SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
An ICE hotline set up to allow reports of crimes committed by "criminal aliens" has had a close encounter with trolls:
The administration set up the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office on Wednesday, in accordance with President Trump's executive order in January. The office, folded within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, aims to "assist victims of crimes committed by criminal aliens," according to the Department of Homeland Security.
"Alien" is a term used by the federal government to describe individuals who are not American citizens but who reside on U.S. soil. [...] Despite the line's intended purpose, callers have been reporting a range of abnormal activity.
1-855-48-VOICE to report all your encounters w/ illegal martians, rude Sasquatch, unleashed Texas Blue Hounds, Springheel Jack. Goblin army.
— Kathleen Dennis (@chelseabmw) April 27, 2017
ICE denounced the calls, saying such actions hurt victims of real crimes. Callers have even mentioned spotting "muggle-borns," a term from the "Harry Potter" book series referring to magical characters with non-magical parents.
Also at The Atlantic and CNN. Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by linkdude64 on Saturday April 29 2017, @05:39PM (6 children)
Right up there with the people whose favorite food is McDonalds, whose favorite TV shows are Game of Thrones and Big Bang Theory, whose favorite artists are whoever is topping the charts this year, and whose favorite clothing is whatever is in season.
Get the fuck off of my lawn and go read some Dan Simmons, Zelazny, Tolkien, Stephen Donaldson, and/or T H White.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 29 2017, @06:21PM
JFC is your inferiority complex so overpowering that you have to shit on practically everyone to feel good about yourself?
(Score: 2) by tibman on Saturday April 29 2017, @06:28PM (4 children)
I don't think it's a binary thing. I've read the Hyperion series, Carrion Comfort, and the Illium & Olympos series. All great. I really like Game of Thrones (the tv series). I really like some "popular" stuff. I agree that McDonalds is crap though and the people who like it are scum : P
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 29 2017, @06:56PM (1 child)
Nerds hate big bang theory because, exactly every other successful sitcom, it parodies stereotypes.
It just so happens that the stereotypes in BBT are nerds and holy shit, nerds can ... not ... laugh at themselves.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 30 2017, @03:24AM
The thing that pissed me off about that phenomenon was encountering people who claimed to be nerdy and would say things, but then I'd actually try to engage them on their vague references, only to find out that they were just parroting bullshit from that show.
"Oh yeah, I love SNES games still too. What was your favorite?"
"Uhh... well, uh..."
"Oh, so you like watching sports and drinking shitty beer, but you claim otherwise to make you seem less one-dimensional?"
"Yeah, basically."
"Sigh. Fair enough."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 29 2017, @07:28PM
Why bother, just more bigoted crap from assholes. Trying to inform them of reality is an exercise in futility.
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Saturday April 29 2017, @09:28PM
I know, I know...I mean I read the first three HP books and was enormously underwhelmed, and that is really what I base my judgements of the series on, not to speak of the fanbase. I hear that the following books get much more interesting, I just struggle to eliminate the bias I have seeing that well before the 3rd book was out the series had received critical acclaim. Similar issue to how McDonalds is desperately trying to rid themselves of the stigma they have rightly earned for serving the cheapest synthetic edible food-like substances for years by offering yogurt cups and apple slices.
I have been telling myself for years to buy the other books and giving it a 4th chance, but I just can't bring myself to.
I remember the ancient space-faring tree-ships of Hyperion and am dumbstruck at how a central character in Harry Potter, the "evil wizard...without a nose!!" is somehow more compelling to the global audience than a mere object in the former book, and all that comes to mind is that marketing principle, "appeal to the lowest common denominator to achieve the greatest popularity." Again, not talking down on your tastes, just elaborating on my perspective and quite real struggle. Just this week I physically tensed up after someone who could not spell "bearing" correctly stated to me that they "loved to read" and that Harry Potter was their favorite series.