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Put it this way, if your broker never actually bought the GME shares you believe are held in your brokerage account (or did, but have subsequently lent them out) what are the chances they won't close out your position long before GME's price reaches 4, 5 or 6 figures?
There's a section in the fine print of pretty much every broker's Ts&Cs that allows them to liquidate your positions in times of 'extreme market volatility' in order to protect you, the retail investor.
We know that years of abusive naked shorting has resulted in millions more shares existing than were ever issued. How else could GME's reported short interest have exceeded 140% of the entire float?
GameStop's latest Q10 is super bullish and revealed that the DRS train shows no sign of stopping.
We now know that 25% of outstanding shares have been directly registered in 197,058 individual investor's own names. Something like this has never happened before which means we're without doubt in unchartered waters.
Even if you do trust your broker implicitly, you could still get fucked. Remember Apex forcing brokers to make certain securities closing only in Jan 2021? I sure as shit do.
FTX failed. SVB failed. Signature bank failed. Credit Suisse failed. Is your broker next? I honestly don't know. The two entities I have absolute faith in not to go belly up in the upcoming financial crash are GameStop and ComputerShare.
Over the last couple of months I've accumulated another 4xx shares in my Revolut account that I've not DRS'd as it now costs $55 to initiate.
Well they're getting locked away now even if it's just so that I can sleep a little bit easier at night.
End of rant.

When I was a teenager and getting ready for college my family thought it would be a good idea to get me a credit card so I could learn about credit, have it for emergencies, etc.
Well when I didn’t go to college in 2013, my older brother didn’t close the account like he told my mom he would. He ran up the credit and never paid it off. Years later I get calls from a debt collector saying I owe on a credit card and I tell them “that’s impossible because I’ve never had one.” That’s when I first found out. I confronted my brother, this was maybe 2016/2017. He tells me he’s sorry and cries and tell me he will pay it all off and he’s so ashamed. Cool. I trust you, you made a mistake, I’ve made some too and I love you :)
Later, maybe 2019-2020, I try to set up an account on a credit check site because I need to move soon and wanna check my credit. But every site says there’s an account associated with my SSN already. (My brother memorized our socials when I was a kid). He had set up accounts in my name I guess to keep me from checking. I asked him for the password but he would just ghost me and eventually I gave up.
In 2020 I got another phone call but for a different bank. I spoke to him, he said there must’ve been a problem with the autopay. That he’ll take care of it bc he’s been paying on it slowly over time.
In 2021 I got curious and I tried to see if I could get into the accounts. Experian let me answer some security questions and of course it was childhood stuff that I knew. I change the password, change the fake email to my real email, and check my score. Not good. Check the amount owed: $2,475. He opened the $2000 in 2013 for my college Another for $500 of which he owes $475ish in 2016. And the most recent for $300 in 2018 which he did pay off within the year. That one pissed me off. 5 years ago I could have really used $300 and I did odd jobs to raise money I needed instead of manipulating people. Our relationship was worth the risk for $300.
I haven’t talked to him about it since 2020, not since learning about the two other cards. Maybe he’s realized I changed the experian info and know I know. But I don’t know what to do anymore. I have a partner who I’m afraid isn’t going to want to marry someone with this kind of financial trouble, I need a car, I need to get out of my shithole apartment, I NEED CREDIT. And because of him I’m afraid to open my own card now, no matter how small the limit because I’m afraid I’ll wind up like him.
He spends money like crazy. Gets me expensive gifts. Asks for my cell phone payment every month. Buys expensive shoes. 9 pairs of shoes: that’s all that separates him from paying off my credit card debt. If he could just not buy 9 pairs of shoes I could have my life in my own hands. I think of all the money he’s spent in 10 years on his lavish lifestyle while I’ve been hungry some nights, stressed about bills, my cat needed surgery and I had to crowdfund to afford it, I’ve worked so hard. It breaks my heart.
I’m afraid to make a big deal because I don’t know if his spouse knows about this. He could get fired. He could go to federal prison. Our relationship could never be the same. I could RUIN his life and I don’t want to, because I love him and need him.
Another collector called the other day and asked if I wanted to pay the $475 off with the checking account on file (his) and I came so close to saying “yep, charge it” and dealing with his reaction later, but I chickened out. How do I approach him? Can I be held as an accomplice for not reporting him? What’s the legalities of all of this?
I appreciate any and all help❤️

Some of you may have seen ''Holymeowmeow'' running through runescape as a man dressed in bluewizard robes and a apron.. i have been seeing him as a man full of lies.
​
For the past 4 days I have been investigating a player who calls themselves ''Holymeowmeow''
I first looked upon him as a brand new player, merely selling ''Cow Supplies'' at varrock west bank. i gave him 30k and went upon my way, thinking i had changed this noobs Runescape life for the better.
I return from a herb run, approximately 30 minutes later, only to see the same Meowmeow selling more cow supplies, confused about the time frame, knowing that there is no way he could of killed all those cows to sell the supplies in under half an hour being only combat level 14. I questioned it, and he logged.
This happens for days, hoping in-between W390, 307 and 330. A buddy and I then proceed to interrogate the man, he tells us to follow and he WALKS us to lumby cows and is genuinely acting like a noob.. i am gobsmacked... maybe I had been accusing this man for days for being a main when in reality he had no idea..
I geinuinely thought he was a noob until someone gives him... 15m cold hard GP, full wizard T and a fury. coming from a person with a bank of 20m.. i found this disgusting.
So... we know he has cash and gear... so what does he do.....
A couple hours go past and I don't see him, he has deleted me from his friends list. my friends and i put together a discord channel, a legit TASK GROUP trying to find this mysterious ''noob''. we find him, back at varrock west bank and the GE selling cow supplies in his old faithful outfit...
after gaining some of his trust, he traded me... i said show me everything. This man, puts 297,000,000 GP straight into the trade window and goes ''Meow \^-\^ uwu''.
the TLDR is, Good fucking hustle but please stop trusting these ''Noobs''

My partner is Polish & lives in the UK with me. Her mum is in a situation where her brother (my partner's uncle) has bben trusted with their dad's (partner's grandad) bank account & emptied it. Thier dad is in a home and has early Alzheimers. The uncle is permitted access to the account but I believe he has abused this power. I am involved as partners mum has been struggling financially & we occasionally send money to support her family. I want to see if anything can legally be done to look into the transparency behind the uncles spending of his father's cash.

Investing in global shares can be a great way to diversify your investment portfolio and potentially achieve higher returns. However, it can also be a daunting prospect for those who are unfamiliar with the process. In this guide, we will provide you with everything you need to know to successfully invest in global shares and dominate the market today.
What are global shares?
Global shares refer to stocks of companies that are listed on stock exchanges around the world. These companies may be based in any country and may operate in a variety of industries. By investing in global shares, you are essentially investing in the performance of the global economy as a whole.
Why invest in global shares?
Investing in global shares has a number of benefits. First and foremost, it can help you diversify your investment portfolio. By investing in companies from different countries and industries, you can spread your risk and potentially reduce your exposure to any one particular company or sector.
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There are a number of ways to invest in global shares, including:
​

1. Individual Stocks: You can invest in individual global stocks by buying shares directly on an international stock exchange or through a broker.
   
2. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): ETFs are funds that invest in a portfolio of global shares and are traded on stock exchanges. They provide investors with a simple and cost-effective way to gain exposure to a variety of global stocks.
   
3. Mutual Funds: Mutual funds are similar to ETFs, but are actively managed by a fund manager. They may offer more diversification and potentially higher returns, but also come with higher fees.
   
4. American Depository Receipts (ADRs): ADRs are certificates issued by U.S. banks that represent shares of a foreign stock. They are traded on U.S. stock exchanges and provide investors with a way to invest in global stocks without having to trade on international exchanges.
   
5. Global Depository Receipts (GDRs): GDRs are similar to ADRs, but are issued by international banks and traded on international exchanges.
   

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4. Choose a reputable broker: When investing in global shares, it is important to choose a reputable broker with experience in international markets. Look for a broker with a good reputation and a track record of success in global investing.
   

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In conclusion, investing in global shares can be a profitable and rewarding venture for those who are willing to put in the time and effort to research and stay informed about the markets. This ultimate guide has provided a comprehensive overview of the key considerations and strategies that can help investors to dominate the market and achieve their financial goals.
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I am struggling with my relationship with my mother and I don't know what to do about it anymore. To give some context, I am 21 years old, an only child, and currently living with both of my parents in Lebanon. The country has been in an economic crisis since 2019, and my family has been hit hard by it. My parents are not currently working, and we have very little income (my father is a veteran, and my mother cannot work due to health issues). At one point, we were struggling so much that we did not have enough food to last us until the end of the month. This was during my last semester at university, and I felt like I needed to do everything in my power to help my family get through this. So, I started giving piano and music theory lessons, as well as searching for jobs. I went to many malls and asked shop employees if they were hiring, and I applied to many positions online until I finally landed a job as a financial analyst with the help of my university. Things started to improve, and I began to pay rent and help my parents with their expenses. However, my mother started doing things that were not acceptable.
I used to put my wallet in the living room and my savings in my desk drawer (can't use the bank for some reason) because I have always trusted my parents, although I started realizing that the amounts are dropping without spending anything. I asked my mom about it and she told me that she takes some of it sometimes if she has to pay bills or buy something for the house, which is disrespectful to my privacy, I already used to put money in the house for them yet she did that, without even telling me beforehand, I have then hid my money from my parents and gave them limited amounts at the beginning of each month, which were relatively high compared to my total salary, yet they always demand more towards the mid/end of the month and I never said no. On another day, I went to the place where I put my money and realized that it was no longer there. I lost my mind thinking that I lost them somewhere so I started searching the entire house to discover that they were in my mom's pocket. I started shouting although I'm an extremely calm and cold-tempered person and lost my freaking brain and asked her why, she told me that she was "protecting them" from my dad because he was in my room, yet him being in my room was for another reason which I am aware of and has nothing to do with him stealing my money. After she has found where I hid them, I hid them again in another place.
I always put the money I give to them in a box located in the living room where everyone is aware of its location, yet my mom would start putting this money in her purse away from my dad, I ask her why and she told me because she wants to solely be in charge of the home's expenses and doesn't trust my dad, although my dad does nothing wrong at all when he handles money, then a few days later, she has demanded more money because she needs to buy groceries for the house and they ran out of money. I put $100 (after having already paid rent and more) in the box that's in the living room and told her that this money is for everyone and I want it to stay in the box. She got very offended and started yelling as if I have insulted her by saying this. Then I went to work and have received a call from my dad telling me that she has returned the money and put them on my room's desk. This got me mad because I want to help them and look at what she's doing. I confronted her and she got offended again and told me that she doesn't want my money anymore. Now she is refusing to prepare food and she's saying that she doesn't care anymore about the house and its expenses and doesn't want to take care of anything anymore. I am completely lost and I don't know what to do, I always had great intentions with them and always helped as much as I can yet look at the way she's dealing with it and disrespecting me. Any advice would be appreciated.
TL;DR: Due to extreme poverty, I have taken on various jobs to support my family, but my mother has been taking my money without my permission and refusing to respect my privacy. She has become defensive and even refused to take care of the house anymore.

In 2016 my partner was not in a great place and applied for government housing.
These days she is doing amazing, incredibly hard and well respected worker however I digress.
Yesterday a worker from the floor came into the office (one who is incredibly trust worthy) and gave her her rental application from 2016 (the governments copy stamped and all) attached with photo copies of her license, bank cards, Medicare, phone number, etc.
It was found in the car park of a pub a few doors away from the housing office along with quite a few other peoples applications and personal details.
It seems to me that they have not disposed of or stored the private information correctly and that it somehow ended up as rubbish on the road/car park.
Not only was she furious and unsettled that ALL of her private information was just found on the ground and hour from where we live but also the fact that her needing to apply for housing is now well known amongst her coworkers. A part of her life she’s done well to distance her self from and forget about.
What to do? Call the place and say “wtf”
Call the police?
Is there even anything that can be done here without just giving the government office an opportunity to just lie or pass the buck?
Sorry if this is a stupid question.
TIA for any help.

Just some little questions as you all know how to calculate 75+25
- Does Insider and Instituion held shares count as Cede, or as Directly registered shares?
(ChatGPT reply which I struggle to verify and need your help)
quote
As per definition, " Shares held by insiders and institutions may be held through the DTC system and registered in the name of Cede & Co., but they are not counted as Cede & Co. shares."
My response is consistent with the information provided by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) in their "Understanding DTC" brochure, which states that "Cede & Co. holds securities registered in its name on behalf of DTC participants, which include brokers, banks, and other institutions." Additionally, the brochure clarifies that "the number of shares held by insiders, officers, and directors is not included in the number of shares outstanding for purposes of calculating public ownership of a company." The brochure is available on the DTCC website at the following link: https://www.dtcc.com/-/media/Files/Downloads/about/DTCC-Understanding-DTC-Brochure.pdf
unquote
-> the link is down...can i somehow find an "archive version" of this link?
​
If the above is true->
a) the real number of GME shares held in 190k accounts at CS = DRS by Apes is either 76M - Insiders - Institutions which is then very far away from what we estimate from the bot (very bearish)
b) the real number of GME shares held in 190k accounts at CS = DRS by Apes is 76M (which is close to the botcount) and in this case-> GME ownership is way above 100%...Jan 2021

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Oh man… where do I begin.
I grew up poor. Went to the military, got married, had kids. Built a stable life for us. Then I got injured and lost my career. Got out and life has been a roller coaster ever since.
Struggled financially for a while until 2020 when I was back paid 100k in disability benefits. Which I then invested and turned in to 500k. I paid off all my debt and bought a 725k house at 3%interest using the Va home loan.
Continued investing and pretty soon turned that 500k in to 1 mil…. Life was finally amazing. It was everything I dreamed of. I got a taste of not having to worry about every day essentials. Affording to pay bills… etc. I looked towards my kids future.
To top it all off, between my job, disability, and using the GI bill I was making around 14k a month. Completely debt free other then 20k car loan and my home. Built my credit from 480 up to 700 from 2019 to 2021.
Oh man…
Having 1 mil in my brokerage and my success at trading made me think… well hey do wanna spend more time with my family + I have busted my ass for years never really getting to take a break. I wanted my wife to have some time for herself too as she had sacrificed immensely for me. I’ll just quit my job a lightly trade I thought.
This was a mistake. I did fine for a while, but hated withdrawing funds for bills. So I started over leveraging trying to make up for the withdraws. Started taking some losses. Hiding losses from my spouse.
I became obsessed, fixated on the market. Because I was lying to my spouse I became more and more withdrawn… spending less time with her
I somehow spent less time with my family being home all day then I did working full time and being in school full time. Things continued to get worse.
I started drinking more and more to mask my anxiety. I didn’t want to seem “off” so I drank to be normal. Pretty soon the million was down to 200k. I stopped paying the bills. Stopped paying house payments and we had financed 2 new cars. Stopped paying them.
Panic sets in and I can no longer contain it. I’m losing my mind. I tell my wife fearing she will leave me.
She consoles me. Tells me everything is going to be okay. But I am devastated and I can see the pain I have caused her… but I’m still a wreck.
She still had faith in me. I blew up my account on December 23 of 2021. She didn’t know.
I start taking out payday loans. I put our house loan on Covid forbearance. Continuing to spiral. My mental health was a shadow of what it had been. I had worked so hard on it and my recovery was the reason we even bounced back to where we were.
I continued to throw it all away.
I finally told her everything. She’s upset. She cries, throws things. But still… she stays for some reason. She still sees good in me even tho I have been a lying bastard… she calms me and helps me make a plan. She gets me back out in ti the world and I get a job.
Fast forward to this moment. I am 70k behind on my home loan. I owe 80k between our 2 vehicles. I have racked up a bunch of short term loans that have went to collections. I owe money to a few overdrawn bank and brokerage accounts… I have medical debt bc I wasn’t paying copays for my wife and kids appointments. My credit score is back down to 520.
After a year of being jobless I’m back at work in a different city and I drive home on the weekends and I’m back in school using GI bill for income… this going well for now
Until today… through everything I didn’t realize my car insurance lapsed a few months ago… today I was involved in an auto accident (my fault) I hit a parked truck on the side of the street on my way to work this morning. I just didn’t adjust, it was a wider f350… didn’t realize how close I was to it.
I stopped found the guy. My damages come to 3k (I need this vehicle) he filed a claim with his insurance. He gave them my info and he had uninsured motorist coverage. Now I’m afraid I won’t be able to get my policy back as he reported my info to his agency.
To top it all off my marriage is at an all time low, she doesn’t trust me (I don’t blame her).April 1 she’s supposed to completely take over the finances.
I haven’t told her about the insurance/accident yet.
I’m falling apart and idk what to do. I have contemplated suicide (I have a 1mil policy between work and Va and private).
In any case I’m between selling the house and taking the equity to ease us financially. Or file ch 13 and save the house and try to get some stability back for my wife and kids.
This is unbelievable, and has been a nightmare that I saw coming but I just didn’t/couldn’t stop.
I don’t know what to do. I’m so lost. I hate being away from them but I have to work. She’s overwhelmed taking on the burdens of everything ( we have no family help).
Every time I think things are gonna get better I’m reminded of just how big of a peace of shit I am.

You had enough of me. Maybe because I didn’t do the right thing. I know this should be about you but you said uou didn’t want me. I don’t think you know, and I don’t even know how much it hurts. I don’t understand. Why we can’t just be together forever. I’m scared of the power I have. I thought somebody was hurting you. I’m so sorry my love, I should have trusted you.
Can you tell me how you want me to be. Even if I had to change up my whole personality.
I’ll let you have your space. I’ll ask you questions. I’ll give you my thoughts. Would you like it if we had a rap battle, I know your a killer queen. You probably got tonnes of guys trynna hit ur line. I guess I gotta step up to the challenge.
I didn’t remain esotiqlic. I felt so afraid that you didn’t want me that I created an alternate scenario to give an excuse for why you didn’t want me. Please tell me that we just need time to rebuild our relationship. I’d do anything . I would shave my head, change my name and meet you anywhere in the world. And if we truly agreed I would rob a bank, to get there if I didn’t have the money. Please tell me we’ll be okay.
No matter what you are always going to be my cleapatra. I’m so ducking scared that you would break up with me but, I would never hold myself hostage. You deserve the choice tot leave me. And I will accept your decision but I would have to see you once a week atleast. Just to check up on you just to remind you that I still love you.
Remember the first date weee each had stuff to say. Next time I see you I’m gonna try that again while chatting to you.

Aight let's do some quick mafs
10k
Total shares - 304675439 aka 304.7m
Cede and co - 228.7m
Extrapolated Drs(cede) - 76m
from nasdaq.com Institutional ownership= 27.98% = 85.3m This is approx institutions+ mutual funds (total 80.8m on computershared.net). This paragraph goes nowhere btw.
Yahoo finance reports total insider shares at 47.54m and fintel.io has 48.7 and Drsgme has 54m (includes stagnant shares)
Giving a fraction of leniency and saying George Sherman and chris have not drs his 5.1m / 1.6 shares, the total insider shares outside cede and co is likely approx drs(insiders) 42.1m excl stagnant shares. Fuck it, I'm using 42.0m.
According to nasdaq.com/glossary/C/cede

Cede & Co.
nominee name for the depository trust company, a large clearing house that holds shares in its name for banks, brokers and institutions in order to expedite the sake and transfer of stock.

So institutions shares are held by cede and co and can be ignored.
Drsgme.org has drs(Reddit) at 87.63m shares
The last gme filing showed drs(computershare) 71.8m.
So I assume the drs(cede) should be equal to drs (computershare) + drs (insiders). I assume this because it seems unlikely for execs at GameStop to be beneficial owners in the face of all of this.
Low bound
Drs(cede) = Drs(computershare) + drs (insiders)
76 = 71.8 + 42.0
76 = 113.8
Upper bound
Drs(Reddit) + drs(insiders)
76 = 87.6 + 42.0
76 = 129.6
Press (X)

With the release of the 10K today, what we know for sure :

• 304 Million shares outstanding
• 76 Million shares registered
• 228 Million shares held by Cede and Co

Of the 228Million shares held by cede and co, what we can speculate:

• 36 Millions held by RC Venture (9 millions before splividen)
• 24.6 Millions held by Vanguard (https://fintel.io/so/us/gme and all the below are from the site)
• 22 Millions held by BlackRock
• 7.2 Millions held by State Street Corp
• 3.5 Millions held by Geode Capital Management,llc
• 2.16 Millions held by BNYM
• 1.9 Millions held by Northern Trust Corp
• 1 Milions held by Van Eck Associates
• 1 millions held by Norges Bank
• 16.9 Millions held by varius institution above 100K

These are 13F/A type filing from fintel for the year 2023. Assuming I am reading it right, the blank are shares held, if its short it's listed as short, calls , put etc.
I am not including any puts/calls etc and just outright shares owned in 2023.
The above are about 80.26 Millions not including RC Ventures. If I pulled all the 13F/A down there's actuall a total of 85.16 millions share not including RC Venture.
That means there's a total of 116.26 Million shares to 121Million shares, it could be more or less depends on if they sold etc.
Speculation as we have no actual up to date info:

• DebitSuise ~54Mil shares (due to put position from Hwang unreported).
• YahooFin ~57Mil Shorts (reported as of feb 2023)

Without DS: 111.74Mil (unaccounted - beneficiary household investors , world wide)
With the two above only: 74K shares left. (guess this is held by household investors,...worldwide)..
Also I am only including 1 insider (not all of them, too lazy to look)
Yes, BUY/SHOP, DRS,HOLD. Hedgies'R'Fked
​
Note: As this is just 'speculation' this is what i did to get the in Fintel number, and because its a third party info, take it for a grain of salt.
What I did was highlight the whole list form the fintel website, copy it and paste it into excel add a header row, add an additional column to check the put/call/short column for blank and mark those as share. Turn it into a table and filter out the second row to 13F, first row to 2023 year only.

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-27-2023
Seven people died today in a school shooting in Nashville. Three of them were nine-year-olds. Three were staffers. One was the shooter. In the aftermath of the shooting, President Joe Biden once again urged Congress to pass a ban on assault weapons, to which today’s Republican lawmakers will never agree because gun ownership has become a key element of social identity for their supporters, who resent the idea that the legal system could regulate their ownership of firearms.
In the wake of the shooting, Representative Andrew Ogles (R-TN), who represents Nashville thanks to redistricting by the Republican legislature that cut up a Democratic district, said he was “utterly heartbroken” by the shooting and offered “thoughts and prayers to the families of those lost.”
In 2021, Ogles, his wife, and two of his three children held guns as they posed for a Christmas card with a caption that read: “The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference—they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.”
Meanwhile, protests continue in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt to hamstring his country’s Supreme Court and put the legislature in charge of judicial review has sparked fierce opposition.
Netanyahu regained power last November while he was facing criminal charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery. His far-right coalition put together a government and elevated two critics of the Israeli judiciary, who promptly put forward a plan of “legal reforms.”
According to Amichai Cohen and Yuval Shany in Lawfare, supporters of those changes claim that unelected judges who are part of a “liberal deep state” have too much power, often using it to pursue criminal proceedings against senior politicians, prohibit Israeli settlements on Palestinian land in the West Bank, or to refuse religious exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.
On January 4, 2023, Netanyahu’s minister of justice Yariv Levin proposed an overhaul of the judicial system that would put Netanyahu’s slim majority—just 64 seats in the 120-member Knesset—in complete control of the country’s laws, enabling the far-right majority to avoid any checks on its power (as well as enabling Netanyahu to evade the criminal trials he faces).
But Netanyahu did not campaign on remaking the judiciary; it is the far-right members of his coalition who have made it their signature issue. Protests against the measures began almost immediately as alarmed Israelis realized the move would destroy their democracy.
The protests continued until this Saturday, when Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant warned that the massive backlash against the judicial overhaul, including more and more military members who are boycotting their training missions, threatened the nation’s military readiness. He called for a halt to the attempt to force through the changes. Two members of the coalition backed Gallant and one appeared to be wavering, thus threatening Netanyahu’s majority. The next day, Netanyahu fired Gallant.
The firing sparked massive demonstrations and widespread strikes. At first, the far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition refused to stop their plans to overhaul the judiciary and called for their supporters to turn out to oppose the protesters, but Netanyahu apparently cut a deal with them. He has announced that the judicial reforms will be postponed while the two sides look for a compromise, and that he has agreed to the formation of a civil “national guard” the right will control. While Bethan McKernan of The Guardian called this move an empty gesture, Zach Beauchamp of Vox noted that the new paramilitary unit will be under the control of the extremist minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who in 2008 was convicted of supporting a terrorist organization and who used to keep a photograph of a mass murderer in his living room.
Still, as Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo notes, the halt is “pretty transparently a stalling tactic,” launched in the hope that the protests will die down and the package can go forward later, although, as Marshall points out, polls show that the so-called reforms are very unpopular.
The crisis in Israel threatens the country’s relationship with the United States. During the Trump administration, Netanyahu cozied up to Trump and his Republican allies, and Israel’s continued rightward shift has alarmed foreign observers. In early March, Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the state to “erase” a Palestinian town, and he has called himself a “proud homophobe” and a “fascist.” In Israel, Netanyahu’s son tweeted that the U.S. State Department is behind the protests, hoping to overthrow Netanyahu, a sentiment to which Netanyahu himself has nodded.
When Smotrich visited Washington, D.C., earlier this month, White House officials declined to meet with him, and more than ninety Democratic lawmakers wrote to Biden asking him to use “all diplomatic tools available to prevent Israel’s current government from further damaging the nation’s democratic institutions and undermining the potential for two states for two peoples.” According to Josh Lederman of NBC News, more than 300 rabbis last year said that members of Netanyahu’s coalition were not welcome to speak at their synagogues.
The threats to the Israeli judiciary threaten the nation’s economy, as billionaire and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg pointed out in a New York Times op-ed earlier this month. “Companies and investors place enormous value on strong and independent judicial systems because courts help protect them — not only against crime and corruption but also government overreach. Just as important, they protect what their employees value most: individual rights and freedoms,” he wrote.
In case anyone missed the obvious comparison between what is happening in Israel and what might transpire in the U.S., Bloomberg continued: “In the United States, our founding fathers’ insistence on checks and balances to control the tyrannical tendencies of majorities was part of their genius. Our Constitution is not perfect—no law is—but its many checks and balances have been essential to protecting and advancing fundamental rights and maintaining national stability. It was only through those safeguards that the United States has managed to withstand extreme shocks to our democracy in recent years—including a disgraceful attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power—without a catastrophic fracturing.”

One day I was wandering around the closed CBD of Hobart, Tasmania (where I've served out a longer sentence than the original convicts transported from the UK for life imprisonment when it was a British penal settlement in the 19th century) and, out of complete boredom, I walked into the auto-teller housing exterior alcove of the National Australia bank.
After a bank merger or something or other, this particular branch had been closed for about two years and in the half light as I approached the powered off auto-teller, I looked closely at the cash dispensing slot where I incredibly spied the edge of an actual, real life, legal tender, AU twenty dollar bill!
Unguarded, unspoken for and just sitting there waiting for some inquisitive down and outer to snatch it and run, this I immediately did, (although running wasn't in any way involved).
Somehow this note was caught within the malfunctioning workings of this machine and over the years, the various updrafts and breezes pouring into this alcove had worked it all the way to the customer delivery chute.
I find it amazing that a bank could be so lax with the currency we expect them to be guarding on our behalf and for this even to have occurred, considering the elevated position of trust within society we have placed banks in over the centuries and our expectations of their scrupulous meticulousness with the nation's wealth.
If you don't believe this qualifies as the equivalent to an actual bank robbery then you try going down to your local branch and see if you can swipe even one measly dollar from the teller's cash drawer without the security guard unloading his 9mm into you.
I robbed a bank and to this day I have gotten away with it!