Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman's Political Notes -

Nazi influence - 2026-01-26T10:37:59+00:00

The bully's henchmen are spreading Nazi influence.

This goes with the Nazi-like cruelty and arbitrary political punishments aimed at universities law firms, and major media.

Wind and solar overtook fossil fuels - 2026-01-26T04:38:00+00:00

*Wind and solar overtook fossil fuels for EU power generation in 2025, report finds.*

This is a measure of steady progress. The momentary measurement is not greatly important, but the steady progress is.

Judge-only trials - 2026-01-26T04:38:00+00:00

Estimates show that eliminating juries from some trials would make hardly any difference to the backlog of trials in Britain.

ICE detains Minnesota boy - 2026-01-26T04:38:00+00:00

Deportation thugs in Minnesota are jailing people who are in the US lawfully, including young children, and using them as bait.

‘Endangered lawyer’ day - 2026-01-26T04:38:00+00:00

* The US has been awarded a new dubious distinction: it has been selected as this year’s focus of an international coalition of legal groups and bar associations as a country where lawyers and judges are so politically intimidated that the rule of law is under threat.*

Trump Greenland future deal reactions - 2026-01-26T04:38:00+00:00

The bully agreed to a "framework for a deal" about Greenland which backs off from his intolerable demands about that place

For the moment, there is no more Greenland crisis…until he changes his mind again. But since nothing guarantees this framework will lead to a legitimate agreement (and officials of other countries are not confident about that).

He has all he needs to restart the crisis whenever he wishes.

Even if it were a detailed and specific deal, you can never trust the wrecker to keep a deal.

Screen time affecting toddlers - 2026-01-26T04:38:00+00:00

Reports that many of the four-year-olds who have spent substantial time using screen-controlled computers display major weaknesses in intellectual and social skills.

Secret assurance - 2026-01-26T04:37:59+00:00

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, and her brother (head of the National Assembly), promised in advance their cooperation with the US once the US had grabbed President Maduro.

US court lifted injunction - 2026-01-26T04:37:59+00:00

An appeals court temporarily suspended the order that deportation thugs in Minnesota could not arrest peaceful protesters or fire less-lethal weapons at them.

I would like to know the court's stated reasons.

Self-imposed drought - 2026-01-26T04:37:59+00:00

Parts of England are in danger of using up their water reserves.

*The water company texts: we are so sorry; colleagues are working to restore connection; everything should soon be normal. You want to believe them, but the more it's repeated, the more it becomes a kind of hold music. There’s no supply the next day, and the day after, and the day after that.*

This danger is not limited to England. Many countries are using up their water reserves.

Trump’s board of peace - 2026-01-26T04:37:59+00:00

*Good morning. [The megalomaniac] wants to be the supreme leader of the world.

That may sound hyperbolic, but it is difficult to read the latest plans for his so-called "Board of Peace" as anything else. What was initially framed as a narrow mechanism to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction has quietly shifted into something far larger.*

And far more dangerous too.

Rollout of AI caution - 2026-01-26T04:37:59+00:00

A megabankster concedes that the use of artificial "intelligence" may need to be slowed in order to reduce the rate of disruption.

However, he continues to insist on the PR claim that those systems are "intelligence" and that they provide a benefit to society.

The main "benefit" of Pretend Intelligence is that businesses can save money by replacing human workers who can apply real intelligence with computers that do a lousy job.

Washington Post reporter - 2026-01-26T04:37:58+00:00

*Washington Post demands government return electronics seized in raid of reporter [Hannah Natanson]'s home.*

The contain the information from confidential sources that she cannot obtain again.

North-east Syria security - 2026-01-26T04:37:58+00:00

The dispute between the Syrian government and the mainly Kurdish northeast broke into fighting again.Some imprisoned PISSI fighters escaped in the chaos, and there is danger more may escape.

Dangers of microplastics - 2026-01-26T04:37:58+00:00

Scientists discuss what is known and what isn't know yet in regard to the biological effects of microplastics.

DOGE personnel - 2026-01-26T04:37:58+00:00

Court documents show that the personnel of the DOPE who took control of the Social Security Administration's personal data last year provided it to a partisan organization (name redacted) which intended to use it to challenge election results

(not specifying how).

Trump’s Davos claims - 2026-01-26T04:37:57+00:00

Refuting the bullshitter's latest lies and wild exaggerations.

Altered photo - 2026-01-26T04:37:57+00:00

The bullshitter's White House staff altered a photo of an arrested protester being arrested, to falsely give the impression that she was crying.

They did this using a Pretend Intelligence system.

Trump retribution campaign - 2026-01-26T04:37:57+00:00

The bully's principal domestic policy focus is a campaign of retribution toward anyone who refuses to bow down to him.

This is intended to partisan bias in every part of the US government, and obedience in other important institutions in society.

America’s immigration system - 2026-01-26T04:37:56+00:00

Proposing a "grand bargain" on US immigration policy, which would speed up decisions on applications for asylum and create a statute of limitations on deportation for simple overstaying.

National Park Service - 2026-01-26T04:37:56+00:00

* [Magats] "Deliberately" Tanking Morale to Get [National] Parks Staff to Quit, Official Says in Leaked Tape.*

US liquefied natural gas reliance - 2026-01-26T04:37:54+00:00

Europe is now dependent on importing liquefied fossil gas from the US. This is dangerous, since the bully can weaponize it.

Interpreting Trump - 2026-01-25T04:37:53+00:00

Four heuristics for interpreting what the bullshitter says.

His bullshit has been observed to follow certain patterns, and these heuristics are based on those patterns.

‘Stop Andy Burnham’ campaign - 2026-01-25T04:37:52+00:00

Labour leftist Andy Burnham has been a success as mayor of Manchester, and he may want to run for Parliament and challenge Starmer for leadership of the Labour Party.

Starmer is pulling strings to block him, so that a nebbish Labour right-winger will run instead.

If Starmer blocks leftists from running for Parliament while leftists are the ones the public will vote for, he is acting the role of a saboteur who would rather destroy Labour than let it stand for what it used to stand for.

(satire) ICE Deems - 2026-01-25T04:37:51+00:00

(satire) *ICE Deems Being In Privacy Of Own Home Obstruction Of Justice.

(satire) Democrats condemn ICE - 2026-01-25T04:37:51+00:00

(satire) *Democrats Condemn ICE For Murdering Without Proper Warrants.*

Ceasefire peace deal - 2026-01-25T04:37:51+00:00

The Syrian government proved has made a peace deal with the Kurdish-centered Syrian Democratic Forces. The former definitely won the military confrontation but seems willing to coexist with the latter.

This may be a good outcome.

Repeated threats - 2026-01-25T04:37:51+00:00

A narcissist feels others owe him whatever he desires, even a Nobel prize, and is inclined to punish whoever is slow to do so. The bully says he is punishing Denmark because Norway didn't give him the Nobel Peace Prize.

It looks like he doesn't recognize the difference between individuals or states — either they all bow down to him obsequiously or they are all at fault.

US justice department subpoenas - 2026-01-25T04:37:51+00:00

The Department of Injustice has sent subpoenas to several Minnesota officials who oppose the mayhem of the deportation thugs there.

The article explains why the accusation of "impeding" federal thugs is bogus.

BP accused of influence on UK education - 2026-01-25T04:37:50+00:00

Britain's Science Museum runs science courses for teachers. Alas, it has given Billionaire Polluters control over what the courses can say.

Global water bankruptcy - 2026-01-25T04:37:50+00:00

The global pattern of draining aquifers faster than they can refill threatens regional no-water-left crises that could happen at any time.

Large lakes are shrinking, and major rivers are ceasing to reach the sea.

The whole world is vulnerable to the consequences, through economic interdependence.

Macron’s private message - 2026-01-25T04:37:50+00:00

Macron sent the cheater a private proposal for group negotiations about Greenland and other issues. The cheater contemptuously published the proposal

and rejected it.

I think his motive was to reject the idea of negotiating a compromise: "Don't think of looking for a deal — obey my demands or I will shit on you!"

This accords with what I said previously: you should never expect that the cheater has made a deal he will carry out.

The so called "board of peace" that the Security Council voted for has been twisted into a swindle.

Trump’s demand for Greenland - 2026-01-25T04:37:49+00:00

Arguing that Europe must respond to the bully's artificial Greenland crisis with firmness.

The idea of a deal with the persecutor is self-delusion — they should accept that they can't rely on the US as long as magats are in control.

ICE detention facility living conditions - 2026-01-25T04:37:49+00:00

* Children, including the very young, have been spending weeks or months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention facility in a remote part of Texas where outside monitors have heard accounts of shortages of clean drinking water, chronic sleep deprivation and kids struggling for hygiene supplies and prompt medical attention, as revealed in a stark new court filing.*

I don't see how any practical factors could lead to all of this maltreatment. Hatred and sadism must play some role.

Trump profit from presidency - 2026-01-25T04:37:49+00:00

The corrupter's corruption is estimated at 1.4 billion dollars in the first year alone.

ChongLy Thao's house - 2026-01-25T04:37:49+00:00

Deportation thugs broke into ChongLy Thao's house without a warrant to justify it, refused to let him show ID to prove he was a US citizen, then refused to let him don outdoor clothing before forcing him out into the cold.

A responsible law-enforcement agency would punish employees who did even one of these things, but there has been no punishment for those. It seems that the deportation thug agency is run by lawless sadists.

Iran protesters labeled by ayatollah - 2026-01-24T10:37:37+00:00

Borrowing a tactic from the persecutor, the supreme ayatollah of Iran is facing massive protests by labeling the protesters as followers of the persecutor.

Loophole for large US-based multinational corporations in global business tax - 2026-01-24T10:37:37+00:00

A global deal to require businesses to pay a certain minimum amount of income tax has been modified to make a loophole for large US-based multinational corporations.

Those are exactly the companies that worst rip off the whole world by paying an insufficient share towards keeping things going, while increasing the world's inequality.

Bully's proposed restrictions on visas for foreign journalists - 2026-01-24T10:37:37+00:00

The Committee to Protect Journalists warns that the bully's proposed restrictions on visas for foreign journalists in the US could result effectively in censorship.

I suppose that's the whole point.

More info about proposed new visa restrictions.

Magats censoring US museums - 2026-01-24T10:37:36+00:00

Magats are censoring US museums and bullying them into self-censorship. Most museums seem to be trying to duck under the desk in the hope that censors won't notice them. That will not be effective.

Deportation thugs blocked medics from Renee Good - 2026-01-24T10:37:36+00:00

Deportation thugs blocked medics twice from reaching Renee Good to see whether she was dead or alive.

Israel pushes ahead with illegal settlement - 2026-01-24T10:37:36+00:00

*Israel pushes ahead with vast illegal settlement in heart of West Bank.

Tender posted for construction of 3,401 homes in settlement designed to "bury idea of a Palestinian state"* by fragmenting the remaining land.

Medical problems reported after being tear gassed - 2026-01-24T10:37:36+00:00

A small but significant fraction of the women protesters that the deportation thugs attacked with tear gas are reporting continuing medical problems afterward.

Similar problems occurred among protesters at Black Lives Matter protests who were tear gassed.

The article reports on medical studies that found harmful effects of tear gas. But it is hard to study the issue because the composition of any given tear gas product is secret.

Clearly the law should require manufacturers of any gas or liquid product intended to be applied to people at random to publish full details of its composition.

When mainstream parties show hostility towards immigration - 2026-01-24T10:37:36+00:00

Studies show that when mainstream parties show hostility towards immigration, it boosts support for right-wing extremists. When social-democratic parties do this, it boosts the far-right vote and reduces their own.

This reinforces a conclusion I posted some decades ago: in politics, when the best outcome you can get is a compromise, you must never give the bad side of the compromise any moral legitimacy. Tell the truth, that with the limited influence you have, winning on this issue was beyond your reach.

Protests organized condemning murder of Renee Good - 2026-01-24T10:37:36+00:00

Protests have been organized across the US condemning the deportation thugs' murder of Renee Good. Some also condemn the murder of people in small boats in the Caribbean — people who were accused of smuggling, but never put on trial to prove them guilty.

There wasn't enough notice to promote these protests here with non-JavaScript announcements, but we will try to do that in the future.

Two mining companies want to merge - 2026-01-24T10:37:35+00:00

Two enormous mining companies want to merge. Whenever two enormous companies want to merge, governments should stop them. Capitalism with insufficient competition is effectively fascism.

Bully threats over Iranian government killing of protesters - 2026-01-24T10:37:35+00:00

The Iranian government has killed hundreds of protesters; the bully is messing with the situation by threatening a military attack in the name of protecting protesters.

His idiotic meddling is enabling the government to cast the protesters as tools of the US.

Meanwhile, observe the irony of comparing how the bully speaks of Iranian protesters who demand human rights and democracy with how he speaks of American protesters who demand the same.

Here are fragmentary reports of events in Iran — I don't think we can be sure of their accuracy.

Officials want to vaccinate fewer babies against RSV virus - 2026-01-24T10:37:35+00:00

Vaccinating any and all babies against the RSV virus is reducing the number who need hospitalization, but the idiot officials want to vaccinate fewer rather than more.

US businesses are dangerously concentrated - 2026-01-24T10:37:35+00:00

Decades of mergers have left US business dangerously concentrated, with giant corporations operating under many brand names using PR meant to give the impression that they are alternatives to big business.

These combined businesses are so powerful that they can prevent the government from taking crucial actions to protect the health of their consumers, their workers, and the general public. (And animals too, but I think any human being is more important than a cow or a cat.) They also drive wages down so that most people are impoverished.

This article focuses on the food industry but the same issue applies to many other fields.

Another effect of this dangerous power can be seen in the states that passed "ag-gag laws". These laws criminalize making unauthorized videos inside farms or meat processing plants, even to prove illegal or dangerous practices of those businesses.

House members blocked from visiting deportation prison - 2026-01-24T10:37:35+00:00

*Ilhan Omar and two other House members blocked from visiting [deportation prison] in Minnesota.

[They were] ejected even though judge ruled Congress members can’t be barred from visiting [such] facilities.*

Is there anything the judge can do to make the deportation thugs obey the order? Can perse dispatch federal marshals to arrest them for contempt of court if they don't?