Meanwhile In America

[royal white]

2 minutes ago, Bertie said:

I’ve never fired a gun in my life.  Reports say he was shot from 200 yards away.  No idea of the significance of that. Could anyone with a firearm in the US do that, or does it suggest someone more trained/professional? 

Trained. However many yanks are brought up with guns, so it’s likely they would be able to take that kind of shot. 

[Ani]

1 minute ago, royal white said:

Trained. However many yanks are brought up with guns, so it’s likely they would be able to take that kind of shot. 

It looks like it was slightly further away than the attempt on Trump. 

[Ani]

1 minute ago, royal white said:

Trained. However many yanks are brought up with guns, so it’s likely they would be able to take that kind of shot. 

Could you have done it ?

Where were you earlier today ? 

[Spider]

17 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Not for you though. 

 

Why?

[tyldesley_white]

6 minutes ago, Bertie said:

I’ve never fired a gun in my life.  Reports say he was shot from 200 yards away.  No idea of the significance of that. Could anyone with a firearm in the US do that, or does it suggest someone more trained/professional? 

with practice yes, but most couldn't hit a barn door at 10 paces, and that includes the police

[kent_white]

1 hour ago, wanderer1984 said:

Society has lost its moral compass.

Some call it progressive and want division.

Sad times.

 

Somehow - we've all got to get back to being human beings again and not automatically hate someone just because they disagree with yiu about politics. 

I saw Tim Berners-Lee being interviewed yesterday. And he was explaining the algorithms job is to keep you locked in and engaging in the content. So it will deliberately show you things to become enraged about. 

His argument has that this has led to a lot of the polarisation we see in society and gives us a false view of the world really is. He essentially said the Internet had been monopolised by these huge companies - all keeping us scrolling with their negative algorithms. 

He said it should be outlawed. Social media firms should still He able to exist but with strict guidelines around hiw their algorithms work. Banned in the same way that we banned guns. Because it's so damaging to society. 

Remember when Facebook was good and it really was all your friends posting stupid shit all day about what they were doing? It's NOTHING like that now. I barely see any posts from my friends anymore. It's just adverts and videos to make me start doomscrolling. 

Fuck that shit - I'm done with it!

Let's just start being decent with each other again. 

I'll put my pipe down now! 😁✌️☮️🕊

[boogs]

Made the mistake of watching the video when I knew it was someone I shouldn't have trusted to press play on 😪

For what its worth, I couldn't be further from the lads political beliefs. But fuck me, I don't mind admitting that I just shead a tear after seeing that. 

The world is fucked. How has it come to such devision, even between lads I I've known since childhood, I've never seem such fall outs even just chatting in the boozer. Obviously not as bad as what's just happened, but just as sad in it's own little way as far as I can see. 😪

 

[little whitt]

Ive Never Heard of Him 

RIP Anyway 

[bolty58]

6 hours ago, tyldesley_white said:

must have the wrong guy, hes white 

WTF?

So was the guy who tried to assassinate Trump. Not another 'you just don't like brown skin' guilt tripper are you?

[bolty58]

4 hours ago, kent_white said:

Somehow - we've all got to get back to being human beings again and not automatically hate someone just because they disagree with yiu about politics. 

Good post sir.

My take on this bit is that it can't happen and is related to over population and the ever increasing scarcity of resources. it's in the psyche of all of us. Most just haven't realised it yet.

[bolty58]

4 hours ago, boogs said:

The world is fucked. How has it come to such division

My theory is that the left side of politics with its attendant political correctness and subsequent wokery (all emanating from the US) has been given free reign for over two decades now, The 'division' you refer to is coming from the long overdue equal and opposite reaction. 

Might calm down after a blow up and things move more towards the centre? Either that or the next World War will sort it - possibly once and for all for everybody.

[Dr Faustus]

24 years ago the country became as united as it never has been before… we all need to remember that

[boogs]

2 hours ago, bolty58 said:

My theory is that the left side of politics with its attendant political correctness and subsequent wokery (all emanating from the US) has been given free reign for over two decades now, The 'division' you refer to is coming from the long overdue equal and opposite reaction. 

Might calm down after a blow up and things move more towards the centre? Either that or the next World War will sort it - possibly once and for all for everybody.

I'd had a few beers last night, and seeing that video span me out a bit. But you've cheered me right up with that, thanks 😂😂

Edited September 11, 2025 by boogs

[deeane Koontz]

7 hours ago, kent_white said:

Somehow - we've all got to get back to being human beings again and not automatically hate someone just because they disagree with yiu about politics. 

I saw Tim Berners-Lee being interviewed yesterday. And he was explaining the algorithms job is to keep you locked in and engaging in the content. So it will deliberately show you things to become enraged about. 

His argument has that this has led to a lot of the polarisation we see in society and gives us a false view of the world really is. He essentially said the Internet had been monopolised by these huge companies - all keeping us scrolling with their negative algorithms. 

He said it should be outlawed. Social media firms should still He able to exist but with strict guidelines around hiw their algorithms work. Banned in the same way that we banned guns. Because it's so damaging to society. 

Remember when Facebook was good and it really was all your friends posting stupid shit all day about what they were doing? It's NOTHING like that now. I barely see any posts from my friends anymore. It's just adverts and videos to make me start doomscrolling. 

Fuck that shit - I'm done with it!

Let's just start being decent with each other again. 

I'll put my pipe down now! 😁✌️☮️🕊

 

There's also a big problem with politics having turned into a circus of performative hate. Which helps nothing and exacerbates everything.

 

[Bertie]

Really depressing. Hideous what happened yesterday. To me a huge part of the problem is the divisive leadership that seems to be in place around the world.  Whether this feeds or reflects populism and the social media echo chambers I don’t know, but it isn’t healthy. The only way out of this imho is for leaders to lead and actually try and heal divisions, not sow them. After all prime ministers and presidents are supposed to rule for the whole of their countries, not just for folk who voted for them. Sadly this isn’t happening - we had Trump reflecting on a “dark moment for America” before immediately calling out “the radical left” (without evidence).  An opportunity lost by choosing to pour petrol on the fire. It’s not left or right though - there’s examples in both directions. People with power need to show responsibility, not just project a narrative which suits their needs.  I hope to god we pull back from this precipice in this country. Really depressing.

[L/H White]

Just seen a picture of him with 2 very young children 

Terrible 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

8 hours ago, kent_white said:

Somehow - we've all got to get back to being human beings again and not automatically hate someone just because they disagree with yiu about politics. 

You'll love this video linked below.

4 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Good post sir.

My take on this bit is that it can't happen and is related to over population and the ever increasing scarcity of resources. it's in the psyche of all of us. Most just haven't realised it yet.

All sorts of contributory factors. 

These scientific researchers and presenters made this particular film, and the study has produced some truly remarkable results.

 

 

[wiggy]

My Nana lived in upstate New York. She was 98 when she passed away. She had good friends who were white, black, Asian, Chinese, Armenian, Italian. Her group of friends gave huge amounts of time volunteering as part of a community that looked after everybody. I remember how excited she was when the States had their first black president - someone who seemed to genuinely care about all people regardless of politics, race, religion etc. She died a few weeks after Obama was first voted in as President. She was so full of hope for the country. I thank God she didn’t have to witness this spiral the US has been on over recent years. Truly so sad.

[royal white]

8 hours ago, Ani said:

Could you have done it ?

Where were you earlier today ? 

I would have gone back another 600 yards so not to be caught 😉

[Not in Crawley]

8 hours ago, kent_white said:

Somehow - we've all got to get back to being human beings again and not automatically hate someone just because they disagree with yiu about politics. 

I saw Tim Berners-Lee being interviewed yesterday. And he was explaining the algorithms job is to keep you locked in and engaging in the content. So it will deliberately show you things to become enraged about. 

His argument has that this has led to a lot of the polarisation we see in society and gives us a false view of the world really is. He essentially said the Internet had been monopolised by these huge companies - all keeping us scrolling with their negative algorithms. 

He said it should be outlawed. Social media firms should still He able to exist but with strict guidelines around hiw their algorithms work. Banned in the same way that we banned guns. Because it's so damaging to society. 

Remember when Facebook was good and it really was all your friends posting stupid shit all day about what they were doing? It's NOTHING like that now. I barely see any posts from my friends anymore. It's just adverts and videos to make me start doomscrolling. 

Fuck that shit - I'm done with it!

Let's just start being decent with each other again. 

I'll put my pipe down now! 😁✌️☮️🕊

Of course algorithms are supposed to keep people coming back to their sites, its why you are served some friends messages across Meta and not others. Its why you get served adverts, or indeed certain posts.

Its not the channels that are the issue, the main reason is that we have all blindly given up oodles of our personal data. Personally, fine with me as its at the core of how I make my money - although it was easier when I could just book a regional TV and newspaper ad and kick back 😁

Meta is tailored to what is best to sell you things and what it thinks you are interested in. In some ways its no different to how supermarkets lay their stores out to ensure you go in for bread and come out with a basket full, the difference is the illusion of choice.

However there is a part of me that loves the meritocracy of it. The fact that anyone, no matter money, background or education has a voice that can be seen globally. The flipside is it can be engineered by grifters to further their own agendas. Add into this and the global fall in literacy and you can get a toxic mix. Governments - as in us, the people - need to make sure the silicone valley engineers are regulated. We're still in the wild west/punk of online development and id say it'll be another 30 years before the whole 'move fast and break things' ethos becomes more a more considerate slogan for those developers. We are also the first generation of.parents who have had to deal with this - I guarantee our kids who are on their phones will be much stricter about it when they are parents.

As for 'hating' people. I know in person you and there are a couple of people who I know through social media. Personally, I find it difficult to hate an avatar and a post. Its a distraction to wind up RW, laugh at Bolty etc but I do find some posts across Meta really depressing from folks I know and care about, and some people - even on here - take it all way too seriously.

 

[Zico]

Thoughts and prayers, obviously 

[mickbrown]

2 hours ago, deeane Koontz said:

 

There's also a big problem with politics having turned into a circus of performative hate. Which helps nothing and exacerbates everything.

 

In one. 
 

Seemed his job was to have arguments with people in public. 

Not that he deserved that though. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Facing people with other opinions, openly, in public is surely a good thing.

That's what universities in particular were once a centre of- debate.

Instead they now have become the opposite, sadly.

[boltonboris]

2 hours ago, Bertie said:

The only way out of this imho is for leaders to lead and actually try and heal divisions, not sow them. 

We nearly had one of them... The media hounded him out as they thought he was coming for Lord Billionaire of Moneytown's cash

[gonzo]

Check his ring on his left hand.

It moves finger agree he's shot.