News From Around the Web
#10 Google Pays $700M to Settle with States - Rebecca Klar and Julia Shapero for The Hill
The settlement includes all 50 states and allocates a $630 million payout for U.S. consumers who used a payment system in Google’s Play store. The states allege the system magnified prices for in-app purchases.Google’s store collects 15 to 30 percent of commission on in-app purchases. Those who are eligible will receive at least $2. Additional payments may be issued depending on how those eligible spent on Google Play from Aug. 16, 2016, through Sept. 30, 2023. Google will also need to pay $70 million to the states in penalties and other costs. The settlement needs to be approved by a judge.
-Don't go spending that $2 frivolously, ya hear!
#9 Judge Rules Unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein Associates: ‘Accountability Is Coming’ - Hannah Bleau Knudsen
A federal judge ruled this week that court documents will be unsealed in early 2024, making the names of convicted sexual abuser Jeffrey Epstein’s associates known, prompting Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to warn that “accountability is coming.”-TechnoFog did a great thread on this. You can find it here
#8 Mark Zuckerberg Engaging in 'End of the World' Prep in Hawaii: Report - Ben Kew for The Western Journal
It appears Mark Zuckerberg may be preparing for the end of civilization as we know it. An investigation by Wired magazine found that the Meta CEO is spending a cool $270 million on an underground bunker in Hawaii. Zuckerberg is building himself a 1,400-acre compound with at least 30 bedrooms and bathrooms. “The property, known as Koolau Ranch, will, according to planning documents, include a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter, have its own energy and food supplies, and, when coupled with land purchase prices, will cost in excess of $270 million.” Wired also found the project shows no regard for the views of the local population, while Zuckerberg has been forced to leverage his most powerful connections in order to bulldoze his plans through.-He's preparing for the zombie invasion. LOL
#7 Schools No Longer Have to Use Transgender Pupils’ Preferred Pronouns - Brooke Davies for Metro UK
In England, the Department for Education said parents should not be excluded from a school’s decision relating to children asking to change names, pronouns, and clothing. Schools and colleges in England have also been told there is no general duty to allow children to change their gender identity. The long-awaited draft guidance, which will be subject to a 12-week consultation, says teachers should still be able to refer to children collectively as girls or boys.-Can we have these same guidance rules here in the US now, put an end to this once and for all, and get back to teaching kids how to read and write?
#6 Comcast Says Hackers Stole Data of Close to 36 Million Xfinity Customers - Carly Page for Tech Crunch
Comcast has confirmed that hackers exploiting a critical-rated security vulnerability accessed the sensitive information of almost 36 million Xfinity customers. The company says for an unspecified number of customers, hackers may have also accessed names, contact information, dates of birth, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, and their secret questions and answers.#5 Colorado Supreme Court Removes Trump from 2024 Ballot - Nicholas Riccardi for AP News
Divided Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, setting up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to decide whether the front-runner for the GOP nomination can remain in the race. The court stayed its decision until Jan. 4, or until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the case. Colorado officials say the issue must be settled by Jan. 5, the deadline for the state to print its presidential primary ballots.#4 Federal Judge Rules Removal of a Confederate Statue in Arlington Cemetery May Proceed - Melissa Alonso and Sabrina Souza for CNN
The removal of the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia may proceed, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, after finding groups who tried to halt it failed to prove that keeping the monument was in the public’s best interest. US District Judge Ronnie D. Alston granted a temporary restraining order Monday, barring the memorial’s removal after a request for a preliminary injunction by the groups Defend Arlington and Save Southern Heritage Florida. The groups claimed the Defense Department’s plan to remove the memorial violated the National Environmental Policy Act and that the department had failed to take care of the grave sites surrounding the memorial site during the removal process.
#3 Maker of Popular Gift Cards Sued Over Alleged ‘Card Draining’ Scam Risk - Olivia LaBorde and Parija Kavilanz for CNN
A Georgia-based company that makes many popular gift cards faces a lawsuit in California alleging it failed to take precautions to prevent scammers from draining gift cards of their value – a scam that experts say is common.
“Card draining” is particularly nefarious and has become the go-to scam of the moment for thieves because of the prevalence of gift cards and the fact that consumers are loading gift cards with more value than ever, said Peltz.
Card draining works in two ways. In the first instance, scammers attach a barcode from a card they already have to an unsold gift card in a store. “When someone buys the card that’s been tampered with and loads money on it, they’re actually loading money onto the scammer’s card,” said Peltz. The second way to perpetrate the scam is by stealing the details off of a legitimate gift card and then putting it back on the rack. “The scammer already has the card info, and they track when it is bought and loaded with value and then quickly access the money and use it before the buyer of the card is able to,” he said.
#2 Cry Victim: Chicago Mayor Rages Over Buses Of Immigrants From Texas - Tyler Durden for Zero Hedge
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is furious in the face of the overwhelming economic strain created by the influx of migrants. The same mayor proudly declared Chicago a sanctuary city in May of this year:
“Chicago is a sanctuary city. As such, we must always resist attempts to pit communities against each other and extend this sanctuary promise to everyone who needs it in our city – both long-time residents and newcomers alike.”
Today, Johnson is calling for a stop to the migrant buses, suggesting that Chicago cannot financially handle the population surge. Furthermore, Johnson labeled Greg Abbott's busing measures an “attack on the country.”
#1 Prominent Transgender LGBT Activist Charged with Horrifying Crimes Against Children - Ben Kew for The Western Journal
A prominent transgender and LGBT activist has been charged with horrific sex crimes against two minors. FOX29, WTXF-TV in Philadelphia, reported Monday that Kendall Stephens, 37, who identifies as a woman, was arrested Monday on an array of charges, including rape, involuntary assault, obscenity to minors, corruption of minors, unlawful assault to minors, and involuntary deviant sexual intercourse. He was also charged with indecent assault against people less than 13 years of age, according to KYW-TV, the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia.
And Now for Something Special 
Check out the world’s largest gingerbread village display - GMA
Guinness World Record holder Jon Lovitch created four gingerbread exhibits, which are on display in New York City; Kansas City, Missouri; Houston, Texas; and Philadelphia this year.and
Minnesota Hosts World Snow Sculpting Championship–And The Giant Ice Art is Pretty Spectacular - Good News Network
Stillwater, Minnesota, is hosting the third annual World Snow Sculpting Championship with artists from eight countries. The event, sanctioned by the Association Internationale de Sculpture sur Neige et Glace based in Finland, will feature world-class snow sculpting teams from Turkey, Finland, France, Wales, Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, and the U.S. competing to create the most compelling snow sculptures. Winners of the competition—from January 17 to January 21, 2024—will earn prize money and the title of World Champions.Stillwater, Minnesota, is hosting the third annual World Snow Sculpting Championship with artists from eight countries.
