What's in the news?

[TheVillain]

The FBI has known for decades that most acts of terrorism committed on US soil are committed by White Christian Conservatives. The only recent change there is now they’re sure it’s at least 2 out of every 3 acts of terrorism.

The odds of this being someone attempting a legit terror campaign are pretty solid in that light.

[Oniya]

If somebody had the idea of using this for a "Reichstag fire strategy" - "We're under attack from some violent terror outfit, you'll have to stick together behind Trump and the media should damn well stay in line and be nice to us" - then the choice of targets seems to defeat such a plan.

When the targets included the White House they might have had a shot at playing the victim.  Now that the White House target has been discredited, not so much.

[HairyHeretic]

When the targets included the White House they might have had a shot at playing the victim.  Now that the White House target has been discredited, not so much.

No, certain elements are busy saying its a false flag operation designed to influence the upcoming elections.

This comes rather strongly to mind :)

[Beguile's Mistress]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/10/27/pittsburgh-police-responding-active-shooting-squirrel-hill-area/?utm_term=.d9895cef2aa5&wpisrc=al_news__alert-national&wpmk=1

A gunman began shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue this morning.  Between 4-7 reported dead and 3 officers injured.  Suspect has been apprehended.

[RedRose]

People are f*cking crazy…

Just no. As if handling close to 40 rowdy teens wasn't enough... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6300081/French-schoolboy-15-points-gun-teacher-execute-her.html

[gaggedLouise]

People are f*cking crazy…

Just no. As if handling close to 40 rowdy teens wasn't enough... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6300081/French-schoolboy-15-points-gun-teacher-execute-her.html

The guy who was arrested as a prime suspect for those US tube bombs to the Clintons and Obamas, Joe Biden, CNN etc - he seems a really nice and balanced man, too. In 2002 he had been bouncing his electricity fees for some time and the providers threatened to cut him off - so he tells them that "if you shut down the light in my house I'm gonna blow up your building and it will be worse than 9/11". 

And yes, now the Pittsburgh shooting - and Trumo making some sensationally inept and lame comments about it ("they should have had armed guards"). He sounds like he feels the news broke into the Saturday football match he intended to watch on tv.  ^_ ^

[gaggedLouise]

Oh yes, almost forgot. Trump thinks another great way to bring down mass shootings and multiple-killings at robberies etc is - to make sure there are more executions, and carried out considerably faster. 

[Hatchet]

What bothered me was his comments about how we need to keep going as a country and tragedy and hate doesn't stop us from our schedule. I believe he has a point that we still need to take care of our individual things and such...I mean for example I'm going to work tomorrow but his comment just felt like he was blowing the Pittsburgh shooting off.

I remember during President Obama's term with a school shooting he immediately canceled his plans and such to go be there for the families and community while Trump keeps going to his rallies. Yes he's talking about the shooting, yes of coarse he's telling everyone its a tragedy but what else is he going to say? It doesn't matter? They deserved it? No. I don't think he's the sharpest knife in the drawer by any means but the fact that bothered me is he just...I don't know. It felt like he was brushing this under the rug.

Also to Jeff Sessions...As someone who lives in Alabama. I don't want to hear another damn word out of your mouth. I know you don't mean a good word that you say. You elf on the shelf knockoff, spineless little rat face.   

[Mechelle]

I am simultaneously shocked but not surprised by Donald Trump's remarks.

Closer to home, a helicopter said to be carrying the owner, and possibly other members of the management of EPL football club Leicester City, has crashed outside the stadium after their match tonight. It doesn't look good at all for anybody on board.

[gaggedLouise]

I am simultaneously shocked but not surprised by Donald Trump's remarks.

Closer to home, a helicopter said to be carrying the owner, and possibly other members of the management of EPL football club Leicester City, has crashed outside the stadium after their match tonight. It doesn't look good at all for anybody on board.

Yes, it doesn't look good at all. Reuters confirmed about two hours ago that the owner was on board, as everyone had thought he would be - it was his habit to leave after the match by helicopter - and a daughter of his is also said to have been in the craft. The nature of the crash makes it extremely hard to see that anyone could have survived. :(

I am feeling distressed too by Trump's remarks on Pittsburgh, most of all by his *tone* and the blah lack of concern he radiated after one of the worst antisemitic terror acts on U.S. soil in the last couple of decades.

[RedRose]

I have accepted that Trump is WEIRD and even when he means well, he can mess up because of the way he expresses himself…

[gaggedLouise]

I have accepted that Trump is WEIRD and even when he means well, he can mess up because of the way he expresses himself…

My brpther has a copy of a famous map of old Scotland, its hundreds of clan territories, dukedoms and such, framed with about two hundred coats of arms of these clans with their helmets and family mottos. One of them shows a caveman wielding a knife, and the motto, written on a white band: "I MEAN WELL". That's Trump alright!
s

[Beguile's Mistress]

I keep hoping he changes his mind about coming to Pittsburgh. 

[TheVillain]

My brpther has a copy of a famous map of old Scotland, its hundreds of clan territories, dukedoms and such, framed with about two hundred coats of arms of these clans with their helmets and family mottos. One of them shows a caveman wielding a knife, and the motto, written on a white band: "I MEAN WELL". That's Trump alright!
s

I disagree. His motivation has been pretty clear from the beginning that he's in this for the payday.

[gaggedLouise]

I disagree. His motivation has been pretty clear from the beginning that he's in this for the payday.

Perhaps you missed the irony? :)

[TheVillain]

They really do need to develop a sarcasm font for the internet.

[Regina Minx]

No, it's fine as is. [/sarcasm]

[Deamonbane]

Jair Bolsonaro declared Brazil's next president

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/28/jair-bolsonaro-wins-brazil-presidential-election

I can honestly say I've never been more ashamed.

[Beguile's Mistress]

Trumpitis is spreading! 

[gaggedLouise]

Trumpitis is spreading! 

Indeed it is. Bolsonaro sounds like a really dreary figure, a lot like Duterte actually. He cheers police death squads like his Philippino colleague; he even said in parliament at one point "I am dedicating this vote of mine to -" naming one of the worst henchmen of the military junta that ruled Brazil in the 1960s-80s (this was during the vote to remove then president Dilma Rousseff, who had been brutally tortured by the police under the same junta, from office). 

And he wants to speed up the mowing down of forest in the Amazon jungle, for what seems like very short.sighted reasons. :(  There was a scandal surrounding his campaign about some sort of illegal vote canvassing measures, and attempts to get him disqualified from running, but this went nowhere, so here we are with another thuggish and violent populist leading a major country.

[Lustful Bride]

Michigan is playing a very dangerous game here. I don't like it, especially convicted fellons suddenly acting like cops. It unnerves me.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/they-look-like-cops-but-theyre-not-and-theyre-all-over-michigan/ar-BBOWPbG?ocid=spartandhp

[gaggedLouise]

Almost two months after the latest egeneral elections in Sweden, the leaders of both of the two biggest parties have now come up empty, one after the other, in their attempts to form a viable coalition government. Forming a government here after an election used to be done in a matter of two or three weeks, and with little doubt about which parties would be in it.  This time around, everyone knew it was going to be a much tougher process (mostly because no one wants to be seen to join a government that would depend on support from the third largest party, the anti-immigration and heavily nationalist Sweden Democrats).. :(

Also, Angela Merkel, in some ways the leader of the Free World now that Trump has stepped down from the role, announces that she will be quitting the post of leader of her Christian Democrat party, though she plans to remain Chancellor of Germany for three more years.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46020745

[RedEve]

There were suggestions that Merkel might have already stepped down before her current term were it not for the turmoil in Europe and abroad.

I for one am thankful she remained in her post even though I don't agree with all of her politics.

[Beorning]

I'm honestly worried about Merkel retiring... who knows who will be the next German chancellor and what it will mean for my country...

A completely unrelated news / question: guys, what would happen if, say, a correspondent for FOX News openly and cheerfully tweeted that he's using false ID to get free access to Washington Post's online articles? Because that's what happened here. A correspondent for Polish state TV (now turned into a PiS mouthpiece) recently tweeted that he signed up as a female college student on the website of the leading Polish liberal daily, Gazeta Wyborcza. He openly admitted he did this so that he wouldn't have to pay for the access to their articles (because Wyborcza is offering free access to students).

Seriously, I'd say this guy should be fired on the spot (not that I expect it to happen - TVP's ethical standards hit an all-time low since PiS took over). But maybe something like that would be hushed over in other countries, too?

[Shekinah]

Boeing 737 plane crashes in sea off Jakarta. All 189 people on board are presumed dead.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46014463