General News Thread

[leicsmac]

4 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

https://aurdip.org/en/its-the-best-show-in-town-from-the-sderot-promontory-the-breathtaking-and-sinister-view-of-the-gaza-bombing/

 

I missed the bbc news ‘snapshot/report’ of the sderot viewing point.  This article perhaps gives a more nuanced view.  there will be right wing arseholes in every population (we have plenty here and they even make the cabinet in some PR govts)  but you can’t label everyone as having the same reasons for wanting to look into the ruins of north Gaza.  

Interesting article.

 

I would hazard a guess that those who go there just to confirm the inhumanity of what's going on are rather outnumbered by those who want to witness the spectacle as the Romans did 2000 years ago, though.

[BKLFox]

The forced internet age verification will be, if not already, the next scheme to join the list of utter cluster fxuks.

[Sampson]

11 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

The forced internet age verification will be, if not already, the next scheme to join the list of utter cluster fxuks.

It seems like it has potential huge data leak written all over it 

[Jon the Hat]

54 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Interesting article.

 

I would hazard a guess that those who go there just to confirm the inhumanity of what's going on are rather outnumbered by those who want to witness the spectacle as the Romans did 2000 years ago, though.

Let’s hope not, although there is plenty of hate to go round for sure.

[st albans fox]

53 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Interesting article.

 

I would hazard a guess that those who go there just to confirm the inhumanity of what's going on are rather outnumbered by those who want to witness the spectacle as the Romans did 2000 years ago, though.

You can’t see in that much detail Mac 

the areas of n Gaza that can be clearly seen through those binoculars hasn’t been inhabited for more than 18 months 

 

Some people will go to gawp or in some cases even celebrate but many will go to reflect on their own circumstances- remember that all citizens will serve in the army as reservists or have kids/close family in that position/soon to be.  They won’t know where they will be sent ahead of their period of service.  like I said in my original post - it’s nuanced.   We look at too many things in life as black and white - they’re nearly always shades of grey. (Sometimes of course, very very dark grey).  

[Guest Bilo]

14 hours ago, leicsmac said:

A Colosseum with refreshments for the modern age.

 

"Repulsive" is the least that could be said about it.

It's what happens when a population is so highly propagandised and brainwashed. Even the Third Reich tried to hide what they were doing rather than sell tickets to watch it.

 

Until the far-right is completely marginalised from Israeli politics, the country will never heal.

 

Efforts are being made among the Israeli left to make a comeback, with the merger of Meretz and the Israeli Labour Party into the Democrats, but even that merger only accounts for 4 seats in the Knesset. For all the liberalism in Tel Aviv and Haifa, much of the Israeli population outside of those two multicultural cities is eye-wateringly right-wing and avowedly anti-Arab. 

[leicsmac]

Just now, st albans fox said:

You can’t see in that much detail Mac 

the areas of n Gaza that can be clearly seen through those binoculars hasn’t been inhabited for more than 18 months 

 

Some people will go to gawp or in some cases even celebrate but many will go to reflect on their own circumstances- remember that all citizens will serve in the army as reservists or have kids/close family in that position/soon to be.  They won’t know where they will be sent ahead of their period of service.  like I said in my original post - it’s nuanced.   We look at too many things in life as black and white - they’re nearly always shades of grey. (Sometimes of course, very very dark grey).  

Agreed, that's why I said I'm guessing. 

 

There's certainly going to be variance in reasons, but it is rather difficult to look at the wildly disproportionate levels of death and suffering and not come to the conclusion that this is overall a bit ghoulish.

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Bilo said:

It's what happens when a population is so highly propagandised and brainwashed. Even the Third Reich tried to hide what they were doing rather than sell tickets to watch it.

 

Until the far-right is completely marginalised from Israeli politics, the country will never heal.

 

Efforts are being made among the Israeli left to make a comeback, with the merger of Meretz and the Israeli Labour Party into the Democrats, but even that merger only accounts for 4 seats in the Knesset. For all the liberalism in Tel Aviv and Haifa, much of the Israeli population outside of those two multicultural cities is eye-wateringly right-wing and avowedly anti-Arab. 

Driven by decades, if not more, of historical animosity. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

55 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

We look at too many things in life as black and white - they’re nearly always shades of grey. (Sometimes of course, very very dark grey)

There are no shades of grey - just whites that got dirty.

 

Esme Weatherwax

[leicsmac]

17 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

There are no shades of grey - just whites that got dirty.

 

Esme Weatherwax

Terry Pratchett should be required reading for the subject of personal and moral responsibility. 

[UniFox21]

2 hours ago, Sampson said:

It seems like it has potential huge data leak written all over it 

Feels that way, increasing numbers of companies have reported cyber attacks and losing customer data, this just offers more to lose

Edited 27 July 2025 by UniFox21

[Dreadnought]

2 hours ago, BKLFox said:

The forced internet age verification will be, if not already, the next scheme to join the list of utter cluster fxuks.

Wish I had a VPN company right now. Nord will be rolling in it 🤣

[The Bear]

36 minutes ago, Dreadnought said:

Wish I had a VPN company right now. Nord will be rolling in it 🤣

A couple of months ago TopCashBack were doing PIA VPN for 100% cashback. I decided to sign up for betting purposes more than anything else, as the new season is coming up. £44 for 2 years and I've already had the money back into my account. 

 

That offer is gone now but they are doing it for 73.5% back right now, if anyone still needs a VPN. 

Edited 27 July 2025 by The Bear

[The Bear]

35 minutes ago, Dreadnought said:

Wish I had a VPN company right now. Nord will be rolling in it 🤣

I think I read that Proton VPN have seen an upturn of 1400% in sign-ups!

[Dr The Singh]

4 hours ago, BKLFox said:

The forced internet age verification will be, if not already, the next scheme to join the list of utter cluster fxuks.

I went on pornhub earlier today, they use encryption key method, it was straight forward.  If they get hacked and my name is shown visiting the site, who gives a shit.

[BKLFox]

1 minute ago, Dr The Singh said:

I went on pornhub earlier today, they use encryption key method, it was straight forward.  If they get hacked and my name is shown visiting the site, who gives a shit.

I think it’s more about having your face or some other identity loaded in a not so secure database a driving licence for instance can be used as form of identification for many things.

 

Also this has been outsourced to 3rd party companies this data isn’t even being held securely in this country although the government will of course be collecting it as part of a stealth data grab as they slowly fill up their big brother databank.

 

There is more to lose than just being blocked from pornhub.

[Dr The Singh]

10 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

I think it’s more about having your face or some other identity loaded in a not so secure database a driving licence for instance can be used as form of identification for many things.

 

Also this has been outsourced to 3rd party companies this data isn’t even being held securely in this country although the government will of course be collecting it as part of a stealth data grab as they slowly fill up their big brother databank.

 

There is more to lose than just being blocked from pornhub.

I gave an example, where my face was not required, nor my name etc, there's loads of tech that can resolve age validation without face, names etc.

 

I work in tech, this isnt new, governments have already the capability.

 

 

 

Edited 27 July 2025 by Dr The Singh

[BKLFox]

25 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

I gave an example, where my face was not required, nor my name etc, there's loads of tech that can resolve age validation without face, names etc.

 

I work in tech, this isnt new, governments have already the capability.

 

 

 

Fair enough

 

It’s where we are going & where this data is being stored ie a non governmental controlled DC but with a foreign company who has won a bid is a main worry.

 

Also the big brother issue of identifying someone when they purchase something & being means tested right there & then at the till, same with looking to see how many times you go abroad etc etc

[filbertway]

35 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

I think it’s more about having your face or some other identity loaded in a not so secure database a driving licence for instance can be used as form of identification for many things.

 

Also this has been outsourced to 3rd party companies this data isn’t even being held securely in this country although the government will of course be collecting it as part of a stealth data grab as they slowly fill up their big brother databank.

 

There is more to lose than just being blocked from pornhub.

From what I've read, nothing it stored permanently, it's purely inputs used for age verification. Persona apparently store images for up to 7 days then they're deleted.

 

Unless you don't have a passport or drivers licence or any other kind of gov't ID. Then they've got your face. In fact the government will have all of your details already. So not sure what they're going to get from their big scary data grab.

[BKLFox]

3 minutes ago, filbertway said:

From what I've read, nothing it stored permanently, it's purely inputs used for age verification. Persona apparently store images for up to 7 days then they're deleted.

 

Unless you don't have a passport or drivers licence or any other kind of gov't ID. Then they've got your face. In fact the government will have all of your details already. So not sure what they're going to get from their big scary data grab.

Ok fair enough again,

 

From a forum that went ape sh1t when the other lot were talking about mandatory ID cards which you kept in your possession.

 

I currently have a very small data footprint but guess it’s not a problem until it is..

[Dr The Singh]

11 minutes ago, BKLFox said:

Fair enough

 

It’s where we are going & where this data is being stored ie a non governmental controlled DC but with a foreign company who has won a bid is a main worry.

 

Also the big brother issue of identifying someone when they purchase something & being means tested right there & then at the till, same with looking to see how many times you go abroad etc etc

I agree its an issue, unfortunately my friend, people's rights etc and even democracy is at a threat.  Think about, what is the fine to NOT doing a census?

 

There is a massive movement in. Southern India to only accept cash, because they do not trust the government 

Edited 27 July 2025 by Dr The Singh

[The Bear]

They always say nothing is stored until their data is breached and they have to fess up. 

 

Same as with VPNs a few years ago who logged everything you did via their servers. Forcing some of them to offer customers a no logging policy for any data due to the backlash. 

[Unabomber]

20 hours ago, Tommy G said:

You’ll be lucky to get 3.2% in the private sector this year, more and more people becoming unemployed and advertised roles shrinking. 

That’s weird we are finding the opposite when hiring 

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Terry Pratchett should be required reading for the subject of personal and moral responsibility. 

I don't subscribe to this 100%, but in my experience it's largely true. The grey areas I mean.

Edited 27 July 2025 by Trav Le Bleu

[Lionator]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/27/britain-ready-to-fight-over-taiwan-china-john-healey/

 

im sure that’ll make things better