What's in the news?

[Missy]

They did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFxf98GpRj4

North Korean propoganda, it's what I do when I'm really really bored and want to laugh at somethign really really funny.

[Missy]

One of the best-known neo-Nazi movements in Sweden, with the gullible-sounding name Nordic Resistance League (Nordiska Motståndsrörelsen) have made a bid to appear at this summer's Almedalen Week, a well-known annual "politics and current affairs fair" that brings together politicians, NGOs, media, lobbyists and many from the general public in a relaxed athmosphere every July on the green island of Gotland. And they didn't just make a bid - they were accepted!  ::)  C:)

Somebody's been naive in the extreme...The NRL are both a political party - a small sect - and a self-declared armed militia aiming for (you guessed it) an armed Nazi revolution. Many of their members are used to talking internally about the day when politicians, journalists, bankers and "media jews" will be hanged in the town square, or the need for a bit of provoking violence to get things to happen fast. Simple security reasoning should have been enough to dismiss them. And even if the people organizing Almedalen aim to be inclusive, it's no kind of common civic right to advertise your party or pressure group there, just like it's not a civic right to have your own tv show. These guys are not even trying to be part of a wider political conversation - they want it changed out for a Nazi dictatorship!

I am plainly mystified by how the arranging committee can have been thinking. and this just two weeks after a terrorist attack in the capital.

In an interview in a local paper, one of the leading figures of the party said, "Most politicians and journalists are not on the same lines as we are". Understatement of the month.

Link (in Swedish)

I want to say the peopel who remember the war are dying out?

Although theres a star wars forum I use somethimes where oen of the memebers is a Nazi and with the exception of Nigel Farange's fanboy, no one treats his politics like its somethign legit.

[gaggedLouise]

I want to say the peopel who remember the war are dying out?

Although theres a star wars forum I use somethimes where oen of the memebers is a Nazi and with the exception of Nigel Farange's fanboy, no one treats his politics like its somethign legit.

Those neo-Nazis in the NRL might try to find a few people who look and talk in a presentable way (no swastikas?) when they're selecting a team, but whoever they send in, they will also pull in a substantial tail of their suporters into the area (it's mostly an open-air event in a public park). And those guys are not gonna be well-spoken or considerate,..

[Lustful Bride]

South Korea puts itself on a heightened state of alert as a precaution for an upcoming anniversary.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/skorea-on-heightened-alert-as-north-readies-for-army-anniversary/ar-BBA6B9G?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Trigon]

North Korean propoganda, it's what I do when I'm really really bored and want to laugh at somethign really really funny.

Same here  :P

***

In other news, after cynically allying with Julian Assange and Wikileaks during the 2016 Elections for their own personal gain, the Trump regime has now turned against him. Jeff Sessions seems intent on making his arrest a priority: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39663058

[Callie Del Noire]

Same here  :P

***

In other news, after cynically allying with Julian Assange and Wikileaks during the 2016 Elections for their own personal gain, the Trump regime has now turned against him. Jeff Sessions seems intent on making his arrest a priority: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39663058

And that will work out oooh so good. Sessions is already on his list.. now he does this? Oh yeah.. this will be interesting.

<gets out the pop corn and a bottle of San Sebastian.>

[Lustful Bride]

North Korea tattling its saber even harder.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korea-us-has-now-gone-seriously-mad/ar-BBA9Not?li=BBnb4R7&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

I feel bad for South Koreans, having to live next to a madhouse :(

[Trigon]

And the elections in France have now begun: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/france-presidential-election-voting-to-begin_us_58fbf034e4b018a9ce5bd3b8?rma&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

The ultimate fate of Europe, and France's position within, hinges on the outcome of this election...

[gaggedLouise]

And the elections in France have now begun: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/france-presidential-election-voting-to-begin_us_58fbf034e4b018a9ce5bd3b8?rma&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

The ultimate fate of Europe, and France's position within, hinges on the outcome of this election...

..aaand Emmanuel Macron (independent centre candidate) and Marine Le Pen (Front National, the infamous far-right "white French" party) are predicted to go on to the second round in all exit polls. That should give Macron a big advantage and an excellent chance to pull in voters from the other parties who don't want Le Pen for president at any cost. Basixally the same setupo as in 2002, when FN under the old man Le Pen, a much more openly provocative, angry and shrill party leader than his daughter, beat the socialist candidate in the first round and was pitted against then-presoident Jacques Chirac - and everyone rallied behind Chirac, even people who despised him, to prevent the disgrace of France getting an almost openly fascist president. Chirac and a few of his associates were under investigation for some serious scandals at the time, but many of his opponents held their noses and voted for him anyway.

Macron is more than likely to win the second round, even if he might not carry it with the same huge figures as Chirac. But no French president in the last twenty-five years or so has realized even half of what they promised in their election campaigns.  ::)

[TheGlyphstone]

..aaand Emmanuel Macron (independent centre candidate) and Marine Le Pen (Front National, the infamous far-right "white French" party) are predicted to go on to the second round in all exit polls. That should give Macron a big advantage and an excellent chance to pull in voters from the other parties who don't want Le Pen for president at any cost. Basixally the same setupo as in 2002, when FN under the old man Le Pen, a much more openly provocative, angry and shrill party leader than his daughter, beat the socialist candidate in the first round and was pitted against then-presoident Jacques Chirac - and everyone rallied behind Chirac, even people who despised him, to prevent the disgrace of France getting an almost openly fascist president. Chirac and a few of his associates were under investigation for some serious scandals at the time, but many of his opponents held their noses and voted for him anyway.

Macron is more than likely to win the second round, even if he might not carry it with the same huge figures as Chirac. But no French president in the last twenty-five years or so has realized even half of what they promised in their election campaigns.  ::)

Hopefully. But I was watching the most recent Last Week Tonight episode, and John pointed out that the 2016 American election was also widely predicted to be a strong victory for the left-centrist candidate over the right-wing, populist, nationalist contender.

[gaggedLouise]

Hopefully. But I was watching the most recent Last Week Tonight episode, and John pointed out that the 2016 American election was also widely predicted to be a strong victory for the left-centrist candidate over the right-wing, populist, nationalist contender.

Mmm, but at least Marine Le Pen is not a media star outside of politics, still less a media mogul...And her party has been constantly cash-strapped and looking for short-term financiing deals. She can't simply buy her way out of trouble  and scrutiny the way Trump has often been able to do.

[Missy]

Mmm, but at least Marine Le Pen is not a media star outside of politics, still less a media mogul...And her party has been constantly cash-strapped and looking for short-term financiing deals. She can't simply buy her way out of trouble  and scrutiny the way Trump has often been able to do.

well lets hope that pans rthe right way

[Trigon]

well lets hope that pans rthe right way

Well, if its any consolation, Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight has done a good analysis of the polling statistics in France, and there's a very good chance that Le Pen will just simply be demolished in the second round against Macron: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/le-pen-is-in-a-much-deeper-hole-than-trump-ever-was/

In particular, he points out that at least in Europe, the far-right parties tend to under-perform their polls rather than over-perform them. By contrast, the Trump vs Clinton match up was actually much closer than one would think.

[Trigon]

And for those who are looking for a more qualitative assessment of the outcome in France:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXFrDJo-lA

Whoever wins, the "Establishment" appears to be finished regardless...

[Missy]

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/24/us/new-orleans-confederate-statues/index.html?sr=twCNN042417new-orleans-confederate-statues0420PMVODtopLink&linkId=36842847

[TheGlyphstone]

Russia has made being a Jehova's Witness illegal, declaring them to be an "extremist organization."

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-religion-jehovah-s-idUSKBN17M1ZT

Huh? I mean sure they annoy a lot of people with their persistence, but this seems like overkill.

[Kimbersqk]

Too many fires! There are times the toll roads, interstates (sections) and neighborhood roads have been closed because the smoke is too thick and dangerous to drive.  I am not sure what rain they are talking about. Where I am, we haven't gotten any in too long...

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/22/us/florida-wildfires-evacuations/

[Missy]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39704840?ocid=socialflow_twitter

[Oniya]

It would be helpful to have some kind of explanation of links, unless the title of the link itself is self-explanatory.

[Trigon]

Another one of Trump's executive orders has been blocked by the courts: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58ffae57e4b0f5463a1aa173?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

Basically, it states that he cannot just simply pull federal funding from "Santuary Cities" because they happen to disagree with his immigration policies  ::)

[Lustful Bride]

I wonder, does this count as Schadenfraude?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wild-boars-overrun-islamic-state-position-kill-3-militants/ar-BBAmjUs?li=BBnb4R7&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Oniya]

I wonder, does this count as Schadenfraude?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wild-boars-overrun-islamic-state-position-kill-3-militants/ar-BBAmjUs?li=BBnb4R7&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

I know that pork is considered unclean - I have to wonder what kind of consequence there is to being killed by the pig?

[gaggedLouise]

I know that pork is considered unclean - I have to wonder what kind of consequence there is to being killed by the pig?

Probably as shameful as for a 19th century soldier (or indeed an IS soldier) to be killed by a woman.

And that's just the social stigma of it...

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/04/26/death-to-gays-pastor-jailed-for-35-years-for-child-molestation/

The pastor that said after the Pulse Shooting “I don’t see none of them as victims. I see them as getting what they deserve!” among other delightful things have been found guilty of child molestation. Have fun in jail :) For the rest of your miserable life.

edit: spelling mistake. Too early.. need coffee

[Lustful Bride]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/04/26/death-to-gays-pastor-jailed-for-35-years-for-child-molestation/

The pastor that said after the Pulse Shooting “I don’t see none of them as victims. I see them as getting what they deserve!” among other delightful things have been found guilty of child molestation. Have fun in fail :) For the rest of your miserable life.

And we all know that molesters get it really bad in prison.  >:)