or political branding, which monetizes political support to his personal benefit.
Why this matters: Supporters or wealthy donors can spend thousands on these branded products, which effectively channels money into Trump‑linked businesses, while signaling political loyalty, a dynamic critics describe as a form of “pay‑to‑play” influence through purchasing.
Even on major political dates like Election Day, Trump‑related merch was promoted in emails encouraging supporters to “Do Your Part In Making America Great” by buying products such as sneakers and books.

It all comes down to Trump completely shitting on the Emoluments clause, unlike any president before him, and clearly using his presidency for personal enrichment.

If you don't think that this is enough, I refer you to:
only registered users can see external links
only registered users can see external links
only registered users can see external links
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only registered users can see external links



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 08:11
Who is blaming others now? It's your own responsibility to provide reason in your comments, in order to convince people that you deserve to be taken seriously.



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 07:22
I was talking about you thinking I was from Brooklyn NY.
Is there a Brooklyn accent in my writing?

Are you telling me that you think that points 1 to 10 are values you hold up highly, and therefore you end up supporting Trump and the current Republican party? I would call that impossible or delusional.

You're not getting just a yes or no, your getting a full explanation, so you cannot straw-man my opinions.

1. I healthfully agree, which is why I care about tough restrictions against pollution (while Trump is doing the opposite) and why I was very angry with Trump abandoning the Paris Climate Agreement.

2. I see no evidence for a creator. It is possible that there is an entity behind the multiverse, but I think it's more likely to be non-sentient processes that "caused" our universe. The question "Why is there something, rather than nothing?" is either unanswerable, or you start by asking "Is the state of nothingness even possible?". All the evidence related with the existence of a creator as religions present it, is refuting the existence of their creator. I need not imagine a "creator", to honor "creation" (I use that term only because people use it, not because I think that the "everything" was "created"). I honor "creation" by supporting ideas and actions that maintain humanity, because it's possible that humanity is the only intelligent life in the universe, capable of appreciating and increasingly understanding the universe.

3. Yes, that's the basis for humanism, which is the basis for my politics.

4. Yes, that's the basis for our socialism (not your straw-man of it)

5. Yes, that's my default attitude towards every person, until they personally show me that they deserve another attitude. I do not judge a person by their innate characteristics, I purely judge a person by their voluntary actions and cultivated traits. "Judge people by agency, not by accident". I am not like Jesus (turn the other cheek). I care about justice, and I don't shy away from defending it.
I feel empathy for all living things, but it is proportional with their sentience. I am not a vegetarian, but I do want to minimize the suffering of our consumption animals.
The political party that I support, the Dutch Socialist Party, is the best representative of the less fortunate (other than myself). They are not a charity organization, but they constantly help individuals and small groups of people, who were victimized by a system that is not designed with empathy in mind, but to serve powerful interests. I donate some money to charities monthly, but overall I think that humanity shouldn't need charities. I think that charities are degrading. This was also argued by philosophers like Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx and Hannah Arendt. Compassion is good, but it should result in humanity creating systems that make charities redundant. We can take care of the unlucky and vulnerable, without disrespecting their dignity, by creating systems of solidarity from the "privileged" with the "disadvantaged".
Your whole idea of "seeing a homeless person on the street and throwing scraps for him" and associating that with "take a huge sacrifice of humility" is completely reprehensible to me. I would not sacrifice my humility, I would damage THEIR dignity. Anytime I see a homeless person in my country, I am ashamed and angry towards my government, failing to represent my principles. My country doesn't let those people starve, so they don't need my "scraps", but we do fail to house them. NOTE: Housing is the highest priorities of my party. I personally coordinated several political actions relating to housing.

6. To me, morality is about the well-being of conscious creatures. Any action that generally supports the well-being of conscious creatures is "good". Any action that generally harms the well-being of conscious creatures is "bad". That means that there are circumstances in which you can hurt the well-being of a conscious creature, to support the well-being of bigger groups. That is what punishment for breaking the law is intending. We need laws to generally support the well-being of conscious creatures. Those laws are not "objective", they constantly need to be reassessed for their effect. Dogmas need to be kept far away from the law. The (re)assessment needs to be performed through science and philosophy. Are your last questions serious? Yes, do you? Do you even understand how your choices hurt others?

7. Not as much as I should. I should exercise more. We eat reasonably healthy and I take supplements to care foe my heart and vascular system, but it's all not near enough to optimize my health. My mind gets better treatment; I know my limits and respect them. I am constantly putting effort to increase my knowledge and thinking skills. Also, I don't think entertainment is a vice, but a necessity for a healthy mind. My goal is to save my emotions for the times that are worth it. There are parts of stoicism that I like; the rationality part, and a part that I don't like; the acceptance of injustice outside your control. Even if my control would be extremely small, I do not accept acceptance of injustice. Injustice is man-made, and is therefore subject to my influence, even if minute. Purely natural events are not "injustice", but we have influence on how to manage them. In any case, I chose to widen my circle of influence, by engaging in politics. I tend to approach all choices in life rationally, even the ones that might require emotional decisions. That might have changed the course of my life several times, but I cannot say that I have significant remorse or regrets, at worse, some missed opportunities.

8. Within reason, I am supporting (not serving) the "Greater Good".
I'll refer you back to #6, to understand how I define the "Greater Good".
By definition, egoism is the opposite of altruism. However, we are all part of humanity, and every act for self-interest will inevitably result in harming humanity, and therefore oneself. Most acts of altruism will likely result in improving humanity, and will therefore benefit oneself. That is Karma, without the spirituality association.
I want to live my life among humanity that is improving, rather than collapsing. In that situation, egoism and altruism are not opposites.
That indeed requires personal growth through learning. It doesn't require humility at all. It requires Engagement. What a stupid idea that blaming the world would be cowardly. Do you think that one person is responsible for anything good or bad happening in this world? Humanity made a mess, and humanity needs to fix it. I have a responsibility to support that, but it is not greater than yours, and many times smaller than the responsibilities of our elected representatives. It is their job to fix the mess that humanity made. It's also the responsibility of voters to elect representatives that best serve the goal of fixing the mess that humanity made. I am trying to convince people to use their vote for that purpose, and I am engaging in politics to help my representatives to best serve the goal of fixing the mess that humanity made. I am learning to maybe become one of those representatives myself, but at this moment, I don't think I am capable of doing a better job than my current representatives. I still provide them with constructive criticism, when I see how they can do better.

9. Yes, if you feel the need to lie about your principles, then you are admitting that you cannot convince people of your principles, without lying. That would be very strange for principles that are based on humanism, because we are all human. Right?

10. Yes! Denying reality is the opposite of taking responsibility.

With you, everything is a trick question, because if I leave margin for you to straw-man me, you will use it. This is not necessarily a dishonest tactic, if your debate opponent leaves open lots of space for interpretation. I aim to make those spaces as small as possible.

Now, it's your turn. Unlike you, I would like you to explain your answers, because I gain minimal insight into your motives from just yes and no answers.



By Ananas2xLekker 31,Dec,25 04:58
This is their defense capacity: defending themselves and their children from a polar bear attack. They have rifles for hunting. Anything else is handled by Denmark.

The Joint Arctic Command (JAC), the main Danish military body in Greenland, is responsible for defense and surveillance in the vast Arctic region. They use patrol ships, helicopters, and even dog sled teams for patrols, with plans to increase fighter jet presence and drones. A small but significant number of Danish military personnel are stationed at various locations, including Nuuk and Thule Air Base.

There is also a U.S. Military Presence: Pituffik Space Base. The U.S. operates this key installation (formerly Thule Air Base) under a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark, focusing on missile warning, space surveillance, and satellite control.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 15:12
Exactly!



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 12:55
Price is not a metric for quality. It will require some research. I usually buy Philips bulbs.
They used to be too expensive, but competition forced their prices down.
I also really like the WiZ RGB Smart-bulbs in the bedroom.
Filtering out the blue light at night helps me read without disturbing my sleep, or to have minimal light when I wake up, or to have romantic colored light for "sexy time".

I think I found the product that you are describing. Something like that is using hundreds of LEDs, which increases the risk of failure. I see one for $14 online. That can only be cheaply made in China. You cannot expect it to last. I have a LED construction lamp, with 144 LEDs on it. It gets damn hot very quickly. It's still working, but I don't expect it to last long.
However, all LED-filament bulbs that I have ever bought, at least work for several years. The one in the ceiling light on the landing of the first floor must be about 10 years old.

It's true that you cannot expect to buy the same product again, if you have a set of several and want to exchange one broken one, with the exact same color and intensity.
I always buy them in bulk for that application, so I have spares.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 12:39
If it's over-regulation, why don't we have that problem in the EU?
We had regulations for the arch of a banana and the sharpness of corkscrews.
I think it's more a lack of regulation, allowing manufacturers to sell you crap.

Good, modern LED lamps have a constant-current driver and sometimes a buffer capacitor. These exhibit little to no 50/100 Hz (60/120 Hz in the US) flicker.

I asked ChatGPT. Here's the answer:

1. Cheap drivers behave worse at 120 V than at 230 V.
120 V systems give LED drivers:
- Less voltage headroom
- Higher current for the same power
This makes it:
- Harder and more expensive to smooth the output
- Easier for cost-cutting designs to flicker
At 230 V, it’s easier to design a stable, low-flicker power supply.

2. Regulations and labeling
The EU:
- Has stricter flicker and power-quality standards for consumer lighting
- Requires better disclosure
The US:
- Standards exist, but enforcement and labeling are looser
- Many ultra-cheap bulbs reach the market
This affects average quality, not technical capability.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 11:27
Are you saying that your FBI director has a reason to screw Trump,
by releasing fake documents? That's the dumbest shit ever.
Patel just did his best (for a dumb-ass) to redact all the evidence against Trump.
He even broke the law to do it.

Files like these are NOT released, because powerful men will always be protected.

People were warning you about Trump, long before you ever voted for him.
You just didn't care that he is at least a conman, a pervert and an adulterer.
I prefer to vote for honorable people, and you prefer to vote for selfish assholes.

When this was about a Democrat, you would never talk about a statute of limitations.
If they stole candy as a toddler, that would be a reason to vilify them for ever.
Remember Tim Walz? It wasn't true and it wasn't illegal, but you kept going on.
And now you literally found that demonic pe.dophile sex-ring that QAnon always screams about, and you don't want to know, pushing down the truth, because OBVIOUSLY it's all dirty old conservative men, who like to dominate young vulnerable girls.

Hypocrisy is dominant in conservative culture. Any time you have some Christian Nationalist pastor, there will be stories of him cuckolding his wife with black dudes.
Any time you have some anti-gay politician, we will eventually hear stories about him sucking off male prostitutes. All those politicians with their sanctimonious faces, employ
an army of lawyers to pay off all the women they sexually assault, and an agency only intended to hush all the scandals. So many examples, it would take me a year to list
just what was uncovered.

It's only logical, a culture of sexual repression, the glorification of male dominance,
and elimination of accountability, will inevitably result in exactly the type of behavior
that we see over and over again.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 11:14
America has attacked to whole world by disrespecting a global agreement.
The destruction on humanity that will result from it, will be just as real as military violence, and much more permanent. The only solace we have
is that it's also self-inflicted.

We made a global agreement, so countries would stop pointing to each other, like you just did. And you are wrong, because as the biggest polluter in the world, when the US would be the only country to stop polluting,
that would be very significant.

But do go ahead and stay in the 20th century. We will be forced to innovate, to save the world, while you keep polluting your own people, send them to die in wars for oil, spend trillions on obsolete tech,
and eventually loose the competition against the rest of the world.
Your short-sightedness will be your own downfall.

We have always covered the cost of our own defense. We can definitely fight off Russia. We just don't have the manufacturing capacity, because the US promised to be a reliable supplier. You stabbed us in the back,
to extort us. Don't pretend that you defended the EU. Everything you did since 1945 was purely self-serving.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 10:31
You just made that up. Opinions are not facts! 🙄 Sex estimation from bones (especially pelvis and skull) is probabilistic, not absolute. Many remains, especially juveniles or poorly preserved skeletons, are classified as “indeterminate.”.

It IS OK to not work a physical job. WTF are you talking about?
When you take a doll from a boy, you are the one indoctrinating the boy with your ideology. There is no good reason to let children not find out for themselves what they like and are good at. If they have interests and skills that would make them good plumbers, they will be drawn to that, without your narrow-minded meddling.

Are you saying that technical jobs require less education than non-physical jobs?
That's damn disrespectful to craftspeople.

You are also shitting on your own stupid education system, that inhibits people
to make the best of themselves, because of the ridiculous costs associated with it.
Only in your dumb country.

Sure throw around some caricatures. The idea that real men need to drive a pick-up truck and sissy men drive a Prius, is all conservative nonsense. If you drive a big pick-up truck, when you don't need one for work, I assume you have a micropenis. If you see a man step out of a small, fuel economical car, you know he has nothing to compensate for.
That's also caricaturing/stereotyping, but much more accurate.

Psychiatrists in the US generally make very good money, with average annual salaries typically ranging from $240,000 to over $300,000. That's worth the education.
But no amount of education can turn an Neanderthal into a psychiatrist. It requires
a special mix of character traits to be good at that job. If you have a boy with those character traits, he is likely not attracted to toys that you associate with boys.
Ripping the toys he likes from his tiny hands, will probably damage him for life.
All because of your conservative indoctrination, or downright homophobia.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 08:09
Iceland: Is it real? | Icelandair
only registered users can see external links

A commercial that is addressing the conspiracy theory problem.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 08:00
The Secret Way the Rich are Getting Richer
only registered users can see external links



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 06:40
Are you living in South Sudan, from 10 years ago?



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 06:31
Why The Rich Hate Capitalism 🤯
only registered users can see external links



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 06:24
Keanu Reeves slapping people, after disrespecting his wife.
only registered users can see external links

(only the voice over and the video filter are AI)



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 06:12
Not the best imitation ever, but very accurate in some ways.
only registered users can see external links



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 05:46
"moral correctness", "empathy", "Justice", "egoism", "desires"
From a person with your ideology, combined with the narcissism,
you can only be TrumpSupporter##, who got kicked of this website
several times for violating the TOS.

The complete denial of reality is standard for your cult,
but I recognize the specific weirdness of your mental processes.
You have just exposed yourself.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 05:33
Trump Named In Horrifying New Epstein Doc
only registered users can see external links

The way you chose to ignore or deny it will show your level of dishonesty.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 04:06
No, they don't work for me. If I want to achieve something, I start doing it when I manage to maximize my motivation for doing so. That usually coincides with having everything else in my life working well, and having excess time to start something new, which usually doesn't coincide with the New Year. Unfortunately, winter is often ruined by a cold hijacking my immune system for weeks. My girlfriend brought home a virus from her work, that has been wearing on her for three weeks now and me for two weeks. I doesn't look like we will be entering the new year motivated and filled with energy. If we had some New Year's resolutions, they would probably be broken very quickly. I think my motivation is optimal
in spring. In winter, the Netherlands often makes Mordor (Tolkien) look like a happy place. That is not all inspiring.

I am also incredibly stubborn, which means I don't accept any external motivation.
All my motivation needs to be internal. Other people can only have some influence,
if they can shape some circumstances to aid me in my motivation.

I once went to a lifestyle coach, with the idea that the person would have some tips and tricks to help me loose some weight, and periodic appointments would help me keep my focus on my goals. It didn't work out that well, in the first 5 minutes of the first contact.
She started out by saying: "Before we even start, I want to you to promise to give me 100% of your commitment in this program. Will you do that?". I thought: "Is she for real?".
I considered what she was saying for a few seconds, and then answered: "I think that I had the wrong idea of coming here. I was hoping you could help me, but you are not getting 100% of my commitment. You would be working with at maximum 5%. I have a life and lots of other priorities. If I had 100% commitment on losing some weight, I wouldn't be talking to you, it would have already been achieved.". She looked at me like I was a green three-headed alien, then answered: "But isn't your health the most important priority in your life?". To which I replied: "Maybe, you are so lucky that your health is the only thing you need to worry about, but most people have lots of other priorities, to achieve their goals in life.". After that, we briefly discussed mutual expectations, but it was clear that
it wasn't going to work.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 03:39
Thanks, I did have a little help from ChatGPT.
It nicely summarizes all the research on the tactics used by autocrats.
Here is one of those sources: only registered users can see external links

I haven't read books on the subject, but obviously someone in the Trump regime
studied this for many years. Or, it was just Trump getting private courses from
Vladimir Poetin and Kim Jong-un. For all we know, Kim Jong-un presented Trump
with the exact same list, in one of his "beautiful letters". He follows it to the letter.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 03:34
You are very specific in your nonsense.
Why would anyone take you seriously in anything else you say?



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 03:14
"Americans are not your fucking bitch." That's the most funny projection ever. People like you think that the whole world should serve your country. If a country wants some sovereignty, you immediately start to fuck with their politics, buy up their manufacturing, sanction their economy or topple their government, either secretly or openly for everyone to see.

Your farmers are surviving on bailouts or are forced to sell their farms to private investors. You are fucking delusional, because you only watch propaganda. Listen to your own farmers, who are now all finding out, after fucking around. Not all their fault, because they suffer from the same media echo chamber. I live in a country where the media is still owned by lots of different providers, instead of a few oligarchs. We also still have publicly owned independent news, allowing voices from the left to the right, religious and non-religious. The far right has been violating the code of conduct of the Dutch Journalism Council (RvdJ). Our right-wingers are incapable of distinguishing facts from opinions, just like you.

The education system in my country is fully paid for by our own tax-payers and students. It is far superior at eliminating ignorance from the public than your failing system, which is only intended to saddle people with debt, so they will be obedient worker drones. You're not paying for the rest of the world, stupid American, you are exploiting the rest of the world.

Your reason to spend a ridiculous sum on "defense" is not serving my country, but it's serving your interests. You want to subjugate the whole world, force your ideas on vulture capitalism onto everyone, and take all the resources and manufacturing capacity to profit your wealthy elites. The US did that by making everyone chose between you and Russia. You have a brain-worm thinking that we need to pay just as much to serve you, as you do yourself.
The EU military expenses are FIVE times larger than Russia's military expenses. The problem is that we all buy our weapons from American manufacturers. That was not our idea, that was heavily 'encouraged'
by the US. You wanted to be the arms dealer for the West and the police
of the world.
We were just stupid to fall for your trick, that made up way too dependent on you. Now Trump is exploiting that, by squeezing us for more money, by withholding the weapons that we need to defend our borders.
We FAFO, but unlike you, we can learn from our naivety. The EU doesn't trust you anymore, we will not be serving your interests anymore (or at least a lot less), we will build up our own manufacturing capacity and not buy all our weapons from you anymore, at your predatory pricing.
This is indeed costing our people a lot of money, that our right-wing politicians are taking out of our healthcare and other services. They are just as short-term minded as your politicians, unfortunately. However, the Dutch people are smarter than Americans, understand that they are scammed,
and are already voting a lot more to the left (still center right) of our political spectrum.

You don't really think that I'm an American, you just think that accusing me
of some dishonesty, justifies you to be dishonest. That doesn't work on me, because people need to be guilty at least a bit, for guilt-trips to work.
That's just more projection from your side.



By Ananas2xLekker 30,Dec,25 02:35
Read the next sentence:
"Trump/Elon have gutted the very agencies you need to detect and fight fraud."
When you are straw-manning me, yes that's very predictable to you, it's you pretending I believe the things that fit your agenda.

"moral correctness"? Oh, I see, your that dumb-ass from a while ago, who has been kicked from the website several times already.

The fact that my English is better than yours, doesn't mean I'm an American.
Unlike your side of the political spectrum, I do not believe that lying is normal or acceptable in order to advance my agenda.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 13:56
They don't bring out news like this, because it's LEGAL!!!
Lefties talk about this legalized corruption, all the time.

You are talking about a donation to a CAMPAIGN, while Democrats are talking about direct personal enrichment, on your side. That's different, don't you think?



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 13:31
Yes, he is openly doing those things. If you don't see it, you chose to ignore it.

All you can do is parrot nonsense like TDS. Can you think of anything yourself?
You have NO ANSWERS to anything I am saying.

Yes, dumb-ass, America attacked my country, and the whole world, by withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement. It means that many other countries will do less to prevent the worst damage from climate change, purely because they are competitors of the US. Trump gave the US an unfair advantage, and as a result most likely increased the future damage of climate change, maybe even secured the end of humanity. That's a fucking ATTACK!!

The second attack; telling the EU to pay up for NATO, or he will ask Russia to roll over us. That is not just a maffia move, it is objectively endangering us, emboldening Russia, and has caused way more deaths on the Ukrainian side, compared to when the US took their self-secured responsibility in the world.

If me taking that personally, is "TDS" to you, then GO FUCK YOURSELF!!!
Are you accusing Greenlanders, Panamanians, Canadians, Mexicans and Venezuelans of TDS too? Are people crazy when they don't like being threatened by a lunatic with the biggest military in the world behind him?

You lot still cry about Biden every day, a year after Trump succeeded him.
That is Biden Derangement Syndrome. Did Biden attack your future and
your safety? I cannot wait for your deranged answer on this.

Yes, I'm saying that everyone who voted for Trump, especially the second time, is really very fucking ignorant.

You show your science illiteracy here. Masks work, even scarves work, because someone coughing from Covid is spraying clumps of mucus around.
It doesn't require pores smaller than a virus, to catch clumps of mucus.
Of course they are in no way 100% effective, but they HELP.
It doesn't require a Master's Degree in Virology to understand that.
I haven't worn a mask in YEARS. People are vaccinated now. If they are not, it's their own mistake, when they die. I do still take care to not infect people, when I even have a cold. If a small inconvenience for me saves someone 3 weeks of coughing, that is worth it to me. Empathy?

Most Democrats are indeed useless at providing an answer to your stupid wannabe dictator, but they are still 1000X better. I pick milk-toast status quo politics over hate and lunacy, any day. Liberals and lefties are clearly not happy with the Democrats, but if you think that Republicans will not be punished severely in 2026, you are fooling yourself.
Democrats have never supported ILLEGAL immigration. They support LEGAL immigration, which Republicans have made impossible, while simultaneously not cracking down on employers who exploit illegal immigrants. The illegal immigration crisis is mostly the fault of your side.

There are real fraud cases in Minnesota involving federal aid funds. Federal and state authorities have charged many individuals in Minnesota, primarily in fraud related to federal programs such as the Feeding Our Future child nutrition program and other social services. Prosecutors say hundreds of millions of dollars were wrongly claimed, for example, billing for meals that were never served.
Most defendants in these cases are Somali or linked to the Somali community. Reports show a high proportion of those charged are from Minnesota’s Somali‑American community, which is the largest in the U.S. However, involvement in wrongdoing by some individuals does not mean the whole community is criminal. Community leaders emphasize this distinction.
There is absolutely NO EVIDENCE that Ilhan Omar is involved in this.
There is also NO EVIDENCE that fraud proceeds have been used to fund terrorist groups like al‑Shabaab. You have been watching racist propaganda.

Fraud exists, everywhere. It does not justify anything that Trump is doing.
Trump/Elon have gutted the very agencies you need to detect and fight fraud.
That's because he likes fraud, because it has been his main profit model,
for decades.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 10:58
Nothing in the article shows illegality, unlike Trump's corruption.
If you want to ban donations like this, then support laws against it, like me.
Stop clutching your pearls over what Dems do, and look at your own 'party'.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 10:19
Paying a porn star to have sex with you, when your wife is pregnant = "family values".

They branded themselves as the representatives of many values, but that has always been debatable, and now if varies from debatable to utterly ridiculous:

1. The Party of National Security / Strong Defense:
Traditionally, Republicans emphasized a robust military and foreign policy leadership
(e.g., Reagan era). National security is now changed to serving Trump and attacking liberals. Kash Patel is loyal to Trump and not to the American people, and utterly incompetent. (He is also spending millions on private jets, the main thing he criticized his predecessors over). Foreign policy decision-making is chaotic, short-sighted and self-serving. The US is doing what is good for Israel and not what is good for the US.
Their aggression towards allies destroys alliances that benefited the US. The new alliances with dictatorships are useless. Trump just like to do "business" with them, because he burned all trust with 'honest' business people.

2. The Party of Small Government / Limited Regulation:
Historically, championed lower taxes, deregulation, and limiting federal reach. Now, the party is ramping up the surveillance state and is cracking down on personal freedoms, social issues. Big brother is following you into the bedroom and the doctor's office.

3. The Party of Moral Leadership / Ethics:
“Family values” often implied integrity and moral standards in public office. Repeated scandals and tolerance for ethically questionable behavior have weakened this brand. Rudeness, Hate Speech, Gaslighting, Stonewalling, Racism and Misogyny are the new normal.

4. The Party of Free Markets / Capitalism:
Traditionally, advocated for market-driven economics, competition, and entrepreneurship. New normal: Support for tariffs, subsidies, and protectionist policies in recent years has muddied this stance. Even within the US, free enterprise promoting competition has been swapped for serving the monopolies, with subsidies and tax deductions only favoring the big players.

5. The Party of Individual Responsibility / Self-Reliance:
Culturally, emphasized personal responsibility and minimal reliance on government programs.
The truth: Corporate bailouts and socialism for the wealthy.

6. The Party of Patriotism / American Exceptionalism:
Historically, leaned into national pride and institutions.
Under Trump: Internal division, attacks on democratic norms, or contentious stances toward U.S. allies challenge this image. No president before Trump has spoken this negatively about the country and got away with it.

7. The Party of Law and Order:
Traditionally, associated with supporting police and the justice system.
Trump is getting away with shitting all over the Emoluments Clause, Collusion with Russia, Obstruction of justice, Falsifying Business Records, Stealing and hiding classified documents, Conspiracy to steal the election, Business Fraud, Pardoning violent criminals, and many schemes to personally enrich himself from his presidency, that would take days to research and summarize.

8. The Party of Religious Freedom:
Historically, aligned with Christian conservative principles.
The truth: Weaponizing "Christian Religious Freedom" to crack down on the Rights and Freedoms of people with other or no religions.

9. The Party of the Working Class / Middle Class:
Often marketed itself as protecting blue-collar jobs and upward mobility.
Trump cuts taxes for the Wealthy and Corporations, while cutting benefits for working people, gutting Labor Rights, raising Consumer Prices with tariffs, lying about unemployment numbers, trying repeatedly to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act without a replacement, and cutting Social Safety hard.

10. The Party of American Values / Tradition:
Traditionally, emphasized preserving cultural and social traditions.
Trump: Replaced respect for Institutions, with fascist nationalism, Erasing parts of The Constitution from the government website, constantly ignoring the First Amendment cracking down on journalist and media, the Fourth Amendment letting ICE raid whole apartment buildings, the Fifth Amendment, depriving detainees of liberty without due process, the Sixth Amendment by kidnapping immigrants on their way to their Immigration Court Hearings, setting up detention far from legal aid, limiting access to phones and attorneys, the Eighth Amendment by serving Indefinite detention for misdemeanors, Dangerous detention conditions, Medical neglect and Family separation trauma, the Fourteenth Amendment by Targeting based on nationality or ethnicity, and constant harassment on Latino communities.

11. (last but not least) The Party of fiscal responsibility:
Completely abandoning the core principles of balanced budgets, limited government spending, and long-term economic stewardship. Traditionally, “fiscal responsibility” meant prioritizing deficit control, curbing wasteful spending, and ensuring that tax policy did not mortally compromise the nation’s financial health. Under Trump, the party championed massive tax cuts heavily skewed toward the wealthy, engaged in unprecedented borrowing, and ballooning deficits even during a strong economy. At the same time, spending increased sharply in areas like defense, emergency relief, and politically motivated projects, often with little concern for offsetting costs. This combination of reckless tax policy, uncontrolled spending, and disregard for long-term debt contradicted the very idea of conservative fiscal prudence. In effect, the Republican brand of careful money management was replaced by short-term political expediency, turning what was once a hallmark of reliability into a running joke among critics and economists alike.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 07:41
Is this the Pixar going woke thing, that people are talking about?
only registered users can see external links



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 06:57
That's not a "Time-out box", that's the "Furry toilet" they were talking about.

Cut the budget of the U.S. Department of Education even more, that will help.

And now to be more serious, here are some articles related to the subject:
only registered users can see external links
only registered users can see external links
only registered users can see external links



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 05:21
Girls vs Boys - Is There A Difference?
only registered users can see external links

Of course, and everyone who denies it is an idiot.
That doesn't mean that all boys are the same and all girls are the same.
Some girls are behaving very much like boys.
Some boys are behaving very much like girls.
And that is based in the exact development that he is explaining.

People have a tendency to confuse the (large) majority for the standard, or even the norm.
When you're ripping a doll from the hands of your little boy and say "Boys don't play with dolls!", you are denying that some boys have developed differently, and you are enforcing "the norm". It is not preventing that boy growing up into a "sissy", it is forcing the boy into a male stereotype, that is probably not his strength, and preventing him to develop his real strengths. Parents like that will push their son into the life of being a sub-par plumber, instead of letting him develop into a great psychiatrist (just an example).
And if your daughter has interests and skills that doesn't fit your stereotype of girls,
you can end up harming her development, crush her confidence, and probably deny
your country a great engineer, entrepreneur, or top female athlete.

In the end he says: "The freer the society, the bigger the sex differences".
That is definitely not accurate, in general. It's a mixed bag.

Factors/Characteristics Where the Statement Has Some Support (Sex Differences Larger in “Freer” / More Gender-Equal Contexts):
1. Personality Traits
Differences in many Big Five personality dimensions (e.g., agreeableness, neuroticism, extraversion) tend to be larger in more gender-egalitarian, high-income societies.

2. Basic Personal Values and Preferences
Some studies find that men’s and women’s values and preferences (e.g., risk attitudes, prosocial preferences) differ more in gender-equal and wealthier contexts than in less egalitarian ones.

3. Educational / Occupational Choices in Some STEM Fields
Patterns termed the gender equality paradox sometimes show greater differentiation in field choice (e.g., proportions of men vs. women in certain academic tracks) in countries with higher gender equality indices.

4. Cognitive Abilities Where Women Tend to Excel
Differences in areas such as episodic memory and verbal ability have been reported to increase in societies with better living conditions, often correlated with gender equality.

Factors/Characteristics Where the Statement Is Not Supported or the Pattern Is Absent/Inconsistent:
1. Sexual Behavior
Differences in sexual behavior (e.g., likelihood of casual sex) have been found to be smaller in more egalitarian or high-income societies, likely due to permissive norms and access to contraception.

2. Cognitive Abilities Where Men Tend to Excel
For abilities like mathematical performance and semantic memory, sex gaps decrease in societies with higher living conditions and equality measures.

3. General Cognitive Measures and Some Sociodemographic Outcomes
Some research suggests that many sex differences don’t substantially vary with gender equality, so for traits like overall intelligence or school achievement, differences are relatively stable.

4. Some Well-Being and Emotional Outcomes
Studies find little or no consistent “paradox” effect for gender differences in emotional well-being or mental health outcomes across gender-equal vs. unequal contexts.

5. Methodological and Cultural Qualifications
Some researchers argue that the gender-equality paradox itself may not be a universal causal effect, but rather an artifact of measurement, social norms, or Western research bias, meaning it doesn’t necessarily reflect a simple link between freedom and sex differences.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 05:08
You are showing again that when you are talking about "sovereignty",
you only care about it for the US, and NO ONE ELSE.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 04:43
Sure, he has been doing that, but if the media doesn't report on it, he can just quietly continue to do it. Only when his actions cause a huge outrage and even some irritation on his propaganda platforms, then he knows that it's time for a big distraction.
It's #10 in this summary of the "Dictator’s Playbook":


Dictator’s Playbook: Common Tactics Used by Autocrats

1. Systematic Disinformation and Falsehoods
Dictators deliberately spread lies, distort facts, and flood the information environment with contradictory or false narratives to confuse and overwhelm audiences, weakening public trust in objective truth and fact-based reporting. Methods include high-volume, multichannel false messaging that makes truth hard to discern.

2. Delegitimizing and Attacking the Media
Independent media are portrayed as hostile, biased, or “fake news” to erode public trust. By undermining the credibility of objective reporting, dictators make people doubt realistic or critical accounts of their actions. Modern autocrats often manipulate rather than fully censor media, using legal, economic, or rhetorical pressure to silence dissent.

3. Controlling and Manipulating Information Channels
Beyond attacks on the press, dictators control or co-opt broadcast and social media, sponsor proxy outlets, and use state propaganda to shape narratives domestically and sometimes internationally. This includes bot networks and troll factories to amplify regime messaging and drown out critical voices.

4. Politicizing or Capturing Institutions
Independent institutions (judiciaries, election authorities, regulators, law enforcement) are systematically weakened or staffed with loyalists so they no longer act as checks on executive power. This erodes democratic safeguards.

5. Quashing Criticism and Dissent
Critics, opposition figures, and civil society actors are harassed, criminalized, or intimidated. This can take legal, economic, or extra-legal forms, creating a climate of fear that discourages open criticism.

6. Scapegoating and Dividing the Population
Dictators often blame social, ethnic, religious, or external “enemies” for societal problems, fostering an “us vs. them” mentality that distracts from governance failures and mobilizes support through fear or tribalism.

7. Corrupting or Manipulating Elections
Even when elections nominally occur, dictators rig or coerce outcomes through gerrymandering, fraud, voter suppression, legal changes to term limits, or claims of fraud when they lose, all to maintain a veneer of legitimacy.

8. Reinforcing Executive Power and Weakening Checks and Balances
Emergency powers, constitutional changes, and legal reinterpretation expand the ruler’s authority at the expense of other branches of government.

9. Creating a Cult of Personality
Leaders often project an image of indispensable savior or national guardian to build unquestioning loyalty. This ties popular identity to the individual rather than to institutions or shared governance.

10. Distraction Through Major Events or Manufactured Crises
When a dictator faces embarrassment, scandal, or a legitimacy threat, they often launch a big action, controversy, or crisis narrative to shift public attention. This may include major military moves, controversial policies, “provocations,” or spectacle-driven events that overwhelm or bury negative news. These distraction tactics serve to reroute public scrutiny away from problems that could weaken their grip.

Why These Tactics Work:
- Erosion of shared facts: If truth is contested and people can’t agree on basic facts, collective criticism and accountability become much harder.
- Information overload: Flooding citizens with numerous, contradictory messages creates confusion and apathy, reducing resistance.
- Delegitimization of critics: By attacking institutions and critics as traitors or enemies, autocrats weaken social cohesion and independent oversight.
- Spectacle over scrutiny: Large distractions or crises capture collective attention, pushing deeper systemic issues out of the public eye.



By Ananas2xLekker 29,Dec,25 03:47
If you don't care about all the horribly corrupt things that Trump is doing,
it doesn't matter to you. You made a decision to worship that man,
and NOTHING will ever change that, not even ending up homeless yourself, directly due to Trump's actions. I don't understand that kind of "thinking".

"Trump is not for me." " I serve only one,,, It's everyone and everything."
When you cannot be objective about Trump, you serve Trump.

Who says I hate Jews? That's bullshit. I hate the ACTIONS of the Israeli government. That's completely different. People who tell you different,
are conning you. I want Jewish Dutch people feel completely safe and
welcome in my country. However, as soon as they raise their voice in
support of the Israeli genocide, they find me as their POLITICAL enemy.

Do you feel empathy for hungry children, because Trump is killing SNAP?
Do you feel empathy for farmers, who are getting bankrupted by Trump's tariffs?
Do you feel empathy for immigrants who entered your country legally, who have been working hard, following the law, engaged in the process of becoming American, but have now been deported to a horrible concentration camp?

"You are in stagnation" OMG that's stupid! I am doing very well! I have a good job, I'm paying off my mortgage, building up wealth, and being happy with my girlfriend for more than 25 years. I'm not worrying about myself in the slightest, I'm worrying about the future of my nephews. Selfishness is destroying humanity, and your MAGA movement is the top reason for the future getting more bleak.
You're side is coming up with new ideas to wipe out humanity, each day.
AI nuking us all? Sure!
Hothouse planet? Love it!
Kill nature enough to achieve full ecological collapse? Yes, please!
Let a horrible pandemic just kill everyone? NO MASKS!!! NO VACCINES!!!
Let dictators run the world into the ground? Of course!
Techno-feudalism? Sure, we cannot wait to be slaves!
Poison the air, water and food? Yeah, we love cancer!

I hear nothing but denial and projection from you.
There is no reasoning behind anything you are saying.
It looks like your TFG, and you can only learn by FAFO.
Well, I think it's coming soon enough.



By Ananas2xLekker 28,Dec,25 13:07
A Vance-Ramaswamy ticket; an acolyte for Peter Thiel and a snake-oil salesman.
You think that there are no honest men in politics, but why chose the worst?



By Ananas2xLekker 28,Dec,25 12:52
Two political parties that you both hate, doesn't give you any choices.
But if you think Trump is better, I think you have a screw loose.
Trump sells himself to the highest bidder constantly, he is purely transactional.

Both your parties are dependent on "donations", but the way it's allowed in your country makes it possible for them to personally enrich themselves. That system is created by Republicans and there is only a handful of Democrats and maybe one or two Republicans who want to fix that. Trump talked a good game, but he hasn't drained the swamp, he filled the White house with the worst swamp-monsters he could find.

How else can you survive than playing the system? You either get educated and pay off a big debt, or you will work hard for peanuts all your life. Beating that system is like winning the lottery. How about demanding a better system, by using the power of all working people? Why do you vote for someone who only cares about lowering taxes for the wealthy. Trump has done NOTHING for you. You are referring to gas prices? What has he done to lower them? He is making energy more expensive, by eliminating solar and wind power, and by letting the techbros create big AI datacenters that use more power than a city.
Meanwhile his tariffs are directly costing you more. If you benefit from ACA subsidies, you will soon pay lots more for your health insurance, unless the Democrats manage to prevent it. Your healthcare would still be crap and very expensive, but at least the Democrats achieved something. Trump promised a lot, but delivered NOTHING, and he never will.

"Altruism"? Bullshit! Even if 90% of people are altruistic, the 10% selfish assholes will fuck it all up. Do you want to replace health insurance with GoFundMe?
How about SOLIDARITY? Why not just have 1 system, that everyone pays into, and covers the healthcare that you need? Why does it need to enrich insurance companies?

When they tell you that a better tomorrow is YOUR responsibility, it means that it's not THEIRS. It means that they can keep fucking with people and the planet. Your charity donations or LED light-bulbs are not going to save us, when you vote for politicians who allow the wealthy to steal from the people and destroy the earth.

I didn't see the movie Serpico, but I just saw a story about how a police chief corrupted a whole department. Honest cops didn't have a chance against him.
It finally took a judge with balls to stop him.

Explain to me how I am serving the elite? Do I vote for politicians who deregulate big companies, lower taxes for the wealthy, and cut expenses for benefits that help people?

"They" tried to kill him? One stupid kid tried to kill him. Don't be daft.

"no bribery"???

Explain the $100,000 watches that Trump sold. Those were Chinese copies of Swiss watches, worth at max $300. I say, he did that, so people can bribe him.
Buy 10 of those crap watches and tell him what you like.
Want a pardon? No problem!
Even if you are dumb enough to think that there is "no quid pro quo" there,
he is still PERSONALLY enriching himself at $99,700 per watch. Show me ANY candidate for president who EVER did that.

"Always stive to be a better man,,, create a better tomorrow.."
I agree, start with improving your judgement of character.

I want a trustworthy, decent person to represent me in politics.
Explain to me how that is Trump for you.



By Ananas2xLekker 27,Dec,25 05:56
Do you think that I hate him, because "he could not be bought"?

The political party that I vote for is 100% transparent, for every cent coming in and going out. The party is fully grass roots organized. Most of the people contributing to it do it as volunteer. When people have a job that directly conflicts with their voting, they voluntarily abstain their vote. Politicians who get a salary from the government, donate most of their salary to the party, keeping only a median wage, to understand the life of the people they represent.

How different is that from your politicians? Trump started a crypto coin, and many other schemes, so wealthy people could 'donate' to him personally, without it being transparant.

However, Trump has been incredibly corrupt, even before he went into politics.
Why don't you look into what he did in the Republic of the Congo, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan? I just last heard about Kazakhstan. He 'alledgedly' helped a very corrupt family, Tokayev, now their authoritarian 'leader', steal millions from the BTA Bank (one of Kazakhstan’s largest banks), by legitimizing their building project scam.

Every legitimate business person that ever dealt with Trump says:
“He doesn’t pay his bills / he stiffs contractors.”
“Litigation is part of the business model.”
“You only work with him once.”
Is that the type of business person that YOU like?

I don't think that you can find a Trump project that is not riddled with corruption, money laundering, stealing from subcontractors, scamming customers, helping authoritarian regimes steal from their people, scamming taxes, and fucking over employees. That was before he had any power, but now that he has a lot of power, he is using all his businesses for making money, serving all interests that do not serve YOU.



By Ananas2xLekker 26,Dec,25 06:47
It's possible that there is some bias involved.
I will do my best to be a neutral observer.

Is there a possibility that you stop making attack moves?
See what happens if you just let her be?

You know, Christmas spirit, or something.



By Ananas2xLekker 25,Dec,25 18:15
I've looked in this topic called "Black lives matter or do All lives matter...༼☯﹏☯༽", which very often brings out racist ideas from people. I didn't find any of her comments racist. Maybe you're of the idea that racism only consist out of slurs, but it's the support of systemic racism that hurts non-white people the most. The most evil racism going on today in the US, is supporting the system where every non-white person is at risk of harassment or immediate violence from ICE. I have not seen CAT support that.