Posted: 25^th November 2024

In the cybersphere where we all spend half our lives these days, migrations are taking place. I'm not sure of the numbers today, but the last I looked, Bluesky was gaining members at the rate of a million a day. This means something, of course: it may not mean what pundits think it does, but it certainly indicates a growing awareness on the part of internet users that other people use electronic communications systems to lie to them, and that they don't like it.

They also realise that they can't simply turn the devices off. They need to keep in touch. So they're migrating, they hope, away from the liars and toward better setups.

I won't brag about how we've always been better than those other guys. I'll let Robbie do that. I will, however, remind y'uns that our handles are h2g2postoffice.bsky.social and dmitrigheorgheni.bsky.social. We're also still on Twitter, and the Guide's on Facebook, so you can visit our help desks if you get lost. Think of us as Traveller's Aid for hitchhikers.

We have lovely things to show you, and as always, our areas of doubt and uncertainty are carefully demarcated. If something was done by AI¹, we will tell you. Those are real birds. And mouse feet. And exotic flowers that you won't see anywhere else because Willem found them in a really remote location and he knows all the scientific names and aren't you glad we're here?

Deep breath.

We're here. Other people – rich people, people with connections, power brokers – don't get to tell us what's real or important. We decide. This week, we decided it was important for you to look at that spider web. And hear the story of Hercules the movie star bear and his adventures in the Hebrides. And see a kitten from Pennsylvania and some birds from Cyprus and read a made-up story about some Martian hippies and another made-up story about Pope Mahone (Bluebottle's at it again) and. . .

Another deep breath.

Give us a chance, and we will all, together, prove that there is more to the world than something to doomscroll about.

Please read, comment, share with friends (or enemies, we aren't particular), and send me more Stuff so we can do it again. Have a good week out there, and enjoy the snow if you've got any.

November-to-November Create Writing Challenge: Short and Sweet

• What Are You?
  

• Did You Eat My Breakfast?
  

• Hi, Let Me Natter at You
  

• Hanaertsburg Grassland and Forest
  

TALKING TO OURSELVES

• 24 Lies a Second


Awix talks about cinema.

• Picture Quiz

Glassware.

• Video

Zebra finches.

• Deep Thought

I'm getting too old for this.

NOT JUST HUMANS

Amber, Grey or Yellow

• Industrious Spiders
  

• Three Little Birds
  

• Buddy
  

• The Rose of Mars
  

• North Uist
  

• The Cuillin, Isle of Skye
  

• Famous Shed
  

• Mere Machine
  

• Art History 101

On second thought, don't smile.

• Gheorgheniplex


Waxing poetical.

• Bluebottle's Doodles:
  
  The Controversial Conference

Papal notice.

• Video

Pink-Footed Geese.

A fly-by.

• Autumn Leaves
  

• Electric Show
  

• Autumn Leaf
  

• Foggy Evening