The Wow I Can't Believe That News Story Thread

[Guybrush]

Originally Posted by jwb

[...] it's not at all clear to me what the best course of action is or even whether any goal to save the country should include this idea of saving the current system of democracy.

Side note, but.

A big problem which is universal, but that I guess the US was particularly vulnerable to, is ofc the problem that a lot of people don't know what's real. Like in the discussions about selfishness, that itself creates an environment where people like Trump can weaponize lies in order to gain power. If more people had integrated some critical thinking skills in the way they use their brains daily, that might not have happened. His win wasn't huge, it might've tipped the votes. We'd all be less vulnerable to other nations' manipulations, like how Russia pumps out disinformation from their lies-factories. A usual pathology of these lies is to separate people into uses and thems and so destabilize and undermine nations and people's well-being.

So I don't know much about short term solutions in the US (though I do hope you get Trump for the dangerous criminal he is), but I do feel that if we want functional democracies in the future, then it is necessary that more people learn to separate fact from fiction. It'll promote policies and legislation based on reality and not how much adrenochrome the other politicians suck out of babies. Living in the same reality will help people unite instead of seeing eachother as problems or enemies.

So more / better quality schooling, teaching critical thinking philosophy and skills, anything that would help to counter the influence of religious / conspiracy thinking like regulating what social media companies are allowed to. Disinformation spreading on the internet also needs to be tamed.

[Trollheart]

Ah, God, Ireland really gets your goat, doesn't it?

[Guybrush]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Ah, God, Ireland really gets your goat, doesn't it?

Nice to see that although they haven't abolished the animal cruelty part of the fair, they're at least making some effort into minimizing it. Very charming.

Perhaps time to consider getting a stuffed goat instead?

[Trollheart]

Ireland is the GOAT!

[Frownland]

Ja minorities don't matter.

[Frownland]

Author Salman Rushdie stabbed on lecture stage in New York

[SGR]

^ I saw that. I was thinking for some reason that Satanic Verses came out in the late '90s. Turns out, after checking, it was late '80s.

There's not many great metrics for quality writing, but I'd say if what you write ends up earning you assassination attempts, then you've definitely found success, at least in some way.

Hope Rushdie pulls though.

[Guybrush]

I dearly hope Salman Rushdie pulls through.

The fatwa has had other victims too. The translated words of Ayatollah Khomeini:

I inform all zealous Muslims of the world that the author of the book entitled The Satanic Verses — which has been compiled, printed and published in opposition to Islam, the Prophet, and the Qur'an — and all those involved in its publication who were aware of its content, are sentenced to death. I call on all zealous Muslims to execute them quickly, wherever they may be found, so that no one else will dare to insult the Muslim sanctities. God Willing, whoever is killed on this path is a martyr.

Here in Norway, this led to chief of the Satanic verses' publishing house getting shot three times outside his home in 1993. He fortunately pulled through.

I assume there may have been victims in other countries too.

[rubber soul]

Some good news. Rushdie is off the ventilator and talking. They're saying he's even making jokes.


https://apnews.com/article/salman-ru...d85df7b0fb5fea

[Trollheart]

Um... what?

Yeah, that'll show them!

News Alert: Man fatally shoots self after crashing car into barricade near US Capitol Building


A man shot and killed himself after driving into a vehicle barricade near the US Capitol Building early Sunday morning, US Capitol Police said.

The incident happened shortly after 4 a.m. ET, when the man drove his car into a barricade at East Capitol Street and Second Street. He then exited his car, which became "engulfed in flames," and fired several shots into the air, Capitol Police said in a statement.

He then fatally shot himself when authorities approached him. There were no additional injuries and the man's name was not immediately released, according to the statement.