Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Big Joel

@bigjoel.bsky.social

55K followers 140 following 1.8K posts

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 14d

I went to the, quite strange, Osaka Expo 2025, and made a video about it! You legally have to watch it because you follow me on the internet youtu.be/D10S6G1InXg?...

The Japan World's Fair Is Kinda Bad (But That's Okay)

YouTube video by Big Joel

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 1h

Just for reference, this is the number of Ad spots youtube would automatically try to put on a 34 minute video of mine. While I imagine it would be unlikely for this many ads to be served, the standard seems to be about an ad every three mins

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 1h

yes it gives us the ability to manually place ads. I don't know if there are significant drawbacks to doing so. I'd guess that you'd see less ad revenue, but that's because YouTube automatically places a TON of ads

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 1h

and while I'm not personally judging creators for trying to make a living, I don't think audiences on youtube have no reason to be annoyed by constant and poorly placed ad breaks, right

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 1h

well idk, I'm not really "blaming" anyone. But you can't both think it's a shitty decision from youtube and that the decision to allow automatic ads shouldn't be stigmatized. the auto ads help creators make money, is what you're saying, and I agree

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 1h

well creators opt into it by allowing automatic ad placement, right. so in that sense I'd say they must be reasonable happy with the arrangement

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 2h

because creators literally ask for them too, that's the tragedy. getting your bag obsessed platform, that's what I say

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 21h

char, you guys are so crazy

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 21h

I'm good enough at french that nobody ever compliments me anymore, they just assume I understand what's going on and I do not. I never do

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 21h

it also really clarifies to me that "vocabulary" is like not really my central problem in french. I can usually read messages fine. it's understanding when these fucks blend their sentences into what sounds like one syllable and then look at you like "quel est le probleme petit homme"

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 22h

one very fun language learning thing I just did was make it so my phone automatically translates everyone's messages to me to french. I'd honestly recommend, it really feels confrontational

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 2d

nobody does, but political movements express priorities that sometimes cohere, right, and cohere around certain priorities above others.

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 2d

Like, "we want a modern crusade, we want the west to occupy Jerusalem" just seems so much more fitting to the actual things conservatives say than "we want a rapture soooo bad"

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 2d

I think it's a belief that some people might vaguely hold, but that the far more important impulse is just simple anti arab sentiment. And that rapture talk kinda of functions as a fun curiosity distracting from more practical and important neo-conservative reasons for American Zionism

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 2d

I'm genuinely curious about your thoughts on this opinion I loosely hold: The idea that a broad support for Israel among conservatives in America comes down to some desire to bring about the rapture is quite overstated.

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 3d

if it wasn't clear, I'm referencing this: bsky.app/profile/bigj...

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 8d

first the UK now Gaza for tony blair?
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/w...

Tony Blair Emerges as Potential Figure in Postwar Gaza

www.nytimes.com

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 3d

tony blair save us

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 3d

Palestine Must Be Recognized As A State But Shouldn't We All Shut The Fuck Up About It

bsky.app/profile/moth...

Lilly ⭐️ @mothcub.bsky.social · 5d

This is beyond unacceptable, but especially galling when it's being reported that one of the two deceased victims was killed by the police.

(Screenshot from The Guardian)

Text reading: Metropolitan Police urges organisers to delay or cancel Palestine Action protest

A pro-Palestine protest planned for Saturday in London should be cancelled following the terror attack in Manchester, the Metropolitan Police has insisted.

A statement from the Met published on social media site X on Friday morning said:

The horrific terrorist attack that took place in Manchester yesterday will have caused significant fear and concern in communities across the UK, including here in London.

Yet at a time when we want to be deploying every available officer to ensure the safety of those communities, we are instead having to plan for a gathering of more than 1,000 people in Trafalgar Square on Saturday in support of a terrorist

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 3d

UK so crazy. I don't think there's any overt contradiction here, but isn't it odd that on the international stage, they're beginning to take an at least vaguely more pro palestine stance, and at home, it seems they're just going crazier and crazier

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 5d

(to be clear, a more well liked video I have not made, the video isn't swimming in hate or something. Though recently, like for the last day or two, for some reason, the comments are oddly negative. I feel like it's on some discord out there that hates it)

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 5d

one comment I've seen a few times is like vague offense at the story by an audience that identities with the husband (who is into some weird YouTube bullshit) and therefore annoyed by the wife (who feels weird about her husband's weird YouTube bullshit). I feel like it's kind of a fun reaction tbh

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 5d

I find negative comments on "You Are Into Mouse Trap YouTube" so peculiar. Maybe it's just because I'm used to it on non-fiction work, but for a two page long short story, I'm just like, okay boys let's all relax

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 8d

first the UK now Gaza for tony blair?
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/w...

Tony Blair Emerges as Potential Figure in Postwar Gaza

www.nytimes.com

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 8d

tony blair mayor of gaza?

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 8d

tony blair?

Big Joel @bigjoel.bsky.social · 11d

I think we were but I'm updating further now