You will never find a more wretched hive of ponies and buttercups.

The Best of The Week

TikTok is a popular social media app. Created in China under the parent company ByteDance, TikTok allows users to post and watch video content, much of which is relatively short (a few seconds to a few minutes, although users can post a video up to 60 minutes long). Tiktok largely seems to fill the void left by Vine's demise in the 2010s.

In the United States, TikTok has also been the subject of numerous controversies. Similar to other social media platforms, TikTok's algorithm has been criticized for prioritizing content which garners the greatest number of views, regardless of its effect on the viewer, and for its lack of safeguards for children ( a particularly notorious and heinous example being the "TikTok suicide," search at your own discretion). The United States has also alleged that TikTok harvests users' data to share with the Chinese government ("Hey! That's our data to sell to advertisers!")

As a result of these controversies, the Biden Administration passed a law

Update: wertperch got grit. A month after open-heart surgery, and I'm healing well =]


"Jesus said, 'Blessed is the person who's gone to a lot of trouble. They've found life.'"
the Gospel of Thomas


Following a visit to my cardiologist yesterday, I have confirmation that my incision scar is healing nicely, that my sternum is knitting together very…

 

I went out for a walk one day

and I saw a girl who was very sad.

She cried and she cried.

I asked her why but she wouldn’t say

and I looked down;

daisies grew in the grass at my feet.

I plucked one and smiled.

I gave her the flower.

 

I took my dog for a walk the next day

and I saw her again.

Still crying, still sad.

I asked her why but she still wouldn’t say

and I looked up;

News for Noders

December 1: Iron Noder ends

December 9: Smallpox eradication day.

December 9: Grace Hopper's birthday.

December 12: Happy birthday to horacetheclown!

December 21: Winter solstice arrives 10:27 PM, EST.

December 23: Happy birthday to Nemosyn!

December 25: Hanukkah begins.

December 25: Merry Christmas!


If you have an item for this calendar, /msg Tem42.

November 1: The IRON NODER CHALLENGE starts today and runs through December 1. It's never too late to sign up, and all writeups get rewards.

November 1: Happy Birthday Zephronias!

November 5: Bonfire Night in the UK.

November 11: Veterans Day in the US.

November 13: Everything2's Birthday.

November 27: Happy Birthday Estelore!

November 28: Thanksgiving in the US.

November 28: HairQuest 2024 begins!

If you have an item for this calendar, /msg Tem42.

October 1: Oh no! It's The Halloween Horrorquest!

October 17: Happy Birthday gnarl!

October 31: Something spooky will probably happen today. It usually does.

October 31: prepare yourselves for the XVIInd Iron Noder in November!



If you have an item for this calendar, /msg Tem42.

September 8: Happy birthday svntax!

September 16: Feliz cumpleaños Ancientsnow!

September 18: Happy birthday Stuart!

September 25: Happy birthday Templeton!

September 26: Stanislav Petrov Day.

September 27: Happy birthday Uberbanana!


If you have an item for this calendar, /msg Tem42.


August 1: Brevity Quest 2024 starts today!

August 4: Happy birthday avalyn!

August 6: 広島

August 9: 長崎

August 27: Happy birthday Bitriot!

If you have an item for this calendar, /msg Tem42.