This is the News!

[The Legendary Shark]

I think that in recognising the state of Palestine, along with Spain and Norway, Ireland's government will upset those crazy Yankee senators even more. Good! And good on Ireland's government (and the rest) for doing so. The cynic in me thinks that these governments couldn't really care less (it took them months to do this, after all) and are only doing it because they have that politician's sense of which way the wind is blowing. Still, it's a small step in the right direction.

Now if only we could encourage our own shitty governments that genocide is wrong and not a business opportunity. I won't hold my breath.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I think that in recognising the state of Palestine, along with Spain and Norway, Ireland's government will upset those crazy Yankee senators even more.

Not just the crazy yank senators, but the chatbots too. Irish social* media has been (more) whacky lately.

*sic

[The Legendary Shark]

That's not surprising. A lot of these bots belong to governments - but they're not trying to manipulate our perceptions, oh no, they'd never do that...

[JayzusB.Christ]

I see where this is going.

[Funt Solo]

Even after ... being found liable for sexual abuse, he remains the favourite.  Even in the very unlikely event of him serving prison time, I doubt this will make much of a dent in his popularity.

This is actually quite common, and has precedence. When Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, and the Republicans were desperate for voters to join in the moral outrage, it was tumbleweed time. Or Ozzie politician Bob Hawke - the public response was along the lines of "on ye, mate".

If you're a Trump fan, or a Biden opponent, the prosecution circling around a sex scandal probably seems partisan. It may well be partisan.

[Funt Solo]

but they're not trying to manipulate our perceptions, oh no, they'd never do that...

PR departments, spin doctors, careful messaging - of course politicians, governments, media organizations, advertisers and corporations are trying to manipulate our perceptions. It's not a secret.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Even after ... being found liable for sexual abuse, he remains the favourite.  Even in the very unlikely event of him serving prison time, I doubt this will make much of a dent in his popularity.

This is actually quite common, and has precedence. When Clinton had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, and the Republicans were desperate for voters to join in the moral outrage, it was tumbleweed time. Or Ozzie politician Bob Hawke - the public response was along the lines of "on ye, mate".

If you're a Trump fan, or a Biden opponent, the prosecution circling around a sex scandal probably seems partisan. It may well be partisan.

Aye, fair enough - but I was more thinking of E. Jean Carroll than Stormy Daniels. A sleazy affair is one thing, but rape is a whole different level.

[Funt Solo]

Aye, fair enough - but I was more thinking of E. Jean Carroll than Stormy Daniels. A sleazy affair is one thing, but rape is a whole different level.

It's a good point. He's such a prolific shit, that I'd actually forgotten all of the horrible things he's done.

[The Legendary Shark]

but they're not trying to manipulate our perceptions, oh no, they'd never do that...

PR departments, spin doctors, careful messaging - of course politicians, governments, media organizations, advertisers and corporations are trying to manipulate our perceptions. It's not a secret.

No, it's not a secret, and from the standpoint of freedom of speech everyone has the right to lie. If this is the case, then everyone also has the right to question those lies, or even question truths. However, we are currently enduring an age where questioning official narratives, bucking against the manipulation of our perceptions, has become socially unacceptable and borderline illegal. I find this situation intolerable - freedom of speech for them but not for us is fundamentally unjust - especially when the liars claim the power to weave those lies into legislation.