It’s probably just a simple HTML tel link that is supposed to open a phone app so that you don’t need to dial. But macOS and iOS opens these links with FaceTime if that is configured as your standard “phone” app. So it’s not the website that opens an app with camera permission, it’s the OS.

This can be quite annoying for web developers because HTML alone cannot prevent FaceTime from being opened instead of a normal phone app, as the OS dictates what happens when a tel link is clicked. This can easily give the impression that the camera is being accessed illegitimately, even if this is not actually intended. That’s probably the case here. I can’t imagine anyone expecting their customers to book a table in a restaurant via video call - that would be stupid on many levels.

I’m always impressed by how little understanding businesses have for basic online stuff, even when it’s very important to their business.

Weil die CDU und besonders die CSU sich dazu entschlossen haben, dem rassistischen Gewäsch der AfD nicht entschieden entgegenzutreten, sondern stattdessen ihrerseits auf rassistische Parolen zu setzen. Damit haben sie offene Ausländerfeindlichkeit wieder solonfähig gemacht, da diese Parteien ja angeblich die Mitte der Gesellschaft, mithin die “bürgerliche Vernunft” vertreten (sic). Auch die anderen etablierten Parteien haben tatkräftig mitgeholfen, indem sie das Narrativ der AfD aus wahlstrategischen Gründen ebenfalls aufgegriffen und so die völlig falsche Vorstellung, die Migrationspolitik sei das zentrale Problem Deutschlands, in der öffentlichen Debatte zementiert haben. So hat sich der Diskurs derart verändert, dass es überhaupt nicht mehr um Sachfragen und die zugehörigen Lösungsansätze geht, etwa um Maßnahmen, die dem Umstand Rechnung tragen, dass die deutsche Wirtschaft schon aufgrund des demografischen Wandels dringend Arbeitskräfte aus dem Ausland braucht. Stattdessen geht es nur noch darum, das absolut kontraproduktive Narrativ von den “schädlichen Ausländern” besonders populistisch zu bedienen - je nach Partei eben auch wieder mit Aussagen, die von Goebbels stammen könnten. Damit sind wir auch in Deutschland in einen Teufelskreis aus irrationaler Angstmacherei, sachlich falschen Schuldzuweisungen und ausländerfeindlicher Hetze geraten, der mit der Realität nichts zu tun hat, sondern unsere eigentlichen Probleme im Gegenteil hinter populistisch ausschlachtbaren Luftschlössern versteckt. Kurzum: Die meisten der etablierten Parteien haben sich von der blödsinnigen, jedoch leider sehr erfolgreichen Propaganda-Strategie der AfD derart beeindrucken lassen, dass sie selbst darauf gesetzt haben, anstatt sie zu bekämpfen und geschlossen als das zu entlarven, was sie tatsächlich ist - hasserfüllter Unsinn, der von der Inhaltsleere und Kurzsichtigkeit der AfD-Politik ablenken soll; ebenso von der Tatsache, dass die AfD eine neoliberale Wirtschaftspolitik verfolgt, die keineswegs im Interesse “der kleinen Leute” ist. In diesem Sinne ist die Situation inzwischen ganz ähnlich wie die in den USA, was auch kaum verwunderlich ist, wenn man bedenkt, dass die Strategie der MAGA-Bewegung seit langem die Blaupause für den Ansatz der AfD ist. Es ist ein Elend, aus dem wir nur herauskommen können, wenn wir wieder zu einem rationalen politischen Diskurs zurückfinden.

Life as a shorty shouldn’t be so rough.

I think one factor is that Democrats and Republicans actually hardly differ in many fundamental positions. I think the fact that an unscrupulous business man like Trump, who was once a member of the Democratic Party, can switch party affiliation just like that illustrates what I mean: there are no real alternatives, which is why election campaigns in the US need to be emotional rather than rational. That favors baseless fear mongering and empty finger-pointing that misses the real problems. I supect that many US citizens have become so accustomed to these empty election campaigns that they lost the ability to identify the lesser evil in this charade of mutual accusations far away from rational discourse. So in short I think Trump was just the better demagogue which is pretty much all that matters when reason or actual arguments are not part of the “election show”.

The PACs. I think this practice should be considered blatant corruption in any democratic system as it enables large corporations and wealthy individuals to predetermine which candidate or party has even the slightest chance in elections. In my home country, of course, there are private political funds as well but those are not nearly as important in our system as there is solid public funding for political parties based on past election results. I might be wrong but I always thought that the insane amount of private money that fuels US elections boils down to the US being a plutocracy rather than a democracy.

If the Conservatives had their way, women would not be allowed to vote at all. Unfortunately, that still seems to be one of their goals. I mean, Trump and his henchmen have already made sure that women are no longer allowed to control their own bodies, which I have to admit I thought was impossible in a Western country. What makes you think they’re going to leave it at taking away women’s right to a secret ballot? These people want to reverse advances in civilization like women’s right to vote all together. That’s what conservative means to them: back to the Middle Ages. In this sense, they are little different from other religious extremists such as the Taliban. Their goals might be a little different but their means are pretty much the same.

Probably not too many, but she seems to have landed a good job with this degree regardless.

Idk, but Disaster Girl has apparently made a good deal including a 10 percent cut on any future sales. Not that I think that this NFT has sold again for even near the original price but she will still get “royalties” from any additional sale for the looks of it. Good for her that she used this bubble in time.

I was wondering about that as well. We’ll probably never know. Anyway, I’m glad that her unwanted internet fame in this timeline hasn’t ruined her life and that she seems to have benefited from it instead - at least financially. That’s nice, because she really deserves to be compensated for the joy she brought to the internet over the years.

How time flies. Sorry to break it to you, but Disaster Girl is now 24 and apparently working as a Smart Cities & IoT Analyst at S&P Global. Somehow even Side-Eyeing Chloe is 13 by now…

What do you mean by religion? Halloween is a pagan festival according to Christian standards. Of course, I’d be right there with you when it comes to the fun festivals of pagans, but is that what you mean?

I realize that Halloween is a commercial event, but I think there are other outlets for criticism of capitalism. Things where you can make a difference and at the same time let the children have fun. I don’t think you can change much if you dwell on trivialities that bring people together despite all the commerce. That doesn’t seem to me to be the right approach.

That sounds fun, I imagine it like this:

Dentist in tooth disguise and surrounded by tooth fairies: Please open your mouth.

Patient Jack Sparrow: Arr!

Aha, this must be the “cabal” that these weird MAGA people are always rambling on about.

Didn’t even have to check the link to know what it was. Classic.

Well, people like this Girdusky are a joke. At least that much is certain.

Back in 2016, I didn’t understand how an extremely wealthy heir to a billion-dollar fortune (and regardless of all his business failures) could present himself as the candidate of the little people. Today, after Trump was president and - of course - only made policy changes for the rich, I understand it even less. What is this photo-op all about? Are there seriously still people who don’t understand that Trump has never represented the middle class - or even the working class? You can’t be serious, dear US citizens.

I know. I did not downvote and I really don’t get why people feel the need to. Your comment is completely accurate - it makes no sense to impute any intentions to these people in disguise. My only point was that the people in the photo should not appear like that for the election in any case.

Be that as it may, people wearing masks or costumes have no place in a polling station.