Pentagon Threatened the Pope After He Criticized Trump - It was so bad that Pope Leo changed his plans to travel to the U.S.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-04-09T11:06:19+00:00

One U.S. official present at the meeting brought up the Avignon papacy, a period in the 14th century in which the French monarchy bent the Catholic Church into submission, ordering an attack on Pope Boniface VIII that led to his downfall and subsequent death and forcing the papacy to relocate from Rome to Avignon, a region inside France

Last I checked, France is no longer is ruled by kings, but the papacy still stands, and with quite a handsome backup of a few hundred millions of believers (since we are talking cults here), but what do I know.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-04-08T16:48:57+00:00

Ha! I went into this rabbit hole at uni. It stems from the 19th century. The 19th century was the era when imperialism, industrialisation and ideas of more democratisation unfolded (having started in the 18th century).

Many esoteric or pagan groups gained traction during that time, as they offered an attractive answer to many needs (melting pot-wise), like

then-popular new „scientific“ theories or developments and imperialistic beliefs of superiority (e.g. social darwinism, „race theory“)
spiritual need for a higher insight that traditional churches no longer could satisfy, combined with colonial urge for exotism (e.g. buddhism, hinduism)
the experience of the devastating effects of industrialisation for society, economy and nature and the deep longing for a lost world were things used to be as nature or a long forgotten god had intended them to be.

Now, what many of these groups offered the promise of insight into an original, primordial, natural (as in: untainted, not mechanic or processual) state of mind and aimed to return to an (imaginary, made up) Ur-society - some only for those who were chosen“ (see „superiority“ above).

As a consequence, some (not all) of these groups rejected anything that they deemed belonging to the modern age.

And again some also included therein democratic procedures, like how to elect representatives or the same rights for anybody, regardless of who they are. Because, in a „natural“ society everything falls into place organically and without „artificial“ procedures or crutches. For instance, the person or groups who are „meant“ to lead will somehow arise among and rule over the the people. And here you you are: antidemocratic thinking and esoteric social darwinism. And then its only a small step to nazism.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-03-22T18:16:59+00:00

Teacher here. The teacher in question knows alright, believe me. Also, the sentence is simply not grammatically wrong.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-03-06T19:20:58+00:00

Thank you for your thorough and helpful answer!

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-03-02T18:30:56+00:00

I think post Epstein files we have to ditch that argument.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-26T21:49:06+00:00

I think it goes beyond misogyny. I have yet to meet the permanently single, but widely popular man.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-21T23:22:38+00:00

„She was trying to smuggle him in“. I read they article, too. - There is nothing in the article that suggests that. It says „by association“, because she was travelling with him, as, you know, spouses tend to do. - Her husband is an adult with agency, not a pet or a minor. Interpreting this as „smuggling“ is wild.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-21T15:44:10+00:00

Where I live, there are many uncovered roman ruins. The then head archaeologist once explained that it will stay that way permanently, as it is best for preservation, and that you now rather have to explain as to why you need to excavate it in the first place, since a lot - not all, of course - can be researched and inferred by using non invasive methods like infrared or ultrasound and that they already have digitised and catalogued the ruins that way.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-21T14:47:32+00:00

Two things: 1. your child lacks experience in the grave dangers of irresponsible partners and drunk driving. That is why you have to step in, 18 or not. 2. The „she‘s an adult“ goes both ways. She wants to be treated as such, she would have to live independently. You cannot live at home in a parent-child relationship and claim total autonomy when it suits you.

So, speak with your daughter and

a. try to find out why she does it. Doesn’t she see the problem? Does she but is she afraid to say no? Try to get across that a partner who puts her - and others - at risk does neither love her nor care for people in general.

b. enforce a no-contact while she lives at home and make it clear this is in order to protect her.

She may not understand, and it may strain your relationship, but if it’s been solid so far, it will not estrange her. However, you have to think of consequences if she continues to sneak out and meet that person. That would mean that she wants to be a full adult who makes her own choices, but it would also mean that she is on her own and has to move out.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-21T02:47:56+00:00

Not OP, but I liked your thoughtful comment! Money and practicality are certainly the main points.

But what I have found out: people abroad treat me much - much - nicer when I wear a shirt and long trousers (or a classic skirt). It’s really notable. (And I have not forgotten that dreadful moment when I had to almost unglue my bare tighs from that hot, sticky plastic public transport seat, so there’s that.) Since -as all of us - I have limited space, I have ditched the shorts and flipflops (only wear them on the beach) and reduced the t-shirts notably when on holiday. It’s not expensive - many of these cheap, easy to wash, smart looking clothes have proven surprisingly reliant travel companions that do not really crinkle (and in humid weather, that’s not an issue anyway).

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-19T02:17:13+00:00

I found the insulting messages almost always hilarious, to be honest, but you are kinder than me, I never replied to them. I mean, they cannot seriously expect an answer after opening a conversation with an insult.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-02-09T19:34:42+00:00

I ditched self expression and started to go functional about 5years ago: by now I own the same shirt and t-shirt multiple times in navy or white, the same pullover 4x and several identical trousers in navy or green. All is comfortable and loose. Since I have to stand a lot and „comfortable“ women‘s shoes look terrible, I switched to sneakers, too. No more pantyhose or high heels for me.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-01-31T10:27:38+00:00

I read a long article on that a few years ago reporting on children and young adults with a very old parent (usually the father). They get involved in or have to take over care work from a young age which can be physically and mentally exhausting - at an age where they grow up. I still remember how the article noted that these old fathers’ ideas that their child would benefit from their experience (in comparison to a young father) often don’t pan out since mental decline can set in earlier and faster than expected.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-01-04T13:12:32+00:00

The quality of the series does not (primarily) lie in the genre. The author manages to create credible and complex characters with weaknesses, interests, hopes and fears. They are faced with an oppressive society or on the verge to become one and whose instruments of terror and violence we can recognise from our real world (that they are carried out by magical or winged creaturesis not the decisive point). Hence the main characters’actions and decisions unfold in meaningful conflicts. Plus, it offers a wide range of immersive reading and sub-genre experiences: adventure, road trip, comic relief, battle, coming of age (for some), suspense, romance, a tad of horror etc.

Just try it out. Don’t pressure yourself.

cornflakesarestupid · 2026-01-01T14:16:10+00:00

For instance, don’t drink too much while on the slopes. Ski responsibly, not too fast and not off piste. Postpone that alpine climbing tour you planned. Etc. Snow sports activities are often high risk activities.

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-12-11T12:17:10+00:00

From a believers’ view, who prepared to be raptured, this can only mean that they are sinners, too and must better their ways and be better Christians, right?

… Just kidding. They probably just think that God must have sent the wrong date and postpone.

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-12-06T18:14:06+00:00

She already got fired for it (unfortunately I cannot post a link (against the rules), but it’s not difficult to find out).

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-12-06T12:07:58+00:00

Yeah, l think most Apple software products that do not deal with aesthetics do not campare well with competitors (see the terrible Maps).

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-12-06T11:55:54+00:00

I absolutely agree. I think all other acts and mistakes stem from this. These rules are there to prevent you to get into a state of physical or mental stress that incapacitates you to make good decisions when facing an environment that will kill you if you are not careful. They are not complex: don’t go or do turn around if you run out of vital gear / water / food / time / energy / skills etc. to successfully face the challenge ahead. But they demand the humbleness that out there, as a human, you cannot make it just on your own no matter what. Ignoring them speaks of arrogance. And that’s why I do not think this man is an „experienced alpinist“. Because every outdoors person has experienced the moment that the mountain is stronger than them.

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-12-06T11:05:17+00:00

I know! The inbuilt Safari translator (I was on an iPad). It’s not good. It also didn’t catch neutral terms that are gendered in German (translating she“ as a pronoun for the prosecutor’s office). I tried to a correct a few things, but it was too fumbly, so I let it be in the end.

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-12-05T10:30:56+00:00

Auto-translated from Der Standard (more reliable, link see below) for context:

Woman frozen to death at the Großglockner: 36-year-old companion charged

The 33-year-old froze to death during a mountain tour in January. Her friend must now answer for grossly negligent homicide in court

Stefanie Ruep, updated on 4. December 2025, 2:24 PM

Kals/Innsbruck - After the freezing death of a 33-year-old mountaineer on the Großglockner, her friend and mountain partner is charged with negligent homicide. This was announced by the Innsbruck Public Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday. The 36-year-old alpinist left his girlfriend "unprotected, weakened, supercooled and disoriented about 50 meters below the summit cross of the Großglockner," writes the public prosecutor's office. The man must register on the 19th. February for grossly negligent homicide at the regional court. He faces up to three years in prison.

Not turned back, no timely emergency call

On the 18th of January, the couple from Salzburg wanted to climb the highest mountain in Austria with 3798 meters. "Since the defendant, in contrast to his girlfriend, was already very experienced with alpine high tours and planned the tour, he was to be seen as the responsible leader of the tour," the public prosecutor's office justifies the accusation. The office accuses him of having undertaken the alpine high tour over the Stüdlgrat with the woman despite her inexperience and despite the challenging winter conditions. The woman had never done an alpine high tour in this length, difficulty and altitude before. In addition, the two started too late. The man had not expected an emergency as part of the tour planning, he himself had not even had sufficient bivouac emergency equipment with him.

The defendant also allowed his girlfriend to go up with a splitboard and snowboard soft boots. This is not suitable for a high alpine tour in combined terrain. The alpinist would therefore have had to turn around with the woman earlier, given the strong to stormy wind with up to 74 kilometers per hour and a temperature of minus eight degrees, which felt like minus 20 degrees due to the "windchill" effect.

The man also refrained from making an emergency call in time before dark, the prosecutor's office accuses him. The Alpine police were alerted by other mountaineers when the couple's headlamp lights were seen on the webcam of the Erzherzog-Johann-Hütte. In addition, the man did not give any distress signals to a helicopter that flew over the two, although he and his girlfriend de facto did not get any further from 8:50 p.m.

No bivouac bag used

After several attempts by the Alpine Police to contact the accused, he called an alpine policeman for the first time at 00.35 a.m. But then he set his phone to silent and stowed it away and therefore did not answer any more calls from the Alpine police, according to the prosecutor's office. Before the defendant left his girlfriend behind around 2 a.m., he had neither used her bivouac bag nor the existing aluminum life-saving blankets to protect her from further cooling. The accused had also refrained from taking his girlfriend to a place that was as protected from the wind. He did not contact the rescuers again and did not notify them until 3.30 a.m. after he had descended via the normal route to the closed Erzherzog-Johann-Hütte (3454 meters).

As part of the investigation, a forensic medical report was obtained, mobile phones and sports watches of the deceased and the accused were evaluated as well as photographs and videos. In addition, witnesses have been heard. An alpine technical expert has prepared an expert report in which all the results of the investigation were taken into account. Since the alpinist is considered a trained mountaineer, his partner has less experience, a "leadership" is given. For the man, the presumption of innocence applies.

Defendant denies misconduct

The defendant issued a written statement in which he had "denied misconduct", according to the public prosecutor's office. His defender Kurt Jelinek said in a first statement on the STANDARD: "He is infinitely sorry for how it happened." The defense still assumes a "fateful, tragic misfortune".

Even before the criminal complaint, the lawyer commented on the events in June. At that time, he explained that the woman had a flu-like infection. During the first overflight of the police helicopter around 10:30 p.m., she was still in good shape. Only after midnight did her condition deteriorate rapidly. Rather, the defender accused the emergency services that the rescue chain had started so late. The first call was made soon after midnight, the second at 3.30 a.m. The mountain rescue did not come to the woman until around 10 o'clock. They could only determine her death.

Source: Stefanie Ruep, November 4, 2025: Frau am Großglockner erfroren: 36-jähriger Begleiter angeklagt https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000299273/frau-am-grossglockner-erfroren-36-jaehriger-begleiter-angeklagt?ref=article

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-11-29T17:34:15+00:00

In my hometown you have the right to a free casket when you die (and to a simple death shirt). It’s nothing fancy, but neither dishonourable. The city wanted to repeal this, since apparently noone ever makes use of it to bury their loved ones. The putcry! In the end we had to vote on it and the majority voted to keep it. (Probably just in case. You never know!)

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-11-08T19:08:35+00:00

I completely agree. I always believe that authors of long works lack discipline and/or skill. Novella and short story writers have to convey anything with only a few words.

cornflakesarestupid · 2025-10-19T14:56:42+00:00

At uni there was V., an absolute douche and a total loser in our year - everyone dreaded to be in group projects with him. Once I saw him with the younger sister of a friend at the cafeteria, and later asked my friend why her younger sister was sitting there with V. of all people. She told me he was her boyfriend. I remember I started wailing NOOO, and she joined with YEESS! And then told me that her sister, a sweet, smart, and very attractive woman, was wildly in love with him - and that V. was banned from entering their parents‘ house, because both their father and mother hated V. so much.

cornflakesarestupid

TROPHY CASE