General News Thread

[Mcjon01]

So it’s the twelfth right, did y’all Brexit yet or what

[Mattias]

Apparently Europe threw them a bone and gave them until Halloween to GTFO.

[Strange_One]

But they - the British government - will try to be done before then!

Ugh

[Deathhappens]

Meanwhile the Irish are cracking jokes like no tomorrow, in the short while before they realise whatever happens with Brexit is still going to fuck some of them over one way or another.

[AsGryffynn]

Assange is like the embodiment of that phrase "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain". Guy started out revealing important footage of the US bombing innocent civilians in Iraq, then ends up a likely rapist who helped the Russians get Donald Trump elected by leaking junk info on Hillary Clinton that did nothing but rile up sensationalistic gossip. Frankly, I don't see anything unjust about his fate.

The bolded did not happen.

That he was personally out to get the woman who asked why they couldn't just off the guy via UAV is unrelated to everything else. They are just collateral benefits. Enemy of my enemy is my friend is in full effect here.

I remember reading a piece written by someone who'd known him for several years and worked with Wikileaks that basically amounted to 'yeah, he's a dick'.

As a person, he is a dick. But Assange the person and Assange the founder of WL are people I enjoy separating.

I'm pretty sure the previous president kept him around hoping to get some use out of him, maybe as a deterrent of sorts through Wikileaks, but now that he's gone Assange is of no use to anyone so why keep him around you know?

Even if you're speaking about the President of the US, that'd be retarded. For Ecuador, it's outright false: Correa was very anti-American, so he took every chance he had short of de-dollarizing Ecuador to give America headaches.

Not to mention free internet access. I don't usually have a problem with whistleblowers and leakers, but I draw the line at somebody dumping info that puts peoples' lives at risk. I do agree that this could set a bad precedent for freedom of the press and free speech, but the how and what of Assange's publication list, as well as who he seems to have partnered with in recent years, leaves me feeling slightly conflicted on that aspect of the situation.

Even though I don't know the details, some people acquainted with WL I have met mentioned he was increasingly despondent and more likely to lash out at anyone who attacked him. When he noticed the US media was writing him off, he decided to start attacking them and no one else to paint them in a bad light. The idea was that if he could turn the world on the US (fat chance without a Technocratic government in Russia or an even bolder Chinese President), then public pressure would eventually see him leave freely or Britain confirming they would force him to stay and keep him off the US's grubby mits.

I get that. It was my understanding that the guy didn't redact personal information regarding members of the military chain of command in the 2010 infodump. Though, that said, I could be wrong. It's hard to separate fact, fiction, and rumor these days, and I can't even remember the source of my info on that part of it.

I guess you could say I view such a scenario as a reckless act. Perhaps well-intentioned and for some greater good, but still something that put people at risk when more effort on his part could have reduced or prevented it.

You saw his movie, didn't you?

Yep. More accurately, the man had a lot of vitriol towards interventionism, to the point that if soldiers got genocided, he would've burnt all pertinent information, but he was more than happy to leak as much as possible to make the military look bad.

As for "why no Russia leaks?" the answer is that he doesn't do the spying. Third parties obtain media they share with WL. Assange only acts as a middleman of sorts. Russia is not the safest place where they can retrieve info, but since whistleblowers leak information from other people, Russia likes having them around, since most info leaked will be of enemies. It's the people who do the digging that get shot or poisoned. Essentially, the country acts to shoot the letter's writer and not the mailman.

In other words, no significant leaks originating in Russia. There are some around the idiot keeps as a sort of "plan B" if all goes South. The reason for this is likely he intends to release them in private to his American handlers if they commute his sentence. Otherwise, they burn in hell.

Sorry for the words here, but I felt people had to know that the world of whistleblowing is completely different from the world of spies. Whistleblowers specifically exist so spies can leave their jobs in peace.

[Twelveseal]

Actually, I haven't seen his movie. Didn't even know there was one until you mentioned it.

[Mashina]

Meanwhile the Irish are cracking jokes like no tomorrow, in the short while before they realise whatever happens with Brexit is still going to fuck some of them over one way or another.

Oh, we've known that all along, the jokes are a coping mechanism

[Toa of Gallifrey]

Speaking of the UK, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a8866101.html

[Mcjon01]

The bolded did not happen.

His... name? His name didn’t happen???

[AsGryffynn]

His... name? His name didn’t happen???

Didn't bold the damn line at all. Shite.

[Deathhappens]

Speaking of the UK, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a8866101.html

Had to check to make sure I wasn't reading The Sun with that title.

[AsGryffynn]

Had to check to make sure I wasn't reading The Sun with that title.

[Skull]

So, the Notre-Dame cathedral is on fire.

Apparently it may be linked to renovation work.

[Reign]

This is upsetting. The rose window and spire are just gone now. Apparently the roof collapsed too.

[weeblord]

frollo how could you...

[asterism42]

Fire seems to be under control now. Not as bad as it could have been, firefighters were able to save the bell towers, and some of the relics have been recovered.

[SpoonyViking]

Fuck, it wasn't just Notre Dame.
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/ne...jUrmDWy7W8PWsM

[Tobias]

I am way more broken up about this then I should be. I have no skin in the game.

but I love historical architecture and art and the thought of such a priceless repository of human ingenuity and culture just...burning....it sickens me

[SpoonyViking]

I know, right?

Out of curiosity, is the media in you guys' countries reporting the Al-Aqsa fire as well? 'Cause here in Brazil we have / had nothing, only about the Notre Dame one.

[Twelveseal]

Not a peep. This was the first I'd heard of it.

And what Toby said.