Amarok's recent activity
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Comment on The best Iran war breakdown on the internet with Aimen Dean and Richard Miniter in ~society
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Comment on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in Israeli and American joint strikes in ~society
Amarok (edited )Link ParentOnly two bits of news in your screenshot, the rest is just the usual banter. Look on the bright side, all the other channels are (finally) going live to cover it, so folks can catch up on old news...Only two bits of news in your screenshot, the rest is just the usual banter.
Look on the bright side, all the other channels are (finally) going live to cover it, so folks can catch up on old news there if NYPrepper's more entertaining environment offends your sensibilities. :)
The camera feed is usually informative but it's been cut at the moment, and the guy who usually deals with that is asleep since he did a marathon coverage from yesterday afternoon when it started until around 5am this morning. I think he's earned the nap. He'll be on in a couple of hours to do a recap, probably around 10/11pm.
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Comment on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in Israeli and American joint strikes in ~society
Amarok Link ParentJust ignore anything that isn't from moderators in all-caps, because that's just rando youtubers. Been watching them for months, all the news is there first - go ahead and link me better ones if...Just ignore anything that isn't from moderators in all-caps, because that's just rando youtubers. Been watching them for months, all the news is there first - go ahead and link me better ones if you can find them.
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Comment on Babylon 5 is now free to watch on YouTube in ~tv
Amarok Link ParentSome probably good news about this... Paramount bought Warner, Netflix walked away. That means we're up in the air again. Netflix wasn't keen on JMS, neither was Warner. Nobody knows yet how...Some probably good news about this... Paramount bought Warner, Netflix walked away.
That means we're up in the air again. Netflix wasn't keen on JMS, neither was Warner. Nobody knows yet how Paramount feels about it. If the episodes continue to stay up on Youtube I think that means Paramount is going to consider it. I've never been a huge fan of Paramount but even I have to admit they do better on balance than Warner or Netflix. Time will tell. Even Paramount isn't really Paramount anymore - it's all Skydance now.
Larry Ellison's son David is kinda-sorta in charge of all this media. /shrug
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Comment on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in Israeli and American joint strikes in ~society
Amarok (edited )LinkOngoing live coverage of the event. Fresh news appears in the chat in all-caps from moderators. Lots of current and ex-military, intel cams, radio coverage, vetted news, stern moderation. Best...Ongoing live coverage of the event. Fresh news appears in the chat in all-caps from moderators. Lots of current and ex-military, intel cams, radio coverage, vetted news, stern moderation. Best coverage out there imo for up to the minute news, this channel will never appear in yt recommendations. They talk about cooking a lot though, so you might wind up with an appetite if you hang out in the chat too long. :p
Edit: The Enforcer is also live now and so is Tousi TV. Better late than never!
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Comment on Getdown Services on Audiotree Live (Full Session) (2026) in ~music
Amarok LinkThat rare and lovely moment when Audiotree does your 80s throwback cratedigging for you. I love this far more than I should. Their albums are all on Bandcamp.That rare and lovely moment when Audiotree does your 80s throwback cratedigging for you. I love this far more than I should. Their albums are all on Bandcamp.
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Getdown Services on Audiotree Live (Full Session) (2026)
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Comment on [SOLVED] Why is mobile Safari (iOS) slow with Tildes? in ~tildes
Amarok LinkTildes uses the most strict content security policy you will ever find on a social media site - or almost any site, for that matter. One of the side effects of this ironclad CSP is that many...Tildes uses the most strict content security policy you will ever find on a social media site - or almost any site, for that matter. One of the side effects of this ironclad CSP is that many browser addons that meddle with the site itself (change scripts, add buttons, apply themes etc) just plain fail to function on Tildes. The security policy hamstrings their functionality.
I'd bet that's what's happening to you, so the question is which addon is it and what is it doing that Tildes breaks? Hopefully nothing nefarious. The long delay sounds like some form of timeout to me, which could indicate the addon is communicating with other websites. That communication gets broken on Tildes pages and the addon doesn't know what to do about it other than wait and eventually time out.
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Comment on SCP:GALLIONIC | Official trailer in ~movies
Amarok Link ParentThat would be the SCP Foundation. It's a big big big wiki filled with thousands of creepy-pasta entries. You could think of it like Warehouse 13 if Cthulhu itself was writing all the stories.That would be the SCP Foundation.
It's a big big big wiki filled with thousands of creepy-pasta entries. You could think of it like Warehouse 13 if Cthulhu itself was writing all the stories.
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Comment on ‘A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ just made ‘Breaking Bad’ lose its IMDB score record in ~tv
Amarok Link ParentI haven't watched it myself yet - after Thrones discovered hitherto unfathomable levels of failure in the final seasons I lost any interest. I will say this, though - every source I look at for...I haven't watched it myself yet - after Thrones discovered hitherto unfathomable levels of failure in the final seasons I lost any interest. I will say this, though - every source I look at for media reviews, including those who were roasting everything GoT related for years on end, are falling all over themselves gushing about this show. Even hardcore critics like it. Seems like a solid recommendation, and I'll probably get to it after I get done with Andor and One Piece.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E1: "The Gathering" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Amarok (edited )LinkSince the official source for this is... in flux with going private or being region locked for some people, I'll just point out there are dozens of active torrents for this show. One in particular...Since the official source for this is... in flux with going private or being region locked for some people, I'll just point out there are dozens of active torrents for this show. One in particular is better encoded from best sources and fully complete.
I'll simply describe instead of link. It's an old torrent that will never die, and I don't mind bringing it up as a viewing option because if you download it, you'll probably buy the DVD or Bluray set before you even finish the series. This is the rare case where piracy usually does result in a sale. :p
Babylon 5
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- 433 files, 64.60 GBHopefully they will resolve the issues they are having posting this on youtube so everyone can watch it there instead and show their support for the reboot. If not, well, no reason to stop the watch threads when we have other options.
Edit: In fact I'm watching the youtube episode now and yeah, the quality is serviceable but just a bit off. Essentially, there are two 'versions' of B5. There's the original widescreen DVD release and the 'remastered' version released to streaming services. So, your choices for watching are 720p 16:9, or 1080p 4:3. There are some fan upscales out there but they don't offer anything better than the DVD release imo.
Frankly, the original DVD release is the best one. The improvement in the image quality for the 1080p version is marginal, and the particular torrent I've mentioned did a better job with their denoise than the restoration did with the upscale.
If they ever do a real 4K restoration from the original widescreen negatives with newly created effects and put out a fully complete Blu-Ray box set I'll preorder it immediately. In fact I'd go as high as paying $500 to get that on my shelf. :)
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E1: "The Gathering" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Amarok Link ParentIf you want to get a sense of how good the effects look, you have to watch them on a phone or tablet sized screen which is closer to the original resolution they were designed for. I'll say this...If you want to get a sense of how good the effects look, you have to watch them on a phone or tablet sized screen which is closer to the original resolution they were designed for.
I'll say this for the FX - they are definitely dated, but you will never see a scifi show that uses them better for storytelling than B5 did. The choreography, particularly in the larger set pieces, has never been matched. I'd say that the 2000s Battlestar Galactica is about as close to a B5 feel as any other series has come, and there's just loads more of it in B5 than in BSG.
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Comment on Babylon 5 S01E1: "The Gathering" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Amarok (edited )Link ParentYes. That movie contains several spoilers for the first couple of seasons, and B5 spoilers are radioactive given the depth and scope of the story. It's far better to start here. That'd be my only...Yes. That movie contains several spoilers for the first couple of seasons, and B5 spoilers are radioactive given the depth and scope of the story. It's far better to start here.
That'd be my only issue with the official JMS watch order, though. The rest is perfect. I'd put In The Beginning after S3, that's the point where it won't spoil anything. It originally aired in between S4/5 on TNT. It's a must-watch, though - moreso than all of the other B5 films, I think it's the best of the bunch.
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Comment on US Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, upending central plank of economic agenda in ~society
Amarok LinkTrump's agenda is toast. Baby himmler just found out he's still locked into adult day care, that temper tantrum was both sad and predictable. Everyone in conservative circles swallowed the BS he...Trump's agenda is toast. Baby himmler just found out he's still locked into adult day care, that temper tantrum was both sad and predictable. Everyone in conservative circles swallowed the BS he was popping off instantly, but neither this majority opinion or the dissent does him any favors.
The supreme court traditionally issues the most narrow, detail focused ruling they can, which is why there was nothing about refunds. This now goes back to the lower court, and that court gets to deal with refunds and all of the other business. It'll happen, it just takes time.
Trump will certainly try to get around this, but they have him in a box. All of the other avenues he has access to (mentioned in the dissent) are only useful over short time frames and aren't to be used against nations that aren't adversaries in the first place.
The instant he attempts to re-implement the tariffs his opponents will hit him with an injunction - in fact if I felt like digging I'd bet it's already been filed. He'll be enjoined from adding any more, and if he pitches a fit it'll just go up to the supreme court again and get the exact same decision - six months from now optimistically. Trump likes to keep people waiting - he's in for a taste of his own medicine.
His only option to follow through with the tariff plan is to get congress to vote to authorize them. That's it. He hasn't got the votes for that, and the early numbers I've seen for the mid-terms make it look like he's going to lose support in congress, not gain it.
It's mildly satisfying watching our anti-dictator mechanics in action. I do get a kick out of his tantrums. On balance I'd say it was a good wake-up call for the rest of the world to keep them from blindly trusting our markets and it should help them stop taking the bully in chief seriously going forward. He's going to be too busy in Iran shortly to worry about tariffs anyway - unless the Iranian people finish the job before we join the fray. Judging by what's happening over there right now it looks like the Iranian people may just steal Trump's thunder and do it themselves while America's forces sit around twiddling their thumbs.
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Comment on What are your architectural hot takes? in ~design
Amarok Link ParentCase in point, the oldest operating movie theater in the USA is an exemplary piece of OG Art Deco. (street view) That's the original 1929 facade. They take great pains to preserve and replicate...Case in point, the oldest operating movie theater in the USA is an exemplary piece of OG Art Deco. (street view) That's the original 1929 facade. They take great pains to preserve and replicate every ounce of Deco when they change things, I can't even imagine the expense of it all. The interior is wild, it's like stepping into Bioshock / Metropolis in real life. Every light fixture in that place is a work of art. If you want to get your architecture geek on, this will serve as a tour of the interior.
The facade was meant to shine at night. Usually you see black terracotta used as edging, here they made a massive mirror out of it that throws light all over the street. Night or day that building catches and holds every single eye that passes by.
They have five screens now, bought out the adjacent buildings and turned them into theaters, so it's rather like a small multiplex except you're walking outside to go between them. It's one of the top night life spots in the city. Best film selection you'll ever find.
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Comment on US Supreme Court strikes down Donald Trump's tariffs in ~society
Amarok Link Parent“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” ― George Carlin“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”
― George Carlin -
Comment on Babylon 5 is now free to watch on YouTube in ~tv
Amarok Link ParentI think the reason why is simple - it's JMS' way or the highway when it comes to his productions. He doesn't play politics and he says 'no' every time someone pitches him a dumb idea. You bring...I think the reason why is simple - it's JMS' way or the highway when it comes to his productions.
He doesn't play politics and he says 'no' every time someone pitches him a dumb idea. You bring him focus group data saying the show needs more fistfights or comedy, you get an episode that makes fun of focus group data as a decision making tool in a scifi wrapper. He writes deep challenging scripts that give no easy answers because he would rather showcase an idea and consequences than take sides on things. This makes him 'hard to work with' if you just want to treadmill some average drek down the pipeline, or push an agenda with the shows.
We've seen how well that worked for Marvel, Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Lord of the Rings - black holes consuming profits is all that's left of them. Stargate appears to have lucked out, their new series has the entire original cast and creative teams on board so we know we'll get a quality show.
I suspect the sentiment that it's not B5 without JMS is near-universal, so Netflix is going to get flayed alive by the entire fan base if they try to go forward without JMS. I'm not sure that they are aware or care about that, though. Shovelware is most of their media. If it were up to me I'd sign JMS for B5 regardless of price and then put him in charge of every show on the platform after it's done. :p
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Comment on Babylon 5 is now free to watch on YouTube in ~tv
Amarok Link ParentThe reboot is exactly the reason they are doing this. Studios have been sniffing around for a couple of years looking to reboot it, JMS has even written a new pilot episode multiple times but it...The reboot is exactly the reason they are doing this. Studios have been sniffing around for a couple of years looking to reboot it, JMS has even written a new pilot episode multiple times but it never quite makes it off the ground. Partly that's because Warner was a studio run by idiots, which is why they no longer exist. B5 is going to be a very, very expensive show to produce. A lot of youtube activity helps justify the cost of making a new one. Netflix has the B5 rights now so it might get made this time.
Bad news though - last I heard JMS was out and Netflix was fishing around for a new showrunner to create the reboot. That's the fastest way I know to get it cancelled after three episodes. There is no Babylon 5 without JMS, and there is no one who can fill his shoes in this role. I won't even bother tuning in if he's not writing.
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Comment on Robert Duvall, all-purpose actor with few peers, dies at 95 in ~movies
Amarok Link ParentBeat me by two minutes. ;) That film is on my short list of overlooked gems.Beat me by two minutes. ;)
That film is on my short list of overlooked gems.
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Comment on The mega-rich are turning their mansions into impenetrable fortresses in ~finance
Amarok Link ParentYou don't, but then you are probably a lot more intelligent than most of our leaders. ;)You don't, but then you are probably a lot more intelligent than most of our leaders. ;)
It does live up to that title, if you're sick of getting your geopolitical news from propagandists and dead media networks that only know how to book a fight. If the events in Iran are of more than passing interest to you, then you should watch this entire podcast, pay attention, and become informed.