General News

[Parafox]

I've decided I'm just going to live my own life and **** politics and the "influencers" that want to screw everyone over to get what their selfish, greedy personalities want.

 

I'm going to be 70 yrs old this year. I've lived enough of life to know that I am a tiny microbe in the wider scheme of things and that those powerful enough only make changes that suit them.

 

I'm going to spend more time in my garage on my drum kit as well as amusing my inner child by killing twats on Black Ops 6. (12 yr old noobs can feck off)

 

I have views and concerns and hopes and fears for the future but, que sera, sera, but one's life is exactly that, it is your own, own it and don't be sorry or ashamed. 

 

 

Edited 2 January by Parafox

[leicsmac]

12 minutes ago, Parafox said:

I've decided I'm just going to live my own life and **** politics and the "influencers" that want to screw everyone over to get what their selfish, greedy personalities want.

 

I'm going to be 70 yrs old this year. I've lived enough of life to know that I am a tiny microbe in the wider scheme of things and that those powerful enough only make changes that suit them.

 

I'm going to spend more time in my garage on my drum kit as well as amusing my inner child by killing twats on Black Ops 6. (12 yr old noobs can feck off)

 

I have views and concerns and hopes and fears for the future but, que sera, sera, but one's life is exactly that, it is your own, own it and don't be sorry or ashamed. 

 

 

By the very nature of your work you've done more than most to make this world a better place and have earned the opportunity to lay down your burden more than most, mon ami.

 

 

[Sly]

I do wonder if the world is a safer place than it was 20, 50, 100 years ago etc

 

We’ve come on leaps and bounds on paper in terms of things like health and safety standards, more peaceful Europe, higher life expectancy etc.

 

However it feels like we are on the cusp of that going back the over way, when you consider pollution, carbon, international conflicts,  nuclear weapon enhancement, social media propaganda. 

 

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, Sly said:

I do wonder if the world is a safer place than it was 20, 50, 100 years ago etc

 

We’ve come on leaps and bounds on paper in terms of things like health and safety standards, more peaceful Europe, higher life expectancy etc.

 

However it feels like we are on the cusp of that going back the over way, when you consider pollution, carbon, international conflicts,  nuclear weapon enhancement, social media propaganda. 

 

Safer in general terms of violence and increased life expectancy? Yes, statistically.

 

The potential, indeed the inevitability, of a much less stable world just around the corner where those things are massively increased and reduced respectively? Also yes.

 

Both things can be and are true IMO.

 

And it's up to those willing to offer their time and effort to do what they can to ensure that potential doesn't become reality. It will be difficult - perhaps even impossible. But the alternative is, to me, simply unconscionable for any decent member of our species.

[Sly]

22 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Safer in general terms of violence and increased life expectancy? Yes, statistically.

 

The potential, indeed the inevitability, of a much less stable world just around the corner where those things are massively increased and reduced respectively? Also yes.

 

Both things can be and are true IMO.

 

And it's up to those willing to offer their time and effort to do what they can to ensure that potential doesn't become reality. It will be difficult - perhaps even impossible. But the alternative is, to me, simply unconscionable for any decent member of our species.

I think the challenge we have, is that social media has made the world a smaller place. 
 

50 years ago these things still happened, people will have heard of incidents in the Middle East, Africa and the states, however the news took such a long time to reach people, it was maybe not seen as that relevant or covered around the clock? Standard of living were typically lower overall, so larger issues at home maybe didn’t allow for column space on what was happening elsewhere. 
 

Social media is a faceless melting pot which allows people to steer propaganda whichever way they want. This only riles up opposing factions and before you know it, we’ve got all out warfare on he said / she said style school playground tit for tat. 
 

We need to turn the tide on carbon and quickly in my opinion. However whilst companies put profit before doing what’s right for the next generation, we will

just have a load of ostriches sticking their heads in the sand. 

[Zear0]

5 minutes ago, Sly said:

I think the challenge we have, is that social media has made the world a smaller place. 
 

50 years ago these things still happened, people will have heard of incidents in the Middle East, Africa and the states, however the news took such a long time to reach people, it was maybe not seen as that relevant or covered around the clock? Standard of living were typically lower overall, so larger issues at home maybe didn’t allow for column space on what was happening elsewhere. 
 

Social media is a faceless melting pot which allows people to steer propaganda whichever way they want. This only riles up opposing factions and before you know it, we’ve got all out warfare on he said / she said style school playground tit for tat. 
 

We need to turn the tide on carbon and quickly in my opinion. However whilst companies put profit before doing what’s right for the next generation, we will

just have a load of ostriches sticking their heads in the sand. 

It's this grim vehicle "new" social media has become. I fired up X for first in yonks and it was just page after page of this grooming gang stuff. I can't even class it as social media, it's just a propaganda vehicle for Musk. 

 

Bring back tagging photos of mates dueing nights on the piss. 

[izzymuzzet]

47 minutes ago, Sly said:

I do wonder if the world is a safer place than it was 20, 50, 100 years ago etc

 

We’ve come on leaps and bounds on paper in terms of things like health and safety standards, more peaceful Europe, higher life expectancy etc.

 

However it feels like we are on the cusp of that going back the over way, when you consider pollution, carbon, international conflicts,  nuclear weapon enhancement, social media propaganda. 

 

Biggest change by far in the last century or so is the improvement in infant mortality. If you were born in England in 1900 there was around 15% chance you wouldn’t make adulthood. For a child born now that’s about 0.04%. For the vast majority of people 100 years ago life was very, very hard and often quite short. 

[leicsmac]

11 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

It's this grim vehicle "new" social media has become. I fired up X for first in yonks and it was just page after page of this grooming gang stuff. I can't even class it as social media, it's just a propaganda vehicle for Musk. 

 

Bring back tagging photos of mates dueing nights on the piss. 

And this is why people saying that this new wave of social media manipulation is no different from manipulation in the past are wrong.

 

The very worst, most effective thing that the new utilisers of places like Twitter have managed to do is to convince people that those looking to use it as a tool are all the same - the projection of the "other side" being as ruthless powermongers as themselves gives the general public just enough apathy and reduces just enough pushback that they can gain the power that they need. And want.

 

It's selling a comfortable, lazy lie for their own self-interested ends, we're seeing it in democratic results in a lot of places, and the stakes for the future are as high as they can possibly be.

Edited 2 January by leicsmac

[leicsmac]

19 minutes ago, Sly said:

I think the challenge we have, is that social media has made the world a smaller place. 
 

50 years ago these things still happened, people will have heard of incidents in the Middle East, Africa and the states, however the news took such a long time to reach people, it was maybe not seen as that relevant or covered around the clock? Standard of living were typically lower overall, so larger issues at home maybe didn’t allow for column space on what was happening elsewhere. 
 

Social media is a faceless melting pot which allows people to steer propaganda whichever way they want. This only riles up opposing factions and before you know it, we’ve got all out warfare on he said / she said style school playground tit for tat. 
 

We need to turn the tide on carbon and quickly in my opinion. However whilst companies put profit before doing what’s right for the next generation, we will

just have a load of ostriches sticking their heads in the sand. 

And, as per above, it confers great power to do things quickly.

 

That can be good...or as we're seeing now, rather bad.

[Sly]

2 minutes ago, izzymuzzet said:

Biggest change by far in the last century or so is the improvement in infant mortality. If you were born in England in 1900 there was around 15% chance you wouldn’t make adulthood. For a child born now that’s about 0.04%. For the vast majority of people 100 years ago life was very, very hard and often quite short. 

I guess this then comes back around to what is an acceptable standard of living conversation.

 

If people lived in Britain 1900s conditions, we’d be describing third world conditions. 
 

As the mortality rate of infancy and the age demographic has has risen, that social payments and care far exceed that which is paid to the unemployed for example. It’s a massive challenge in balancing everything, and as the world walks along a razor blade in terms of cost of living and better place to live etc, whilst we are living longer with better technology etc, are we actually living “happier lives”. I don’t have the answer to that. 
 

6 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

And this is why people saying that this new wave of social media manipulation is no different from manipulation in the past are wrong.

 

The very worst, most effective thing that the new utilisers of places like Twitter have managed to do is to convince people that those looking to use it as a tool are all the same - the projection of the "other side" being as ruthless powermongers as themselves gives the general public just enough apathy and reduces just enough pushback that they can gain the power that they need. And want.

 

It's selling a comfortable, lazy lie for their own self-interested ends, we're seeing it in democratic results in a lot of places, and the stakes for the future are as high as they can possibly be.

spot on. 

[grobyfox1990]

1 hour ago, Zear0 said:

It's this grim vehicle "new" social media has become. I fired up X for first in yonks and it was just page after page of this grooming gang stuff. I can't even class it as social media, it's just a propaganda vehicle for Musk. 

 

Bring back tagging photos of mates dueing nights on the piss. 

To people still do that? I go on Facebook occasionally to get rid of junk on marketplace and click on ‘on this day.’ It will usually be drunk pics of us as teenagers/early 20s, loads of f and c word usage, wouldn’t dream of doing that now, would be scared my employer or clients would see

[Leicester_Loyal]

4 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

The latest tactic by the think tanks behind Trump, Musk, Farage is utter gutter stuff.
 

Bringing up old cases of child abuse (and Robinson’s solitary confinement). Horrific 

Some of the stuff coming out is shocking, a lot of it I never knew about.

[Parafox]

3 hours ago, leicsmac said:

By the very nature of your work you've done more than most to make this world a better place and have earned the opportunity to lay down your burden more than most, mon ami.

 

 

 

Well. I really don't know what to say other than thank you. Those few words mean a lot.

 

We all try our best. I believe the best we can be is to always be humble and kind.

[Innovindil]

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- El Salvador closed 2024 with a record low 114 homicides, continuing notable security gains under a second full year of a state of emergency that has given the government extraordinary powers and curtailed some fundamental rights.

 

President Nayib Bukele said via the social platform X that the number announced Wednesday by the small Central American country’s Attorney General’s Office made it the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

 

Say what you will about these fairly mental methods, but it's hard to argue against the results. Sounds like the general population of El Salvador are huge fans of the president too. Some turnaround of a country that was in serious trouble. 

[Jon the Hat]

2 hours ago, Innovindil said:

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- El Salvador closed 2024 with a record low 114 homicides, continuing notable security gains under a second full year of a state of emergency that has given the government extraordinary powers and curtailed some fundamental rights.

 

President Nayib Bukele said via the social platform X that the number announced Wednesday by the small Central American country’s Attorney General’s Office made it the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

 

Say what you will about these fairly mental methods, but it's hard to argue against the results. Sounds like the general population of El Salvador are huge fans of the president too. Some turnaround of a country that was in serious trouble. 

Fly to El Salvador!  I don't know why, and I don't know what for.

[fox_favourite]

Social media is a trap. It's all tailored to your interests and what you've clicked on. It will show you narrative from your views, and in some cases show extreme version of them. Which is dangerous. I decided to delete all my social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram etc..) as I was past caring, fed up of adverts, staged videos, stupid views on stuff, idiots grabbing attention and just crap. Felt so much better for it. 

 

I couldn't get rid of Foxestalk though. I like your thinking @Parafox. You'll feel happier for it, and definitely enjoy yourself! 

Edited 3 January by fox_favourite

[leicsmac]

More standoff related drama in Korea overnight.

 

Rather unnecessary, really: Yoon isn't going anywhere and his supporter base in dwindling. Of course he'll try to gum up the process in the name of self preservation, but going for the arrest now and messing it up just feeds into his "fvcking commie oppression!" narrative.

[Torquay Gunner]

Well that didn't take long.  Shame! 

 

 

[Wymsey]

16 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Well that didn't take long.  Shame! 

 

 

This might sound like a silly question, but are prisoners allowed televisions etc to access the news?

[Torquay Gunner]

2 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

This might sound like a silly question, but are prisoners allowed televisions etc to access the news?

I think most prisoners have access to newspapers and some have TVs.  Internet access is supposed to be strictly controlled. 

[Sampson]

13 hours ago, leicsmac said:

And this is why people saying that this new wave of social media manipulation is no different from manipulation in the past are wrong.

 

The very worst, most effective thing that the new utilisers of places like Twitter have managed to do is to convince people that those looking to use it as a tool are all the same - the projection of the "other side" being as ruthless powermongers as themselves gives the general public just enough apathy and reduces just enough pushback that they can gain the power that they need. And want.

 

It's selling a comfortable, lazy lie for their own self-interested ends, we're seeing it in democratic results in a lot of places, and the stakes for the future are as high as they can possibly be.

I agree. The thing for me as well is with the too much news/overwhelm of information we have going that it is undoubtedly better for many people’s mental health to ignore the background to the news and keeping fully updated, which makes it easier to just hear drip fed 2nd hand accounts scrolling social media and the like.

 

It’s why I agree that “the people get the politicians they deserve/vote for” no longer rings true to me when keeping on top of politics is so mentally draining. Media-driven voter apathy by bad actors feels like a very real phenomenon nowadays and I can’t say I really blame people for trying to get away from politics. Unfortunately that ultimately means these populists deliberately creating voter apathy and creating endless false equivalents seem to be winning.

 

I don’t know if you know Hank and John Green, who are some of the earliest educational YouTubers/podcasters but I heard them talking about it recently and they summed it up well when they said (paraphrasing) - I was so excited about the internet and how it would create access to more information and create more open democracy worldwide, but now we’re here it seems obvious it would do more of the opposite and cause so many problems for democracy and bury real information under so much misinformation - because new mass communication tend to do this. I just hope social media is not as costly as the printing press and radio were before humans manage to get a hold of it.

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Well that didn't take long.  Shame! 

 

 

Of course that was going to happen. Seems to be the case that prisoners who have committed atrocities against children are subject to rough justice when inside.

 

Well if it saves a lifetime of tax payers money for his upkeep I suppose.

[leicsmac]

17 minutes ago, Sampson said:

I agree. The thing for me as well is with the too much news/overwhelm of information we have going that it is undoubtedly better for many people’s mental health to ignore the background to the news and keeping fully updated, which makes it easier to just hear drip fed 2nd hand accounts scrolling social media and the like.

 

It’s why I agree that “the people get the politicians they deserve/vote for” no longer rings true to me when keeping on top of politics is so mentally draining. Media-driven voter apathy by bad actors feels like a very real phenomenon nowadays and I can’t say I really blame people for trying to get away from politics. Unfortunately that ultimately means these populists deliberately creating voter apathy and creating endless false equivalents seem to be winning.

 

I don’t know if you know Hank and John Green, who are some of the earliest educational YouTubers/podcasters but I heard them talking about it recently and they summed it up well when they said (paraphrasing) - I was so excited about the internet and how it would create access to more information and create more open democracy worldwide, but now we’re here it seems obvious it would do more of the opposite and cause so many problems for democracy and bury real information under so much misinformation - because new mass communication tend to do this. I just hope social media is not as costly as the printing press and radio were before humans manage to get a hold of it.

I didn't know of those two, I'll have to check them out.

 

The sentiment about the internet is spot on. I'm not sure what solution wouldn't end up worse than the problem though - the Chinese and the like clearly have their way of dealing with it which appears to work for them, but that's inimical to the kind of society folks in the West expect, so...

[Tommy G]

23 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Of course that was going to happen. Seems to be the case that prisoners who have committed atrocities against children are subject to rough justice when inside.

 

Well if it saves a lifetime of tax payers money for his upkeep I suppose.

Shame they didn't finish him off

[Lionator]

Musk is genuinely going to get a British politician killed soon