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Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

nytimes.com

231–240 of 311 posts

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#231
post #109

From a different article: https://www.businessinsider.com/twilio-founder-jeff-lawson-b... > When asked whether he had purchased The Onion, Lawson played coy. "What's The Onion?" he replied. Then, "What's a Tetrahedron?" > Business Insider was unsure how to respond to these questions.

Had no idea Ben Collins had become an executive at whatever this thing is. He was an excellent reporter and a guy who really, really understands how the internet works and how communities flourish or go toxic. He reported a lot about Kiwi Farms and Cloudflare's response to public pressure. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/worst-plac...

I'm not sure I'd call it good reporting to investigate this case and not look into Doxbin. There has been no evidence that Kiwifarms users have coordinated harassment towards keffals; however, the website that actually coordinated the harassment gets absolutely no mention.

When the reporter brings up the Uber hack, he's insinuating that this was done by Kiwifarms, but the receipts were actually posted on Doxbin. Doxbin also goes much much further than Kiwifarms, getting addresses,bank details, and employment history of anyone related to the target. They will work together to contact hotels and employers to get the information they want. Doxbin actually does act the way the media thinks that kiwifarms act.

I can understand Keffals not speaking about Doxbin as she legitimately fears them according to leaked messages to Destiny, but it's the media's responsibility to actually understand what's going on.

It's insane that people like Ben Collins constantly use Kiwifarms as a shield for Doxbin.

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, I chuckled at the Ted Kaczynski signature, aka The Unabomber. I assumed all the other "board member signatures" were similarly infamous bad guys but I can't figure out what they all are and when I search on Steve Hannah, he apparently actually was the CEO of The Onion at one time. I agree with some of their points about it being a conflict going back hundreds of years. I personally think it's inevitable that wa…

I really like the T. Herman Zweibel signature at the bottom. He was by far my favorite recurring character. Not the Onion, but a list of H. T. Zweibel articles: https://muckrack.com/t-herman-zweibel/articles

Might be relevant to point out that "zwiebel" is German for onion.

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#234
post #146
post #22

This is the best birthday present I could have asked for. The Onion News Network has the funniest, most prescient videos online and I love going back to watch them. Even if the Onion comes back half as funny as they were it's going to be fabulous. Here are a few of my lesser-known favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdP1zK15bE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRgRz3nSG7o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUT8ec2…

Experts Agree, Giant Bioengineered Crabs Pose No Threat https://youtu.be/-Uq9pp586AE?si=NxdI4vwYZQr817QI Reporters having a panel discussion on teevee. I stopped the video and read each of the supporting print stories that flashed by and they were perfect, too.

“Why not choose a cuddlier animal, like a Golden Retriever?”

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think any of the articles that grandparent linked are really the most exemplary Onion articles. The onion is really at its best when it manages to nail it exactly right. Sometimes they are just so perfectly in touch with cultural zeitgeist it’s uncanny. Here are two of the most memorable ones in recent memory: https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-na... https://www.theonion.com/the-onion-s…

> ‘The Onion’ Stands With Israel Because It Seems Like You Get In Less Trouble For That This is a recent Onion classic. The thing about the Onion is, once you’ve got a great headline - and maybe a photo, which will usually be a head shot - the text of the article sometimes seems largely superfluous. They actually ought to be doing better in the age of Twitter and so on, but it didn’t work out that way.

Then there's no reason to visit the site. The link card will give you everything you're looking for.

I think the de facto purpose of the article text when shared online is to make it more plausible to someone who doesn't know the site is parody.

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#236

Well, not like the onion could get any worse (frankly) so I’m hopeful. I think this world would do fine with a bit more self depreciating and satirical humor.

What's bad about The Onion? I've always enjoyed their work.

I used to love it. But in recent years, they only ever seem to make fun of Republican and rarely Democrats. I'd prefer to see them shit on everyone, because they all deserve it.

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#237

I'm old enough to remember when it was a physical paper you'd get for free in Harvard Square... wish I kept some of them. I particularly enjoyed the old "Point/Counterpoints" such as: https://www.theonion.com/u-s-out-of-my-uterus-vs-we-must-dep... https://www.theonion.com/americas-homeless-want-a-hand-up-no... https://www.theonion.com/my-computer-totally-hates-me-vs-god... Also, shout out to the "Oh! Mumford" comic s…

I learned about it via "Monk Gloats over Yoga Championship" https://www.theonion.com/monk-gloats-over-yoga-championship-... I also frequently mention I don't watch television. In fact, I don't even own one. https://www.theonion.com/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-d...

How do you watch TV shows or movies?

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#238

I guess it's cheaper than a real news site, and is there any difference anymore? Babylon Bee has become defacto news now. I don't mean this in terms of blaming the left or the right, but just that it's hard for any entity to have any monopoly on the truth anymore. Mainstream, established news sites have to compete against AI-generated content and influencers in the 'news space', which has blurred the lines between tr…

I downvoted because: 1. Babylon Bee has like 1 good article for every 20-30 lame ones and in general spreads anti-trans hate. It is not news & 2. fake news is a problem, but fake news doesn't make the onion no different from a real news site. that's silly

>...spreads anti-trans hate.

Hmm, how do you define that? They make fun of trans issues sometimes, but that's not 'spreading hate' in my books.

A sibling comment gives an example headline:

NCAA Swimming Champ Caught In Possession Of Performance-Enhancing Testicles

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#239
post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me, it was "Our Long National Nightmare of Peace and Prosperity Is Finally Over": https://www.theonion.com/bush-our-long-national-nightmare-of...

The article is funny and I agree with overall sentiment, but it's always surprising how people just forget Kosovo and Somalia. Clinton bombed a European country and doubled down on a hopeless mission in an African hellhole (before giving up), not exactly "sustained peace abroad". Even if you agree with the moves, you can't say it was all peace and love.

Comparing the Kosovo and Somalia operations to Iraq and Afghanistan is like comparing a fly to a whale in basically any terms that matter. Human suffering, duration, lives lost, monetary cost, reputational cost in the world, etc.

Re: Jeff Lawson buys The Onion

#240
I'll note that most of the comments refer to a different era of The Onion, known as the "Funny" era.

The more recent years have been referred to as the "Meh" era, reflecting the repetitive humor, recycling of jokes, and general lack of energy.

Every once in a while, I check back to see if The Onion got funny again. Still hoping. Maybe this purchase will be the catalyst, the peeling every onion needs over time.

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