The feed

Why grounded?

Replies trade half-remembered versions of one story, then drift into job speculation.

Grounded

A post says Bear Bryant's tale of leaving Kentucky over a cigarette lighter likely never happened. Replies argue over the gift and why he left.

Sides

• Told as joke: Bryant told the lighter line as a banquet joke with Rupp present, and it was never the real reason.
• Real slight: Rupp got a new Cadillac while Bryant got only a watch or a lighter, and the gap stung.
• Recruiting limits: Bryant left because Kentucky limited his recruiting and Texas A&M offered him the athletic director job too.

Why grounded?

Replies split on whether the wood points to the ark or needs testing first, and few mention what the drilling team itself has reported.

Grounded

The Noah's Ark Scans team drilling at Durupinar in Turkey says it has not identified any material as ancient wood or dated it. One core hit a hard layer that may be mineralised wood or rock; lab results are expected this winter.

Sides

• Ark evidence: The wood's charred, undecomposed state at the site supports it being genuine remains of the ark.
• Needs testing: No claim about the ark should stand until independent carbon-14 dating and third-party analysis are done.
• Natural wood: Wood at the site could simply be remains of an ancient burnt forest, not evidence of a man-made boat.
• Myth origin: The Noah story echoes older Mesopotamian flood myths, which undercuts treating this site as literal proof of Genesis.

Why grounded?

Replies corrected the post piecemeal and talked past each other instead of comparing notes.

Grounded

A post hails Nancy Astor as the first woman to sit in the Commons. Replies argue over her famous Churchill quotes and her record.

Sides

• Commons pioneer: She took her Commons seat in 1919, after Markievicz declined hers, and held it through decades of ridicule.
• Misattributed quotes: The drunk-and-ugly retort went to Labour MP Bessie Braddock in 1946, and other famous lines have older sources.
• Appeasement record: Her antisemitism and support for appeasing Nazi Germany should weigh against celebrating her as a pioneer.
• Bought access: She got the seat because she was rich and inherited her husband's vacated constituency.

Why grounded?

Replies repeat the same historical counterpoints while a side thread drifts into reparations ideology.

Grounded

A post says African kings profited most from the slave trade while British monarchs backed abolition. Replies dispute the crown's own role.

Sides

• Crown implicated: The Royal African Company, chartered by Charles II and run by the future James II, drove the trade.
• British exception: George III and Prince Albert backed abolition, while African kings like Tegbesu and Ghezo profited most.
• Wider blame: Spain, Portugal and Arab traders ran larger or longer-lasting slave trades but escape the same scrutiny as Britain.

Why grounded?

Replies shifted into venting about outages and insults rather than the license decision.

Grounded

A post shows Haryana's power minister saying the state opposed a regulator's private electricity license. Replies split on whether privatization would fix outages.

Sides

• Privatize power: State power utilities give poor service without accountability, so private players should be let in.
• Right call: Government jobs matter to many Haryana households, so opposing privatization early avoids a serious backlash.
• Mixed signals: The state and central governments are the same party, so the license could not have moved without their consent.

Why grounded?

Most replies turned into personal insults about the mayor instead of the water question.

Grounded

A post says Mayor Olivia Chow falsely claimed Brad Bradford would privatize Toronto water. Replies split on whether Ontario law actually rules that out.

Sides

• Fear tactic: Privatizing water is not possible in Ontario, and Bradford said he would resign if it ever happened.
• Legal loophole: Provincial law allows an agent to run water services, so saying privatization is impossible is misleading.
• Private delivery: Private companies with oversight deliver better work, on budget and on time, than government does.

Why grounded?

The same repaid-or-not claim cycled through replies alongside insults aimed at the poster.

Grounded

A post says Bill Ackman's Fannie and Freddie relisting plan would surrender taxpayer rights. Replies argue over whether past payments already repaid Treasury.

Sides

• Taxpayer value: Past payments were dividends, so deeming the preferred stake repaid gives up rights without compensation.
• Already repaid: The companies paid back far more than the bailout, so Treasury taking all profits forever is unfair.
• Paper gains: A higher value on shares the government still holds is not cash, and selling them gives up future income.

Why grounded?

Replies call TDs traitors and shills while disagreeing on what the triple lock actually does.

Grounded

A post urges TDs to vote against a bill ending Ireland's triple lock. Replies split on whether the lock protects neutrality at all.

Sides

• Keep the lock: Ending the lock gives neutrality away and risks sending Irish troops into wars that serve other agendas.
• Separate issue: The triple lock only governs approval for deployments, so removing it does not touch Ireland's neutrality.
• Overdue change: Letting outsiders decide when Irish troops deploy is no fit arrangement for a sovereign country.
• Ask the people: A change this large should go to a referendum or the courts, not just a Dáil vote.

Why grounded?

Replies trade charges of treason and tyranny instead of weighing each president's record.

Grounded

A post ranks Cleveland, Harding and Tyler best and Lincoln, Wilson and FDR worst for growing federal power. Replies fight over Lincoln and FDR.

Sides

• Limited government: The best presidents restrained Washington, vetoing spending and letting the economy recover on its own.
• Union and war: Lincoln preserved the Union and FDR fought fascism, so both belong among the greats, not the worst.
• Cost of war: Lincoln's war cost hundreds of thousands of lives and opened the door to later growth in federal power.
• Missing names: The list leaves people out: Coolidge belongs among the best and Lyndon Johnson among the worst.

Why grounded?

Replies swung between party loyalty and personal attacks on candidates instead of weighing the offices.

Grounded

A Texas voter says he will back Democrat Nathan Johnson for Attorney General on competence and is undecided on the Senate race. Replies argue over crossing over.

Sides

• Cross over: A qualified, sane candidate deserves the vote, and backing Democrats sends a message about Republican candidate quality and corruption.
• Never Democrat: Democrats at any level harm Texas, and protest votes only hurt the state.
• Stop Talarico: Whatever Paxton's flaws, the Senate vote should go to him to keep Talarico out.
• Third option: A voter who rejects both Senate candidates can back Libertarian Ted Brown.

Why grounded?

Replies mixed price guesses and broker tips without separating the timing and premium questions.

Grounded

A Tesla shareholder lays out a plan to survey retail investors and prepare them for votes on a possible SpaceX merger. Replies split on timing, price and whether it will happen.

Sides

• Merge soon: SpaceX's revenue is growing faster, so Tesla holders get more SpaceX by merging before its value climbs further.
• Price it right: The vote only passes with a big enough premium for Tesla holders, roughly 600 dollars a share or more.
• May never happen: A merger looks unlikely, or will only come once Tesla's stock falls far enough to suit SpaceX.
• Organise retail: Retail holders must fix their voting problems and make their voice heard, though some say the special committee already knows.

Why grounded?

Replies drifted into insults and poll speculation instead of the bill itself.

Grounded

A news post reports that a proposed break at the pump was stripped from a $2.35 billion spending bill before a key vote. Replies split on who is responsible and whether it was worth much.

Sides

• Election ploy: The governor proposed the gas tax holiday for votes, knowing the legislature would never pass it.
• Lawmakers' choice: Legislators stripped the break, and they should have helped drivers the way other states have.
• Too small to matter: About 25 cents a gallon for 60 days works out to a few dollars a week, so little is lost.
• Challenger's idea: The holiday was first the Republican challenger's proposal, and it is his to deliver if he wins.

Why grounded?

Insults about immigrants and party slogans crowded out the replies on the deal itself.

Grounded

Prime Minister Chris Luxon hails the India trade deal coming into force as a win for exporters. Replies argue over its tariff terms and migration.

Sides

• Export gains: Lower tariffs open one of the fastest growing economies to Kiwi goods, bringing more orders, jobs and higher wages.
• Lopsided deal: India keeps tariffs on some New Zealand goods while New Zealand drops all of its own, so India won more.
• Migration terms: The government has not said how many Indian workers can move to New Zealand under the deal, and voters want that answered.

Why grounded?

The thread kept drifting into arguments about the post's footage and insults at the poster.

Grounded

A post says Nintendo's 1991 switch from Sony to Philips led Sony to build the PlayStation. Replies argue whether that was a blunder or a sound business call.

Sides

• Nintendo's own goal: Walking away from Sony handed a future rival a multi-billion dollar business, and Nintendo should regret it.
• Nintendo protected itself: Sony wanted control of hardware and software profits, so ending the deal was the right call.
• Sony earned its success: Sony's licensing discipline, capital and developer ecosystem built PlayStation, not just Nintendo's decision.
• Nintendo still leads: Nintendo's hardware sales, exclusives and gameplay innovation keep it ahead of Sony today.

Why grounded?

Insults and slogans crowded out the few replies that engaged the clip's arguments.

Grounded

A clip shows George Monbiot arguing the UK should rejoin the EU fully. Replies split on whether the EU, Brexit or Westminster is the real problem.

Sides

• Full membership: Only full membership restores a vote, MEPs and a Council seat; single market access alone makes Britain a rule taker.
• EU in decline: The EU is a failing, corrupt bloc, and countries such as Iceland do fine outside it, so closer links beat rejoining.
• Unrealistic terms: Rejoining is not Britain's call alone, and the EU's likely conditions would rule out a return to the old membership deal.
• Government, not Brexit: Poor UK government explains the damage more than leaving did, and Britain was a large net contributor to the EU budget.

Why grounded?

The polling question kept getting buried under fraud claims and name-calling.

Grounded

A post cites a CNN analyst saying a 2 to 4 point polling miss would give Republicans both chambers. Replies argue whether past misses apply to midterms.

Sides

• Hidden GOP vote: Polls underestimated Republicans in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and herding suggests a bias near four points.
• Midterms differ: Those were presidential years; midterm polls in 2018 and 2022 did not underestimate Republicans.
• Coin flip: If a two-point error decides control, the race is a toss-up, and polls are only snapshots.
• Prices cut against GOP: Grocery and gas prices make even Trump supporters doubt Republicans will win the House.

Why grounded?

Personal attacks and repeated accusations pushed the exchange into a hostile pile-on.

Grounded

Jason Clare backed Australia's Digital Duty of Care Bill as child protection. Replies dispute government powers and its relationship with existing age restrictions.

Sides

• Child protection: Social media and online gaming need stronger safeguards to protect children from harmful online environments.
• Parental authority: Parents can protect their children without granting the government greater control over online information and speech.
• Existing safeguards: Existing under-16 social media restrictions make the need for an additional child-protection bill unclear.

Why grounded?

Confident assertions and escalating speculative tangents left substantive replies buried in disconnected rebuttals.

Grounded

A post outlines interpretations of the Nephilim in Genesis 6. Replies dispute what the text establishes about their origins and identity.

Sides

• Angel offspring: Jude and Peter support interpreting the sons of God as fallen angels who fathered the Nephilim.
• Human lineages: The passage describes human descendants of mixed religious lineages, rather than children of fallen angels.
• Earlier beings: Genesis places the Nephilim before the unions, so those unions cannot explain their original appearance.
• Mythic remnants: The Nephilim are remnants of an earlier belief system rather than beings with a literal historical existence.

Why grounded?

Personal insults and repeated partisan accusations crowded out the practical questions in replies.

Grounded

Steve Hilton proposes new water infrastructure to halve bills. Replies question water availability and how his plans would reach households.

Sides

• Storm capture: California should invest in capturing stormwater rather than letting heavy rainfall go to waste.
• Supply limits: Building more dams and reservoirs cannot increase supplies without identifying enough water to fill them.
• Legislative strategy: A water plan needs a strategy for getting projects through an opposing state legislature.
• Agency costs: High household bills call for closer scrutiny of how water agencies manage distribution costs.

Why grounded?

Partisan labels and sweeping accusations displaced direct engagement with the qualifications raised in the replies.

Grounded

Long Beach voted to consolidate most council comments upfront. Replies dispute how far the policy limits residents' ability to speak on specific agenda items.

Sides

• Public accountability: Moving comments before staff presentations cuts residents' chance to respond to the council's proposals and challenge its decisions.
• Policy exceptions: Public hearings keep separate comment periods, and the chair can extend the opening 90-minute window.

Why grounded?

Repeated accusations of dishonesty displaced direct engagement with the distinctions raised in the replies.

Grounded

Jason Kenney cites the UCP's merger commitment to a united Canada. Replies dispute whether that history should determine the party's current independence stance.

Sides

• Founding mandate: The UCP's merger commitment to a united Canada should still guide its stance on Alberta independence.
• Adopted principles: A merger proposal does not bind today's party when its adopted principles omit loyalty to Canada.
• Changed circumstances: Canada's changed political circumstances justify revisiting the UCP's original commitment to remain in the federation.

Why grounded?

Repeated political taunts crowded out the replies addressing the original post more directly.

Grounded

Britain's rejoin-EU petition is due for debate on Monday. Replies argue over the mandate for membership and what another parliamentary discussion can achieve.

Sides

• Rejoin urgency: Rejoining the EU should move quickly to end uncertainty rather than leave Britain in prolonged economic limbo.
• Limited mandate: The petition's small share of the population cannot justify reversing Britain's earlier decision to leave the EU.
• Membership terms: Rejoining cannot be judged without knowing the membership terms Britain would be required to accept.
• Procedural limits: Westminster Hall debates lack a final vote, so another petition discussion offers no assurance of change.

Why grounded?

Repeated personal attacks crowded out the replies explaining their objections more directly.

Grounded

Naheed Nenshi urges Thanksgiving voting plans to preserve Canada. Replies dispute provincial priorities and whether family celebrations should become occasions for political campaigning.

Sides

• Canadian unity: Albertans should make referendum voting plans with friends and family to help preserve Canada as a country.
• Provincial autonomy: The referendum should prioritize Alberta's interests, sending Ottawa a message rather than focusing on saving Canada.
• Holiday boundaries: Politicians should let families enjoy Thanksgiving together without turning their holiday gatherings into another political campaign.

Why grounded?

Denominational insults repeatedly displaced the replies addressing the substance of the original exchange.

Grounded

A post challenges the Pope's rejection of capital punishment. Replies dispute how Christian scripture and church teaching should guide punishment, mercy and public executions.

Sides

• Scriptural permission: Genesis and Romans authorize capital punishment, so a universal church prohibition conflicts with the scriptural standard.
• Developing application: Capital punishment is a changeable practice rather than dogma, allowing the Church to revise its application.
• Mercy and redemption: Christian teachings against retaliation favor mercy, preserving an offender's opportunity for salvation rather than ending their life.
• Execution spectacle: Capital punishment can be justified without livestreaming executions or celebrating the death of those being punished.

Why grounded?

Repeated challenges to competence kept the exchange cycling instead of moving forward.

Grounded

Lee Clare questions using excavation percentages to judge Göbekli Tepe research. Replies dispute how much unexcavated material should limit confidence in interpretations.

Sides

• Existing evidence: Incomplete excavation still permits meaningful interpretations when researchers acknowledge uncertainty and preserve the remaining structures.
• Missing context: Unexcavated structures could change interpretations, so stronger caveats and more excavation are needed before drawing conclusions.