AMA

I was deployed as part of OEF 11.1 and was part of convoy security. I was a gunner for most of the deployment, and use ranged from .50 cal to Mk-19. We were on a high profile mission, so we encountered IED hits almost daily. We averaged about 2 per day of a 2 week convoy for a solid 7 months.

Edit: Also here is a video that I made from my deployment.

X-post from

"Casual I ask me anything"? That does make sense. First time in this sub.

Hey Everyone, this is Steve-O (Here's a photo for proof: ). If you don't know about me, I was on an MTV show called Jackass over twenty years ago and, somehow, it was still a thing twenty years later. I identify as an all-around entertainer, I love animals (hence, my Reddit handle is "StreetDogLover") and have plans to open an animal sanctuary with my fiancee on a property we just bought in Tennessee. I recently finished touring the world with a truly insane multi-media comedy show called "Steve-O's Bucket List", and I'm thrilled to let you all know that the show is streaming now for a limited time at steveo.com. I think that covers it, now, let's fuckin' go!!! YEAH DUDE!!!

THANKS, EVERYONE! After more than five hours, I'm calling it a day! Please upvote and share this AMA on other subs and/or any other way that works! Also, please do enjoy my new Bucket List special. Until next time! WOOHOO!!!

<EDIT: This post is now closed. Thank you for 2 hrs of interesting questions! Please spread awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, and feel free to bring your additional questions to my "Cognitively Intact" website at >

I went into sudden cardiac arrest at home this past February - my husband called 911 and started CPR. It took 24 minutes for EMTs to resuscitate me. After 9 days in the ICU, I was declared “cognitively intact” and have no visible brain damage on MRIs. I also have a normal EEG despite a history of seizures and status epilepticus for over 30 minutes right after resuscitation. I tested positive for COVID at the time of admission to the ICU.I’ll be here for an hour or two to answer your questions about sudden cardiac arrest, heart failure, seizures/epilepsy, S-ICDs (surgically implanted defibrillators), seizure support service dogs, CPR, PTSD, etc etc. Thanks!Proof:Photo with username posted to my Substack newsletter: You can view the book I wrote (stamped author copy in picture) at

Yo! It’s been a little while since I did one of these. My name is Marques Brownlee, you might know me from my tech videos on YouTube as (for the past 14 years). I’m also a professional player, golfer and newly minted car enthusiast.

I’ve also had quite a few crazy experiences since last time we chatted in 2020 - I got to collaborate with and I launched my own sneaker (4 days left to get em )

I got a few hours to hang out. Ask me anything!

My Proof:

Edit: Alright, I'm heading out now. Thank you all for the questions, this has been really fun! (hit me up on Twitter anytime)

Edit 2: This has been a wonderful experience. Thank you for the great questions. If we didn’t get to your question please email us at . I’m always happy to speak to school and community groups, in person if possible. Also, you can stay up to date on our events and activities by subscribing to our email list here:

Edit: Some people have commented on the cross shaped medal I am wearing in my photo. I was recently honored by the Republic of Germany with their Order of Merit. I wear that medal with pride. You can learn more about the medal and story here:

My name is Ben Lesser and I am a 94 year old survivor of Nazi death trains, death marches, and camps including Auschwitz and Dachau.

Now I am here to prevent the world from developing amnesia and help young people live lives that matter.

and had a wonderful time answering your questions. Reddit even made a great video about it:

I'm back today with my daughter Gail and grandson Adam ( ) to answer more questions about my life, the Holocaust, the world today, and how people can live lives that matter. AMA!

Proof:

More About Me: I am Ben Lesser and I am the founder of the .

I was born in Krakow, Poland, in 1928. With the exception of my older sister Lola and myself, the rest of my family was killed by the Nazis.

Over the 5 years of the war, I was fortunate to survive several ghettos, as well as the notorious camps of Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and finally be liberated in Dachau. After the war, in 1947 I immigrated to the United States where a few years later, in 1950, I met and married my wife Jean.

Over the years, I became a successful realtor in Los Angeles and after retiring in 1995, I have devoted my time to being a volunteer to speak in colleges and schools about the Holocaust.

I wrote a book about my experiences, entitled Living a Life that Matters (, ). I'm looking forward to talking with you all.

Hi Reddit, this is my first post and I don’t know why am I writing this.

So long story short:

I was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma (not very frequent cancer-like disease) in my 19th, had surgery that removed huge tumor from soft tissues under my knee and subsequent 6 blocks of chemotherapy.

When I was 21 - tumor returned back in the same knee and I had to amputate my leg above the knee.

Now when I am 22 (almost 23) - tumor is back once more but this time in form of metastases (4 of them) spread around my body.

I am on chemo once again but doctors say that my disease cannot be cured and I have anywhere between a couple of months and a couple of years left to live.

I just started living my life the way I wanted (I was working as software developer for my relatives since 14 years old, wanted to secure early retirement and worked 70-80+ hours a week) and deciding what I like and don’t like, what experiences I want to have, taking my own decisions, etc.

My mood throughout my disease was (and still is) heavily optimistic even though I do regret many things and decisions in my life.

Sorry for bad English grammar, it’s not my native language.

AMA!

EDIT: Thank you all for your kind words in comments and in DMs! You are all very inspiring and reading all of that + replying to your comments is a very positive experience for me! I'll be replying to all your comments as soon as I see the notifications :)

EDIT 2: Wow there are so many comments, thanks to all of you, it means a lot to me! I might be logging off from time to time so you might not get your reply very soon, but trust me - I'll reply to all of you but it might take some time :)

I recently found out that I’m going to become a grandfather this year and spent some time thinking about .

Feel free to ask what I’m excited about in the year ahead, our work at the foundation, or anything else.

Proof:

Update: It looks like I’m out of Diet Coke, so it must be time to wrap things up. Thanks for all the great questions!

Update July 10

The first round of AT-SA invite emails has begun. Check your emails!

Update May 5

The bid is live.

Update May 4

The bid goes live tonight at 12:01 eastern. I’ll post a link to the application here once it’s available.

Update April 24

For those wanting to know what to do now, you can go ahead and make a profile on USAJobs and create your resume using the resume builder tool (highly recommended). The job posting will be under series 2152 and titled “Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee”, but you won’t see it until it goes live on May 5. Again, I’ll update this thread with a direct link to the application once it goes live to make it easy.

Keep sending questions my way. I’ll answer everyone eventually!

Update 2 April 22

I’m still answering all my DMs and any questions here. Same as always, I’ll keep updating this post over the next 2 weeks, and will have a direct link to the application posted here once it goes live. Feel free to keep engaging here, and I’ll also be posting updates over on

Update April 22

Just waking up, seeing a lot of questions now. I’ll start combing through and get back to everybody!

Also feel free to sub to . I made that sub a few years ago to be a place for people to keep in touch while going through the hiring process.

I’ve been doing AMA’s for these “off the street” hiring announcements since 2018. Since they always gain a lot of interest, I’m back for another one. I’ve heard back from hundreds of people (if not thousands at this point) over the past few years who saw my posts, applied, and are now air traffic controllers. Hopefully this post can reach someone else who might be looking for a cool job which happens to also pay really well.

Check out my previous AMAs for a ridiculous amount of info:

** This year the application window will open from May 5 - May 8 for all eligible U.S. citizens.**

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Must be a U.S. citizen

• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (Required for males born after 12/31/1959) 

• Must be age 30 or under on the closing date of the application period (with limited exceptions)

• Must have either three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both

• Must speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment

- Be willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs

to visit the FAA website and read up on the application process and timeline, training, pay, and more. Here you will also find detailed instructions on how to apply.

Let’s start with the difficult stuff:

The hiring process is incredibly arduous. After applying, you will have to wait for the FAA to process all applications, determine eligibility, and then reach out to you to schedule the AT-SA. This process typically takes a couple months. The AT-SA is essentially an air traffic aptitude test. The testing window usually lasts another couple months until everyone is tested. Your score will place you into one of several “bands”, the top of which being “Best Qualified.” I don’t have stats, but from my understanding the vast majority of offer letters go to those whose scores fall into that category.

If you receive and accept an offer letter (called a Tentative Offer Letter, or TOL) you will then have to pass medical and security clearance, including:

• Drug testing

• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI2)

• Class II medical exam

• Fingerprinting

• Federal background check

Once you clear the medical and security phase you will receive a Final Offer Letter (FOL) with instructions on when/where to attend the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK.

Depending on which track you are assigned (Terminal or En Route), you will be at the academy for 3-4 months (paid). You will have to pass your evaluations at the end in order to continue on to your facility. There is a 99% chance you will have to relocate. Your class will get a list of available facilities to choose from based solely on national staffing needs. If you fail your evaluations, your position will be terminated. Once at your facility, on the job training typically lasts anywhere from 1-3 years. You will receive substantial raises as you progress through training.

All that being said:

This is an incredibly rewarding career. The median pay for air traffic controllers in 2021 was $138,556 (I don’t have the number from 2022). We receive extremely competitive benefits and leave, and won’t work a day past 56 (mandatory retirement, with a pension). We also get 3 months of paid parental leave. Most controllers would tell you they can’t imagine doing anything else. Enjoying yourself at work is actively encouraged, as taking down time in between working traffic is paramount for safety. Understand that not all facilities are well-staffed and working conditions can vary greatly. But overall, it’s hard to find a controller who wouldn’t tell you this is the best job in the world.

Please ask away in the comments and/or my DMs. I always respond to everyone eventually. Good luck!

I have a weird and wonderful job: I find cheap flights to help people travel more.

It all began on Reddit after I found a $130 roundtrip flight to Milan, and because I lack creative genius I gave my email list the most obvious name I could think of: Scott’s Cheap Flights.

Eight years later, I’m titillated for what that little startup has now become: .

Rebrand Stuff

Look, the name Scott’s Cheap Flights worked great when it was just me. But today there are 65 people on the team (and ) and it is immensely unfair and embarrassing and guilt-inducing every time a member writes in “thanks Scott!” for a cheap flight that 64 of my teammates helped them get.

So we decided to switch to a new look and name that’s about all of us, not just one person.

Our mission to help people travel more and stop overpaying for flights is still the same. And the best part of my workday is hearing those real-life cheap flights success stories, especially from Redditors including: (all fares below are roundtrip, not Spirit)

• Tokyo for $490 nonstop

• Amsterdam for $410

• Paris for $350

• Greece for $480

(If we’ve helped you get a cheap flight, let me know! I want to celebrate you.)

I know rebrands can be polarizing—I don’t begrudge anyone who wishes it stayed SCF. I genuinely want to hear your thoughts about Going, the logo, the new look. Even negative feedback is welcome; it shows you care. The team has been working extremely hard for months, and we’re so excited to finally share with y’all.

(One final note I’d be remiss not to mention: If anyone had license to be upset about the name change it’s me, Scott, and I’m ecstatic about it.)

Cheap Flights Stuff

You may not care at all about the rebrand and just here to talk cheap flights and I hear you! It’s my favorite topic too. Ask me about:

• my (I went 12 for 17, a gentleman’s C)

• my

• how flights are getting cheaper after last summer’s surge

• whether cookies/incognito browsers change fares

• what days are cheapest for flights

• what Goldilocks Windows are and why they’re the secret to cheap flights

• the most common flight myths/misconceptions

• my favorite deals we found members in 2022 (all roundtrip, not Spirit)

  • Hawaii $177 from west coast, $399 from NYC

  • Costa Rica $207

  • Tokyo $316

  • Paris $248 (record low)

Proof I’m Scott:

Proof I’m a professional cheap flight expert: Appearances from 2022 on/in the , , (& Jane Krakowski), , , , .

Love,

Scott

UPDATE #1: You all are amazing—love hearing about the cheap flights you were able to get but from . Seriously, thank you so much for sharing. I'll be here literally all day taking your questions.

One quick note for folks outside the US: Let us know where you’d like to see Going expand to! Put in your home airport and email and we'll notify you if/when it happens

UPDATE #2: Seeing a lot of folks worried they got here too late but I am not a fairweather AMAer. I will be answering questions until I go to bed tonight!

A number of you had asked about a Going mobile app. It's literally being worked on as I type :) If you'd like to get updates including when we're ready for beta users just put your name/email in here:

UPDATE #3: Still going, still taking your questions/comments/cheap flight success stories! I'll be here at least another 4 hours and doing my best to get to everyone. Appreciate you all so much—truly!—regardless of whether you love or hate the new name <3

UPDATE #4: Alright I've been going for 16 hours—time for a bit of shut eye. I'll be back at it again first thing in the morning so keep leaving your questions/comments and I'll do my best to get to as many as I can. Love y'all, long live cheap flights

UPDATE #5 (next day): Back online and glad to take your cheap flight questions and/or rebrand comments! Here all morning. <3

UPDATE #6: Alright gotta go pick up my kid from school and be a good dad. Thanks so much for all your feedback and discussion here—I genuinely appreciate it and how much everyone cares about this company and wants it to succeed. That means a *ton* and I'm so grateful.

EDIT: Thanks for all your questions! We're going to go ice our fingers now. We hope some of you join us over at our Patreon ().

Hi! We're Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, who work together as James SA Corey. We wrote the NYT-bestselling The Expanse novels and a bunch of other stuff, including a show that we can't promote right now because we're members in good standing of the WGA, and we're on strike. We're writing a bunch of other stuff, though, including a limited-time novel writing project on Patreon:

Proof:

Ask us (almost) anything.

Update 5/18/2023 8:30 pm EST - I think I've answered every question. If I missed your question or you have a new question please chat, message, or email me here I'm always happy to answer any questions and provide personalized recommendations at any point during the year.

Many of you sent email requests for help. Confirming I am receiving them and doing my best to reply to all of those by tomorrow. If you don't get a reply from me by Monday please send in a new request.

Thank you for all of the amazing questions, suggestions, feedback, and comments! This AMA was truly the highlight of 2023 for me. ❤️ Reddit!

Hi Reddit!

My name is Derek! I’ve been testing mattresses since 2014 and over the years I’ve tested 268+ different mattresses.

I am the original owner & Founder of Sleepopolis.com, where I operated it from 2014 to 2017.

In 2021, I launched a new platform at to test mattresses. At NapLab I developed a battery of objective & data-driven tests to analyze and score mattresses. includes:

• Thermal imagery to assess cooling / heat retention

• Accelerometer to measure motion transfer

• 5 factor weighted equation to assess sex performance

• Video / photo analysis to take precise & objective measurements for sinkage, material responsiveness, edge support, and bounce

• In addition to other data-driven tests

NapLab’s aim is to create the most objective, transparent, and helpful mattress reviews so our readers can make the most informed decision about the mattress that's best for them.

Over the years I’ve convinced the best friends & family I know to come help me bring this vision to life.

Happy to answer any questions about mattresses, sleep, NapLab, the industry, or anything else on your mind 🙂

Proof -

Update 9:15 pm EST - Thanks so much for the amazing AMA & questions, Reddit! I need to step away for few hours to get my kids fed / asleep. I'll be MIA for a while, but I will absolutely be back to answer a few questions late tonight and then again tomorrow. If I somehow missed your question feel free to shoot me a message here -

Update 1:11 pm EST - I am back for day #2 of questions, so fire away!

Hello everyone, I've been living at my off grid cabin for 6 years now in the Canadian Wilderness (Ontario). I bought 180 acres of land and started building my cabin in 2015. I started living here fulltime in 2017. I have an investment in solar power that pays me like an annuity, but otherwise my fulltime job is a youtuber: . Ask me anything!

Proof:

Please note: There are generally two types of definition for "off grid". One is what I call the movie definition, which is disconnected from society, unfindable. The more common one means that you're not connected to municipal services.

EDIT: Thanks everyone for your questions! We’ve got to get back to work (we complete a delivery every 90 seconds), but if you’re interested in joining Zipline check out our - we’re hiring! Students, fall internship applications will open in a few weeks.

We are , the world’s largest instant logistics and delivery system. Four years ago we after we hit 15,000 commercial deliveries – we’ve done 500,000+ since then including in Rwanda, Ghana, the U.S., Japan, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria.

Last week we announced our new home delivery platform, which is practically silent and is expected to deliver up to 7 times as fast as traditional automobile delivery. You might’ve seen it in .

We’re Redditors ourselves and are excited to answer your questions!

Today we have:

• Ryan (), helped start Zipline and leads our software team

• Zoltan (), started at Zipline 7 years ago and has led the P1 aircraft team and the P2 platform

• Abdoul (), our first Rwandan employee and current Harvard MBA candidate. Abdoul is in class right now and will answer once he’s free

We’ll start answering questions at 1pm PT - Thank you!

There is a lot going on here and I think there are a lot of questions. We (the people of Iran) are trying to spread the news so ask me anything about recent events or living in Iran as a young woman or why we are protesting or even Iran in general.

I’m excited to be here for my 10th AMA.

Since my last AMA, I’ve written a book called .

I explain the cutting-edge innovations that will make it possible to make sure there’s never another COVID-19—many of which are getting support from the Gates Foundation—and I propose a plan for making the most of those breakthroughs. The world needs to spend billions now to avoid millions of deaths and trillions of dollars in losses in the future.

You can ask me about preventing pandemics, our work at the foundation, or anything else.

Proof:

Update: I’m afraid I need to wrap up. Thanks for all the great questions!

Edit: Thanks a bunch yall, this is the end of the LIVE portion of the AMA, but I'll come back and answer some more questions over the coming days.... i gotta go rock a piss now, big time.

Hello Reddit! I’m Jacob Rolfe, I play the character of Jacob Collins, the long-suffering son-in-law of Ricky on the Canadian TV program and movies Trailer Park Boys.

Proof Photo:

I’m also an illustrator, screen-printer, traveler, and general pot smoker.

I’ll be here ‘live’ answering questions for three hours (11-2 ET), but I’m a rather slow two-finger-one-thumb typer, so if needed I’ll also come back and answer additional questions later.

If you miss the AMA, you can check out my art at , check out some vids on my YouTube channel youtube.com/@hootsmcgee7896, or visit where I'm a moderator and frequent contributor. Lastly, on Instagram: jacobcollinstpb (TPB related posts)floating.world.studio (art related posts)

Poise!

A VERY BIG THANK YOU from the BMG team:

PROOF:

Hey Reddit, we are Blue Man Group. Ask us anything…truly anything we have no filter.

Where did the Blue Men come from? How do you even become a Blue Man? Why do you only wear black? What did you have for lunch?

The Blue Men will be answering these questions, but in case their responses prompt more questions we brought along members from our Blue Man New York team to help...

Meet the team!

Dustin Fontaine: Blue Man

Wes Day: Blue Man

Murph Aucamp: Blue Man Band

Chris Schultz: Blue Man Band

Tascha Van Auken: Manager, Casting ＆ Training

Carly Anders: Props ＆ Deck Supervisor

Sarah Lawrence: Wardrobe ＆ Makeup Supervisor

Who we are:

• kwiens: , founder of , the free repair guide for everything

• larossmann: , angry man on the internet

We're here to talk about your right to repair everything you own.

Gadgets are increasingly locked down and hard to fix, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Big money lobbyists have been taking away our freedoms, and it's time to fight back. We should have the right to fix our stuff! Right to repair laws can make that happen.

We’ve been working for years on this, and this year the New York legislature our electronics repair bill, 147-2. But if Governor Hochul doesn’t sign it by December 31, we have to start all over.

Consumer Reports is to pass it. Let’s get it done!

We need your help! Tweet at and ask her to sign the Right to Repair bill! Bonus points if you include a photo of yourself or something broken.

Here’s a handy non-Twitter petition if you're in New York:

If you're not, get involved: follow us on Youtube, and . And consider joining .

Let’s also talk about:

• Copyright and section 1201 of the DMCA and why it sucks

• Microsoldering

• Electronics repair tips

• Tools

• Can a hundred tiny ducks fix a horse sized duck

• Or anything else you want to chat about

My Proof:

If you'd rather watch batteries blow up instead of reading this, .

UPDATE July 11

The next step for those who applied will be to wait for the AT-SA email to come. That can take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months. I will update you all over on once I hear that some emails have started to go out.

UPDATE June 28

The FAA has reopened the application from now until tonight at 11:59 PM EDT. If you haven’t been able to get your application submitted yet, .

UPDATE June 24

The application is live! .

UPDATE June 15

I will be joining representatives from FAA Human Resources, the FAA Academy, and other air traffic controllers for an AMA about the application process on June 24th at 1:00 PM EDT over on .

The FAA is also having a live Q&A with current air traffic controllers on June 21, 3:00PM EDT. Follow them on to join.

UPDATE June 11 #2

I will update the top of this post with a direct link to the application once it goes live on June 24.

In the meantime, you can go ahead and make an account on and create your resume. The FAA highly encourages applicants to use the resume builder on the site rather than upload your own.

UPDATE June 11

I’m beginning to work through my DMs in the order I got them. I will get to all of you eventually.

UPDATE 4

I know I’ve got a ton of you who sent me DMs hours ago and are still waiting for a response. I absolutely will get to each and every one of you as soon as I can.

UPDATE 3

You will apply . Search for job series 2152 and look for “Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee”.

UPDATE 2

UPDATE: To everyone sending me DMs, I WILL respond to all of you. I’m working through the comments first, and responding to DMs as I can in the order I got them. Hang tight!

I’ve been doing AMA’s for these “off the street” hiring announcements since 2018. Since they always gain a lot of interest, I’m back for another one. I’ve heard back from hundreds of people over the past few years who saw my posts, applied, and are now air traffic controllers. Hopefully this post can reach someone else who might be looking for a really cool job.

Check out my previous AMAs for tons of info:

The application window will open from June 24 - June 27 for all eligible U.S. citizens. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Must be a U.S. citizen

• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (Required for males born after 12/31/1959) 

• Must be age 30 or under on the closing date of the application period (with limited exceptions)

• Must have either three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both

• Must speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment

I highly recommend checking out the FAA’s info on their site . It includes instructions on how to apply.

Let’s start with the difficult stuff:

The hiring process is incredibly arduous. After applying, you will have to wait for the FAA to process all applications, determine eligibility, and then reach out to you to schedule the AT-SA. This is basically an air traffic aptitude test. The testing window usually lasts weeks-months for everyone to get tested. Your score will place you into one of several “bands”, the top of which being “Best Qualified.” In previous bids, essentially only those in the Best Qualified band get an offer letter.

If you receive and accept an offer letter (called a Tentative Offer Letter, or TOL) you will then have to pass medical, background, and psychological evaluations. If you do, you will receive a final offer letter (FOL) and be scheduled to attend the FAA Academy in OKC (paid).

Depending on which track you are assigned (Terminal or En Route), you will be at the academy for 3-4 months. You will have to pass your evaluations at the end in order to continue on to your facility. There is a 99% chance you will have to relocate. Your class will get a list of available facilities to choose from based solely on national staffing needs. If you fail your evaluations, your position will be terminated. Once at your facility, on the job training typically lasts anywhere from 1-3 years. You will receive raises as you progress through training.

All that being said:

This is an incredibly rewarding career. The median pay for air traffic controllers in 2021 was $138,556. We receive extremely competitive benefits and leave, and won’t work a day past 56 (mandatory retirement, with a pension). We also get 3 months of paid parental leave. Most controllers would tell you they can’t imagine doing anything else. Speaking for myself, when I’m not on position working traffic I’m either playing Xbox, spikeball, volleyball, resting, etc. Enjoying yourself at work is actively encouraged, as taking down time in between working traffic is paramount for safety. Some controllers will read this and scoff, and rightfully so as not all facilities are well-staffed and working conditions can vary greatly. But overall, it’s hard to find a controller who wouldn’t tell you this is the best job in the world.

Please ask away in the comments and/or my DMs. I always respond to everyone eventually. Good luck!

I’m Tim. I write a blog called , where I write/illustrate long posts about a lot of things—the , , , . In 2016 I turned my attention to a new topic: why my society sucked. Tribalism was flaring up, mass shaming was back into fashion, politicians were increasingly clown-like, public discourse was a battle of one-dimensional narratives. So I decided to write a post about it, which then became a post series, which then became a book called Ask me about the book or anything else!

To know when I publish something new, sign up for the .

When I’m , I post stuff on and .

Proof:

------

UPDATE: 9 hours and 80 questions later, I'm calling it quits so I can go get shat on by an infant. HUGE thank you for coming and asking so many great questions!

Hi everyone I am Kanaya, son of a chief from the Maasai tribe. We are one of the biggest and last indigenous tribes left on the planet. I live in Tanzania in a very remote place deep in the bush, about a 6 hour drive from Arusha. In our area we have all the typical animals you imagine, from elephants to lions. When I was young I even had to fight a lion in self defense. Some months ago we started a social media project, to share our lives and connect with people from the world. We call ourselves the Maasaiboys and you maybe have seen the video where we tried Pizza for the first time which got very viral. We plan on doing more videos where we experience and react to stuff that is new for us or where take you on cool adventures in the bush.

We hope to spread more compassion and happiness in the world, to get our kids a better future. If you want to see more from us, then check our profile for the social media links!

Please feel free to ask us anything!

Proof: !

To our users, AMA guests, and friends,

You may have noticed that, in spite of , this subreddit has refrained from protesting or shutting down during the recent excitement on Reddit.

This does not imply that we think things are being managed better now. Rather, it reflects our belief that such actions will not make any significant difference this time.

Rather than come up with new words to express our concerns, I think some quotes from the NYT Editorial we wrote back in 2015 convey our thoughts very well:

Our primary concern, and reason for taking the site down temporarily, is that Reddit’s management made critical changes to a very popular website without any apparent care for how those changes might affect their biggest resource: the community and the moderators that help tend the subreddits that constitute the site. Moderators commit their time to the site to foster engaging communities.

Reddit is not our job, but we have spent thousands of hours as a team answering questions, facilitating A.M.A.s, writing policy and helping people ask questions of their heroes. We moderate from the train or bus, on breaks from work and in between classes. We check on the subreddit while standing in line at the grocery store or waiting at the D.M.V.

The secondary purpose of shutting down was to communicate to the relatively tone-deaf company leaders that the pattern of removing tools and failing to improve available tools to the community at large, not merely the moderators, was an affront to the people who use the site.

We feel strongly that this incident is more part of a reckless disregard for the company’s own business and for the work the moderators and users put into the site.

Amazing how little has changed, really.

So, what are we going to do about this? What can we change? Not much. Reddit executives have shown that they won't yield to the pressure of a protest. They've told the media that they are actively planning to remove moderators who keep subreddits shut down and have no intentions of making changes.

So, moving forward, we're going to run IAmA like your average subreddit. We will continue moderating, removing spam, and enforcing rules. Many of the current moderation team will be taking a step back, but we'll recruit people to replace them as needed.

However, effective immediately, we plan to discontinue the following activities that we performed, as volunteer moderators, that took up a huge amount of our time and effort, both from a communication and coordination standpoint and from an IT/secure operations standpoint:

1. Active solicitation of celebrities or high profile figures to do AMAs.

2. Email and modmail coordination with celebrities and high profile figures and their PR teams to facilitate, educate, and operate AMAs. (We will still be available to answer questions about posting, though response time may vary).

3. Running and maintaining a website for scheduling of AMAs with pre-verification and proof, as well as social media promotion.

4. Maintaining a current up-to-date sidebar calendar of scheduled AMAs, with schedule reminders for users.

5. Sister subreddits with categorized cross-posts for easy following.

6. Moderator confidential verification for AMAs.

7. Running various bots, including automatic flairing of live posts

Moving forward, we'll be allowing most AMA topics, leaving proof and requests for verification up to the community, and limiting ourselves to removing rule-breaking material alone. This doesn't mean we're allowing fake AMAs explicitly, but it does mean you'll need to pay more attention.

Will this undermine most of what makes IAmA special? Probably. But Reddit leadership has all the funds they need to hire people to perform those extra tasks we formerly undertook as volunteer moderators, and we'd be happy to collaborate with them if they choose to do so.

Thanks for the ride everyone, it's been fun.

Sincerely,

The IAmA Moderator Team (2013-2023)