Discord has ruined itself for me. I actually liked Discord a lot, which feels like a minority opinion most days. I liked it because I have cultivated an awesome community on there with almost 2500 wonderful souls. The TLC Discord server is one of the highlights of my day. Even if I’m only lurking, I still interact with people damn near every single day of the week.

And then Discord decided they needed to verify ages. I get that it wasn’t really their choice (even if they’re implementing it in places where those laws don’t reach), but it drove a lot of people off of the platfrom. Other niches probably didn’t notice as much a drop off, but Linux and FOSS enthusiasts are probably the type to care about this sort of thing.

I love football. I’m a die hard Philadelphia Eagles fan and have been for over 20 years. I watch every game, bitch about every call (even those that go for my team), and shout “fire him!” every time something doesn’t go the Eagles way. The Washington Commanders AKA The Washington Football Team AKA The Washington Redskins, are one of the Eagle’s biggest rivals. Maybe not the biggest, fuck the Cowboys, but big enough.

I mostly stay out of politics. I’m of the mind that there are effin’ morons on both sides of the political spectrum, and moderate action is the only thing that can truly help all of us. The far extremities of the current political atmosphere only drives further division. Honestly, the lack of empathy on both sides is just sad to see.

But, I’m not here to talk about my political views or yours. If you’re a die-hard Trumper or you wish Kamala had won, I don’t care. I really don’t, so don’t @ me. Instead, I’d like to talk about FUD. Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. One thing you can’t deny is that MAGA has riled people up unlike any movement in recent memory. The news, commentators, and TikTok-ers are alight with the most dire of predictions. And that’s not just those on the left. The right does it too. Nobody is safe, the world is ending if the ‘others’ get power, and so on. First, y’all need to go outside a bit more. Things have a tendency to be less scary after you’ve touched grass or walked your dog. Second, y’all just be exhausting for the rest of us to watch.