July 16, 2025
Musical Interlude (and an Invitation)
Music: Amaranthe's Digital World Video: a selection of ZZZ Cut Scenes.
Zenless Zone Zero is an astonishingly well written game and despite all the issues that are inherent to the Gacha model, it is quite satisfying.
It's VERY Free To Play friendly (I have yet to spend a cent after one year). The story itself is weird and as mentioned here, despite the Xianxia elements, it scores surprisingly high on Moh's Scale of Sci-Fi Hardness, (4-4.5 is the number I keep coming up with...and that is SO strange*).
I started streaming this game as a temporary filler and was frankly put off at first by the very unconventional mechanics. However the story was interesting and it has grown on me. While lacking the gorgeous scenery and astounding open world of Genshin, it is every bit as well written as Genshin Impact and the more urban environs are interesting in their own right.
The combat playstyle is reminiscent of the arcade fighting games of long ago with every character having a specific set of keystrokes to maximize their ability in addition to the usual controls.
I do recommend it.
Tonight we'll be streaming the premier of the Summer Event and exploring more of the story, in an early stream 6pmEST/10pmUTC over at https://www.twitch.tv/brickmuppet so stop by, say "Hi!" and bully a V-Tuber as he roll the Gacha and tilts at the RNG.
*While the science is fairly solid given the conceits of the plot....we should perhaps have a trigger warning for engineers...there is no engineering here!
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The Option That Always Gets Left Out
Brickmuppet fans were pondering this a bit, back in 2019 ( the year before before we slipped fully into the stupid timeline. )
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Thoughts On Lists, Priorities, and Maintaining Perspective
Sarah Hoyt and Kim DuToit both have perspectives on the recent hysteria over the latest chapter of the Epstein debacle.
I urge you to read both in full. Mr. Du Toit has provided links as well to support his Hypothesis, (Which Mrs. Hoyt largely shares) that the sudden frenzy of screeching inchoate rage amongst the a certain hysterical wing of the right seems strangely timed to distract from several other nefarious deeds being investigated as well as distract from a full appreciation of the current administration's list of victories, which, while not sufficient in and of themselves with regards to the national debt and other issues the country faces, are surprisingly consequential wins if those issues are to be dealt with.
The first corrective action to take when moving in the wrong direction is to slow down. This is what is being done, it may not be enough (historical precedent indicates that the odds are against the U.S. saving itself) but it is an important first step.
As to the lack of Epstein List names being released, this list sat in the hands of a Justice Department infested with Obama's appointments and it is vanishingly unlikely that it has not been sterilized or further corrupted. Getting to the bottom of the matter, if at all possible, will indeed take a long time.
For now the priority has to be preventing such crimes in the future (to the extent such parasitic hedonism can be deterred) and saving the country from its enemies, foreign, domestic, and financial.
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July 07, 2025
Your FCC Mandated 3 Minutes 35 Seconds of Educational Content
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July 04, 2025
And Now: A Word From Hololive
The Star Spangled Banner is a hard song to sing. A lot of V-Tubers try from time to time and it's frequently done as a bit, since hilarity often ensues. Hololive does this in the context of a beat game that scores the player on how well one matches the proper version of the song....Naressa Ravencroft took it seriously though, and pretty much nailed it.
(In fact, I'd never caught the last word of the first verse until now)
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249 Years
While it is fashionable in some quarters to make a big production of not celebrating the holiday because America is far from perfect it is important to step back from such performative pouting. The "stolen land" slur is particularly silly, since EVERY single occupied spot on the planet was once occupied by some other group. Ironically, amongst the best claims to land based on historical precedent as opposed to historical realities is Israel, which the same folks decry as inherently illegitimate, and gleefully support those who advocate for the most barbaric depravities being committed against THOSE folks.
more...
The U.S., like it's parent country, actually did a great deal to advance the notions of self determination, property rights, and even the anti-colonialism that so many of the countries critics so enthusiastically say they expose. The fact that these concepts took time to take root is because they did not exist, except in the most self serving fashion before the nation was founded, and the U.S. and other western nations developed them themselves, and bequeathed them to a largely ungrateful world. Since the 1920s the U.S. has given all its colonies the option of independence in elections, and those that have not taken that offer yet still have it as an option. In that same period it has expended considerable blood and treasure defending other nations and aside from occasional demands that the protected pay their fair share the country has asked as payment only for small plots of land to bury our dead who fell in the defense of those polities.
The notion that we should restrict the influx of people who wish to take advantages of the many advantages of living in our imperfect, but still successful society, and to only those who show respect by following the rule of law is not tyranny, oppression, or selfishness, but an acknowledgement of reality. Many of those who point to the unfortunate displacement of the native habitants of the Americas, now advocate for the exact same policies, societal norms, and outcomes of a world 400 years less advanced, outcomes that they performatively decry in any other context. Theirs are not good faith arguments.
The U.S. is not perfect, having been created by and inhabited by human beings, who are as some may have noted, an imperfect lot. It has, however, frequently self-corrected sometimes at great cost in money and blood. The nation for all its faults has created through its people, great prosperity, and has, increasingly, over time, afforded its people great personal autonomy, and an ability to voice their opinions; even very stupid opinions.
The United States did much more than its share to save humanity from the abattoir that was the 20th century and while there were those involved who did so cynically, the result was still a net good.
I'm not ashamed to be an American, I am on, balance, very happy to be so, and while my contribution to the countries' achievements has been essentially nil, I am proud of my country and what it tries to stand for. . This does not mean I turn a blind eye to our previous or current failings, nor does it mean I think our problems will be easily solved, but I am hopeful.
Cdr Salamander makes a note of an exceptionally good and thoughtful speech given by an American President 99 years ago today. It deserves to be read in full.
Below the fold is the county's mission statement....
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This
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June 28, 2025
It's More Wuxia Than Xianxia
A video that makes a compelling case that Zenless Zone Zero is less Chinese supernatural fantasy (Xianxia) than it is a Chinese fighting vigilante hero story (Wuxia: what we usually think of as kung-fu stories).
It posits that the retroisms in the game are NOT just nostalgia, but an important part of the actual 'science' behind the lore.
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June 25, 2025
A Somewhat Less Technical Analysis Lacking a Bit of the Nuance of the Previous Video...
....but forthright in its proposition.
Language Warning
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June 23, 2025
A Technical Overview of the Recent Events
Not mentioned in the above video, is that preliminary (VERY PRELIMINARY) indications are that things were not only successful, but that things are calming down.
Fingers are crossed.
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June 22, 2025
I'm going out on a limb....
I think that taking out the nuclear production capability of a group of, antisemitic, millenarist religious fanatics that are supporting terrorism around the world, oppressing their own people and believe that bringing about an apocalypse will usher in literal heaven on earth, AND doing so with zero combat losses and none, or vanishingly few civilian casualties, is .....I know this is a hot take.....a GOOD thing.
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June 15, 2025
Replying To A Comment on the Last Post.
@PatBuckman: You are right, the assassin does SEEM to be a very left wing guy, given what has been published about him.
However, the two folks he murdered were leaders in the DFL, the Democratic Farm Labor Party one of the oldest of the far left parties in the US and historically quite radical. There is SPECULATION that Representative Hortman was targeted because she voted for, or supported the defunding of programs financially helping illegal immigrants. This would IN THEORY track as the DFL is one of those organizations that, however misguided they might occasionally be, is actually legitimately and quite passionately concerned about the plight of domestic workers and farmers rather than academic theory or virtue signaling to one's upper-class peers. However, I have not been able to pin down state records or legislative transcripts of any legislation or debate that might be the source of this notion. And I've looked.
That is why the whole post consisted of a link and 9 words. The situation is horrific and whoever did it for whatever reason needs to die, but there is no information.
There is a quite reasonable theory that the fact that they claim to have a manifesto, but are not commenting on it, is a bit of a tell. I agree that certainly APPEARS to be a completely legitimate hypothesis. But it is JUST a hypothesis without the screed in question. It could be an attempt by the left at a masterful rope-a-dope if the guy is a right wing nut job, it could just be Governor Waltz's love of censorship. It could indeed be abject terror at the potential political backlash if the assassin actually is a Tankie or something. The suspicious silence could even be protecting innocent children named in the document, or keeping unsuspecting guilty parties in the dark about the fact that they were mentioned. We just don't know. about that.
What we DO know is that whoever did this vile deed needs to be hunted down.
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June 14, 2025
John Wilkes Booth
....looks up from Hell, and smiles.
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June 13, 2025
HYPE! HYPE! HYPE! (I Should Invest in a Blimp)
THE TWITCH CHANNEL HAS ITS FIRST SPONSOR!
Join Us Tonight at 9pm EDT/1am UTC Over on https://www.twitch.tv/brickmuppet For a VERY Wholesome Audience Participation Stream, Where We'll be Exploring Teyvat, Chilling With Chat, and...Giving 50% Discounts on Delivered Meal Plans! 'Cause the Stream is Sponsored by Factor-75:
(Actual Link is in Stream)
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June 12, 2025
An Ill Omen
Not the most granular OSINT, but a potentially telling data point nonetheless....
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June 11, 2025
Progress of a Sort
I do apologize for the streaming hiatus of the last two days. There have been both technical, health, and scheduling issues. Streaming will resume Friday evening though!
I actually will be doing my very first paid promotion! The promo is with Factor 75, a meal delivery service, that is rated as one of the 10 best in the country So stop by for a chance to get discounted mail order food via the promo code!
Emotes by AnimeGum
More info to come!
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Thoughts on That Thing That IS NOT HAPPENING
Team Frietas has a lengthy discussion of the completely safe, non-combustible, and peaceful event that is going on now in Los Angeles.
They include some rather optimistic ideas of how this might blow up in Mexico's face, (though I for one am NOT optimistic).
1hr55min
They also reference some twee...x...(OH WHAT DO WE CALL THESE THINGS NOW!?) by Data Republican..who breaks down who is responsible for this mess....I confess the CCP was NOT on my bingo card for this one.
I've linked to both of these recently, but this really is a good discussion (despite the occasional edgy rants by Christian Hines) and well worth one's time. Data Republican's information she's posting on X is eye opening.
I for one am glad that there is currently a continent between me and this mess, even as I anticipate that such separation will not continue much longs as riot season progresses.
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June 08, 2025
TEST
more...
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It's finally RIOT SEASON!
I copy-pasted a screencap from another blog. Given the current image issues IDK if it will be visible, but it talks about the violence erupting in L.A. at the moment because Illegal immigrants are getting deported. The tweet(? what are they called now anyway?) also links to analysis by DataRepublican(small r) indicating that the organization organizing this is largely government funded.
Except for a few specific examples, mostly the U.S. Aid programs that have been taken up by the State Department the vast amounts of Taxpayer money that D.O.G.E discovered has been given to activist groups has not been stopped due to congressional inaction. However that is a real possibility. Secretary Rubio has indicated that about 12% of money allotted to U.S. Aid causes went to the actual causes, meaning that 88% went to....um....
Oh! That's a lot of information behind that "um". Let us have a moment of silence for the sacrifices made by deaf autistic girls in wading through all that data to find the truth.
There.
Now, the up-shot of all this that there are a whole lot of people who have been basically living on sinecures at taxpayer expense and a large number of very big activist organizations that have been funded with money looted from programs that are ostensibly government funded charities. The taxpayer money spigot is now, for the first time since this scam began, actually in very real danger of being turned off. The beneficiaries of this system, faced with loosing their sinecures and rent-a-mobs have always been unlikely to give it up without a fight. (and fight they will)
Heretofore this year, the weather has not been conducive to burning, looting, or murdering, but as we enter summer these beneficiaries of our taxes, who are essentially aristocrats, are likely to get VERY violent (or at least stir others up to violence) in order to protect their payouts and the power they purchase for them.
We are in for a 'long, hot summer'.
Stay safe.
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June 07, 2025
Oh No
THIS looks bad.
Very bad indeed.
But there is some infinitesimal potential for it to be GLORIOUSLY BAD.
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