The Odyssey for sure, for a given value of “west”.

Find a way to scrape user data from a popular WhatsApp group and their algorithm will probably ban you

I do wish I was better at it, or at least that I had fancier editing software. Openshot is okay I guess, but the transitions and effects are a little rudimentary. Might just be a skill issue, I’ll admit.

It’s been good. It’s making for much more focussed, curated, and varied media consumption since its the bulk of all TV we catch during the week. He sees a lot more art and a lot more quality cartoons (not to mention in order) than other kids who just watch whatever the streaming platforms put in front of kids.

Ever since he was very little we’ve wanted to be thoughtful about what we show him. I really like to mix in old crash course serie as well, and I’m really wanting to hit the media literacy one soon. He already is beginning to understand the problem with ads and in-app purchases in mobile gaming. It’s important work to inoculate against all these media vectors so they don’t grow up assuming the way things are with modern media is normal or acceptable.

tbh it already is, they’re just not into it enough to put in the effort. And that’s fine, it’s easier to enjoy it as a hobby with an audience of two. But if it was possible to throw it up for everyone without getting sent to a DMCA gulag, I would be happy to do so.

I don’t believe it is at all polarised. I’ve had friends who found me attractive and came onto me when I had long hair, but aren’t into me now that I’m more masculine looking.

Attraction is certainly primal on some level, but I don’t think we’re simple enough to have our preferences work in only one of two ways. The key is to know what you want, and have access to the side of yourself that embraces those desires. It is a simpler matter for some.

Echoing what I’m seeing others say, always know that you’re someone’s type. It’s hard to imagine there’s not a Steven Universe fan out there who would see you as way out of their league.

Each Sunday for the last year I’ve prepared a two hour block of programming accompanied with a fancy breakfast. Basically I’m recreating the Saturday morning cartoons experience for my kid. I have a spreadsheet with over 50 different shows to track where we’re at in each one, along with when they were last played so nothing falls out of rotation by accident. I edit them all together next to indie animations (e.g. Bluehilda and Big Top Burger), music videos, those super short animations like RudeJackArt does, random old stuff like school house rock etc.

Sometimes if there’s a commercial break built into the cartoon, I’ll put something fun in there. I once hid “a Gaudi muaß sein” that video with the tongue flicking choir right in the middle of an episode of the Ruby Spears Mega Man cartoon. Have also used this format to show off certain things like a video game he’s getting for his birthday.

All of it rendered locally with openshot from the stuff on my media server. It’s one of the best hobbies I’ve ever had because not only have I been purposely discovering and preserving a lot of great indie art, I’m spending time with my kid, sharing laughs and bits of culture, making the most of the one day of the week we’re all off work, and avoiding the time waster streaming outlets where you just watch whatever CGI talking animal shit for all of eternity.

I’ve never heard of anyone else doing this, and I sometimes wish there was a legally viable and inexpensive way to share it with the world. I’ve tried sending it to family via sync thing, but they all have trouble with it. Boo.

A horny teen who is able to think a week in advance? What is this guy, a modern day Kim Peek?

In a frittata, I can probably go six ish at a guess. Just fried on toast, assuming they’re the big ones I’m just having two.

You’re not wrong. I didn’t have a good solution for this, so about 4 years ago I emigrated.

Mind you, the UK is no slouch in the xenophobia department, but some extra distance between my family and the broligarchy has done us good.

It’s the alienation of modern living. Helping and getting help from perfect strangers is the most natural thing in the world for humans. We get a buzz off the altruism. They say the kindest thing you can do for someone is to accept their help.

In this modern society we’ve created there’s this artificial sense that there’s no social fabric, only stranger danger and it’s bullshit. 97% of everyone is basically a good person being buffeted about by situational factors, so maybe it’s hard to see that they’re good. Just hard enough that you’re never sure if you’re seeing one of those 1 in 40 people who happen to be a pure monster.

The scariest threat is an ambiguous one, so it’s not hard to see why we’re like this - but it’s much better for you and society if you can find a way to trust and lend a hand with each other. Hell, some of them will even tell you their name and remember you next time. Sooner or later, you’ve made a friend.

There’s always the rare actually horrible person out there to be aware of, but most of us are basically fine I think.

Kinda my point. Even the scientific process is imperfect. It’s definitely workable, but all our theories are less “really real” and more a highly refined consensus that is only valid while we lack a better one. All firm beliefs require a leap of faith, however small.

Yes but it’s worth pointing out that peer review is also a form of consensus-building. It’s not a perfect process, but it’s pretty workable if everyone’s pulling in the same direction.

I want uppercase numbers

Oh crumbs

They’re on the list!

Noted!

No but I sense a binge coming on

I’ll give that series a chance sooner or later, thanks!

I remember Darmok. Hell yeah.