March 15, 2023 • 59 mins
For the touchy topic, Steven talks about gaming. From toxic gamers to how gaming has an impact on relationships to misconceptions that people may have about gamers. Britt talks about whether or not if you should have children. Sammy on the Boom Box talks about cosplay audio. Alex talks about the Ohio chaos and then gives you some international and US news.
Steven Daniel as Main Host Britt Nolan as Co-Host (What the Britt?!) Sam Reilly as Co-Host (The Boom Box) Alex Hopper as Co-Host (Across the Circus)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
These millstones no longer mark our national morning. These milestones I should say. No longer mark our national morning.
(00:09):
Well I turned on the TV. Just the other day. To hear what this man said. Had to say it today.
But his words were all jumbled. Up in the hay. I couldn't make out a thing he had to say.
(00:42):
Oh Joe, what you trying to say? It's like a puzzle every time you speak. Oh Joe, I don't mean to be mean. But we need a translator when you speak.
I have trouble even mentioning, even saying to myself my own head the number of years. I no more think of myself as being as old as I am than fly. I mean it's just not, I haven't observed anything in terms of, there's not things I don't do now that I did before, whether it's physical or mental right now.
(01:23):
He talks about the climate and the economy. But I'm not sure if he's talking to me. He'll go on and on with the speeches. Leaving us wanting more.
We love you Joe, don't get us wrong. But we need subtitles like in Hong Kong. If we can't understand, we just smile and nod and clap our hands.
(01:55):
Oh Joe, what you trying to say? If I could buzz you every time you speak. Oh Joe, I don't mean to be mean. But we need a translator when you speak.
I'll lead an effective strategy to mobilize, true international [something] pressure.
(02:45):
So just be prepared. Don't assume, keep it straight. We might keep it fair. With the news page, we gonna keep it real. If you tune in, then you sit for real.
We took the ramp here. Every image in the video talk about it. Different views on the subject we might talk about it. At the end of the day, we just talking homie. Only me in the room but it's like a party. Introducing Steven Daniel, author, artist, all around great guy.
(03:14):
Hello Out of Placers. I hope that the past month has been good to you. And that you didn't have to struggle with anything. And if you had to, I pray that God gives you the wisdom and the strength to get through it.
So check out this recent headlines that I saw. I read that Donald Trump wants flying cars and that Elon Musk thinks that it's a dumb idea. I don't know about you but the idea of flying cars does sound pretty cool to me.
(03:40):
It's like something out of a sci-fi movie. Back to the future and Fifth Element started looping in my mind. I love the idea of flying cars. Sometimes when I sit in traffic, I just wish that we could just fly over all of these people.
But then again, we have to consider the fact that some people can barely handle driving on the ground. You know the type, the ones who drive around with their gas tanks on empty?
(04:05):
Thinking their car can magically go another 40 miles. Sorry, but that's not how it works. If you drive on an empty tank, you're just using all that filthy leftover crap in the tank.
And now imagine those same people flying around in the car. Yeah, I could just see it. I know my car. It can fly for like another hour.
(04:28):
Here's another story I read that kind of got me annoyed, but that annoyance went away because I just don't care anymore. But there is a new development that has a lot of people pissed off.
Vaccine passports. Some countries are requiring proof of vaccination to enter, which has led to debates about privacy and discrimination.
I guess it's a good thing that I don't like to go to other countries. One, I just don't see the point going somewhere where it's just not as pretty as it looks on TV or when it's being marketed on print.
(04:57):
And the same can be said with places in here in America. We have a ton of places too.
And the second reason people around the world hate Americans. Where we go? So the hell with that. I'll stick with the cabins near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, beaches in Destin, Florida.
These are my favorite places. And of course the theme parks in Orlando.
But people with those big ass bucket list are really frustrated with these vaccine passports. There are even people, which I don't think this is important enough, but they are worried about how their vaccinating passport photo will look as bad.
(05:26):
Will look as bad as their driver's license.
Those are the mindless robots that I'm always talking about. The type of people that lose their minds when a CEO with 4,000 employees and $100 million profit makes $5 million.
But they have no problem with Ellen DeGeneres making $50 million for her show. Do as I say, not as I do.
People are freaking out about all this and I'm over here excited to play Cities Skylines 2 after seeing the trailer recently.
(05:52):
Another one from Paradox that was showcased was a teaser for a game called Life by You.
If you are a Sims fan like myself, you're going to want to pay attention.
Paradox has revealed that they've been working on what seems like to be a game similar to The Sims.
Since Cities Skylines was released, it has been kicking EA's ass showing them how Sims City should have been developed.
(06:15):
But check this out.
The former Sims Studio head has been working on Life by You. I think that this person, I'm not sure, but I think he gave us Sims 2 and Sims 3.
Let's be honest.
Sims 4 sucks.
There's no open world. There are fewer traits. There are a ton of missing stuff that came with the previous Sims.
And then you got Sims 4 that are bringing those missing features slowly through DLC.
(06:40):
So what was included in the past Sims, now you have to pay for it.
I tell people to play Sims 3 instead. The base game with every single DLC comes out way cheaper.
And it's a better gaming experience.
So if you're like me and have been frustrated with Sims 4, check out the full trailer of Life by You that will be available to watch on March 20th, 2023.
(07:01):
Anyways, let's get this episode started.
For the touchy topic, I will be talking about gaming. From toxic gamers to how gaming has an impact on relationships to misconceptions that people may have about gamers.
Britt talks about whether or not you should have children.
Sammy on the Book Box talks about cosplay, audio.
Alex talks about the Ohio chaos and then gives you some international and US news.
(07:25):
So grab your favorite drink or continue to wash your road and enjoy the episode.
Time to get touchy, get ready to be triggered, sensitive topics.
Oh look, they're about to cry, all can sense a wussy will see, nobody likes the snowflake.
What is Steve's problem today?
Today I want to talk to you about something that is close to the hearts of many of us in this chaotic world.
(07:51):
Gaming.
Whether it's on our phones, consoles or computers, gaming has become an integral part of our lives.
However, as with any community, there are always misconceptions and issues that arise from toxic gamers to the impact of gaming on our relationships.
There are a lot to unpack.
But for today, we will delve into these topics and come out with a better understanding of what it truly means to be a gamer.
(08:20):
So let's explore the world of gaming together.
What made me want to talk about gaming?
First, as many of you already know, I am a gamer myself.
My first system was the NES.
Me and my brother Mikey had almost every gaming system except the Game Boy Advance, Dreamcast, Wii U and PS3.
I love gaming.
(08:41):
I love the immersive worlds and stories.
Many games offer rich, immersive worlds and compelling narratives that allow me to become fully invested in the game's characters and storylines.
This helped me escape from reality by putting me in a different world.
Right now, I'm playing God of War Ragnarok and it's so good.
(09:02):
Gaming to me is such a stress relief.
I've told you before that if I wasn't editing for the podcast and trying to meet deadlines, I'm gaming.
When everyone goes to sleep, and that's usually around 10:15, that's when I pray with the boys before putting them to bed.
And then I say goodnight to everyone.
I go to the office.
Turn on either the Xbox Series X, the PS4 Pro or the Nintendo Switch Lite.
(09:28):
And I play whatever is next on my list because I have Xbox Game Pass and Gamefly.
Then around 11:40 pm, I pray.
Then I meditate and then I go to sleep.
This is how I unwind and disconnect from the stress and demands of life.
Many times, these gaming companies give us something good, whether it's giving me an incredible story to immerse ourselves in or offering opportunities for me to express myself creatively.
(09:56):
I'm talking about a game that lets me build like in Minecraft or No Man's Sky, Ark, Medieval Dynasty, Planet Coaster, Raft or City Skylines.
Or how about when the gaming studio gives us an incredible custom character creation feature like in Cyberpunk 2077, Saints Row The Third, Fallout 4, The Sims games, Skyrim, Elden Ring or even World of Warcraft.
(10:22):
I also love those management games too.
I don't have a PC because I can't afford it.
And if you want to, you know, send me a badass PC.
I'm not going to refuse it, you know, just saying.
But my favorite management games were Roller Coaster Tycoons, City Skylines, Two Point Hospital, Prison Architect, Surviving Mars, Frostpunk, The Tropical Games, Stardew Valley, that I play on the iPad.
(10:45):
And there are many more games that I would love to play, but I just don't have a PC, you know, because I would love to play the Anno games.
The Planet Coaster, Mega Aquarium, Banished.
I can't list them all.
There's too many.
But one day I will have a PC and I'll be able to expand my world of gaming.
Anyways, the point is that I love gaming.
For many other gamers that play online together, I don't play online.
(11:08):
Really, I play mostly single player games and sometimes online.
But for the other gamers that play online together, gaming offers them a social connection.
They could connect with others and build social relationships.
Multiplayer games allow them to team up and work together and compete against each other, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie.
(11:30):
Multiplayer games challenges them.
It requires skill and strategy to master.
That's why Esports was created.
And for those of you boomers and Gen Xers that don't know what Esport is, Esport is competitive video gaming that is played in an official or structured setting, kind of like a basketball game.
The industry has created a path that avid gamers can follow if they want to become professional gamers.
(11:54):
It's amazing.
Before you start thinking, oh, that won't make money, it already has.
It's made a ton of money.
According to Goldman Sachs, Esports exceeded $1 billion in revenue in 2019 and reached $3 billion by the end of 2022.
So all of you parents that said gaming won't make any money, you can now shut the f**k up.
(12:16):
These events give prize money that can range from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars depending on the tournament and the game.
Esports is not even the only way a gamer can make money.
No, gamers can make money through a variety of ways, depending on their skills and expertise and popularity.
You got streaming where many gamers earn money by streaming their gameplay on platforms like Twitch or YouTube.
(12:42):
They earn money through subscriptions, donations, sponsorships, and advertisements.
Popular streamers can earn thousands of dollars per month, especially if they're entertaining like our host, King Ducky.
And actually, Gami and Two Tone, they're streamers as well.
Then you got gamers that don't stream by two favorites, Cartoonz and H2ODelirious, they have a large following.
(13:06):
Some type of gamers earn money by creating content related to gaming just by being funny and entertaining.
Those gamers usually get sponsorships.
Look at Markiplier or even PewDiePie.
Gamers with a large following can get sponsored by gaming companies and brands.
Sponsorships can include product endorsements, sponsored content, and appearances at events.
(13:28):
Sponsorship deals can be very lucrative and some gamers earn millions of dollars per year.
Then there's gamers that don't stream or play games for you.
They earn money by creating content related to gaming like game reviews, walkthroughs, tutorials, or even gaming news.
I follow many people on YouTube that do these things.
It keeps me informed about things because I don't read the news all the time.
(13:52):
So when a new game pops up or a new announcement or something that's going on behind the scenes, I like to be in the know.
So I follow these type of gamers.
They earn money through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
And of course there's game development.
Some gamers become game developers themselves.
They earn money by creating and selling their own games.
(14:13):
So if you see your adult child playing games and trying to make money, shut the f**k up.
It's always the people born before 1984 that has something to say about gaming.
You know what? I take that back.
There's even plenty of millennials that roll their eyes at the mention of gaming too and most of them are women.
These people don't understand gaming.
And I've watched them bitch and complain about it on YouTube and TikTok on news segments.
(14:36):
And that's what really caused me to talk about this, this month.
It's important to note that not all baby boomers and Gen Xers dislike video games and many do enjoy playing them.
However, there may be several reasons why some individuals from these generations have negative perceptions of video games.
There's the lack of familiarity.
(14:57):
Many boomers and Gen Xers did not grow up with video games as a common form of entertainment.
They may not be familiar with how to play them or may view them as the waste of time.
The cultural values and interests of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers may differ from the younger generations who grew up with video games like myself.
For example, they may place a greater emphasis on traditional forms of entertainment such as reading, watching TV, watching sports, going to the arcade, stuff like that.
(15:24):
Then there's the negative stereotypes.
Video games have often been associated with negative stereotypes such as promoting violence or being addictive.
Some baby boomers and gen Xers may have been influenced by these stereotypes and started forming negative, ignorant opinions about it.
And this is important. Video games does not promote violence.
(15:47):
I mean, if you look really hard in the dark web, I'm sure you'll find a game that will do just that.
And as for being addictive, studios in other countries are getting in trouble for promoting gambling because of all the loot boxes and the pay to win microtransactions.
As video games have become more mainstream and popular, attitudes towards gaming will continue to shift.
(16:08):
Many people from older generations now recognize the benefits of video games such as improving cognitive functions.
There are several misconceptions that people may have about gamers and I'm here to defend those groups of people like myself that are often misunderstood and unfairly maligned in our society.
Here's the first one. All gamers are socially awkward.
(16:29):
This is a common stereotype that suggests that gamers are isolate and lack social skills.
In reality, there are a ton of gamers that have active social lives and go to work and do well.
Here's another one.
Gaming is a waste of time. Like I said with the boomers, there are people that believe that gaming is a pointless hobby that offers no real benefits.
(16:51):
However, gaming can offer several benefits such as improving cognitive skills like I said before, fostering social connections, reducing stress, developing skills such as strategic thinking,
improve reflexes and hand-eye coordination.
They could develop problem solving skills and they could learn how to work in a team.
These valuable skills can be transferred to real life situations.
(17:13):
Here's another one.
Gamers are all young males.
While it's true that gaming has traditionally been associated with young men, the gaming industry has changed and has become way more diverse in the recent years.
People of all ages and genders play video games today.
People like to think that gamers are violent because they are playing violent video games even though research has shown that there is no direct causal link between playing violent video games and engaging in violent behavior.
(17:42):
Another thing that non-gamers like to say is that gamers are lazy and unproductive, that it distracts people from more important tasks.
This is true in many cases and does have major impacts on relationships and I will get to that more shortly.
But like any hobby, gaming can be enjoyed in moderation without interfering with other responsibilities.
(18:06):
Most gamers do this.
Gamers are a diverse group of people who come from all walks of life, who share a passion for gaming and a love for the community that comes with it.
Like I said before, there are people that ruin things and I'm talking about toxic gamers.
To the non-gamers who are listening to this episode, a toxic gamer is someone who exhibits negative and often hostile behavior towards other players while playing video games.
(18:32):
This behavior can take many forms.
It includes insults, harassment, and even threats of violence.
Toxic gamers often use excessive profanity, make derogatory comments, and troll people just for fun.
They get a kick out of disrupting the gameplay experience of others.
These grish cheat, use exploits, and engage in other messed up things like that to gain an advantage over other players.
(18:56):
These pathetic pieces of sh** like to target players based on their gender, race, and sexual orientation.
I hate them.
They are the reason why I avoid playing certain multiplayer games.
It's supposed to be fun and not stressful.
They only create toxic and hostile gaming environments and I'm not going to let them mess with my mental illness.
No, no, no.
(19:17):
I rather play alone.
But keep in mind listeners that not all gamers are toxic.
It's just part of the gaming culture.
But it doesn't have to be.
Gamers can and should continue to create a positive and inclusive gaming community and try their best to speak out against these f***k bags.
So how do you deal with these toxic gamers?
(19:38):
These f*****g idiots.
1. Don't engage in their toxicity.
It will be hard.
You will be tempted to say something back, but those toxic gamers often thrive on attention and the reactions of other gamers fuels them.
The best way to deal with them is to simply ignore them and put them on mute.
If you have to play online like I do, sometimes I have to play online.
(19:59):
I just simply put them on mute.
2. You gotta be a tattletale.
I'm a big believer on not snitching.
But sometimes you just have to.
Many online gaming platforms have systems in place for reporting toxic behavior.
So if you encounter a toxic gamer, report them.
Trust me, there's nothing wrong with reporting if it's legit.
Don't go around reporting on people because you're a sore loser.
(20:22):
Just report when these a***les fools are treating people badly.
3. Gotta set boundaries.
If you're playing with someone who is consistently toxic.
I'm not talking about strangers here.
This could be a family member or friend.
You have to let them know that their f*****g behavior is not acceptable.
And that you are not going to put up with it.
If they don't let up, you just have to avoid playing with them all together.
(20:45):
Surround yourself with players who share the same value as you.
And the last thing to do is to stay calm and composed.
They're going to say the most racist, the most horrible b*****.
Especially if they're a sore loser.
Responding with aggression or anger can escalate things.
And make the whole event worse.
When I deal with these f**** and muting is not really working and they're just being hostile.
(21:11):
I exit out and I come back and I don't give a sh**.
If I'm with a team or a group, we're just kicking ass.
I don't give a f***k.
I will back out and go back in.
And if you can, find a profile and just block them.
These systems are made so that you never see them again.
Or they can't contact you.
Don't let toxic gamers ruin your enjoyment of the game.
(21:32):
Focus on playing the game that you want to play and do it in a positive and respectful manner.
Now let's talk about how gaming has an impact on relationships today.
It can be both positive and negative.
Time management.
I've said this in the past.
There are so many people with poor time management.
If a gamer spends too much time playing games, they may neglect their responsibilities and relationships.
(21:55):
They end up having poor performances at school or work.
There's a decline in their personal hygiene and grooming.
They are more irritable as they are filled with anxiety and anger all the time.
Communication, which is super important in any relationship, can be affected by gaming.
If a gamer spends a lot of time playing video games, they may not communicate as often as their partner would.
(22:16):
This will cause people to argue non-stop about this sh**.
These addicted gamers like to play late into the night.
They sacrifice sleep and sex just to game.
And they refuse to admit that there's a problem.
They get really defensive by lashing out at you for not understanding whenever the issue is brought up.
And I'm not saying that you need to go stop gaming when you're in a relationship.
(22:37):
No, you have to learn not to spend half the day just gaming.
You have to be mentally available for your relationship and for your family and for your community and for your work.
I get being addicted to gaming.
There are times when I should be going to bed and I just want to get that one more level done and it end up being way longer than I expected.
I'm pretty good at it. That doesn't happen all the time.
(22:58):
Because when it's time to wrap it up, I wrap it up and I look forward to continuing the story the next day.
To me, there's no rush to finish a game.
Yes, you're going to see all these new trailers and these new things and maybe people that you're within your group.
Hey, have you played it? Have you played that? They're ahead of you.
That's what it feels like. No, you take your time or you do your best to split and say,
Hey, my friends want to play a certain game. They're playing this right now. Boom.
(23:20):
I'm playing with them.
And then on the side, just do what I do when you're playing on your own. You take your time.
I'm always behind and I love that I'm behind because, you know, from my experience in the gaming today,
I get to play the game. When I get to it, there's a whole bunch of updates that already happened since release.
They fix certain issues. They added a couple of things and it makes my gaming experience better.
(23:43):
Yeah, I'm behind, but I'm having a good time.
Anyways, if you're addicted to gaming, if you feel like you lost control, if you feel like gaming has taken priority over other areas of life,
and if you feel like gaming has made you feel like sh** best thing to do is to pray about it and go to therapy.
If you don't pray, then still go to therapy or counseling.
They will be able to help you slowly get back on track by focusing on your offline life,
(24:10):
by providing additional support and guidance on how to make positive changes.
If you don't want to go to counseling, then do these steps that might help you.
First, set limits. Do what I do. Schedule specific times for gaming and limit the duration of playing the game.
Also, learn to take breaks and stretch and move around. This will help you also to practice mindfulness.
(24:31):
That means learning to be aware of your gaming habits so you can better manage the impulses.
Two, find other things to do. I do more things than just gaming.
You can be into sports. You can make a podcast. You can write a book. You can draw. Make some music. Anything you f***ing want.
This can provide a good balance to gaming.
Three, set goals for yourself. And I'm not talking about getting 100% achievement or trophies or anything like that.
(24:57):
I'm talking about improving the grades at school, making work your b***h, and start taking names so that you can start banking.
I'm talking about starting that side hustle that you've been wanting to do.
This will help provide much needed motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
The last thing is to improve your physical health by eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep.
(25:18):
I understand that gaming addiction is a complex issue and it may take some time and effort to make that change last.
You just have to remember to be extremely patient and also persistent.
Consistency is key.
So how about the advice for a couple that one is a gamer and the other is not?
It is definitely possible for a relationship to thrive even though one is the only gamer.
(25:43):
So here are some tips on how to compromise and maintain a healthy relationship without being at each other's throats and always fighting about gaming.
Some things I'm going to say will feel like a repeat, but just listen.
First thing you have to do, like I already said, is communication, communication, communication.
You have to be open and honest about each other's feelings and concerns.
(26:04):
If the non-gaming person feels neglected or frustrated, it is very important to talk about it.
It will help you both find solutions that work for the both of you.
Two, like I said, follow a routine or schedule, say specific times for gaming, but also schedule specific times to spend together.
It is very important to figure out something that you both agree on.
(26:26):
Three, respect.
The gaming partner should be mindful of the noise level and be considerate of their partner's schedule.
And the non-gamer partner needs to be not a nagger to the gamer and also be considerate.
And the next thing that you both need to do is to find common ground when it's time to spend time together.
Find something that you both would enjoy.
(26:48):
You could be going to a theme park, going to a movie, or going out to eat at the favorite restaurant.
It doesn't matter what the hell you both are going to do as long as it's something you both love.
Finding a shared interest can strengthen the bond between the two of you.
The next thing, and this is important, you need to do your own shit and respect the other's hobbies and interests.
It doesn't matter if you're not interested or don't understand what the hell they are doing, you just have to support, support, support.
(27:15):
The non-gaming partner should try to be supportive of their partner's love of gaming.
And the gaming partner should be willing to take a break from gaming to spend time with their partner.
And this leads me to the final thing, compromise.
Both of you should be willing to compromise and find middle ground.
This could mean that the gaming partner sets a limit on the amount of time they spend gaming each day.
(27:38):
Or the non-gaming partner needs to find ways to enjoy some alone time while their partner is gaming.
Every relationship is different.
What works for one couple may not work for the other.
And find a compromise that is great for both of you.
You have to learn how to talk honestly with no repercussions.
That means, hey, I'm gonna say something, and the other person that's gonna be doing the listening has to promise that they're not gonna react horribly.
(28:03):
They're not gonna punish that person for speaking honestly.
Arguing about gaming is dumb as hell.
I've seen so many women complain about their man playing video games.
He's always playing that stupid game.
Why doesn't he play attention to me?
He's so addicted to that stupid kid.
Um, excuse me, but what happens when he does turn it off?
And y'all be chillin', and then you expect him to watch you be on social media.
(28:26):
You're on your phone.
Because that's what a lot of y'all women are addicted to, the phone.
Social media, when's the last time you watched something together and you didn't look at the phone once?
Yeah, that's what I thought.
My wife is the same.
She used to ask to hang out and watch something.
She would pick the show, something we would both be binge watching together or something.
(28:47):
Or maybe just a random movie.
And there goes the phone.
I had to put my foot down.
I could have been doing some other shh.
And the fact that she's on the phone really didn't bother me.
It was something that, you know, would happen.
And she would either ask a question, oh, what happened?
What did they say?
Or I'll be like, oh shh, did you see that?
Oh, what happened?
And that just proved that she wasn't really paying attention.
So I did two things.
(29:08):
I either joined her by getting my iPad and started drawing and planning, emailing, writing, and shh.
Or I put something that I want to watch.
She had no choice.
I learned that she just wanted that feeling of, well, she wants something playing in the background.
She doesn't want to be alone on the couch.
This is her relaxing moment.
So that was the deal.
(29:30):
It was like, hey, you want to be in the right?
Okay.
If you just want something random in the background, let me watch what I want to watch.
Or we both put something in the background and I'm chilling.
You're chilling, but I'm here with you.
I get you.
I got you.
And she's cool about it.
We're both cool about it.
I love it.
She's no like these bitches that would just be so mad if their man said, you know what, I want this,
(29:50):
this and this because they would feel like they lost control.
There's nothing.
There's nothing about control.
I don't know what you're talking about because it's not about me having control or my wife
having control.
It's just compromising and understanding each other.
Those bitches, they just go on and complain, that they just want to have a reason to make
a tik tok so that they can complain about the man gaming, thinking that people will
(30:12):
side with her.
with her, they just keep attempting to embarrass their guy. It's frustrating.
And I think if you got an issue with your partner playing video games, then you date people who do
not play video games. There's a bunch of people out there that don't play video games. My wife is
one of them. I mean, she'll play every now and then Sims or some type of farming thing or the
(30:37):
last one she was playing is the house flipper games, but she's one of them. A lot of her friends
that are like that. I have family members that are like that. There's people that they're happy,
not gaming. They're fine with not gaming and they know how to do other. Date those people,
marry those people because I don't understand why do you all have to go after gamers and try to force
(30:58):
them to stop gaming. Let me tell you a dark secret that no one has the balls to tell you. If we
didn't have video games, a lot of you would be dead because what kept us calm would be gone.
Think about it. We wake up and work is bullshit. School is bullshit. Traffic is bullshit. People
are bullshit. Life is bullshit. And then we get home on our downtime. We turn on that gaming system
(31:21):
so we could relax and take all that away. But when you take the gaming away, we're murdering people.
I promise you that that's what will happen. And for all of you single people out there who
ignore the gamers thinking that it will turn out badly even though the men and women that you've
been dating are way worse. I think you're losing out. Why? Well, first, you will have so much free
(31:45):
time. Free to do whatever the hell you want. So many people would love that freedom. If I'm not
working on something and want to chill and game, my wife is baking and decorating cookies for her
cookie business. Second, you don't have to worry about the gamers cheating. And I'm talking about
infidelity, not video game cheating. They don't go out to the bars to get a drink with the friends
and meeting people. They don't put themselves in situations that they shouldn't be in. They're
(32:09):
more likely at home sitting at the computer or console just nerding out. Third, they are great
with their hands, you know, quick button pressing, flicking joysticks, perfect for the bedroom.
Just saying there's a bunch of other stuff like that, like being good with the children.
You don't have to love games to love a gamer. You just have to accept what he or she enjoyed.
(32:32):
Loving gamers is about accepting them for who they are. Let's wrap up this segment. I'm 37
years old. Why do I still play video games? Because it makes me feel like a kid again. Because it's
a way for me to escape reality to avoid depression. My mind is constantly going. So when I put those
headsets on, I'm lost and immersed in the world. We were given games for one reason, not to have the
(32:56):
most kills, not to have the most wins. We were given games to have fun. When people say it's just a
game, there's no benefit. How is this going to help you? I say *****. I don't care. It doesn't mean *****
to me when they say these things. To me, these are people that have no damn idea what a video game
actually means. I remember being a kid playing my first video game and I'm sure many of you gamers
(33:20):
remember playing your first video games. Maybe it was Pokemon, Super Mario, Pac-Man, Tetris,
Pong, Crash Bandicoot, The Legend of Zelda, Turok, Doom, Super Metroid, Portal, Half-Life,
Grand Theft Auto, Cancelvania, Red Dead Redemption, Halo, The Last of Us, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider,
Street Fighter, Minecraft, Civilization, Bioshock, The Witcher, Resident Evil, Mass Effect, Final
(33:45):
Fantasy, Fallout, War of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, Silent Hill, The
Sims, Donkey Kong, The Elder Scrolls series, Super Smash Brothers, you get it. I can't lose everything.
Game that I've ever enjoyed, I'll be here forever. But these were the games that made us gamers.
They meant so much to us because it gave us so much. That's why we look forward to the next one.
(34:10):
There are so many reasons why we love video games. We might love a character, a story, the environment,
or even the soundtrack. Each video game we played meant the world to every single one of us gamers.
For you non-gamers, this is what it feels like to immerse ourselves into gaming. Your mind is
full of noise like this, right? Then you put on your headphones. And then you load up a game.
(34:38):
Let's say it's Skyrim. The soundtrack that you're listening right now. From the main menu when it
starts. Now you're ready to immerse yourself in an incredible open-world action role-playing game
that allows you to explore a vast and immersive world full of adventure and danger in the northern
region of Tamriel. A world filled with magic, dragons, and mystical creatures.
(35:15):
That's what it feels like. I love that soundtrack. Video games give us excitement, joy, happiness,
and peace. I want to know what video game meant the most to you and why. Put it in the comments
so that I can read them all. It's important to remember that not all gamers fit the messed up
(35:36):
gamer stereotypes. People should be judged based on their individual actions and behaviors rather
than assumptions based on their hobbies. The gaming industry has been responsible for creating
countless jobs from gaming developers and designers to streamers and content creators. It is a
billion dollar industry that has been a driving force in the economy and has brought joy to
(36:01):
millions of people around the world. Of course there are gamers who may engage in toxic behavior,
but that is not unique to just the gaming community. Every group around the world of all kinds. And
when I say every group, I do mean every fucking group in any place and anywhere has fucked up
people who always ruin it for everyone. But the majority of the gamers are respectful and kind
(36:25):
individuals who love sharing and supporting gamers and gaming in general. You non-gamers have to look
beyond the stereotypes and misconceptions that surround gamers, instead recognize the positive
impact that gaming has had on people and society as a whole. Understand that gamers are not just
wasting their time and money. They are building valuable skills, creating friendships and contributing
(36:49):
to a thriving industry. I will always defend gamers because I am a gamer. Every time I pick up a
controller, every time I turn on that console to me, it's like a really good friend holding a
perfectly made sub for me saying, I've been waiting for you. Welcome. I get to set aside the pain,
(37:10):
frustration, sadness, and concerns that life gave me that day for just a small amount of time.
I get to put it away. Gaming has come a long way since its early days, from simple, 8-Bit games to
immersive and expensive virtual worlds of today. Gaming has evolved into a vibrant and dynamic
medium that offers unparalleled entertainment, socialization, and creative expression. Being
(37:35):
a gamer today means having access to a vast library of games that cater to all interests,
preferences, and skill levels. Whether you enjoy an intense first person shooter or enjoy a deep
complex strategy games or relaxing and casual puzzles, there is a game out there for you.
(37:56):
And now with mobile gaming, gaming has become even more accessible than ever before, allowing
anyone with a smartphone or tablet to enjoy their favorite games on the go. But gaming is not just
about entertainment, it has also become a powerful tool of socialization, bringing people together
from all over the world to collaborate, compete, and connect. Gaming communities have sprung up
(38:19):
around popular games, creating a sense of belonging and camaraderie that is unique to the gaming world.
Through gaming, we can meet new friends, share experiences, and learn from each other.
Being a gamer today is truly great. Let us embrace our love for gaming and continue to push the
boundaries of what is possible in this amazing medium.
(39:08):
Having a kid is like inserting a quarter of a
(39:38):
quarter in one of those machines that spits out a ball for a mystery prize. You can't guarantee
what kind of kid you're gonna have. If people could knowingly choose what type of kid they were
gonna have by their parenting style alone, I'm pretty sure a lot more people would be having
children these days. That's probably gonna be a possibility in the near future with all that AI
that's going on. Choose your own kid. Think about it. If you could choose what kind of child you were
(39:59):
gonna have, you know, you would be like, oh, I want this slave child or the child that figures out
how to reverse aging or the child that's like a touring musician that you can just be the roadie for.
Well, that's currently not possible. I can tell you that I am one of three kids and all of our
personalities are drastically different despite being raised by the same ass. I have an older
(40:21):
brother who was this former heartthrob and also a huge bully and now he's just like a sitcom dad
and he farts and just watches wrestling and he wears a CPAP machine while he's sleeping.
And then I've got a quiet brother. He keeps to himself most days. Sometimes he talks with his
wife, but he's kind of a recluse. And then there's me, an overly sensitive but somehow outgoing lady
(40:43):
who is battling a very pessimistic outlook on this world. I hear arguments a lot about whether
having children or not is selfish. If you have children, you're subjecting them to the stained
world with a constant growing gap between the rich and the poor and whatever the hell climate changes.
Weren't we supposed to be flooded already? Also, if you don't have children, you are selfish
(41:05):
because you dedicate all of your time to yourself and maybe a little bit to that dog that doesn't
challenge you on getting your next tattoo of Wednesday Adams, downing a bottle of blue pills.
The question of whether I'm selfish or not, you know, I didn't actually think about the
reasons why I was going to, but I do have a kid. What's done is done. I didn't put too much thought
into why do I want children because it was not really a question. I always knew I wanted to
(41:29):
have a baby and it took me till I was 30 to finally make that happen. I figured that, hey,
if my crazy, bully of a brother could do it, I definitely could and I kind of have the financial
means. I'm not exactly in the poverty lines, but I'm not rich either. I got pretty lucky with my
firstborn. She's wittier than me. She's more clever and she's got more common sense than my husband.
(41:51):
So this led me to think I might as well have another and pray that they'll be best friends
with my daughter. On a side note, you ever notice that the bigwigs who are so against climate change
have kids? Bill Clinton, the dude who wrote the inconvenient truth, Al Gore, Bill Gates, freaking
Mark Ruffalo. I'm sure all those people that were in charge of the Georgia Guidestones did. It's only
(42:11):
the poor kids, aka the newly graduated college kids that have student loans that really complain about
not having kids for the sake of climate change. Now, nobody should be forced to have a baby,
but it's pretty stupid to pretend that everyone has the same climate impact. I mean, yeah, we all
have private jets taking single person flights across the world. So this whole discussion about
(42:32):
whether having kids or not is a good or a bad thing came to mind recently when I was visiting an
all-in-one old people center, you know, hospice, rehab, retirement village, medical marijuana
dispensary, 24-hour hobby lobby, and the place where they happen to be shooting the reboot for
the Golden Girls. I was visiting a friend named Melba, who was recovering after a neck surgery.
(42:52):
She is one of the lucky ones who has friends and family actively visiting her. She's a really nice
lady, but she is very interesting. She's almost 70 with a purple mohawk, clubbed feet, and has been
wheelchair-bound since birth. Even with those limitations, she had two kids, she's been to
Woodstock, and she rarely spends a day at home. Unlike Melba, the other elderly people staying
(43:15):
in the neighboring rooms are not in as good of spirits. When I visit Melba, there's Barbara,
always coming out of her room to stop me right in my path. She starts babbling some stuff to
try to trap me, but she's not in the right mind. I feel pretty bad for her. Barbara talks about
needing to go upstairs for a checkup despite there being no upstairs in the building. She points at
random people being wheeled around by the staff within the facility, and she says, oh, that's my
(43:39):
brother or my sister. According to Melba, nobody is visiting Barbara. Does she not have any family
any longer, or is she just too much for them to put up with? In previous episodes, I disclosed that
I have a fear of my own mental health decline, and getting dementia before I die is what occupies my
nightmares. Will my children please let me be a burden in their lives later? If needed, it's not
(44:01):
the goal when I have these kids to just expect them to take care of me, but it would be nice to not be
like left in a facility where I'm kind of getting neglected. And how do people without children imagine
their end of life being? It's still not exactly kosher to do some kind of assisted suicide, you
know, where you just get like, overdosed with cocaine when you know that your final days are
coming. So at the facility, there's this other dude named Buddy. He's there until his blood pressure
(44:26):
can be managed, but it doesn't seem so hopeful. It's been a few months, and still, whenever Buddy
stands up, his blood pressure drops to like 70, which is practically dead. Buddy likes to go outside
and smoke. I mean, check the weather. Buddy refers to himself as a dink because he was previously
married and he had dual income with his wife and no kids. Dink. I briefly talked about my birth
(44:48):
plans with Melba and Buddy, and despite him being in his 70s, he started to putting his fingers in
his ears because this conversation was too disturbing and way too adult for him to acknowledge.
Afterwards, he proceeded to say, have a gummy dummy before popping an edible in his mouth,
just to kind of relieve him of the stress of thinking about having children. These elderly
people are seriously all knocked up on weed. It's not illegal in the state, and the staff
(45:12):
doesn't really seem to mind as long as somebody else is bringing it in. Back to my original thought,
should you have kids? Should anyone have kids? The answer is pretty simple. Only if you want them.
It'd be silly to say that they make life any easier. They 180 year life. And how could they not?
You now have to be responsible for someone other than yourself. There's no guarantee that they're
going to take care of you when you're older, that they'll make choices that you agree with,
(45:36):
that they'll even outlive you. It's a luck of the draw. It's now much less taboo to not have kids
than it was a few generations ago, and people are going to judge you either way. And if you have kids,
you're probably going to hear everyone judge how you're parenting. I can't seem to escape a day
without some kind of advice on like, how I should be doing things differently. Sometimes the advice
makes sense, but other advice it's like, okay, we'll have your own dammit, or you already had your
(45:58):
own dammit. It's now much less taboo to not have kids than it was a few generations ago. People
will judge you either way. I'm just hoping to get past these toddler years so I can go
smoke a bowl with the people that are still hanging out in that facility. It's the month of
St. Patrick's Day, and I've been going on nearly four years of being sober. So I'm going to go drink
a non-alcoholic beer and hope that I get that placebo effect. Cheers!
(47:18):
Hello, it's Sammy at the Boom Box. Have you ever thought about cosplaying something? Well,
you're in luck. I've been cosplaying for years, and I know one very important aspect that reels
people in. Whether to encourage people to take pictures with you, make reporters impress obsess
over you, and to impress celebrities of all kinds, the one detail that doubles popularity in an
(47:43):
instant is cosplay audio. Wait, what? Cosplay audio? I thought it was just a costume that makes
account. Well, the costume is a big part of it. Lots of hard work is put into the cosplay,
but audio enhances it. Of course, if it wasn't the best cosplay, the audio won't do much. But the
more impressive the individual cosplay, the more the audio will do for you. Let's say you're cosplaying
(48:06):
an animatronic from Five Nights at Freddy's. Specifically, Roxanne Wolfe for the sake of
this example, especially because I may or may not be making a Roxanne cosplay suit and amusing
the stand-alize her audio. So, a build that massive already would grab the attention of people.
However, what if they're simply not looking? If they don't see you, then it's like you don't exist.
(48:28):
A way to grab their attention is to play a sound that's from the fandom you're cosplaying from.
In this case, an iconic line the character Roxanne says, a FNAF fan would instantly recognize that
line, look for the source, and spot the cosplay. Not only that, but it'll attract attention from
the press. However, you can't really talk to them in character after the Pantomime. If you happen to
(48:49):
be good at impersonating the character's voice and put a microphone in your suit, however, instead of,
hey, Roxanne!
You'll be able to hold a conversation. It's not just cool. It helps with engagement and makes
your cosplay even more interesting than before. But what if you can't do a good impression of your
character? Well, find some lines online that the character says and make a small playlist of their
(49:13):
individual lines. Then, if you have a friend with you, they can select what you say while still keeping
the audience engaged. If you find someone who is heavily involved with the game, you can hold a
conversation with them in character, and we know reporters love that. Want to hear more about audio
and cosplay? Well, this is part one of my cosplay segment. Come back in a little while for more
(49:34):
tips on cosplay and audio. This was Sammy at The Boombox, and until next time!
(50:05):
Well, folks, this is Allie's Hopper. This is to be the new and updated across the
circus, where I sit here and get to be a little bit more personal with you, have a little bit more
(50:28):
inflection in my voice, and really tell you what I think about issues going on in the world and
just kind of try to explain to you in a little bit more long form content about what I think,
what's going on, what can we do about it, and ultimately wrap it up with a nice little message.
This is Across the Circus, and let's get into it. Now, what I want to talk to you about today is
(50:49):
something you've probably already heard about. Plenty. Is East Palestine not in the Middle East,
but in Ohio, United States. There has been a flurry of news coming out of East Palestine
after train derailments and explosions involving toxic waste spreading through the air, the ground,
and the groundwater. It's all been horrible over there as of late, with people's tap water lining
(51:15):
on fire, people's tap water changing colors, people claiming sickness, headaches, dizziness,
shortness of breath, and all other sources symptoms of toxic exposure. One woman's chickens,
who she kept in the backyard for eggs, was found dead after being exposed to all the toxic chemicals
in the air with no signs of breaking entry or any form of blunt force trauma to the chickens.
(51:39):
Norfolk Southern, the train company responsible for the spillage and explosion, has been offering
free tests to residents in the area, but they have been handing out hold harmless agreements
in exchange for these tests. If you don't know what a hold harmless is, it is basically saying that
you hold, as in legally liable, harmless, as in free from blame on anything in this situation.
(52:06):
So they're basically saying we will test your home to figure out if you have been poisoned,
but only if you agree not to blame us if you were. When Norfolk Southern was caught on this,
they claimed it was accidental, while many people received these hold harmlessness. So there's some
fishy stuff going on there. And during all of this, where is the president in Ukraine,
(52:28):
giving billions of dollars to a border dispute between two countries that are not ours? Well,
hundreds of thousands of people are still being affected by this accident across the United States,
where this cloud and also continued groundwater movement is spreading these toxic chemicals.
Pete Buttigieg, who is the secretary of transportation, refused to show up to East
(52:53):
Palestine until it came out that former president Donald Trump was making a trip there. Since his
arrival there, he has had many less than favorable interactions with reporters, including harassing
one of the female reporters with looter marks in actions. And the gaslighting and cover up has been
something like you would have seen in Trippiott with the Chernobyl explosion, telling people
(53:16):
they're not sick whenever people have reactions that it's not because of that and that everyone's
safe and you don't have to move and that the government's not coming to help. With groups
even like SNL Saturday Night Live making fun of those involved with the East Palestine,
claiming that the bad things are happening to this spillage and that no one is helping. And there
(53:37):
is still no signs of charges against Norfolk Southern, who is responsible for this spillage.
Something that we have seen many times before, if you remember Deepwater Horizon, where the
environment and people and animals are all affected and no one is held liable and those who
speak out against it are ridiculed, gaslit and told that they're wrong. And if you haven't been
(53:59):
paying attention for the past three or four years, you must be used to that by now. With thousands
of more residents reporting themselves as sick and showing symptoms every day, we can only hope that
someone, somewhere will be competent enough to deal with this. And in the meantime, I encourage
you to find local charities to reach out to these people who have been affected, help them,
(54:21):
their families with relocation, with medical treatment, and I guarantee the huge amounts
of cancer that's going to be coming forward in the next few years. Let's get into the news.
(54:49):
Our first story today comes out of Iran, where an investigation has begun into the poisoning of
hundreds of schoolgirls with toxic gas. While none have died, over 700 girls have been suffering from
respiratory symptoms due to a gas that has overtaken a school in Iran. It is being theorized that this
is the Islamic sect in the area trying to enforce the no women receiving education rules, but nothing
(55:15):
has been confirmed yet. Many of the girls have reported things smelling off like rotten oranges
or fish whenever they were not meant to smell like that. This has been theorized to be the poisoning
being delivered, and many of the women are too afraid to continue school. Out of Hong Kong,
supermodel Abby Choi was found chopped to pieces inside of a soup pot. A family of four has been
(55:37):
charged. Our last story from abroad today comes out of Russia, where Putin says he will take into
account NATO's nuclear capabilities. This comes after as many threats of war saying that NATO has
made a promise to take a strategic defeat to Russia and inflict pain and suffering on their people,
saying that he will take NATO's capability into account while trying to insecure the security
(56:03):
and strategic stability of the country. That's not going to be fun, folks. Now for something much
closer to home. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally signs into law the new rules that
Disney must play by. After years of having special rules and roundabouts and self-management, Disney
must now answer to the state board that is now controlling the Walt Disney World District,
(56:25):
where the company used to get by by not having to meet building codes for Florida, as well as not
meeting fire codes for Florida. They will now have to meet both, as well as any other codes they have
been avoiding up to this point. Our next story is, you've probably seen, as the Chinese spy balloon
that was flying over the US after making its way all across the US and even flying over multiple
(56:48):
nuclear power facilities, including nuclear one in Arkansas, it went out over the coast in North
Carolina where it was probably shot down by F-16s, which is I believe the first engagement F-16s have
had in a very long time, if ever. For our last story here at home today, I encourage you to listen
to the other show that I will be doing on this podcast today. It may have come before or it may
(57:11):
come after, where I'm going to cover the Ohio situation, but a small snippet from that is the
harassment and arrest of a reporter that was involved during the press conference given by
the governor of the state. The reporter was harassed and beaten and pushed by the Ohio National
Guard General before being placed in handcuffs and let out. Many have called this a violation of
(57:36):
the First Amendment and his charges have since been dropped, but many still question as to what
is going to be done to the general and the involved arresting officers and sheriffs. And that was
the news. Overall, thank you very much. Stay safe, stay informed, and don't forget to turn off the
gas stove before you go to bed. This is Alex Hopper, Signing off. Thank you for listening to
(58:12):
this episode. I hope that you enjoyed it. We always appreciate your feedback and would love to hear
your thoughts on this episode. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel
free to leave them in the comments section or even on social media. We love hearing from our
listeners and we're always looking for new topics to explore. And if you enjoyed this episode,
(58:34):
we also invite you to submit a rating on whatever you're listening to this on. Share it with your
friends and family too. We love to reach even more people with our content. Thanks for tuning in
and we'll be back next month with another episode. If I haven't offended you yet, it is because you
weren't raised to be a little bitch. Listeners, remember that you matter, that you are loved,
(58:56):
that you are unique, that you are the only you in the world and I'm so very grateful that you chose
to hang out with us. We love you, we appreciate you. Goodbye and always remember to smile.
These millstones no longer mark our national morning. These milestones I should say. No longer mark our national morning.
(00:09):
Well I turned on the TV. Just the other day. To hear what this man said. Had to say it today.
But his words were all jumbled. Up in the hay. I couldn't make out a thing he had to say.
(00:42):
Oh Joe, what you trying to say? It's like a puzzle every time you speak. Oh Joe, I don't mean to be mean. But we need a translator when you speak.
I have trouble even mentioning, even saying to myself my own head the number of years. I no more think of myself as being as old as I am than fly. I mean it's just not, I haven't observed anything in terms of, there's not things I don't do now that I did before, whether it's physical or mental right now.
(01:23):
He talks about the climate and the economy. But I'm not sure if he's talking to me. He'll go on and on with the speeches. Leaving us wanting more.
We love you Joe, don't get us wrong. But we need subtitles like in Hong Kong. If we can't understand, we just smile and nod and clap our hands.
(01:55):
Oh Joe, what you trying to say? If I could buzz you every time you speak. Oh Joe, I don't mean to be mean. But we need a translator when you speak.
I'll lead an effective strategy to mobilize, true international [something] pressure.
(02:45):
So just be prepared. Don't assume, keep it straight. We might keep it fair. With the news page, we gonna keep it real. If you tune in, then you sit for real.
We took the ramp here. Every image in the video talk about it. Different views on the subject we might talk about it. At the end of the day, we just talking homie. Only me in the room but it's like a party. Introducing Steven Daniel, author, artist, all around great guy.
(03:14):
Hello Out of Placers. I hope that the past month has been good to you. And that you didn't have to struggle with anything. And if you had to, I pray that God gives you the wisdom and the strength to get through it.
So check out this recent headlines that I saw. I read that Donald Trump wants flying cars and that Elon Musk thinks that it's a dumb idea. I don't know about you but the idea of flying cars does sound pretty cool to me.
(03:40):
It's like something out of a sci-fi movie. Back to the future and Fifth Element started looping in my mind. I love the idea of flying cars. Sometimes when I sit in traffic, I just wish that we could just fly over all of these people.
But then again, we have to consider the fact that some people can barely handle driving on the ground. You know the type, the ones who drive around with their gas tanks on empty?
(04:05):
Thinking their car can magically go another 40 miles. Sorry, but that's not how it works. If you drive on an empty tank, you're just using all that filthy leftover crap in the tank.
And now imagine those same people flying around in the car. Yeah, I could just see it. I know my car. It can fly for like another hour.
(04:28):
Here's another story I read that kind of got me annoyed, but that annoyance went away because I just don't care anymore. But there is a new development that has a lot of people pissed off.
Vaccine passports. Some countries are requiring proof of vaccination to enter, which has led to debates about privacy and discrimination.
I guess it's a good thing that I don't like to go to other countries. One, I just don't see the point going somewhere where it's just not as pretty as it looks on TV or when it's being marketed on print.
(04:57):
And the same can be said with places in here in America. We have a ton of places too.
And the second reason people around the world hate Americans. Where we go? So the hell with that. I'll stick with the cabins near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, beaches in Destin, Florida.
These are my favorite places. And of course the theme parks in Orlando.
But people with those big ass bucket list are really frustrated with these vaccine passports. There are even people, which I don't think this is important enough, but they are worried about how their vaccinating passport photo will look as bad.
(05:26):
Will look as bad as their driver's license.
Those are the mindless robots that I'm always talking about. The type of people that lose their minds when a CEO with 4,000 employees and $100 million profit makes $5 million.
But they have no problem with Ellen DeGeneres making $50 million for her show. Do as I say, not as I do.
People are freaking out about all this and I'm over here excited to play Cities Skylines 2 after seeing the trailer recently.
(05:52):
Another one from Paradox that was showcased was a teaser for a game called Life by You.
If you are a Sims fan like myself, you're going to want to pay attention.
Paradox has revealed that they've been working on what seems like to be a game similar to The Sims.
Since Cities Skylines was released, it has been kicking EA's ass showing them how Sims City should have been developed.
(06:15):
But check this out.
The former Sims Studio head has been working on Life by You. I think that this person, I'm not sure, but I think he gave us Sims 2 and Sims 3.
Let's be honest.
Sims 4 sucks.
There's no open world. There are fewer traits. There are a ton of missing stuff that came with the previous Sims.
And then you got Sims 4 that are bringing those missing features slowly through DLC.
(06:40):
So what was included in the past Sims, now you have to pay for it.
I tell people to play Sims 3 instead. The base game with every single DLC comes out way cheaper.
And it's a better gaming experience.
So if you're like me and have been frustrated with Sims 4, check out the full trailer of Life by You that will be available to watch on March 20th, 2023.
(07:01):
Anyways, let's get this episode started.
For the touchy topic, I will be talking about gaming. From toxic gamers to how gaming has an impact on relationships to misconceptions that people may have about gamers.
Britt talks about whether or not you should have children.
Sammy on the Book Box talks about cosplay, audio.
Alex talks about the Ohio chaos and then gives you some international and US news.
(07:25):
So grab your favorite drink or continue to wash your road and enjoy the episode.
Time to get touchy, get ready to be triggered, sensitive topics.
Oh look, they're about to cry, all can sense a wussy will see, nobody likes the snowflake.
What is Steve's problem today?
Today I want to talk to you about something that is close to the hearts of many of us in this chaotic world.
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Gaming.
Whether it's on our phones, consoles or computers, gaming has become an integral part of our lives.
However, as with any community, there are always misconceptions and issues that arise from toxic gamers to the impact of gaming on our relationships.
There are a lot to unpack.
But for today, we will delve into these topics and come out with a better understanding of what it truly means to be a gamer.
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So let's explore the world of gaming together.
What made me want to talk about gaming?
First, as many of you already know, I am a gamer myself.
My first system was the NES.
Me and my brother Mikey had almost every gaming system except the Game Boy Advance, Dreamcast, Wii U and PS3.
I love gaming.
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I love the immersive worlds and stories.
Many games offer rich, immersive worlds and compelling narratives that allow me to become fully invested in the game's characters and storylines.
This helped me escape from reality by putting me in a different world.
Right now, I'm playing God of War Ragnarok and it's so good.
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Gaming to me is such a stress relief.
I've told you before that if I wasn't editing for the podcast and trying to meet deadlines, I'm gaming.
When everyone goes to sleep, and that's usually around 10:15, that's when I pray with the boys before putting them to bed.
And then I say goodnight to everyone.
I go to the office.
Turn on either the Xbox Series X, the PS4 Pro or the Nintendo Switch Lite.
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And I play whatever is next on my list because I have Xbox Game Pass and Gamefly.
Then around 11:40 pm, I pray.
Then I meditate and then I go to sleep.
This is how I unwind and disconnect from the stress and demands of life.
Many times, these gaming companies give us something good, whether it's giving me an incredible story to immerse ourselves in or offering opportunities for me to express myself creatively.
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I'm talking about a game that lets me build like in Minecraft or No Man's Sky, Ark, Medieval Dynasty, Planet Coaster, Raft or City Skylines.
Or how about when the gaming studio gives us an incredible custom character creation feature like in Cyberpunk 2077, Saints Row The Third, Fallout 4, The Sims games, Skyrim, Elden Ring or even World of Warcraft.
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I also love those management games too.
I don't have a PC because I can't afford it.
And if you want to, you know, send me a badass PC.
I'm not going to refuse it, you know, just saying.
But my favorite management games were Roller Coaster Tycoons, City Skylines, Two Point Hospital, Prison Architect, Surviving Mars, Frostpunk, The Tropical Games, Stardew Valley, that I play on the iPad.
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And there are many more games that I would love to play, but I just don't have a PC, you know, because I would love to play the Anno games.
The Planet Coaster, Mega Aquarium, Banished.
I can't list them all.
There's too many.
But one day I will have a PC and I'll be able to expand my world of gaming.
Anyways, the point is that I love gaming.
For many other gamers that play online together, I don't play online.
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Really, I play mostly single player games and sometimes online.
But for the other gamers that play online together, gaming offers them a social connection.
They could connect with others and build social relationships.
Multiplayer games allow them to team up and work together and compete against each other, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie.
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Multiplayer games challenges them.
It requires skill and strategy to master.
That's why Esports was created.
And for those of you boomers and Gen Xers that don't know what Esport is, Esport is competitive video gaming that is played in an official or structured setting, kind of like a basketball game.
The industry has created a path that avid gamers can follow if they want to become professional gamers.
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It's amazing.
Before you start thinking, oh, that won't make money, it already has.
It's made a ton of money.
According to Goldman Sachs, Esports exceeded $1 billion in revenue in 2019 and reached $3 billion by the end of 2022.
So all of you parents that said gaming won't make any money, you can now shut the f**k up.
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These events give prize money that can range from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars depending on the tournament and the game.
Esports is not even the only way a gamer can make money.
No, gamers can make money through a variety of ways, depending on their skills and expertise and popularity.
You got streaming where many gamers earn money by streaming their gameplay on platforms like Twitch or YouTube.
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They earn money through subscriptions, donations, sponsorships, and advertisements.
Popular streamers can earn thousands of dollars per month, especially if they're entertaining like our host, King Ducky.
And actually, Gami and Two Tone, they're streamers as well.
Then you got gamers that don't stream by two favorites, Cartoonz and H2ODelirious, they have a large following.
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Some type of gamers earn money by creating content related to gaming just by being funny and entertaining.
Those gamers usually get sponsorships.
Look at Markiplier or even PewDiePie.
Gamers with a large following can get sponsored by gaming companies and brands.
Sponsorships can include product endorsements, sponsored content, and appearances at events.
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Sponsorship deals can be very lucrative and some gamers earn millions of dollars per year.
Then there's gamers that don't stream or play games for you.
They earn money by creating content related to gaming like game reviews, walkthroughs, tutorials, or even gaming news.
I follow many people on YouTube that do these things.
It keeps me informed about things because I don't read the news all the time.
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So when a new game pops up or a new announcement or something that's going on behind the scenes, I like to be in the know.
So I follow these type of gamers.
They earn money through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
And of course there's game development.
Some gamers become game developers themselves.
They earn money by creating and selling their own games.
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So if you see your adult child playing games and trying to make money, shut the f**k up.
It's always the people born before 1984 that has something to say about gaming.
You know what? I take that back.
There's even plenty of millennials that roll their eyes at the mention of gaming too and most of them are women.
These people don't understand gaming.
And I've watched them bitch and complain about it on YouTube and TikTok on news segments.
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And that's what really caused me to talk about this, this month.
It's important to note that not all baby boomers and Gen Xers dislike video games and many do enjoy playing them.
However, there may be several reasons why some individuals from these generations have negative perceptions of video games.
There's the lack of familiarity.
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Many boomers and Gen Xers did not grow up with video games as a common form of entertainment.
They may not be familiar with how to play them or may view them as the waste of time.
The cultural values and interests of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers may differ from the younger generations who grew up with video games like myself.
For example, they may place a greater emphasis on traditional forms of entertainment such as reading, watching TV, watching sports, going to the arcade, stuff like that.
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Then there's the negative stereotypes.
Video games have often been associated with negative stereotypes such as promoting violence or being addictive.
Some baby boomers and gen Xers may have been influenced by these stereotypes and started forming negative, ignorant opinions about it.
And this is important. Video games does not promote violence.
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I mean, if you look really hard in the dark web, I'm sure you'll find a game that will do just that.
And as for being addictive, studios in other countries are getting in trouble for promoting gambling because of all the loot boxes and the pay to win microtransactions.
As video games have become more mainstream and popular, attitudes towards gaming will continue to shift.
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Many people from older generations now recognize the benefits of video games such as improving cognitive functions.
There are several misconceptions that people may have about gamers and I'm here to defend those groups of people like myself that are often misunderstood and unfairly maligned in our society.
Here's the first one. All gamers are socially awkward.
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This is a common stereotype that suggests that gamers are isolate and lack social skills.
In reality, there are a ton of gamers that have active social lives and go to work and do well.
Here's another one.
Gaming is a waste of time. Like I said with the boomers, there are people that believe that gaming is a pointless hobby that offers no real benefits.
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However, gaming can offer several benefits such as improving cognitive skills like I said before, fostering social connections, reducing stress, developing skills such as strategic thinking,
improve reflexes and hand-eye coordination.
They could develop problem solving skills and they could learn how to work in a team.
These valuable skills can be transferred to real life situations.
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Here's another one.
Gamers are all young males.
While it's true that gaming has traditionally been associated with young men, the gaming industry has changed and has become way more diverse in the recent years.
People of all ages and genders play video games today.
People like to think that gamers are violent because they are playing violent video games even though research has shown that there is no direct causal link between playing violent video games and engaging in violent behavior.
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Another thing that non-gamers like to say is that gamers are lazy and unproductive, that it distracts people from more important tasks.
This is true in many cases and does have major impacts on relationships and I will get to that more shortly.
But like any hobby, gaming can be enjoyed in moderation without interfering with other responsibilities.
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Most gamers do this.
Gamers are a diverse group of people who come from all walks of life, who share a passion for gaming and a love for the community that comes with it.
Like I said before, there are people that ruin things and I'm talking about toxic gamers.
To the non-gamers who are listening to this episode, a toxic gamer is someone who exhibits negative and often hostile behavior towards other players while playing video games.
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This behavior can take many forms.
It includes insults, harassment, and even threats of violence.
Toxic gamers often use excessive profanity, make derogatory comments, and troll people just for fun.
They get a kick out of disrupting the gameplay experience of others.
These grish cheat, use exploits, and engage in other messed up things like that to gain an advantage over other players.
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These pathetic pieces of sh** like to target players based on their gender, race, and sexual orientation.
I hate them.
They are the reason why I avoid playing certain multiplayer games.
It's supposed to be fun and not stressful.
They only create toxic and hostile gaming environments and I'm not going to let them mess with my mental illness.
No, no, no.
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I rather play alone.
But keep in mind listeners that not all gamers are toxic.
It's just part of the gaming culture.
But it doesn't have to be.
Gamers can and should continue to create a positive and inclusive gaming community and try their best to speak out against these f***k bags.
So how do you deal with these toxic gamers?
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These f*****g idiots.
1. Don't engage in their toxicity.
It will be hard.
You will be tempted to say something back, but those toxic gamers often thrive on attention and the reactions of other gamers fuels them.
The best way to deal with them is to simply ignore them and put them on mute.
If you have to play online like I do, sometimes I have to play online.
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I just simply put them on mute.
2. You gotta be a tattletale.
I'm a big believer on not snitching.
But sometimes you just have to.
Many online gaming platforms have systems in place for reporting toxic behavior.
So if you encounter a toxic gamer, report them.
Trust me, there's nothing wrong with reporting if it's legit.
Don't go around reporting on people because you're a sore loser.
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Just report when these a***les fools are treating people badly.
3. Gotta set boundaries.
If you're playing with someone who is consistently toxic.
I'm not talking about strangers here.
This could be a family member or friend.
You have to let them know that their f*****g behavior is not acceptable.
And that you are not going to put up with it.
If they don't let up, you just have to avoid playing with them all together.
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Surround yourself with players who share the same value as you.
And the last thing to do is to stay calm and composed.
They're going to say the most racist, the most horrible b*****.
Especially if they're a sore loser.
Responding with aggression or anger can escalate things.
And make the whole event worse.
When I deal with these f**** and muting is not really working and they're just being hostile.
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I exit out and I come back and I don't give a sh**.
If I'm with a team or a group, we're just kicking ass.
I don't give a f***k.
I will back out and go back in.
And if you can, find a profile and just block them.
These systems are made so that you never see them again.
Or they can't contact you.
Don't let toxic gamers ruin your enjoyment of the game.
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Focus on playing the game that you want to play and do it in a positive and respectful manner.
Now let's talk about how gaming has an impact on relationships today.
It can be both positive and negative.
Time management.
I've said this in the past.
There are so many people with poor time management.
If a gamer spends too much time playing games, they may neglect their responsibilities and relationships.
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They end up having poor performances at school or work.
There's a decline in their personal hygiene and grooming.
They are more irritable as they are filled with anxiety and anger all the time.
Communication, which is super important in any relationship, can be affected by gaming.
If a gamer spends a lot of time playing video games, they may not communicate as often as their partner would.
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This will cause people to argue non-stop about this sh**.
These addicted gamers like to play late into the night.
They sacrifice sleep and sex just to game.
And they refuse to admit that there's a problem.
They get really defensive by lashing out at you for not understanding whenever the issue is brought up.
And I'm not saying that you need to go stop gaming when you're in a relationship.
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No, you have to learn not to spend half the day just gaming.
You have to be mentally available for your relationship and for your family and for your community and for your work.
I get being addicted to gaming.
There are times when I should be going to bed and I just want to get that one more level done and it end up being way longer than I expected.
I'm pretty good at it. That doesn't happen all the time.
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Because when it's time to wrap it up, I wrap it up and I look forward to continuing the story the next day.
To me, there's no rush to finish a game.
Yes, you're going to see all these new trailers and these new things and maybe people that you're within your group.
Hey, have you played it? Have you played that? They're ahead of you.
That's what it feels like. No, you take your time or you do your best to split and say,
Hey, my friends want to play a certain game. They're playing this right now. Boom.
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I'm playing with them.
And then on the side, just do what I do when you're playing on your own. You take your time.
I'm always behind and I love that I'm behind because, you know, from my experience in the gaming today,
I get to play the game. When I get to it, there's a whole bunch of updates that already happened since release.
They fix certain issues. They added a couple of things and it makes my gaming experience better.
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Yeah, I'm behind, but I'm having a good time.
Anyways, if you're addicted to gaming, if you feel like you lost control, if you feel like gaming has taken priority over other areas of life,
and if you feel like gaming has made you feel like sh** best thing to do is to pray about it and go to therapy.
If you don't pray, then still go to therapy or counseling.
They will be able to help you slowly get back on track by focusing on your offline life,
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by providing additional support and guidance on how to make positive changes.
If you don't want to go to counseling, then do these steps that might help you.
First, set limits. Do what I do. Schedule specific times for gaming and limit the duration of playing the game.
Also, learn to take breaks and stretch and move around. This will help you also to practice mindfulness.
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That means learning to be aware of your gaming habits so you can better manage the impulses.
Two, find other things to do. I do more things than just gaming.
You can be into sports. You can make a podcast. You can write a book. You can draw. Make some music. Anything you f***ing want.
This can provide a good balance to gaming.
Three, set goals for yourself. And I'm not talking about getting 100% achievement or trophies or anything like that.
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I'm talking about improving the grades at school, making work your b***h, and start taking names so that you can start banking.
I'm talking about starting that side hustle that you've been wanting to do.
This will help provide much needed motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
The last thing is to improve your physical health by eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep.
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I understand that gaming addiction is a complex issue and it may take some time and effort to make that change last.
You just have to remember to be extremely patient and also persistent.
Consistency is key.
So how about the advice for a couple that one is a gamer and the other is not?
It is definitely possible for a relationship to thrive even though one is the only gamer.
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So here are some tips on how to compromise and maintain a healthy relationship without being at each other's throats and always fighting about gaming.
Some things I'm going to say will feel like a repeat, but just listen.
First thing you have to do, like I already said, is communication, communication, communication.
You have to be open and honest about each other's feelings and concerns.
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If the non-gaming person feels neglected or frustrated, it is very important to talk about it.
It will help you both find solutions that work for the both of you.
Two, like I said, follow a routine or schedule, say specific times for gaming, but also schedule specific times to spend together.
It is very important to figure out something that you both agree on.
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Three, respect.
The gaming partner should be mindful of the noise level and be considerate of their partner's schedule.
And the non-gamer partner needs to be not a nagger to the gamer and also be considerate.
And the next thing that you both need to do is to find common ground when it's time to spend time together.
Find something that you both would enjoy.
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You could be going to a theme park, going to a movie, or going out to eat at the favorite restaurant.
It doesn't matter what the hell you both are going to do as long as it's something you both love.
Finding a shared interest can strengthen the bond between the two of you.
The next thing, and this is important, you need to do your own shit and respect the other's hobbies and interests.
It doesn't matter if you're not interested or don't understand what the hell they are doing, you just have to support, support, support.
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The non-gaming partner should try to be supportive of their partner's love of gaming.
And the gaming partner should be willing to take a break from gaming to spend time with their partner.
And this leads me to the final thing, compromise.
Both of you should be willing to compromise and find middle ground.
This could mean that the gaming partner sets a limit on the amount of time they spend gaming each day.
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Or the non-gaming partner needs to find ways to enjoy some alone time while their partner is gaming.
Every relationship is different.
What works for one couple may not work for the other.
And find a compromise that is great for both of you.
You have to learn how to talk honestly with no repercussions.
That means, hey, I'm gonna say something, and the other person that's gonna be doing the listening has to promise that they're not gonna react horribly.
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They're not gonna punish that person for speaking honestly.
Arguing about gaming is dumb as hell.
I've seen so many women complain about their man playing video games.
He's always playing that stupid game.
Why doesn't he play attention to me?
He's so addicted to that stupid kid.
Um, excuse me, but what happens when he does turn it off?
And y'all be chillin', and then you expect him to watch you be on social media.
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You're on your phone.
Because that's what a lot of y'all women are addicted to, the phone.
Social media, when's the last time you watched something together and you didn't look at the phone once?
Yeah, that's what I thought.
My wife is the same.
She used to ask to hang out and watch something.
She would pick the show, something we would both be binge watching together or something.
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Or maybe just a random movie.
And there goes the phone.
I had to put my foot down.
I could have been doing some other shh.
And the fact that she's on the phone really didn't bother me.
It was something that, you know, would happen.
And she would either ask a question, oh, what happened?
What did they say?
Or I'll be like, oh shh, did you see that?
Oh, what happened?
And that just proved that she wasn't really paying attention.
So I did two things.
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I either joined her by getting my iPad and started drawing and planning, emailing, writing, and shh.
Or I put something that I want to watch.
She had no choice.
I learned that she just wanted that feeling of, well, she wants something playing in the background.
She doesn't want to be alone on the couch.
This is her relaxing moment.
So that was the deal.
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It was like, hey, you want to be in the right?
Okay.
If you just want something random in the background, let me watch what I want to watch.
Or we both put something in the background and I'm chilling.
You're chilling, but I'm here with you.
I get you.
I got you.
And she's cool about it.
We're both cool about it.
I love it.
She's no like these bitches that would just be so mad if their man said, you know what, I want this,
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this and this because they would feel like they lost control.
There's nothing.
There's nothing about control.
I don't know what you're talking about because it's not about me having control or my wife
having control.
It's just compromising and understanding each other.
Those bitches, they just go on and complain, that they just want to have a reason to make
a tik tok so that they can complain about the man gaming, thinking that people will
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side with her.
with her, they just keep attempting to embarrass their guy. It's frustrating.
And I think if you got an issue with your partner playing video games, then you date people who do
not play video games. There's a bunch of people out there that don't play video games. My wife is
one of them. I mean, she'll play every now and then Sims or some type of farming thing or the
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last one she was playing is the house flipper games, but she's one of them. A lot of her friends
that are like that. I have family members that are like that. There's people that they're happy,
not gaming. They're fine with not gaming and they know how to do other. Date those people,
marry those people because I don't understand why do you all have to go after gamers and try to force
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them to stop gaming. Let me tell you a dark secret that no one has the balls to tell you. If we
didn't have video games, a lot of you would be dead because what kept us calm would be gone.
Think about it. We wake up and work is bullshit. School is bullshit. Traffic is bullshit. People
are bullshit. Life is bullshit. And then we get home on our downtime. We turn on that gaming system
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so we could relax and take all that away. But when you take the gaming away, we're murdering people.
I promise you that that's what will happen. And for all of you single people out there who
ignore the gamers thinking that it will turn out badly even though the men and women that you've
been dating are way worse. I think you're losing out. Why? Well, first, you will have so much free
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time. Free to do whatever the hell you want. So many people would love that freedom. If I'm not
working on something and want to chill and game, my wife is baking and decorating cookies for her
cookie business. Second, you don't have to worry about the gamers cheating. And I'm talking about
infidelity, not video game cheating. They don't go out to the bars to get a drink with the friends
and meeting people. They don't put themselves in situations that they shouldn't be in. They're
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more likely at home sitting at the computer or console just nerding out. Third, they are great
with their hands, you know, quick button pressing, flicking joysticks, perfect for the bedroom.
Just saying there's a bunch of other stuff like that, like being good with the children.
You don't have to love games to love a gamer. You just have to accept what he or she enjoyed.
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Loving gamers is about accepting them for who they are. Let's wrap up this segment. I'm 37
years old. Why do I still play video games? Because it makes me feel like a kid again. Because it's
a way for me to escape reality to avoid depression. My mind is constantly going. So when I put those
headsets on, I'm lost and immersed in the world. We were given games for one reason, not to have the
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most kills, not to have the most wins. We were given games to have fun. When people say it's just a
game, there's no benefit. How is this going to help you? I say *****. I don't care. It doesn't mean *****
to me when they say these things. To me, these are people that have no damn idea what a video game
actually means. I remember being a kid playing my first video game and I'm sure many of you gamers
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remember playing your first video games. Maybe it was Pokemon, Super Mario, Pac-Man, Tetris,
Pong, Crash Bandicoot, The Legend of Zelda, Turok, Doom, Super Metroid, Portal, Half-Life,
Grand Theft Auto, Cancelvania, Red Dead Redemption, Halo, The Last of Us, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider,
Street Fighter, Minecraft, Civilization, Bioshock, The Witcher, Resident Evil, Mass Effect, Final
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Fantasy, Fallout, War of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, Silent Hill, The
Sims, Donkey Kong, The Elder Scrolls series, Super Smash Brothers, you get it. I can't lose everything.
Game that I've ever enjoyed, I'll be here forever. But these were the games that made us gamers.
They meant so much to us because it gave us so much. That's why we look forward to the next one.
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There are so many reasons why we love video games. We might love a character, a story, the environment,
or even the soundtrack. Each video game we played meant the world to every single one of us gamers.
For you non-gamers, this is what it feels like to immerse ourselves into gaming. Your mind is
full of noise like this, right? Then you put on your headphones. And then you load up a game.
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Let's say it's Skyrim. The soundtrack that you're listening right now. From the main menu when it
starts. Now you're ready to immerse yourself in an incredible open-world action role-playing game
that allows you to explore a vast and immersive world full of adventure and danger in the northern
region of Tamriel. A world filled with magic, dragons, and mystical creatures.
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That's what it feels like. I love that soundtrack. Video games give us excitement, joy, happiness,
and peace. I want to know what video game meant the most to you and why. Put it in the comments
so that I can read them all. It's important to remember that not all gamers fit the messed up
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gamer stereotypes. People should be judged based on their individual actions and behaviors rather
than assumptions based on their hobbies. The gaming industry has been responsible for creating
countless jobs from gaming developers and designers to streamers and content creators. It is a
billion dollar industry that has been a driving force in the economy and has brought joy to
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millions of people around the world. Of course there are gamers who may engage in toxic behavior,
but that is not unique to just the gaming community. Every group around the world of all kinds. And
when I say every group, I do mean every fucking group in any place and anywhere has fucked up
people who always ruin it for everyone. But the majority of the gamers are respectful and kind
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individuals who love sharing and supporting gamers and gaming in general. You non-gamers have to look
beyond the stereotypes and misconceptions that surround gamers, instead recognize the positive
impact that gaming has had on people and society as a whole. Understand that gamers are not just
wasting their time and money. They are building valuable skills, creating friendships and contributing
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to a thriving industry. I will always defend gamers because I am a gamer. Every time I pick up a
controller, every time I turn on that console to me, it's like a really good friend holding a
perfectly made sub for me saying, I've been waiting for you. Welcome. I get to set aside the pain,
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frustration, sadness, and concerns that life gave me that day for just a small amount of time.
I get to put it away. Gaming has come a long way since its early days, from simple, 8-Bit games to
immersive and expensive virtual worlds of today. Gaming has evolved into a vibrant and dynamic
medium that offers unparalleled entertainment, socialization, and creative expression. Being
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a gamer today means having access to a vast library of games that cater to all interests,
preferences, and skill levels. Whether you enjoy an intense first person shooter or enjoy a deep
complex strategy games or relaxing and casual puzzles, there is a game out there for you.
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And now with mobile gaming, gaming has become even more accessible than ever before, allowing
anyone with a smartphone or tablet to enjoy their favorite games on the go. But gaming is not just
about entertainment, it has also become a powerful tool of socialization, bringing people together
from all over the world to collaborate, compete, and connect. Gaming communities have sprung up
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around popular games, creating a sense of belonging and camaraderie that is unique to the gaming world.
Through gaming, we can meet new friends, share experiences, and learn from each other.
Being a gamer today is truly great. Let us embrace our love for gaming and continue to push the
boundaries of what is possible in this amazing medium.
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Having a kid is like inserting a quarter of a
(39:38):
quarter in one of those machines that spits out a ball for a mystery prize. You can't guarantee
what kind of kid you're gonna have. If people could knowingly choose what type of kid they were
gonna have by their parenting style alone, I'm pretty sure a lot more people would be having
children these days. That's probably gonna be a possibility in the near future with all that AI
that's going on. Choose your own kid. Think about it. If you could choose what kind of child you were
(39:59):
gonna have, you know, you would be like, oh, I want this slave child or the child that figures out
how to reverse aging or the child that's like a touring musician that you can just be the roadie for.
Well, that's currently not possible. I can tell you that I am one of three kids and all of our
personalities are drastically different despite being raised by the same ass. I have an older
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brother who was this former heartthrob and also a huge bully and now he's just like a sitcom dad
and he farts and just watches wrestling and he wears a CPAP machine while he's sleeping.
And then I've got a quiet brother. He keeps to himself most days. Sometimes he talks with his
wife, but he's kind of a recluse. And then there's me, an overly sensitive but somehow outgoing lady
(40:43):
who is battling a very pessimistic outlook on this world. I hear arguments a lot about whether
having children or not is selfish. If you have children, you're subjecting them to the stained
world with a constant growing gap between the rich and the poor and whatever the hell climate changes.
Weren't we supposed to be flooded already? Also, if you don't have children, you are selfish
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because you dedicate all of your time to yourself and maybe a little bit to that dog that doesn't
challenge you on getting your next tattoo of Wednesday Adams, downing a bottle of blue pills.
The question of whether I'm selfish or not, you know, I didn't actually think about the
reasons why I was going to, but I do have a kid. What's done is done. I didn't put too much thought
into why do I want children because it was not really a question. I always knew I wanted to
(41:29):
have a baby and it took me till I was 30 to finally make that happen. I figured that, hey,
if my crazy, bully of a brother could do it, I definitely could and I kind of have the financial
means. I'm not exactly in the poverty lines, but I'm not rich either. I got pretty lucky with my
firstborn. She's wittier than me. She's more clever and she's got more common sense than my husband.
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So this led me to think I might as well have another and pray that they'll be best friends
with my daughter. On a side note, you ever notice that the bigwigs who are so against climate change
have kids? Bill Clinton, the dude who wrote the inconvenient truth, Al Gore, Bill Gates, freaking
Mark Ruffalo. I'm sure all those people that were in charge of the Georgia Guidestones did. It's only
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the poor kids, aka the newly graduated college kids that have student loans that really complain about
not having kids for the sake of climate change. Now, nobody should be forced to have a baby,
but it's pretty stupid to pretend that everyone has the same climate impact. I mean, yeah, we all
have private jets taking single person flights across the world. So this whole discussion about
(42:32):
whether having kids or not is a good or a bad thing came to mind recently when I was visiting an
all-in-one old people center, you know, hospice, rehab, retirement village, medical marijuana
dispensary, 24-hour hobby lobby, and the place where they happen to be shooting the reboot for
the Golden Girls. I was visiting a friend named Melba, who was recovering after a neck surgery.
(42:52):
She is one of the lucky ones who has friends and family actively visiting her. She's a really nice
lady, but she is very interesting. She's almost 70 with a purple mohawk, clubbed feet, and has been
wheelchair-bound since birth. Even with those limitations, she had two kids, she's been to
Woodstock, and she rarely spends a day at home. Unlike Melba, the other elderly people staying
(43:15):
in the neighboring rooms are not in as good of spirits. When I visit Melba, there's Barbara,
always coming out of her room to stop me right in my path. She starts babbling some stuff to
try to trap me, but she's not in the right mind. I feel pretty bad for her. Barbara talks about
needing to go upstairs for a checkup despite there being no upstairs in the building. She points at
random people being wheeled around by the staff within the facility, and she says, oh, that's my
(43:39):
brother or my sister. According to Melba, nobody is visiting Barbara. Does she not have any family
any longer, or is she just too much for them to put up with? In previous episodes, I disclosed that
I have a fear of my own mental health decline, and getting dementia before I die is what occupies my
nightmares. Will my children please let me be a burden in their lives later? If needed, it's not
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the goal when I have these kids to just expect them to take care of me, but it would be nice to not be
like left in a facility where I'm kind of getting neglected. And how do people without children imagine
their end of life being? It's still not exactly kosher to do some kind of assisted suicide, you
know, where you just get like, overdosed with cocaine when you know that your final days are
coming. So at the facility, there's this other dude named Buddy. He's there until his blood pressure
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can be managed, but it doesn't seem so hopeful. It's been a few months, and still, whenever Buddy
stands up, his blood pressure drops to like 70, which is practically dead. Buddy likes to go outside
and smoke. I mean, check the weather. Buddy refers to himself as a dink because he was previously
married and he had dual income with his wife and no kids. Dink. I briefly talked about my birth
(44:48):
plans with Melba and Buddy, and despite him being in his 70s, he started to putting his fingers in
his ears because this conversation was too disturbing and way too adult for him to acknowledge.
Afterwards, he proceeded to say, have a gummy dummy before popping an edible in his mouth,
just to kind of relieve him of the stress of thinking about having children. These elderly
people are seriously all knocked up on weed. It's not illegal in the state, and the staff
(45:12):
doesn't really seem to mind as long as somebody else is bringing it in. Back to my original thought,
should you have kids? Should anyone have kids? The answer is pretty simple. Only if you want them.
It'd be silly to say that they make life any easier. They 180 year life. And how could they not?
You now have to be responsible for someone other than yourself. There's no guarantee that they're
going to take care of you when you're older, that they'll make choices that you agree with,
(45:36):
that they'll even outlive you. It's a luck of the draw. It's now much less taboo to not have kids
than it was a few generations ago, and people are going to judge you either way. And if you have kids,
you're probably going to hear everyone judge how you're parenting. I can't seem to escape a day
without some kind of advice on like, how I should be doing things differently. Sometimes the advice
makes sense, but other advice it's like, okay, we'll have your own dammit, or you already had your
(45:58):
own dammit. It's now much less taboo to not have kids than it was a few generations ago. People
will judge you either way. I'm just hoping to get past these toddler years so I can go
smoke a bowl with the people that are still hanging out in that facility. It's the month of
St. Patrick's Day, and I've been going on nearly four years of being sober. So I'm going to go drink
a non-alcoholic beer and hope that I get that placebo effect. Cheers!
(47:18):
Hello, it's Sammy at the Boom Box. Have you ever thought about cosplaying something? Well,
you're in luck. I've been cosplaying for years, and I know one very important aspect that reels
people in. Whether to encourage people to take pictures with you, make reporters impress obsess
over you, and to impress celebrities of all kinds, the one detail that doubles popularity in an
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instant is cosplay audio. Wait, what? Cosplay audio? I thought it was just a costume that makes
account. Well, the costume is a big part of it. Lots of hard work is put into the cosplay,
but audio enhances it. Of course, if it wasn't the best cosplay, the audio won't do much. But the
more impressive the individual cosplay, the more the audio will do for you. Let's say you're cosplaying
(48:06):
an animatronic from Five Nights at Freddy's. Specifically, Roxanne Wolfe for the sake of
this example, especially because I may or may not be making a Roxanne cosplay suit and amusing
the stand-alize her audio. So, a build that massive already would grab the attention of people.
However, what if they're simply not looking? If they don't see you, then it's like you don't exist.
(48:28):
A way to grab their attention is to play a sound that's from the fandom you're cosplaying from.
In this case, an iconic line the character Roxanne says, a FNAF fan would instantly recognize that
line, look for the source, and spot the cosplay. Not only that, but it'll attract attention from
the press. However, you can't really talk to them in character after the Pantomime. If you happen to
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be good at impersonating the character's voice and put a microphone in your suit, however, instead of,
hey, Roxanne!
You'll be able to hold a conversation. It's not just cool. It helps with engagement and makes
your cosplay even more interesting than before. But what if you can't do a good impression of your
character? Well, find some lines online that the character says and make a small playlist of their
(49:13):
individual lines. Then, if you have a friend with you, they can select what you say while still keeping
the audience engaged. If you find someone who is heavily involved with the game, you can hold a
conversation with them in character, and we know reporters love that. Want to hear more about audio
and cosplay? Well, this is part one of my cosplay segment. Come back in a little while for more
(49:34):
tips on cosplay and audio. This was Sammy at The Boombox, and until next time!
(50:05):
Well, folks, this is Allie's Hopper. This is to be the new and updated across the
circus, where I sit here and get to be a little bit more personal with you, have a little bit more
(50:28):
inflection in my voice, and really tell you what I think about issues going on in the world and
just kind of try to explain to you in a little bit more long form content about what I think,
what's going on, what can we do about it, and ultimately wrap it up with a nice little message.
This is Across the Circus, and let's get into it. Now, what I want to talk to you about today is
(50:49):
something you've probably already heard about. Plenty. Is East Palestine not in the Middle East,
but in Ohio, United States. There has been a flurry of news coming out of East Palestine
after train derailments and explosions involving toxic waste spreading through the air, the ground,
and the groundwater. It's all been horrible over there as of late, with people's tap water lining
(51:15):
on fire, people's tap water changing colors, people claiming sickness, headaches, dizziness,
shortness of breath, and all other sources symptoms of toxic exposure. One woman's chickens,
who she kept in the backyard for eggs, was found dead after being exposed to all the toxic chemicals
in the air with no signs of breaking entry or any form of blunt force trauma to the chickens.
(51:39):
Norfolk Southern, the train company responsible for the spillage and explosion, has been offering
free tests to residents in the area, but they have been handing out hold harmless agreements
in exchange for these tests. If you don't know what a hold harmless is, it is basically saying that
you hold, as in legally liable, harmless, as in free from blame on anything in this situation.
(52:06):
So they're basically saying we will test your home to figure out if you have been poisoned,
but only if you agree not to blame us if you were. When Norfolk Southern was caught on this,
they claimed it was accidental, while many people received these hold harmlessness. So there's some
fishy stuff going on there. And during all of this, where is the president in Ukraine,
(52:28):
giving billions of dollars to a border dispute between two countries that are not ours? Well,
hundreds of thousands of people are still being affected by this accident across the United States,
where this cloud and also continued groundwater movement is spreading these toxic chemicals.
Pete Buttigieg, who is the secretary of transportation, refused to show up to East
(52:53):
Palestine until it came out that former president Donald Trump was making a trip there. Since his
arrival there, he has had many less than favorable interactions with reporters, including harassing
one of the female reporters with looter marks in actions. And the gaslighting and cover up has been
something like you would have seen in Trippiott with the Chernobyl explosion, telling people
(53:16):
they're not sick whenever people have reactions that it's not because of that and that everyone's
safe and you don't have to move and that the government's not coming to help. With groups
even like SNL Saturday Night Live making fun of those involved with the East Palestine,
claiming that the bad things are happening to this spillage and that no one is helping. And there
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is still no signs of charges against Norfolk Southern, who is responsible for this spillage.
Something that we have seen many times before, if you remember Deepwater Horizon, where the
environment and people and animals are all affected and no one is held liable and those who
speak out against it are ridiculed, gaslit and told that they're wrong. And if you haven't been
(53:59):
paying attention for the past three or four years, you must be used to that by now. With thousands
of more residents reporting themselves as sick and showing symptoms every day, we can only hope that
someone, somewhere will be competent enough to deal with this. And in the meantime, I encourage
you to find local charities to reach out to these people who have been affected, help them,
(54:21):
their families with relocation, with medical treatment, and I guarantee the huge amounts
of cancer that's going to be coming forward in the next few years. Let's get into the news.
(54:49):
Our first story today comes out of Iran, where an investigation has begun into the poisoning of
hundreds of schoolgirls with toxic gas. While none have died, over 700 girls have been suffering from
respiratory symptoms due to a gas that has overtaken a school in Iran. It is being theorized that this
is the Islamic sect in the area trying to enforce the no women receiving education rules, but nothing
(55:15):
has been confirmed yet. Many of the girls have reported things smelling off like rotten oranges
or fish whenever they were not meant to smell like that. This has been theorized to be the poisoning
being delivered, and many of the women are too afraid to continue school. Out of Hong Kong,
supermodel Abby Choi was found chopped to pieces inside of a soup pot. A family of four has been
(55:37):
charged. Our last story from abroad today comes out of Russia, where Putin says he will take into
account NATO's nuclear capabilities. This comes after as many threats of war saying that NATO has
made a promise to take a strategic defeat to Russia and inflict pain and suffering on their people,
saying that he will take NATO's capability into account while trying to insecure the security
(56:03):
and strategic stability of the country. That's not going to be fun, folks. Now for something much
closer to home. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally signs into law the new rules that
Disney must play by. After years of having special rules and roundabouts and self-management, Disney
must now answer to the state board that is now controlling the Walt Disney World District,
(56:25):
where the company used to get by by not having to meet building codes for Florida, as well as not
meeting fire codes for Florida. They will now have to meet both, as well as any other codes they have
been avoiding up to this point. Our next story is, you've probably seen, as the Chinese spy balloon
that was flying over the US after making its way all across the US and even flying over multiple
(56:48):
nuclear power facilities, including nuclear one in Arkansas, it went out over the coast in North
Carolina where it was probably shot down by F-16s, which is I believe the first engagement F-16s have
had in a very long time, if ever. For our last story here at home today, I encourage you to listen
to the other show that I will be doing on this podcast today. It may have come before or it may
(57:11):
come after, where I'm going to cover the Ohio situation, but a small snippet from that is the
harassment and arrest of a reporter that was involved during the press conference given by
the governor of the state. The reporter was harassed and beaten and pushed by the Ohio National
Guard General before being placed in handcuffs and let out. Many have called this a violation of
(57:36):
the First Amendment and his charges have since been dropped, but many still question as to what
is going to be done to the general and the involved arresting officers and sheriffs. And that was
the news. Overall, thank you very much. Stay safe, stay informed, and don't forget to turn off the
gas stove before you go to bed. This is Alex Hopper, Signing off. Thank you for listening to
(58:12):
this episode. I hope that you enjoyed it. We always appreciate your feedback and would love to hear
your thoughts on this episode. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel
free to leave them in the comments section or even on social media. We love hearing from our
listeners and we're always looking for new topics to explore. And if you enjoyed this episode,
(58:34):
we also invite you to submit a rating on whatever you're listening to this on. Share it with your
friends and family too. We love to reach even more people with our content. Thanks for tuning in
and we'll be back next month with another episode. If I haven't offended you yet, it is because you
weren't raised to be a little bitch. Listeners, remember that you matter, that you are loved,
(58:56):
that you are unique, that you are the only you in the world and I'm so very grateful that you chose
to hang out with us. We love you, we appreciate you. Goodbye and always remember to smile.
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