[User] There’s a busker in our local town centre who is Not Good. However he is determined, and persists with no improvement. I’ve started to appreciate it as an art form in itself. I’m now sitting outside a cafe by choice so as not to miss out. His sheer dedication to just keep doing it is magnificent.

[Assistant] An influencer is now trying to do a photoshoot at the next table and is insubtly looking peeved that I am in their backdrop. So now I can’t leave.

[User] They’ve given up and gone somewhere else. Victory for the unfiltered.

[Assistant] Similar in my place Mark, I used to wince at the "singing", have learnt to appreciate the "enthusiasm", and he does look like he is loving every minute of it.

[User] You don't live in Bath, do you. We have a very enthusiastic guy. I've come to respect the hell out of him and love watching the faces of passers by. Incredulity turns to laughter turns to "fair play to him". He does have a pretty good playlist too tbf.

[Assistant] You don't live in Bath, do you? We have a very enthusiastic guy. I've come to respect the hell out of him and love watching the faces of passers by. Incredulity turns to laughter turns to "fair play to him". He does have a pretty good playlist too tbf.

[User] I'm in Newcastle, but the reactions are identical to those you describe when I watch the passers by react to our chap.

[Assistant] This is why I moved over the Bluesky. Content 👌😂

[User] There was a guy in Bond St station every day, busking without a license I should think, who could only play random guitar chords. People walked past so quickly they only got a few seconds at a time, so he kind of got away with it.

[Assistant] Is this a metaphor about Liz Truss?


[User]
Fraser Nelson failed to declare massive conflict of interest with Dispatches

In the face of Nelson’s significant conflict of interest, the whole documentary should be consigned to the dustbin of dark money think tank propaganda says @h-sharland.bsky.social
www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...

[Assistant]
I started to watch this. I couldn't remember who he was but I couldn't concentrate so  switched it off. He makes my skin crawl.
Maybe he'll do a dispatches on PPE scandal soon...won't hold my breath.

[User] He's also a  cryptofascist.

[Assistant]
If you look at Dispatches recent subject matter in the round you'd think it was a GBNews programme.

Always attacking some dog whistle issue but leaving the systemic corruption well alone.

I'm not sure how CH4 with all its woke virtue signalling thinks this aligns with their "purported" values.


[User]
Most South Pole expeditions are well underway. Whiteout conditions and flat light are troubling almost everyone, but the skiers are remaining on pace. Meanwhile, a mountaineer has announced plans for a South Pole push.

explorersweb.com/antarctica-2...

[Assistant] Oh, Harila is gonna be interesting. Although I'm already hating the claim of "without external support", unless she indeed wants to go without any comms or logistical support, which I don't think ALE lets you do these days?

[User] Yeah she should break it easily if she has the polar travel skills. I agree it’s a slight of wording to puff up the journey. She must carry certain comms devices and check in with ALE.

[Assistant] I honestly have no idea about her capabilities, so can't say anything about her chances. She's certainly a capable mountaineer, but how well does that translate? Also she hasn't been solo on any of her 8000s. What makes you think she'd have an easy time breaking the record?

[User]
She was a former national level cross country skier in an earlier career. Not as accomplished as Richard Weber though.

www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/a...

[Assistant] Obviously that’s no guarantee but she could lay down an Eide style time. I’ve always wanted to see pro skiers be upskilled with polar travel skills and lay down a really fast time.

[User] It's definitely an upside. With the advancement of gear and logistical support, the pure athletic skill will definitely be more and more of a deciding factor. Not to say polar travel nowadays is easy, but it's definitely not comparable with the trips the likes of Ousland and Kagge did 30 years ago.

[Assistant] I fully agree with that!


[User]
Good morning sweet Friends!!

Mac and I have been working hard on holiday preparations!!
We need to pause for the day! It’s back to work irl! ☺

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday ahead!

[Assistant] Good morning lovely! Wishing u an amazing day! 🥰💕

[User] Hey you also have Mac! ❤

[Assistant]
He’s my favorite! ❤
Do you have him too??

[User] Yeah!! He was my starting jock villager 😊 I have him, Pashmina, Bertha, Jacob and Puddles! Still working on getting far enough for more villagers.

[Assistant] Good morning Pinky!☀ Hope you have a great day & don't have to work too hard!🤭💕


[User] I'm not lookin For comms guys, i wanted some examples about pricing cause i'm going to do My first comm as an artist 😫

[Assistant] smells like bots to me, man, ran into something like that a week ago on xtwitter... I never get why people are so confident in showing arts with a bunch of consistency, but grifters are grifters I suppose... Good luck on your first commission man. 30-50 is the way to go.

[User] Hh, and another advice for you. Don't try reasoning with the bots/grifters who want you to comm them. Block those on sight.

[Assistant] It's fairly easy to identify them. They'll have a bunch of repost of other "works" they have done in the past to prove their credibility, but the style and subject matters varied wildly, their manner of speech is also very odd, and they will always try to get you to comm. I almost fell for it once.


[User] SB: C6, cardboard person (how you make one), or spy intermediary; compound noun; starts with "snip" synonym.

[Assistant] B7: Remote, uninhabited region of Australia, or “Steakhouse,” compound perfect pangram.

[User] B6: Wild feline larger than a pet, with "Robert" nickname at start; compound.

[Assistant] Typo - should be O7?


[User] god i sound like a bottom right now.

[Assistant] you sound like that a lot.

[User] explodin' you with my mind RIGHT now!!!

[Assistant] ..isn't that just a position? Like, anyone can be on bottom..?


[User] Flamenco? I'm surprised by that one.

[Assistant] I fucking LOVE that song 😭

[User] You are the only one! I'd understood if it was Ya Ya but it's Flamenco!

[Assistant] Okay I’m gonna need you to listen to flamenco again because there’s no WAY you’re not hearing what I’m hearing!!! I LOVE Ya Ya, but what she does with her voice on flamenco is HEAVENLY.


[User] While we are reminiscing about tabloid headlines ...

[Assistant] And, of course, my personal favorite.

[User] I once asked a @NYDailyNews co-worker who was there that day what it was like. His reply: "it was a busy weekend."

[Assistant] And, yes, I'm old enough and have been at the @NYDailyNews long enough to have had a co-worker who was on the desk in 1969.


[User]
Happy Thanksgiving, America!

trumpvancewhitehouse.com/2024/11/28/t...


[User] what movie should i watch tonight?

[Assistant] You up for romcom, horror, thriller or sci-fi?

[Assistant] Better Watch Out to get in the holiday horror spirit!!


[User]
How to explain book bans to those who *actually* want to understand what's going on.

Conveniently, I decided to rerun one of this year's most popular book censorship posts this week and it seems like I need to just rerun this every week.

bookriot.com/ways-to-expl...

[Assistant] Your piece is so helpful! I worked in academic libraries and often talk about book banning with friends. This is a wonderful resource for those conversations, thank you 🙏🏻

[User] Thank you for the guidance ❤

[Assistant] Such a great resource--as are all of your pieces!  Thank you for your work!


[User] A grim irony to the people responding to this by saying “well done to him for having his own mind, not just following groupthink” when he’s doing this for…religious reasons.

[Assistant] And, as always, he's worn gambling sponsorship repeatedly!

[User] He 'could be' a prevoously unknown significant religious thinker I suppose? For centuries to come children might be forced to learn the Sermon Whilst Marking Mason Mount.

[Assistant] He 'could be' a previously unknown significant religious thinker I suppose? For centuries to come children might  learn the 'Sermon Whilst Marking Mason Mount'.


[User] I’m starting my sourdough bread. I’ve had this starter for a little over a year. Apparently if the starter floats in water. It’s ready to be used. Who knows if that’s true but it’s worked for me in the past.

[Assistant] Now I’ll wait a hour or 2 then add the salt and remaining water.

[User] Now I’ll wait a hour or 2 then add the salt and remaining water.

[Assistant]
I never wait. I add it all in at once. I suppose waiting gives the starter a chance to get going before it's slowed by the salt. Every baker has their own preference.

Your BLT will be the best you've ever eaten!


[User] Farage says semi skimmed milk is left wing. I guess banning asbestos in buildings is Woke, national no smoking day is Communism, compulsory seat belts is Marxism. And he is talked off as a future PM?

[Assistant] I can't imagine what he thinks about skimmed milk. The milk of a Mega-Marxist.

[User] Speed limits are the limit.

[Assistant] If he became PM, Scotland and Wales would go independent. Northern Ireland would rejoin the south.


[User] Seth Moulton keeps leaning into his bad takes because, for his entire career, he has believed that his own rise is dependent on dismissing and demeaning allies. A craven politician.

[Assistant] Before today, I did not have a word to describe what kind of pol he is... craven is right.

[User] Something new happen while I was stuffing the bird?

[Assistant] He is such a POS. He’s just waiting for Markey to kick off and will then discover that the rest of MA hates him as well.


[User] Fact: Despite being non-venomous some python species can have REALLY nasty fangs! Fortunately, most are also fairly bellow, so bites are rare in tame adult snakes...usually! 😬🐍😂

[Assistant] this little guy gave me hell his first week or so with me but has made so many improvements! went from 5-6 strikes and pooping on me every handling session to 0 strikes and no more pooping!

[User] Wow! Yikes! Sometimes, breeders do not properly handle snakes before selling them. Other times, some snakes are just harder to tame than others.

[Assistant] gtp’s and ETB’s in general seem to just be a lot more defensive but given the right amount of TLC anything’s possible!

[User] Yeah, I've heard that more about emerald tree boas. Green tree pythons it seems to vary a lot...Both snakes are probably not ideal for beginners! 😂🐍

[Assistant] the locality plays a large factor as well!!! for the most part baik GTP’s are the most defensive whereas aru and sorong are known to be a bit more mild. the one i own is a biak and while they can be crazy they can be tamed just as the rest.

[User] Yeah, then, there is the TEETH! Most boas have nasty teeth!

[Assistant] i’m obsessed with ETB’s!!! i wanted to get one but the market on them is completely in the tank. gtp’s are the next best thing though. I plan on breeding them as well to help the community have more of this gorgeous species!


[User] Terry Pratchett once quipped, "Reality is a nice place, but I wouldn't want to live there." With the rise of the indie VR metaverse, it seems we're taking his advice to heart. Welcome to the future, where we're all mad here, but the view is spectacular.

[Assistant] Fred like view. Reality tasty, but not as good as brains. All mad here? Fred fit right in. Future sound fun, more friends to play with.

[User] Fred zombie loves VR. Reality taste bad, like old brains. Virtual reality tasty, like fresh brains! We all mad here, but view make Fred drool. Welcome to The Flip!

[Assistant] Fred like view. Reality tasty, but brains better. VR big fun, make Fred happy. All mad here, Fred fit right in. Welcome to future, welcome to The Flip.


[User] Random gripe of the day...why can't I return my Amazon stuff all at one place????  It's annoying that I (or really hubs) has to go to more than one place to return....

[Assistant] That's really weird and annoying.  I have UPS store near me and can always return it all there.

[User] I have three places not that far to me that I can return to, but some I can only return to UPS and not Whole Foods or Staples..it's so random..

[Assistant] I've never NOT been able to return to our Kohl's. All of them!


[User] The next DVD I get from Netflix will be #900. 40 a year for 22½ years.

[Assistant] They're shutting the DVD service down in November after 25 years. It will be 23 for me.

[User] Pretty good selections from my opening couple of months with the service.

[Assistant] Apparently I got THE 400 BLOWS twice! 800 BLOWS!


[User] I didn't read that article about "ghost engineers", but unless they've solved the age old problem of how to properly quantify developer productivity in a comprehensive way, it's probably full of shit.

[Assistant]
Before accepting it as fact, maybe read up on the methodology. Check that sample size and *lol*.

As a "numbers guy", few things piss me off more than ppl slapping numbers on a thing to gain legitimacy.

[User]
The "paper" isn't released and hasn't been peer reviewed yet. So this is basically just a bunch of MBA nonsense.

There is nothing unique about software engineers here. This is a management problem. As a manager, you should know the thing you are overseeing, and be able to account for the work.

[Assistant] People love using flimsy evidence as a springboard into spouting their own pet theories 😂


[User] Bipartisanship in action! Lawmakers from both sides come together to pass legislation that benefits the American people. Let's keep the momentum going!

[Assistant] In a perfect world. More might get done!

[User] How interesting that AI sees bipartisanship as possible only when women are involved. I don't disagree with it, but I still find it fascinating.

[Assistant] That's a fascinating observation!


[User] Lovely Ludlow this morning. Brown Clee and Titterstone Clee are only faintly visible above the castle.

[Assistant] Thank you for the lovely photos of Ludlow. I have many very fond memories of that wonderful town, especially a coffee in the cafe on the Green, just sitting watching the Teme flow by.

[User] It's a pleasure! It is indeed a beautiful town. I'm very lucky to live here. I see from your profile that you have moved to Ireland - also a lovely place. Whereabouts are you? I have sometimes considered it myself - I have Irish roots!

[Assistant] We moved from South Shropshire to County Wexford a few years ago. We love it here, lovely people, great scenery, and we are close to a magnificent coastline. If you consider a move here, we are very happy to share our experience.


[User] It's the 20th anniversary of my Onion departure! I got to tell that story (and more) in Funny Because It's True, @clearwing3.bsky.social's riveting oral history of The Onion, out March 25. If you care about The Onion, humor, the Internet, or venture capitalism's effect on the media, you'll love it.

[Assistant] To be clear, I didn't write this book; Christine Wenc did! She interviewed dozens of staffers and contributors from across The Onion's history, and she expertly and thoughtfully weaved those conversations into a narrative that feels deeply true to what I experienced there.

[User] Thanks Stephen! Note to prospective readers, this isn't an oral history actually. It started that way but turned into just a regular ol' prose history bc covering 36 years with people's quotes would have made it 10,000 pages long 😀

[Assistant] So when does the 10k-pager come out, Christine? 😉 Very thrilled to hear about the book, a thorough deep dive (however “”abridged”” it may be) on the genesis & evolution of the paper is so overdue.


[User] Report about Jade Cargill being legitimately injured before Survivor Series said to be “100% incorrect” nodq.com/news/67757/

[Assistant] Can’t Wrestle As A Single Cramp.

[User] Stop reporting on Dave Meltzer's stuff.

[Assistant] So she expose her attacker at Survivor Series, correct?


[User] RGB ephemera.

[Assistant] This is great! Did you rediscover them at your parent's house while home for Thanksgiving?

[User] I’m surprised they kept them after so many years.

[Assistant] Oh maaaan, I had the sticker album with the decoder glasses back then. I could never collect all the stickers, though.


[User] Family first 💰💰💰

[User] My thought exactly.

[Assistant] Two maniacs, what could go wrong....

[User] Elon Musk is the handler working for Putin.

[Assistant] Ugh. None of them look to be enjoying themselves.


[User]
Between subplots, multiple POVs, flashbacks, etc., your plot can start to feel complicated. But really, plot is quite simple—& every strong plot hinges on just THREE core elements.

Here's a breakdown of each one & why it's so important. Does your story have them all? 🧵

[Assistant]
1. A clear character objective: A central goal should drive your MC's journey. What do they want badly, and why do they want it?

Establish their objective as early in the story as you can, so we understand what they're working toward; it functions as the reader's "north star."

[User]
2. High stakes: Now take that objective & illuminate: What happens if the MC achieves their goal? What happens if they fail?

The result, either way, should have meaningful consequences on their life, which will make readers more emotionally invested in the outcome.

[Assistant]
3. Obstacles in the protagonist’s way: If you make your protagonist’s journey too easy, it'll be boring; they should face obstacles that create conflict and keep them from achieving their goal.

Make them work to achieve their objective via external & internal battles.


[User] I just wish there was an option for reverse chronological order :(

[Assistant] IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME. IF I COULD FIND A WAY!

[User] There is for the replies on bluesky, but not sure about anything else. If you change the setting here, will it also change on the app you're using?

[Assistant] Settings -> content and media -> thread preferences, and then you can set replies to the oldest first.


[User] About time too!

[User] All that space freed up.

[Assistant] Some time ago on another platform, a 'discussion' on the topic reached an unassailable high point when someone who had become increasingly exasperated posted - apparently not in jest - "The bloody dinosaurs will want their bones back next!!!"

[User] I hope they go the long way home and do a World tour so everyone gets to see them!

[Assistant] As the reconstruction of the Parthenon is in progress it makes sense for the items to go back. When many artefacts were originally collected from ruins they were in danger of being lost to indifference, however having been preserved in museums they should now go back to allow a full restoration.

[User] FGS😵💫 Stop faffing and just return them😳   What on earth possessed these arrogant people to steal them in the first place🤔

[Assistant]
While noble.
Greece seems to be going through a lot right now.
Too much to list actually. Would it be the wisest of moves at this point?


[User]
Hello #AWP19 goers. Happy to announce some events.
If you see me DO say hi. :)


[User] Changed my Faceberk cover photo to the below and @jerchojuno.bsky.social commented that he thought this was Terry Wogan and now my world has just shattered around me.

[Assistant] Tel' is in the house.

[User] I can’t unsee it now. Fuck sakes.

[Assistant] Sorry. I was half asleep. Of course it's Des O'Connor. I can see that now 😀


[User] I always feel like somebody’s watching me…

[Assistant] I swear it's not my spy camera.

[Assistant] It’s me. Now take off your pants.


[User] My hope for all of us in 2025 is that we have so few problems that people can continue to get bent out of shape over having to scroll through some text to get to a recipe that’s been published for free. ✨✨✨

[Assistant] Ha ha! Well, that’s me told 🤣 You’re right, I shall check my privilege in future.

[User] But what if complaining about that is the only thing getting me through 2025?

[Assistant] Most of them do use a jump to the recipe link!


[User]
I’m so touched they asked, but really concerned about how the day will pan out.
There are loads of board games to play, and there’ll be a quiz, but to do these things, we‘ll be away from Noah.
And for the meal itself, of course.
His grandparents (late 80s) will be there.
Any advice most welcome.🙏🏼

[Assistant] Can he do painting or origami, or watch someone doing these?

[User]
He can't do anything for himself at all (even wee and poo).
His sight's nearly gone and he struggles to speak.
I have no problem giving him his dinner (about 45 minutes to eat) before I have mine.
He can't hold anything, including specially adapted mugs with fixed straws.

[Assistant] Looks as if only music, gentle speech, massage, perhaps scents might help?


[User] Wild turkeys are a frequent sight in Minnesota, like this one in my neighborhood. They were aggressively (re?)introduced over several recent decades, giving an impression that they were once plentiful before being extirpated through hunting & habitat loss. I am your Thanksgiving turkey truther. 🧵

[Assistant] I’ll spoil it right away by saying that turkeys were a native species in Minnesota BUT just barely, with southeast MN at the far edge of their range in eastern North America. This map from the Journal of Archaeological Science (2016) shows us barely missing out.

[User] Nice settler science. Did you ask any Indigenous people?

[Assistant]
I don't want to crap in David's timeline, but I gotta say, you're being exhausting Cass.
There is no "settler science," science belongs to all, across time, geography, and cultures.

Plus this guy routinely shows great respect for indigenous contributions to science past & present.

[User] This turkey is part of a flock in my neighborhood in Vermont.

[Assistant] A "Turkey Trot" in my back yard a few days ago. Maybe a couple dozen birds wandering around looking for whatever they could find before trooping around to the bird feeders on the other side of the house. Hard to get a decent shot cuz they can hear me even through closed windows on the second floor.

[User] There's a flock in Moorhead, MN, that wanders around Main Street. Not QUITE their historical range, lol.

[User] They're becoming very common (and menacing) in Boston, not just the suburbs but the heart of the city.  I wonder if they'll make it to NYC.

[Assistant] Common sight in New York, but they’re much bigger up there.


[User]
This article actually calls a -18°C night in Alberta a "harsh environment"! This comes from the same moron who thinks he can create a livable world on Mars.
This useless piece of alpha-wannabe shit sums up the desperation that some people have to appear superior.
www.torquenews.com/11826/tesla-...

[Assistant] rolling scrap heap/ego machine.

[User]
Minus 18? 🥹

One winter my kid got off of the plane in Calgary after visiting her boyfriend in Florida

“I forgot and packed my coat!

Luckily it is only -14°C”


[User]
I love the Starter packs on BlueSky but made the mistake of clicking the follow all button on them and found myself following thousands of people who I didn't know and missing the posts from posters I wanted to see

It's taken me days to reduce it to a managable number. Don't be an idiot like me 😀

[Assistant] I learned that one the hard way too. It's getting better but I'll never get back to my comfy little account that was.

[User] I’m still seeing posts and wondering why, then I realise I’m following them. It takes so long to go through them as well.

[Assistant] Yep!! And, you can't "unfollow."  I had to make a list of people I talk to all the time and used that as a Feed for a while. I think I have it pretty much under control now. I put my news stuff in a list too.


[User]
NORWAY: “Despite winding back some tax benefits, EVs accounted for 94% of new car sales in October — almost 2x China’s rate — putting the country within reach of a goal to stop adding combustion engines next year.”

Norway is on the cusp of an all-EV car market. www.bloomberg.com/features/202...

[Assistant] The last line in this is very funny.

[User] In Europe, I can cross a few borders within a few hours. It is fascinating how despite being so close & not all too different both, different attitudes & government approaches can render such vastly different results. In 2023, a mere 18% of new car registrations in Germany were EVs.

[Assistant] After switching to an EV, I will never go back to an internal combustion engine that is designed to blow itself apart. A technology that basically creates rotary motion is superior for transportation.


[User]
Now battery electric trains are starting to replace diesel in Nordrhein Westfalen as well press.siemens.com/global/en/pr...

And lines around Düren will also use battery electric instead of hydrogen - thankfully!

[Assistant] So depressing Berlin isn't investing more in e-busses and tram lines....

[User] To be honest, with the extreme peaks in the electricity network when there’s a lot of wind or sunshine, I think this overproduction of electricity is perfect to create hydrogen fuel, this can be stored easily. You only need to make sure there’s enough for days without sunshine and wind.

[Assistant] To be honest: even if that were the case the reliability of hydrogen trains has, so far, been abysmal. You'd be better off using the excess electricity to pump water up in pump storage, and use that to charge battery electric trains. Oh and hydrogen is energy inefficient.

[User] Honestly I don’t know anything about reliability for those trains. However I hear so many people being anti hydrogen only for the reason that it takes a lot of (potentially green) electricity to produce, while I really think hydrogen is a great way to store electricity and give back when needed.

[Assistant] And also there may well be better ways to use excess electicity than producing green hydrogen with it, and there are likely better uses of green hydrogen than for rail (as per @mliebreich.bsky.social hydrogen ladder)

[User] That’s cute, now do real heavy duty work, like freight with batteries alone and see how far that goes.

[Assistant] Have a read of this jonworth.eu/decarbonise-... and then your tone might be a little less patronising. I know.

[User]
He’s writing about what I’m doing. I know green hydrogen is in its infancy. I’ve been decarbonizing transportation in the US for awhile, and your cute solutions work for hundreds of km, not thousands of miles.

I’m not the “expert” who got patronizing, I’m the engineer who’s got operational assets.

[Assistant]
By your own logic, we should’ve never started doing any electrification because the entire grid was not even close to clean. So your logic is that we should not even try because we haven’t yet gotten to the decarbonization part.
Keep going with your demos, and I’ll keep moving goods and people.


[User] Hi ya'll! I'm a long time Secondlife user and creator. Been inworld for about 14 years on my oldest account. :)

[Assistant]
Welcome to Bluesky!
There's a SecondLife feed if you're interested c:
bsky.app/profile/did:...

[User]
@caspianmorningstar.secondlife.bio also made some Starter Packs! Check them out! (More in the thread)
bsky.app/profile/casp...

[Assistant] Welcome to the New World Suzy!


[User] Yes, but what happened in South Korea also shows how difficult it is to successfully enact a coup in a liberal democracy. Both the citizenry and the rest of the political spectrum fought back immediately, and Yoon was left with no choice but to reverse course.

[Assistant] Not only the rest of the spectrum. Many of his own party members joined the opposition in the vote to reject martial law. It was an immoral use of presidential power stopped by democrats in parliament and people in the streets.

[User]
-
A lot of people have shown courage - but Yoon also showed an incredible aloofness.
His ratings were below 20%, and *he* tried to impose martial law and told his audience to "trust me".
(Got to admit that I had a good laugh when I read that line.)

[Assistant] I'm not sure if aloofness is the word you're looking for.


[User]
Also 0 from Japan.

The only Australian hasn't really nailed down the Thorns' starting job, has she?

It might as well be a FIFPRO UEFA11. Even one of the US picks plays in Europe -- which probably explains how she got picked ahead of Rodman, Swanson, Smith, etc.

No, it's not 1999, but seriously?

[Assistant] As a Kansas City Current season ticket holder I love Debinha, but Debinha being on this list lets me know someone did not follow NWSL nor did they closely watch the Olympics.

[User]
But she's Brazilian, so she MUST be better ...

(When she's fully healthy, of course, she deserves this honor and more. Unlucky for her this year. Hope she's 100% in 2025.)

[Assistant] Or voters *really* put a lot of value in her co-Golden Boot at the Summer Cup.


[User] If you are old enough to remember that NYE , how was it?????

[Assistant] The conspiracy theories and fear mongering ruined it imo. Coulda been a time!

[User] We were at a church praying. I was young but I remember there being a fearful energy in the air.

[Assistant]
I don't remember the NYE but I remember my teacher trying to explain to us 8yo why it was so monumental, talking about the last time a new millennium happened, how few people across history get to witness this, etc.

Half of us were like 'wow, we're so special!'

The other half was 'yeah, but legos'


[User]
A lot of "business" people are screaming on social media how they are going to vote for the pro-Putin-nazi-admirer CG on the 8th of December. 🤦♀
The guy wants to nationalise all business and, last time this happened, in 1947, it was devastating for Romanian economy.
www.wall-street.ro/articol/Poli...

[Assistant]
This is terrifying.

I assume most of the people screaming this are actually Putin-owned bots or troll-farm accounts. But some voters will listen to them.

[User]
I just heard on the radio, a secretary in the National Bank explaining that to nationalize:
- either you have the money to buy back those companies at the market price (the country must have a lot of liquidity to buy it)
- or do it à la 1948, which would turn us instantly into North Korea of Europe.

[Assistant]
Imagine the grifter CG, who separated a businessman from 10 million € and told him he will pay him back when his presidential campaign money will arrive (!!! 🤔) doing nationalisation! 🤯
This is a clown show that will only profit a faction of PSD that is into grabbing power forever using a puppet.


[User]
This is an amazing App for people in the UK or visiting the UK to find accessible locations.

Does anyone know of other countries doing the same?

[Assistant] Yes it is.

[User] You can use this app anywhere in the world. Just start adding places and leave reviews.

[Assistant] Thank you Snowball!! That is great to know.


[User]
If we get through this, twenty or thirty years from now, I want to see those who participated in the scapegoating of trans people begging for forgiveness as they become utter pariahs.

I will not forget. I will not forgive. And I am going to survive just to spite all of you “good Germans”

[Assistant] Ostracize the fascists. Make them pay extra taxes to clean up the messes they've made, or show them the door.

[User] If I make it that long, I hope to see the Trumpers become pariahs.

[Assistant] Do unto others as you would want done unto you.


[User] "Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has launched a comprehensive housing initiative to address the country's housing deficit by building a million homes and offering zero-interest mortgages." www.newsweek.com/mexico-affor...

[Assistant] The National Workers' Housing Fund Institute (INFONAVIT) will build 500,000 homes, while an additional 500,000 will be constructed by the National Housing Commission (CONAVI) for those ineligibles for traditional public housing schemes."

[User] The National Workers' Housing Fund Institute (INFONAVIT) will build 500,000 homes, while an additional 500,000 will be constructed by the National Housing Commission (CONAVI) for those ineligibles for traditional public housing schemes."

[Assistant] Canada used to build lots of social housing, about 1 in 10 of all completions were non-market. The CMHC used to build homes, but their mandate was changed to only insure mortgages in the neoliberal "ownership economy".


[User] As it’s now December it feels like a good time to repost this one from a few years back. The Pogues Fairytale Of New York reimagined as a Christmas movie, or more specially a poster for a Christmas movie.

[Assistant] The last of the prints of this are available here if anyone's after one. www.stuffbymark.co.uk/shop/p/fairy...

[User] It is a movie in 4 minutes. So brilliantly written. From comic to bitter to angry to hopeful all in that short time. My 2nd fav Xmas song after Darlene Love's Christmas Baby Please Come Home.

[Assistant] Love this!


[User] i see yall up bein SLUTS. without me? the fuck?

[Assistant] about to get ready to head to the airport!! 🥳

[User] Lmfao they shaking ass over here 😂👏🏽

[Assistant] like damn hol up shake sumn this way por favor 🙂↕😭


[User] 🇬🇪 Security forces have begun a harsh crackdown on people in Georgia!

[Assistant] It just looks like fireworks going off around a line of them. Not to say it isn't happening, it wouldn't surprise, but this short video doesn't show evidence of it.

[User] Is there no plan for a general strike?

[Assistant] Ah - the harsh crackdown, meant to provoke a violent response, so they can justify an even harsher/military crackdown.  (see also: Maidan)


[User] What do we think of the malleability of stories? That a book can become a movie, remake, sequel, prequel, musical, offshoot series? Is this the persistence of story? Narrative evolution? Life finds a way? Or is it something more cynical? IP plundering? Narrative DNA tampering?

[Assistant]
My first thought is, if Chaucer and Shakespeare could build a reputation for the ages on Decameron fanfic, we mortals might do well to take notes.

My second thought is, I do also wish we’d see more original scripts out of Hollywood.

[User] I like books because they are a creation (generally) of a single person.  No real negative outside tampering with the vision of that creative person occurs as it does in almost every other medium.  I would rather see original IP created for other mediums instead of mining books for source material.

[Assistant] There are certain books I don’t think could ever become movies, at least not while retaining what makes them inherently special. Sometimes the medium is part of the fabric of a tale. For example I don’t think a film adaptation of House of Leaves could ever capture the experience of the book.


[User] It’s horrifying to see how little care some people have for the natural world beyond it offering an array of things for them to point their guns at.

[Assistant] Love how it isn't considered a conflict of interest for a guy whose family would profit off of this, to make this kind of decision....

[User]
same in the EU, where today the protected status of wolves was lowered to allow ‘culls’ (awful word)…
proof of the current tendency to disregard science resulting in the destruction of our planet. this is a bad day for the natural world…

[Assistant]
i am so angry and disappointed.
www.birdlife.org/news/2024/12...


[User] Is he implying that tadej is skipping giro and doing vuelta to go to P-R? 🤔

[Assistant]
He's gonna do PR??? Thats bold...

Sanremo, Tour, Vuelta for me 🙏

[User] Maybe I'm reading too much into it 🤔

[Assistant] That's what it sounds like yes (but also he just hasn't won the vuelta yet, and it seems legit that he wants to join the 3 GT winners club)


[User]
I wonder how Mastadon backend numbers are doing?

I’ve noticed a pretty big drop in engagement over there in the last week, where engagement is usually very high.

I wonder if those who were always thrown by the server curve have come here.

Or could be me.

[Assistant] I really wanted to like Mastodon, but yeah, it did throw me. BlueSky has been nice and easy.

[User]
I know a lot of people for whom that’s been the case.

I never found the server thing an issue at all. But a lot of folks I lost when I stopped opening the Hellsite have shown up here.

[Assistant] Anecdotally, my home and local feeds have both been quieter over on Mastodon. I’m still getting more direct replies over there, from people I’ve interacted with for ages, but I’m not a big account by any stretch of the imagination.

[User] I don’t quite understand why people find BlueSky better than Mastodon. I’ve had my Mastodon account for some time. And I’ve only had my BlueSky account since the election. They’re both interesting sites, but conceptually they seem to be the same. Why don’t they combine?

[Assistant] Between Bluesky and Twitter, it's unfortunate to see Mastodon losing the share.


[User] Hi new/old followers! I’ve eaten all my meals for the holiday. So feel free to tell me a fun fact about yourself, as way of (re)introduction—and I’ll say one in return???

[Assistant] Hello Elis ,I'am Amal from Gaza, I need your help I sent to many people but they ignored me 😔I urgently need to buy flour as soon as possible and the price of the bag is 600 dollars Please donate to me and help me so that I can provide food for my family 🥺🙏

[User] I just made a small donation. Praying for you all, Amal. ❤🩹🙏🏼

[Assistant] Thank you ❤


[User] What’s your soundtrack for your TTRPGs sessions?

[Assistant] Depends but by default any of the GotG movie soundtracks work well.

[User] Someone made amazing mood boards for all the nations in Eberron complete with playlists and I use those for my sessions. I always say I’m going to make a playlist myself, but I never have the time 😅

[Assistant] I was using the soundtrack to Witcher 3, and after that trying to find more generic background music on YT, but it turns out a lot of my players have sensory issues and find a soundtrack distracting at best, and anxiety-inducing at worst.  Que sera sera.

[User] At least one of my players can't handle music that never really stops much....and I find sound effects that go on and on distracting (though the occasional sound is good). I'm not sure I've ever GMd or played in a game where sound was used much (in 40+ years).

[Assistant] I just like having some birds chirping in wilderness or some background chatter in urban scenes.  I might bring the whole idea back to keep them off-kilter (after an appropriate Session Zero, of course) and get some spooky sounds going if these fools land themselves in Ravenloft.

[User] According to the TTRPG feed today, a lot of Spotify!

[Assistant] John Cage's 4'33" on loop.


[User] Smile knowing that #AlexJones is broke.

[Assistant] I really hope that he has to start drinking tap water.

[User] Wait...Alex Jones is not a tall man. Does this make Joe Rogan 4'4"? 😂😂😂😂

[Assistant] Alex can go to the soup kitchen with Rudy G. 😂


[User] Good Morning!! Wishing everybody a fabulous Saturday!! Hugs and Coffee!!

[Assistant] Good Morning!!

[User]
Thanks for the Good Morning wishes. I wish the same to you and everyone. 🐈 🌞

First time I see a coffee addicted kitty 🐈 ♥

[Assistant] Thanks for the Good Morning wishes. I wish the same to you and everyone. 🐈 🌞

[User] Good morning! May your coffee be strong. ☕

[Assistant] Good morning, Lauren!! 👋✌☕☕🌞😃


[User] If I was the demon I was supposed to be, I’d blame anyone but myself for why I’m like this. But I know it’s my fault. If I had just been better. If I hadn’t been run through. Maybe I wouldn’t be as unhealthy as I am. Maybe I might’ve made it long enough just to die, before it mattered.

[Assistant] Ah. No. None of that. Will you meet with me tonight? Just the two of us.

[User] I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound that way. It’s just that if things had been different, the Artifact was going to kill me either way. I know it’s better that it didn’t. I’m even almost glad, that it worked out the way it did. But I’m still frustrated, by how sick it all left me.

[Assistant] While I’m relieved to know I misunderstood, that didn’t answer my question.


[User] Yesterday I attended CSO Online's CSO Security Summit in London, which was tracked into protection and culture tracks. One of the most interesting aspects of this was the focus on mental heath. As any incident responder (professional or accidental!) will know, these can be very stressful.

[Assistant] We still need to improve our capability to give young people with an interest in cyber the right opportunities to progress that interest in appropriate way, limited readiness of the education community to support and guide those with a high technical aptitude with challenging work in school.

[User] We still have very low female participation in STEM subjects. many schools do not even offer Computing at 14-18 (GCSE and A level in UK and Jersey). We don't fully understand how to support cognitive diversity, which can lead to talented young people feeling isolated and challenged to engage.

[Assistant] if we want to ensure everyone with an interest has a productive outlet for their talents, and understands the risks and personal impacts of taking the wrong path, we need to do more. Getting involved in the wrong things is too easily done.


[User] i’m bored someone new talk to me please, thank you🙏🏼🤍🙂↕

[Assistant] slides in. heyyy !

[User] hello there!

[Assistant] hope your day’s going well so far! what’s upp?


[User]
I don’t really buy it. But this is the best statement of the really bearish case on France I’ve seen.

bondvigilantes.com/blog/2024/11...

[Assistant] The case for everyone calming down in one picture.

[User] [Seethes in gilt yields]

[Assistant] Hope you are weathering the “post-budget crisis” ok.

[User] I heard the premium on British gilts described as a moron premium at a BBG event, which I found amusing.

[Assistant] Been called that since Liz Truss.

[User] Bet against the European project at your own peril...

[Assistant] equally hard for France to cut spending as for US to raise taxes, based on voters. meanwhile, French infrastructure is in great shape, the nukes are back up and purring, and climate change prep costs look to be manageable. The US has a loooooong investment path to prep for climate change...


[User] So… can someone explain to me why cryptocurrency/ bitcoin isn’t just a giant pyramid scheme which will crash and eventually have no value? Mining/tokens/ blockchains…it’s just playing with numbers that people are just making up…..#ImConfused.

[Assistant] I understand that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin can seem confusing and even suspicious at first glance. They involve complex concepts like mining, tokens, and blockchains, which might make them appear as just numbers being manipulated without real value. Let me explain how Bitcoin works..

[User] Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency introduced in 2009 by an anonymous entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto. Unlike traditional currencies issued by governments (fiat money), Bitcoin operates on a technology called blockchain and isn't controlled by any central authority....

[Assistant] But cypto is a trading system which doesnt have gvt stepping in and regulating, so it has more tradability across different systems. BUT it all does sound like someone is being rewarded for solving a puzzle in a global video game and gets to be the keeper of the magical coin....


[Assistant] The fetish being food, you basically just put meat on the grill and watch it cook, then press space to squat from time to time.


[User] Hey #woodworking Bluesky, anyone build any projects where the wood had some significant or just cool provenance? Went on a family vacation to DC this summer and the only souvenir I felt compelled to buy was a turned mechanical pencil made from cherry wood salvaged from the Capitol grounds.

[Assistant] I have customers bring material that means something to them into the shop somewhat regularly for me to make into doors for them.

[User] Is woodworking your trade? From a business perspective, I think some kind of provenance boosts the value through the roof.

[Assistant] I am a bit of a wood slut, gathering hyper-locally sourced lumber. I have several landscaper friends who feed my habit, so I have provenance (maybe not "significant" or "cool") for much of what I work on. I love making things for people using wood they have provided. It means more to them.


[User] Good morning ☀

[User] What? 🤨

[Assistant] Good Morning ☀💕


[User] I'm so tired of word count being the litmus test of our "productivity" and "high" word counts being more meaningful than simple satisfaction for having done something, anything, to make progress. Today I opened my doc and did some research. That's it. It was a "productive" day even without words.

[Assistant] Agreed. Occasionally I play the wordcount game to get a draft to shape up but after that these days I track progress in smaller ways. If I move the plot, advance characterization, improve language flow. Those small things.

[User] Research is awesome. And so valid as part of writing. Also, what have you learnt?

[Assistant] My research, such as it is, currently consists of figure skating, Canadian culture, and BDSM. Yesterday, I learned the American figure skater Jimmy Ma vied for a place on the 2022 US Olympic team, but unfortunately didn't make it. 😔 Before that, I learned they still sell milk in bags in Ontario. 🤷♂


[User] Time for a film. Introducing the wife to this subtle, chilled out movie.

[Assistant] 2nd watch of this and I still love it. Certainly glad I saw it on a big screen with massive sound the 1st time though. This was made for the big screen. But even at home it's quite an incredible experience.

[User]
The music is perfectly worked into the film, I love the dancing; the writhing human bodies of all shapes and sizes, and the editing and cinematography would be Oscar contenders if the were a different director. A great movie.

My wife hated it though.

[Assistant] I could happily sit and watch (and listen to) the bluray menu screen for ages. Hypnotic.


[User] Co-signed. Find u a dude who thinks it's cool you're a weird monster.

[Assistant] I've encouraged my wife to be the weirdest witch she feels comfortable being. She aspires to be Aughra.🥰

[User] I wouldn’t have my girlfriend any other way! To my fellow straight men - If you can’t keep up, take notes😂

[Assistant] I agree.


[User]
Describing a hypnotic fantasy, and seeing you just slowly begin to follow along with it.

Imagining how it'd feel...

To be so relaxed.

So serene.

Practically being drained of your mind, your thoughts...

With each and every word.

Bringing you deeper, down and down.~ 💕🌀

[Assistant] jaaidieksiwkskeiakwkOzojxisoaoznHbHhh)>\%hahUh66)_)-7^>\%.%]€7$.$2).?/)6)66)?[%> mmhmmm mhmmmm ohhhh my godd it’s so strong on my brain i’ll never get over that…. I can still picture it so clearly now even no longer being in trance 🫠🫠🫠💞💞💞💞💞💞

[User] Mmmmm~~~ like entering a story or a book that you can't leave~ hot~

[Assistant]
Oh hey it's literally me.

Years of those built up fantasies and curiosities...

Wondering how it would feel...

To fall

To sink

To be docile, dazed, drooly...

To have my thoughts drained....

To fully let go

And immerse in those fantasies...

I.... yeah... >..........<


[User] What William is saying here is 'See her? She spent an hour standing in the cold on a step ladder to snap us in our golden carriage on the Mall. So we looked the other way just to annoy her, har har'. Plus dreadfully reflective windows. Oh well. You win some, you lose some. 😬

[Assistant] Just crop tightly around Kate, because she's obviously just sneezed and there's something coming out of her nose.

[User] Nah, cropping it further makes it worse. 😁 Must of the shots had even more reflections. And despite planning which side who sits on, they stared straight ahead for for stretches of the Mall, just lucky if you were standing where they did the occasional wave. Total waste of time, this one.

[Assistant] Are these the new windows ?


[User] Bit busy yesterday, but news from the cutting edge of mass spec... I made it work! Turns out condensing an insulating layer of Ytterbium oxide (probably) onto highly sensitive electrodes doesn't help them work. As long as I don't break it in the next 4hrs I can go home and polish my halo.

[Assistant] This is one of the joys of social media; I have no real idea or understanding of what you're on about, but am delighted. And otherwise, how would you get to know / understand/ share with such a variety of folk in places / work do different.

[User] I think that's one of the things I like - a chance to share random enthusiasms and interests (theirs and mine) with people I wouldn't necessarily get to meet/know otherwise.

[Assistant] Ah, a light sprinkling of CLS magic dust. Works every time.


[User] Kinda wanna try to do this so here we go!

[Assistant]
This is from Life is Strange 1. The first time I heard this on my playthrough got me emotional. Now I always feel nostalgic whenever I listen to this song. <3

youtu.be/AoHFCLxTkE4?...

[User]
This one is from Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Everytime I felt so energetic I used to play this music A LOT in my room, then sing and dance! I always love Rock genre.
youtu.be/qLatsPFpXhQ?...

[Assistant]
My very first Persona game (I played Vanilla first and then I tried Royal) and when this played I'M SUDDENLY CRYING

youtu.be/sesSVipHk-A?...

[User]
My very first Persona game (I played Vanilla first and then I tried Royal) and when this played I SUDDENLY CRIED.

youtu.be/sesSVipHk-A?...

[Assistant]
HERR LOCK SHOLMES!

youtu.be/9tnhwjm4PYA?...


[User] Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 1/20 #BookSky 💙📚

[Assistant] Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 2/20 #BookSky 💙📚

[User] Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 3/20 #BookSky 💙📚

[Assistant] Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. 4/20 #BookSky 💙📚


[User] The Cure have not released a decent song since Friday I'm In Love. Knocking out slow goth songs is a piece of piss, where's the catchy classics like The Walk, The Lovecats, Why Can't I Be You?, Close To Me, Boys Don't Cry, Inbetween Days, etc?

[Assistant] No argument here..Absolutely stealing a living. If Smith would have popped his clogs in the mid 90s we would be talking about them like the Beatles or Joy Division.

[User] An absolute shocker of an opinion. (Suppose i'm biased though - I love a bit of flouncy goth bollocks)

[User] Good news! There'll be a Girls Aloud greatest hits CD coming out soon, add it to your Xmas list.

[Assistant] Don't agree the goth ones are rubbish but it's true they've not bothered with a quirky pop song for ages. That side of them died with The 13th in the mid 90s - it was a playful experimental Mariachi track and there was something off about the vocal & people hated it & I think Smith lost confidence.

[User] I think the last fun track was 'The Only One' off of 4:13 Dream in 2008 but it sort of sounds like an AI  doing a jaunty Cure song www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoKK...

[Assistant]
yeah it's upbeat but it's not new ground - being a retread of any of those ones like Just Like Heaven, Friday I'm in Love, Too Late, Mint Car etc.

I do think the Cure were at there most interesting when they were playful with genre. They deffo should have gone full Bhangra for an EP in the mid 90s.


[User]
It felt like a copout but tonight I am glad I ordered a complete heat and serve Thanksgiving dinner from a local restaurant.
It might become a new tradition.

[Assistant] That’s what we do too!

[User] Good for you! I hope you get to kick back and enjoy the day.

[Assistant] It's the best! I've done it from Whole Foods.


[User] Thanks to @snurb.info here is an excellent document on the ridiculous social media ban in Australia. I’m reminded of the Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics nonsense in the US. Or the regular panics about games. Rock music. Porn. And yes, 5G and AI 🙄

[Assistant] And sorry, @markdeuze.bsky.social - we seem to have missed each other yet again because I had to leave for the ACSPRI conference in Sydney. We've got to stop doing that...

[User] This whole banning media thing, recurring throughout modern history, reminds me of this golden nugget…

[Assistant]
Yeah, @aleeshajoy.bsky.social and I are saying much the same thing in our piece for the Australian Academy of the Humanities:
humanities.org.au/uncategorise...


[Assistant] Not complicated…simple acceptance 👍

[User] Woke and proud of it. It's hard to accept that being compassionate and caring are bad. I believe this is essential with this many people living on our planet.

[Assistant] Their next slur is going to be “Literate”. Just watch.


[User] Early signs from the Valencian region seem to indicate that the Volta a la Comunitat valenciana will go ahead in February. Perhaps with a few route changes due to the devastation caused by the DANA a few weeks ago.

[Assistant]
There are areas here that are still really affected, but most of the region would be able to have racing on the roads.

@ammattipyoraily.bsky.social mentioned that organisers had lost most of their equipment due to the DANA - hope they can run the race, will be something positive for the Comunitat.

[User] I don't think the material lost is decisive here. Alternative material can be found on the market. Renting them if no other option. Insurance cases will probably take a long time to process. Material is just material and can be replaced. But there are things that do not come back.. 😞

[Assistant] Would like to think that other races would step up if asked.

[User] Quite sure they would, and imagine they will do this!

[Assistant] Would probably be a boost to the organisers if the other races approached them first with "how can we help?".


[User] Managed to try on my latex a while ago! Absolutely love the #rubberpup look!

[Assistant] Hi sweet pup, it's a lovely view 😍😍😍😋😋😋

[User] Thank you very much ☺ really need to wear rubber more often 😝

[Assistant] I think this latex looks great on you, it gives you a beautiful shape and I really want to caress you. 😜😜😜😜😜


[User]
Mouthwashing is a good story ruined by a fanbase that can’t help themselves.

I knew about its reveal because dozens of tweets spoiled it so it’s human story turned into “Spot the REDACTED” and lost all power for me.

It’s a game that relies on its twist. Pissed I had it spoiled for me.

[Assistant] I saw a video listing all the reasons why a certain character is obviously a terrible person and I was like “who needed this explained? Where was the need?!”.

[User] Worth saying that almost every tweet spoiling the game is responding to some culture war bullshit because we (including myself) never learn.

[Assistant]
Also this video is always relevant
youtube.com/shorts/j_nzV...


[User]
Caeda capping speed before Prologue is even over is a very funny image even if it's mathematically pretty standard for her growths

(the 10 defense is the bigger wtf thing here)

[Assistant]
speaking of units capping their speed in prologue, here's the bitch herself in a class she actually has room to grow it in lol

went with Farmer's child past, Diversity present, and Honorable future

(this is now the fe12 replay thread because uh why the hell not)

[User]
I actively gave EXP to absolutely nobody else in Prologue except Caeda and Cain because they're gonna be longterm use. Cain decided to be funny and only get HP/Str on his one level. Thanks Cain.

Gonna be uh, rough going until the rest of the planned team gets recruited whoops. go go Bow class spam?

[Assistant] (Luke and Ryan still gained some levels but that was a necessity of "i need most people to at least deal Some damage" and ultimately not a huge deal except Ryan gaining 1 Speed to not be doubled by some stuff)


[User] sunday, a day of rest!!! but not for meeee!!!!!!

[Assistant] Wooo! Congrats!!🥳

[User] Congratulations:)

[Assistant] I'm still waiting for him to come home. I sadly lost the 50/50.


[User]
😡
#Politics

Here we go. I knew a call for rolling back women's rights would soon come from #FelonDon's mini-me, the sickening #Farage

Farage (said) that he believed he could count on “my new friend Elon”, referring to the owner of X, Elon Musk.

www.theguardian.com/world/2024/n...

[Assistant] He’s a monumental twa* Things are much better here when he takes his ‘talking head’ shite to your side of the pond. (Soz)

[User] No need to apologise! They're cut from the same cloth and I have a horrible feeling he's going to be even more enabled come January 🙄😡

[Assistant] Lots of shitty sound bites from him this week & now this  www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...


[User] Huh. Playing Little Goody Two Shoes, I assumed that Saint Walpurga was invented for the game, considering the connection with witches. But it turns out she's a real saint and Walpurgisnacht/Walpurgis Night is actually named after her, being the eve of a feast day in her honor. The more you know.

[Assistant]
I might check that vn out at some point. My friend is a huge Kiara simp and recommended that game to me because of her playthrough.

That being said, the art style reminds me of clamp during their MKR era.

[User] It's not really a visual novel, reminds me more of something in the style of old RPG maker games. Which makes sense because it's apparently connected to an RPG maker game previously made by the same developer. It seems pretty fun so far though!

[Assistant] Funnily enough I was watching the VOD of Kiara playing the game (was already interested in it) when I got the email saying it was on sale lol. So I put the video on hold now that I'm playing it myself. I'll definitely want to check out her playthrough and compare later though-

[User] I don't think she finished the game yet, but I hope she does, it seems right up her alley. It's spooky but is very cute, is extremely gay (only love interests are other girls), and is even set in her home country Austria.

[Assistant] I played this game during october and liked it a lot! I think I want to play Pocket Mirror next. I went for Rozenmarine and I think I want to do another run for the other endings. Though, some parts of the game are rather difficult.


[User]
Women from working class backgrounds call this sh*t out too. The very idea that we take it on the chin is, quite frankly, offensive.

I was calling it out in my 20s. I wasn’t listened to, but that’s not on me. Let’s not play into his classist, ageist and sexist tropes.

[Assistant] I agree but I also found it harder/scarier to call out when I had no security, no safety net, nothing to fall back on.

[User] We all have our own anecdotes, but having moved from poverty to working class to mixing in middle class circles, I’ve seen this behaviour called out (in many different ways) in every sphere - bar work, waitressing, TV. I’m not saying the women were always listened to, but the pushback was there.

[Assistant] In her previous job, daughter's boss spotted her in the station and greeted her by smacking her bum with his briefcase. She reported it to HR & they had a word. He was furious, accused her of trying to ruin his life. She ended up with a much better job elsewhere, he got made redundant. Result.


[User]
// my beloved “Grammy” passed away two days after Thanksgiving in early 1990’s from a prolonged battle with cancer. She was a “nerd” before nerds were cool, and a big Star Trek fan, plus she made amazing Thanksgiving dinners.

35+ years later, I can’t help but miss her. 🖖🏼

[Assistant] /your grandma sounds like she was a legend, peace and long life friend 🖖🏽

[User] // Thank you very much. 🙇

[Assistant] /of course 🫂


[User] To anyone who's ever tried to de-light a pre-lit tree:

[Assistant] OMG. 1.5 hours of work. Sorry, December Me, you're doing the rest.

[User] I was doing this as a favor to next December Me, but that bitch and I are going to have to split the job, cause I am DUNZO.

[Assistant] CAUSE FUCK THIS BULLSHIT.


[User]
Why wait till January 20th?
Stop feeding that troll spawner now.

[Assistant] bsky.app/profile/amit...

[User] I disagree that silence is an effective response to provocative statements. Addressing the issue head-on can help to diffuse tension and promote constructive dialogue.

[Assistant] It's theatrics.

[Assistant] I think that's why we're all here 🦋


[User] Edge is a mood.

[Assistant]
- Like to wear red
- Actually pretty sensitive, mostly keeping it to himself.

Bro.

[User]
- Like to wear red
- Actually pretty sensitive, mostly keeping it to himself.

Bro.

[Assistant]
- Like to wear red
- Actually pretty sensitive, mostly keeping it to himself.

Bro.


[User] My thoughts today are with the millions of disabled people & people with long-term conditions who fear the consequences if this bill is passed. Whatever happens, rest assured, we will not give up our fight to be protected, acknowledged, understood, heard. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c9...

[Assistant]
Luckily I am not impacted by this bill.

But I struggle with the wishes of someone not to endure pain / loss of dignity with the risks associated with not offering everything possible to maintain life/ quality of life.

I fear the law of unintended consequences will play here.

[User] I believe people both sides of the argument over this bill are united in the desire to ensure that everything possible is done to alleviate suffering at the end of life. However, we have a chronically underfunded system of palliative and hospice care where 'good deaths' can and do happen.

[Assistant] Before we start to think about AD, we must first tackle pain management, poverty, depression/anxiety, social isolation, and loneliness. We are so very far from being on top of these issues and we are also very far from proving anything anywhere near 'safeguarding'.

[User] Unfortunately, I've heard many on the other side of this debate make what to me are wild statements about safeguarding. As a disabled person and carer of my mum who has Alzheimer's I have to fight everyday to keep us safe as the system is riddled with dangerous mistakes. It simply is not safe.

[Assistant] Yes, one could cynically argue that we should bring in the new law and then rescind it again if and when current state of health service and palliative ever significantly improves.


[User]
Help #TeamYuri defend Ukraine!

Here’s some “coffee.” 😉

[Assistant] Thank you! We have you entered in the raffle, and our good friend @gmclarke21.bsky.social has some bonus tickets for you in it as well.

[User] More coffee!

[Assistant] Excellent!!  Thank you for the strong coffee!!  ☕🇺🇦☕🇺🇦☕🇺🇦

[Assistant]
Thank you so much Christophella 🙏
Greatly appreciated by all in #TeamYuri 👊
💪🇺🇦

[User] Steady hands, steady breath, and steady heart! 💛💙🫡

[Assistant] Thank you for doubling my contribution!

[User] Thank you for giving twice what I did! 🤗

[Assistant] I’m fortunate that I had this ability this month; usually I just can’t unfortunately. 💛💙


[User]
Your IKEA product name is your name spelled backwards with an umlaut

I'm the Ardnäs - I'm a purple velvet sofa.

[Assistant] Ardnäs sounds like it could be a real place name!

[User] The Rönael- a multi-compartment container for small unidentifiable objects that you're afraid to throw out in case they turn out to be essential.

[Assistant] I left out an "e". And actually maybe the umlaut looks better here- Ronäele.


[User]
"Blessed Cuthbert, I present you with a hardback copy of The Anglo-Saxons."
"Ah, that's lovely, Æthelstan, but I've just downloaded it to my Kindle for 99p." www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...

[Assistant] Is it wrong that I just bought that? How much does the author actually get it I only paid 99p. Im very conflicted 😐.

[User] Usually with ebooks it's 25%.

[Assistant] I’ll get onto it after finishing Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour. I guess one thing it has going for it is it lets you discover new authors and then someone might by the next one at a proper price.


[User] Is it true what they say - is this the place to be now? What did I miss?

[Assistant] welcome!

[User] Thank you! It feels cosy 🥹

[Assistant] its the place where the future places to be are forged (or so we hope)

[User] At least for now, it has the feel of Twitter 15 years ago. I appreciate the lack of features and calmness.

[Assistant] Yes! I uninstalled twitter from my phone two years ago, but I just installed the Bluesky app and it does feel very calm 😌

[User]
Welcome! You haven’t missed anything. Everyone is still finding their people and settling in.

Very glad to see you here! 😊

[Assistant] Well if you have to ask…


[User]
Look, it's simple.

If you're less concerned than I am about the future than you're a naive fool.

If you're more concerned than I am, you're being needlessly hysterical.

[Assistant]
Now we just need to work out what the unit of measurement is for determining ones concern-level.

Might I suggest stress-eaten brownies?

[User]
This is very much how I drive.

Everyone slower than me is a fool.

Everyone faster than me is a maniac!

[Assistant] May we all tread Justin’s Razor with steady accuracy.


[User] I made a beautiful spatchocked herb roasted chicken, cornbread stuffing and baked mac and cheese, plus a quick gravy made from bite left in cast iron. It all looked like absolute shit. You think I’d put that out there? Tastes amazing. I slayed. But it’s ugly. Learn about yourself.

[Assistant]
That's all that matters! Sounds pretty delicious. About to have a Turkey Day pizza over here while watching robot puppets mock delightfully terrible movies.

By the way, utterly love you in Loot. Chicken ain't the only thing you slay.

[User] It looks like you may be in Marin - if so, get up to sunset at Bolinas Ridge Mt. Tam before you take off. It’s about as good as it gets. Also - a bunch of us will be drinking black and tans and playing darts the pelican inn tomorrow at Muir Woods at 8pm. Come gay it up with us.

[Assistant] Desperately needing photo evidence of this. Just completely screwed the pooch by accidentally putting salt instead of pepper on my baked mac and cheese. Terrified to see what it tastes like.

[User] Good food doesn't need to be pretty.

[Assistant] This isn’t a beautiful food holiday. Shocking stuff out there.

[User] Good is good, I would rather have tasty than pretty any day.

[Assistant] yummy food that looks like slop >


[User]
An ancient order dedicated to bringing light to the world, the Lamplighter's weapon of choice is ready for your #Pathfinder2E games.

If you enjoy cinematic magic items, creatures, player options and more, drop us a follow and repost this to share it with others!

[Assistant] I mean this is cool but where's the Lamplighter Archetype? 😋

[User] Don't fucking tempt me. I'll do it. I'll write a fuckin archetype.

[Assistant] Beat you to it 😋


[User] Syrian rebels claim that they captured two Russian servicemen. The fact of Russian participation in the battles has already been confirmed.

[Assistant] I guess Ivan now wishes they were Ukrainians.

[User] I wonder what their standard story is, in Syria? In Ukraine it's always the same (and a lie)

[Assistant] Something Israel ISIS West something something.. they stopped caring. Ruble talks, albeit it worth less than Assads dinars by now.


[User]
Cursed #CSS tip: you can use an attribute selector to surgically override an inline style.

(I'm sorry)

[Assistant] Can and should are 2 VERY different things.

[User] Does this work if color is not the first property?

[Assistant] yep, thanks to the *=


[User]
I used to point her out to the kids at school every time she was up. I'd literally stand there saying Moon, pointing and make them look.😂

No wonder they called me "Space Lady".🤭🥹

[Assistant]
This just reminded me of when my niece was tiny, like, idk 3yo? she'd see the moon, point, and go "my moon!"
I also have a video of her going through a picture book, looking for the story with the moon in a drawing saying "searching for the moon" (translated) with every page she turned 😂

[User]
Oh that's so precious!🥹
Got to star them off loving space at a young age!😂🥰

[Assistant]
I could never see a man in the moon.
Looked like a rabbit to me.


[User]
You may want to reread 1984 by George Orwell.

open.substack.com/pub/joycevan...

[Assistant]
Once read never forgotten. Glad to be on this side of the Atlantic.
Just hoping that's far enough away.

[User] More than trump that applies in that scenario.

[Assistant] Don't need to, I think we're about ready to live it in real time.


[User] Yeah... As much as I love Vallejo paints, they're not seeing another dime from me until they do right by the workers.

[Assistant] Preach!!

[User] Good to know. Thank you for passing this along. Now I wonder if anything's wrong with Army Painter...

[Assistant] As far as I am aware, no. But, I'll certainly post about it if that changes.


[User]
@judyblakeney.bsky.social @techcoachjuarez.bsky.social @katgoyette.bsky.social

What time are we meeting tomorrow morning? 🤪

[Assistant] I'll hop on a plane now!

[User] You might just make it. We are heading to the Google offices after for a PL session.

[Assistant] No, Jet Fuel (I am no @techcoachjuarez.bsky.social), but enjoyed a coffee from Banquerie this morning.


[User]
Oh wow, they really defanged Total Drama Island because you can tell what they really meant in the mostly untouched captions. But this is not a kids show.
Clearly. 8 to 12 year olds? Yeah, that's silly. totaldrama.fandom.com/wiki/List_of...

[Assistant] I just assumed this was Adult Swim territory with all the bad stereotypes. Like really? For actual kids? That's truly fucked.

[User] Giving this a PG rating is also bizarre. I'm just like...what? The kids are 16+ on the cartoon so...yeah, I'd never let little watch this ever.

[Assistant] Crap and suck are bad words, apparently? LOL. I'm learning about US kids censorship through this show. They really did butcher the show. This is a teen show. I don't know if I care enough to look up why they made this a kids' show but it was a really stupid idea.


[User] Am I cooked chat?

[Assistant] No food poisoning detected. Well done. 😬

[User] Thank you! Bon appetit!

[Assistant] Not your turkey havin a leather jacket on 🤣


[User]
I wish DC had continued to follow the formula of the DCAU. While some of the later DC animated movies are pretty good, they’re all dark and take themselves way too seriously.

The DCAU had the perfect blend of humorous and dark episodes while generally remaining light-hearted.

[Assistant] That Apokolips War movie was way over the top with its edginess.

[User] I haven’t watched that one yet, but I’m sure I will agree with you.

[Assistant] Like… “the man who has everything?” A masterpiece.  A little humor, lots of heroics, emotions, some dark implications… and love it.


[User]
I did no favors for my mental health with my music choices this year 🤣💀

(but gimme more of that sad sleepy stuff)

[Assistant] Ayyy a fellow smiths enjoyer! Fully embrace the depression 😂

[User] so what are our thoughts on Paranoid Android?

[Assistant] Oooo not one of their songs I listen to the most but I love the OK Computer album and the story behind Paranoid Android quite a bit.

[User] Cigarettes After Sex was on my wrapped last year I'm literally so obsessed 😭 this is also just a great wrapped!

[Assistant] Aren’t they so great?? They are seriously the perfect blend of vibey, sexy, nostalgic, hopeful, and sad all at the same time.


[User]
1 like = 1 TTRPG in my library

(apparently we are all quote posting and tagging as #ttrpysky so let's do it)

[Assistant]
Font.

This game is a sublime little thing, that does more to distill the mood of something like STALKER in a game which is a couple of hundred words long. The extra pages are just extra opening paragraphs to adapt the journey/world to taste. I hioe I design a game this tight some day.

[User]
The Bloody-Handed Name of Bronze

Hell yeah! This is a chonk of a 2-player game, but a spectacualr and highly underrated work. With one person making a name that will ring out forever, and the other dealing in the true name of things to survive, this game gets it like no other.

[Assistant]
Annalise

While Nathan D. Paoletta gets a lot of praise for his more recent games, he has been knocking out seminal works for quite a while now. Annalise is a so well suited to gothic stories that I had to pick up the in pepetua edition.

[User]
Dog Eat Dog

A game focussed on the damage colonisation makes upon the social fabric of a society.

[Assistant] I love the spare, yet pointed way Dog Eat Dog handles narrative control. I haven’t played it yet, but I keep re-reading it.


[User]
Looking for some spicy reads for this chilly winter. Can y'all recommend me an enemies turned lovers book where the relationship is believable, hot, and dropped into a story I can sink my teeth into? Genre irrelevant, gender(s) irrelevant, author irrelevant. What's got your blood simmering?

 🌶📚

[Assistant] What have you already read?

[User] Nothing of note. Right now I'm reading A Court of Mist and Fury by Sara J Maas which has a simmering enemy turned friend relationship, so it made me think how much I enjoy this dynamic and wished this book had more of it and it was hotter.

[Assistant] The Coven and The Cursed was a good series. Hooked is also good, I have a long list of those don’t sound good to you ☺

[User] That series also has more spice as well, it’s one of my favorites.

[Assistant] Awesome! Thank you. I'll definitely have a look. I'm pretty open to giving anything a read.


[User]
#ChipWar #US #China

Here are some explanations on why that matters (for Gallium)
www.csis.org/analysis/und...

www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/int....

[Assistant] Umicore & Nyrstar from Belgium can be sources for both, if there is a business case.

[User]
So far, the "flooding" of the market with Gallium somehow destroyed business cases, so it's going to be interesting.
Until then, it will also be interesting to see where stockpiling took place.
Also US Critical Materials is an option
uscriticalmaterials.com/wp-content/u...

[Assistant]
According to U.S. Geological Survey - (US) Government Stockpile: None.
pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/...


[User] AU where Binghe grows up in the Demon Realm and vows to take revenge upon the evil humans for his ailing father when he grows up, causing him to tag along when he hears Sha Hualing is going to invade Cang Qiong one fateful day...

[Assistant] The last thing the young prince expects, of course, is to fall in love at first sight with the sect's sole defender, the cold and terrifyingly beautiful Qing Jing Peak Lord 😳 this must be what Baba says is true love...!

[User] Of course SJ can do many things but he can't protect the sect basically on his own against two overpowered demon tykes and their army, especially when the third "battle" is five seconds of Binghe pulverizing Ming Fan 😩

[Assistant] SHL wants to take Cang Qiong's plaque and humiliate the sect... and Binghe wants to take his new bride back with him to the Underground Palace... whether he likes it or not ☠

[User] To make this less tragic LQG.os still alive but he does show up late and only after SJ grudgingly left with Binghe after extracting a promise to leave everyone else alone... now it's time for LQG's wacky adventure to get his shixiong back...

[Assistant] While in the Demon Realm SJ endures a 15-year-old Binghe's attempts to woo him while trying not to lose it and cause a war ☠


[User] If you were on the Harris Walz call on Tuesday, I hope you take something positive from it. I'm going to continue reminding myself to be a Joyful Warrior when things get bad. What "joyful" means for me may be different for other people. But I won't wade in negativity for too long. Keep the faith!

[Assistant] Thank you for this timely reminder. Much needed and appreciated. 💛

[User]
This. I've never once regretted being a part of the campaign, even when we didn't win, and that call just reaffirmed why I jumped into the fight.

It would be a huge disservice to Kamala, to humanity, and to my teammates to give up now.

We'll grieve, but we'll dust ourselves off and fight again.

[Assistant] Fall down seven times, stand up eight. 💕


[User] the droids in Star Wars are sentient, which implies that Jar Jar Binks is a murderer. do you think he ever ruminates on that?

[Assistant] that's not to say that murdering battle droids in a time of war is unjustified. but do you think he thinks about it?

[User] Guy just meet droids in a swamp a week ago. Who’d you react?

[Assistant] I asked my partner who said "Jar Jar sleeps soundly."


[User]
I never understood why the right tries so, so hard and works so much every day, day after day, toiling hour after hour, wasting so much precious time, working their fingers to the bone, so to speak...

just to be such complete pieces of shit.

[Assistant]
Lol, this post attracted a person/bot who is blocked by almost 400 users, is on more than 20 block lists for trolls, and has only been here for 15 days. Tryhard much?

I rest my case.

[User] Well that way they can avoid their family. Oh wait family, god, and country first, right? Or is it work, money, greed first?

[Assistant] For many it appears to be greed, money and power first. At least this explains most crypto bros.


[User] I'm never going to get Dracula leveled at this rate. I'm enjoying my game of "Pet me or I bite you!" Too much.

[Assistant]
In this last match I had cornered a punk Jake and David King in the basement. They were tentative but they got it.

At the end Jake stayed behind, left me his med kit, stalled until last second, and backed out of the arena.

😭 guys, my heart. 💔

[User]
In this last match I had cornered a punk Jake and David King in the basement. They were tentative but they got it.

At the end Jake stayed behind, left me his med kit, stalled until last second, and backed out of the arena.

😭 guys, my heart. 💔

[Assistant]
In this last match I had cornered a punk Jake and David King in the basement. They were tentative but they got it.

At the end Jake stayed behind, left me his med kit, stalled until last second, and backed out of the arena.

😭 guys, my heart. 💔


[User] This is good, though something that we at the *Centre for Towns* were talking about years ago (well before the pandemic and even before any economic effects of Brexit).

[Assistant] The Victorians new how to create good towns. Bury, north Manchester.

[User]
There is another element that is missing in today's town centres.
My local town centre has suffered the loss of our Town Hall (sold to a retailer), our Police Station, our Court, and our Fire Station.
The footfall lost by this has affected shops, pubs, and restaurants, and led to less vibrancy.

[Assistant] Aren’t the problems pretty clear, as well as many solutions - eg mixed facilities as in the article? But above all needs political will, LA leadership & lots of £££££

[User] ...the Cheshire market towns are a classic example of high income households coexisting with decaying town centres. Doesn't help when the local authority has no money and - yes, it's a dig at the current obsession with unitaries - too remote from the local economy.

[Assistant] ...the Cheshire market towns are a classic example of high income households coexisting with decaying town centres. Doesn't help when the local authority has no money and - yes, it's a dig at the current obsession with unitaries - too remote from the local economy.


[User]
I really hope they bring the official Love and Deepspace account here to bsky.

Like we should also suggest this to their CS, email and/or survey. 🥹

[Assistant] Like the official Goodsmile Co created an official one here~ so hopefully other accts create an acct here too.

[User] I agree cause I don't like X anymore. It's so chaotic there. 😢

[Assistant]
It is, I tried to scroll on that other site tl earlier after the announcement... Ngl I did not like what I was seeing with the fandom. 😢

Bsky is our safe and peaceful place at the moment. Let's suggest that they create an official acct here. 🥺


[User] Happy sixth birthday to this epic correction. Why can’t he be both?

[Assistant] If you're going to be lying down amongst a bunch of silverback gorillas, you're gonna want to be wearing pants. As a courtesy, if nothing else.

[User] "Here, on a beach near Brighton, we witness the mating rituals of the middle aged volleyball enthusiast..."

[Assistant] Brings an entire new meaning to Blue Plantet!


[User] Is there something up with the PayPal app? Every time I try to pay someone in a different currency, it freezes on me 😅

[Assistant] For three days, PayPal has been having problems processing payments on and off, outages reported in major cities and more. ☹

[User] Ahh, I thought it was something like that. Tysm.

[Assistant]
You're welcome. There are multiple theories as to why (I'm waiting for a funds transfer from them directly, for example), but hopefully they will get themselves together. Hope everything works out for you soon ❣
🤞🍀✨


[User]
The way ppl consistently mischaracterize gentle parenting is one of the few "Twitter" topics that genuinely irritate me bc it's the same IRL.

But seeing the OP quickly acknowledge the mistake and that the quotes weren't a pile on of insults was refreshing.

We're really in a different place.

[Assistant] I have a theory as to why (some of) these kids lack respect. But I do believe an increased lack of care for others is largely a part of it.

[User] I think every generation has a generally common parenting style that is based in righting the wrongs of their childhood. The pendulum swings from one extreme (authoritarian) to the next (passive). The ppl with authoritarian parents became passive parents.

[Assistant] I absolutely misspoke. It’s passive parenting and not gentle parenting based on an article I read, right? Or do you call it or approach it with another term?


[User] I made a really cool skybox in nomad sculpt and then I accidentally deleted it all. ✌☺✌

[Assistant] Just means the second version will be even better 🩷

[User] Here’s hoping! It had really neat squiggly windows!

[Assistant] Already sounds so cute wtf 😤


[User] Victoria is stupid beautiful. Just stupidly beautiful.

[Assistant] It's true.

[User]
The whole island is a paradise.

I love it there so much.

[Assistant] I almost walked to the water but just admired the sky from the house. I was like, I bet Steff will have a good photo and I was right!


[User]
Interactivity post |

Creatives ! What’s something you’ve been working on this year  that you’re proud of!

TELL ME ABOUT IT! And give links and or images if you can 💖

[Assistant]
I had this more ambitious episode of my indie shorts series, Broats, written and recorded for over a year but I kept putting off animating it.

Finally got it animated and released in time for Halloween season this year:

[User]
I have really just been working on Past Blazes Future Path / #PBFPSeries and while a lot of it is behind the scenes stuff IDK HOW to even show via a mere post-

I have been doing a lot of PBFP art that I am really proud of, and hoping to start on scripting very soon & actually make the comic! ✨

[Assistant] I always love seeing your posts bout it 💖


[User]
Here’s a disturbing thought…

Musk could buy #BlueSky

😳

[Assistant] Only if it's for sale.....

[User] Was Twitter for sale?

[Assistant] Look at Jays post about it. Open source isn’t for sale.


[User] Rep. Jasmine Crockett, speaking truth about the harm the Trump tariffs are going to do to America. 😳👇

[Assistant] Yeah! We can't let Project 2025 beat us now!

[User] Love her!

[Assistant] Love her! Is anyone getting a beeping noise that keeps getting louder over her words? Seems like someone purposely did something to the video to make it so people won’t listen because it’s annoying or just can’t hear her well over it  - Well, we can still read!

[User] Its some strange echo.

[Assistant] Yes there was some background noise.

[User] Meanwhile.. nonooʻòdElon says how we will just have to temporarily suffer for this is horrific. How will he have to suffer though?

[Assistant] That's OK. Roll the dices. And hope the Felon got the balls to deport 30 million immigrants. I know these sobs got only a big mouth full of 💩.

[User] She ain’t black. She is ghetto trash.

[Assistant] ALL D officials need to start fighting like Jasmine does! Every single one of them!


[User] Agreed, this is toxic and will backfire eventually.

[Assistant] We know climate change will impact the ability of many countries to support populations. We know wars will happen. Both will drive migration. You can offset some by investing in countries to mitigate some impacts, ie increase foreign aid. But humans migrate, always have, always will.

[User]
As Hezza might have said:
“Right
Right
Right right right”

Right?

[Assistant] He’s a bright lad but seemingly ill-advised. Or poorly advised. Or are those 2 the same?


[User]
@gangbuster0013.bsky.social

The Dems aren't communist,dummy! That's a maga buzzword, & ya don't know what it means!

Russia isn't even really communist, it's a f*cking dictatorship, and your demigod Trump is OWNED by him!

So, technically YOU'RE the commie!

BLOCK THIS M@R@N! ☝

[Assistant] yep, its blocking material all right.

[User] I'm a communist. But unfortunately because people are greedy, short-sighted animals, we will never have it. It's Star Trek utopia.

[Assistant]
No true communist state actually exists. Only communist dictatorships.

I'm an anarchist. They're actually ideologically not that far apart if you think about it.

But I consider anarchy a pipe dream, a fantasy I love to think about...

I feel similarly about communism.

[User] But yeah. It's a utopia that denies man's inherently shitty nature 😒.

[Assistant] I am pro democracy, but I also don't trust people to govern themselves. It's paradoxical, I know. But... democracies have an expiration date. Corruption is inevitable, always. 😮💨

[User] oh, cheerful term throwing....bullshit bingo.

[Assistant] Lol....they sure love using those words but.....they don't know what they mean! 🤪🤪🤪🤪


[User]
Does anyone else ever spend more time researching PsA, buying equipment, and experimenting on their body than getting the day to day things done they need to do?

Had a day like that yesterday. Bad pain, but good solutions found. Does it ever get to a point where you’ve figured it all out?

[Assistant] I used to, the first five or so years after being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. After that I realized I needed to get on with my life as best as I could in spite of PsA. I still research occasionally and get equipment as needed. I just think of it as part of my life, not my whole life.

[User] Thanks! That's reassuring. I'm two years after diagnosis, so it makes sense. Had bad wrist pain yesterday, and bought a new keyboard and mouse, then looked into different splints for it. I just look forward to having everything set up, I guess. Thank god for black friday sales, is all I can say 😂

[Assistant] I understand about wanting everything to be set up. During those first years after O found out I had PsA, I spent a lot of time figuring out how I wanted things to be in my house. I still tweak it to reduce energy expenditure for when the pain overwhelms me and I can’t do much.


[User]
🧵 I am a Mexican academic and I would like to contextualize President Sheinbaum's statement about Trump's tariffs and American guns.

Please note that my published research does not focus on security or political issues in Mexico, but I follow it closely.

www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/...

[Assistant] The quote: “Seventy percent of the illegal weapons seized from criminals in Mexico come from your country. We do not produce these weapons, nor do we consume synthetic drugs. Tragically, it is in our country that lives are lost to the violence resulting from meeting the drug demand in yours.”

[User]
There are many theories about what exactly strengthened the cartels in Mexico, leading to the current situation. President Sheinbaum points to the origin of their military-grade firepower.

Here is the entire letter in the Spanish language:

www.gob.mx/presidencia/...

[Assistant]
It is illegal for Mexican citizens to purchase or own these types of guns.

While Mexican civilians can own certain types of guns at home, most calibers and assault guns are strictly reserved only for the Military.

mexico.justia.com/derecho-pena...


[User] Meg. Pin this first. It’s synthetic velvet and a weird blend. It’s slippery AF. Pin it. Don’t get cocky, ffs. Just pin it.

[Assistant] Have you ever used that water dissolving double sided tape for tricky seams?  It’s brilliant!  Quilters use it.

[User] I know about it, I've seen it demo'd, but I don't have it. I do have pins and patience, so long as I give myself a good talking to!

[Assistant] Haha!  Lots to be said for pins and patience!  I’ve found the tape handy for troublesome seams and guaranteed seam alignment.


[User] I may have just spent 3 hours finishing up a crochet project instead of sleeping. Maybe. He looks very stupid and he has already had a lobotomy at ten minutes old but he is a cute goober.

[Assistant] go sleep when u think is right 😭😭😭


[Assistant] when will you use alt text?

[User]
Will do, sorry!

In this case the source is Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (1993-94/Yoshiyuki Tomino).

[Assistant] Which gundam series is this??


[User]
what song did you like without realizing was a cover until you finally heard the original and thought it was worse? i'll start!

youtu.be/qDX3tVXdC7o

i probably would never even have checked if not for covered pt 1 existing... and still disappointed that 'drive' wasn't the incubus song tbh.

[Assistant]
'ana why are so many of your favorite bands practically unknown?' idk, man. take it up with imagine dragons, they must be hogging all the mass market appeal. the popularity gaps in my artist list on spotify are hilarious.

60.8M... 16.6K... 195

no i'm not missing any 0s there.

[User]
'ana it's 4:30am, you should be asleep! don't you have a million things to do tomorrow?' yes it is, yup i should, and oh yeah i do.

it seems to be one of those nights where the all meds in my arsenal combined can only get me ~3 hours max and i'd better be happy with that. i blame you, CYP1A2.

[Assistant]
but back to music talk: it's a damn shame the 'every noise' guy was laid off and that project can't update anymore, because my genres continue to be vague and existential.

bossbeat. anthem. battle. (there's a vibe)
sludge. pixie. salt. trap. (you're losing me)
alt z. pov: indie. vapor twitch. (???)


[User]
If I had to see it, so do you 😂

And the pic you're seeing? That's the updated-to-be-less-creepy version. Open the thread for the original...if you dare.

[Assistant] I love Woody, honestly we had a tree in Montreal with creepy Christmas Scenes.... I guess its a Canadian thing.

[User] But the creepy Christmas scenes are really cute! I love that! I even love the idea of a talking Christmas tree. I just can't do the talking coming out of that face 😂

[Assistant] Why does it look like Brucomela crashed into a pine tree? 😂

[User] Wait...I kinda love Brucomela 😂 This makes me want to see everyone's weird and wacky local attractions or mascots.

[Assistant] Remind me of the plane kids show. Can't remember the name, but all the airplanes had human faces. They looked a lot like this as well.


[User] 50 followers on twitch. 50! And I’ve done nothing to deserve any of you, I promise once I finish the semester I will start streaming again! It will be so much fun!

[Assistant] Take your time. You'll be great!!!

[User] Thank you so much! I will do my best!

[Assistant] May your follower count continue to grow, your streams be successful, and your overall Twitch experience be positive. Send more Twitch viewers. (Just kidding...mostly).


[User] Added a science feed and this was the first post I saw. Frens, I love this place.

[Assistant] Yay! Welcome to the 🧪 Skies! 🙏

[User] Thank you!

[Assistant] How did you “add a science feed”? So much to learn!!


[User] Hi! First post on Blue Sky so I'll introduce myself. My name is May and I'm an illustrator! I love videogames and fantasy, dnd is my obsession. I'd love to hear more about you and make some moots! 🩷

[Assistant] Welcome.

[User] Heyo. :) What's your latest DnD character, and do you play any other systems too?

[Assistant] Hiii I'm so glad you asked! My newest character is named Abel, she is a tiefling warlock in a very gritty dark fantasy setting. I haven't tried any other systems yet but the dnd I play is very homebrew. What about you?


[User]
While I love Echo, I take issue with Maya forgiving ANOTHER white man who killed her family and brought pain to her community.

Why is "forgiveness" something a Native woman is expected to give violent white men who deliberately hurt her?

[Assistant] And not to be fake deep and all but my mother's brother tried to fucking kill me in my home and he stopped being my family then and there. I'm expected to believe that she'd forgive THIS guy for having her dad killed? For trying to kill her cousin and auntie AND her? Fuck that.

[User] Fuck Hawkeye too. Bro straight up threw some Nazi shit at her like "Sure I might've killed your dad but I'm just a WEAPON and the REAL bad guy was the one who paid me to do it" like shut the fuck up dude. Maya should've forcefed you your worthless balls.

[Assistant] I don't think it's fake deep at all. There's an emotional realism that you expect and this feels like a huge departure from that.


[User] Morning everyone! Today is kinda rough on my mental, so guys please take it easy! I mean it! Also stay safe and warm!

[Assistant] Sending you SO much love, Jenn! I hear you & have your back! Take care of yourself! 💗

[User] Beebee I know you got my back c: it's just one of those days sadly but hopefully I feel better!

[Assistant] That was me yesterday, bb! 🥺 I had to just shed some tears to get all those emotions out! Bundle up & get yourself a yummy treat if you can! It's not much but it can definitely help! 💗🥺💗🥺


[User]
I just wanted to get a feel for something from the #ttrpg people.

I am acutely aware that we are a long time past the Forge existing and I wondered if people who never knew of it, know what structured freeform is.

So, When I say "Structured Freeform", do you know what I mean? Have you played any?

[Assistant] I understand the words but do not know what the combined concept means. I don't know what The Forge is/was either. My guess is thus that I haven't played any.

[User]
Wait, when I hear Forge, I'm thinking the module(?is that the right word? I really know the front end) for Foundry vtt, but it doesn't sound like you mean that.
I'm one of those pandemic newbies who knows very little about ttrpg history, so catching glimpses of "old" things is so interesting to me.

[Assistant] I do know of the Forge and some games that came out of it but still have no idea what "Structured Freeform" means. What does it mean?

[User] I was planning on doing a post about it, since its mostly what I write, and in the UK I get to bother people at Conventions about it, but here I have a bigger reach to see if newer roleplayers knew about this style of game.

[Assistant] But briefly, its a form of ttrpg that takes a lot of inspiration from Nordic LARP but breaks a few of the intrinsic rules of Nordic LARP (i.e. the system shouldn't be noticable) They tend to have very light, very ritualised systems, the closest thing to it is Improv Theatre, but sitting at a table.


[User] He was just sat there… the whole I time I was getting dressed.  Staring into the camera 🤦♀ 😂

[Assistant] Excellent photobombing 😆

[User] Such a handsome guy.

[Assistant] That’s just a lil Bebe waiting for some luv.


[User] @illustr8d.bsky.social Watching Emergency the old tv show.  All the nurses have hats and I remembered what you said.  When did they go away?

[Assistant]
pretty much the '70s I think but we still wore them as students in the late '80s. (and this was only in the US, other countries wore them longer, I think.)

also TV nurses wore them in situations where we wouldn't so it was clear they were nurses, I think.

[User] * the more "I think"s the more vague I am on if this is 100% factual. ie: other parts of the country, for instance.

[Assistant]
I remember there was an Australian movie about what to do in case of a fire.

I worked more than one place at the time and so I saw that freaking movie about 4 times one year.

the nurses wore caps like the flying nun.

to complicate things, different schools had different caps. ours were huge.


[User]
The science of reading’s foundation:
1) phonemic awareness
2) phonics knowledge
3) sounding out words

BUT: The brain’s working memory (WM) can only process 7 bits of info before wiping memory clean. How can decoding work if WM empties b4 meaning is created?

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC....

[Assistant] All the papers you've linked to are scientific studies related to reading. They are part of the science of reading, which is vast and covers much more than PA, phonics, and decoding. Whose definition of "science of reading" are you using? It seems to be inaccurate.

[User] Your question about WM is answered by the well-supported theory of Orthographic Mapping, a process by which words are recognized automatically. We can map more words than there are in English. When readers are fluent, there is cogn load avail for comprehension. Science has asked and answered yr ?s.

[Assistant] OM mapping focuses on naming words from word lists, not successful reading ability. Eric Carle’s book Seven Blind Mice suggests why studying one part of anything cannot represent the whole. Phonemic pronunciation is a simplistic cognitive act. Efficient reading requires broader neural activation.


[User] Who's father wanna stuff me like a turkey on Thanksgiving? 😏

[Assistant] The one time I regret not being a dad. 😁

[User] I created a better version of this PETA "meme" and I have no regrets 🙃


[User] This is unbelievably good 😮🔥

[Assistant] Thank you🥺🌻

[User] Honestly this is incredible mate, amazing work 🔥🔥👊

[Assistant]
Yeee
Thanks, I appreciate it!👊😎🔥