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.
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.
The company was created just a couple of weeks ago with the purpose of buying The Onion. It doesn’t sound like the CEO responsibilities will take a lot of time away from his other work.
I have a stack about a foot tall of copies i collected from the Obama era. Anyone idea what i should do with them? Perhaps donate them to the library as a public good?
They are still hilarious. My favorite is one where they pretended a Chinese ceo of a fish company bought the paper. It was filled with articles with bad statistics trying to get the common American to eat more fish, how wonderful the ccp is, and how weak and decadent the American people are. They also made the grammar terrible. Definitely riding the line with seeing what they could get away with!
I'm building a free magazine encyclopedia wiki. My email is on my profile. Happy to scan them and upload them if they are not already available in electronic format.
I don't think I'm the target audience. I don't really get it.
I spent years homeless. I try to write about meaningful ways to help the homeless while preserving their agency. I try to write about systemic issues I feel contribute to the problem.
I don't find that second link funny or relatable or anything that makes sense to me.
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:
Tangent: congrats on no longer being homeless! Your comment piqued my curiosity so I checked out your profile, and wow! is it great, full of interesting links etc. Glad you're here on HN.
P.S. Yeah, the onion is pretty hit-or-miss, tho the ratio is pretty good IMHO. YMMV but one of my all-time favorites was about Harry Potter being a sinister secret recruiting vehicle for satan worship -- and I learned about it from a friend whose parents were among the huge number of christianists who thought it was legit journalism and forwarded it in one of the biggest ~early-internet-days chainmail events ever.
Ignoring for the moment that "unsurface" isn't even a word, I think you mean the opposite, "surface" (as a slightly pretentious way of saying "discover").
“Never mind that Dr. Glickman screwed up and bought this colossal ditz of a receptionist more computer than she could ever possibly need for record-keeping at a small dentist's office.“
FYI, Harvard Square is a public place, thousands of people visit and pass through it every day who aren't Harvard students. It's not part of the actual Harvard campus (as opposed to e.g. Harvard Yard).
I think this is good news, because G/O Media websites are the worst.
I was at UW-Madison when The Onion started. We had a wealth of student newspapers at the time, along with The Daily Cardinal and The Badger Herald. Scott Dikkers and Todd Hanson, writers for The Onion, also wrote great comic strips for the Cardinal (Jim's Journal and Badgers and Other Animals, respectively).
And I can't find a link for it, but "Special Olympics T-Ball Stand Pitches Perfect Game".
Incidentally, Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept was also writing for the student newspapers way back in the day, though he was obviously doing political stuff and not comedy.
It would have been a vastly different story if only Cosgrove kept her mouth shut about access to the new all-weather Sedgwick County Park municipal pool.
Pool politics have torn America apart.
Here in Australia we have to make do with The Shovel
I was there too and I remember thinking that lots of universities must have humor newspapers as funny as The Onion. Nope!
BTW Dan Vebber also wrote a strip for the Daily Cardinal and wrote for The Onion. He went on to write for Buffy and a lot of other shows, currently exec. producer of The Simpsons. He’s also the genius behind The Two Felipes https://www.mkepunk.com/releases/the-two-felipes-eat-your-fi...
I remember my first introduction to the onion was the print edition at my university. What a great publication- and they authored what has to be the best amicus brief to the Supreme Court ever. https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-293/242292/2022...
They penned two briefs, the one you linked to was never filed with the court (it “sides” with the police). The one they filed with the court is different. You can read about it here and both are linked: https://reason.com/volokh/2022/10/28/babylon-bee-files-amicu...
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:
I watch "The Onion's Future News From The Year 2137" regularly. You have to pause it to catch everything, it's packed with little bits of humor in the on-screen graphics.
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.
This is great news. Jim Spanfeller and G/O media are pretty well known as a chop shop for media properties - there's not a single part of the former Gawker empire that's done even half-decently under their control.
> In an email to G/O Media staff that was obtained by The New York Times, Jim Spanfeller, the chief executive, said the company was “undergoing an extensive review of our portfolio with the intention of coring down to our leading sites in terms of audience and revenues.”
Gawker put a bunch of famous sites together, but The Onion is the only one that I'd expect anyone who wasn't terminally online to recognize. I'm not sure how that didn't make their list of "leading sites", but I'm grateful.
There's a bit of vicarious schadenfreude that Spanfeller's tactics were so horrific that nearly all the staff of G/O media from before 2020 abandoned ship and went on to create sites that are more successful than what the staff escaped from. Some even went on to be major journalists for massive publications, like Tyler Rogoway and Jason Schreier. The Onion has been the last holdout because it's a storied name, unlike Jalopnik or The Root, and now it's finally free.
> 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.
Readit News
> 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.
This article is absolute gold, thanks for sharing haha
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/worst-plac...
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.
Dead Comment
Got a good article of his on this specifically?
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 strip that was insane absurdist meme-fuel. Might have to go to Internet Archive to unsurface those.
I also have to give a shout out to the time they predicted the five blade razor a year before it came out: https://www.theonion.com/fuck-everything-were-doing-five-bla...
They are still hilarious. My favorite is one where they pretended a Chinese ceo of a fish company bought the paper. It was filled with articles with bad statistics trying to get the common American to eat more fish, how wonderful the ccp is, and how weak and decadent the American people are. They also made the grammar terrible. Definitely riding the line with seeing what they could get away with!
Mitt Romney Haunted By Past Of Trying To Help Uninsured Sick People
https://www.theonion.com/mitt-romney-haunted-by-past-of-tryi...
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...
I also have the complete Jim’s Journal, but alas I never got a t-shirt. “I went to class even though I didn’t real want to” was my favorite
…
Is it still there?
Taking a shot: Rehabilitating Mr. Wiggles?
“This War Will Destabilize The Entire Mideast Region And Set Off A Global Shockwave Of Anti-Americanism vs. No It Won’t”
https://www.theonion.com/this-war-will-destabilize-the-entir...
Why Republicans Have Little Cachet Amongst the Educated In The Past 2 Decades A Total Fucking Mystery
They had an issue with a banner headline: W A R
And when you unfolded it, the subhead was “C’mon! Let’s have one!”
I spent years homeless. I try to write about meaningful ways to help the homeless while preserving their agency. I try to write about systemic issues I feel contribute to the problem.
I don't find that second link funny or relatable or anything that makes sense to me.
https://www.theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-na...
https://www.theonion.com/the-onion-stands-with-israel-becaus...
P.S. Yeah, the onion is pretty hit-or-miss, tho the ratio is pretty good IMHO. YMMV but one of my all-time favorites was about Harry Potter being a sinister secret recruiting vehicle for satan worship -- and I learned about it from a friend whose parents were among the huge number of christianists who thought it was legit journalism and forwarded it in one of the biggest ~early-internet-days chainmail events ever.
https://www.theonion.com/harry-potter-books-spark-rise-in-sa...
“Never mind that Dr. Glickman screwed up and bought this colossal ditz of a receptionist more computer than she could ever possibly need for record-keeping at a small dentist's office.“
They tell you...
FYI, The Onion is from Madison WI, not Cambridge...
I was at UW-Madison when The Onion started. We had a wealth of student newspapers at the time, along with The Daily Cardinal and The Badger Herald. Scott Dikkers and Todd Hanson, writers for The Onion, also wrote great comic strips for the Cardinal (Jim's Journal and Badgers and Other Animals, respectively).
Some favorite Onion headlines that I remember:
https://www.theonion.com/stretch-of-highway-learns-it-was-ad...
https://www.theonion.com/sudanese-14-year-old-has-midlife-cr...
https://www.theonion.com/christ-returns-to-nba-1819563859
And I can't find a link for it, but "Special Olympics T-Ball Stand Pitches Perfect Game".
Incidentally, Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept was also writing for the student newspapers way back in the day, though he was obviously doing political stuff and not comedy.
https://www.theonion.com/archaeological-dig-uncovers-ancient...
"Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Fillm as Fun, Watchable"
https://www.theonion.com/trekkies-bash-new-star-trek-film-as...
"Jurisprudence Fetishist Gets off on Technicality"
https://www.theonion.com/jurisprudence-fetishist-gets-off-on...
"Schaumburg Man Dimly Aware Of Shadowy, Non-Schaumburg World Out There"
"Clinton Injected With Highly Unstable Experimental Growth Serum"
"Beer! It kicks ass!"
Lastly, the 9/11 issue is one of their greatest achievements. They struck the perfect balance/tone, avoiding "too soon": https://www.theonion.com/issue-37-34-the-september-11th-issu...
https://www.theonion.com/cia-realizes-its-been-using-black-h...
They also had one that they didn’t run making a joke right after 9/11 to the effect of…
“America Stronger Than Ever, Say Quadragon Officials."
Also the routine “No Way To Prevent This” headline after every mass shooting only continues to gain potency.
Which is a shame, because it was the perfect counterpoint to what everybody else was reporting.
Just a full page photo of the plane hitting the tower and a giant headline:
“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!”
Drugs win Drug War
New President Feels Nation's Pain, Breasts
Area Man Passionate Defender of What He Imagines Constitution to Be
Awesome Toy Recalled Thanks to Three Stupid Dead Kids
Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed Once Again
Alzheimer's Sufferers Demand Cure For Pancakes
Archaeological Dig Uncovers Ancient Race Of Skeleton People - https://www.theonion.com/archaeological-dig-uncovers-ancient...
Study: Dolphins Not So Intelligent On Land - https://www.theonion.com/study-dolphins-not-so-intelligent-o...
https://www.theonion.com/the-onions-1997-man-of-the-year-181...
https://www.theonion.com/area-man-always-nostalgic-for-four-...
Pool politics have torn America apart.
Here in Australia we have to make do with The Shovel
https://theshovel.com.au/2024/04/24/rest-of-world-offers-tru...
"I'll Try Anything With A Detached Air Of Superiority"
https://www.theonion.com/ill-try-anything-with-a-detached-ai...
https://www.theonion.com/god-finally-gives-shout-out-back-to...
And a brutal Special Olympics article:
https://www.theonion.com/independent-investigation-special-o...
https://www.ling.upenn.edu/~beatrice/humor/clinton-deploys-v...
Cities of Sjlbvdnzv, Grzny to Be First Recipients
> Little League Pitcher Just Getting Fucking Shelled
"More American Workers Outsourcing Own Jobs Overseas"
https://www.theonion.com/more-american-workers-outsourcing-o...
https://www.theonion.com/issue-37-34-the-september-11th-issu...
BTW Dan Vebber also wrote a strip for the Daily Cardinal and wrote for The Onion. He went on to write for Buffy and a lot of other shows, currently exec. producer of The Simpsons. He’s also the genius behind The Two Felipes https://www.mkepunk.com/releases/the-two-felipes-eat-your-fi...
It's probably the funniest amicus brief ever written. Thanks for linking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdP1zK15bE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRgRz3nSG7o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUT8ec24anM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKC21wDarBo
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.
https://youtu.be/7ADncN9HIa4
“Concentric Circles Emanating from Glowing Red Dot”
https://youtu.be/8wHMaJ6AtNs?si=GMQSQDYXbTQfGEI9
Deleted Comment
"Rescue St. Bernard eats avalanche victim"
> In an email to G/O Media staff that was obtained by The New York Times, Jim Spanfeller, the chief executive, said the company was “undergoing an extensive review of our portfolio with the intention of coring down to our leading sites in terms of audience and revenues.”
Gawker put a bunch of famous sites together, but The Onion is the only one that I'd expect anyone who wasn't terminally online to recognize. I'm not sure how that didn't make their list of "leading sites", but I'm grateful.
(Also, Jim Spanfeller is a herb.)
Sounds like The Onion is in good hands.