#Random Daily Show Segments

[bringthesauerkraut]

Jon & Stephen being flirtatious during the Midterm Midtacular.

"...what's happening in the south tonight?" 😏

All my TDS/TCR/Jon videos can be found here 😊

[asmi2020]

To @bringthesauerkraut,

i'm wondering. i want to watch old episodes/clips of the daily show but i can't since they're all gone on comedy central with a few clips here and there. there is this one quote i found from a tv tropes article about shah rukh khan which is apparently from aasif mandvi explaining to jon about the significance of srk. it goes like this: ""You don't know who you're dealing with here! This is KHAN! The Tom Cruise of India, the Brad Pitt of Bollywood, the Shia LaBeouf of Mumbai, the Topher Grace of New Delhi, the dude from Twilight of Calcutta!" i have to ask you, is there an episode where this quote of said. if so can you upload it for me. i'd like to see it

[kharmii]

I hope this dunking on white people is gonna stop soon

A wise man once said that to end racism is to stop talking about it.

The need to bend over backwards to appease certain audiences has gone so far that we can't even have a Snow "White" or fairytales that reflect the area they originated from. (it's up to debate when there are different versions but if its the Grimms version there is no debate for me)

The need to constantly berate or belittle white people to make yourself feel better really is just an excuse to be shitty to these people. And a shitty person in general.

(I think there has been a bias to some degree in the past but swinging full force the other way is wrong too)

We need to stop elevate one group of people just to belittle another one.

That way these people aren't better than their "oppressors". And pushing back isn't always -isms or -phobia... this narrative has to stop. The people are sick and tired of it.

IF this nonsense ever stops (and we haven't nuked ourselves off the earth) I wonder how people 100 or 200 years later will look back to this time and what they think...

The worst offenders pushing this crap are liberal white women (with heteronormative traits but they act LGBT to be trendy). I could build a profile based on the last two in the MLA fandom who accused me of being a 'white supremacist' and blocked me for being a Trump supporter.

There's Fungs...mid-thirties, shut in, only leaves the house to take cripped dog out to poop and pee. Projects dysfunctional self-inflicted physical/mental state on favorite pookie. Will probably live in parents' basement and sponge off them for life. No husband and/or kids. Will never become productive member of society. Then there's Frost who has all those same characteristics except she, -despite being a white woman- only makes black ocs with orange-ass hair. Probably never interacts with black people on daily basis due to never leaving the house.

Since I'm a white woman with a family who has seen discrimination against whites in the workplace due to DEI policies, none of the bullshit flies. Since this ask was received, a white high school aged boy was murdered down in Texas, stabbed in the heart. Twitter is all abuzz over it, but the mainstream Pravda media is silent. SJWs claim that the black murderer did it over 'sitting in the wrong seat'. Here's what really happened:

People put up those pop-up canopies to store equipment for their school. It's unclear if Karmelo Anthony was sitting there to loot. It's possible he was there only to cause trouble and pick a fight with the first white guy who dared say something.

Matt Walsh did a segment on the beginning of his show the other day detailing how since CRT has riled up the black populace, there have been many instances of black males going around picking fights and murdering white people for no reason.

IE: Lawrence Herr a handyman was minding his own business fixing his elderly mother's mailbox in a suburb of New Orleans when two black men 'out hunting for white people' drove by and shot him in the head.

-But anyway, radical Marxist academics be like......

......and then minorities respond by........

Some of the victims (too many to count):

The above was talking about Seth Smith who was murdered by an anti-white racist for the sin of being out for a jog on a college campus.

This wouldn't surprise me because of the way we all know foaming-at-the-mouth Marxists can get. USAID money probably went toward this:

Christians are told by people who hate Christianity and want it wiped off the face of the earth that we are being "UnChristian" if we don't cheer our own destruction and support policies promoting the end of Western Civilization.

Audrey is a far-leftist who hates Christians and white people for sure.

-And finally, a random:

One can see the suggestions in the comment section. They seem pretty innocuous.

[cog5]

Last Call at the South Keep

The South Keep was originally completed in May 2023, as part of #dungeon23. The combined area has now been added to the PDF, along with an accompanying set of 20 random happenings. 

This is also the first time in months that I’ve revisited editing of the mega-dungeon as a whole, rather than focusing on daily room keys. As part of that, I’m adding overlapping prompts and encounters to hook players from one major area to the next. This is a lot easier now that each room is complete and I know the bounds of the entire mega-dungeon. 

I’ve also played with the formatting a bit, added a few quality of life changes to the layout. Fixed lots of embarrassing typos, and undoubtedly added new ones that will be even more embarrassing! I have a bad habit of adding and removing nouns and adjectives that result in an “an” somewhere that should be an “a”, or vice-versa. All that to say: Edits continue. 

For areas that do not yet exist in the PDF, or pages that may shift, I’ve left placeholders, referenced as “##”. These will be filled in as new areas are added. I’m not sure if it’s more preferable to get updates monthly, or if people would rather get areas in larger batches, two or three at a time? Either way, I’m working towards having all 12 areas compiled, edited and added to the PDF by the end of the summer in 2024.

Back to the South Keep. This post will include some behind-the-scenes thoughts that will make more sense if you’ve read through the area at least once, but I’ll try to include some context regardless.

The layout of the South Keep is probably the least interesting to me, it ended up pretty boxy, the “pages” really stick out here. But the encounters ended up being some of the most bizarre and entertaining keys I’ve written, so that redeems it for me. Some of the mega-dungeon’s narrative gets fleshed out here, too. There’s a lot going on. 

This segment of the adventure is a bit of a refuge for adventurers, a place to take a breather. Not to say the South Keep is a cakewalk, but my focus was to lean into weird encounters, rather than fatal combat scenarios. As a matter of pacing, the Gatehouse and Factory that surround the South Keep are much more dangerous, and it’s likely players have just passed through one of those areas to get here. 

From the south entrance, the narrative builds on how The King has been dethroned. In the entry hall, there is a statue of the monarch with their head missing. This continues the theme presented earlier in the Gatehouse garden, where it’s shown that members of the royal court had turned on The King.

From the west entrance, things are a little more random. There’s a “disturbed” spot on the floor. At the very least, it shows how the keep is decaying, where a sinkhole might appear. This place is old. Another more interesting option establishes the presence of a Clerical Beast who roams the South Keep. This creature was inspired by the administrative offices, found further in, and may show up as a random happening. This area may also be the first sighting of Nanomachines, which play a larger role later in the mega-dungeon. 

The concept of the players spending a lifetime as a nano-proxy was a riff on the old Star Trek TNG episode “The Inner Light”, where Picard is rendered unconscious for a few minutes, but experiences an entire lifetime on an alien world. Or maybe that “Hard Time” episode of Deep Space Nine, where O’Brian is falsely convicted for a crime, and as punishment he is implanted with memories of being imprisoned for several years. Some kind of mash-up along those lines. I resisted adding a flute or a sympathetic doctor.

The major factions in this area are the Office Automatons and the staff and patrons of Dillo’s Bar. There’s a chance that neither of these groups ever interact, but I’ve set up a lot of dominoes here. Add the players to the mix and something is going to topple. 

The Office Automatons as non-player characters don’t garner a lot of sympathy, but do flesh out the administrative nature of mega-dungeon. I think it’s more likely that players will gravitate to Dillo’s side of the keep where they can take on quests to delve deeper into the dungeon.

The ultimate showdown between the Office Automatons and Dillo’s Bar is if the second “Order of Business” event is triggered. This is where The Spire’s Administration has decided to send in guards to shut down Dillo’s by force, creating a standoff for the players to get wrapped up in.

An aside: Speaking of random things, I don’t know why nested random tables appeal to me so much, but I love writing them. Burying elaborate events behind improbable chance just feels good. A 1-in-100 chance of a good time makes it a great time. It’s probably near the same part of the brain where rolling a crit lives.

And then there’s the theater. The main stage area sets up more of the narrative for the dungeon itself. Establishing the undead Queen who will show up later in the Monastery, establishing how the Tetric Necromancer thinks highly of himself, as the rightful ruler of The Spire. More King bashing. Elements of propaganda through technology, etc. That all fits fine. 

What didn’t fit in the theater was the addition of Guilfoyle’s Ghost. But I ain’t mad. I sort of fell in love with the concept as I was writing it, a thespian ghost whose play is slowly eating the real world. Then I ran out of space to really do it justice (trying to keep each area contained on one page). I hope it’s a concept that a game group can take and expand on. It’s a bad situation that’s easy to stumble on, and could easily end a run if players are unable to resolve things. I especially liked it because it’s high-stakes but doesn’t inherently involve fighting. It’s more like a trap you can reason with. And that’s pretty cool. A concept worth exploring further in the future.

Before I wrote the theater, I wrote the gallery. I basically wanted a “weird event” generator. The paintings on the walls come alive and create a situation for the players to navigate. Resolving the situation grants them some kind of item as a reward. A bit of a slot machine, I suppose. A lot of the painting descriptions are based off of dreams I’ve had, visuals that have stuck with me over the years. Have fun with them.

I don’t have a lot to say about the Recess of Finance. Depressed bank machines just seemed amusing to me. 

And lastly, the Morning room, a chill place to rest. I think it would be nice to end a session there, have the party sleep, and when they wake up their wounds are mended. With the side effect of being covered in geometric tattoos, caused by the magical healing properties of the stained glass windows.

I’m going to sleep now, too. See you in the next area!

[sealixirfairytales]

Random game idea

It would not be the first time I have ideas for video game that will clearly never come to life.

So here is the most recent one "Fable Realms" that would be a mobile game based on my fairytale (would be.... more like "could" be if I could make it ^^')

Would you play it if it was real? What would you add?

1. World Exploration and Discovery

Collect Fairy Tale Characters: Players could encounter characters from my tales as they explore real-world locations. Each location could be tied to a specific character or creature, with higher chances of meeting certain characters based on the location's attributes (like meeting Merline in a park, or Ineo by a lake).

Unlock Story Fragments: Each time a player meets a character, they unlock a new fragment of the character’s story or background. This could even be accompanied by illustrations, voiceovers, or interactive animations, giving them pieces of the tales as they progress.

Seasonal or Location-Based Encounters: Some characters or events might only be discoverable in specific weather conditions or seasons, similar to a festival or rare event in a magical world. For example, a player might meet Frosya in winter, or Corrania near a beach or body of water in the summer.

2. Interactive Character “Companions”

Build a Team of Characters: Instead of capturing or catching, players could "befriend" or "earn the trust" of each character by completing small challenges or answering questions that show understanding of the character's personality and world.

Level Up Friendships: As players interact with characters, they could increase their “friendship levels.” Higher friendship levels could unlock exclusive interactions or let players access specific storylines, animations, or abilities tied to that character.

Special Powers and Abilities: Each character could have a unique ability or blessing they grant the player. Peony, for instance, might give the players bonus to find hidden characters by bodies of water, while Cinnamon might highlight hidden locations in parks or woods.

3. Daily and Thematic Quests

Fairy Tale-Inspired Quests: Each day, players could receive a quest inspired by a particular tale. These could range from exploring certain types of locations to snapping photos of specific objects, which could serve as “tokens” for the characters. (picture of a water lily for Ineo, picture of a book for Taly...)

Event-Based Mini-Stories: Similar to story-driven events, each week or month, players could experience a mini cross-over adventure where they encounter a series of characters or creatures and have to solve a mystery or perform a series of tasks. For example, a drought-themed event might require players to “rescue” Ineo by visiting water sources.

Mystery Encounters: Some quests might involve following clues to solve puzzles or find hidden items. These mysteries could lead to rare character encounters or story segments not normally accessible.

4. Magical World-Building

Fantasy Realms Superimposed on the Real World: Players could unlock “realms” that overlay the real world, such as a Fairy clairing, a whole castle on irl ruins, or a lost cottage in a forest, each tied to themes and stories from the fairy tales. Visiting certain areas in the real world could “reveal” these realms in the game, allowing players to explore and interact with fantastical settings.

Build Your Own Fairytale Village: Players could use resources and items gathered from exploring to build a magical village or sanctuary. Characters they’ve befriended would live here and have some needs, like a house, certain type of decorations, giving players a sense of immersion in your fairy tale world.

5. Augmented Reality Interactions

Photograph Magical Creatures: Using AR, players could see and photograph creatures and characters in their surroundings. For example, pointing their phone at a fountain might reveal Ineo, or an AR character might “speak” to them as they explore.

Interactive Gestures and Items: Players might “gift” characters items they find in the real world, such as flowers, stones, or shells, by photographing these objects. These items could grant bonuses or unlock story content. Gesture-based interactions (like “casting a spell” by tracing symbols) could enhance immersion.

6. Lore and Storytelling System

Unlocking Talebooks: Players could “fill in” talebooks as they collect characters and story fragments, each book representing a different tale. Completing a talebook might reward players with unique visuals, short animations, or even the full written tale.

Storytelling Events and Campfire Chats: Occasionally, players might meet a “wandering storyteller” character who shares lore from your tales. These might be timed events where a character speaks about certain regions or creatures, giving players hints about upcoming encounters.

7. Cooperative Play and Community Features

Shared Events and Team Challenges: Players could team up with friends or nearby players to complete larger challenges, like defending a magical forest from encroaching darkness or restoring an enchanted river. Successful completion could grant special bonuses to all participating players.

8. In-Game Collectibles and Customization

Magic-Infused Collectibles: Players could collect magical items tied to characters or stories, such as enchanted jewels, potion ingredients, or fragments of mythical artifacts. These collectibles could be used for crafting items, potions, or charms that help in gameplay.

Character Costumes and Variants: Players might unlock special costumes or alternate forms for characters, inspired by different seasons or locations, adding a layer of customization. Imagine a summer look , an armor, or a desert style!

9. Seasonal and Holiday Events

Celebrations Based on Your World’s Lore: Just as Pokémon Go has themed events for real-world holidays, the game could feature lore-based celebrations tied to specific fairy tales. For instance, a "Festival of the Oasis" could celebrate Rahele, while a "Midsummer’s Fair" might involve Merline and other fairies, with floral decorations.

10. RPG-Style Duels and Group Battles

Player vs. Player (PvP) Duels: Players can challenge each other to friendly duels where they use their collected characters. Each character would have their own stats, abilities, and unique powers inspired by their fairy tale backgrounds. For example, a Ineo might have healing abilities, while a Whynhilda (the Enchantress) could summon vines for defense.

Character Levels and Skill Progression: Characters would gain experience and level up through exploration, quest completion, and successful duels. Higher levels unlock new abilities or buffs, making each character stronger over time. To encourage strong bonds, players with high friendship levels with a character could earn bonus points or abilities in battles. Players can also give special gifts and food to raise the characters level.

Team Strategy and Synergies: Players can form teams of characters with complementary abilities. For instance, combining a healer, a tank, and a damage-dealer could create a well-rounded team, or pairing up characters who share elemental affinities could grant synergy bonuses. Certain tales might involve characters who have a special bond or power boost when fighting alongside each other, like pairing two witches, two princesses, two villains, or characters from the same tale.

11. Multiplayer Raids and Cooperative Group Fights

Weekly Bosses and Cooperative Raids: Every week, there could be special boss encounters inspired by villains or dark forces from the fairy tales. Players team up with friends or nearby players to take down powerful foes. These bosses could have unique move sets and require coordination among players to defeat, with rewards like rare collectibles or special character fragments.

Realm-Wide Events: Occasionally, special events could bring about global challenges where all players can contribute to a shared goal. Imagine an event where the wind monster (The Sage of the Windy City) threatens the magical realms, and players around the world contribute by fighting creatures or completing quests to “weaken” it collectively.

12. Romance System

Romance with Canonically Single Characters: Players could unlock romance paths with characters that are canonically single, making these interactions rare and special. Romance would involve building a high friendship level first, completing character-specific quests, giving specific gifts, and perhaps winning certain duels together. As the bond grows, players might unlock unique dialogue options, story scenes, and even special abilities in battle.

Date Locations and Bonding Events: Once romance is unlocked, players could “visit” virtual places, like a magical grove or an enchanted lake, where they can interact with their chosen character/s. These scenes could include small mini-games or choices that deepen the relationship and occasionally grant temporary boosts, like increased stamina or higher XP gain for a set period.

Personalized Story Endings: Some characters could have personalized endings based on the player’s friendship or romance choices, giving players the satisfaction of a fairy tale “ending” with their favorite characters. These special stories could be unlocked as “epilogues” once the romance has reached its highest level.

13. Step Count Integration

Daily Step-Based Bonuses: Like Pikmin Bloom, this game could encourage physical activity by giving players in-game rewards for walking. Reaching certain step goals each day could reward players with experience points, currency, or energy points for battles.

Character Bonding Through Steps: Characters could walk alongside players (virtually, on the screen) and earn friendship points as players hit step goals. Certain milestones might trigger mini-dialogues where characters comment on the journey or share snippets of their backstory.

Step-Triggered Encounters and Events: Special encounters could be unlocked at step milestones. For example, after 5,000 steps, a player might meet a rare character, find a hidden treasure, or receive a powerful temporary buff for upcoming battles.

14. Character Training and Ability Customization

Training Mode: Characters could undergo “training sessions” as players walk, which would contribute to improving their stats, like attack power or defense, and unlocking special abilities. This would let players customize characters based on their desired strengths for battle.

Ability Upgrades Based on Friendship Level: As players increase their friendship with a character, they could unlock special abilities or “signature moves” unique to that character’s personality and story. For instance, a dragon character might get an ability called “Inferno’s Embrace” that deals more damage to ice-type foes, but only if their friendship level is high enough.

15. In-Game Collectibles, Rewards, and Customization Options

Unique Avatar : Players would have customizable avatars in-game, allowing them to personalize their look with various outfits, accessories, and themed items inspired by the fairy tales. As they progress, complete quests, and strengthen bonds with characters, they can unlock exclusive costume pieces, hairstyles, and accessories that reflect the unique styles and aesthetics of each story realm. These customizations would let players visually represent their journey and achievements, as well as show off their favorite characters and tales in a tangible way as they interact with others in the game world.

Avatar and Gear Customization: Players could earn items to customize their avatar’ appearance, like rare cloaks, enchanted jewelry, or seasonal costumes. These items could be both aesthetic and functional, with some offering battle buffs or bonuses.

Relics and Power-Ups: Players might collect relics—special items tied to each fairy tale’s lore—that enhance characters’ abilities or provide boosts in certain types of battles. A relic like “Oasis Gem” might enhance water-based abilities, for example, or “Feather of the Phoenix” could boost a character’s speed.

16. Event-Based Challenges and Rival Battles

Seasonal Tournaments: Occasionally, a global in-game tournament could allow players to pit their characters against each other in single-elimination rounds. Winners might receive unique rewards, such as exclusive items or rare relics, and have their names displayed on in-game leaderboards.

Rival Battles with NPCs: Certain powerful NPCs might challenge the player’s team, especially if the player is exploring a specific realm tied to that character. Defeating these rivals could unlock rare rewards, and occasional rematches with them would give players the chance to collect special lore or powerful items.

17. Romance Bonding Between Canon Couples

Official Couple Bonding Levels: Canon couples, like Victoire and Amanda from The Brave Princess, could have their own unique bonding progression. This "Couple Bonding Level" would increase through shared battles, cooperative quests, and special in-game events where the two characters are on the player’s team together. Of course the player need to have the two characters.

Exclusive Couple Abilities: As the Couple Bonding Level increases, players would unlock special abilities that only activate when both characters are in the same team. For example, Victoire and Amanda could have a powerful “Duo Strike” ability, or a “Protector’s Shield” that boosts defense for the entire team.

Romantic Moments and Events: Periodically, players might trigger mini cut-scenes or dialogues between canon couples, which would let players explore their relationship more deeply. These moments could reveal story details, or even temporarily boost the characters’ stats or stamina.

18. Family Bonds and Interactions

Family Bond Levels: Family members could also have a special “Family Bond Level” that reflects the strength of their relationship. Players could earn points toward these bonds by having family members on the same team, or by completing family-specific quests. For example, if a character has a sibling or parent, pairing them up would build their bond level.

Family-Exclusive Abilities: As the Family Bond Level increases, players could unlock abilities exclusive to family groups. For example, if siblings are fighting together, they might have a “Sibling Synergy” boost that increases their speed or attack power. If a parent and child are on the team, there could be a “Guardian’s Blessing” that increases defense.

Unique Family Interactions and Story Scenes: Occasionally, family members could trigger unique dialogues where they reminisce, tease each other, or even reveal background lore and secrets from their shared past. These interactions would feel rewarding, as they deepen players’ understanding of the characters’ lives and relationships.

19. Relationship-Based Bonuses in Combat

Dual Attack Skills and Combo Moves: Canon couples and family members could unlock dual attack skills or combo moves once their bond level reaches a certain point. These moves would be more powerful than standard attacks and could have special effects, such as area damage or healing buffs.

Romance or Family Boosts in Battle: When a canon couple or family members are on the team, they could grant passive boosts to each other or to the whole team. For instance, couples might provide an “Inspire” boost, which increases each other’s critical hit chance, while family members might grant an “Enduring Bond” boost that increases resistance to certain types of attacks.

20. Story Arcs and Alternate Epilogues

Alternate Epilogues for Canon Couples: When a couple’s bond reaches its peak, players might unlock a special “epilogue” that dives deeper into their relationship or shows their “happily ever after.”

Expanded Story Arcs for Families: Reaching high Family Bond Levels could unlock exclusive story content about the family’s shared history or a unique legacy questline that reflects the family's values or challenges.

21. Step-Triggered Bonding Events for Couples and Families

Bonus Friendship Points from Steps: When players have canon couples or family members in their active team, they could earn bonus friendship points based on steps taken, symbolizing shared adventures. The closer these characters become, the stronger the bonuses they provide.

[megumi-fm]

12th to 19th Dec || 137-144 of 150dop

hi. i've been gone a long time. I wasn't doing really well for the past week, so i just put up my progress on Notion to update it here later.

📋 Tasks

📂 Notion Setup ↳ for daily journalling (yes it's ponyo themes xD) ✅ ↳ tv/movies tracker 📝English Proficiency Test ↳ apply for exam ✅ ↳ sample practice (listening and reading sections) ✅ ↳ check writing samples ✅  ↳ write exam!! ✅ 🩺 Radiomics Projects ↳ read BCR base paper ✅ ↳ check out automatic segmentation options ✅ ↳ check out radiomics extensions and pyradiomics ✅ ↳ lots and lots of voice calls and meetings xD

🎨Personal

⛲ Going Out ↳ visited an Art Museum with my best friend ↳ went for brunch to an art cafe with a friend (and tried key lime pie for the first time! it was very good) ↳ got boba with a friend and visited an indie bookstore with a friend and bought a book 📺 Shows this week ↳ Cherry Magic JP ✅ ↳ My Demon 🔽 ↳ Last Twilight 🔽 ↳ Perfect Marriage Revenge ✅ 📟 Cool Links and Videos ↳ The best explanation on the Monty Hall Problem ↳ Sleeping Beauty Problem(i am so confused) ↳ Dan Ariely and data manipulation in psychology studies ↳ Anwn Ddu, the Wikipedia King that doesn’t exist ↳ Korea’s King, a 2 Part Documentary ↳ An Inverse Turing Test: How Random Chance is not really random 👟 Lots of walking

29-36/final42 // so close! just another week!!! let's go!!

[fatuismooches]

I'm been so active with my scenarios that i surprise myself. Here is yet another!

Have you finished the current event storyline? I skipped all dialogue BUT stopped at the very end and i must admit those couple of lines were all that matters.

They. Are making. Harbingers-inspired. Toys.

Okay. I'm going crazy just at a thought of Reader buying these. This Ask would become far too long if i put all Harbingers here, so imma do my favs!

~~~

Dottore walked to Reader's room to make sure they took their daily medicine. The first thing he sees is you sneakily stuffing something underneath the pillows. He gets suspicious and demands to show whatever that is immediately.

... Why do you have a plushie of him?

Zandik has more questions than answers when he picks up the toy. Reader explains that they bought it from the local market which just received an import of Fontainian toys. Upon closer inspection, Dottie realizes that the toy craftsmanship is exquisite and it's not exactly a plushie, but rather a clockwork meka mechanism with only a couple of parts covered by soft fabric. All sharp points were polished, metal is durable and high-quality. His curiosity is piqued and he'd love to tear it apart and find out how it was made, but Reader protests immediately, snatching the toy from him protectively. Welps. Fine, you get to keep it. You can play with it when he is away on a mission or all of his Segments are busy. His heart always melts when he finds Reader taking a nap, their arm clutching the toy close to their chest. Zandik can't help but feel a bit envious - why would you cuddle a piece of metal when you have him? >:(

~~~

Childe returned home and the first thing that caught his attention was a loud noise of arguing upstairs. When he arrives to the scene, he is both confused, curious and amused. Reader and Teucer are having a tug of war over a toy? That's a first - you two usually get along perfectly.

Upon taking a closer look, he notices that they are fighting over a toy that looks just like him. Childe quickly separates them by taking the toy away and while they say their "sorry" to one another, he takes a good look at the cause of commotion. For his surprise, that IS a toy representing him. Reader explains that they took Teucer shopping and came across this store that sold toys based on....... Snezhnaya's best toy salesmen and saleswomen. Unfortunately, there was only one Childe left in stock. After returning home, the two got into an argument who it belongs to.

Childe cannot help but laugh at the situation and makes a deal that the two of them make a schedule: Teucer gets to play with it for one hour, then passes it for the Reader to play with for another hour, and so on.

Little did you know, Childe went to the same store the very same day and made a pre-order. Less than a week later, Reader, all three young siblings and even Childe himself had a clockwork meka toy of the best salesman in Snezhnaya!

~~~

I wish i could write Columbina, Arlecchino and Pantalone as well (heck, i'd love to do all of the Harbingers HMPH) but yeah 😅 I managed to zone-out midway writing this and now i don't remember what i wanted to write for these three so... Maybe next time!

Hope you have a pleasant day/evening/night~

- 🐺

Harbinger stans are so funny, we see a random NPC mention the mere word of them and all of a sudden we're going crazy (it's me, i'm Harbinger stans)

LMAO DOTTORE 😭 You've never been good at hiding things from him unfortunately... and of course you have to give in eventually, embarrassingly enough showing him a toy you blew your Mora on (well spent though!) Dot shares your enthusiasm for the toy... just not the same type. You do not want him to open it up like a Ruin Guard and then get bored with it and leave it disassembled like his countless other projects! 😒 He lets it go... but he also can't help but wonder out of all Harbingers, why he was chosen for a toy. It must be that damn banker's scheme...

He does find your affection for the toy a bit cute... at first. Though he was interested in it at first, he's growing to resent it a bit... is it really all that fun to play with. Not to mention... he could totally make a better toy if he tried, the one you have would pale in comparison to his masterpiece! ... He doesn't say that out loud, though. Though you might find a better mechanism on your desk later down the line in hopes you discard that one to the side.

I don't think i could ever argue with baby Teucer he's far too precious 😭 He can have all the toys he wants I'll just ask my rich bf (Childe 🤭) to buy it later with his no doubt plentiful connections lmao. No doubt he's the kind of guy to buy out the whole stock and then give it to everyone in his family, and the neighborhood kids who adore him too 🥺 Bina would be ALL over this toy lmao she'd love it! But she'd also want a toy made of you so she can put them together in her room and make them hold hands <3 Arlecchino wouldn't care much... until she finds out you brought a few for the children to play with as well. For Pantalone... you know that man already knew it was being developed he's all in the market for it and everything, he's getting that Mora I'm telling you 😭 He'd get one for you too of course ❤️ Capitano is the kinda guy who would play with it in private... (just don't show it more attention than any of them)

[nitunio]

O2A2 Daily Log. DAY/NiGHT 1 (July 5th, 2024)

I'll be posting these until I get to the game's development conclusion!

Day I.

It was around 10 AM when I started working. My initial process laid in drafting the story. After deciding on the main character (in this case, Amaranth) I stripped the story to its two components – place and premise – because in other cases it’d be down to building the plot off of a character, and my mind runs wild whenever I construct it like that.

The place is the library, where souls come after they’ve passed, so an Afterlife Library. And the premise is quite simple – it’s a game for the player’s life! In this case, instead of a gamble it all comes down to outsmarting the machine, ahem, the experienced librarian.

And as a person who barely knows Python beyond freely coding in Ren’py, I wandered to the search engine to find a tutorial and realised that I’ll probably be better off searching on Reddit. One of the posts gave me a really good idea – the OP was talking about imagebuttons and logic and then it clicked for me.

Tic-tac-toe is a game where you draw the image inside the grid spaces, taking turns and adjusting your movements to your opponents’... Was it possible to code something like that?!

(duh, of course it was, this log is a testament to that)

I started by cropping the supposed “images” (solid blocks of two colours – one for the scroll and one for the charcoal), and cropped tiny squares of the scroll's colour. So the layering was like this – background scroll - big dark square - vertical box full of horizontal boxes of scroll’s colour, creating the illusion of a drawn grid, when in reality it is not.

And this marks the beginning of my two-hour suffering. I ditched the idea of imagebuttons that I wanted to go with, since that’d require assets, which I only could use one of. So I opted for textbuttons, and it was the most Hell I’ve had coding.

At first I couldn’t get them to show up. Then, I remembered to set a box just for them (x/y maximum of 70ish, since the squares are 90), had nightmares doing the horizontal and vertical boxes, and increased the font. Hooray! Visible!

Setting a variable on click with “action” function was easy, and soon enough I could fill an entire board with. Xs and Os. Time to code Amaranth’s turn in! (scared)

It wasn’t as scary as I imagined: basically, all tiles are “if” functions, and if they’re empty the player can fill them. If it’s not their turn, they’re not active, and Amaranth is quick to respond (I did a test to see if she’d fill an empty cell and she did!)

Then came the invisible (for now) work – I coded in a win condition. I SCREAMED WITH JOY WHEN I SAW THAT MY ARRAYS FINALLY UPDATED! 

That concluded my day-work!

Night I.

So I decided to push forward and actually coded in her responses!

I took and hardcoded the first two turns for her Xs and the rest was assigned at random. As for Os, I made it do everything at random, since she’s more experienced at playing Xs! (totally not because I didn’t want to look at tic-tac-toe ever again)

Each turn the machine checks if there are any free spaces and if any of the rows match winning conditions. If they do, the player gets to the end plot (I still haven’t written any of it, aaaa!). If they don’t, the game continues until it’s a draw or X’s/O’s win.

With that, I finally slumped into the bed. Even with taking breaks it was kind of a hard exercise to be jumping straight into after a. Year. Of not working with Python’s syntax.

[I’ve cut off a huge text segment of me trying to design a less clunky random placement system, but all of my endeavours led to dead ends caused by my inexperience and complex requests. Thank you for all the answers, StackOverflow! So many people asking the same question, it makes me feel like we’re all a part of a big community…]

[rei-caldombra]

Uramichi Onii-San- The Woes of the Working Adult - Anime Review

This is a very low spoiler review for anyone reading this who has not seen the show. There is just one section that has direct spoilers, outside of that it’s just general premise and thematic stuff that I talk about. This show is also a slice of life comedy with no proper plot so I would not be concerned about the spoiler I bring up there ruining your viewing experience. 

I’d call this a pretty straightforward comedy with flavoring of adult suffering. Quick synopsis-- this show is about a group of adults who work on a children’s tv program where kids are present on set. Most of the actors are very mentally unwell due to the daily stresses of life, to the point where they can’t even keep their masks on completely for their job. Which leads to very funny outbursts of depressing reality. 

It's really nice having a show about working adults and the mid 20s-early 30s age group that I think of as the earlier proper adult range. This is an age group that is usually just segmented to a few side characters in most anime and manga. As someone who has entered this age group in recent years, I relate a lot to what's going on here and, in a way, fear my approach to the age of the adults on screen lol. There are so many issues of adult suffering that get brought up here. To mention some of them- Numbness to emotions, not wanting to get out of bed, not having confidence that you will be willing to get up in the morning, that urge to go to a random place just to avoid going to work (I directly relate to his experience of his urge to get on a random bus rather than his work bus, but for me its been wanting to get on a random train). Feeling lost and directionless. Stuck in the day to day. Feeling unsatisfied with what your life is making out to be. Thinking you are dull. Pushing through difficult times for a specific goal. Having something you were passionate and successful at before that did not translate into a job in that field. Feeling despair over not being in a relationship, pressure to get married. Not having many friends. Relying on little moments of happiness. Needing to do your job no matter how terrible you feel. Feeling suppressed by society. Annoying unreasonable bosses. Considering a few days off in a row is a momentous occasion. Even if you are not as mentally unwell as many of the characters in this show, if you are a working adult you will have lots of moments that you can relate to. 

While it does bring up these very real and depressing things, don’t misconstrued it as the tone being genuinely depressing or heavy. They really are played as jokes despite the truth to them both irl and for the characters in universe. This is not a show that will bring down your mood. The comedy works super well for me, I think the show is very funny. When it comes to shows that are primarily comedies, it's hard to say much more than that. Directly describing jokes takes away part of their punch for anyone who hasn't seen them already, and loses the context that helps make them funny, so I'm going to avoid bringing up specific segments I really liked, as much as I really want to talk about some of them. All I will say is the main bit of the show is the adult characters reacting to positive/innocent things with a jaded adult perspective. 

You can empathize very easily with the characters through their very relatable and real issues. This does a great job of getting you invested in the characters. I really like the inner monologues we get from Uramichi that show his thought process. The characters largely do feel like they could be real people. 

Having a character voiced by Mamoru Miyano is always a plus, I actually first came across this show because of clips of his character. There’s a lot of famous Japanese voice actors here- the previously mentioned legend, Hiroshi Kamiya, Sugita Tomokazu and Yuuichi Nakamura. I knew I recognized most of the main character’s voices when I first heard them. As such the voice acting is super good. 

I don’t know much about being a children’s programming actor so it is interesting to get a glimpse into that. Such as the detail that the costumed characters' lines during a live show are pre recorded and played through speakers. It's also interesting seeing them adapt scenes to random things happening, like the kids asking certain questions. The characters needing to act and follow a script while also reacting to the chaotic element that is children makes for an interesting setting. I do feel I got a good glimpse into this space from Uramichi San. I tend to really like slices of life that focus on niche subjects. I like getting a glimpse into a space I know nothing about through something more interesting than documentaries or articles. And to me the mark of a good niche subject show is not successfully appealing to people already in that niche, it is being able to interest people who aren’t. If a show can keep someone with no knowledge or interest in that niche entertained, it’s got great writing and execution. And Uramichi San certainly does keep me interested.

I do have one talking point that does require bringing up some examples directly. One criticism I do have is that there's a bit of dissonance between whether you can take what the characters are saying as real or not. There are times when Uramichi will say something depressing while performing on the show and other characters would react as you would expect if someone said something they shouldn’t around kids. But then other times where he does and the characters don’t react as if he did. Sometimes you can assume the camera or audio is not going in these moments but there are moments where you can’t justify that. When they put on the concert is one place you see this. The jokes of the songs going from positive to depressing while continuing to have the energy of a kids song are genuinely really funny. But it does take you out of it a bit because in context that implies the song was actually written that way. Which doesn’t make sense for the in-universe shows writers to do. And it doesn’t make sense for the characters to suddenly not follow the song’s actual lyrics and not have anyone react weirdly to it, including the audience. It tends to leave you thinking something along the lines of “wait, are they just gonna leave that in?”.There is some internal consistency with the children reacting properly at least, as the show goes on the kids replicate the depressing ideas more often. Which is funny and makes sense. This doesn’t ruin things completely, but it does kinda hurt your desire to think about what the characters are doing more deeply due to the lax internal consistency. I think you just have to accept it's loose with these things and that the priority is telling jokes over having a 100% consistent view. It's a bit awkward but I can accept it because the jokes we get out of this are generally quite funny. 

When it comes to art and animation, it’s pretty good. There is extra fluidity during more high movement scenes which are nice to see. There are a lot of great expressions that manage to portray the impression of someone smiling through suffering. The overall presentation of colors, character designs, etc. are good too and fit with the setting of a children's program. I like the variety of hairstyles we get from all the characters. I have no complaints in the presentation department. 

I’ve been enjoying this show a lot! I love these barely functional adults whose hinges are largely broken. It’s very funny and I like the adult themes it brings up. It’s not perfect in its execution at times, which can break your immersion a bit, but what you get from that loose attitude still works. Despite frequently bringing up depressing subject matter that any adult out there will find something to heavily relate to, it manages to keep a very silly and positive tone. This show comes very highly recommended! I hope you are properly taking care of yourselves my fellow working adults. Stay strong and thanks for reading!

Also Kumatani is best boy.

[qualityherb]

Panax Notoginseng Saponins (PNS): Clinical Data Summary

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are the primary active components extracted from the root or rhizome of Panax notoginseng (also known as Tianqi or Sanqi), containing various saponins such as ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1, Re, Rd, and notoginsenoside R1. Clinical research has primarily focused on its effects in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant properties, and tissue protection. Below is a summary of existing clinical data:

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

(1) Ischemic Stroke

Clinical Studies:

Multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicate that PNS (e.g., Xuesaitong Injection or oral formulations) combined with conventional treatment (e.g., aspirin) can improve neurological deficit scores (NIHSS) and daily living ability (Barthel Index) in stroke patients, with significantly higher efficacy than control groups (PMID: 32350721).

Mechanism: Inhibits platelet aggregation, improves microcirculation, and reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury.

(2) Coronary Heart Disease/Angina Pectoris

Meta-analysis (including dozens of RCTs):

PNS injections (e.g., Xueshuantong) can reduce the frequency of angina attacks and improve ECG ST-T segment changes (total effective rate ~70-85% vs. 50-65% in control groups) (PMID: 31568905).

Potential mechanisms include coronary artery dilation and antithrombotic effects.

(3) Recovery After Cerebral Hemorrhage

Small-scale trials suggest PNS may promote hematoma absorption, but more high-quality evidence is needed (controversial).

Antithrombotic and Microcirculation Improvement

Clinical Observations:

PNS inhibits platelet-activating factor (PAF) and thrombin, reducing blood viscosity, and is used for hypercoagulable states or post-surgical thrombosis prevention (some studies show comparable efficacy to low-molecular-weight heparin).

Other Clinical Applications

(1) Diabetic Complications

Adjunctive therapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (improving numbness and pain) and retinopathy (delaying microvascular damage).

(2) Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects

In chronic kidney disease and pulmonary fibrosis, PNS may reduce inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway (limited clinical data).

(3) Wound Healing

Topical application (e.g., gel formulations) may accelerate wound healing and reduce scarring (supported by animal studies, limited human trials).

Safety Data

Adverse Reactions:

Generally well-tolerated; mild side effects include dizziness, gastrointestinal discomfort, or injection-site pain.

Injections may cause allergic reactions (e.g., rash, dyspnea)—close monitoring required.

Contraindications:

Use with caution in patients with bleeding disorders, perioperative periods, or pregnancy (due to antiplatelet effects).

Controversies and Limitations

Quality of Evidence:

Most studies are from China, with limited international recognition; some trials have small sample sizes or design flaws (e.g., lack of double-blinding).

Unclear Mechanisms:

While in vitro/animal studies suggest multi-target effects, pharmacokinetics and exact mechanisms in humans require further validation.

Preparations and Dosage

Common Products:

Xuesaitong (injection/lyophilized powder), Xueshuantong capsules, Compound Danshen Dripping Pills (containing PNS).

Dosage:

Oral: Typically 100-200 mg/dose, 2-3 times daily; injections require medical supervision.

Conclusion

PNS demonstrates potential efficacy in adjuvant therapy for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (especially stroke and angina), but more high-quality international multicenter studies are needed. It should be used under medical supervision to avoid bleeding risks when combined with anticoagulants.

Panax notoginseng saponins

[lynkholm]

Dragon Quirk Family Dynamics and Hero Society Bonus parts.

Media & Public Meltdown: "The Greatest Hoax in Hero History"

Breaking News Headlines:

"DRAGON QUIRK WAR? PRANKED! Eric André Exposes UA, Pro Heroes, and Villains in Stunt of the Century" (Hero News Network)

"Touya Todoroki ALIVE? Shocking Reveal Leaves Nation in Chaos" (Daily Hero)

"Bear for President? Public Demand Yogi’s Candidacy Becomes Real" (Tokyo Today)

"All For One’s Prison Nightmare: How Far Is Too Far?" (Morality Watchdog Weekly)

Public Reaction:

Social Media Explodes:

#TouyaIsAlive trends worldwide.

#RyukoWasRobbed becomes a rallying cry for dragon-quirk solidarity.

#BearSupremacy activists protest outside Tartarus, demanding Yogi be freed.

Conspiracy Theories Flourish:

"What if the prank was a COVER-UP? What if Touya IS alive?!"

"The HPSC staged this to distract us from [insert random scandal]!"

Merch Madness:

"Team Fake Baby Wyvern" shirts sell out in minutes.

Bootleg Yogi plushies flood Akihabara.

The Todoroki Family: A House Divided

How They Find Out Dabi is Touya:

The Eric André Show credits roll—revealing behind-the-scenes footage of Dabi (Touya) laughing with Hawks between takes.

Individual Reactions:

Endeavor:

Drops his phone.

Stares at the screen for 30 full seconds.

Calls Hawks: "Explain. Now." (Hawks hangs up.)

Rei:

Silent tears. Then, calmly: "I need to speak to my son."

Fuyumi & Natsuo:

Fuyumi: "HE’S ALIVE?! AND WORKING WITH HAWKS?!"

Natsuo: "I knew that crispy bastard looked familiar!"

Shoto:

Eats another bite of ice cream. "Hm."

Texts Touya: "You owe me 10 years of birthday presents."

Touya’s (Dabi’s) Reaction:

Seen in leaked footage yelling at Eric André: "YOU WHAT?! THAT WASN’T IN THE SCRIPT!"

Hawks, cackling: "Oops?"

Touya’s eventual public statement (via burner phone): "Yeah, I’m alive. No, I’m not apologizing. Yes, the bear was funny."

Pro Heroes: Damage Control Mode

Ryukyu (Ryuko):

Holds a press conference: "Let me be clear: I will not be addressing the fake pregnancy. Or the fake clan war. Or—sigh—the bear."

Privately: "I’m still killing Touya."

Hawks:

Grinned through an interrogation by the HPSC: "Hey, at least we proved Tartarus’s security sucks!"

Later seen buying a "#1 Prankster" mug for Touya.

Best Jeanist: "This is why I hate television."

League of Villains: Identity Crisis

Shigaraki: "So… Dabi was a Todoroki this whole time? And he never told us?"

Toga: "Aww, I knew he had family drama!"

Twice: "BETRAYAL! / FINALLY, SOME GOOD DRAMA!"

Spinner: "Are we sure this wasn’t a prank, too?!"

Government & Hero Commission: PANIC

Emergency HPSC Meeting:

"We need to arrest Eric André."

"On what charges? ‘Being too funny’?"

"…Yes."

Tartarus Security Overhaul:

All For One’s cell is now bear-proof.

Guards must now check for hidden cameras and comedians.

Live Interview Special: "Heroes React to the Eric André Hoax"

Host: "Tonight, the pros break their silence on the wildest prank in history!"

Guests:

Ryukyu (Ryuko) – Still fuming.

Hawks – Smirking like he knows something.

Endeavor – Grinding his teeth.

Best Jeanist – Disapproving but stylish.

Segment 1: "So… How Are We Feeling?"

Host: "Ryukyu, let’s start with you. Your, uh… relationship with Touya was a big focus—"

Ryuko (flames flickering): "There is no relationship. There is only vengeance."

Hawks (whispering): "She definitely rehearsed that."

Host: "Endeavor, your son is alive and apparently a villain. Thoughts?"

Endeavor: "I have nothing to say—"

SUDDENLY—

DABI CRASHES THROUGH THE CEILING (via teleportation quirk), LANDS ON THE COUCH, AND STEALS HAWKS’ MIC.

Dabi (grinning): "Sorry I’m late, Dad. Miss me?"

Segment 2: Chaos Unleashed

Endeavor (flames roaring): "TOUYA—"

Dabi (mock-serious): "Ah ah ah—call me Dabi. Unless you wanna explain why you didn’t."

Ryuko (standing, claws out): "You dare show your face—"

Dabi (winking): "Aw, Ryu. You do care."

THEN—

Dabi GRABS HER AND KISSES HER LIVE ON AIR.

The studio ERUPTS.

Ryuko’s flames go SUPERCRITICAL.

Hawks CHEERS.

Best Jeanist facepalms.

Endeavor looks ready to combust.

Dabi (pulling back, smug): "Bet you missed that too."

Segment 3: The Fallout

Ryuko (voice deadly calm): "I. Will. End. You."

Dabi (laughing): "Promises, promises."

Host (panicking): "WE’RE—uh, GOING TO COMMERCIAL!"

Cut to:

Dabi flipping off Endeavor as he teleports away.

Ryuko literally burning the couch.

Hawks eating popcorn.

Aftermath:

#DabiKiss trends for 48 hours.

Endeavor finally gives a press conference (and is booed offstage).

Ryuko’s agency releases a statement: "No further questions."

Hawks tweets: "Best. Interview. Ever. 😘"

Final Thought:

Dabi didn’t just crash the interview—he crashed back into canon.

And Ryuko?

She’s definitely gonna kill him.

Post-Credits Scene:

Shoto, watching the interview at home: "…Can I go back to ice cream ads now?"

Behind-the-Scenes Special: "The Actors Who Pranked Japan"

Host: "Tonight, we sit down with the real people behind the Eric André Show’s dragon-quirk chaos!"

Meet the Cast:

"Ryuko Tatsuma" – Played by Kaida Tatsuma (Ryuko’s Cousin)

Quirk: "Emberclaw" – Similar to Ryuko’s, but with golden flames and smaller dragon form.

On Playing Ryuko:

"I’ve been impersonating her since we were kids. This was just… bigger."

"The fire was all CGI, but the rage? That was method acting."

On Playing Ryuko: "She hated me after this. Still won’t return my calls."

On the Kiss Scene: "Geten improvised that! I almost set him on fire for real!"

"Touya/Dabi" – Played by Geten Himura

Quirk: "Glacial Dominion" (All his "blue fire" was CGI—he just iced the set between takes).  – Made for ironic casting.

On Playing a Todoroki:

"I may have studied Endeavor’s interviews for… inspiration." (Smirks.)

On the Kiss Scene:

"I improvised that! Eric yelled ‘DO IT FOR THE DRAMA!’ so I did."

"Kaida actually punched me after. Then she asked me out."

On Dating Akari: "She punched me on set. It was love at first fight."

On Dabi’s Reaction:

"He sent me a thumbs-up emoji. I think he approved?"

"Yogi the Bear" – Played by a Real Bear (Named Kuma)

Trainer: "He’s method. Too method. We lost three salmon trucks."

"All For One" – Played by a Local Theater Actor (Who Regrets Everything)

"I thought it was a serious villain role. Then they put me in a bear onesie."

All Might’s Actor – "Toshinori Tanaka" (A Quirkless Stuntman)

On the Role: "I just yelled ‘PLUS ULTRA’ a lot and ate protein bars. Easy gig."

On Endeavor’s Actor: "That guy hated me. No idea why."

Endeavor’s Actor – "Enjiro Kashin" (Former Pro Hero "Hellstorm")

Quirk: "Inferno Breath" – Retired after a PR disaster.

On the Role: "Finally, a chance to play someone with worse publicity than me."

On the Bear: "I still have nightmares."

Shocking Revelations:

The "Ultrasound" Was a Rubber Prop (Geten: "I stole it. It’s on my fridge now.")

Hawks Was Not Acting (He genuinely didn’t know about the Dabi twist.)

The Love Story: Kaida & Geten

Met on set during the "clan war" episode.

First date: "We set Endeavor’s fake mustache on fire."

Segment 2: The Real vs. Fake Drama

Host: "So… the real Touya and Ryuko crashed that interview. Thoughts?"

Geten: "I respect the hustle. But my version was hotter."

Akari: "Ryuko texted me one word: ‘Traitor.’ Then blocked me."

Tanaka (All Might): "I’m just glad the real All Might didn’t sue me."

Kashin (Endeavor): "That man needs therapy. And so do I."

Host: "And Hawks and Dabi played themselves?"

Geten: "Yeah, ‘played’ is a strong word. Hawks just vibed, and Dabi committed crimes."

Segment 3: The Bear’s Legacy

Host: "Who trained Yogi the Bear?"

Akari: "Oh, that was not CGI. That was a real bear with a fire Quirk."

Kashin: "I knew it. I felt its hatred."

Tanaka: "Best actor on set. 10/10. Would work with again."

Final Confessionals:

Geten: "I’d do it again. But next time, I want to kiss the real Ryuko."

Akari: "I’d do it again. But next time, I want to fight the real Touya."

Kashin: "I’d never do this again. Pay me more."

Tanaka: "I’m just here for the free buffet."

Final Message from Eric André:

"None of this was scripted. Except the bear. Always script the bear."

Bonus Drama:

Dabi (texting Ryukyu): "Wanna reenact our scenes? 😘"

Class 1-A’s Reactions to the Eric André Show Reveal

Izuku Midoriya

Initial Reaction: "Wait… so none of it was REAL?! But the lore was so detailed! The dragon-quirk politics! The fake baby wyvern ultraso—" (immediately spirals into muttering analysis).

Later: Creates a 20-page Google Doc titled "Prank Meta-Analysis: How Media Manipulation Shapes Hero Society."

Texts Shoto: "Did you KNOW about this?!"

Shoto’s Reply: "No. But I’d watch it again."

Katsuki Bakugou

First Words: "THAT FCKING BEAR WASN’T EVEN REAL?!"* (Kicks a desk.)

Secondary Rage: "I LOST TO A GODDAMN HOLLYWOOD PROP?!"

Threat Level: Promises to hunt down Eric André and "blow his stupid mustache off."

Secretly: Saves the clip of Yogi humiliating Endeavor to his favorites.

Shoto Todoroki

Deadpan Stare: "Hm." (Eats ice cream.)

On His Dad’s Actor: "He captured the essence. Which is ‘unbearable.’"

On Touya’s Reveal: "I knew Dabi looked familiar." (Had suspected since the forest camp.)

Texts Touya: "You owe me 10 years of birthday presents."

Touya’s Reply: "Here’s a burnt teddy bear. 🧸🔥"

Ochaco Uraraka

Gasping: "THE KISS SCENE WAS ACTORS?! BUT THE CHEMISTRY—"

Mina Ashido: "THEY’RE DATING IN REAL LIFE TOO?! THIS IS BETTER THAN A ROM-COM!"

Both: Immediately start shipping Geten/Akari and doodling fanart in class.

Tenya Iida

Chopping Hands Violently: "THIS WAS A FRAUD UPON THE PUBLIC! A CRIME AGAINST JOURNALISM!"

Demands: A school assembly on media literacy.

Aizawa: "No."

Mina Ashido

Screaming: "THEY PRANKED ALL FOR ONE?! LEGENDS!"

Begs Kirishima: *"We should do a *Class 1-A Prank War!"

Kirishima (nervous): "Bro… Aizawa would expel us."

Denki Kaminari

Laughing Hysterically: "THEY GOT ENDEAVOR TO BELIEVE HE LOST TO A BEAR!"

Brain Short-Circuits: "Wait… does this mean we could prank pros too?!"

Jirou: "No. You’d cry if Hawks winked at you."

Tsuyu Asui

Blunt Take: "I knew it was fake when All Might didn’t cry about the bear being his son."

Tokoyami: "The bear was the only pure soul in this tale."

Eijiro Kirishima

Admiring: "Dude, the commitment to pranking All For One was manly as hell."

Also: "But man… poor Ryukyu."

Bakugou: "SHE’S FINE. THAT EXTRA TOUYA DESERVES WORSE."

Hanta Sero

Grinning: "Best. Show. Ever."

Already Planning: A Class 1-A "fake documentary" prank on Monoma.

Mezo Shoji

Quietly: "I’m just glad the bear is okay."

Class 1-A Group Chat Explodes:

Mina: "NEW SHIP ALERT: GETEN x AKARI. NAME IDEAS??"

Kaminari: "Burn Together? Frostfire? DragonBride?!"

Jirou: "You’re all hopeless."

Shoto: "I’m telling Geten you said that."

Mina: "SHOTO NO—"

Aizawa’s Reaction:

Stares at the ceiling. "Why did I become a teacher."

Hides in his sleeping bag while students debate "how to prank UA staff."

Texts Present Mic: "I’m taking a sabbatical. Don’t follow me."

Final Consensus:

60% of Class 1-A: "We need a Season 2."

30%: "We need to be in Season 2."

10% (Iida): "We need justice."

Meanwhile, Eric André is already DM’ing Bakugou for a cameo.

Pro Heroes' Reactions to the Eric André Show Dragon-Quirk Prank Special

Ryukyu (Ryuko Tatsuma)

Initial Reaction: "I will burn that entire production studio to the ground."

After Watching: Demands a formal apology from Eric André, the producers, and her cousin Akari.

On the Kiss Scene: "If Touya ever tries that in real life, I’m feeding him to a real dragon."

Current Status: Filing a lawsuit for "emotional distress and defamation of character."

Hawks

During the Show: Laughed so hard he fell off his chair.

On Playing Himself: "Easiest paycheck ever. Just had to be more annoying than usual."

On Dabi’s Involvement: "He hated that I made him do retakes. Worth it."

Current Status: Retweeting memes of Endeavor’s face during the bear ranking prank.

Endeavor (Enji Todoroki)

Initial Reaction: Silent, vein-popping rage.

After Discovering Touya Was Alive: "I’m disowning him again."

On Being Portrayed by a Disgraced Ex-Hero: "That man is lucky he’s retired."

Current Status: Avoiding press conferences after being booed offstage.

Best Jeanist

Professional Take: "This was a gross misuse of public trust in heroes."

Secret Take: Admits the fake All Might crying over the bear was "artistically compelling."

Current Status: Weaving a "Justice for Ryukyu" scarf as a peace offering.

Mirko

First Words: "HA! SUCK IT, RYUKYU!"

On the Fight Scenes: "The choreography was weak. Should’ve called me to direct."

Current Status: Challenging Yogi the Bear to a spar (unaware it was CGI).

Edgeshot

Deadpan: "I’m glad I was excluded from this… spectacle."

Later: Caught rewatching the Touya/Ryuko kiss scene on loop.

Gran Torino

Grumbling: "Back in my day, pranks were simple. Like glue on chairs."

On All Might’s Actor: "That boy couldn’t punch his way out of a paper bag."

Current Status: Yelling at clouds.

Nejire Chan

Squealing: "IT WAS LIKE A TELENOVELA BUT WITH MORE FIRE!"

On the Fake Baby Wyvern: "Can we please make that real? I’ll babysit!"

Current Status: Petitioning UA to host a "Prank Heroics" elective.

Gang Orca

Confused: "Why was I not invited? I’m great at improv."

Current Status: Workshopping a "villain talk show" pitch.

All Might (Post-Retirement)

Relief: "THANK GOODNESS IT WASN’T REAL—wait, did they use my likeness without permission?!"

On His Actor: "He captured my essence… if my essence was 50% protein shakes."

Current Status: Consulting a lawyer about "unauthorized bear-related fatherhood."

Final Consensus:

30% of Pros: Outraged ("This undermines hero integrity!")

40%: Entertained ("Better than the HPSC’s last press conference.")

30%: Inspired ("We should prank the Commission next.")

Eric André, from a undisclosed location: "Season 2 casting starts now."

Villain Reactions to the Eric André Show Dragon-Quirk Prank Special

All For One (Incarcerated Edition)

Initial Reaction: "I have been a warlord for over a century, and this is how I am humiliated?"

On the Bear: "I will not be upstaged by a glorified raccoon."

Current Status: Demanding a new prison (preferably one with no TVs).

Dabi (Touya Todoroki)

First Words: "This is the greatest thing I’ve ever been a part of."

On His Portrayal: "Geten did alright, but he didn’t capture my smolder."

On the Kiss Scene: "Ryuko’s gonna kill me for real now. Worth it."

Current Status: Trolling Endeavor by sending him fake baby wyvern ultrasounds.

Shigaraki Tomura

Initial Reaction: "Dabi got more screen time than me?! UNFAIR."

On the Prank’s Scale: "Destroying hero society with chaos instead of decay… interesting."

Current Status: Brainstorming a League of Villains reality show.

Himiko Toga

Squealing: "IT WAS LIKE A ROMANCE MANGA BUT WITH MORE ARSON!"

On the Fake Baby: "Can we please make one for real? I’ll knit it tiny sweaters!"

Current Status: Asking Twice to clone Yogi the Bear.

Twice

Split Opinion:

"THIS WAS GENIUS! BEST SHOW EVER!"

"THIS WAS A TRAVESTY! JUSTICE FOR RYUKO!"

Current Status: Arguing with himself over whether to boycott or binge-watch Season 2.

Mr. Compress

Theatrical Sigh: "And I wasn’t invited? A true shame—I would’ve stolen the show."

Current Status: Plotting a heist to steal the Eric André Show master tapes.

Spinner

Conflicted: "On one hand, hilarious. On the other… did they have to do Stain dirty like that?" (A fake Stain cameo had him lecturing the bear about "true justice.")

Current Status: Writing a strongly worded Tumblr post.

Kurogiri

Deadpan: "I could have warped them all into a volcano. Just saying."

Current Status: Making martinis to cope with the League’s new obsession with "prank warfare."

Other Notable Villains:

Overhaul (Kai Chisaki)

Disgusted: "This is why society is rotten. No order, just… bears."

Current Status: Sanitizing his cell after hearing about the "salmon-based prison meals" prank.

Lady Nagant

Amused: "The HPSC definitely had a meltdown over this. Good."

Current Status: Requesting a prison TV to watch Season 2.

Gentle Criminal & La Brava

Gentle: "A masterclass in performance art! Bravo!"

La Brava: "But we should’ve been the ones to break the internet!"

Current Status: Storyboarding their own prank show.

Final Consensus:

60% of Villains: Delighted ("Heroes deserved this.")

30%: Jealous ("Why wasn’t I invited?!")

10%: Traumatized (Overhaul, mostly.)

Eric André’s Response: "Villains make great guests. Shigaraki, call me."

[bringthesauerkraut]

John Oliver interrupts Jon Stewart attempting to break a sex scandal

"...there really should be a pair of Harry Baals"

I love whenever they did these sex scandal song slams cuz I always imagine how weird the phone call to the R Kelly style singer must have been every time 🤣

More videos featuring John Oliver here

All my TDS/TCR/Jon videos can be found here 😊

[bringthesauerkraut]

Hi! I do know this segment. Its from August '09. Basically he was detained at Newark airport whilst promoting a movie. This segment itself is only a few minutes long but I will add it to the queue & tag you when I upload it. The quality will not be overly great as the episode file I'm pulling it from is like 480p at best (all files from '09 are like that) but its the only one we have so we make do I guess. 😊

It won't be today as I'm busy sorting out my queue which I did not do last week because of the heatwave but I'll get it up soon for you.

Vix x

To @bringthesauerkraut,

i'm wondering. i want to watch old episodes/clips of the daily show but i can't since they're all gone on comedy central with a few clips here and there. there is this one quote i found from a tv tropes article about shah rukh khan which is apparently from aasif mandvi explaining to jon about the significance of srk. it goes like this: ""You don't know who you're dealing with here! This is KHAN! The Tom Cruise of India, the Brad Pitt of Bollywood, the Shia LaBeouf of Mumbai, the Topher Grace of New Delhi, the dude from Twilight of Calcutta!" i have to ask you, is there an episode where this quote of said. if so can you upload it for me. i'd like to see it

[karankumar001]

Ear‑Candy Revolution: Why The Social Lite Is Redefining the Podcast Online Experience”

A Sonic Cocktail Shaken, Not Stirred

On a crowded app where every scroll serves another “listen‑now” thumbnail, The Social Lite stands out by sounding like nothing and no one. Imagine late‑night rooftop laughter blended with NPR‑level curiosity; that’s the flavour profile. The hosts don’t rehearse quippy intros or read stiff bios. Instead, guests are to a single question scribbled on an index card, forcing spontaneity to do the heavy lifting. The result? Dialogue so alive you can hear ideas forming in real time.

Segment Alchemy

Episodes pivot on three micro‑segments:

Truth or Takeout – a dare to reveal a secret or buy dinner for a random listener.

Side‑Quest – five minutes where the guest teaches something absurdly specific, from folding samosas to decoding bird calls.

Future‑Fax – rapid predictions sealed into a public Google Doc for accountability. These bits shatter monotony and keep the podcast's online format crackling with unpredictability.

Minimal Gear, Maximum Intimacy

Forget studio foam and boom arms. The Social Lite still records on a dining‑room Zoom H6, a deliberate nod to its humble genesis. Ambient clinks, chair squeaks, even the neighbour’s cat echo through; flaws that big‑budget shows edit out become textural authenticity here. You don’t listen; you eavesdrop.

Global but Local

Despite guests dialling in from Brooklyn to Bengaluru, each conversation circles back to daily humanness—burnt toast mornings, mis‑sent emojis, parents on WhatsApp. That universality explains why Discord boasts members across sixteen time zones who swap care packages and share tips after every drop.

How to Sip the First Episode

Start with “Glitches & Gratitude,” where a game developer confesses to designing levels based on breakup stages. You’ll laugh, you’ll text an ex, you’ll smash the “follow” button. By the time credits roll, The Social Lite won’t feel like a podcast online; it’ll feel like the group chat you never knew you needed.

[speed-seo]

Let's talk about something that's becoming a bigger deal every day: AI traffic. Yep, that's right, traffic from chatbots and virtual assistants. You might be thinking, "Is that even important?" Trust me, it is, and it's only going to get bigger. So, let's dive in and learn how to not only track it, but make the most of it in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Why You Should Care About AI Traffic Okay, so what exactly is AI traffic? Simply put, it's website visits that come from AI platforms. Think ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Google Bard – those are the big players. These tools are rapidly becoming how people find information online. Imagine someone asking Bard for the "best Italian restaurant in Chicago," and your restaurant's website pops up. That's the power of AI traffic. These aren't just random visits; they are users showing high buying intent. They're asking a question, and your website is potentially the answer. This means understanding how your content performs on these platforms is vital to your business's growth. AI Traffic In a Nutshell: Think of AI traffic as the new frontier of SEO. It's the traffic generated by AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google Bard, reflecting user interactions via artificial intelligence tools. It's the future, folks! Why Tracking AI Traffic in GA4 is a Game-Changer Tracking AI traffic in GA4 is like having a secret weapon. Here's why: - See the AI Effect: You'll finally see just how much these AI platforms are contributing to your overall website traffic. - Quality Check: Are these AI-driven visits actually good? You can compare engagement metrics (like time on page and bounce rate) to traffic from other sources. - Content Tweaks: Figure out what content performs best on AI platforms and tailor your strategy accordingly. This is a totally new audience. - Smart Resource Allocation: Compare AI traffic to your other channels. You might discover it's worth investing more time and effort here! Step-by-Step Guide to Tracking AI Traffic in GA4: Let's Get Practical Alright, let's roll up our sleeves and get into the nitty-gritty. Step 1: Create an AI Traffic Segment in GA4 – Your AI Traffic Filter Think of this as creating a special filter just for AI traffic. - Head to Exploration: Open up GA4 and click on "Explore" in the left-hand menu. It's like your data playground. - Start Fresh: Click on "Blank" to start a new exploration. - Dimensions and Metrics: In the "Variables" panel, add "Session Source/Medium" as a dimension and "Sessions" as a metric. - Create a Custom Segment: - Click on "Segments" and then the "+" to create a new one. - Name it something catchy like "AI Bot Traffic." - Set the condition where "Session Source/Medium" matches a regex pattern. - Apply the Magic Regex: .chatgpt.com.|.perplexity.|.edgepilot.|.edgeservices.|.copilot.microsoft.com.|.openai.com.|.gemini.google.com.|.nimble.ai.|.iask.ai.|.claude.ai.|.aitastic.app.|.bnngpt.com.|.writesonic.com.|.copy.ai.|.chat-gpt.org. 💡 Want to easily track AI traffic in GA4? Use this regex: ^(chat.|bard.|bing.)|(.ai$|.ai/). It's like a magic filter for your data! Make sure the left panel looks like this: Step 2: Visualize AI Traffic Over Time – Spot the Trends Let's see how your AI traffic is doing over time. - Line Chart Time: Switch your visualization to a line chart. It's perfect for seeing trends. - Break It Down: Use "Session Source/Medium" as your breakdown dimension. This lets you see which AI platforms are sending you the most love. - Set Your Timeframe: - I recommend looking at the last 90 days (If Aplicable). - Choose "Weekly" granularity to get a clearer picture of the trends, tough in my example I used daily. - Analyze Away: Look for those peaks and valleys. Are certain days or weeks better than others? Step 3: Create an AI Traffic Channel Group – Organize Your Data This is about giving AI traffic its own special category in your reports. - Navigate to Channel Groups: Go to "Admin" > "Data Settings" > "Channel Groups." - New Channel Group: Click "Create New Channel Group." - Name It: Call it something like "Custom Channel Group with AI" or something that suits you. - Add Your AI Channel: - Add a new channel and name it "AI." - Set the condition: - Dimension: Source - Matcher: matches regex - Value: ^(chat.|bard.|bing.)|(.ai$|.ai/) (our trusty regex again!) - Prioritize AI: Drag the "AI" channel above "Referral." This ensures your AI traffic gets the credit it deserves. Step 4: View AI Traffic in Acquisition Reports – See How It Stacks Up Now, let's see how your AI traffic compares to other sources. - Head to Reports: Go to "Reports" > "Acquisition" > "Traffic Acquisition." - Select Your Custom Channel Group: Use the drop-down menu to choose the "Custom Channel Group with AI" you just created. - Review the Metrics: Check out sessions, users, new users – all the good stuff – specifically for your AI traffic. Step 5: Integrate with Looker Studio – Enjoy the Power of Visualization Want to create fancy dashboards and really impress your boss? Looker Studio is your friend. - Connect to Looker Studio: Open Looker Studio and add GA4 as a data source. - Refresh Fields: Make sure all your new dimensions and metrics are up to date. - Build Visualizations: Use your AI channel group to create custom charts and dashboards. Show off those AI traffic insights! Advanced Tips and Best Practices: Staying Ahead of the Curve Keeping Up with the Evolving AI Landscape – It's a Fast-Moving World - Update Your Regex: New AI platforms are popping up all the time. Regularly update your regex to catch them all. Think of it like keeping your fishing net in good repair. - Monitor Traffic Sources: Keep an eye on your "Referral" and "Organic Search" traffic. You might spot new AI sources hiding in there. - Stay Informed: Follow industry blogs and news. The AI world moves fast! Analyzing AI Traffic Data – Dig Deeper - Beyond Sessions: Don't just look at the number of sessions. Dive into engagement metrics like bounce rate, pages per session, and session duration. Are these AI visitors sticking around? - Conversion Tracking: Set up goals and events to see if your AI traffic is actually converting. That's the ultimate goal, right? - User Behavior: Use "User Explorer" to see the journey of your AI-driven visitors. What are they doing on your site? Optimizing Content for AI Traffic – Feed the Machines - Structured Content: Use clear headings, bullet points, and summaries. Make it easy for AI to understand your content. - Schema Markup: Implement schema.org markup. It's like giving AI a cheat sheet to your content. - Quality Over Quantity: Focus on creating valuable, informative content. AI platforms are more likely to reference high-quality stuff. Embrace the AI Revolution Tracking AI traffic in GA4 isn't just a "nice-to-have" anymore; it's essential. It's like having a crystal ball that shows you a glimpse into the future of search. By following these steps, you'll gain valuable insights into how AI is impacting your website and be able to adjust your strategies to stay ahead of the game. So, go out there, embrace this new traffic source, and watch your business grow! Ready to take control of your AI traffic insights? It is like a goldmine. Start optimizing today and stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital arena! Read the full article

[adventuresinclientservice]

This holiday season, what does a Buddhist, a basketball coach, and a movie director remind us about client service?

Marco Werman’s daily NPP show is a sporadic listen; I tune in when I travel by car.  Today I caught a snippet of his segment on the world’s “sacred spaces,” paying close attention to the words of Karma Lekshe Tsomo, a Buddhist nun who grew up surfing in Malibu, California and today is Professor Emerita of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego.

Werman’s Wikipedia page says he’s a surfer, so it’s not entirely surprising he sought a Buddhist’s perspective on surfing as a sacred space.  Her words were devoted mostly to spiritual matters, but there came a point where she says:

“All happiness depends on serving others; all misery derives from thinking of oneself.”

Listening to that quote, I am reminded of a dinner I had, years ago, with legendary, hall-of-fame basketball coach John Wooden, where he said something along the lines of, “Avoid the highs and lows in life,” which now is enshrined as part of his most quotable quotes:

“All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.”

And then, in reading a New Yorker Profile of filmmaker Brady Corbet, I saw his point that a movie director’s ultimate responsibility is to the finished work of art, one that, “requires a truly obsessive level of devotion.”

As December draws to a close, it is a time for reflection, which prompts me to ask, what do you do when it’s tempting to think of yourself first?  What do you do when you become enthralled by what most often are fleeting moments of success, or worse, when you face an agonizing moment of failure that prompts despair?  Or what do you do when you react with indifference when clients and colleagues seek answers from you?

You didn’t ask for my advice and I am loathe to provide it unsolicited, so let me share what I would do when faced with one of these challenges:

To combat the instinct is to be selfish, I would recall the words spoken by Karma Leksho Tsomo.

To combat an extreme response to good news for bad, I would recall the  words spoken by John Wooden.

To combat losing focus, I would recall the words spoken by Brady Corbet.

What ties together these three seemingly random quotes from people who are not anyone’s first choice of authority?  For me, it’s the need for perspective. 

As you look back on the year that was and forward to the year that will be, here is a piece of advice I do want to share:  regardless of how you’re feeling in the moment -- self-centered, elated, discouraged, unfocused -- remember it is that:  a moment, nothing more. 

A moment that rightly should be leavened, and diminished, by perspective, one that help you right the ship and sail on to 2025.

I wish all of you a happy, healthy, and successful New Year!