General News Thread

[leicsmac]

Also, I take no pleasure whatsoever in having my own opinion of both Trump and his administration confirmed by their actions more and more. 

 

Perhaps though, as the mask continues to slip, there will be less and less defending of what he and they are up to.

[ALC Fox]

Clearly the people of Venezuela require a better government than an authoritarian dictatorship.

 

The trouble is that Trump throwing his weight around and interfering in foreign affairs on the pretence of US national security is a scary thing and there's every chance that MAGA becomes as authoritarian as Venezuela whether under Trump or a successor.

 

Greenland (and by extension Denmark and Europe) should be watching this closely and putting measures in place to stop this happening in the Arctic.

 

Panama will be watching terrified as well.

[Trav Le Bleu]

5 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

That quote could have been lifted directly from IngSoc in 1984.

 

Stop this timeline, I want to get off 

Lifted from Civil War by Guns n Roses who in turn lifted it from a member of The Shining Path (Peruvian guerilla movement).

 

What's so civil about war anyway?

[Lionator]

22 minutes ago, Happy Fox said:

Trump to do similar in Iran in the coming days?

absolutely not. Venezuela is geopolitically isolated, Maduro could probably be paid off and they’re not clerical nut jobs. 

[Danno]

Great news, Cuba next! 🇨🇺 

[Trav Le Bleu]

27 minutes ago, Happy Fox said:

Trump to do similar in Iran in the coming days?

Iran was just smoke and mirrors.

[Lionator]

The bending over here, what has become of us 😭😭😭 “oh Donald, pass me the lube”

 

 

[leicsmac]

11 minutes ago, Danno said:

Great news, Cuba next! 🇨🇺 

Satire?

 

Poe's Law makes it so difficult to tell these days. 

 

6 minutes ago, Lionator said:

The bending over here, what has become of us 😭😭😭 “oh Donald, pass me the lube”

 

 

At least Farage has the nous to admit the flagrant violation of international law. 

[Spiritwalker]

Some of the remaining government have legged it to Russia apparently.

[OntarioFox]

38 minutes ago, ALC Fox said:

Clearly the people of Venezuela require a better government than an authoritarian dictatorship.

 

The trouble is that Trump throwing his weight around and interfering in foreign affairs on the pretence of US national security is a scary thing and there's every chance that MAGA becomes as authoritarian as Venezuela whether under Trump or a successor.

 

Greenland (and by extension Denmark and Europe) should be watching this closely and putting measures in place to stop this happening in the Arctic.

 

Panama will be watching terrified as well.

The irony of the first sentence wasn't lost on me, considering who is instigating their regime change.

[OntarioFox]

23 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

At least Farage has the nous to admit the flagrant violation of international law. 

He used ChatGPT to write the statement

[Lionator]

46 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Satire?

 

Poe's Law makes it so difficult to tell these days. 

 

At least Farage has the nous to admit the flagrant violation of international law. 

But then he implicates that it’s ’getting one over’ Russia and China when actually it’s the opposite. It gives those two carte Blanche as military powerful countries 

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, Lionator said:

But then he implicates that it’s ’getting one over’ Russia and China when actually it’s the opposite. It gives those two carte Blanche as military powerful countries 

Yeah, that's about the size of it. The US isn't the only power to have enough Might to Make Right.

 

Which is yet another reason why that entire ethos doesn't end well for anyone.

[Sampson]

20 minutes ago, Lionator said:

But then he implicates that it’s ’getting one over’ Russia and China when actually it’s the opposite. It gives those two carte Blanche as military powerful countries 

It also implies that Russia and the US are on opposite sides and that we are on the side of the US when the US have made it quite clear that is no longer the case.

 

For all the problems with the current government can’t get my head round why anyone would want Farage in power. It’s quite obvious he’s on the side of the authoritarians and uses all their same language and ideas of smashing international institutions, bureaucrats, lawyer, judges, universities etc. to give individuals at the top of governments way more power to do what they like and essentially become a king in all but name.

Edited 3 January by Sampson

[SkidsFox]

I'm staggered at how successful the extraction of Maduro was carried out. He was protected by massive security - although some are claiming there was inside collusion.

[leicsmac]

8 minutes ago, Sampson said:

It also implies that Russia and the US are on opposite sides and that we are on the side of the US when the US have made it quite clear that is no longer the case.

 

For all the problems with the current government can’t get my head round why anyone would want Farage in power. It’s quite obvious he’s on the side of the authoritarians.

For me there are only two possible explanations there now. Either they think (in spite of all the evidence) that things "won't be that bad", or they're actually perfeectly fine with all the abuses of power visited upon other people as long as they themselves benefit in some way or other.

 

I'll let other people parse which might be which and if there are any other possible explanations.

 

1 minute ago, SkidsFox said:

I'm staggered at how successful the extraction of Maduro was carried out. He was protected by massive security - although some are claiming there was inside collusion.

I'm thinking that the way this has gone, there had to be at least some.

[MC Prussian]

For anyone calling this a war.  It's an intervention, albeit a questionable one.

Trump doesn't muck around, no place for standard diplomatic procedures...

 

Let's not forget that Venezuela has been at war with itself for decades, if not centuries.

 

People getting their knickers in a twist because one of their *ahem* "Socialist heroes" has been captured. Venezuela has been a shithole and rife with corruption for about 200 years, the discovery of oil has made it even worse.

Edited 3 January by MC Prussian

[Philkeavo]

Sorry I appreciate this is likely the wrong thread but I have 9 Leicester beer mats if anyone is a collector and would like them. Don’t want any money for them save the cost of postage. DM if you’d like them.

 

Edit. Beer mats now gone.

Edited 3 January by Philkeavo

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

For anyone calling this a war.  It's an intervention, albeit a questionable one.

Trump doesn't muck around, no place for standard diplomatic procedures...

 

Let's not forget that Venezuela has been at war with itself for decades, if not centuries.

 

People getting their knickers in a twist because one of their *ahem" "Socialist heroes" has been captured. Venezuela has been a shithole and rife with corruption for about 200 years, the discovery of oil has made it even worse.

"Questionable" is certainly one word to describe it, yes.

 

And this is another example of how this administration find the words "due process" dirty, too. 

 

But yes, like similar figures from similar autocratic top-heavy regimes since time immemorial, they certainly don't "muck around". Whether or not that's actually a good thing for the present or the future is clearly a matter of debate.

[MC Prussian]

3 hours ago, leicsmac said:

China are doing a lot of questionable things. 

 

Opposing green energy is not one of them. In fact, they're the only big power taking that problem even vaguely seriously, given the speed and capacity that they're building renewable infrastructure. 

Yes, by building a record number of new coal plants.

https://www.dw.com/en/china-boosting-coal-capacity-at-record-high-report/a-73753189

[Trav Le Bleu]

Meanwhile Russia advances and makes huge gains in Ukraine. Such coincidental timing.

[Trav Le Bleu]

19 minutes ago, SkidsFox said:

I'm staggered at how successful the extraction of Maduro was carried out. He was protected by massive security - although some are claiming there was inside collusion.

Inside job innit.

 

CIA heavily involved.

[bovril]

32 minutes ago, Sampson said:

It also implies that Russia and the US are on opposite sides and that we are on the side of the US when the US have made it quite clear that is no longer the case.

 

For all the problems with the current government can’t get my head round why anyone would want Farage in power. It’s quite obvious he’s on the side of the authoritarians and uses all their same language and ideas of smashing international institutions, bureaucrats, lawyer, judges, universities etc. to give individuals at the top of governments way more power to do what they like and essentially become a king in all but name.

He's a confused boomer and appeals to other confused boomers 

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Yes, by building a record number of new coal plants.

https://www.dw.com/en/china-boosting-coal-capacity-at-record-high-report/a-73753189

From the article itself:

 

"Coal currently accounts for half of China's energy production, down from three-quarters in 2016.

China, the world's second-largest economy, is also the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter.
 

This spike in coal construction and commissioned projects comes as China massively expands its renewable capacity, which now covers growth in electricity demand. Solar capacity, for instance, jumped by 212 GW in the first six months of 2025.

This year alone, the country is on track to install enough new renewable energy to cover the energy needs of Germany and the UK combined. 

Germany, according to its Federal Network Agency, added roughly 20 GW of renewables to its grid in 2024, bringing its total to 190. China will add 500 GW in new wind and solar power in 2025 alone.

Beijing's push has led to a 1% drop in six-month emissions year-on-year, according to the UK-based climate and energy website Carbon Brief, yet China's increased reliance on coal threatens to derail its pursuit of gas emissions reductions."

 

Are any of the other players doing anywhere near that much in terms of getting themselves off non-renewable reliance? The US certainly aren't, they don't appear to care at all in terms of policy on the matter.

 

FWIW that's a pretty good article highlighting the progress while still rightly saying there's a fair way to go, but they're catching up fast.

 

So yes, they are taking the problem seriously.

 

 

[Jattdogg]

Authoritarian regime tells another Authoritarian regime to get fcked.