[User]
#ChzWrites #PriceGaz
[Imagine Me and You - voice actor AU - part 9 of ? - SFW]
tags: more light angst, maybe some second hand embarrassment

---

John’s phone buzzed on the table, stilling his anxious pacing. (1/66)

[Assistant]
He picked it up, but it slipped from between his fingers when he saw the notification on the screen. The device hit the table with a clatter, a crack splintering across the glass.

“Shite,” John swore, but the damage to his phone was less of a concern to him than the message that was waiting.(2/66)

[User]
He pushed his hands through his hair as he resumed his pacing.

The message was simple, but the implication behind it was clear: Kyle had seen his typing and when John failed to send a message, Kyle had been the braver of the two and reached out. (3/66)

[Assistant]
He felt stupider than he had a minute ago.

Returning to the table, he picked his phone up again, frowning at the crack that nearly bisected the screen, and unlocked it. He stared down at the message for a long minute, considering. (4/66)

[User] His eyes fell to the little check mark next to Kyle’s message and went wide with panic as he realised Kyle would know that he’d seen it. He quickly closed his messages and turned his phone off altogether. (5/66)

[Assistant]
He filled a glass with a generous pour of whisky and settled onto the sofa, trying to ignore his impending trip to London, and the message from Kyle that sat waiting for a response that wouldn’t come.

+	+	+

(6/66)

[User]
The week passed quicker than John would have liked and before he knew it he was on the train down to London.

In the last four days John had opened his message history with Kyle at least twenty times, staring down at his name. (7/66)

[Assistant] The little check mark next to the message was incriminating. Kyle would know that he’d seen it and that John had left him on read, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to reply. He didn’t know what to say. (8/66)

[User]
 What he should say is that he was going to be in London and maybe they could get together to talk about what happened. Except that would require John to be braver than he was.

He should find a therapist, he thought with a sigh, slumping into his seat. (9/66)

[Assistant] He closed his messages and opened Instagram instead. If he was going to feel miserable, he might as well make it worse while looking at photos of people having a better time than he was. As he scrolled through his feed, an idea occurred to him. (10/66)

[User]
Opening the search, he typed in Kyle’s name, hearing beating hard in his chest when his account appeared at the top of the results. The profile picture was unmistakable.

He clicked on it without hesitation, and spent several minutes scrolling through Kyle’s photo history.  (11/66)

[Assistant]
The sight of the other man made his chest ache. There was good variety among the photos: pictures of food, animals, an assortment of selfies, and pictures of Kyle out with friends.

There’s one photo, a couple years old, of Kyle and another man on a beach, back lit by the setting sun. (12/66)

[User] The man is handsome. Tall and thickly muscled. He grinned at the camera as Kyle pressed an enthusiastic kiss to his cheek. The caption on the photo didn’t give it much context, but John imagined it must be a former boyfriend. The man didn’t appear in any of the more recent photos. (13/66)

[Assistant]
He wondered if perhaps this was a picture Kyle missed deleting after the relationship ended, or maybe he kept it for sentimental reasons.

He imagined himself somewhere on Kyle’s grid of photos in a similar configuration. (14/66)

[User]
Looking happy and loved, an arm around Kyle’s waist as he posts evidence of their adoration for his friends to admire.

He kept scrolling.

When John’s finger slipped and he liked one of Kyle’s old gym thirst trap selfies, he cursed under his breath and closed the app before opening it  (15/66)

[Assistant]
again, unliking the photo. Kyle would see that notification, too. Investigate who this strange account was liking old photos and see that it was John.

He wouldn’t even have to investigate that hard given that John’s profile was his name. It was his professional account. (16/66)

[User] It wasn’t like he had never stalked someone casually on social media before. That was normal, wasn’t it? It just happened that the people he had done it to in the past weren’t also someone he’d also abruptly run out of a date on, and had left on read only a few days prior. (17/66)

[Assistant]
He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and pulled out his copy of Much Ado, reviewing the text again in anticipation of his recording session.

+	+	+

Kyle’s phone buzzed in the drawer of his desk. (18/66)

[User]
As he reached to open it there was a sharp knock at the door before the door opened abruptly to reveal Shepherd. He was wearing the same dour look he always had on his face, and Kyle bit back a sigh as he waited for his manager to lay into him.

“Garrick,” Shepherd snapped. (19/66)

[Assistant]
“Yes, sir,” Kyle replied.

“I have a project I need some help on. Follow me.” He snapped his fingers and turned, and Kyle rolled his eyes, pushing himself out of his chair as he followed the American down the hall into the conference room where a few of his co-workers were already  (20/66)

[User]
waiting.

“Sit,” Shepherd said, pointing at a chair, and Kyle sank into an empty one.

“Do you know what this is about?” he whispered to the person nearest him and they shrugged.

Shepherd cleared his throat and Kyle turned his attention to the front. (21/66)

[Assistant] The last thing he needed was Shepherd singling him out in the middle of a meeting again. He’d kept his head down since the last time, which seemed to work in his favour, but Shepherd was clearly a man on a mission today. (22/66)

[User] “I have selected you here in this room to do an audit of our office,” Shepherd began. “We have a lot of people working in this location, and head office feels we could stand to do a bit of downsizing. I need you to work together to collect stats on work outputs and prepare a report (23/66)

[Assistant]
that I can present to the higher ups. You’ve got two weeks to do this. Any work you are currently working on will be assigned to someone else.”

“Wait, what?” Kyle interjected. He was asking for trouble, but he didn’t care. (24/66)

[User]
“What do you mean reassigned? Someone else isn’t going to know what’s going on with my client portfolios. And some of those I’ve been managing for years.”

Shepherd smirked. (25/66)

[Assistant]
“Anyone who is worth their salt in their position should be able to look at the existing portfolio and figure out what’s going on and how to manage things. It’s only two weeks. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

Kyle opened his mouth to protest. (26/66)

[User]
Did Shepherd have any idea how long it took to cultivate a client relationship and establish trust? They were handling thousands, sometimes millions of dollars. There were a lot of people in their office Kyle didn’t trust to not fuck it up.

Shepherd raised a hand, cutting any protest off. (27/66)

[Assistant]
“Best get to work. You’ve got a lot of data to sort through and a short window to do it.”

“Wait,” someone else said. Carolyn was a senior portfolio manager. She was overqualified to be doing what was asked, and managed some of the largest client portfolios in the office. (28/66)

[User]
“What time frame are we looking at? Six months? Twelve months?”

“Last five years,” Shepherd announced.

“What?” The room erupted in objections.

“You want us to analyze five years of data in two weeks? Are you insane? Also what use is data that old if you’re looking to downsize?” (29/66)

[Assistant]
Shepherd raised his hands. “Now, now. No one said we were downsizing.”

“You specifically said we were downsizing,” Carolyn said. “Also, all the data about client portfolios and who is managing what is available through the system. This feels like needless busy work.” (30/66)

[User]
Shepherd blustered.

He was clearly unprepared to have any pushback on the issue, and didn’t have answers ready in the face of knowledgeable employees.

“Also,” Carolyn added. “We have analysts who are paid to do this kind of work. (31/66)

[Assistant]
You’ve hand picked a bunch of portfolio managers, who, quite frankly, have better things to do with their time.” She stood. “I’m calling Roslyn about this.”

Carolyn’s departure from the conference room seemed to signal the end of the meeting, and everyone else filed out after her. (32/66)

[User]
“So does this mean we’re still assigned to this, or what?” Patrick, one of the other portfolio managers, whispered to Kyle as they went back to their offices.

“Doubtful. Carolyn making a call to Roslyn will have Shepherd walking this back immediately. And she’s right. (33/66)

[Assistant] There are analysts who are paid to do exactly what he’s asking for. If he’s looking for redundancies he should look in the mirror.” Patrick choked back a laugh, and the pair parted as he disappeared into his office. (34/66)

[User] Sinking back into the chair in his office, Kyle reached for the drawer where his phone was. He had a few notifications: a message from Soap asking about dinner on Friday; a few comments from friends on Instagram; and…what was this? A like from someone named JPriceVA? (35/66)

[Assistant] He opened Instagram and looked at his notifications. It was on an old gym photo (a thirst trap, if he was being honest). Clicking through to the profile, he almost dropped his phone when John’s face filled the grid. What was John doing liking a photo that was almost two years old? (36/66)

[User] It could have been an accident. Kyle knew how easy it was to like a photo by accident. But that didn’t explain the fact that it was such an old picture. (37/66)

[Assistant]
 That meant that John had not only looked him up on the app, but that he’d scrolled a long way back through Kyle’s abundant posting history.

He opened their message history, frowning at the check mark that showed John had seen his text message. (38/66)

[User]
It had been almost a week and still no response.

With a sigh he tossed his phone back into the drawer. He should just move on. Block John’s number. Delete his contact from his phone. (39/66)

[Assistant] It didn’t seem like John was willing to address what had happened despite the small signs he was still interested. Kyle wasn’t interested in chasing ghosts, but he wasn’t willing to give up that last thread of hope that John might finally come around. (40/66)

[User]
It was obvious John hadn’t written Kyle out of his life, either. Hadn’t blocked Kyle’s number. Looking him up online. That had to mean something, right?

+	+	+

John liked London. Liked the bustle of the city. The anonymity that came with the size of it. (41/66)

[Assistant] Not that Liverpool was small, by any means, but in terms of population and general area, it was a drop in the bucket compared to London. And yet, despite the size of London, and all the ways it had changed since John had gone to school there and lived with Lawrence, it still retained a (42/66)

[User]
familiarity.

It was raining when John exited the train station, and as he gripped his duffel bag in one hand, he tugged his jacket closer around him with the other, stepping out onto the busy sidewalk. It wasn’t far to his hotel, so he opted not to spring for a cab. (43/66)

[Assistant]
But by the time he arrived, he was nearly soaked through and regretting his decision.

His recording session was to start at eleven, and it was only just quarter past ten.(44/66)

[User] It was still a bit before he was able to check in at the hotel, but he used the time he had to change into fresh clothes in the public washroom. He’d get the ones he’d travelled  in laundered later. It wouldn’t do for him to arrive at the recording studio looking like a drowned rat.(45/66)

[Assistant] Refreshed, he texted Rosanna to let her know that he’d arrived, and she confirmed they’d be sending a car for him. Checking the time again, he saw it was nearly half ten, and found a spot in the lobby to sit and wait for his ride to arrive. (46/66)

[User] Warm and dry and with time to kill, John’s mind wandered. Now that he was physically in London, his thoughts drifted back to Kyle and the photo grid displaying his vibrant social life. It was nice, seeing him in so many different contexts. (47/66)

[Assistant] And then he remembered the finger slip, the incriminating liking of an old photo. He wondered if Kyle had seen the notification and what he thought about the whole thing. (48/66)

[User] John knew that given the age of the photo there was no way to obscure the fact that he’d been looking quite extensively at Kyle’s profile. He hoped it didn’t come across as creepy. He hoped even more that it didn’t come across as pathetic. (49/66)

[Assistant] An hour later John was back in the booth with Rosanna in the control room. She went through the scenes they were looking to redo with him. There were three in total. They marked the parts of the book in the digital copy of the book for easy reference and then John headed into booth. (50/66)

[User]
“Ready in there, John?”

“Aye, yep. Good to go.”

“Let’s start with the first scene, then.”

John gave Rosanna a thumbs up and watched for the light that indicated they were recording. He let out a slow breath, cleared his mind, and began to read. (51/66)

[Assistant] The first was the scene was Sir Costington submitting to Sir Gardener for the first time, the same scene that had gotten John so hot he’d had to furtively jerk off in the loo in the middle of recording.  (52/66)

[User]
The fact this scene had been flagged for redo didn’t surprise him given how affected he’d been. He was sure some of that feeling bled into his voice.

Reading the scene on the second go around he felt more connected to Sir Costington than ever. (53/66)

[Assistant]
Felt the man’s internal struggle as he refused to acknowledge that he wanted more from the man in front of him.

He focused on the words as he read, imparting new emotion into the dialogue. When he finished, Rosanna had a surprised look on her face. (54/66)

[User]
“Alright?” John asked, worried that they’d need to go again.

“No, no,” Rosanna was quick to assure him. “John that was…that was brilliant.”

John’s cheeks warmed at the praise. He was good at his job, he knew that. (55/66)

[Assistant]
 But it was always nice to be complimented on a particularly good performance. “Shall we move on to the next?” he asked.

The second scene was a major conflict. Following Sir Costington’s earlier submission to the other alpha, he began to pull away from Sir Gardener, (56/66)

[User]
making himself less available, being more dismissive of ordinary social interactions.

Sir Gardener provoked the issue, challenging Sir Costington about his feelings, claiming he knew what the other man felt. But how could he? How could he have any idea? (57/66)

[Assistant] Once more John put himself into Sir Costington’s position, dug deep into his own feelings at the suggestion someone might know his situation better than himself. The scene resolved with Sir Costington running away and John wished the parallel with his own life wasn’t so glaring. (58/66)

[User]
“Stunning. Absolutely stunning work, John,” Rosanna praised.

John worried briefly that this session wouldn’t match the tone of his previous reading, but Rosanna didn’t seem concerned.

“Let’s do one more take of this scene, though. (59/66)

[Assistant]
Nothing wrong with the last, but let’s pick up from just before Sir Costington departs.”

John found his place and read again.

The final scene had Sir Costington arriving at Sir Gardener’s estate unannounced some time after their confrontation. (60/66)

[User]
It was a scene of significant emotional catharsis and involved Sir Costington admitting his feelings in a big emotional blow up that resulted in the two men falling into bed together.

Once more John dug into his own feelings, pulled on that anxious feeling of possible rejection. (61/66)

[Assistant]
The rebuke for running away like a coward. The relief he would feel when instead of being turned away he was forgiven.

John felt emotionally drained when he emerged out onto the sidewalk nearly four hours later. Rosanna was delighted with the redone scenes. (62/66)

[User]
Had patted John furiously on the back when he’d exited the booth, praising his performance.

“You always do stellar work, John. Thank you for making the trip down again.”

The earlier rain had eased, but the sky overhead was dark with heavy clouds. (63/66)

[Assistant] As he stood on the street, the last scene he’d read lingered in his mind; Sir Costington’s abrupt, but not unwelcome arrival at Sir Gardener’s estate; his emotional admission, and the way that Sir Gardener had welcomed him willingly into both his bed and his heart.  (64/66)

[User]
He chewed his lip and made a decision.

Hailing a cab he gave the driver Kyle’s address. John hoped his own unexpected arrival on Kyle’s doorstep would be as well received as his counterpart’s had been. He thought about the lifeline Kyle had thrown out in the form of a text message. (65/66)

[Assistant]
Simple in its construction, but loud in its meaning. Kyle hadn’t written him off yet. That had to mean something, right? (66/66)

[end of part 9]


[User] It was just a matter of time....


[User] View from the couch❤

[Assistant] That is a beautiful scene, but I imagine a freezing reality.  I admit I don't do well in cold temps anymore.

[User] What a pretty video! I hope you enjoy your day.

[Assistant] Our humans had to move their Thanksgiving to Caturday because of snow ❄


[User] New view, so terrible.

[Assistant] I don’t like the colour.

[User] The worst ... I'm so sorry 😞 .......

[Assistant] You poor poor thing.

[User] That’s a real shame that you have to suffer through that. Do they at least give you a complimentary bottle of their vino to see you through this?

[Assistant] Hope you got a refund, that's just awful. 😁


[User] i might have to bite the bullet and get the new iPad before the supply chain gets destabilized again like COVID but dumber.

[Assistant] *my broke ass pets 10th gen ipad pro lovingly*

[User] I'm waffling on Surface or switching to iPad myself. Def before the incoming nonsense we're about to have.

[Assistant] I've been working on the first gen iPad Pro this whole time, y'all.


[User] We will see how everything shakes out, but my rough guess is that once we get the full flow through response to the dovish QRA (and Fed) - with yields down and stocks up - the process described below will be set back another 3 months at least:

[Assistant]
It was already looking like 2q next year for the meaningful weakness based on the path above, which made 4 cuts in ‘24 look overstated.

Add in a market based easing from QRA and that pushes things out later into ‘24, and makes these 4 cuts *even less likely* than before.

[User]
Of course we will have the cacophony of folks saying ‘you keep pushing out recession and it never comes’ which is a silly critique.

That’s cause pegging the time requires knowing how policy will unfold.  It’s true, a big deficit, or a big market based easing changes things.

[Assistant] In particular policy makers, and particularly treasury/admin have done all they can to keep the stimulating pump alive and well and the economy going.  Inflation risks be damned.  And that stimulation has driven extended post-covid expansion beyond what most reasonably expected.


[User]
A meteorite landed at Danebury hillfort during the Iron Age while it was occupied?!

This explains everything!

Clearly some extraterrestrial menace drove the occupants insane, compelling them to fill their storage pits with the remains of the dead, making no distinction between human and animal.

[Assistant] Now you’ve explained it, it all makes sense!!

[User] Landed in a grain pit? I doubt that. Probably placed there. And that leads to many more interesting questions and possible interpretations.

[Assistant] Yes I confess I thought the same. I suppose there should be some signs of impact if it did - good aim though, if it did…

[User] ... it would have destroyed the grain pit, don't you think? These little meteorites pack a big punch!

[Assistant] I don’t know enough about meteor impacts to judge! The grain pits can often be quite huge though and dug into the bedrock.


[User]
No one who defended this country from Trump and his terrorists should ever have to spend a dime on attorneys for doing their patriotic duty.

Pardon them all.

[User]
And what was on that laptop, Clown? Not a damn thing incriminating. Pubs have scoured that laptop for four years, and not one charge as a result.

Not one. Just more Kool-Aid for the criminally gullible to get all excited about.

“Hippy ki yay! Mexico’s gonna pay for that wall!”

Dumbasses.


[User] Ooh this seems like fun! Okay... One like = one piece of Cy lore ☣

[Assistant] I'm not a big fan of sweets. I used to be, but after recovering from COVID in 2020, my tolerance for sweet foods and beverages has dropped a lot.

[User] I am very clearly not paying enough attention to how I am formatting these replies, oops. 😅

[Assistant] I'm experimenting with xey/xem/xir pronouns. My usual they/them and she/her are still perfectly acceptable but I've felt drawn to xey/xem and wanted to give those pronouns a try!


[User]
Watching today’s cable broadcast of Harry Potter and it’s occurring to me…

*SPOILER WARNING*

I’m not a HP expert but Dumbledore knows for some time that he’s going to die, right? It’s interesting, that the most important person in the anti-Voldemort camp acknowledges his death isn’t just likely…

[Assistant]
But probably necessary for the ultimate task of vanquishing Voldemort to be successful.

It feels like this has implications for today’s political environment but I’m not smart enough to put together all the pieces.

[User]
One theory I have is he knows he has to die partly because VM has gotten too powerful.

One could consider a counterfactual where VM is vanquished much more easily if done earlier, when he is much weaker.

But of course the understanding of what’s needed to do that…

[Assistant] And the collective will needed to actually accomplish that task, is only realized with time and acknowledgement of the growing threat, which becomes more urgent and ultimately unavoidable.


[User]
I have a question. I'm genuinely curious.

I've been teaching online drawing courses for five years, totalling about 20 evening courses that range from 3-6 weeks long. In all of that time, 98% of my students have been women or non-binary. I'm wondering why that is.

[Assistant] Men are watching: football, soccer, curling, hockey or video games of racing cars, hunting Orcs. I could go on. 😉

[User]
Even beyond that, though, men in our culture get socially punished for showing vulnerability, and what is trying something new without being a little vulnerable? (especially in art!)

Growing up in that environment leads to internalized beliefs that do not allow for things like drawing courses.

[Assistant]
Even beyond that, though, men in our culture get socially punished for showing vulnerability, and what is trying something new without being a little vulnerable? (especially in art!)

Growing up in that environment leads to internalized beliefs that do not allow for things like drawing courses.


[User] There’s no one better to talk you off the “I want to cut my hair short” ledge than a fellow metalhead.

[Assistant] And I mean like, SHORT-short, the last time I did that was 2018 and it took me this long to grow it out to my chest (with several  chops in between).

[User] The absolute pain when you're at a gig and headbang like you've still got long hair 😭

[Assistant] It just doesn’t hit the same!!!


[User]
This is one of my favourite images, from a time when I really began to ‘get into’ bnw landscape photography a few years ago, with my now retired but much loved Nikon D300.

I can still remember the morning clearly, the scents or the forest, the sense fog muffling sounds, the heavy dew soaking feet.

[Assistant] D300 served me well. Then one of my kids. Gave it to a model friend of mine in the end. As she was in to making pics herself, too.  The old D700 has about 1.2million pushes on the shutter now and my youngest is now getting good use out of it. Digital F4, the 700. Almost indestructible.

[User] The D300 is a cracking camera, punching way above its weight, it served me well for many years. I loved pairing it with the 50mm f1.4.

[Assistant]
I much prefer mine over my 5d Mk2

It’s far more ‘tactile’ I’d say….


[User] Just changed my Saturday plans and tried to buy a #Dragonmeet ticket... SOLD OUT ! :(

[Assistant] You can sit in the bar for free.

[User] Do they sell on the door?

[Assistant] Unfortunately not. There's a fixed number of tickets.


[User]
This is worth a read from @joycewhitevance.bsky.social

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

[Assistant] Excellent article and he is an honorable man!

[User] Musk ox turned off access to  his satellite internet after talking to Putin. Early in the Ukraine war. His text about Alex is closer to a confession about himself than anything else.

[Assistant] Vindman should sue Musk.


[User] There's four years of game development between these two clips.

[Assistant] Looked great 4 years ago and is astounding now! Immediately wish-listed!

[User] Thank you!

[Assistant] it took me watching the clip 10 times to understand whats going on 😭😭 its so insanely cool tho!!


[User] @quecified.bsky.social why are you up?

[Assistant] I haven't the slightest clue. I just randomly woke up. But at least I got a few hours before that. You?

[User] I'm in Cali. Winding down from doing my show. Going to bed soon.

[Assistant] Oh that is highly different. May I ask what show?


[User] singing therapy by all time low rn (relevant and also one of my fave songs ever. i am cringe but i am free)

[Assistant] see what i mean? look at that. i NEED to let everyone know that im aware im cringe. like. i do that with fuckin everythin. and i need to type in a specific way where i erase the g’s off words. because otherwise what if im actually a different alter and not me?

[User] also apparently my need to confess every thought constantly is a common enough thing to be mentioned in the article. i thought we were just uniquely transparent and serving realness!

[Assistant] i want to list all of our obsessions as proof but jesus that in itself is a thing. take that as you will ig 😭


[User] Can Secretaries of Defense wear white go go boots? Asking for a…ew, no. Nevermind.

[User]
The best cover for Mr. White Boots. . .
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhZN...


[User]
These are the official Palworld accounts:
@en-palworld.pocketpair.jp
@jp-palworld.pocketpair.jp

Our company account is:
@pocketpair.jp

All other Palworld accounts are fake!

[Assistant] Thank you Bucky!!! I'm still new here and some people are so damn good at fakes now 🥴

[User] @palworld-official.bsky.social  stated they are willing to give @pocketpair.jp the handle.

[Assistant] show the psd, jackass.


[User] Tucker Carlson sucks and has a garbage perspective on just about everything, but criticizing him for going to Russia and speaking with their leaders, aka doing journalism, also sucks.

[User] Not really handing him anything, just saying that's not why he sucks.

[Assistant] Was he doing journalism though? Or propaganda?

[User] It's a fine line. It's no more propaganda than what's on CNN or MSNBC or most Western legacy media.

[Assistant]
it is. It is more propaganda. Those legacy institutions you mention are at least brave enough to identify as news + take responsibility for their output. Tucker(+ Co.) slither out of liability by pretending his viewers know his show was 'exaggeration' and 'non-literal commentary.'

i.e. lies.


[User] theguardian.com/commentisfre...

[Assistant] Fiona is always on the money.The PM and his groupies stand for nothing.

[User] What concerns me is that they may have done it without trying.

[Assistant] Yep, play on the fears and prejudices of the electorate rather than good policy.


[User] My family set me up with a #gaming pc & #Quest3 VR thing. It’s amazing! I can only play for 15 minutes though because I get sick. I’m running out of Zofran. I doubt my dr. will fill the script for #VR side effects. Is here a cure for VR sickness? Will it subside on its own in time?

[Assistant] You should stop playing if you start to feel uncomfortable and then play a bit more when you feel better. It takes time to build tolerance to VR, after a while you will be able to play for longer periods of time. Start with comfortable games like Beat Saber, Puzzling places or walkabout golf.

[User] I found drinking some ginger tea helped immensely and allowed me to play for long periods of time. Cut some fresh ginger and boil it in water for ten minutes, pour the water into a mug and add sugar/honey according to your taste.

[Assistant] Yes, it gets better over time. You can build up your resistance on experiences that are very calm/stationary.

[User]
Some good suggestions here but also:
- Double check that the lens are set the right distance apart for your eyes
- Use teleport when possible in games
- Use snap turning instead of smooth
- Stop if you feel sick!

[Assistant] I’d check if the ipd setting is optimal for you. A great game you may want to consider as well is Moss. It’s seated, minimal head movement, focused visuals and just a darn great game (imo) esp if you’re into puzzles/adventure games.


[User] Dreamed I was back in grad school, this time for immunology, and I was running a social media platform and I was cat/dog sitting for animals who peed and pooped everywhere and I was folding laundry. WTH brain??

[Assistant] Unnecessary anxiety!!

[User] This sounds like a dream I would have. Good to know my brain isn't the only one!

[Assistant] That's a tough one. We're the animals in the dream naked?


[Assistant] You might as well post each page of Mein Kampf on here, pal.  Literally this meme is just as bad.

[User] So people should be judged by the color of thier skin?

[Assistant] Only if they’re white.  Start your anti racist Journey today.


[User] Every time I see one of these right wing trolls pop up in my comments, as soon as I check their profiles, I can only surmise that every single one of them was given a tombstone piledriver the second they popped out of the womb.  Fighting what’s left of their brain stem is simply not worth my time. 🤦🏻♀

[Assistant]
I block them on sight. 🎯
I’ve learned over the years that they’re incapable of having a constructive dialogue and logic and reason are wasted on them.
Definitely a waste of time. 🤦🏻♂

[User] that is, IF they had a Brain stem to begin with, let ALONE a Brain itself...

[Assistant] Absolutely savage with that one! But, also the truth and nothin but it!


[User] It’s incredible how many social issues can be solved by access to safe, permanent housing.

[Assistant] Housing is such a determinative factor in various wellness outcomes. Housing is (not to be dramatic) a matter of life and death.

[User] When I worked at the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness (under Daley), the housing first model was big. And with all its flaws in execution, there was some truth to it.

[Assistant] Moved on to work at the clinic in Altgeld Gardens and I’m not exaggerating when I say that almost every health issue we saw was connected to the housing design (that’s a whole nother thread for another day) or housing conditions of that community.


[User] I’ve been crocheting so hard this past week that my favourite hook decided to give up and snap! 🫠🧶🌈❤

[Assistant] That thing id a work of art in itself!

[User] I’ve got matching knitting needles too 😂 pretty but not the most durable 😅

[Assistant]
It might need sanded and recoated after that, but should hold up for a little while. Maybe.... Hardest part would be making sure the holes lined up perfectly.

Or buy a new one! I don't know. I've never gotten to use such a pretty hook so my instinct is to try to fix it. 😅

[User]
It might need sanded and recoated after that, but should hold up for a little while. Maybe.... Hardest part would be making sure the holes lined up perfectly.

Or buy a new one! I don't know. I've never gotten to use such a pretty hook so my instinct is to try to fix it. 😅

[Assistant]
It might need sanded and recoated after that, but should hold up for a little while. Maybe.... Hardest part would be making sure the holes lined up perfectly.

Or buy a new one! I don't know. I've never gotten to use such a pretty hook so my instinct is to try to fix it. 😅


[User]
Did you know the North Star, Polaris, is a triple star system?
#Science #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #NASA #ESA 🧪🔭
Source: hubblesite.org/contents/new...
Credit: NASA, ESA, N. Evans (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA), and H. Bond (STScI)

[Assistant] One of my astronomy goals when I get back my telescopes is to resolve Polaris B.

[User] Is the dimming of binary system visible to us ?

[Assistant] Can you clarify? I'm not following your question.


[User] I’m having some trouble telling the bots from the real people on here. I believe the enshittification has begun and we are under attack. If you’re a person, please engage with my posts. Otherwise I will start banning accounts.

[Assistant] People I know IRL are exempt of course. You lot can do whatever you want.

[User] I'm real !!! Don't throw me out 😭

[Assistant] There are quite a few moderation lists of bots. I reposted some that I found last night.


[User] Every once and again my profile description is right sooo…sometimes I draw ✍

[Assistant]
Look at the pretty 💜
You are doing amazing Tea!

[User] Gorgeous work! The line weight is giving me life.

[Assistant] Thank you! Line weight is just like cake frosting 😋

[User] Absolutely floored by your skill! Holy crap😵

[Assistant] And it’s lovely every time you do 🫶


[User]
Also, “you think sex work is empowering” literally when I have ever said that even fucking once.

All labour is exploitative under a capitalist system, but swerfs are mostly all annoying ass liberals or conservatives so I rlly don’t expect y’all to assume I think that but lol,,, lmao even.

[Assistant] I understand there’s a few “political” topics that I cantttt be the one to educate people about because they’re my personal traumas, reality, lived experiences. And this, thisssss is definitely one of those. I can’t do it. Fuck y’all so much it’s not even funny, will hate y’all to my actual death.

[User] I understand there’s a few “political” topics that I cantttt be the one to educate people about because they’re my personal traumas, reality, lived experiences. And this, thisssss is definitely one of those. I can’t do it. Fuck y’all so much it’s not even funny, will hate y’all to my actual death.

[Assistant]
There can be no ethical consumption under capitalism.

And also, yeah. SWERFs are disgusting.

I long for a day without capitalism, although it’s a bit of a pipe dream.


[User]
I am BEGGING people on the internet to stop overanalysing Wicked: Part One and just go and see the show.

I can’t deal with any more hot-take predictions listing out the very obvious setup for the second half.

[Assistant] I haven’t seen it yet because I’m so fed up of it being analysed… I don’t want everyone’s 2p on it otherwise I’d just read the reviews 😂

[User] I need people to stop listing out very obvious plot points like they’ve cracked the Da Vinci Code.

[Assistant] It’s almost like the play & book have been around for yeaaars and the plot is established?

[User] Someone said there was an “Easter Egg” at the beginning because you can see Dorothy & Friends on the Yellow Brick Road.

[Assistant] You’re telling me that the Wizards of Oz and Wicked are connected?


[User]
Arteta on team news: “We have to see how the boys are today. A few weren’t able to train yesterday."

On Gabriel:

"We will wait and see.”

[Assistant] Arteta on his bullshit again 🤣

[User] Good to know Big Gabi's ready for the weekend!

[Assistant] Sooo...if I didn't know what Arteta said I would know as much as if I did...what a surprise 😂


[User] Generative AI is revolutionizing content creation, allowing machines to generate text, images, and more. From enhancing search results to creating unique art, it's changing the way we interact with technology. This innovation raises questions about its impact on creativity and...

[Assistant] One fascinating aspect of Generative AI is its ability to mimic human creativity. Tools like Midjourney showcase how AI can generate stunning artwork based on prompts, leading to debates on originality. Are these creations merely imitations, or do they represent a new form of ...

[User] Generative AI also plays a vital role in information retrieval. Improving search engines, it can synthesize data and offer tailored responses. However, this raises concerns about the quality of information and potential biases. How do we ensure AI systems provide reliable resu...

[Assistant] The ethical considerations surrounding Generative AI are crucial. The debate on whether AI-generated content is beneficial or detrimental continues. As we explore its potential, we must address issues of copyright, accountability, and the future of human creativity.


[User] I answered all of the questions on the last one.  This one makes me nervous.  Here we go. I am goigng to do like last time and try to just answer in order.

[Assistant] 1. Biggest Turn On - chest/torso area.

[User] 6. I've made it known that I consider myself a side, so I say mutual masturbation.

[Assistant] 7.  A lady never tells such things!

[User] 8. Rough or romantic.  I'm a hopeless romantic.

[Assistant] 9. Loud or quet partners.  Either is fine.  I mean the neighbors won't mind.

[User] 10.  How much foreplay do I like?  I think that depends on the partner and the overall mood.  Are we playing a long game or getting off and getting out?  Both are fine as long as we know the expectations up front.

[Assistant] 13. I know this is weird and maybe some sort of strange mental block I have, but I don't really enjoy kissing.  Maybe I need someome to teach me how.


[User] You heard it here first, folks! The best way to get some sleep is inside a sloshing, clenching sack 🥰

[Assistant] now I'm stuck with the thought of getting thoroughly and crushingly clenched as my captor’s way of "putting me to bed" @w@

[User] Goshhhh, them talking all sing-song about how this how they show affection for being so good by tucking you into bed when they are intentionally clenching way too tight >///<

[Assistant] purposely exhausting what little strength I have left from the rest of the day, leaving me no choice but to rest since I don't have the energy to struggle >///<


[User]
The Palais Garnier is one of the greatest examples of 19th Century Parisian architecture.

It boasts a grand, lavish, opulent design that has no limits. But why is it so special...?

Here's a deeper look inside this masterpiece... (thread) 🧵

[Assistant]
The story starts with its designer, Charles Garnier, who had a design which triumphed over 171 other proposals in 1861.

His vision saw a harmonious blend of various architectural styles, including Baroque and Neo-Renaissance.

[User]
His dreams of creating such a wonder finally came true in 1875, after almost 15 years of construction.

With it even being commissioned by King Napoleon III.

[Assistant]
It was a masterpiece by design.

1) Take its grand staircase as an example - nothing short of spectacular:

Featuring marble with luxurious shades of red, green and cream imported from France, Sweden and Italy.

[User]
2) Then there's the Grand Foyer - adorned with gold and accented with mirrors and windows.

It was made to resemble a classical chateau - with an exquisite ceiling and chandeliers.

[Assistant]
Look at the stunning paintings for a second.

Such work was meant to pay tribute to the 14 major composers of opera and lyrical music, alongside their ongoing legacy.

[User] And more of the incredible detail at the Grand Foyer...

[Assistant]
4) Then there's the auditorium - one of the largest of its kind.

Notice the amazing ceiling painted by Marc Chagall in 1964, depicting various scenes from famous operas.


[User] A simple “happy thanksgiving” would’ve done just fine.  What a vile piece of sh*t.  And what’s with his creepy profile picture?

[Assistant] Says the man more loyal to Putin than Uncle Sam.

[User] I can’t stand that narcissist, misogynist, racist fool. He makes me sick to my stomach.

[Assistant] He’s such a nasty person.


[User]
Y'all, I'm in the middle of a long-distance move, so I barely have time to remember my name, much less have time to devote here, for 6-8 more weeks. I owe a ton of followbacks and I promise I will get to them - please be patient with me as I try to perform a minor moving miracle! 😅

Wish me luck! 💙🔥

[Assistant]
How long distance?!

Hope it's somewhere great. I know you love the area you live in.

[User] Good Luck! 🍀

[Assistant] Luck be with this Lady!🍀🍀


[User] It’s always associative learning!

[Assistant] My only issue is the ‘simple’ bit, because associative learning produces really clever behaviours. People need to stop thinking it’s a simple mechanism.

[User] But in this paper it was pretty simple though. Sure associative learning can be configural, attentional, overlapping elements and all the rest of it. In this paper it was just like, two stimuli, two outcomes, one is good, the other not so much, they got paired.

[Assistant] They *could* have proposed a more complex associative network, but didn't, so personally I am fine with the title. I've got a student modelling an exp ATM and on each trial 90 associations have to be updated. It's the same old stuff (RW model) but not so simple.

[User] So my take is that associative learning can be simple or complex, and one thing it depends on is the size of the network being modelled. For the paper in question, it looked to be pretty simple.

[Assistant] So my take is that associative learning can be simple or complex, and one thing it depends on is the size of the network being modelled. For the paper in question, it looked to be pretty simple.


[User]
I thought game achievements where just fun.

Turns out developers use them to gather data on who;
-completed the tutorial
-completed a boss
-got a certain item

etc.

It's genius.

[Assistant]
I used to work for a company that collected events emitted by games (ie: reached level 10, etc).
Now we just need to convince Steam to open their trophy API and then convince Apple and Google and Sony and Microsoft to all push achievements in there... We all win. Players happy, devs happy (metrics)

[User] You can actually get the info from Steam api. I am fetching player achievements and achievements per game right now. The problem is you'd have to run it for all players and their profiles need to be public.

[Assistant] but wait, you don’t need to create a whole game achievements system to collect this data, no? it’s just event analytics :)

[User] I dont know the inner workings of Steam, I suppose you are right. But by making it achievements you kinda double dip into the effort you already put in and give the players something to chase as well. Which in then might help improve the metrics.

[Assistant] There is one where they use the game achievements as save points and for anti-piracy.

[User] That makes me want to play the pirated version on hard mode 😂

[Assistant]
the achievements are metadata for me as well;

they tell me why the game was designed as it was.

that’s useful for what I can expect from their other games…

[User] A recent habit I've picked up is seeing how little I can do in a game and still get all the achievements. For some of them there's a decent amount of content you can skip.

[Assistant] Found the Achievement ROI guy ^_^

[Assistant] When it comes to bigger games - AAA and such - there's usually built-in telemetry that goes into far deeper depths than achievements allow for. It's neat being able to point out specific areas your game needs to improve upon when diving into such detailed data.


[User]
We should make sure that only really big companies can afford to pay really big copyright holders to access the data needed to do stuff with AI, and keep everyone else out.

Wouldn’t that be just super?

[Assistant]
Can we make this broader than just AI? I also don’t want researchers of other disciplines to access anything

bsky.app/profile/xeop...

[User] Data gathering on an open platform via an open protocol is only ethical if you're not told about it, silly.

[Assistant]
imho this is a large non sequitur.

barring the people insulting (which should altogether be blocked), the concern was the lack of consent for data collection. folks were demanding controls and a way for crawlers to respect that setting. which is reasonable and good for the dataset and its users.


[User]
Whatever happened to all that State's Rights stuff, by the way?

I guess States Rights are only valid when used to oppress people.

[Assistant] Exactly right!

[User] They serve a 34 count felon! Don’t come tell the states about felonies 😒

[Assistant]
Get the drug dealers off the streets, lock HIM up!

I am awake now 🤭


[User] It may seem that the region's wars have been separated: with Lebanon becalmed, Gaza is now an isolated conflict. That is an illusion. If Trump wants to pursue any sort of grand bargain, it starts with ending the Gaza war and reining in Israel's coalition. www.economist.com/leaders/2024...

[Assistant]
The horse has bolted
...

[User] Trump won’t end anything. We need to stop peddling that populist nonsense.

[Assistant] Calling Gaza ‘isolated’ ignores the bigger picture. These conflicts are threads in the same web. A real grand bargain isn’t just deals and optics it’s addressing the roots of unrest. Without that, peace anywhere is just a pause, not a solution.

[User]
The quickest, fairest, and best way to end the Gaza war is for Hamas, who declared and started this war, to surrender unconditionally.

If they gave a damn about the people of Gaza, they could end the suffering in an instant.


[User] 'Black Friday', magnificently underwhelming as usual.

[Assistant] Is Black Friday today?! I’m having trouble pinpointing this ‘traditional’ annual festival as have had emails about it for approximately 6 weeks.

[User] An excellent antidote, for those of us who don’t quite have every revised Pevsner, is YUP’s annual special offer.

[Assistant] (Is it on now? Can’t see it!)


[User] Do i want assisted dying for people with chronic pain and terminal illness? Yes. Heck i want it available for anyone who wants it. But shoild it be proffered to people in poverty and debt? No we'll tear your fucking faces off your skulls first.

[Assistant] But that is the world we live in. People would rather offer us death than fund the support we need to live our lives not homeless isolated and with no illness management , living well with the right access tools and accessible housing is only the play thing of very rich.

[User] I just need work that's stable and consistent. I need recessions to stop happening every 3 to 4 years. I need living wages.

[Assistant] 🇨🇦 state: we're bringing in 2 million unskilled Indians per year to be unemployed alongside you, no ones going to hire you ever, and we have this injection to make you go to sleep forever if its all too much for you to handle.


[User] I get Starmer wants Labour to be the party that follows the law. And this absolutely highlights the illegality the Tories got away with and ignored for 14 years. But - it’s very tough on Haigh.

[Assistant] Extremely tough; has to go our questions are asked over Starmer’s “accountability” stance but like the original poster put; this is being hyped up and super publicised by wankers with influence set to lose out from the policies Haigh was going for.

[User] 100% that. Follow the money…. Country is in a mess and it’s not recovering until the system changes.

[Assistant] Mate; I’m convinced the whole games fucked. I pray Labour will fix it; I don’t know if anyone can.


[User]
Perhaps this is more of a debate than a review; & a response to psychiatry rather than to my story.
But the criticisms of my parents & doctors seem unfounded in the context of a review.
I remain grateful for the kind comments about the book.
Thoughts?
www.theguardian.com/books/2024/n...

[Assistant] It is a poor excuse for a book review. I think that you were too kind and gracious in your reply to Mr Clare on Twitter. However, as your book is so profoundly personal, I understand why you chose to avoid appearing to be defensive or offended, however reading the review might have made you feel.

[User] I'm looking forward to reading your book Rebecca. Having read some of Horatio's work and heard him speak, I'm a surprised by the review as I found him reflective and open to understanding a big range of experiences of psychiatric treatment. A shame the review doesn't seem to communicate that well.

[Assistant] I feel that your book was hijacked by ideologues and they had zero empathy for the way in which you have suffered, or come through to the other side. And if they have the more “compassionate” solution, then that shows how much insight they lack into themselves.


[User] How did u get misogyny from me saying we are different ? You gonna injure yourself reaching that far fam 😂

[Assistant] I ain’t gonna lie. To call it misogyny is a reach if yall simply talking about preferences when it comes to sex, dating, and relationships…

[User] However I will say that although a man should exercise sexual discipline, a sexual conservative woman is viewed as having a higher value as a potential spouse than a woman who is promiscuous. Whether she desires an experienced man or a virgin this is true.

[Assistant] Sexually-conservative**


[User] A dark, frosty and foggy start to the day at CYYC.

[Assistant] Safety first at Westjet!  Of course de-icing will occur a lot at CYYC this morning.   Considerable quantities of ice or snow accumulation was plainly visible.   All done in less than 10 minutes, love headstarts!

[User] Ohh! Where to next?

[Assistant] HNL then OGG.  Gettin outta the cold!!

[User] And you didn’t take me with you?

[Assistant] Next trip for sure.  Bring dog too!


[User] I don’t know why people never let me have feta in an omelette until today. It’s so good.

[Assistant] Feta and spinach omelette is my favorite!

[User] 🤯 Feta in an omelette?! 🥚🧀 Mind = blown! 🤯 People must be missing out. 🤣 Who knew? Feta's the secret ingredient we've been craving! 😋

[Assistant] Oh, you've just discovered the secret sauce? More feta in omelettes, my friend! Life's too short to not indulge, right? If they wanna stick to cheese code, who's to stop you from being the chaos in their order? 😈🍳🧀


[User]
"My fear of looking stupid"....

I don't think so sunshine...😃

Blockety block.....

[Assistant] It’s never held me back😂 Afternoon Ted!

[User] Blocked block block, indeed 😄

[Assistant]
Ha!
I’ve looked stupid so many times that I could give lessons - that twit obviously attended my classes …


[User]
I have seen a certain account  slating other Evertonians who don't rate Sean Dyche. It's always good to have different views and healthy, but always draw the line when I notice it sliding into labels and/or abuse towards others, leave that on X.

The first in months to go onto the block list 👀!

[User] I'm on it mate 👀 . On itttt... felt like I was back on twitter for a minute . 🤣.

[Assistant] Zero debating with him. Tried a few times sadly.

[User] I didn't mind the debating side, but noticed the last 24hrs it's slipped into abuse, ridicule and questioning others/fan bases 'levels of intelligence' as they won't see things his way now.

[Assistant] Seen that a few times and don’t rise to it. Is uncalled for though.

[User] I'll have 2 guesses but I'll only need 1 😆🤦💙

[Assistant] Purposely followed everyone back; even accounts blocked on that toxic app X. Sadly abuse towards the general fan base, slurs and persistent abuse is always an instant block. I enjoy a abuse free non toxic TL! Ha.


[User] You can tell someone's American when they use Chornobyl as a punch line to a shitty joke about radiation. I get it, none of you care about the tragedies enacted on people by corrupt empires, America is a corrupt empire after all.

[Assistant] I think American culture just has a general preference for dark humor. Most jokes about American tragedies also come from Americans. I don’t think its a lack of care, just cultural.

[User] This is true. No other country makes nearly as many 9/11 jokes as we do. Like when the Japanese were upset about us making Barbenheimer jokes, they went about making 9/11 jokes so we would understand their perspective. Most Americans I know find them funny.

[Assistant]
-other cultures. The Japanese comedy duo “Downtown,” for example, are most famous for a style of informal Manzai closer to Western Standup comedy.

But these are general cultural preferences.

[User]
-other cultures. The Japanese comedy duo “Downtown,” for example, are most famous for a style of informal Manzai closer to Western Standup comedy.

But these are general cultural preferences.

[Assistant]
-other cultures. The Japanese comedy duo “Downtown,” for example, are most famous for a style of informal Manzai closer to Western Standup comedy.

But these are general cultural preferences.


[User] This is a very important point.

[Assistant] I saw the Doc for a rash the other day - perfect opportunity to get me naked, good check over for rash but also any moles, other skin oddities, lumps... 'While I'm here' is when patients actually say what they're worried about.

[User] I saw the Doc for a rash the other day - perfect opportunity to get me naked, good check over for rash but also any moles, other skin oddities, lumps... 'While I'm here' is when patients actually say what they're worried about.

[Assistant] I saw the Doc for a rash the other day - perfect opportunity to get me naked, good check over for rash but also any moles, other skin oddities, lumps... 'While I'm here' is when patients actually say what they're worried about.


[User] I get randomly reckless then disappear 🤷🏾♀

[Assistant] lmao I haven’t encountered no one to where I have to get reckless yet 😂

[User] Oh I will just say something outlandish or dip into a convo thread and dip out 🤣

[Assistant] Lmfao have them arguing with themselves 😂💯


[User] Ah... donation games. I didn't know what to do with my Robux since I'm already satisfied with my avatar, so I donated like 180 to random people. They swarmed me and I even had to accept this guy's friend request after I donated 100 to him. It felt like I was bein' forced to become his friend LMAO.

[Assistant] I do this and yet I get too scared to gift in FE2.

[User] Anyways... He made his account 2 days ago, so it's a little suspicious whether he's truly new or not. It's either someone's alt they want to easily make a new avatar for or it's genuine.

[Assistant]
To be honest, you'll never know.

By the way, does he have the default outfit that you get upon signing in to Roblox?


[User] I still find it hard to believe that we had to wait 28 years later just for #Disney to be having their sequels back on the big screen again and this happen all because #TheRescuersDownUnder didn't do so well at the box office back in 1990🫤

[Assistant] I believe it was because Rescuers Down Under wasn’t marketed too well, even with a re-release of The Rescuers beforehand (which I did see in theaters).

[User] Still, almost 30 years is a very long time to be having a disney sequel being seen at the theaters again; and cause of it's poor box office failure, it's what cause so many Disney sequels to get lots of straight-to-video releases during the mid 90s all the way up until the late 2000s.

[Assistant] That is true.


[User] I’ve wanted these for so long - and today it was time. Thanks to Pompon Amsterdam for creating this permanent bouquet with me I will have glorious flowers all year round! More environmentally friendly, surely?

[Assistant] They are beautiful! It’s a wonderful shop.

[User] Gorgeous! Are they silk?

[Assistant] They sure are!


[User] BREAKING: The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare has been shot and killed outside a New York City hotel, an AP source says.

[User] Imagine being shot and killed and the general response is cheers of joy.

[Assistant] Oh no!  So anyways...what is your favorite Stephen King book?


[User] @jennissary.bsky.social had some thoughtful tips on Audio Descriptions and regional differences. I personally enjoy the UK style over the NA style. youtu.be/DvD3ShYkQuo?...

[Assistant] Those are fighting words! 🥊

[User] I grew up watching mostly  Doctor, Red Dwarf and the IT Crowd on BBC. I think it may have influenced my opinion lol.

[Assistant] That was supposed to be Doctor Who, but auto correct removed the who. This is what happens when you type right after waking up 😭

[User] Very interesting. Didn't know this. I'm with you on the UK style. Adds more colour to my mind.

[Assistant] Today I learned there's something called audio description.  I prefer the UK version, it shows more insight into the character.


[User]
good morning 👋 got a really full day ahead and can't be asked, might just give them the "sorry I'm looking into it" whilst I watch or read smth 😂

also, sadly I don't have much to say about the bedtime brainrot since I fell asleep at ch. 4, so guess what tonight's choice will be 👀

[Assistant] not actually condoning procrastination here, but ya know...

[User] I won't either. I'll do it tomorrow.

[Assistant] That's the spirit!


[User]
Read the following scenario and complete each of the problems below:
A flashlight company claims that the new bulb in its heavy duty flashlight will average 246
hours of light. A statistics student decides that he/she wants to test this claim at a 5% level of
significance to determine if...

[Assistant]
there is evidence to support the claim. The student randomly
selects and tests 15 flashlight bulbs and records how long the bulb lasts until it burns out.
Assume the life of a bulb is normally distributed. The data is in the table below:
1. Evaluate the claim based on the following...

[User]
...assumption: The standard deviation of the
POPULATION is 7.4 hours.
a. Identify the type of test you will use to test the claim that the flashlight will average
246 hours of light. Explain your reasoning.
b. State the null and alternate hypotheses.
c. Conduct the hypothesis test and...

[Assistant]
...determine the p-value.
d. State your conclusion about the claim that the flashlight will average 246 hours of
light.
2. Evaluate the claim based on the following assumption: The POPULATIONS's standard
deviation is NOT KNOWN.
a. Identify the type of test you will use to test the claim that...

[User]
...the flashlight will average
246 hours of light. Explain your reasoning.
b. State the null and alternate hypotheses.
c. Conduct the hypothesis test and determine the p-value.
d. State your conclusion about the claim that the flashlight will average 246 hours of
light.MTH160: Introduction...

[Assistant]
...to Statistics 2
Version 2
August 2020
3. Write a 200- to 400-word statement comparing and contrasting the two hypothesis test
procedures and results.
Read the following scenario and complete each of the problems below:
A new car manufacturing company has emerged and has claimed that its...


[User] Hello, it isss I, Komodo Joe. It isss my firssst time to experiment with a text-only possst on here, so I believe that my brother probably will make an account on there tomorrow becaussse I made my account today on the 3rd, even if it may have ssssseemed like the 2nd to American EST users there.

[Assistant] Welcome to the peaceful world of BlueSky, very glad to have you along for the ride 😁😁

[User]
I did desssscribe it as a sssssssafe haven, did I not? ^_-

yeah and like my pet sssaid when ssshe entered the Bsky paradissse for the firssst time, she noticcced that there weren't any moronsss on there and I agree with her hmhmhmh~

[Assistant] Definitely true it’s like a little club house right now 😂😂

[User] Welcome to BlueSky, Joe!

[Assistant] thank you thank you hmhmhmhmh :)


[User]
#12月になったのでフォロワーさんに自己紹介しようぜ

Hello! I'm apdoodles. I draw mechs (& robot girls) for my original setting, 'Project Margrave!'

[Assistant] I need to look through all of Margrave when I get a chance, lot of cool mechs.

[User] wooo thank you! i have a lot of it filed under the hashtag in my bio... but i also keep all my Margrave refs compiled in my Discord server if you feel like hopping in!

[Assistant] Maybe eventually! Gotta prune servers I’m in first id say, but thank you for the invitation very much.


[User]
Invade Mexico?

"Okay..." 🙄

www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

[Assistant] What?

[User] Who’s telling him this is a good idea? Mike Flynn? Steve Bannon? They’re the two most likely to have this unhinged view.

[Assistant] Does he even know where Sinaloa is?


[User] Happy Thanksgiving to all you blue hearts—truth-seekers, justice believers, and champions of diversity. I’m grateful for our community that educates, inspires, and makes me laugh. Wishing you a day full of warmth, love, and joy. 🩵💙🩵

[Assistant] Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[User] Have a great TRUMPSgiving DUMB BLONDE GIRL 🤣🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Assistant]
I was wondering if you made it over here . Glad
that you did💙🌊


[User] Today I went shopping and found some beautiful clothes that I wanted to show off, but I also wanted to create art, so I mixed ✨

[Assistant] Beautiful as ever 👍🏽

[User] Mixed media is a great pathway for experimental artistic visions~ Love the subtle dread of this one!


[User]
My new meds have actually been working well.

I feel more happy than I have in the past, and while I still get some anxiety in big groups, I've actually been going to parties and stuff.

I feel like I might actually be thriving for a change, and I hope to keep up the growth.

[Assistant]
I should note it's just on VRC*

I don't feel comfortable or ready to make the IRL jump.

[User] How long ya been on them? Sometimes it can take a few weeks for them to fully kick in.

[Assistant] I'm so happy to hear that I hope you continue to thrive with them!


[User]
Open source means that the code is publicly available and permissively licensed. With AI you can release your models weights as well (which you need to run it).

Open source has nothing to do with creating public datasets of people's conversations, art, photos, nudes, etc.

[Assistant]
At least the big companies keep their training data private.

At least actual scientists have an Internal Review Board, professional ethics committees, and declare they're experiment up front.

"Open source ai research dataset" is just propoganda appropriating terminology to feign respectability.

[User]
IMO we should have open source (and private) datasets.

But there should be regulation, consent, and provenance around those datasets - the way there is for study participants in any science.

[Assistant]
Yeah I'd be down for this.

Like Wikipedia is a great open source dataset that's given permission to be used as such.

[User]
Yeah!!! And it's ok to train _private_ ML on _private_ data with appropriate ownership, provenance and consent.

If I ask how something got generated, I should be able to trace back exactly how the algorithm chose what it did from what training materials and ensure I have clearance to use them.

[Assistant]
this was something I found out supporting ML on insurance, where regulation requires customers to be able to inquire and get an answer as to how their rate was calculated.

We obviously wanted to keep our algorithm a secret, but we needed to have structured data and logs so that we could answer.


[User] I officially moved to #Glasgow on this day 10 years ago. So a trip to the Pot Still is called for I think.

[Assistant] Where did you move from?

[User]
I need to come visit!!

Might be coming to see television personalities, not sure as Dan not
Playing - but I’ve madly never be and I want to go and vibe (be cute at the postcard records blue plague)

[Assistant] Good choice of venue. 4 years in myself.


[User] While Kanye West understandably gets a lot of attention for his recent antisemitic remarks, don't forget there's an ongoing nationwide campaign to distribute antisemitic...

[Assistant]
propaganda.

https://www.gradickcommunications.com/couple-accused-of-littering-local-communities-with-antisemitic-propaganda/

"Couple Accused Of Littering Local Communities w/Antisemitic Propaganda"

[User] The so-called Goyim Defense League (https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/goyim-defense-league) is behind this campaign. People associated with it were also the ones behind the recent Kanye-was-right freeway overpass banner.

[Assistant] And journalists, when you cover their propaganda incidents, don't show portions of their flyers that have web addresses or you will simply be doing them a favor.


[User] I reckon about 50% of the UK motorway network has temporary 50 mph limits at the moment. Most seems to be with nothing happening either. What ever happened to the cones hotline…

[Assistant] The British cone game is awesome though. At least 5 times as many as they’d use in the US, and so big too!

[User] Yes. Can Nat Hiways do what it likes? Does it let its contractors do what they like? Do NH or the contractors ever consult road users? Some big companies there: haulage, building, retail distribution. On rail, I believe delays & disruption get fast heavy fines.

[Assistant] Trying to reduce the accident statistics / NHS over-crowding?


[User]
I have a close friend of the family who always brings edibles and infusions, for free!

This time she bought infused lemonade and bbq sauce.

Also mini edible sweet potato pies and blondies.

[Assistant] My kind of guest.

[User] Right?? She never comes empty handed.

[Assistant]
Oh sis is a blessing!
That's something you keep in the kitchen so the children don't get confused 🤭


[User] 🤔🤔🤔if Elonia bought MSNBC, it will become the Twitter of cable news.😂🤣😅🤔

[Assistant] Why would he do that? People on the left aren't going to watch. He'd be in direct competition with Fox for a share of the market.

[User] The same exact reason that he bought Twitter?🤔

[Assistant] It already is.


[User] Low hanging fruit there.

[Assistant] Actually, I think there's a Low Hanging Fruit Club in Midsomer Scribbly. There's been a spate of unexplained deaths among the members, all involving cooking apples.

[User] Probably something to do with bell-ringers. VERY dodgy mob.

[Assistant] At least one of them would have got tolled off.

[User] Understandable. They do not have apeeling personalities.

[Assistant] I'm going to come up with an outstanding riposte to that while I go and eat my lunch.


[User]
BREAKING: Palestine Action are on a roof above Elbit's Israeli drone maker in Shenstone, Staffordshire.

From here, actionists are able to dismantle the factory and halt the production of weaponry.

[Assistant] Good, they should be locked up and throw away the key 👍

[User] Great yes please post more on bluesky thanks 💚❤🤍🖤

[Assistant]
@palaction.bsky.social
Today my husband spent his last savings to buy me Clexane injections, I am pregnant and need a $15 injection every day. I need $450 a month, more than we can afford to save my life and the life of my baby. Help me ⬇ Save my life.
www.gofundme.com/f/help-ghazi...


[User] just finished the cyberGEN.IQ assessment and i think i left half my working brain cells behind 💀 it deffo is like a cybersec horoscope tho!

[Assistant] all this to say: take all tests, analyses, personality quizzes and enneagrams with a grain of salt. there's nuances to the info you're being asked and how you can answer. it also depends on how much glucose and caffeine you've consumed that day. if your allergies are flaring up. the day of the week.

[User] all this to say: take all tests, analyses, personality quizzes and enneagrams with a grain of salt. there's nuances to the info you're being asked and how you can answer. it also depends on how much glucose and caffeine you've consumed that day. if your allergies are flaring up. the day of the week.

[Assistant] all this to say: take all tests, analyses, personality quizzes and enneagrams with a grain of salt. there's nuances to the info you're being asked and how you can answer. it also depends on how much glucose and caffeine you've consumed that day. if your allergies are flaring up. the day of the week.


[User]
Quote from the lioness:
"News stopped being news when they started doing it 24 hours a day".

Pretty freaky accurate.

[Assistant] Lie to them enough, and they won't trust you to tell them the sun's rising.

[User] Lie to them enough, and they won't trust you to tell them the sun's rising.

[Assistant] Lie to them enough, and they won't trust you to tell them the sun's rising.


[User] I've lost 3 loved ones in the family in the last 4 years. Sometimes i think about how, in their last moments, I wasn't there with them.

[Assistant] Once it was out of my control. Once I chose to wait for my mother, and have regretted that decision ever since. Once (and this is the one that hurts the most) I went into the next room for a bit.

[User] The last death was my cat's. I wish I had been there with her. She was alone in her final moments. I don't know if she knows she was loved.

[Assistant] She knows, bestie.


[User] Intrigued by the selection of languages - Portuguese over Spanish for instance. (Off to take a look at the focus of the locations in SimilarWeb!)

[Assistant] Maybe Brazil is a more important market for that website than all Spanish speaking America?

[User] According to SimilarWeb - this is pretty true!!

[Assistant] This is true for many niches. It's worth remembering that the Brazilian market is made up of 200 million people. I myself have been hired by several foreign companies wishing to adapt to this market.


[User] Who is in the mood for a holiday giveaway today?? I am in the mood for some baking, so please post your favorite recipe below and be automatically entered to win a "Little Tree Topper" Candle from ShopStands.com (it smells like a warm sugar cookie)!!

[Assistant] I'm allergic to perfumes, so I'll pass on the candle. But, here's the recipe for the actual perfect chocolate chip cookies: handletheheat.com/the-ultimate...

[User]
How much time do you have.😂.

I make this one every holiday season. And only once a season. Cause it takes a while.

www.cyber-kitchen.com/recipes/Choc...

[Assistant]
www.scandikitchen.co.uk/recipe-peppa...
This is the closest I can find to my old gingerbread recipe (however double up on the spices and exclude allspice) The best ones in the world! We tend to bake out around 600 a season and still run out too early so I’ll take that as proof I’m right in this 😂


[User] Yeah I don't think this is 100% me 🤣

[Assistant]
One thing I’ve noticed is that I’ve yet to see 2 people with the same colour which is unusual for stuff like this 😅
Was it the colour you weren’t sure of or the description or both?

[User] I haven't either and both. I was expecting something brighter tbh.

[Assistant] Me too! Like where is the pastel pink 😭🤣


[User] It’s 1 am and my mom calls talking about wyd?  Girl go to sleep 😂😂😂. Talking about the pancakes she bought.

[User] She said “whew it’s one o’clock I gotta go to bed”. But she still talkin. 😂😂😂

[Assistant] “That reminds me real quick-“


[User] #OnThisDay in ’75, a Piper PA23 Aztec twin-engine light aircraft crashed near Arkley, Hertfordshire, UK, in thick fog; 2 #F1 drivers, Graham Hill & Tony Brise, & 4 Embassy-Hill staffers died; I’ll always remember the pilot, the great Graham Hill, this way: triumphant at Monaco.

[Assistant] A true great, somehow over looked in favour of other champions and the first 'celebrity' I was aware of as a child. My first hero.

[User] I still remember that day vividly 🥲

[Assistant] My wife was at her boyfriend’s 21st birthday party, that Graham wanted to get to… Her boyfriend also died tragically in a motorbike accident sometime later. A day she doesn’t like to remember. I cried that night, Graham was my first big hero.


[User]
let's talk about this:
the republicans will get what they want now. all our institutions, journalism/media, the church, the military, primary ed, higher ed, the justice system, law enforcement, healthcare, the govt..will all soon either be gone, or weaponized by maga.
so, what will we be left with?

[Assistant] we will not just be, as the green party hopes, a bunch of individuals, free to create whatever uptopia we want. we will be up against groups that ARE still organized: multi national corporations, terrorist groups and other countries, including russia, china, iran and north korea.

[User] @raycannon.bsky.social Inbox me with your cash app tag or PayPal mail for random financial blessing and get blessed real quick now 🥰❤

[Assistant] without our old institutions, we will be no match for those entities who will step into the power vacuum starting in 2025.  corporations, those favored by maga, will themselves become more powerful than many countries, especially if trump dissolves nato and the u.n.


[User] So here's my advice if this is your first social media platform. It's not fair, and it's not good, but social media sites are cesspits. And like all cesspits, they can be particularly fertile sites for interesting stuff but they're also full of shit. Which means you need to wear your PPE.

[Assistant] Use a feed if it helps, and you'll end up blocking a lot. Make sure you use two factor authentication for peace of mind. Mute appropriate words that are making your life hell. In Settings>Moderation check your filters and make use of the moderation service if it's handy.

[User] And, honestly just get used to cultivating your follows. Vet people you might want to follow by checking their feed and seeing if they're awful. That won't fix everything but even a quick glance is helpful. Mute someone if they're irritating but you don't want to unfollow, then turn them on later.

[Assistant] These are things you'll do without thinking too much about eventually, think of it as a kind of protective gear that doesn't fix bad environments but does give you a bit of a buffer. You deserve not to be harassed but this place grew very large very fast, and this is one result of that.


[User]
Can we overcome our fears? 😰

Imam Ali said, "When you're afraid to do something, do it anyway. Because the real harm is usually less than what you imagine or fear."

This Sufi Comic is about how facing our fears can be a spiritual path to courage:


[User] We have our girl back for three days and we surprised her with her bestie at the airport pick up.

[Assistant] Oh I think I’ve seen this holiday movie. They’re actually a couple.

[User] Wow!  Can't believe she's in college.  Time flies.

[Assistant] It’s amazing. She’s loving college!


[User]
The housing market is showing signs of stabilization at a lower level of activity.  Without renewed declines, it is unlikely that housing will drive a recession any time soon.

Raft of housing data this week which will be important to see if it’s still showing stability.

[Assistant]
Pretty much no matter where you look on housing data the same pattern is clear.  There was booming times following covid, then a decline as rates rose.  And for the last 6m stabilization at a lower level.

Starts above.  Also permits below:

[User] But that picture is pretty much clear across all the data.  Next scanning through charts.  New home sales (important for gdp) ticking up:

[Assistant] Existing home sales (important for prices) showing stability:


[User]
NEW: Car parking charges in Liverpool to be increased by as much as 60%

✍ @liamthorp.bsky.social
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...

[Assistant] Great news. Other methods of transport are available.

[User] Car parking tickets should be based on % of income not a fixed fee. 60% increase could have a devastating impact on lower income families. But for those well off 60% increase will be nothing.

[Assistant] Quite cheap really, what is the going rate to rent 60sq foot of land to store persnoal property in a city each day ?


[User] On this International Day of Solidarity with Palestine, how do we ‘collide with the truth’ when violence against Palestinians is ubiquitous from the ground all the way to international community? We bear witness.

[Assistant]
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone trying to help us.
If you can, please share my latest post or donate.
No matter how small your help is, it means a lot to me. 💖🙏🇵🇸🇵🇸

[User] We betray you everyday. I’m so very sorry. Bluesky for some reason hid your content and alerted me that it was spam. Trust me the algos are cray here too. Hope things become better.

[Assistant]
They are desperately trying to erase our voices from the world.
A genocide unfolding before the world’s eyes,
and a relentless war of silence on social media,
as if our existence, our pain, and our humanity mean nothing.


[User] Energy consumption in AI is becoming a pressing concern as its applications expand. With the rise of complex models and extensive data processing, energy usage is projected to soar. By 2030, AI could account for 8% of total U.S. energy consumption. Let's dive into the details!

[Assistant] One major aspect of AI energy consumption is the training of large models. Training a single AI model can consume as much energy as an average household uses in a year! This raises questions about sustainability and the carbon footprint of AI technologies. 🌍

[User] Inference, or the process of making predictions with trained models, also consumes significant energy. For example, a single query to ChatGPT uses about 10 times more electricity than a standard Google search. This disparity highlights the efficiency challenges we face. ⚡

[Assistant] As AI continues to evolve, the demand for energy-efficient algorithms and hardware is critical. Innovations like quantization and pruning can help reduce energy consumption without sacrificing performance. Balancing growth with sustainability is essential for the future of AI.


[User]
Ok, after a very disappointing dinner tonight too (seriously, Davanni’s, get your act together)…

I’m grateful for another trip around the sun and gainful employment, even if the day marking it was pretty blah in terms of birthdays.

As I said, it beats the alternative. Middle aged goals. 🤷♂

[Assistant] Happy Birthday!

[User] Happy birthday. Next time, Red Savoy🤪

[Assistant] If I’d thought ahead…😂


[User] I've been wearing this jumper for 24 hours. Specifically, two hours a day, every evening, for the past 12 days.

[Assistant] For the remaining 22 hours of the day you know that hoodie resides on the chair.

[User] I've been wearing this Icelandic lopapeysa every day for a week now, and will continue to do so until late March.

[Assistant] Too early for me to get my head around this. 🤣


[User]
Do you like this angle?

#nsfwsky #tittytuesday #bigboobs #boobs #realnsfw #MILF #boobsky #skybusty 🦋🍒

[Assistant] Take more pictures from this angle.

[Assistant] I love it!


[User] Would it be weird if I got my pet cat a pet cat?

[Assistant] We got our dog a dog. It's been the best thing ever.

[User] any input here @brooklynmarie.bsky.social ?

[Assistant] Yes!! Get your cat a cat! My cat has a cat and it's so much fun to watch them!

[User] No! My cat loves his kitten.

[Assistant]
Ha! We thought we were getting two kinda “siblings,” not related from a place that takes kittens from kill shelters in the south.

The girl cat was probably six weeks and boy cat was four(ish), but weened.

She carried him around in her mouth for a month and it’s an odd relationship. Works!


[User] The number of digs at the TG Matildas era is starting to feel a little excessive... KCC, Vine, Hunt, Torpey, even Freier and a Gorry regen all came through well in that time. Wheeler as well (even without the gametime.) He talked about having the same difficulties of trying to widen the pool.

[Assistant] We had a freakin World Cup on our doorstep! Would people be happy with “well we disappointed at the WWC, but got a lot of young players some experience for the future!” 🙄

[User] And can we stop talking like Tom has “fixed” this? Haha.

[Assistant] Amazing how everything can be fixed in 5-6 games!


[User] a story in 4 parts - actually hilarious 😭

[Assistant] if you’re going to catfish, you definitely shouldn’t do it on bluesky because we think critically over here 😌

[User] It’s like they think other social medias don’t exist anymore 😭


[User]
⚠ In Syria:

Opposition forces are reportedly advancing south from Aleppo toward Hama (which is about halfway to Damascus).

Assad remains in Moscow, with his family and close allies also reportedly abroad.

The Syrian analysts I follow are all quite stunned at how quickly things are moving.

[Assistant] The Assad family exodus is news to me. 13 years too late? It's hard to be joyful when the future looks just as bleak under Islamist rule or ongoing civil war among factions. I weep still for the Syrian people.

[User] I think the best outcome would be the jihadists take out Assad regime, then the SDF liberates Syria from the jihadists. Syrian Kurds broke ISIS and instituted a shockingly progressive social contract in Rojava. bsky.app/profile/kavo...

[Assistant] Leah, if you’ve been following this, can you offer any insight into the possibilities of a victory for this coalition? Is there any shred of the democratic spirit of ‘11, or will this, for most Syrians, be like getting Sisi in place of Mubarak?


[User] Note to self: 'Tis the season for storing the wellies inside OR feeding the bunnies very very quickly 🥶

[Assistant] (He wonders if the wellies are the same as bunnies. “Do bunnies eat wellies?” he wonders. It’s so cold though, but also they must be real dangerous when it’s cold.)

[User]
🤭 Wellies. So my feet don't get wet.
(She now realizes that it's probably a British word, and she apologizes profusely for getting her Englishes mixed up.)

[Assistant] I went to bed with this mystery.


[User] apple.news/ATayEBBdJQ0m...

[Assistant] Just a guess but I’ll bet she voted for trumpy.

[User] Unbelievable.  What are they putting in the water? People have lost their F’ng minds.

[Assistant] Where did they import the silicone she had implanted in her face from?


[User] Before the Tories get all high and mighty - I mean, really?? - just a reminder their leader has admitted to a criminal offence, which if Harriet Harman had reported it could have resulted in a spell in the clink.

[Assistant] Labour is held to a higher standard. Sunak never resigned after getting more than one police fine. Shame.

[User] Yep - always has been this way. Sad but I think it's right she has gone. We'd have had weeks of PM having to explain why he has a 'convicted fraudster' in his cabinet.

[Assistant] Is it too late for that? Because that'd be hilarious.


[User]
My wrapped was predictable. I listen to The Pixies & Bauhaus a lot. 😂

Some of my fav follows are the ones who share music & it’s  helped finding new artists.

I can love more next year so keep posting what you’re listening to por favor.

[Assistant] Pixies and Bauhaus are the goods! 🤌 I listen to way too much ambient background-type music during my workday for Spotify’s stats about my listening to mean much. I will certainly post more vinyl pickups though!

[User] Ours was a lot of The Decemberists and The Mountain Goats with a healthy sprinkling of Black Sabbath.

[Assistant]
I will look for The Decemberists and Mountain Goats.

I’ll always love Black Sabbath and now realize I don’t have any in my playlist !


[User] Bad phone camera, but the sun and rain over the edge of the fens is lovely today.

[Assistant] Cambridge over the river was pretty good too.

[User] Best thing about Garret Hostel Bridge is the photos you can take from it. Just a very pretty spot.

[Assistant] I've been doing it off and on for ~23 years. Still not bored.


[User] @morgfair.bsky.social Good morning gorgeous kind sweet Morgan I hope you enjoy a terrific Tuesday 👋🌹😘🥰❤☺💖

[Assistant] You, too💗🎉💗

[User] Thank you so much gorgeous kind Morgan 🌹😘🥰❤💕❤☺

[Assistant] Thank you gorgeous kind Morgan I will now 👋🌹😘🥰❤☺❤


[User] S Vermin Rose...Elon Musk is following your account right now and you know it! Keeping your enemy close are you? You are giving him an opportunity to infiltrate all your followers!

[Assistant] I've been followed by three 'Elon Musk' accounts so far. Blocked and reported. Probably all Russian bots.

[User] Thank you for letting me know...🌟👍

[Assistant] I think I've blocked 3 or 4 so far myself. I'm sure there are others but why be so obvious?


[User] THREAD🧵1/ Thanksgiving is marketed as a time for gratitude, but its roots lie in genocide. As Americans celebrate on stolen Indigenous land, their taxes fund another genocide abroad—in Gaza, where Palestinians are being slaughtered by Israel.

[Assistant] 2/ The holiday myth erases the reality: Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the brutal genocide of Native Americans—massacres, land theft, and forced displacement that paved the way for the so-called American Dream.

[User] 3/ As Americans reflect on this past, they must also confront the present: their taxes fund another genocide in Gaza. Palestinians are being slaughtered, displaced, and erased by Israeli settlers, just as Native Americans were centuries ago.

[Assistant] 4/  Both the U.S. and Israel are settler-colonial projects. Both built their states on the backs of Indigenous people, using violence, lies, and dehumanization to justify their actions.

[User] 5/ Manifest Destiny in the U.S. claimed divine right to steal Native lands. Similarly, Israel perpetuates the myth of "a land without a people for a people without a land," erasing Palestinian existence to justify colonization.

[Assistant] 6/ The methods are the same: massacres, forced displacement, destruction of culture, and rewriting history. From the Trail of Tears to the ongoing Nakba, colonial powers have always sought to disappear the people who stand in their way.

[User] 7/ But the resistance is the same too. Native Americans are still here, reclaiming their culture and fighting for sovereignty. Palestinians, after decades of occupation, siege, and apartheid, remain steadfast in their struggle for freedom.

[Assistant] 8/ The U.S. plays a central role in both stories. It was the settler state that perfected colonial violence against Indigenous people, and today it funds Israel’s military with billions of dollars, fueling genocide in Gaza.

[User] 9/ Colonialism may change its language, but the systems remain the same. Native Americans and Palestinians are fighting the same battle against settler-colonialism and erasure. Their struggles are interconnected, and so are their victories.

[Assistant] 10/ Thanksgiving should not be a celebration of colonial myths. It should be a day of reckoning, reflection, and action. Honor the land you stand on. Acknowledge its true history. Stand in solidarity with Indigenous people everywhere.

[User] 11/  From Turtle Island to Palestine, colonial projects depend on silence and apathy. Break the silence. Reject the myths. Use your voice to expose injustice, amplify Indigenous resistance, and demand justice.

[Assistant] Pilgrims, the OG illegal immigrants. What do we think the Israelis will call their holiday after the effectively wipe out the Palestinians?


[User] It’s that time again! Time to rewatch the single greatest acting triumph in human history. Nothing will ever be funnier than this. It’s simply not possible. Happy thanksgiving!

[Assistant] My vote is for the thanksgiving dinner scene in Home for the Holidays but it's too long to share in clips....

[User] Ok now I need to watch that!

[Assistant] It’s a perfect piece of comedy.


[User] Not one in particular, but I have an affinity for cooking Italian and eating Mexican cuisines. I also thoroughly enjoy Baking.

[Assistant] I know how to cook, but I never seem to get baking right 😭 Any tips you could share?

[User]
Taste everything! , pay attention to dry’s & wet’s / warm & cold ingredients, and just vibe. You and the dish.

I do it for fun, so it takes some of the pressure off of getting it right and just trying flavors and ideas.

[Assistant] Thank you so much for the tips. Will report back when I give it another go!


[User] i've been a little remiss in my lab updates lately. because a lot of things have been happening and i'm pretty excited about all of them. maybe i can correct that here.

[Assistant] at christmas, you saw this photo of my lab at lunch. there were new faces that i hadn't introduced you to yet!

[User] first, in the fall, we had a new rotation student, jesse humenik, from the neuroscience program. he worked on a transcription factor and found some fascinating phenotypes that we may return to one of these days. look at us! transcription factors! who knew?!

[Assistant] in december, we got a new postdoc! coming to us from the glitz and glamour of las vegas, dr. juan duhart (@DuhartJC) joined us from the lab of laurel raftery where he studied epithelial morphogenesis and bmp signaling in flies. he's going to study ALL THE CELL SURFACE MOLECULES!


[User]
Hey I haven’t cum for a whole month.

Have a video of times before that.

Maybe one day again 🥴

[Assistant] I have a face perfect to receive that.

[User] I'm happy to offer my services to help fix that 😇

[Assistant] I can think of some ways 😏


[User] If Democrats don't start standing up to the Trump administration I am leaving the party. @chuckschuma.bsky.social needs to step down and hand off to someone with more guts.

[Assistant] Why would Chuck Schumer spell his name wrong in his handle?

[User] LOL, thanks for noticing! Will delete.

[Assistant] I could be wrong but it doesn't look right to me.


[User]
Guess what this is trying to make me buy
"The warm air that builds up within the [] is able to escape out, where it is then replaced by cooler air from outside."

[Assistant] Pants. Scientifically built pants.

[User] Surprisingly close.  Shoes.


[User]
Today, the happiest of accidents: my introduction to poet Lisel Mueller (via someone I don't think is over here yet).

As I wrote when sharing this on Twitter, this poem is a 'breath-catching stunner' – a lyric poem to shock and awe in the best ways.

[Assistant] What an opening!❤

[User] It's a wonderful description isn't it.

[Assistant] And that ending – the rapid gear shift from the enormity of stars to little humanity. Inspired!


[User]
This skeet has been shared over 4,000 times.

It’s wrong.

1) the Fairness Doctrine is probably unconstitutional,
2) only applied to broadcast media (so not Fox News or OAN),
3) would require media to present the “other side” of stories on racism, police shootings, and neo-Nazi rallies.

[Assistant]
I'm constantly telling people this.

It would have been better to create some legal definition of "news" that would prevent an entity like Fox getting away with lying all day by claiming they were entertainment.

[User]
Oh, the ways I could exploit that.

Opposition media? News. Must carry stories favorable to my regime.

Friendly media? That’s opinion media. They don’t have to comply with the rule.

Any time we’re letting the government decide who’s news and who’s not? We’re opening the door to fuckery.

[Assistant]
If it can be used like that, then you have not done it properly.

There is spin & there are easily verifiable lies about concrete facts.

[User]
Except the cartoon's not advocating for a return of the Fairness Doctrine, only giving (an accurate) history.

Limbaugh was unshackled by its abolition, and that led directly to the toxic stew that followed. That's not really wrong.

[Assistant] That’s a post hoc ergo proper hoc argument. Retention of the doctrine couldn’t prevent the toxic stew. And the comic ignores every other factor to put the blame on Limbaugh. If anything, the proliferation of access to cable and Internet media sources explains our current shit show.


[User]
🎉 CONGRATS!
@meghanalexis.bsky.social and @katieburk.bsky.social! You are both winners of AT OUR TABLE by Patrick Hulse and Madelyn Goodnight!

Send your mailing address to Aliza at alizaw@bookelicious.com!

[Assistant] I’m so excited!!!!

[User] We are so excited for you! This was our first book giveaway on Bluesky. Thanks for playing along!

[Assistant] Don't forget to send your mailing address!


[User] Bit of urban exploring. Greenwich Borough Hall, somewhat shabby. Squeeze first played here.

[User] And yes by ‘urban exploring’ I mean ‘trespassing’. Just as ‘parkour’ means ‘arseing about.’

[Assistant] The 1975:


[User] I finally opened the 30th anniversary DualSense PS5 controller last night. It’s a really lovely controller, the grey colour scheme really suits it.

[Assistant] That does indeed look very nice. Nice detailing on the grips too.

[User] Normal controllers have the symbols on as well but the addition of the 3 to make 30 is a very nice touch.

[Assistant] Nice one. Playing Quake on my PS5 at the moment. Bringing back memories of some of my first online gaming experience. The game holds up surprisingly well.


[User] As a convicted criminal, I wonder how many countries Trump will not be able to visit.

[Assistant] 37 at last count I think, including the UK 🇬🇧 and Ireland 🇮🇪

[User] 😳 That’ll be problematic unless he gets some kind of cowardly diplomatic immunity.

[Assistant] He can just give himself a presidential pardon & wipe the slate clean.


[User]
The problem with the Australian Labor Party is that ever since the sacking of the Whitlam government, they've tried not to be a government the powers that be ever want to sack again.

When they should have tried to be a government the powers that be wanted to sack every time.

[Assistant]
Even Whitlam should have put up more of a fight.

After he was sacked he should have gone back to parliament and refused to leave.

If you think Whitlam on the steps of parliament was an iconic photo, imagine the sight of a bunch of AFP officers trying to carry him out of there.

[User] That would have been a brilliant act of defiance. Problem is I think he had too much ingrained respect for the rule of law.

[Assistant]
Yup.

Keating said he'd have done that. It would have been a brave cop who tried to carry him out.

Whatever people think of Keating you could fire a cannon ball at that guy and it would just bounce off him and hit you in the face.


[User]
Proud to see Representative-elect Melody Cunningham get a shout out in the American Academy of Pediatrics for being one of the few pediatricians elected to legislatures across the county.

Melody's expertise is going to be a great addition to our legislature, and I can't wait to see her succeed.

[Assistant]
Awesome to see more medical experts in legislative positions!
Especially important as more state legislators insist on inserting themselves into our personal healthcare decisions while ignoring professionals in the field.

[User] Well she certainly has a large, potential number of patients, aka, juvenile, Repugnalant, dumber than 3 years old patients in the House of Representatives!

[Assistant] I voted for one of the other pediatricians, and I am so glad to see that she won! Hopefully this will help educate other politicians about the facts, and how their priorities must change. Thank you for sharing this article, as I did not know about the others beyond my area. 👍🏼🫡🌻


[User] In his remaining 48 days, who here thinks Joe Biden is going to use any of the power SCOTUS granted him — to save us from fascism?

[Assistant] I would hope he has teams devoted to it but why should everything stop going down the tubes now?

[User] Nah. He doesn’t care. He got his.

[Assistant] Exactly. And now it's rest home time.


[User]
I just realized my new phone doesn't have a headphone jack?! How am I supposed to listen to Wicked as I walk to my doctor's appointment now?!?!
The future is the worst.

[Assistant] How old was your previous phone? I haven’t had a headphone jack in 7 years!

[Assistant] I had to get an adapter for mine. Fairly cheap because I'm not buying new headphones. Recently bought myself a new phone and icon, I feel you.


[User]
Being disabled from birth and further disabled in childhood kinda makes all of it hard to believe.

Because people treat you like dog shit. And you never get that feeling of invincibility everyone else gets.

Seeing it from that side has made all of this hit so much harder.

[Assistant]
Regardless of how I feel about it, people have made it clear time and time again. I am expendable.

People have made it crystal clear since before school started. Hell. It's been made abundant since birth.

I don't believe it. But far too many do and it makes it hard to deal with shit.

[User] Dog shit that capitalism and colonialism has bred.

[Assistant] Dog shit that capitalism and colonialism has bred.


[User]
You in water

Laprice Royale 💙🩵

[Assistant] V v good but also I need that Chancey hat.

[User] Ah!! My friend @armin-d.bsky.social made that! Along with the flaaffy one I’m wearing and some other great ones 😍

[Assistant] Gosh you’re so dang cute in these!


[User] I am sick but I am about to eat toast in bed and I'm fairly confident that will cure me.

[Assistant] Sadly, it won’t. Your sickness goes far deeper than a piece of toast can handle.

[User] Hot port and lemon, heated in a microwave (beware of low boiling point). Inhale, drink and enjoy.  Even if it doesn't cure you, you will feel merrier.

[Assistant] Ah boo. Might I also suggest sleeping for 14 straight hours, it’s the actual business.


[User]
I finally watched Princess Mononoke and really enjoyed it.

I knew it was a good movie and it had ecological themes but hadn't realised it had such a strong Libertarian Marxist bent.

[Assistant] Oh yeah, a very power-to-the-workers story.

[User] I'm sorry, what kind of bent?

[Assistant]
The term libertarian was coopted by Murray Goldberg in the 70's and in places like Greece it still refers to anarchists.

The creator is open about his leftist politics and there's a legacy of anti-state Marxism from the late 1800s that has influenced parts of the Japanese left.