Wanna RP with Me?

Check this link here to get started!

New Photos of Iron Man, from "Avengers: Infinity Wars"

For full post, please go here:

https://twitter.com/TopHatPrdxns115/status/938039921264250882

TXP-MC Plays :: 'Transformers: DEVASTATION' !

Net Neutrality :: FCC Strikes Back!

Go here for more details. More can be found on Reddit...

New FE: Heroes Meme!

Here it is :)

TXP-MC Plays :: Split/Second - Recording Test!

Summer 2017 Content Season - dead

Sorry that it's been so long between uploads and Updates. Between job-hunting, preparing for the next semester, keeping up w/ news&social-media, etc., things have been a bit hectic. I'm handling most of my responsibilities (outside of food, housing, utilities) on my own, which eats a lot of my time. I'm also building a computer for gaming and video-editting in this time, which requires a lot of planning/troubleshooting. It has an LGA771 Xeon, and 8GB DDR2. I also purchased a new game recently - Rainbow Six: Siege. That may show up on Steam streaming, so make sure to watch my Steam page for gaming livestreams. Those should start appearing 2x a week if everything goes according to plan. Also, we have Twitter! And in relation to the last YouTube upload, I apologize for the audio cutting out. Testing new screen-capture software is a pain :(

New Computer Configuration - AMD PowerStation

New Parts List
Other Parts Lists ::
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/TopHatProductions115/saved/#view=y7mgsY
http://www.techspot.com/review/1155-affordable-dual-xeon-pc/


 :: (Main) Gigabyte Socket FM2+/FM2 AMD A78 Crossfire mATX Motherboard
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gigabyte-FM2-FM2-AMD-A78-HDMI-Dual-Link-DVI-Crossfire-mATX-Motherboard/302207849738?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3Dc93cfb5ca6644e2fa3c762090b1a030d%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D142380379109&rt=nc

 :: AMD A10-7890K with AMD Wraith Cooler
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113402
OR...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-SILENT-Wraith-features-cooler-FM2-FM1-AM3-AM2-Copper-HeatSink-up-to-125w-/322525626099?hash=item4b18067ef3:g:yBEAAOSwTM5YyxrT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-A10-7890K-ad789kxdjchbx-/302332994537?hash=item46647363e9:g:FSEAAOSwn-tZLP1q

 :: AMD Athlon x4 880K with AMD Quiet Cooler
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113408&cm_re=Athlon_X4_880K-_-19-113-408-_-Product
OR...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-AMD-Athlon-X4-880K-Quad-Core-Godavari-Desktop-Processor-4-0GHz-Socket-FM2-/142398414150?hash=item21279b5d46:g:ZLAAAOSw42JZLG1r

 :: DDR3 RAM
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8GB-2X4GB-Memory-RAM-for-HP-Compaq-ProLiant-DL360-G6-DDR3-ECC-REGISTER-B37-/280838742880?hash=item41634b2360:g:2jsAAOSwuLZY1We2
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x4GB-PC3-10600-DDR3-1333MHz-Non-Ecc-Unbuffered-Desktop-Memory-For-AMD-Chipset-/371535942175?hash=item568144921f:g:SMUAAOSww3tY7vb3
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kingston-KTH-PL313-8G-2-x-8GB-PC3-10600R-2Rx4-DDR3-1333-240-Pin-Server-Memory-/371973210814?hash=item569b54c2be:g:hWkAAOSwZKBZJymj

 :: Super Flower - Golden Green HX 350W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUPER-FLOWER-GOLDEN-GREEN-HX-350W-80-PLUS-GOLD-SINGLE-RAIL-POWER-SUPPLY-PSU-/142392848539?hash=item212746709b:g:jHcAAOSw~oFXIJlb

 :: Kingwin - FPX-005 Fan Controller
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/qnQRsY/kingwin-fan-controller-fpx005

 :: (2-3x) Noctua - NF-A4x10 4.8 CFM 40mm Fan
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/dqCwrH/noctua-case-fan-nfa4x10

 :: (Main, PCI-E x16_Slot1) SuperMicro RSC-R2U (T-2E8R 2U) Riser Card _Passive Gen. 2*
https://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-RSC-R2UT-2E8R-RISER-PASSIVE-2-PCIE/dp/B0037KAE2O/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1462499726&sr=1-2&keywords=supermicro+pcie+riser

 :: (Main, PCI-E x16_Slot1) SuperMicro RSC-R2U (G-2E4E8 2U) Riser Card _*
https://www.amazon.com/Supermicro-Accessory-RSC-R2UG-2E4E8-Express-Retail/dp/B00832X6PI/ref=pd_sbs_147_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00832X6PI&pd_rd_r=AP970ENDHH34NJK5XANE&pd_rd_w=LgfMV&pd_rd_wg=SaeUu&psc=1&refRID=AP970ENDHH34NJK5XANE

 :: (Main, SATA0) Toshiba - 1TB 2.5" 5400RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toshiba-MQ02ABD100H-1TB-Solid-State-Hybrid-SSHD-Laptop-Hard-Drive-SATA-/263001558214?hash=item3d3c1d4cc6:g:rikAAOSwlY1ZL113

 :: (Main, SATA1) ASUS BW-16D1HT Blu-ray Internal SATA Burner Drive
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-Black-Blu-ray-Burner-SATA-BW-16D1HT-/112413041825?hash=item1a2c56e4a1:g:khAAAOSwUKxYfngr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Asus-16X-Internal-Blu-ray-Burner-BDXL-M-Disc-Unused-Box-BW-16D1HT-886227418879-/201746675239?hash=item2ef909f627:g:cPAAAOSwUUdXDmxq

 :: (Main, PCI-E Riser x8 Slot0) Intel - E1G42ETBLK PCI-Express x4 10/100/1000 Mbps Network Adapter
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2mXfrH/intel-wired-network-card-e1g42etblk

 :: (Main, PCI-E x1) Asus - Xonar DGX 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/zRckcf/asus-sound-card-xonardgx

 :: (Main, PCI) Pinnacle Systems Redstone 5.0 PCI Video Capture Card *
http://www.ebay.com/itm/182607741090?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272636170769?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 :: (Main, PCI) Pinnacle Systems MiroVideo DC30+ PCI Video Capture Card *
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pinnacle-Systems-GmbH-MicroVideo-DC30plus-PCI-Video-Card-/332217297151?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371845298644?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 :: (Main, USB0) TP-Link - Archer T2U USB 2.0 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/w3fp99/tp-link-wireless-network-card-archert2u

 :: (Main, PCI-E x16 Slot 0) NVidia GeForce 8800 Ultra GPU *
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272657943001?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 :: (Main, PCI-E x16 Slot 0) AMD Radeon HD 2400XT GPU *
http://www.ebay.com/itm/361978860456?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT




* Either or - options are listed sequentially, and only one is recommended.

Spring Content Season Update :: April 2017

What's Up on the U-Box?! It has truly been a long time coming, especially with the previous state of all TXP-Network websites - they were down for nearly a month. With that said, it's now time for me to get back to work. I'll leave all the links at the end of this. This is the first proper update in over a month, due to prevailing circumstances, but I'll give it a shot!

Firstly, TXP-Cloud development has been going at 'full-steam ahead' for around half a month (partially due to the network going down), and Beta 2.0_r3 is already available for testing. All one needs to test this would be a Php/SQL web server and SQLite. Since this version uses SQLite, instead of SQL/MySQL, a seperate SQL server is no longer needed for testing the TXP-Cloud releases! In addition to this, I am also attempting to introduce encryption into the concept. Encrypted sessions are the first thing on my mind. I would have user folders encrypted as well, but that might not be feasible with the current webhost. As such, I am working on including a user-commandline that will allow for users to manage their folder/files without a GUI if they so choose. As a final note, TXP-Cloud accounts will act as the new base requirement for TXP-Network members when this is finally ready. As such, be ready to transfer your data when the time comes - we can't wait to begin anew. This is simply the first part of an ongoing effort to reduce the number of foreign/external systems involved with the operation of TXP-Network services. As such, please be mindful of the fact that available features may change during this gradual transition. We are moving toward becoming a lightweight, web-based platform, if at all possible.

Now for the big Add-On; TXP-JsI is coming back! This project was aimed at extending the functionality of client-side scripting by providing JavaScript with a low-level Application Interfacte, based upon CGICC/C++. Essentially, this could have given Js the same power and scope as Php and the likes (if not more). This could have been workable as it was (if it ever left the original Development phases), but it was found that this might work better under different circumstances than originally intended. This would be handled as an extension of TXP-Cloud, in which registered users could automate simple tasks via TXP-JsI (as a web-service). It could possibly decrease the workload that a single computer may have to undertake by allowing users to off-set simple tasks to the server, via a web-interface. As such, consider TXP-JsI a freebie - it's coming to TXP-Cloud beta, very soon...

Of course, this short blurb on web-services would be all but incomplete without an update pertaining to TXP-Go! - the so-far ill-fated Search Engine I've been tirelessly trying to get online. With that said, Freezoy is obviously not the place to host this project. However, I could try GitHub, just to see if I can make some head-room with the initial testing that needs to occur. As such, don't count it out yet. But, don't confirm it either - nothing is set in stone, except for its coding. That will remain unchanged. Also, TXP-Archivist is being updated as you read this update, with new versions of all current SWPU src's and and a new directory layout. I'm hoping this makes it a bit easier for you all to peruse the Archives.

With that off my rib-cage (chest? That was before my workload got bigger), let's talk about TXP-Technologies - that webpage with the SWPU headlines and the History of the TXP-Network. It's no longer hosting any libraries. Instead, all Programming Libraries will be hosted by TXP-Cloud and TXP-Network SWD. With that set, please update any script sources you have pointing to TXP-Technologies - I don't wanna break anything! Please! As a side note, The ReadingRoom 101 may also see a major change coming in the near future - it may be reduced to simply the Commentator. Leave your thoughts on this on Social Media, and give suggestions if you want. This would be a move toward streamlining TXP-Network services, by removing unnecessary parts of the websites/user-interfaces. Also, TXP-MC has been stagnant for a while now. That will be changing with the upcoming Spring Content Season, since I'm not the only one hosting gaming servers anymore! FantasticRileyTv (the best YouTube friend a dude could know) currently hosts a server for the videos we'll be sending over to YouTube, so stay tuned for greate Episodes. Also, I'll be doing a review of Android 7 this week. I might even be able to get my hands on "Fire Emblem Heroes" if I'm lucky (I've been trying endlessly for dayz now - might be because I'm rooted :). So, Mo' stuff for you guys to watch! Also, I'm on Hyun's Dojo - visit me if you dare. It'll be awesome! I'll try to make videos weekly, if time permits. College professors know no mercy (jk).

Let's talk more about the main project here, though. Development of the V.O.S. is ongoing, along-side that for TXP-JsI and TXP-Cloud. Due to the fact that the V.O.S. only has one active developer working on it, the release date is being set as indefinite. Since the developer is still in college, it would be better if development did not interfere with studies. While development will continue, it will be slower than what was previously observed in the Google Drive repo. The effort is being split between multiple projects, which acts as a sort of bottleneck. The Bootloader and Kernel have undergone a third redesign, and the next phase is almost here. Once debugging is complete, IRQ/ISR and Memory Management will be under development. That leaves the Filesystem and SHell for last. To see more on this, please be sure to read the comments in the code - they are written as descriptively as possible.

But wait - there's more! There's also a HWD project (those exist?). I'm currently working on the specification/concept for an Open-Source, 128-Bit CPU Arch. That can be found on the TXP-Network homepage. We're also working on Video hosting, via TXP-Cloud - that would be pretty nice, for those who want somewhere to go that isn't just YouTube - TXP-MediaShare!

As a quick last note, I'm also working on getting a few upgrades for my current machines (which would aid in things getting processed/uploaded faster). I've been saving as usual, getting closer and closer to the upgrade move:

- Elgato Game Capture Card (so I don't have to use Google Hangouts for streaming/recording gameplay)
 - AMD A10-5750M CPU (for the main laptop in use)
 - SATA-to-USB 3.0 Adapter (I can't work on-the-go with 2 different setups - this is a must)
 - 2 AMD Opteron 275 CPUs (for the server rig that I would like to start testing soon)

However, if you wanna help support the TXP-Network's newest projects and efforts, feel free to use these links:
 :: Donations and Fundraising
        - tophatprodxns115@ningo.me
        - https://www.paypal.me/TopHatProductions115
 :: eBay
        - http://www.ebay.com/usr/tophatproductions115_0

Now, for some Network URLs that aren't listed on the TXP-Network Homepage :)
1) TXP-Network SWD/CD
        http://txp-network.co.nr/
    CODOFORUM :: TXP-Forumsphere
        _http://txp-network.freezoy.com/forumsphere/index.php
2) The ReadingRoom 101 (TXP-NewsCast)
        http://thereadingroom101.freezoy.com/
    ArticleSetup :: TXP-Commentary
        _http://thereadingroom101.freezoy.com/compose
3) TXP-Cloud Manager
    BytesFall :: Cloud Management Console
        _http://txp-cloud.freezoy.com/System/
    ProjectSend :: TXP-Send
        _http://txp-cloud.freezoy.com/send
4) TXP-Technologies WTD
        _http://txp-technologies.freezoy.com/
5) TXP-Go!
    Coming Soon...
6) TXP-MC World Series
        http://txp-mc.freezoy.com/
    Shadows Rising :: RPG Builder Online
        _http://txp-mc.freezoy.com/create
7) TXP-Archivist
        http://txp-archivist.freezoy.com/
8) TXP-Media(Share)
    ClipBucket :: TXP-MediaCast
        _http://txp-media.freezoy.com/broadcast
    TXP-Media Archives
        http://txp-archivist.freezoy.com/
9) TopHat's Thought Cafe
        http://tophatproductions115.blogspot.com/
10) Me-Andering Mind
        http://me-andering-mind.webs.com/

Well, that's all the time I have for today. For any new visitors, Welcome to the Galaxy! And to all you members, Keep it Cool till' next time! This is TXP, Signing Out!
Happy Be-Lated April Fool's Day!

#AprilShowerz

Happy (Be-lated) April Fool's Day!

Welcome to the end of the Prankster Dayz! I hope you all had a great day, and were filled with immense laughter and joy. This Content Season has seen its fair share of ups and downs, (especially with the current status of our websites), but we will be continuing as planned - one Episode per week...

Also, you will be getting another Hint today - 'convert'.

Have a good week!

TXP-MC Does :: (Early) April Fool's Day!

Just streamed Content Season 6 :: Episode 1 on YouTube!
A test livestream where I ran my newest laptop with 4GB DDR3 RAM, on a Minecraft Server.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88R-zPbBxUQ&t=751s

I upgraded to 8GB shortly thereafter, so things should be more stable now...

Content Season 0 started back in 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz9f1ODKlo8

Also, all TXP-Network websites are currently down, due to the discontunued webhosting services that were once provided by Freezoy.com. Currently transfering to a new webhosting solution.
http://txp-network.co.nr/

Episode 2 shall be arriving on April Fool's Day if I have anything to say about it, and my web services should be up before the end of April if I can work with these guys any better than what I encountered originally here:
https://tophatproductions115.blogspot.com/2016/02/hey-guys-whats-up-on-u-box-how-was-your.html

Enjoy, and I hope to see you all on the other side...
This is TXP - Signing Out!

TXP-Network Does :: Presidents' Day Update

TXP-Network Update :: February 2017

As seen on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KREfC4qY7qA


Hai again, and Happy Presidents' Day!

What's Up on the U-Box, guys?! This is TopHatProductions115 with a pre-Season Content Update for this upcoming March. We have a bit of an itinerary ready for this one - here are the major topics:

- Twitch Streaming Policy
- YouTube Streaming/Uploading Policy
- Steam Streaming
- Steam Giveaway
- TXP-VOS Progress
- Website/Service Updates
- Upcoming Games, Apps, and Projects

I know the list looks long. But I'll do my best to speed things up a nit for this Update. However, the level of detail that's going into this vid is intentional. I know that many of you aren't excited to go read TXP-Network Policy docs every time they get changed, so I'll try to put just the important points here. The older stuff is still available online if you did miss out. Without further delay, let's begin!

0-1) Episode Streaming on Twitch (and YouTube)
This one's probably a doozy, but it's going to affect what gets seen where, so please try to bare with. Most of you already know that this YouTube channel is the primary way to catch our newest Episodes. However, we have also tried to stream the Episodes to other locations. It started out as, and pretty much still is, a risky experiment (I'll explain why in a few). The main experiment, in this case, being Twitch. 

For those of you who aren't familiar, Twitch is a broadcasting platform that allows for users to share game-play/play-throughs, program demos, and more - in a 'live' fashion. This means that the content you see is either occurring as you're seeing it onScreen or has happened just seconds ago (delay). In order to use Twitch, you need to have dedicated streaming/encoding software running in the background. In addition to this, the content streamed will usually have either a limited lifespan or duration (highlight-to-save). This is different from older platforms, like YouTube and Steam (which we'll cover later on).

YouTube started as a video-sharing website, and grew to include streaming options. They include Hangouts OnAir and Custom streaming. With the former option, you can use Google's online Hangouts servers to stream content directly from your screen, without dedicated software installed. The latter option is more like what Twitch offers. You can probably imagine which method is easier to pull off on a regular basis...

A few years ago, Mojang broke the barrier that made livestreaming Minecraft so difficult for beginners by integrating Twitch livestreaming APIs/Libraries into the game itself. It was a smart move, and allowed for me to stream to both Twitch and YouTube simultaneously. However, that obviously didn't last too long - Minecraft 1.8 marked the end of integrated Twitch livestreaming libraries in Minecraft, and pretty much killed off the idea of live Twitch content. We tried out OBS and other systems in numerous tests to find a suitable replacement - to no avail.

To add insult to injury, the content streamed to Twitch had a limited lifespan, requiring livestreamers to 'highlight' past broadcasts. This ended up wiping out a lot of stream time, which made it difficult for me to push anything to Twitch - most of the hours that went into the stream itself would be lost, and never seen by you the viewers. With all of the prep time required to get ready for a video/stream, the time spent actually recording and streaming is pretty small. Then comes editing - if you recorded the vid. Otherwise, you would be spending time constantly monitoring and moderating the livestream as it happened.

Either way, it's a time-consuming process (which is part of the reason why I still haven't been quite consistent with my uploads), and after a while, what do I have to show for it? What do I have that I can share with you the viewer when it's all done? With YouTube, the video stays, unaltered. With Twitch, it's a different story. The hours spent livestreaming just get turned into a short trailer for the event that already happened, and you'll probably never get to see the rest. You the viewer missed out - unless I streamed/uploaded to both Twitch and YouTube for that Episode. And you all know how difficult it is to shove all of that through one computer with a video-game running up-front. 

I got into Twitch because I wanted to reach out to a bigger viewer-base and have fun doing what I like to do - Tech, Gaming, etc. Instead, I was busy cutting up all of my past broadcasts, reducing them to inadequate summaries/trailers to attract more viewers. Twitch took the fun out of livestreaming, and made it feel more like I was constantly advertising for sporadic performances. Begging for views, instead of just playing games and letting the viewers get in on the action? We all know that YouTube's moving in a direction that requires regular/daily uploads to get any attention, but at least it's a bit more forgiving. The videos I made on YouTube are here to stay - no questions about it. 

With Twitch, it's like starting over again every week - that platform requires regular livestreams, and stream views are harder to get. That means that there's less people tuning in and getting involved, which defeats the purpose of livestreaming. Livestreaming is supposed to allow me to play along with you guys in Real-Time. But if there's no one watching, what's the point of doing the stream? It's like performing the Moonlight Sonata on stage, on Piano, in front of a brick wall. It's cringey, and just made it inconvenient to stream on Twitch at that point. That's why I haven't been online there lately, and I apologize for that.

So, it's with some sadness that I state what's coming next:
I won't be broadcasting any Episodes/Reviews to Twitch anymore.

2) Game Streaming on Steam
However, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Steam allows for inGame livestreaming, which means that anything I play on Steam could be potentially viewed by anyone with a public URL. This may take some work, but I can see this being a game-changer in the near future. Since most of my games now come from Steam currently, I could change some of the old LiveStreaming Policy that was added last year. In addition to this, I can also add games to my Steam Library that aren't already in the Steam market. So, in theory, I could have video content streaming to both Steam and YouTube servers in the future.

3) Steam Giveaway
Speaking of Steam, there is an upcoming giveaway I'd like to announce - The Shell Shock Live Giveaway! For any interested viewers, here's how to enter. During the next 14 days, post a comment on either YouTube or Google+ for this livestream/event with the following:
- Your Steam Name (public name on Steam)
- Your CPU make and model
- #FreeSSL
A winner will be randomly chosen the day after the event, and receive the gift. 

4) SWPUs - SoftWare Project Updates
With the recent start of the college semester, a lot of projects are now once again on hold - including TXP-Cloud and TXP-JSI. One project that isn't, however, is the TXP-VOS. That one has entered active development again, and is still undergoing its Boot-Kernel revision. On Google Drive, if you were paying attention, the un-archived portion of the repo now has a slightly-outdated version of the source code for the bootloader and kernel. This will be changed once version 5.0 of the Boot-Kernel is developed. That will also be when I will attempt to upload the first working system images for the InDev (pre-Beta, early Alpha). This is currently scheduled for late Spring/early Summer, but not set in stone. If you want to get involved, you know where to go...

5) Website Updates and Services
As previously revealed last year (right before New Years), the latest version of the TXP-Network's online services and infrastructure has already been released for public use. If you are interested in what this would include, please watch the previous TXP-Network Update which featured this content. The same goes for upcoming games and apps I may cover this upcoming Content Season. I'll post links for them in the description.

Once again, sorry for the diatribe. But it had to be done, this had to be covered at some point. To make it up to you all, however, I may drop a surprise on the Net sometime soon. Make sure to watch all Content Streams I'm on to get the clues...

#3D

As usual, leave clean feedback in the comments. Also, if you "want to see mo' vidz lyke dis'" in the future, leave a Like! Subscribe if you wanna!!
To the returning watchers, Keep Asking Questions. For any new viewers, Welcome to the Galaxy! And to all you members, Keep it Cool till' next time! 

This is TXP, Signing Out again - till' March (Spring Content Season)!

UPDATE :: Twitch finally openes the door for uploads - right after I left. No turning back...

Do not reproduce without citation and applicable permissions. TXP-Network SWD 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Creative Outlets :: 2017

If you're looking for a new hobby, a creative outlet, or a way to do some collaberative story writing, I have a few suggestions ready! These are websites I've used, and can personally reccomend. I can now be found on these creative community websites:

TopHat's DeviantART profile ::

- Go...

TopHat's Writer'sCafe.org profile ::

- Go!

TopHat's Valucre profile ::

- Go!!

TopHat's profile on Hyun's Dojo ::

- GO!!!

Have fun!!!

Random Rant #1 :: Full Version

WARNING :: There hasn't been a finite definition for some of the terminology discussed here yet, so Wikipedia was used in some cases. Furthermore, the views and opinions seen here are not necessarily those of the TXP-Network as a whole. This article is protected under copyright - do not use without proper citation. If for commercial use, please send a permissions request through the TXP-Network to contact the author of this excerpt.

If we were to ask you, 'What's going on in the news today?', how would you respond? Maybe the 2016 election (triggered)? Or the recent Steelers' victory over the Ravens? Possibly, the results of a recent court ruling? Or even something not mentioned here, which is also extremely likely. The world is quite large, after all. Whichever one you decided to mention, you obviously saw it as 'something worth mentioning', right? But how did you come to that decision? You encountered it while watching TV, listening on the radio, or browsing your newspaper. Or maybe, you heard it from someone else - a friend of yours? A recent link on social media? And when you encountered it, you used some form of reasoning to discern whether or not it was worth your time, I would suppose. Of course, I could also be simply assuming this. Of course, I don't know how in-depth you the reader went into verifying your information. If you did make an attempt to verify, however, I am somewhat revealed - for now. Because, it appears as though many people online cannot discern fact from fiction - and that is quite bothersome, seeing that most grade-school curriculum used to cover the basics of performing simple research and information verification/analysis. The current rave about 'Fake news' and 'Click-bait' tactics is nothing more than than an indication of a societal issue.

• BuzzFeed's look at the topic of 'Fake News'
• Business Insider's Analysis if 'Fake News' on the Left

People do not know how to think for themselves. At first glance, the previous statements may come off as offensive. However, if you continue to read along, you may find that it is more of a somber statement of reality, and is not worth laughing at. More-so, it may actually be something to be genuinely concerned about. A quick preview of Wikipedia on the subject reveals the following:

Taken from here

- "Fake news... (also referred to as hoax news) deliberately publish hoaxes, propaganda, and disinformation, using social media to drive web traffic and amplify their effect. Unlike news satire, fake news... seek to mislead, rather than entertain, readers for financial or other gain."

Taken from here

- "News satire, also called fake news, is a type of parody presented in a format typical of mainstream journalism, and called a satire because of its content... News satire relies heavily on irony and deadpan humor."

- "Two slightly different types of news satire exist. One form uses satirical commentary and sketch comedy to comment on real-world news events, while the other presents wholly fictionalized news stories."

Before advancing any further, I do not condone the use of Wikipedia as an official, infallible source of general information. I do, however, believe that this online encyclopedia has the premise behind the concepts of 'Fake News' and News Satire down to a plausible description that can be applied to most general cases. It also reveals an issue that is had by many Americans at large - people cannot tell the difference.

Allow me to highlight a key section - "News satire, also called fake news,...". If you took the time to read through both quoted passages from the sources, I am grateful. If you went the extra mile and read the entirety of the two sources, I admire your drive - don't lose it. By its very admission, the passage states that 'Fake news' and News Satire are easily confused for one another. Taking this a whole step further, I now ask this - can the same be said for actual news and false information ('Fake News')? The answer, quite frankly, is yes. But, there is a difference.

The difference between 'Fake News' and New Satire lies in the author's intent. One is intended to misinform and mislead, while the other is meant to entertain and tickle the mind. If the difference lies in intent, would this also mean that the authors of both have distinct motives? One is motivated to mislead while the other is inclined to give comedic commentary. One is speaking out about a current topic via means of comedic discourse. The other, however, places a veil over the eyes of the reader, and twists (or completely throws out) truth - for reasons I have yet to encounter (really? I think we all know). Therefore, being able to tell whether a source is 'Fake News' or News Satire would lie in the reader's ability to detect the author's intent and biases. They both communicate an idea, but do so via differing means.

With this in mind, it is now also necessary that the topic of bias be covered. Bias, quite simply, pertains to an unbalanced leaning or favour toward or against a given party/entity. If one were to account for bias in the news at large, almost all mainstream news could be taken as soft cases of 'Fake News'. Allow me to go into further detail. Remember the high school lesson you probably took on Rhetorical Appeals?

Please read this Quick Review of the Rhetorical Appeals before going forther if you aren't already familiar with the concept - it's important.
If you read the article this time, you already know where I'm heading. Most major news sources use these appeals to grab your attention and sway you to one side or the other. And bias has to do with partiality. Add to this the fact that all humans are tainted with this bias, and you're left with one nasty outcome - all information has some degree of bias

"Unless you're reading textbooks", the younger Me interjected. Sorry, but even those have it! There's no way around it.
The skewed pictures of reality that these information sources provide are nothing more than that - incomplete stories. And what was the concept behind 'Fake News' again?

'Fake News' authors seek to mislead.
The only problem here is, even so-called 'credible' authors can end up doing that. Publishing information before it's confirmed or making assumptions without verifying their statements with a primary source, constant use of hyperbole and over-exaggeration, withholding information from press releases - it's all there. Poor publishing standards pervade our news sources, and no one is safe from it. Mainstream news, to keep it short, is twisted, sensationalized, and oversimplified. It's done this way to:

1. Keep you hooked
2. To get a desired response from you

Allow for me to emphasize the issue here - 'to keep you hooked'. Attention span. Since people don't seem to have the patience to read a full article, they listen to the snippets and blurbs tossed around instead. Words that have been ripped and torn out of context without a second thought, and left to face the full scrutiny of an uninformed audience, who is either too lazy to analyze the entirety of a situation, or is too easily swayed by one particular factor to logically hold judgement until all possible factors are accounted for. It's how unwitting readers allow mainstream news writers think for them - no matter what side of politics you're on. The bad part is, people keep falling for it. And even when it's not written to poor standards, the biased nature of people will always bleed into all forms of communication longer than one sentence. In a sense, almost everything ever written can be called a partial interpretation. And since partial interpretations can mislead people, almost anything can be called, 'Fake News' - unintentionally. The crux of the issue lies in the loose constraints of what is considered 'Fake News'. It's nothing more than the perfect censoring scheme for those with influence. It's an excellent way to remove American liberty. And it's all because Americans simply can't tell them apart.

They:

1. cannot differentiate between actual information and faulty information
2. cannot differentiate between satire and misinformation
3. cannot be bothered to verify information for themselves

Add to this, the fact that America also institutes standardized tests with the likes of the SATs, and I am forced to come to a daunting conclusion:

It is now expected that Americans simply do not know how to think for themselves, and now must be taught how to 'Think Critically'. Furthermore, since Americans cannot 'Think Critically', how can they possibly hope to discern what is and isn't valid information?

I now draw the line between fact and fiction, for the unsuspecting reader. What you previously read between "It is now", and "information?", is false. And someone else may have known this as well. I do, however, have this to say:

Americans are becoming lazier by the day, and do not take the time to actually dissect and scrutinize what they read and hear. This lack of thorough reasoning is why it is so easy for throngs of American citizens to be swayed by propaganda. If people actually took the time to scrutinize and research information for themselves, maybe I wouldn't be sitting on the soap-box right now.

Hint: You may actually have to read and compare/contrast multiple articles and sources to get a definitive idea of what actually happened in some cases. Try Steps 1-5 of the basic Research Process.

Or even these two checklists:

• From the Georgetown Library
• or from the Journalists' Resource

If you noticed a trend in the content linked, that's great. Most of the content linked here, excluding the last URL, was most likely covered in grade school. All information sources need to be treated in this manner. If more people actually took a second to analyze the information they receive from the internet, instead of relying on Fox, TheBlaze, CNN, or MSNBC to handle the thinking for them, maybe we wouldn't need to have the discussion of whether America should start encroaching on people's First Amendment rights in the first place. American citizens need to do the mental work themselves, and should never allow someone else to start making choices for them - let alone decisions to silence others. In fact, that should never become a topic of discussion. Because any historian knows where this $#!+ can go next.

"Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen."
How ironic, that things like this can come full circle. People label and belittle each other, only to become what they project on to others.