Toronto-area lawyer had to flee Canada after taking on the tow truck industry
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Kim Jong-un: fragile and under pressure but he won’t give up
The Observer The North Korean leader’s surprise freeze of his nuclear programme is less a genuine move than a diplomatic manoeuvre,...
Saturday, 31 October 2020
New top story on Hacker News: Everything you need to know about windsocks
Everything you need to know about windsocks
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New top story on Hacker News: BCON20 – Blender Conference: Together Apart
BCON20 – Blender Conference: Together Apart
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Joe Biden has finally disclosed who is raising him big money just days before Election Day
Joe Biden released the list of his general-election fundraisers after 90 million people had already voted. | Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Biden has been sharply breaking from precedent, only releasing the names after 90 million people have already voted.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden finally disclosed the roster of his biggest fundraisers on Saturday, unveiling the names of the 820 people who have helped him build a big-money juggernaut.
The list includes Biden surrogates like former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA); Hollywood filmmakers like Lee Daniels and Jeffrey Katzenberg; Silicon Valley billionaires like Reid Hoffman and Ron Conway. The campaign did not specify how much these people raised for Biden efforts beyond that it was more than $100,000.
The release on a Saturday evening came at the last possible moment: Election Day is on Tuesday, and more than 90 million people have already voted, having done so without clarity on who his largest fundraisers are or what influence they may have had on his candidacy. Biden’s last-minute disclosure was a sharp departure from precedent in the Democratic Party, whose presidential candidates have regularly disclosed their so-called “bundlers” in a nod to transparency.
And that’s why campaign-finance reformers had grown concerned that Biden had not yet followed his predecessors Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s lead in releasing his bundlers for the general election.
Biden’s campaign had declined to answer inquiries about their bundlers until last week, when it told The New York Times that it would release their names by the end of October (which ended Saturday.) Both Obama and Clinton released updates on the list of people helping them raise big money at consistent intervals; Biden’s only prior update came on a Friday evening just after Christmas in 2019 during the Democratic primary with about 230 names, before his bundling operation beefed up in earnest.
“Congratulations on clearing an artificially low bar they set for themselves that defeats the entire purpose of transparency — allowing voters to know who is funding the campaigns asking for their support before casting their ballots,” said Tyson Brody, a Democratic operative who worked for Bernie Sanders and backs Biden, but is critical of the influence of large campaign contributors.
It makes strategic sense that the Biden campaign would not to draw attention to the bundlers who have helped him turn a lagging fundraising operation into a surprising powerhouse. Biden has worked to position himself as the candidate with the interest of the working and middle classes in mind, giving himself the nickname “Middle-Class Joe,” and casting the general election “as a campaign between Scranton and Park Avenue.”
And so, the Biden campaign has tried to draw focus to its small-dollar, online fundraising operation, rather than the celebrities, Silicon Valley billionaires, and Wall Street executives whose support undercuts some of the campaign’s messaging. That’s an especially important task for Biden given that many of these characters are prone to draw the scorn of the left, which is already skeptical of Biden and wants to see big campaign contributors play a smaller role in politics.
And the Trump campaign hasn’t been in much of a place to argue for transparency. Trump hasn’t released any information about his own bundlers at all.
So there’s been limited scrutiny. The upshot of that is that the 90 million people who have already cast ballots ended up voting with incomplete information about the people who helped the campaigns raise the money that may have influenced those very votes.
The debate over bundler disclosure reflects a key campaign question of the Trump era: Should Trump’s own tactics set the standard for his Democratic rivals? Or should Democrats — who claim to prioritize reducing the role of money in politics — aspire to a higher, or at least the pre-Trump, standard?
Campaigns are only legally required to disclose bundlers who are registered lobbyists — everything else is voluntary. Trump and his most immediate GOP predecessor at the top of the ticket, Mitt Romney, declined to share any additional information. But prior to their campaigns, there had been a bipartisan tradition of at least offering some information in order to help voters understand who carried unofficial influence in their campaign; that was done by both John McCain and George W. Bush, who pioneered the modern bundling system and made being a bundler into something of a bragging right.
Bundlers do the often painstaking work of soliciting their networks for high-dollar campaign contributions: inviting their business associates to campaign events, making introductions to campaign staffers, and recruiting more bundlers to serve alongside them. Bundling can often end up be fiercely competitive, with campaigns closely tracking how much individuals have raised and bundlers sometimes finding themselves in competition for positions on leaderboards.
Although Biden released just a single tier of information on the amounts that his bundlers raised, the campaign privately has six different levels of membership for its finance committee: ranging from a “Protector” who helps the campaign raise $50,000 to a “Biden Victory Partner” who brings home $2.5 million, according to a campaign document seen by Recode. Mementos that Biden has sent that top level of bundler include a gold-and-blue pin.
The Biden campaign sends out these buttons to the bundlers who have raised over $2.5 million for his bid.
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) October 26, 2020
A reminder of how the Joe Biden big-money machine works. pic.twitter.com/GRIYE0Otsl
Despite his preference to talk about his low-dollar fundraising operation, Biden has built an impressive big-money machine.
from Vox - All https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/10/31/21542871/joe-biden-bundler-release-transparency
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How Latino Grassroots Organizers Are Fighting to Lift Biden in Florida
Half of the community’s eligible voters haven’t cast their ballots yet. The work done by volunteers could prove decisive.
from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/campaign-chronicles/how-latino-grassroots-organizers-are-fighting-to-lift-biden-in-florida
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from Everything https://www.newyorker.com/news/campaign-chronicles/how-latino-grassroots-organizers-are-fighting-to-lift-biden-in-florida
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Unhinged Trump supporters harass the Biden campaign bus in viral clip
When people say Donald Trump is doing his level best to foment violence and unrest, this is what they're talking about.
The costume-heavy revelry of Halloween Twitter was disrupted on Saturday when an alarming clip surfaced showing what appears to be a caravan of Trump supporters chasing the Biden campaign bus on a highway in Texas. It's a frightening scene.
In a series of incidents that apparently unfolded on Friday throughout the day, Trump supporters made a dangerous public nuisance of themselves as the Biden campaign progressed through central Texas. At least one event was canceled as a result. Read more...
More about Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Culture, Politics, and Web Culturefrom Mashable https://mashable.com/article/biden-campaign-bus-texas-trump-train/
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This adorable micro sewing machine is ideal for beginners
TL;DR: Let the DIY projects begin with a 301 Multifunctional Electric Micro Sewing Machine for $89.95, a 25% savings as of Oct. 31.
For novice sewers, fancy features on a sewing machine can be more of a hindrance than a help. They'll want something minimal and super easy to operate, like the 301 Multifunctional Electric Micro Sewing Machine.
Great for beginners who aren't quite sure what type of sewing they're into yet, the 301 Micro Sewing Machine is simple to operate, has very few buttons, and supports circular sewing on the cuff or pocket of trousers. It's great for sewing insoles, jeans, curtains, bags, and more. Read more...
More about Diy, Sewing, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/oct-31-301-electric-micro-sewing-machine/
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Get over 65 courses on cybersecurity for just $30
TL;DR: Dip a toe into cybersecurity with the Master Cyber Security 65+ Course Certification bundle for $29.99, a 98% savings as of Oct. 31.
If you want to learn more about the cybersecurity field, the Master Cyber Security 65+ Course Certification Bundle can help you get your foot in the door.
Developed by LearnNow (LNO), an online learning platform for IT and software development skills, this collection includes over 65 lessons to equip you with the cybersecurity skills that matter most today — CompTIA, CISSP, OWASP, CISM, and more.
From OWASP and penetration testing to CompTIA Security+, CISSP, CISA, CISM, and security for AWS and Azure, it will teach you the most relevant concepts that can help you advance in the field. You'll get a mixture of both beginner and advanced courses, as well as pre- and post text exams to fortify your learning. Read more...
More about Cybersecurity, Online Learning, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/oct-31-master-cyber-security-certification-bundle/
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6 pairs of Sony headphones on sale this weekend
If you're on the hunt for a new pair of headphones but are counting the days until Black Friday deals come pouring in, we have good news: Some great deals are already here.
We've rounded up six pairs of Sony headphones on sale this weekend. Whether you're looking for earbuds for daily workouts or headphones for Netflix binge-watching, there's probably a pair here for you.
Take your pick from these options, which are on sale as of Oct. 31. (Note: Some of these deals are "open box," which typically means they've been removed from the box before, but not used.)
Sony Extra Bass On-Ear Headphones
These extra-bass headphones have ultra-comfortable ear pads. They also come with a cable with an in-line remote and microphone, allowing you to take hands-free calls. They are typically $80, but you can grab a pair on sale for $24.95 for a limited time. Read more...
More about Sony, Headphones, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/oct-31-sony-headphones-sale/
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12 cool drones for photography and more — including some on sale
To snap the photo of your dreams, you might have to get creative. You know, like climbing to the roof, flying over a cityscape, or scaling buildings.
Oh, you're not Spider-Man? No problem. Just get a drone.
Here are 12 drones on sale as of Oct. 31, including drones designed specifically for photography, micro drones, and drones suitable for beginners. Check them out below.
E88 Four-Axis High-Definition Aerial Photography Drone
The E88 Four-Axis High-Definition Aerial Photography Drone is both lightweight and durable. Plus, with the one-key return function, it'll fly back to you easily without stressing you out. This drone is on sale for 21% off for a limited time, making it just $59.95. Read more...
More about Drones, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Techfrom Mashable https://mashable.com/shopping/oct-31-drones/
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