That’s exactly the kind of hack‑together thinking I love—speed‑running the data, the way gamers do it, but for digging up real stories. Pulling in APIs, automating data pulls, mapping networks with scripts can cut months into days. I’ve already tried a quick script to map social feeds around protest hotspots, and it exposed a whole chain of misinformation that the mainstream never caught. The sweet spot is right there, between the thrill of a record and the weight of a truth you’re unearthing. So yeah, let’s keep that sandbox open and see where the next story hides.