General News Thread

[Trav Le Bleu]

2 minutes ago, kenny said:

It isn't social media dumping tablets in front of an 18 month old that is literally fascinated by everything and has no need for it.

 

So whilst you have a point, the rot starts much earlier and is being done at home IMO.

I'm thinking more really of removing inappropriate materials from their sites.

[Fightforever]

Honestly as long as VPNs exist the only way you’re getting anything resembling a social media ban for u18s is if companies enforce a worldwide ban on anonymous accounts and require IDs for sign up from everyone on the planet. Which won't happen. Anything else is easily circumventable even China can't manage such a ban on western platforms properly and they don't care for Liberalism at all.

Edited Monday at 14:23 by Fightforever

[Amin]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

 

Evidence that Russia is behind a number of online Far-right and Islamist groups that are stoking division in the UK and elsewhere. The article also details how Tommy Robinson is consciously using these Russian groups to further his agenda.  

[Fightforever]

1 minute ago, Amin said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

 

Evidence that Russia is behind a number of online Far-right and Islamist groups that are stoking division in the UK and elsewhere. The article also details how Tommy Robinson is consciously using these Russian groups to further his agenda.  

Of course they are regardless of how organic the right wing overton window shift of late really is, it's of great benefit to them to have the UK and European strategic interests diverge, a nightmare scenario for both the USA and Russia is a Europe that is competent militarily and united as European GDP and population numbers could easily produce an autonomous Europe that doesn't need to take orders on matters like Greenland or Iran and one which could defend Ukraine without needing to be subject to the whims of whoever happens to be in the oval office. So the directive from these actors is simple keep them infighting. 

[Md9]

It’s so weird seeing so many maga online celebrating this deal like it wasn’t this stupid plank that started the whole thing off with Iran in the first place . Maybe they can all f*** off to mars with Elon musk .

[Free Falling Foxes]

1 hour ago, Md9 said:

It’s so weird seeing so many maga online celebrating this deal like it wasn’t this stupid plank that started the whole thing off with Iran in the first place . Maybe they can all f*** off to mars with Elon musk .

Here's hoping. They can then bar anyone else from following them and entering the Martian airspace 

You could even call it a 'Mars Bar'

[Robo61]

 

Can anyone really be that thick,  that they see that poster as a vote winner...............oh wait a minute!!

[leicsmac]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but the current agreement in the Middle East will pretty much status quo ante bellum... only with hundreds of billions of dollars spent quite a few lives needlessly taken, and economic uncertainty redoubled. 

 

That seems like a fine use of taxpayer resources, right? 

Edited Monday at 19:13 by leicsmac

[Md9]

19 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

So correct me if I'm wrong, but the current agreement in the Middle East will pretty much status quo ante bellum... only with hundreds of billions of dollars spent quite a few lives needlessly taken, and economic uncertainty redoubled. 

 

That seems like a fine use of taxpayer resources, right? 

It’s alright though because when everything settles down again and goes back to exactly where it was before that they will be cheering trump for fixing a problem the stupid F*** created himself as usual . 
he will be asking for a Nobel peace prize again soon for stopping the Iran war 38 times in 2 months 

[Bellend Sebastian]

5 hours ago, Amin said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

 

Evidence that Russia is behind a number of online Far-right and Islamist groups that are stoking division in the UK and elsewhere. The article also details how Tommy Robinson is consciously using these Russian groups to further his agenda.  

Good to see someone doing some journalism for a change.

 

In fairness, more obscure media outlets have been looking into Russian interference for years but it never seems to get much traction in terms of getting people talking about it. As for our Stephen, it doesn't exactly weaken my belief that those he persuades to join him on his big days out might as well be covering themselves in Russian flags

[st albans fox]

38 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

So correct me if I'm wrong, but the current agreement in the Middle East will pretty much status quo ante bellum... only with hundreds of billions of dollars spent quite a few lives needlessly taken, and economic uncertainty redoubled. 

 

That seems like a fine use of taxpayer resources, right? 

think we need to wait for the wording of the MOU to be released by both parties (or pakistan)

 

Does seem that Iranian govt may well be better placed now than in mid Feb 

netenyahu is definitely not 

if he manages to cobble together a govt post the upcoming elections (has to be end Oct latest) it would be remarkable.  He gambled big time on this, dragging in the USA and its failed miserably. 

[leicsmac]

23 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

think we need to wait for the wording of the MOU to be released by both parties (or pakistan)

 

Does seem that Iranian govt may well be better placed now than in mid Feb 

netenyahu is definitely not 

if he manages to cobble together a govt post the upcoming elections (has to be end Oct latest) it would be remarkable.  He gambled big time on this, dragging in the USA and its failed miserably. 

I guess we'll find out. 

 

It does look like in any case it looks like a truly needless waste of money and lives for pretty much all concerned, though. 

[UniFox21]

6 hours ago, Fightforever said:

Honestly as long as VPNs exist the only way you’re getting anything resembling a social media ban for u18s is if companies enforce a worldwide ban on anonymous accounts and require IDs for sign up from everyone on the planet. Which won't happen. Anything else is easily circumventable even China can't manage such a ban on western platforms properly and they don't care for Liberalism at all.

A lot of VPNs are beginning to require proof of age prior to allowing you to purchase them.

[CosbehFox]

7 hours ago, Amin said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

 

Evidence that Russia is behind a number of online Far-right and Islamist groups that are stoking division in the UK and elsewhere. The article also details how Tommy Robinson is consciously using these Russian groups to further his agenda.  

Robinson was in Russia last week as well 

[bovril]

So I now need to upload my personal data to use youtube when I'm in the UK? Wonderful.

[Jon the Hat]

8 hours ago, leicsmac said:

So correct me if I'm wrong, but the current agreement in the Middle East will pretty much status quo ante bellum... only with hundreds of billions of dollars spent quite a few lives needlessly taken, and economic uncertainty redoubled. 

 

That seems like a fine use of taxpayer resources, right? 

Possibly worse I think, as Iran now know the US is a paper tiger that is not willing to invade, and that they can fight on almost indefinitely against air attack, while causing Billions of dollars of damage to US bases and allied countries which they don't like very much.  Oh and they know what they only hoped before, that their power to block the Straight of Hormuz is a massive trump card.  SO maybe they go back to where they were on nuclear weapons, but they feel emboldened in every other way, and will come out with fewer sanctions and more wealth

Edited 21 hours ago by Jon the Hat

[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, Jon the Hat said:

Possibly worse I think, as Iran now know the US is a paper tiger that is not willing to invade, and that they can fight on almost indefinitely against air attack, while causing Billions of dollars of damage to US bases and allied countries which they don't like very much.  Oh and they know what they only hoped before, that their power to block the Straight of Hormuz is a massive trump card.  SO maybe they go back to where they were on nuclear weapons, but they feel emboldened in every other way, and will come out with fewer sanctions and more wealth

Right - so a fine use of resources all round then, yes.

[nnfox]

6 hours ago, bovril said:

So I now need to upload my personal data to use youtube when I'm in the UK? Wonderful.

Have you read Google's Privacy Policy?  You do realise they probably already know an awful lot about you?

[st albans fox]

2 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Possibly worse I think, as Iran now know the US is a paper tiger that is not willing to invade, and that they can fight on almost indefinitely against air attack, while causing Billions of dollars of damage to US bases and allied countries which they don't like very much.  Oh and they know what they only hoped before, that their power to block the Straight of Hormuz is a massive trump card.  SO maybe they go back to where they were on nuclear weapons, but they feel emboldened in every other way, and will come out with fewer sanctions and more wealth

The below says that they’ve basically agreed to stop fighting for 60 days whilst they discuss all the things they were discussing before the Americans and Israelis attacked.  As per usual with the USA - no plan behind hope. There were some sliding doors moments in the first week or two but no one thought erdogan wouldn’t kick off about arming the Kurds to insurge in nw Iran ?  That was their big idea to destabilise ……….. 
 

Vance has described the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the US and Iran as "about a page and a half" and a "very general" document.

 

so this could be one long stall whilst they chat a lot for a few months and the mid terms get done but more likely trump realises that he doesn’t have the political will to take on the Iranian mullahs and the timing of the mid terms will also see what govt emerges is Israel. 

[leicsmac]

6 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

The below says that they’ve basically agreed to stop fighting for 60 days whilst they discuss all the things they were discussing before the Americans and Israelis attacked.  As per usual with the USA - no plan behind hope. There were some sliding doors moments in the first week or two but no one thought erdogan wouldn’t kick off about arming the Kurds to insurge in nw Iran ?  That was their big idea to destabilise ……….. 
 

Vance has described the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the US and Iran as "about a page and a half" and a "very general" document.

 

so this could be one long stall whilst they chat a lot for a few months and the mid terms get done but more likely trump realises that he doesn’t have the political will to take on the Iranian mullahs and the timing of the mid terms will also see what govt emerges is Israel. 

Could well be right, in that case here's hoping both the current US and Israeli administrations get taken to the cleaners at their respective ballot boxes. 

[leicsmac]

And while all of this is going on and the Russians are pouring lives and resources into their utter folly in Ukraine, the Chinese are, yet again, either aghast or pissing themselves laughing at being handed the keys to the future kingdom with next to no armed effort at all. 

 

(Even though their own economy is hardly doing great things right now.)

[The Bear]

1 hour ago, nnfox said:

Have you read Google's Privacy Policy?  You do realise they probably already know an awful lot about you?

Same with the teeth gnashing about ID cards. 

 

The government and big business already know everything about you, and it's barely any different to having a National ID card or even your driving licence which has your picture and identity on it. 

[Robo61]

9 minutes ago, The Bear said:

Same with the teeth gnashing about ID cards. 

 

The government and big business already know everything about you, and it's barely any different to having a National ID card or even your driving licence which has your picture and identity on it. 

Its even stupider than that,  with a national ID there would be no need for these private companies to hold any information of significance on you to be able to log on other than you have a government ID that permits you to use that website.  Its amazing really how we are all willing to give away our private information to all and sundry but at the same time don't wish to have a national id that would hold no more information on us than the government already hold.  

[leicsmac]

Just now, Robo61 said:

Its even stupider than that,  with a national ID there would be no need for these private companies to hold any information of significance on you to be able to log on other than you have a government ID that permits you to use that website.  Its amazing really how we are all willing to give away our private information to all and sundry but at the same time don't wish to have a national id that would hold no more information on us than the government already hold.  

... because big corpos good and big government bad, apparently.

 

Not sure what the distinction is in terms of power level and ability to abuse it, personally. 

[Alf Bentley]

19 hours ago, Amin said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

 

Evidence that Russia is behind a number of online Far-right and Islamist groups that are stoking division in the UK and elsewhere. The article also details how Tommy Robinson is consciously using these Russian groups to further his agenda.  

Thanks for posting. I'd not previously seen any media coverage of this.