News Miscellany

[erimir]

As far as I know, they're on their own here. I'd be surprised to learn that we have any laws providing security to royals.

[Qingdai]

and if they aren't official consulates or some such. BYO-Security

[fragment]

The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) provides protection to foreign dignitaries who visit the United States. DSS has provided security to foreign ministers, former heads of state, members of the British royal family, the secretary generals of the United Nations and NATO, His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and other foreign VIPs.

Dignitary Protection - United States Department of State

Dunno if they will judge Harry and Meghan to still be in this category but it doesn't seem implausible.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Coronavirus: Hungary PM Orbán gets power to rule by decree indefinitely - Business Insider

One of those temporary no time limit temporary things.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Premeditated genocide maybe.

A missionary group has purchased a helicopter with plans to contact and convert isolated indigenous groups in the remote Western Amazon.https://t.co/jTT36mz25q

— YES! Magazine (@yesmagazine) March 31, 2020

[JoeP]

Five shot dead in Russia for 'talking loudly' - BBC News

I can't imagine how much "talking loudly outside his house late in the evening" it would take

[JoeP]

Next items to panic-buy: Nutella and Ferrero Rocher!


Stinkbug invasion in Turkey threatens world hazelnut supplies | Environment | The Guardian

[JoeP]

Customs officers in Sydney intercept huge consignment of toilet rolls hidden in tons of cocaine

[lisarea]

We need to make a rule against linking to that shit site, though.

[Qingdai]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Next items to panic-buy: Nutella and Ferrero Rocher!


Stinkbug invasion in Turkey threatens world hazelnut supplies | Environment | The Guardian

FYI Oregon is also a source of hazelnuts. Although we call them filberts (and I don't like hazelnuts because I grew up in the center of the farm areas here). We also have problems with stink bugs. YICK. I'm now blaming them

HEHE Their predators are Samuri wasps, that's adorable. ALSO see how the US was so lax in allowing them to get here in a timely matter, that they naturally emigrated. Pretty much the pattern of US safety nets. No safety, pray a net shows up

[Basset Hound]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Five shot dead in Russia for 'talking loudly' - BBC News

I can't imagine how much "talking loudly outside his house late in the evening" it would take

Guy Fieri better stay out of Russia. He'd be dead in a minute.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Should I bother writing my MP? He’s the kind of motherfucker who laughs at homeless and is in office because the left split itself three ways and therefore has a clear mandate to privatize prisons or someshit.

Canada lifts suspension of arms exports to Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia News | Al Jazeera

[Stephen Maturin]

Originally Posted by Basset Hound

Guy Fieri better stay out of Russia. He'd be dead in a minute.

Oh yeah. He'd get himself a one-way ticket to the Great Flavortown in the Sky.

[JoeP]

Things not to worry about:

Forest fire in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Firefighters tackle forest fires near Chernobyl that caused radiation levels to rise - ABC News

Police said they had tracked down a 27 year-old man they suspected had started the fire by igniting long grass in the area. The man had told them that he had set fire to some garbage and grass "for fun" but that. fanned by the wind. the fire had quickly got out of control and he had been unable to extinguish it, police said in a statement.

Increased earthquake activity in a volcanic region of Iceland.
Awakening volcanic region in Iceland 'could cause disruption for centuries' | World news | The Guardian

The last period of volcanic activity on the peninsula began in the 10th century and continued until the 13th.

Perfectly normal activity in the Yellowstone caldera.
Unusual Uplift at Yellowstone Volcano Was Caused by Magma Rising up Deep Beneath the Surface, Study Finds

[Miisa]

Season 4 of 2020 has apparently started, with a bang:

Krakatoa awakens

[BrotherMan]

This is fine.

[Miisa]

Does anyone else feel like they are maybe actually a NPC?

[BrotherMan]

And not one of the cool ones with even decent random dialog that makes the world feel populated.

[JoeP]

Oh, your random dialogue is very decent Bort.

[BrotherMan]

[Pan Narrans]

*sigh* Times are tough.

[BrotherMan]

Stay a while and listen.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

On one level I'm impressed with this kid's ambition.

'Commander' of Feuerkrieg far-right terror group unmasked by police as Estonian boy, 13 | The Independent

[Crumb]

I used to be an adventurer like you...

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Sports car blasts by OPP at 271 km/h, blows rear tire

The driver was charged with stunt driving, careless driving and driving with cannabis readily available.

@ bold