130 millon people have read https://t.co/lJDZBZjLu1 since we launched. They live all over the world. But there is only ONE reader in North Korea. This person spends twice as long as a normal reader on the site, and has an interest in a very specific subset of articles.
— Matt Saincome (@MattSaincome) January 3, 2020
Here's another article our North Korean reader enjoyed: https://t.co/FBTQeBK0Oe
— Matt Saincome (@MattSaincome) January 3, 2020
Our Online world: decent odds a staffer/underling of Kim Jong Un is keeping tabs on a comedy gaming site for incidents of mockery. https://t.co/M19ngMA859
— Rational Thinker 69 (@Rationalist69) January 3, 2020
That would be my guess. It would explain their ability to get on the net, around the firewall, and the common keyword of Kim's name. Maybe some junior person in his org who has to compile everything people write about him. Or maybe someone on one of those limited tourism groups?
— Matt Saincome (@MattSaincome) January 3, 2020
Here in America [satire], our most promising propaganda interns work for free, tirelessly scouring social media and left-of-fascist blogs for abuse of our Dear Leader Don Uld Trump!!! [/satire]
lgerard
Why is a government employee “headlining” a campaign event? I guess Jared can do it all.
TheMightyTrowel
Hello from the hottest day on record in my city. A quick follow up on Australia Fire News:
-Victoria has lowered the number of people unaccounted for to 6 (from 28) – still only 2 confirmed deaths
-2 more people died this morning in S. Australia
-there are a bajillion fires burning at emergency levels (ie, impacting on homes/communities, likely to cause death to anyone in their path)
-Because these fires are so big, a number are making their own weather – thunderstorms (meaning more lightning that could spark more fires) and fire tornadoes emerge from these pyrocumulus formations, but they also make the fire fronts super dangerous because they create their own wind systems (huzzah!)
-One of the fires in the middle of NSW is now burning in underground coal seams – both ironic and awful
-The PM was shamed into actually holding a crisis meeting with leaders in parliament. They activated the Defense Force reserves and also leased a couple more big fire fighting planes from other countries and these should be here soon
-The PM’s party immediately turned his announcement into a flashy add with party branding and a link to donate that looks like it’s supporting fire relief but is actually a donation to the party (wankers)
-Things are cooling down a bit but the wind change coming with this front is going to make the next few hours pretty awful on the firegrounds – please keep thinking positive things in our direction
-word of advice: unless you want deeply depressing the-future-is-fucked scenarios interspersed with weird wildlife stories, don’t email late at night (east US time) with Adam
Jay
Jay
@TheMightyTrowel:
I hear that firetrucks are getting blown around by the fire storms.
Jay
Betty Cracker
@TheMightyTrowel: I’ve been following the fire news, mostly on Twitter. It’s beyond awful, and the loss of wildlife is staggering. I hope y’all get some weather relief and soon!
I’m up in the middle of the night thanks to what sounded like a largish critter crashing through the woods nearby. That’s not usual — we’ve got tons of wildlife around here, including deer, bears, feral swine, etc. But this creature came close to the house, and the noise set my little dog to baying like the Hound of the Baskervilles.
The commotion even woke the mister up, which is virtually impossible to do; he once slept through a ceiling-mounted glass light fixture crashing to the floor and smashing into a zillion pieces about three feet from his head! Anyway, the dogs and the mister are all snoring again, but I’m wide awake.
A big storm is on the way, so the wind is picking up. Trying to decide if I should have another go at sleep even though I suspect it would be futile or just make some coffee, sit on the porch and wait for the storm.
Duane
@TheMightyTrowel: Thanks for keeping us informed of the events. Seems like more of an international humanitarian approach is due. Cost shouldn’t prevent the best possible efforts.
Mary G
This thread from a friend of an Australian firefighter is fucking heartbreaking:
TheMightyTrowel
@Jay: that’s how one of the RFS firies died. Their truck got flipped by a fire tornado.
prostratedragon
Everyone stay safe, and after that try to get a little rest.
mrmoshpotato
@Betty Cracker: Thirty to fifty feral hogs? Potential grizzlies? Bigfoot?
mrmoshpotato
@TheMightyTrowel:
Just wanking it out down under. Disgraceful.
Thanks for the update. Hope those planes get there soon.
Citizen_X
@Betty Cracker: Probably a Florida aquatic moose, or a land manatee.
debbie
@TheMightyTrowel:
Has the PM asked for help from other countries? Wouldn’t larger numbers help?
MomSense
Humanity is facing an existential crisis with climate change. We are seeing the horror and devastation of it in Australia and what do the leaders of Australia and the US do? Morrison’s Party is fundraising off of the crisis? I wish I had words for how fucking furious this makes me. And here is the US our idea of leadership is to try and start more war and conflict in the Middle East. We are too stupid to exist as a species.
I wish I could talk rationally about what is happening in India, but the widower of my dear friend thinks Modi is a “strong leader” and I decided not to get into it with him when I ran into him at the grocery store. He watches nothing but Indian channels on his dish network and they make Fox look like amateurs.
MomSense
@debbie:
It’s like the Soviet response to Chernobyl. Asking for help means admitting you have a problem you can’t manage.
jimmiraybob
Uh. Has he not heard Victor Wooten? I demand a battle of the basses and am confident that America will prevail! USA! USA! USA!
chopper
@jimmiraybob:
or les claypool?!
jimmiraybob
@chopper:
Yes. I think we’ve got this. But, we must always stay vigilant to the possibility of a bass-gap developing.
Ella in New Mexico
Inside the plot by Iran’s Soleimani to attack US forces in Iraq
Say what you will about this guy but he was no dummy.