What's in the News 3.0

[Oniya]

Given there are a lot of hackers on 4chan, a tad ironic no?

One of the articles mentioned that Anonymous got their start there - and of course, it's been a festering sore of right-wing crap like those Pepe rip-offs.  The fact that it was barely a blip on my (usually tech-heavy) feeds says a lot.

[SINless]

There used to be. By all accounts the site is a shadow of its glory days, with most of the more provocative subgroups moving to other sites like 8chan.

They moved to 8 chan qges ago. I'm sure the truly terrible ones are on 64chan by now.

[TheGlyphstone]

One of the articles mentioned that Anonymous got their start there - and of course, it's been a festering sore of right-wing crap like those Pepe rip-offs.  The fact that it was barely a blip on my (usually tech-heavy) feeds says a lot.

I always referred to 4Chan as the primordial soup of the internet. Rickrolling, Lolcats, Anonymous, everything born from /b/...

[SINless]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qw2149yelo.amp

For context, the UK supreme court decided after a huge campaign funded by everybody's favorite transphobic antisemitic children's book author that trans people when using public facilities, must use the facility of their gender assigned at birth. In the same opinion also stating that  trans people in some cases can be banned from using facilities of their gender assigned at birth as this might make people feel unsafe. 

Now the UK's first trans judge is bringing the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

[TheGlyphstone]

Does the European Court of Human Rights have any actual jurisdiction or influence in the UK? Prior to Brexit I'd have automatically assumed yes, but I dont know.

[SaintSicaire]

Does the European Court of Human Rights have any actual jurisdiction or influence in the UK? Prior to Brexit I'd have automatically assumed yes, but I dont know.

I looked it up and it actually does. All signatories of the European Charter of Human Rights (which still includes the UK) are technically bound by the court's decisions, but if they outrank national court rulings varies. As usual with international courts, there's no real way to force a country to actually follow its rulings.

[SINless]

Does the European Court of Human Rights have any actual jurisdiction or influence in the UK? Prior to Brexit I'd have automatically assumed yes, but I dont know.

Even in Europe the people think the EHCR is an EU institution.

It's not, it's part of the council of Europe which has 50 members including All EU members but also the UK, Turkey, Georgia and Ukraine among others.

The Council of Europe is mostly about human rights and good relations, meant to help prevent wars and other atrocities.

[SINless]

In other news, Elon Musk's favorite political party is classified as a terrorist organisation

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/05/02/germany-designates-afd-as-right-wing-extremist-organisation-citing-threat-to-democracy

[Al Terego]

In other news, Elon Musk's favorite political party is classified as a terrorist organisation

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/05/02/germany-designates-afd-as-right-wing-extremist-organisation-citing-threat-to-democracy

"right-wing extremist organisation", not "terrorist organisation". There is a difference.

[Missy]

You know you Euros don't dick around. It's funny really in America people are too afraid to do something like that because they don't want to be seen as 'political'. Of course the outcome of that timidity is slacking off accountability for four years and now we've got our new glorious fascist regime for the favour.

*sighs* Europe just keeps looking better by the day.

[SINless]

You know you Euros don't dick around. It's funny really in America people are too afraid to do something like that because they don't want to be seen as 'political'. Of course the outcome of that timidity is slacking off accountability for four years and now we've got our new glorious fascist regime for the favour.

*sighs* Europe just keeps looking better by the day.

Germany has, mostly through some obscure mistakes about 90 years ago, developed an aversion for fascists. Sadly it seems the memory of that period is fading, and about a fifth of the country is supporting a party that wants to bring back that time. 

Still, the way most European political systems work it becomes very hard for dictators to gain control

[SINless]

So spaceX just became its own municipality in Texas.

I wonder how much longer until the Shiawase decision becomes real life....

[TheGlyphstone]

Disney has essentially run its own surroundings as a quasi-governmental district for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Florida_Tourism_Oversight_District

[Callie Del Noire]

Disney has essentially run its own surroundings as a quasi-governmental district for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Florida_Tourism_Oversight_District

Yeah the issue took a LONG time for Disney to get started and is costing the state of Florida a FORTUNE to take over the governance of the region after De Santis took over control.

[SINless]

Disney has essentially run its own surroundings as a quasi-governmental district for decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Florida_Tourism_Oversight_District

The difference being that while autonomous, the RCID has no residents, and Celebration is part of Osceola county, thus there is no political power.

Starbase is a full municipality, meaning it has the power to create its own local legislation, including environmental regulation.

[Oniya]

Elon Musk's xAI plant is poisoning the neighborhoods around its data-center.

“I can’t breathe at home, it smells like gas outside,” Boxtown resident Alexis Humphreys said through tears, holding up her asthma inhaler during a public hearing about the turbines on April 25. “How come I can’t breathe at home and y’all get to breathe at home?”

[Callie Del Noire]

Elon mistakes Memphis for Capetown.

[TheGlyphstone]

He misses the sweet smell of apartheid in the air. Or maybe that's just the noxious fumes.

[Oniya]

He misses the sweet smell of apartheid in the air. Or maybe that's just the noxious fumes.

Well, he's so used to the smell of bullshit...  Oh dear, was that outside voice?

[Beorning]

Axe murder at the University of Warsaw! 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2w2898p1jo


Yes, really. A 22 y.o. law student murdered one woman (a porter) and wounded a man (a security guard). With an axe or a hatchet. The attack was so brutal that, apparently, the woman was beheaded. Not many details are known, but the killer is being charged with murder *and* desecration of human remains.

It's also been suggested that the killer might've planned on more victims. Probable spree killer?

In situations like this, I can't help thinking that, thankfully, we don't have the US gun laws here...

[Norwegian One]

https://www.reuters.com/world/conclave-live-updates-cardinals-meet-elect-successor-pope-francis-2025-05-07/

The new Pope is American. Any bets Trump will try to take credit for it?

[TheGlyphstone]

Trump already thinks he should be Pope anyways.

Seems Leo is in the same progressive mold as Francis, though, which I will call a good sign. Maybe with another pope or two the RCC will have finally caught up from its 500 year deficit on social issues.

[Al Terego]

https://www.reuters.com/world/conclave-live-updates-cardinals-meet-elect-successor-pope-francis-2025-05-07/

The new Pope is American. Any bets Trump will try to take credit for it?

I just posted the same thought in the other thread. What have we come to?

[Norwegian One]

Trump already thinks he should be Pope anyways.

Seems Leo is in the same progressive mold as Francis, though, which I will call a good sign. Maybe with another pope or two the RCC will have finally caught up from its 500 year deficit on social issues.

He does seem quite invested in the plight of the poor and refugees, and has criticised Trump's last administration on their immigration policies. However, he doesn't seem to share Pope Francis' inclusive view towards LGBTQ+. All in all, he seems to be a moderation to the his liberal predecessor, but not a conservative reactionary as some might have feared.

[TheGlyphstone]

Probably the best we could hope for, really. I'm still a little surprised Francis managed to get elected in the first place.