board77

The Last Homely Site on the Web

Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.

Post Reply   Page 121 of 138  [ 2750 posts ]
Jump to page « 1119 120 121 122 123138 »
Author Message
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Mon 01 Oct , 2018 8:52 pm
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4622
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
Dave_LF wrote:
Well it does decide our elections
That was a literal lol, just so you know.

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Wed 03 Oct , 2018 2:18 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
It looks like the first presidential alert test is set for today. What I thought interesting is that apparently Obama set the stage for it:
https://thehill.com/homenews/administra ... -afternoon
Quote:
Former President Obama signed a law in 2016 that stated the emergency alert system was allowed to be used for testing. The law said it would not be utilized "to transmit a message that does not relate to a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster or threat to public safety."

...The New York Times reported that the first test for the nationwide emergency alert system will happen at 2:18 p.m. EST on Wednesday and the message will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System."

"No action is needed,” the message will add.
Or perhaps, as I saw someone remark on a message board... ;)
"This is a Test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed. But none of this matters because there was NO COLLUSION."

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
Dave_LF
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Wed 03 Oct , 2018 6:20 pm
You are hearing me talk
Offline
 
Posts: 2950
Joined: Mon 28 Feb , 2005 8:14 am
Location: Great Lakes
 
I agree that it's good to have a national alert system and that it's good to test it, but it's sort of 1984 to call it a "Presidential alert."


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Thu 04 Oct , 2018 1:15 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
Maybe it was the only way to get the current occupant of the White House to approve it? ;)

A system of regional alerts would make more sense to me. Unless you're preparing for war, I can't think of many emergencies that would require everyone across the entire US to instantly know about them.

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Thu 04 Oct , 2018 1:43 pm
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4622
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
Apparently the system was introduced by Obama, the fact I was hard pressed not to mention to people who tweeted their thanks to Mr. President. Republicans are giving me flashbacks to the 1970s in the USSR, I swear.

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Thu 04 Oct , 2018 3:17 pm
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4622
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
NPR redefines "Well, that escalated quickly."

The Justice Department has charged seven Russian intelligence officers, accusing them of hacking into anti-doping agencies, sports federations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. https://t.co/0uWlWtBJnL

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Thu 04 Oct , 2018 8:46 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
Yes, I heard they'd moved on from the game of just trying to influence opinions.
Quote:
Apparently the system was introduced by Obama, the fact I was hard pressed not to mention to people who tweeted their thanks to Mr. President.
Yep (as I mentioned above ;) ). The whole thing is getting funnier, though:

https://www.cnet.com/news/new-yorkers-s ... ial-alert/
Quote:
Some New Yorkers don't want Trump to text them.

Three New York residents last week filed a lawsuit in the Southern District Court of New York against President Donald Trump and William Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The residents want to halt FEMA's new Presidential Alert messaging system, which enables Trump to deploy alerts of national emergencies.
Some people seriously have too much time on their hands.

Just delete the damn message. Much easier and cheaper than wasting your money on a lawsuit.

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Thu 04 Oct , 2018 10:24 pm
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4622
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
It's some sort of pettiness horizon where the petty becomes almost impressive.

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Fri 05 Oct , 2018 6:08 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... -from-lake
Quote:
An eight-year-old girl has pulled a 1,500-year-old sword from a lake in southern Sweden.

“I felt something with my hand and at first I thought it was a stick,” Saga Nevecek told the local Värnamo Nyheter newspaper. “Then it had a handle that looked like it was a sword, and then I lifted it up and shouted: ‘Daddy, I found a sword!’”

...Despite intense speculation on social media, there was no immediate confirmation that Saga would be crowned “Queen of Sweden”

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Fri 05 Oct , 2018 6:47 pm
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19651
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
Her name is Saga? Really? :Q

It's a sign!!!!!11111oneoneone :horse:

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Fri 05 Oct , 2018 7:08 pm
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4622
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
That's a cool origin story.

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
Jude
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Sat 06 Oct , 2018 9:59 pm
Aspiring to heresy
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 19651
Joined: Wed 23 Feb , 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Canada
 
Check out these colour photos of Chicago train yards from the 1940's!

The colours are so vibrant, they look like they were taken this year!

_________________

[ img ]

Melkor and Ungoliant in need of some relationship counselling.


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Fri 30 Nov , 2018 7:24 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-u ... aca3b058bc
Quote:
A mum has claimed her daughter was mocked to her face and then on social media by airline staff because her name is Abcde.

Traci Redford alleges a Southwest Airlines gate agent at John Wayne International Airport in Orange County, California, laughed after reading her five year-old daughter’s boarding pass, The Sun reported.

She says the agent even posted a photo of the boarding pass on Facebook for others to join in the mockery, ABC7 reported.
Is this woman really so clueless that she doesn't realize naming her daughter Abcde means that 90% of the people she meets will struggle not to laugh?

Or that publicizing this incident to the world means that a very large number of people worldwide also know now that she named her daughter something ridiculous?

Poor kid, having a mother like that.

(Though I have to acknowledge that posting a picture to Facebook was unprofessional)

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Fri 30 Nov , 2018 10:04 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21756
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
That is a ridiculous name, and the mom is a moron. However, she can't laugh at the little girl or post her info on social media. :roll:

Also, I just looked at those photographs you linked to, Jude. Wow! Those were so evocative!

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Wed 05 Dec , 2018 4:12 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
I'm not sure this belongs under "weird and unusual" but I can't help wondering how much of this was a radio station's publicity stunt. Every year lately, there's a group of people in the US outraged by this song and another group defending it:
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing ... p-baby-its
Quote:
Listeners polled at a radio station in Colorado have reportedly voted to keep "Baby, It's Cold Outside" on the air, despite the winter standard facing increasingly scrutiny for what many see as predatory undertones in its lyrics.

Colorado’s Christmas radio station KOSI 101.1 had previously pulled the song, but the station will now be playing the track in its rotation after respondents to an online poll appeared unbothered by the song’s lyrics, The Denver Post reported.

...However, KOSI 101.1’s online poll generated over 15,000 responses, with 95 percent of respondents voting to keep the tune in its rotation.
And while there is much debate over an old song from the 1940s that was a product of its time (including reinterpreting the old joke line of "say, what's in this drink?" - often used in old movies as a way to justify acting silly - as referring to date rape drugs), there doesn't seem to be the corresponding outrage over some seriously misogynistic lyrics in certain rap modern songs... ;)
(I admit it, I'm amused by the things people get themselves worked up over sometimes. Don't like something, don't listen to it.)

Edit: along those lines...
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ld-outside
Quote:
Don’t listen too hard to Christmas songs: their lyrics are always creepy
Quote:
And if we’re really going to scrutinise Christmas tunes for their inappropriateness in the modern world, where do we stop? Good King Wenceslas glorifies a patriarchal definition of charitable giving that belittles the value of a properly funded welfare state. The 12 Days of Christmas, with its celebration of the senseless carnage of literally dozens of innocent game birds, is offensive to vegans....
(some of the comments on this one are actually pretty funny)

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Sat 08 Dec , 2018 10:56 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21756
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
Tempest in a teapot, for the most part. :roll:

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
aninkling
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Mon 10 Dec , 2018 1:57 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 2048
Joined: Fri 10 Aug , 2012 4:42 pm
 
There seems to be a lot of that, these days, with social media. I heard somewhere (NPR?) that a historical society in Boston was in trouble for an invitation or something that said "we're dreaming of a white Dorchester." Clearly a play on the song White Christmas and a wish for snow, not some racist message, but of course, some people had to kick up a fuss and the society had to apologize abjectly before it could be forgiven.

Speaking of which, if people are going to go around banning songs they don't like, can I propose that we ban White Christmas, since it's so saccharine? And Santa Baby? Not that I mind innuendo, but innuendo combined with cutesy is just horrible.

_________________

Society can and does execute its own mandates, and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. ― John Stuart Mill


Top
Profile Quote
Alatar
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Mon 10 Dec , 2018 2:21 pm
of Vinyamar
Offline
 
Posts: 8274
Joined: Mon 28 Feb , 2005 4:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact: ICQ
 
Fairytale of New York is the latest casualty, with many stations including VH1 bleeping the word "faggot"

Shane McGowan issued a statement
Quote:
"The word was used by the character because it fitted with the way she would speak and with her character,” he wrote.

"She is not supposed to be a nice person, or even a wholesome person. She is a woman of a certain generation at a certain time in history and she is down on her luck and desperate. Her dialogue is as accurate as I could make it but she is not intended to offend! She is just supposed to be an authentic character and not all characters in songs and stories are angels or even decent and respectable, sometimes characters in songs and stories have to be evil or nasty in order to tell the story effectively,” he continued.

The musician said that he is “absolutely fine” with the word being censored and added that he doesn’t want to get into an argument.

_________________

[ img ]
These are my friends, see how they glisten...


Top
Profile Quote
Frelga
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Mon 10 Dec , 2018 8:50 pm
A green apple painted red
User avatar
Offline
 
Posts: 4622
Joined: Thu 17 Mar , 2005 9:11 pm
Location: Out on the banks
 
The weirdest bleep I heard was Last Friday Night where they bleeped out "menage a trois." I feel like anyone who knows what that can safely hear it.

_________________

GNU Terry Pratchett


Top
Profile Quote
LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Weird and Unusual News Stories- Join In.
Posted: Mon 10 Dec , 2018 9:11 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
Offline
 
Posts: 21756
Joined: Thu 24 Feb , 2005 3:46 pm
 
Well, speaking of that, I've always wondered why they bleep out the words in this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA1nGPM9yHA

They bleep out the normal swear words but also:

And smoked the finest green
I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times

Who used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs

He pulled out his chrome 45, talked some shit, and wound up dead

I mean, I guess I get it, but it always seems excessive to me. ??

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Display: Sort by: Direction:
Post Reply   Page 121 of 138  [ 2750 posts ]
Return to “The Symposium” | Jump to page « 1119 120 121 122 123138 »
Jump to: