I don't have a full picture idea yet, but I would probably upload art/ projects/ WIPs. I also was considering adding writings, but I'm not sure if there would be enough there to have a section for writings.
I definitely don't have as much to share as others, but I would like to see the Internet become a less centralized space.
An author I follow on Bluesky has been talking about neocities a lot and it seems pretty silly and fun. You probably need to be signed in to view this, but you can see her talk about the process here.
As I have gotten more and more exhausted with modern social media, I have contemplated building my own simple website (think neocities), but have been hesitant to put much of myself out as I do not want to feed the AI slop machines.
Nepenthes is encouraging since I could see it being able to protect text in a way "glazing" (ie Nightshade) cannot.
Hopefully AI companies cannot sidestep this as easily as ROBOTS.txt...
"Nepenthes generates random links that always point back to itself - the crawler downloads those new links. Nepenthes happily just returns more and more lists of links pointing back to itself."
Some key excerpts:
A pseudonymous coder has created and released an open source “tar pit” to indefinitely trap AI training web crawlers in an infinitely, randomly-generating series of pages to waste their time and computing power. The program, called Nepenthes after the genus of carnivorous pitcher plants which trap and consume their prey, can be deployed by webpage owners to protect their own content from being scraped or can be deployed “offensively” as a honeypot trap to waste AI companies’ resources.
The typical web crawler doesn't appear to have a lot of logic. It downloads a URL, and if it sees links to other URLs, it downloads those too. Nepenthes generates random links that always point back to itself - the crawler downloads those new links. Nepenthes happily just returns more and more lists of links pointing back to itself,” Aaron B
As disappointed as I am with the name Switch 2 being so plain and ordinary versus their previous sequel consoles (Super NES, Gameboy Advance, Wii U); with the console being so similar to the Switch (1), I think they'd have another Wii U situation on their hands if they did have a more clever name.
If someone told me this was a mid-cycle refresh, I'd probably believe them; but maybe the official launch reveals will change my mind...
Christmas cards and envelopes I designed
I have wanted to send out Christm
I wish I could say I was surprised to see Disney pulling such a transphobic and cowardly move, but it's certainly not the first time they've done it.
I hope negative backlash can effect some change within Disney, but seeing as they didn't learn their lesson with Moon Girl, I wouldn't hold my breath...
Disney Pulls Transgender Storyline from Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’ Streaming Series
Win or Lose will no longer have a transgender storyline. The show is about a co-ed high school team and debuts on Disney+ in February.
Some key excerpts:
Pixar’s original animated series Win or Lose will no longer include a transgender storyline in a later episode
Each of the eight episodes center on the off-the-field life of a character and their point of view, whether it be a player, a parent, a coach or an umpire.
A spokesperson for Disney confirmed that the story arc was removed and provided the following statement to THR: “When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”
The character remains in the show, but a few lines of dialogue that referenced gender identity are being removed.
Most recently, Disney Channel’s animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur made headlines after some who worked on the sho
That's a pretty big question, with a couple of different interpretations. If you are asking how I handle thinking about the passage of time, the easiest answer is to make it tomorrow's problem. This is probably not the healthiest answer; but it doesn't pay to stress over inevitabilities, so I just do my best to put them out of my mind.
If you are asking the best way to utilize your time, my recommendation is to start focusing on yourself immediately. It's very easy to prioritize work by staying late or overworking yourself to make your bosses happy, but no amount of overwork will ever satiate your company; it will only serve to drain the life from your body. It's very important to set firm boundaries with your job. I, personally, will not even look at my work phone or computer the minute I leave the office (on Mon-WFH days) and have a hard stop every day at 5PM unless agreed upon well in advance. You lose so much time and energy to your job that just standing firm on your boundaries can be a huge QoL boost.
Please also do your best to cultivate a creative outlet as a hobby. A lot of people don't think they are/can be creative, but anyone can be creative if they find the right outlet. It could be art, sewing, crochet, music, writing, or even creative programming. The important thing is to find a way to explore your feelings and do something productive with them. In my experience, I am often the most vivacious are when I am making art in one form or another; I highly recommend it.
I've seen some interesting takes on this elsewhere as well. If Twitter is making the legal argument that all the accounts belong to them explicitly, would that make them responsible for all the content they host as well?
They basically get away with all the hate speech and copyright infringement because they are considered a "safe harbor," not the owners of the content themselves; but if they're the owner of the content, the safe harbor status might not apply...
While the fact that Twitter is run by a flagrant right-wing fascist who would do anything to help other major right-wing fascists is nothing new, I did think this was an interesting look at the state of social media.
The idea that you can never own your own account (and likely, by extension, anything you post on said account) really drives home the point that the Internet as it is now is basically wholly owned by a handful of corporations.
I don't know if we'll ever be able to reach the point of everyone making their own silly little sites again. It seems like social media is now required to drive views, so the artists who need views for sales will always need to be on social media.
Luckily, decentralized social media is on the rise. Lemmy, while still comparatively small, has a fairly active user base; and while Mastodon has not (and likely will not) ever be mainstream, even Bluesky is technically decentralized as well (I think).
Having said all that, I would very much like to see people making their own sites just for things they enjoy. It's surprisingly not that hard to do as long as you don't need it very polished.
"X CORP. OWNS THE X ACCOUNTS."
Some key excerpts:
On Monday, X filed an objection in The Onion’s bid to buy InfoWars out of bankruptcy. In the objection, Elon Musk’s lawyers argued that X has “superior ownership” of all accounts on X, that it objects to the inclusion of InfoWars and related Twitter accounts in the bankruptcy auction, and that the court should therefore prevent the transfer of them to The Onion.
The legal basis that X asserts in the filing is not terribly interesting. But what is interesting is that X has decided to involve itself at all, and it highlights that you do not own your followers or your account or anything at all on corporate social media, and it also highlights the fact that Elon Musk’s X is primarily a political project he is using to boost, or stifle, specific viewpoints and help his friends
Except in e
I'm not super plugged into the world of music, so you know it's bad when I've heard someone got owned so hard they're suing over it.
I'm honestly not even sure what the end goal is for Drake, since all he is doing is bringing it to the forefront of the public consciousness again. (I guess he must have been impressed with how well similar tactics worked out for another musician, Barbara Streisand...)
Drake Claims Universal Music and Spotify ‘Artificially Inflated’ Kendrick Lamar’s Numbers for ‘Not Like Us’ Diss Track
In a shocking move, Drake accused his label, Universal, and Spotify of artificially inflating numbers for Kendrick Lamar's Drake-dissing 'Not Like Us.'
Some key excerpts:
In the latest twist in the bruising beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the Canadian rapper has initiated legal action against Universal Music Group over allegations that the company conspired using Spotify to artificially inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
The action is doubly surprising because UMG distributes both artists’ recordings.
In a filing Monday in Manhattan court first reported by Billboard, Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC accused UMG of launching an illegal “scheme” involving bots, payola and other methods to boost the numbers for Lamar’s viciously personal song, which accuses Drake of pedophilia and amplified the already fiery dispute between the two artists.
“UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business pract
That is really the term. Of course, every time a new wave of users join, they always say they'll never call them "skeets," but they usually change their mind in time.
In my personal opinion, I actually really appreciate them being called "skeets." It kind of serves as a reminder that they are not to be taken seriously. I also appreciate that calling them "skeets" will help deter large corporations from joining for some time. (What company wants to be associated with a social media site where the posts are a tongue-in-cheek reference to ejaculate?)
I think (/hope) trolls are going to have a pretty hard time gaining traction on Bluesky. As you've mentioned, the block lists are quite effective; but also the lack of algorithm helps too. No matter how many likes/reskeets an offensive skeet gets, I will never see it unless someone I follow specifically reskeets it themselves.
With this in mind, most people seeing the trolls' posts will likely only be the trolls themselves. Of course they can hop into the comments of a popular skeet; but once they are blocked by the original poster, their skeet becomes removed for everybody.
From what I can tell, the enhanced moderation tools combined with the followed-only feed should make being a troll on Bluesky much harder...
It seems like Twitter may have passed the thermocline and now seems to be hemorrhaging left leaning users.
What I found interesting about this article was how the right leaning users are likely to follow them because they need the left leaning users for engagement. I suppose on some level it's common sense. Truth Social and Gab never took off for a reason; but it's still interesting to think about.
The X exodus is weakening a way for conservatives to speak to the masses.
Some key excerpts:
Since Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022 and subsequently turned it into X, disaffected users have talked about leaving once and for all
For the most part, X has held up as the closest thing to a central platform for political and cultural discourse.
After Trump’s election victory, more people appear to have gotten serious about leaving. According to Similarweb, a social-media analytics company, the week after the election corresponded with the biggest spike in account deactivations on X since Musk’s takeover of the site. Many of these users have fled to Bluesky: The Twitter-like microblogging platform has added about 10 million new accounts since October.
In a sense, this is a victory for conservatives: As the left flees and X loses broader relevance, it becomes a more overtly right-wing site. But th
Some Representatives are making statements, though I'm not sure what it would take to have this officially dealt with.
Right now, the declaration is still pretty new; but I bet if you contacted some of the local LGBTQ+ orgs in your area, they might know of demonstrations that are being organized currently.
I don't think the Old Testament is particularly anti-trans either. Most Republicans use the Bible as a way to launder their own hateful views, but I doubt if they're even remotely religious at all.
I wonder what kind of reaction you would get from a Republican Representative if you told one that Speaker Johnson is violating women's spaces by making a rule that forces men to use the ladies restroom and that it makes you very uncomfortable.
I do worry that could backfire and they might just make a secondary rule punishing trans men, though...
I usually try to call my Representative and Senators during my commute. The only tricky part is remembering the bill numbers.
I have the distinct impression I'm going to have something to say to them every day over the next four years...
This is especially vile to announce on Transgender Day of Remembrance; but I have no doubt in my mind that it was intentional.
This feels like a move made with the explicit purpose of hurting people as much as possible. ("The cruelty is the point.")
To my knowledge, there is no legal recourse for this, but I am not a lawyer, so I could be wrong...
I know it likely won't do much, but I do recommend calling your representatives. I asked mine to issue a statement saying that they will not be party to enforcing this rule. I hope they issue such a statement of solidarity soon 🤞
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced Wednesday that transgender women are not permitted to use bathrooms in the Capitol that match their gender identity, taking a stance on the hot-button issue t…
Archive.today link
Some key excerpts:
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced Wednesday that transgender women are not permitted to use bathrooms in the Capitol that match their gender identity
The policy [...] will also apply to bathrooms in House office buildings, changing rooms and locker rooms.
Johnson’s statement — which was made on Transgender Day of Remembrance, recognized annually to memorialize trans people who died due to anti-trans violence — comes days after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced a bill to bar transgender women from facilities on Capitol Hill that match their gender identity, a response to the election earlier this month of Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.).
McBride blasted Mace’s legislation earlier this week, calling it “a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing.”
Mace was threatening to force a vote on the matter prior to John
To me, it feels like fear-mongering. If you don't think trans people are dangerous, you won't "need" a Republican to "protect" you from them.
The bathroom argument is especially silly when you recall that unisex bathrooms have existed for a long time, and all they require is better stalls than American bathrooms tend to offer. If protecting people in bathrooms was really a goal, they would just make walls that go to the floor legally required.
I doubt if most of the Republican politicians/ pundits even believe half the stuff they say about trans people. They are simply the target du jour, and Republicans will say anything they can think of to make you afraid of them.
I don't think anyone could make the case that Rep. McBride is dangerous; but Republicans are fighting not to release the ethics report on Matt Gaetz before he is placed in a position of immense power, when it seems quite likely that he was directly harming women.
As you say, this is all about tormenting Rep. McBride (along with any other Trans women they are able to hurt at the same time).
The bill's cruelty is precisely why I think it's so important for every American to contact their representative (even Republican ones). It might not be enough to change a Republican Congressperson's mind, but it's good for them to know that the American people are not going to let Trans people be an easy target for them.
I encourage every American reading this article to call their district representative and let them know that you do not approve of this bill. It's hateful and cruel; and I fear that if it passes, it will pave the way for similar, wider reaching, legislation.
I called my Representative earlier today and their intern was able to tell me the bill number: H.Res.1579. Knowing the number should hopefully make it easier to voice your disgust in this abhorrent bill.
While on the phone (or email) with your Representative, I encourage everyone to voice their displeasure with H.R.9495 as well. H.R.9495 will allow the executive branch to unilaterally declare non-profits as terrorist organizations and strip them of their non-profit status. This would functionally give the executive branch authority to end any non-profit that is engaging in activities they don't approve of, which would likely result in the destruction of any non-profit engaging in harm reduction.
House Republicans signal support for proposal to ban bathroom access for 1st transgender member
House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled support for a Republican effort to ban Democrat Sarah McBride — the first transgender person to be elected to Congress — from using women’s restrooms in the Capitol once she’s sworn into office next year.
Some key excerpts:
House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled support Tuesday for a Republican effort to ban Democrat Sarah McBride — the first transgender person to be elected to Congress — from using women’s restrooms in the Capitol once she’s sworn into office next year.
A resolution proposed Monday by GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace said the bill is aimed specifically at McBride, who was elected to the House this month from Delaware.
At least 11 states have adopted laws barring transgender girls and women from girls and women’s bathrooms at public schools, and in some cases other government facilities.
[Mace] added that Johnson assured her the bathroom provisi
I encourage every American reading this article to call their district representative and let them know that you do not approve of this bill. It's hateful and cruel; and I fear that if it passes, it will pave the way for similar, wider reaching, legislation.
I called my Representative earlier today and their intern was able to tell me the bill number: H.Res.1579. Knowing the number should hopefully make it easier to voice your disgust in this abhorrent bill.
While on the phone (or email) with your Representative, I encourage everyone to voice their displeasure with H.R.9495 as well. H.R.9495 will allow the executive branch to unilaterally declare non-profits as terrorist organizations and strip them of their non-profit status. This would functionally give the executive branch authority to end any non-profit that is engaging in activities they don't approve of, which would likely result in the destruction of any non-profit engaging in harm reduction.
A federal bankruptcy judge in Texas has ordered a hearing into how the satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars, after Jones and his lawyers raised questions about how a bankruptcy auction was conducted.
Some key excerpts:
The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax.
The Onion acquired the conspiracy theory platform’s website; social media accounts; studio in Austin, Texas; trademarks; and video archive. The sale price was not immediately disclosed.
Jones was angry and defiant as he broadcast live with Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon, vowing to challenge the sale and the auction process in court. Jones said he would move to a new studio, websites and social media accounts that were already set up.
The Onion consulted on the bidding with some of the Sandy Hook families that sued Jones for defamation and emotional distress in lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas, lawyers for the families said.
Jones has been saying o
The House nixed a bill empowering the Treasury Department to revoke nonprofits’ tax-exempt status over alleged ties to “terror.”
Some key excerpts:
A contingent of Democratic lawmakers rallied Tuesday evening to vote down a controversial bill that would have granted President-elect Donald Trump broad powers to censor and punish his political opponents.
Despite previous bipartisan support, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act — which would allow the Treasury Department unilateral authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it designates as a “terrorist supporting organization” — hit a roadblock in Congress in the form of Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, who led the charge against the bill in large part due to Trump’s reelection.
In a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives, 145 Democrats and one Republican voted “nay” — barely enough to deny the bill the two-thirds majority it needed to pass under “suspe
A bill that would let Donald Trump unilaterally revoke tax-exempt status from nonprofits is being fast-tracked through Congress.
Some key excerpts:
Up for a potential fast-track vote next week in the House of Representatives, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, also known as H.R. 9495, would grant the secretary of the Treasury Department unilateral authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit deemed to be a “terrorist supporting organization.”
The resolution has already prompted strong opposition from a wide range of civil society groups, with more than 100 organizations signing an open letter issued by the American Civil Liberties Union in September.
“This is about stifling dissent and to chill advocacy, because people are going to avoid certain things and take certain positions in order to avoid this designation,” Hamadanchy told The Intercept.
The current version — which was introduced by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-
This is a friendly reminder to visit your local library
I saw someone talking about this online recently and I wanted to bring the discussion here too.
Libraries can be supported by a number of means including website traffic, social media likes, newsletter sign-ups, visiting events/ programs, and, of course, checking out books.
I have had a long history with my local library and it blows my mind, sometimes, the services they offer that people don't know about.
When I was a kid, I largely got into reading because of a monthly book club our library ran. Before that, I had never enjoyed reading books outside of a select few series because I wasn't encountering books that spoke to me; but the librarian that ran the program was very savvy and picked great books that children could enjoy. To this day, I am still grateful for that program.
They also have programs aimed at adults that can range anywhere from book clubs to classes, and even very interesting author talks from time to time.
You can also borrow all sorts of exciting media aside
Why didn't the Discovery show-runners believe in the Federation?
I just finished watching Star Trek Discovery a day or two ago and it didn't really hit me until I was reading about Calypso, but it feels like the show-runners are very pessimistic about the concept of a Federation. I am not sure if this is considered old news, but I would be interested in examining the show-runners' outlooks more closely.
While the collapse of the Federation is in a way no fault of its own (the Federation didn't cause the burn); the idea that all it would take would be a scarcity of gas to break up the interplanetary union feels counter to the original ideals of Star Trek's optimism.
The idea that teamwork and ingenuity can overcome most adversity feels integral to Star Trek (at least to me), so the idea that running out of fossil fuels is all it would take to split up the Galaxy's largest symbol of unity feels out of place.
This is an especially powerful slap in the face when in Season 5 they have developed the Pathway Drive after only a few years of working toge
What do you do with your pins?
I've noticed a rise in enamel pins over the past few years and enjoy them as a compact and durable piece of art.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to use the pins I have amassed over the years; hence my question of what you do with your pins.
Disney wants a wrongful death lawsuit thrown out because the plaintiff had Disney+
While this isn't news about new technology, I thought it was an interesting look about how predatory EULAs can still hurt us even years later in seemingly unrelated ways
Some key excerpts:
After a doctor suffered a fatal allergic reaction at a Disney World restaurant, Disney is trying to get her widower’s wrongful death lawsuit tossed by pointing to the fine print of a Disney+ trial he signed up for years earlier.
Tangsuan was “highly allergic” to dairy and nuts, and they chose that particular restaurant in part because of its promises about accommodating patrons with food allergies, according to the lawsuit filed in a Florida circuit court.
They allegedly raised the issue upfront, inquired about the safety of specific menu items, had the server confirm with the chef that they could be made allergen-free and asked for confirmation “seve
I Changed My Race to White on Hinge and Got Better Matches. Is the algorithm the problem, or the men?
And got better matches. Is the algorithm the problem, or the men?
Some key highlights (I would highly recommend reading the whole article, though):
Recently I saw a TikTok from a Black woman who said that when she changed her race to “White” on Hinge, she was presented with better men. I immediately gave it a try and was shocked to find that in addition to the guys I usually saw, there were men who were more handsome and better educated and who had better jobs than those who usually showed up in my search results.
Some of the men I was able to swipe through had previously only been available in the “Standouts” section, which Hinge describes as “outstanding content from people most your type.”
Now I’m left wondering if this new crop of men popped up because the app’s algorithm codes white women as more desirable, and thus presents them with the “best” options, or if these men are just searching for white women.
Captain America: Brave New World | Official Teaser
In Theaters February 14, 2025
Skydance plans to make as much as $2 billion in cost cuts after it acquires Paramount Global, largely to overhaul its linear TV businesses
Some key excerpts:
Skydance executives who are set to take over the owner of CBS, Nickelodeon and MTV have identified at least $2 billion in cost cuts that can be made at the company, much of it from its linear media operations, according to Jeff Shell, who is slated to be named president of the new entity.
David Ellison, the Skydance chief who will become the CEO of a “new” Paramount, put a spotlight on his plan to boost the media conglomerate with content from his entity, which controls certain rights to top Paramount franchises like “Top Gun” and “Mission: Impossible.” He envisioned a new company that combined Skydance’s animation business with that of Nickelodeon, and CBS Sports with Skydance’s sports documentary division.
Shell indicated a willingness to sell certain non-strategic assets — which he did not immediately identify — and suggested the company hoped to add to the CBS Sports portfolio, which boasts the Masters golf tournamen
'Shrek 5' is officially a go as Universal announced a July 2026 release date. Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Mike Myers are all set to return.
Some key excerpts:
DreamWorks Animation has announced that “Shrek 5″ is officially in development, with a far, far away release date of July 1, 2026. Original “Shrek” stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are all confirmed to return.
Antonio Banderas’ return as the feisty feline Puss in Boots is not yet confirmed. “Shrek 5” will be directed by Walt Dohrn, who served as a writer and artist on “Shrek 2” and “Shrek the Third,” and as head of story on “Shrek Forever After,” in which he also voiced Rumpelstiltskin. “Shrek 5” will be produced by franchise returner Gina Shay and Illumination founder Chris Meledandri; Brad Ableson serves as co-director.
Why Dave & Buster’s Is Transforming Its Arcades Into Casinos
Archive link: http://archive.today/c0FEu
Some key highlights:
Dave & Buster’s [...] recently announced plans to let patrons place real-money bets on the company’s main attraction: its arcade games.
The suburban gaming den’s new betting operation is part of a partnership with Lucra Sports, a technology company that describes its product as “gamification services.” In practical terms, Lucra licenses its software to other businesses, allowing them to integrate certain kinds of betting into their existing apps and websites. Lucra deals in the kinds of bookie-free “peer to peer” bets—say, on the results of a night of bowling or a game of pickup basketball—that might have previously been sealed with a handshake.
The chain is expected to roll out all of this in the coming months, and it will be available only to adults
Beyond that, neither Dave & Buster’s nor Lucra Sports—which both declined to comment—is saying what kinds of betting will be allowed and at what scale.
Gambli
