fucking australia’s trying to get everyone to link their government id to their social media accounts else you cant use them anymore, the actual fuck is wrong with this country

please, actually, get fucking mad over this, the entirety of australia basically just banned all social media for anyone who doesnt want to give up their privacy to the government, there was no vote on this, no nothing, they just went ahead and fucking passed this ridiculously privy law and barely anybody’s talking about it the actual fuck

okay so to actually explain what exactly is happening, it’s an age thing. theyve used ‘protect the children’ and ‘let kids be kids’ as a weapon again. anyone under 16 is banned from social media, but to enforce this they have openly admitted everyone will need to link their government id to their social media. this whole ‘protect the kids’ thing was a very obvious trojan horse for getting ppl to give up their privacy.

and yknow, that alone is a very shitty law even without the whole surrendering your private information to the government thing.

theyve made outside uninhabitable, there’s nowhere left to go. public areas have degenerated, theyve turned hanging out into a crime with loitering, streets feel unwalkable sometimes, parents are more wary of letting their kids walk around on their own than they used to be, and now theyre trying to ban one of the main ways kids manage to distract themselves inside the house.

when i was 15 i was depressed and lonely, unable to leave the house very far, no friends, nobody. the one place that helped me feel less alone was online communities. i wouldve killed myself if it werent for the support i recieved on there. and now theyre trying to ban that for future generations, in a world that hates them being both outside and inside.

and even still, this is still a fucking trojan horse to get you to give up your privacy.

some proper info on this bullshit

I realise this meme is like half a decade old at this point, but I keep running into folks who are only familiar with the screaming cowboy part of Kirin J Callinan’s “Big Enough”, and you… really, really need to see it in context. I promise the context does not diminish it.

I feel like the video raises further questions

I dunno, I think “ex-rival gunslingers falling in gay cowboy love as a metaphor for world peace” is a pretty straightforward thesis.

also really important to mention that the screaming man in the sky is jimmy barnes, who is like australia’s springsteen

You’d be surprised the number of Americans I’ve bumped into who genuinely thought it was William Shatner.

(No, I don’t know what they think William Shatner looks like.)

Me: oh yeah, if you think school photography is hard now, try imagining doing this with film.

The new girl: what's film?

Me: ... film. Like... film that goes in a film camera.

New girl: what's that mean?

Me: ... before cameras were digital.

New girl: how did you do it before digital?

Me:... with film? I haven't had enough coffee for this conversation

New girl: I need you to show me how to format the usb.

Me: format?

New girl: yeah what do I do?

Me: you... put the usb in. Then you make a new folder on it and rename it with (name, date, location)

New girl: but how do I do that?

Me: ... they dont... teach you this anymore, do they?

The lack of computer skills is becoming a problem. Like there was a period of time where the older workers in office jobs had to be brought up to speed on computers, but now a lot of the newer workers have the issue too.

There's a lot of assumed technical literacy because we had a whole generation brought up on desktop computers, but now it's one that was brought up on phones, tablets, and chromebooks. Phones are easier to use, but that means the users have never had to work around the daily problems presented by most desktop environments.

But our systems are still set up assuming the kids are "digital natives" who just already know this stuff. So no one teaches them. So a new employee walks into the office... and they just don't.

30-something here. And this is frightening for a few reasons.

Much of the back-end architecture will soon be more difficult to maintain, as those with the expertise retire or when the one guy volunteering to update a niche corner of some minute software function that holds up 1/4 of the computer world dies.

While products are made to be “easier to use” now, which has made them more accessible, they aren’t made to last, contributing to tech pollution / e-waste. Many consumers don’t know how to upgrade or repair their own tech…if they are upgradeable.

Which brings me to my next point.

I bought a new low end laptop recently. Not chrome book, but actual Windows PC laptop. I haven’t had a personal computer for a while and with a lot of expectation to “return to the office” because COVID’s over, right? *heavy eye roll*, I wanted something cheap and portable. I found a deal because a lot of low end laptops are being discounted because school children aren’t remote now. I was actually looking for refurbished but found what I wanted cheaper new, sadly.

Finding one that I knew would run the software I needed or that wouldn’t be bogged down just with Windows? A challenge. You’ve got to know what RAM, HDD vs eMMC vs SSD, cores, age of processors, and all those specs mean.

Finding one that wasn’t Windows in “S mode,” a bullshit mode that locks you into the Windows app / store for ALL software (where they take a cut of each purchase)? Even more challenging.

When I booted it up…I imagine most people just click yes through things because why not, just want to get right to it, right?

The amount of privileges I had to decline because of targeted data collection, for ad preferences and other nefarious reasons; the number of easy-to-miss “no thanks” options to decline enrollment in bloatware; the number of things that wanted me to launch the free trial, where they could automatically enroll me into a monthly PAID subscription and could report failure to add a credit card to pay for it to credit agencies (!); many of these presented as the “recommended” or default option… ASTOUNDING.

And then I still had to go into system settings and turn off additional data tracking that they didn’t even present during set-up, along with bloatware bullshit programs they wanted to always run at start-up. Because I knew where to go and find that stuff. Don’t even get me starting on fucking Cortana.

Technology has gotten bad. Even 10 years ago, it was a couple simple agreements not to pirate, using software at your own risk, etc. and that was it.

Now? Waiving rights, arbitration, hidden terms that could leave you owing money if you don’t uninstall it, data collection to link accounts and literally track every move / your exact location / your usage, attempts to personalize ads through your specific searches, inability to block cookies unless you download a Google app!?, four pop ups for every website, as the default?

It is scary how much tech that was designed to increase productivity and make life easier has become yet another way for corporations to track us, sell to us, and sell their data on us, even potentially incriminating us.

Oh, and heaven forbid you know what you’re doing and try to upgrade or repair your equipment yourself. Warranty voiding? Should be illegal, may be illegal in some areas, but they still tell you it’ll void your warranty. Good luck finding the parts. Using non-OEM parts will void the warranty too…by design.

I did not survive Windows Vista era to deal with this bullshit.

I did not survive

Windows Vista era to

deal with this bullshit.

Beep boop! I look for accidental haiku posts. Sometimes I mess up.

Anyone have any resources for technology literacy for beginners?

Yes! @aquadraco20

General basic safety

How to avoid ransomware, malware, hacks, and how to maintain good data privacy.

https://www.getsafeonline.org/

^ this has intermediate information (as well as beginner info) that I think people who grew up on the internet benefit most from (so it won't tell you what a phone is, or how to press the power button to turn on a computer). I recommend all sections the personal section under the top drop down (except the one aimed at children).

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/internetsafety/

Same deal as above, with quizzes and additional topics.

https://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/

^ this one is mostly video and audio which some people might helpful

HTML

https://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp

W3schools is a well known free resource for coding. I recommend HTML because it gives basic website building capabilities, so you can create a neocities website for example or even edit your Tumblr theme. You can also learn CSS (used with HTML to make prettier websites) and Python (used to make programs).

Touch typing

Touch typing is using the home row on keyboards. It allows people to type faster than pressing individual keys one at a time, like on a smart phone.

https://www.typingclub.com/

This site has lessons, and honestly looks much nicer than the program I learned to use touch typing with.

https://www.how-to-type.com/touch-typing-lessons/how-to-type-home-keys/

This site has lessons and practice tests and speed tests to measure progress. In middle school I was taking a practice test about three times a week and a speed test once a week for about fifteen minutes each time, if that helps.

---

These three areas are the main things people were taught in computer literacy courses.

I also recommend checking your local library or other educational resources (like local colleges, your current college/highschool/middle school etc, the college you graduated from). These can have in person instructors which can be super helpful. Feel free to send me any questions and stuff, if I don't already know I'll try to find out and share where I found it!

Helpful things I've done with my windows computer to make it safer/more efficient:

I hope this helps :D

For those who don't know what film is:

Paper treated with special chemicals goes inside a camera. The lens of the camera opens, exposing the paper - film - to light, and the chemicals cause the film to darken and change colour based on the light that comes in, making a light-inverted (or colour-inverted) image of whatever the camera is facing. This is called a 'negative'.

The film negatives can be used to create larger, properly lit/coloured copies of the image, as photographs. (Basically negatives of the negatives?) I don't know much about old-school darkroom photo development but I know it involves more specially treated papers and chemical baths, and you have to do it in the dark (hence the name) with special red light to see what you're doing, so the film doesn't end up overexposed.

'Overexposure' is when film absorbs too much light, causing the image chemically imprinted into it to be extremely dark, and the photographs developed from it to be light and blurry. This is why it was a bad idea to open up old film cameras outside of a darkroom.

A video film camera works by taking a bunch of photos in quick succession, multiple photos per second. Even if there is an attached microphone, audio recording is separate from video recording, and the two are synchronized as part of the editing process.

via indiarosecrawford

Frog Paints a Water Lily Pond 🪷🎨🐸

𝑓ₒᵣ ⲕᵢ𝑛𝑔 ₐ𝑛𝑑 𝑐ₒ𝑡𝑡ₐ𝑔ₑ

Ok, I adore the Frogs to begin with, but the sheer finesse and dedication of this one boggles my mind.

me: this is cute and precious

my brain: 45 years ago this person could've made a public access television show that ran for half a decade on the strength of this concept with the right framing device and it would've been paid for with federal arts grants and maybe even national syndication rights. now they're begging for a single minute of engagement on tiktok in the hopes that maybe someday the abstract metrics of digital media platforms will translate into a tangible career

me: yeah me: cute frog though

my brain: it is a cute frog

Chai tea bag + lil but of brown sugar + apple cider packet + 16 oz. mug of hot but not quite boiling water

it will not Fix You but like. maybe. maybe.

tags by @eridan-ampora

Update: this is the best post I've ever made because everyone is sharing their Warm Beverage recipes in the notes. Go check the notes for more Warm Beverages That Will Fix You.

*doom music starts to play* I actually kindof like scheduling these kinds of appointments now...

but seriously Fellas, don't forget to schedule a pap smear every couple of years just in case. If you still have a cervix you can still get cervical cancer. ilu

this has been a psa

i've had this as an idea since 2017 btw

damn, tumblr says my art is ass and trans people is eye strain so no blaze for me :\

it'd be a shame if this...

blazed the old fashion way...

The state of Georgia did what with voter registrations?!

The friend who tipped me off to this said he hasn't seen anyone else talking about it so here's the elaboration.

Georgia added an online portal that lets you cancel other people's voter registrations if you have all the requisite personal information (like the stuff that keeps getting leaked in massive data breaches).

Supposedly this was so people could cancel the registrations of dead relatives, but like. There's apparently no requirement to prove that the person is dead.

✨~PLEASE READ~✨

Alright I don’t know if anyone is still interested or if the hype has died down for y’all but I will be opening preorders for a bunch of Dungeon Meshi merch! I am still very much obsessed with this show and am super excited that the show was renewed for season 2.

I will be doing reprints of the Wolves and Dustrag tees because quite a few people missed out on the first drop and asked if there would be another chance to snag them. I am a pushover and al3ways happy to comply so this is your guys’ chance!Many of the stickers are also reprints but I also included the elf Senshi, Falin with a gun, and Tummy Ache Survivor because why not.

The charms are probably what I am most excited about since the familiar ones will have magnets so you and your besties can connect them all together. Almost like a friendship charm! And I especially love the Falin shaker charm, a little dark but I kinda get a giggle out of it.

Please note that since these are PRE ORDERS, once they are closed, it will still be a bout 4 to 5 weeks before I start putting the orders together and mailing out all out. I do plan to have it open for a little Oliver a week but if I get an influx of orders and feel like it may be too much for me to handle I will close them prematurely. I will let you all know 24 hours in advance if that is the case.

Thank you again for all your our support and encouragement. It really means the world to me that you all like my work so much. ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Personally have the "I got that dog in me shirt", and it's a 100% cotton shirt that's really soft, plus has the insanely adorable art on it. It was well worth the price and am very happy with it. :D

Weekend stream comms open! 6 slots available, $90 each. These will be drawn live on stream this Saturday and Sunday (each day starting around 2 p.m, GMT + 01:00) Claim a slot via this form:

Ok, but the middle one is gorgeous and amazing. I love their design, they look so daggon cool!

The Ballad of Bella Buttons (based on a true story)

[ID: Boxed shaped clay sculpture of a Przewalski's horse. The horse's body is painted onto the box in the style of palaeolithic cave art, and the front half from the shoulders is realistic and three-dimensional, fully emerging at the end of the box. The horse is in a walking pose with the front left leg raised and the head tilted slightly sideways. Each photo shows a different angle. End ID]

Yeah, happy with this. Will be remaking it at some point, hopefully with less issues. I'll have to give it a coat of gloss as this clay is not hardy and needs protection.

Milestone!

We've met and passed the quarter mark! Simon is off doing cat things, and blissfully unaware of his condition or, more importantly, the ride in the dreaded carrier that is in his future. (He is a fierce boy when it comes to facing the vet.) I will be relieved, though, to actually get a diagnosis and a suggested treatment. Everyone who has shared this GoFundMe or donated even a little has had a big part in making this happen. We still have a ways to go, though. Thank you all!

You worked really hard, and now it’s time to snuggle up with a penguin plush and rest. 🙏

Chibird store | Positive pin club | Instagram

Classic issue between girls 

For anyone that wants to read more

You can read it here. It's still starting, but it's really cute so far.