General News Thread

[filthyfox]

29 minutes ago, Thefox81 said:

I was 19 at the time and not long into full time work. Can remember it filtering through on the radio in the work kitchen. When it became apparent how serious it was we all went next door into my boss' house and we all just watched it on the news. Cant remember anything like leaving work, how long we were watching for. The only thing i remember was the silence between 10 of us watching dumbstruck.

I was getting pissed in a bar in Cologne... I thought i was watching a very good film on the TV.

I was also 19.

Edited 10 September by filthyfox

[Wymsey]

9 hours ago, Izzy said:

Definately one of those "I remember where I was" moments in history (Princess Di death being the other for me)

 

I'm still facinated watching all the 9/11 documentaries. The world changed forever that unforgetable day.  

 

The thudding sound of those poor people who had no choice not to jump when they hit the ground...

 

The 'falling man' and the two people holding hands whilst jumping are 2 images that stand out from a host of horrific images.

 

Would personally probably be too scared to jump if was in their situation.

Edited 10 September by Wymsey

[Izzy]

1 minute ago, Wymsey said:

The thudding sound of those poor people who had no choice not to jump when they hit the ground...

 

The 'falling man' and the two people holding hands whilst jumping are 2 images that stand out from a host of horrific images.

 

Would personally probably be too scared to jump if was in their situation.

The Falling Man was a documentary that stayed with me for a long time. That decision is just incomprehensible.

[Wymsey]

Just now, Izzy said:

The Falling Man was a documentary that stayed with me for a long time. That decision is just incomprehensible.

Definitely agree.

 

Feel so sorry for the family that his identity hasn't been known after all of this time.

[Bellend Sebastian]

https://theonion.com/trump-claims-he-was-falling-man/

[MPH]

50 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

The thudding sound of those poor people who had no choice not to jump when they hit the ground...

 

The 'falling man' and the two people holding hands whilst jumping are 2 images that stand out from a host of horrific images.

 

Would personally probably be too scared to jump if was in their situation.

 

fall to your death or be burnt to a crisp. An incomprehensible choice..

[MPH]

Has this been talked about in here? 
 

I mean… I’m just lost for words… every time I think we enter uncharted territory…

[MPH]

And will it actually happen? I’m fairly sure he’s promised money a couple of times recently, but it never materialized ..

 

 

 

EDIT: in 2025 he promised a $5,000 DOGE check that never materialized, also in 2025 he promised a $2,000 tariff check to everyone that never materialized.

Edited 10 September by MPH

[Foxdiamond]

12 minutes ago, MPH said:

 

fall to your death or be burnt to a crisp. An incomprehensible choice..

This reminds me of reading about ww1 airmen shot down in combat without a parachute. Some jumped some stayed in the aeroplane. A few took a loaded revolver to resolve the situation. Mostly aged 19 or early 20s

[leicsmac]

7 hours ago, MPH said:

Has this been talked about in here? 
 

I mean… I’m just lost for words… every time I think we enter uncharted territory…

It's been mentioned, yes.

 

Personally I think it's very on brand for the man. And anyone who thought he couldn't or wouldn't plumb these depths really wasn't paying attention.

[leicsmac]

7 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

This reminds me of reading about ww1 airmen shot down in combat without a parachute. Some jumped some stayed in the aeroplane. A few took a loaded revolver to resolve the situation. Mostly aged 19 or early 20s

And the most tragic thing for me about that is that in the case of WWI, those brave, poor young airmen were dying for a reason that had absolutely zero material benefit to them. Ditto a lot of the brave young men on the ground.

 

Such an incredibly pointless waste of a near-generation of men.

[leicsmac]

https://babylonbee.com/news/trump-pledges-that-if-voters-defeat-socialism-in-november-they-will-each-get-an-equal-redistribution-of-wealth-from-the-government

 

Sometimes the Bee really does hit the nail on the head. 

[Foxdiamond]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

And the most tragic thing for me about that is that in the case of WWI, those brave, poor young airmen were dying for a reason that had absolutely zero material benefit to them. Ditto a lot of the brave young men on the ground.

 

Such an incredibly pointless waste of a near-generation of men.

I agree though many didn't hold that view at the time or afterwards. The war poets and some famous literature did a lot to change the opinions the general public. I think a lot of veterans resented the Lions Led By Donkeys trope.

[leicsmac]

Just now, Foxdiamond said:

I agree though many didn't hold that view at the time or afterwards. The war poets and some famous literature did a lot to change the opinions the general public. I think a lot of veterans resented the Lions Led By Donkeys trope.

Back then it certainly was viewed differently. I think it's a good thing today though that people at large have a different view towards romanticising death and horrific suffering no matter the cause. 

 

FWIW my take is that often the "donkeys" were not "donkeys" either, they were hyenas. They often weren't incompetent, they knew full well what their decisions meant, but they did them anyway because they often viewed the lives of those men as expendable in the service of a "greater cause" (which, funnily enough, often benefited them directly in the form of material gain and "honouring").

[Finnegan]

9 hours ago, MPH said:

And will it actually happen? I’m fairly sure he’s promised money a couple of times recently, but it never materialized ..

 

 

 

EDIT: in 2025 he promised a $5,000 DOGE check that never materialized, also in 2025 he promised a $2,000 tariff check to everyone that never materialized.

 

If anyone falls for this they need their head seeing to literally. He's obviously not ever going to pay it out, he frankly can't. 

 

He's a pathological liar and the most openly corrupt American president in our lifetime (if not all time) and he's terrified of going to prison if his party loses the mid terms. 

 

Personally don't think he'll ever face any sort of justice before he dies regardless of what happens but he's definitely sweating. 

 

[Foxdiamond]

3 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Back then it certainly was viewed differently. I think it's a good thing today though that people at large have a different view towards romanticising death and horrific suffering no matter the cause. 

 

FWIW my take is that often the "donkeys" were not "donkeys" either, they were hyenas. They often weren't incompetent, they knew full well what their decisions meant, but they did them anyway because they often viewed the lives of those men as expendable in the service of a "greater cause" (which, funnily enough, often benefited them directly in the form of material gain and "honouring").

From the allied point of view I think the thought was if  they don't try and kick the Germans out of most of Belgium and large parts of Northern France they will stay there. This meant engagement of offensives where for a large part of the war the defender had the advantage. The tragedy of course was the war starting in the first place

[leicsmac]

4 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

From the allied point of view I think the thought was if  they don't try and kick the Germans out of most of Belgium and large parts of Northern France they will stay there. This meant engagement of offensives where for a large part of the war the defender had the advantage. The tragedy of course was the war starting in the first place

That's the critical point for me - the total lack of point of it beginning and continuing. 

[Foxdiamond]

5 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

That's the critical point for me - the total lack of point of it beginning and continuing. 

Parallels with Ukraine perhaps?

[leicsmac]

11 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

If anyone falls for this they need their head seeing to literally. He's obviously not ever going to pay it out, he frankly can't. 

 

He's a pathological liar and the most openly corrupt American president in our lifetime (if not all time) and he's terrified of going to prison if his party loses the mid terms. 

 

Personally don't think he'll ever face any sort of justice before he dies regardless of what happens but he's definitely sweating. 

 

On that score IMO the only way the midterms will change the landscape is if somehow the Dems get enough in the Senate to convict following an impeachment in the House. That doesn't seem likely. 

 

Of course, a simple majority would be enough to render him a lame duck and then (hopefully) look for criminal proceedings after January 2029.

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Parallels with Ukraine perhaps?

Perhaps, but that didn't drag the rest of the world into it in an obviously direct fashion. 

 

On that score, from what I can tell the front lines are pretty static over there now. It has however taught us that the era of fast manoeuvre warfare with combined arms (tanks, APCs supported by artillery) is over once again, thanks to the advent of ubiquitous drone tech. At least, until someone figures a way to level that particular playing field. 

[Finnegan]

6 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

On that score IMO the only way the midterms will change the landscape is if somehow the Dems get enough in the Senate to convict following an impeachment in the House. That doesn't seem likely. 

 

Of course, a simple majority would be enough to render him a lame duck and then (hopefully) look for criminal proceedings after January 2029.

 

Likely or not it's what he's terrified of. I'm pretty sure he's even ****ing said it out loud. 

 

Problem is it needs to not just be the Dems but the right Dems. The social democratic wing would absolutely drag him through the coals and everyone he's associated with. Bernie Sanders has spent years openly telling everyone there shouldn't be any such thing as a billionaire, God bless him. 

 

But most of the moderate / centre right Dems that would be Cameronite Tories in this country and who still probably make up the majority of them, those guys are just as in bed with the oligarchy as most of the GOP. 

 

They'll know that throwing the book at Trump or acting on the Epstein Files also screws over a mountain of very wealthy and influential people they don't want to upset.

 

Like I said, I don't think Trump will really face justice in his lifetime (especially given he's not really got long left, as he? If he somehow managed to cheat him to a third term they'd have to ****ing Weekend At Bernies him through it harder than they're trying McConnell) but he's 100% being pulling out the stops this year to do everything he can to milk this presidency while it lasts because he's worried the walls are closing in. 

 

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Likely or not it's what he's terrified of. I'm pretty sure he's even ****ing said it out loud. 

 

Problem is it needs to not just be the Dems but the right Dems. The social democratic wing would absolutely drag him through the coals and everyone he's associated with. Bernie Sanders has spent years openly telling everyone there shouldn't be any such thing as a billionaire, God bless him. 

 

But most of the moderate / centre right Dems that would be Cameronite Tories in this country and who still probably make up the majority of them, those guys are just as in bed with the oligarchy as most of the GOP. 

 

They'll know that throwing the book at Trump or acting on the Epstein Files also screws over a mountain of very wealthy and influential people they don't want to upset.

 

Like I said, I don't think Trump will really face justice in his lifetime (especially given he's not really got long left, as he? If he somehow managed to cheat him to a third term they'd have to ****ing Weekend At Bernies him through it harder than they're trying McConnell) but he's 100% being pulling out the stops this year to do everything he can to milk this presidency while it lasts because he's worried the walls are closing in. 

 

Absolutely no disagreement there.

[FoyleFox]

I hope that I never watch anything as horrendous as 9/11 ever again. I was at work, only one member of our team had Internet access and limited to BBC, he shared they thought a light aircraft had hit a tower. It quickly became clear it was more than that. 

My shift meant that my lunch was mid afternoon, I went into Currys at Fosse Park and watched the TV, to see if I could get eveyone more information, it was just as the tower collapsed. The sense of disbelief was indescribable. 

I have a friend from NYC who was there that day, and can barely describe the ordeal, even now. 

[wurmer]

30 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Likely or not it's what he's terrified of. I'm pretty sure he's even ****ing said it out loud. 

 

Problem is it needs to not just be the Dems but the right Dems. The social democratic wing would absolutely drag him through the coals and everyone he's associated with. Bernie Sanders has spent years openly telling everyone there shouldn't be any such thing as a billionaire, God bless him. 

 

But most of the moderate / centre right Dems that would be Cameronite Tories in this country and who still probably make up the majority of them, those guys are just as in bed with the oligarchy as most of the GOP. 

 

They'll know that throwing the book at Trump or acting on the Epstein Files also screws over a mountain of very wealthy and influential people they don't want to upset.

 

Like I said, I don't think Trump will really face justice in his lifetime (especially given he's not really got long left, as he? If he somehow managed to cheat him to a third term they'd have to ****ing Weekend At Bernies him through it harder than they're trying McConnell) but he's 100% being pulling out the stops this year to do everything he can to milk this presidency while it lasts because he's worried the walls are closing in. 

 

He knows he's gonna get mullered in the Mid-terms so he's playing out a multi-pronged approach to try and prevent this.
1) Sowing seeds of doubt and alleged interference in the election even before they take place so he can declare them illegitimate/declare a national emergency.
2) Attempting to bribe voters.
3) Supreme Court agreeing that he can restrict postal votes.
4) Voter interference - already hinting that he'll send in the National Guard to Decmocrat/swing states around polling day.

I actually think that his base would vote for him, even if he literally shot them in the face first.

However, I'm holding onto some vain hope that Americans aren't as f***ing stupid as they look at the moment and stop this happening.

 

[Amin]

It's not just the event itself that I remember, it's the anniversaries that followed: 1st, 2nd, 5th, 10th, 20th. A real time capsule of my life and how I was feeling at the time. I think it was the 20th anniversary where it started to feel like an event from history, rather than a recent memory.