Funny shit
https://twitter.com/NYPDTips/status/1652179961082531842
DeSantis-appointed board sues Disney over Reedy Creek theme park's 'backroom deal'
"No other private business in the State of Florida enjoyed the advantages Disney had through its control of the RCID."
On Monday, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board sued the Walt Disney Company to void a development agreement reached by the company’s previous board that reeks "of a backroom deal."
The lawsuit stated that following the Florida Legislature’s establishment of an independent board to govern the former Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), "Disney covertly cobbled together a series of eleventh-hour deals with its soon-to-be-replaced puppet government" in an effort to "stymie Florida’s elected representatives."
"Disney hoped to tie the hands of the new, independent Board and to preserve Disney’s special status as its own government in the District for at least the next thirty years. These agreements reek of a backroom deal—drafted by Disney with the acquiescence a lawyer who represented both Disney and the District, set for hearing without proper notice, and hustled through a compliant Disney-controlled Board that Disney knew would not dwell long on the issue," the lawsuit, filed on Monday in Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Orange County, Florida, stated.
"But perhaps out of haste or arrogance, Disney’s deals violate basic principles of Florida constitutional, statutory, and common law. As a result, they are null and void—not even worth the paper they were printed on," the lawsuit added.
The Florida Governor Ron DeSantis-appointed board, the lawsuit stated, has taken measures to bring "accountability, transparency, and normalized, even-handed administration to the government Disney used to run," including hiring an outside financial advisor, retaining an independent outside counsel, authorized the drafting of fire and building code enforcement provisions, and the hiring of an urban planner.
"When the new Board took office, it expressed to Disney its desire to work together to achieve a win-win solution that would protect Disney’s economic investment in the District while at the same time usher in a new era of accountability, transparency, and cooperation with the District’s other occupants and neighbors. Disney would have none of that," the lawsuit read.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board stated that upon the creation of the RCID in 1967 and the subsequent building of Disney World and Epcot, "Disney’s rule was absolute."
They stated that to be elected to the five-person board of supervisors, the person must own at least one acre of land within the district, which Disney made impossible.
"No individual owned one or more acres of property within the RCID, which meant that no one could qualify to sit on the RCID’s Board of Supervisors. Indeed, Disney sought to limit residents in the District altogether, turning EPCOT into a theme park instead of a residential community and de-annexing the town of Celebration so the town’s inhabitants could not dilute Disney’s control," the lawsuit read.
https://thepostmillennial.com/desantis-appointed-board-sues-disney-over-reedy-creek-theme-parks-backroom-deal
Russian Orthodox choir denounces group of men wearing pro-war Z symbol shirts at Sydney Town Hall event
A Russian Orthodox choir has distanced itself from a group of men who wore "disgusting" pro-Russia symbols to attend a government-sponsored performance in Sydney.
Key points:
The "Z" symbol represents support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been used since March 2022
Multicultural NSW and City of Sydney say the pro-Russian display was not part of the performance
An anti-Kremlin organisation has lobbied for the symbol to be banned
Several men wearing shirts with the letter Z — a symbol representing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine — gathered at the front of Sydney Town Hall following a performance of the Russian Orthodox Male Choir on Friday night.
The symbol is not banned in Australia.
In a video by self-described "protest livestreamer" known on social media as Chriscoveries, the men are filmed walking down the aisles toward the stage, and standing in a line to face the audience.
One man was also photographed shaking hands with Russian Consul General Igor Arzhaev.
Asked by Chriscoveries in the video why they were there, one man said it was to "support Russia".
As the group made its way down the aisle, an audience member is heard saying, "I don't approve, I totally object".
State government agency Multicultural NSW and the City of Sydney sponsored the event and said the pro-Russian display was not part of the performance.
In a statement to the ABC, the Russian Orthodox Male Choir of Australia said it was not associated with the men.
"The choir condemns this group who sought to sow the seeds of division in an attempt to taint the image of this concert," the statement read.
"The Russian Orthodox Male Choir of Australia is apolitical, and promotes peace, harmony and inclusion.
"We intend to work with partners at future events to ensure similar incidents do not occur."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-02/sydney-russian-orthodox-choir-z-shirt-men-war-ukraine-putin/102290226
State media spin
Russian charged with money laundering and illegally transmitting more than $150 million
FeliksMedvedevhas been indicted on one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and 39 counts of money laundering.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/russian-charged-money-laundering-and-illegally-transmitting-more-150-million
Wonder if he's related?