General News Thread

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 hours ago, worthosoriginals said:

AI will take over the work of the gangs.

Ghanaian robots will be smuggling themselves into the country.

[CosbehFox]

30 minutes ago, bovril said:

I have to say I find happy clapper discourse incredibly confusing. I thought they were generally seen as being an older, M&S wrap eating demographic now I'm hearing they're Labour voters. These happy clappers do seem like a very contradictory and interesting group quite unlike others, we must study them. 

If you want to confuse yourself further, one of the biggest defenders are Baby Squad members, one of whom has stood as a UKIP councillor before. How a person of anti-immigration,  anti-establishment opinion ends up arrested/banned for defending a foreign football club owner and being violent with it is incredible. Throw in the Starmer chants. It's an amazing study of sociology and psychology. 

Edited 17 February by CosbehFox

[CosbehFox]

5 hours ago, Sampson said:

Elon Musk seems to have a weird fascination with Rupert Lowe so you can imagine everyone in the UK is going to get bashed over the head with pro-Restore Britain stuff on twitter for the next 3 years.

It's going to be like Right wing Corbyn isn't it? The echo chamber screaming this is going places, this is working until it comes to actual real life. 

[CornwallFox]

1 hour ago, danny. said:

Yea, when I asked you some questions and you told me I was stupid and wore a tin foil hat and refused to answer anything, that time, yea.

But you want a serious conversation with answers now, when it's on your terms, just to clarify? 

Yep pretty much, clarification given 👍

[leicsmac]

The world is changing, and it's changing quickly, in a lot of ways.

 

What's not changing is the way our brains appear to be hardwired, and our ability to compensate for and overcome that.

 

That encapsulates a lot of the problems we face today IMO.

[DJW1]

1 hour ago, MaidstoneFox said:

Haven't seen them. Is he sitting on Shergar, singing a duet with Elvis?

Or sipping a Martini with Lord Lucan?

[bovril]

41 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

If you want to confuse yourself further, one of the biggest defenders are Baby Squad members, one of whom has stood as a UKIP councillor before. How a person of anti-immigration,  anti-establishment opinion ends up arrested/banned for defending a foreign football club owner and being violent with it is incredible. Throw in the Starmer chants. It's an amazing study of sociology and psychology. 

I need to see a screenshot of a baby squad member and ukip councillor posting on Facebook that respect is very important in Thai culture. I need this in my life. 

[worthosoriginals]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Ghanaian robots will be smuggling themselves into the country.

Yeh, coming over here, stealing our wd40 and living in the electricity substations at taxpayers expense

[RowlattsFox]

3 hours ago, UniFox21 said:

Huge issue, youth unemployment is also a continued issue. Levels will increase further in 6 months once the next cohort graduate university/school leavers. Many keen to get into jobs will be left struggling to get anything.  

And I work in Youth Employment Support in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, and have been officially told today that as of May our service will close due to lack of funding. Youth Hubs were funded through Town Deal and SPF, which were Conservative initiatives and appears to have not been followed up by the Labour government. 

 

Not ideal, but I can be re-deployed I think, but its disastrous news for young people in our area, particularly the 16-18 age group and young people not on benefits. The service as supported so many people and is the only option for anyone not in college.  

[leicsmac]

13 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

And I work in Youth Employment Support in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, and have been officially told today that as of May our service will close due to lack of funding. Youth Hubs were funded through Town Deal and SPF, which were Conservative initiatives and appears to have not been followed up by the Labour government. 

 

Not ideal, but I can be re-deployed I think, but its disastrous news for young people in our area, particularly the 16-18 age group and young people not on benefits. The service as supported so many people and is the only option for anyone not in college.  

And then the same folks who go on about the "waste of money" these projects are, are then shocked when young people start running with criminal organisations and crime skyrockets. 

 

It's almost as if creating a group to punish and look down upon and creating the environment in which it can happen is the point for them. 

[Foxdiamond]

17 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

And I work in Youth Employment Support in one of the most deprived areas of the UK, and have been officially told today that as of May our service will close due to lack of funding. Youth Hubs were funded through Town Deal and SPF, which were Conservative initiatives and appears to have not been followed up by the Labour government. 

 

Not ideal, but I can be re-deployed I think, but its disastrous news for young people in our area, particularly the 16-18 age group and young people not on benefits. The service as supported so many people and is the only option for anyone not in college.  

It is so short sighted to cut youth services

[worthosoriginals]

4 hours ago, danny. said:

It's genuinely bizarre that AI has already cause huge amounts of disruption and unemployment and the government and media is near silent on it.

Fortunately for us lot,

you aren't silent about it, wittering on and on and on about A bastard I, how it will take all our jobs then kill us all, really?... yawn.

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, worthosoriginals said:

Fortunately for us lot,

you aren't silent about it, wittering on and on and on about A bastard I, how it will take all our jobs then kill us all, really?... yawn.

In defence of @danny. here, they go on about AI threat as much as I do regarding climate change. And, in fairness, both, coupled with and powered by human hubris and short term thought, are legit threats that could lead to catastrophe if not properly addressed. Both are concerns that do need a proper discussion, both here and out in the policymaking world. 

Edited 17 February by leicsmac

[bovril]

3 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

In defence of @danny. here, they go on about AI threat as much as I do regarding climate change. 

I asked A.I. to summarise foxestalk posters:

 

Danny:

 

danny. is highly active in a range of FoxesTalk discussions, particularly:

General Chat, where he often debates social, economic, and political topics, such as wages, tax, and trades regulation.
Leicester City Forum, contributing match-related comments, squad assessments, and humour.
Large recurring community threads, including General News, Match Threads, and topical banter threads.

 

His posting style tends to be:

Direct, sometimes analytical
Often humorous or sarcastic
Highly responsive in ongoing debates
Comfortable challenging other posters’ arguments

Danny. is a long‑standing, experienced poster who blends humour with detailed takes on football, economics, and everyday life. He appears well‑engaged, debate‑ready, and present in many of the busiest threads on the forum, making him a recognisable and active member of the FoxesTalk community.

 

leicesmac:

 

Leicsmac is an extremely active, long‑standing FoxesTalk member who frequently contributes to major discussion threads, particularly:

General News Thread – often reflective, philosophical, and socially aware contributions.
Technology, Science & Environment – posts demonstrate interest in cosmology, scientific reasoning, and existential ideas.
General Football & Sport – occasional commentary (e.g., darts).

 

From the available posts, his writing style appears:

Thoughtful, articulate, reflective
Often philosophical (discussions about culture, the universe, the “Great Filter” concept)
Calmly conversational, sometimes ending with personal touches (e.g., whisky at New Year)

Leicsmac is a high‑post‑count, high‑reputation, deeply engaged member of FoxesTalk’s community. His replies suggest someone who blends serious intellectual curiosity with a warm, sociable posting style. He is a mainstay in large, long-running threads and appears well‑respected on the forum.

 

And in the interests of fairness I had to do me:

 

Very active across the forum, regularly contributing to General Chat, General Football & Sport, and Leicester City Forum threads.
Known for quick, conversational replies—often humorous, personal, or observational.
Frequently engages in large community threads such as:

“I’ve got something to say…”
General News Thread
Best Loanee We’ve Ever Had

Posts suggest a well‑traveled, food‑interested personality (mentions Italian breakfasts, Spanish and Italian food, pizzerias, etc.).
Also contributes thoughtful takes on broader social topics (e.g., commentary on the internet and public discourse).

bovril is a long‑standing, high‑reputation, extremely active FoxesTalk member known for:

Engaging deeply in discussions
A mix of humour, insight, and casual chat
Being part of the forum’s “furniture” — someone other posters clearly interact with often and fondly.

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, bovril said:

I asked A.I. to summarise foxestalk posters:

 

Danny:

 

danny. is highly active in a range of FoxesTalk discussions, particularly:

General Chat, where he often debates social, economic, and political topics, such as wages, tax, and trades regulation.
Leicester City Forum, contributing match-related comments, squad assessments, and humour.
Large recurring community threads, including General News, Match Threads, and topical banter threads.

 

His posting style tends to be:

Direct, sometimes analytical
Often humorous or sarcastic
Highly responsive in ongoing debates
Comfortable challenging other posters’ arguments

Danny. is a long‑standing, experienced poster who blends humour with detailed takes on football, economics, and everyday life. He appears well‑engaged, debate‑ready, and present in many of the busiest threads on the forum, making him a recognisable and active member of the FoxesTalk community.

 

leicesmac:

 

Leicsmac is an extremely active, long‑standing FoxesTalk member who frequently contributes to major discussion threads, particularly:

General News Thread – often reflective, philosophical, and socially aware contributions.
Technology, Science & Environment – posts demonstrate interest in cosmology, scientific reasoning, and existential ideas.
General Football & Sport – occasional commentary (e.g., darts).

 

From the available posts, his writing style appears:

Thoughtful, articulate, reflective
Often philosophical (discussions about culture, the universe, the “Great Filter” concept)
Calmly conversational, sometimes ending with personal touches (e.g., whisky at New Year)

Leicsmac is a high‑post‑count, high‑reputation, deeply engaged member of FoxesTalk’s community. His replies suggest someone who blends serious intellectual curiosity with a warm, sociable posting style. He is a mainstay in large, long-running threads and appears well‑respected on the forum.

 

And in the interests of fairness I had to do me:

 

Very active across the forum, regularly contributing to General Chat, General Football & Sport, and Leicester City Forum threads.
Known for quick, conversational replies—often humorous, personal, or observational.
Frequently engages in large community threads such as:

“I’ve got something to say…”
General News Thread
Best Loanee We’ve Ever Had

Posts suggest a well‑traveled, food‑interested personality (mentions Italian breakfasts, Spanish and Italian food, pizzerias, etc.).
Also contributes thoughtful takes on broader social topics (e.g., commentary on the internet and public discourse).

bovril is a long‑standing, high‑reputation, extremely active FoxesTalk member known for:

Engaging deeply in discussions
A mix of humour, insight, and casual chat
Being part of the forum’s “furniture” — someone other posters clearly interact with often and fondly.

Well, the takeaway I get from that is that this particular AI tool is ridiculously kind 

[bovril]

🦊 What is a “happy clapper” on FoxesTalk?
1️⃣ A long‑standing insult for over‑positive fans
One FoxesTalk member responds to someone complaining about the term “happy clapper” by clarifying that the phrase has been used “for decades” and is usually “used as an insult to fans who object to booing their own players.”
This definition comes directly from debate within a match thread, where users argue about the meaning and relevance of the phrase.
2️⃣ Fans who are relentlessly positive, no matter what
Another user in a Twitter‑related thread reinforces this idea:

“Aren’t happy clappers meant to be fans who are always positive and never have a bad word to say about their club?”
 [collection....vam.ac.uk]

This aligns with the common forum usage: supporters who refuse to criticise the club, players, owners, or decisions—no matter how poor things are.
3️⃣ Often contrasted with critical or negative fans
On FoxesTalk, the term is typically used pejoratively, to contrast:

“Happy clappers” — too positive, too forgiving
“Moaners / doomers” — too negative, overly critical

The phrase appears repeatedly in arguments where users accuse each other of being too soft or too harsh about the team's performances.
4️⃣ Also used sarcastically or humorously
Some posters — including grobyfox1990 — use it jokingly when describing predictable or formulaic fan reactions online:

“I prefer happy clapper content… I’m in a happy clapper death hole.”

[FoxesDeb]

3 minutes ago, bovril said:

🦊 What is a “happy clapper” on FoxesTalk?
1️⃣ A long‑standing insult for over‑positive fans
One FoxesTalk member responds to someone complaining about the term “happy clapper” by clarifying that the phrase has been used “for decades” and is usually “used as an insult to fans who object to booing their own players.”
This definition comes directly from debate within a match thread, where users argue about the meaning and relevance of the phrase.
2️⃣ Fans who are relentlessly positive, no matter what
Another user in a Twitter‑related thread reinforces this idea:

“Aren’t happy clappers meant to be fans who are always positive and never have a bad word to say about their club?”
 [collection....vam.ac.uk]

This aligns with the common forum usage: supporters who refuse to criticise the club, players, owners, or decisions—no matter how poor things are.
3️⃣ Often contrasted with critical or negative fans
On FoxesTalk, the term is typically used pejoratively, to contrast:

“Happy clappers” — too positive, too forgiving
“Moaners / doomers” — too negative, overly critical

The phrase appears repeatedly in arguments where users accuse each other of being too soft or too harsh about the team's performances.
4️⃣ Also used sarcastically or humorously
Some posters — including grobyfox1990 — use it jokingly when describing predictable or formulaic fan reactions online:

“I prefer happy clapper content… I’m in a happy clapper death hole.”

Absolutely no surprise that Groby got a mention 

[bovril]

Just now, FoxesDeb said:

Absolutely no surprise that Groby got a mention 

I spat my coffee out when I read it

[danny.]

1 hour ago, worthosoriginals said:

Fortunately for us lot,

you aren't silent about it, wittering on and on and on about A bastard I, how it will take all our jobs then kill us all, really?... yawn.

Don't think I've ever mentioned AI killing anyone. But yes, quite inappropriate of me to mention AI in the AI thread and AI news in the news thread. I really should get back to boat people or whatever else we're talking about these days.

On a serious note, I do find AI pretty depressing regarding the future, because I'm actually witnessing it. I work in an industry that's being automated away as we speak. Clients vanishing, budgets gone, work that sustained careers for decades disappearing in real time. And I'm not alone, thousands of writers, developers, designers, editors, videographers, animators, and other professionals are experiencing the same thing right now, today, not in some hypothetical future.

But you're right - clearly it's all just hysteria. All those world-renowned experts, scientists, journalists, and CEOs of large tech companies warning about the economic disruption? Just scaremongering. The fact that people across multiple industries are living through exactly what they predicted? Mere coincidence. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank goodness we have you on this forum with your infinite expertise and unbounded intellect proving they're all wrong. We all owe you so much thanks in these difficult times.

[danny.]

59 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Well, the takeaway I get from that is that this particular AI tool is ridiculously kind 

That makes two of us!

[FoxesDeb]

3 hours ago, worthosoriginals said:

Fortunately for us lot,

you aren't silent about it, wittering on and on and on about A bastard I, how it will take all our jobs then kill us all, really?... yawn.

I have first hand experience that AI is definitely taking jobs. I work in customer relations for a global travel agency and AI does so much work now that humans used to do, we have laid people off that have children and mortgages, it's been devastating for them.

 

I feel almost fortunate that I'm coming to the end of my career, and based on the way things are going I wouldn't encourage any of my family to start a career in anything remotely IT based.

[st albans fox]

6 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I have first hand experience that AI is definitely taking jobs. I work in customer relations for a global travel agency and AI does so much work now that humans used to do, we have laid people off that have children and mortgages, it's been devastating for them.

 

I feel almost fortunate that I'm coming to the end of my career, and based on the way things are going I wouldn't encourage any of my family to start a career in anything remotely IT based.

When I was deciding what to do at 18 there were no jobs about so I chose IT. 
it must be very scary for a teenager now to be thinking about what they’re going to do with a view to work 

 

[Sampson]

5 hours ago, worthosoriginals said:

Fortunately for us lot,

you aren't silent about it, wittering on and on and on about A bastard I, how it will take all our jobs then kill us all, really?... yawn.

I say this with genuine sincerity - I really, really hope you’re right in your cynicism and get to tell us all you told us so. But truthfully, AI scares the living bejesus out of me.

Edited 17 February by Sampson

[Tommy G]

I see you AI denial

[Parafox]

23 hours ago, danny. said:

I think the Greens might have a better chance than Labour at the next GE

In which case we really are doomed.