#Amazon A Plus Listing Services

[gonukkadleecommerceprovider]

Boost your Amazon visibility with Gonukkad's A Plus Listing Services – enhance your product listings for increased sales and customer engagement.

[lifehacksthatwork]

Just a bunch of Useful websites - Updated for 2023

Removed/checked all links to make sure everything is working (03/03/23). Hope they help!

Sejda - Free online PDF editor.

Supercook - Have ingredients but no idea what to make? Put them in here and it'll give you recipe ideas.

Still Tasty - Trying the above but unsure about whether that sauce in the fridge is still edible? Check here first.

Archive.ph - Paywall bypass. Like 12ft below but appears to work far better and across more sites in my testing. I'd recommend trying this one first as I had more success with it.

12ft – Hate paywalls? Try this site out.

Where Is This - Want to know where a picture was taken, this site can help.

TOS/DR - Terms of service, didn't read. Gives you a summary of terms of service plus gives each site a privacy rating.

OneLook - Reverse dictionary for when you know the description of the word but can't for the life of you remember the actual word.

My Abandonware - Brilliant site for free, legal games. Has games from 1978 up to present day across pc and console. You'll be surprised by some of the games on there, some absolute gems.

Project Gutenberg – Always ends up on these type of lists and for very good reason. All works that are copyright free in one place.

Ninite – New PC? Install all of your programs in one go with no bloat or unnecessary crap.

PatchMyPC - Alternative to ninite with over 300 app options to keep upto date. Free for home users.

Unchecky – Tired of software trying to install additional unwanted programs? This will stop it completely by unchecking the necessary boxes when you install.

Sci-Hub – Research papers galore! Check here before shelling out money. And if it’s not here, try the next link in our list.

LibGen – Lots of free PDFs relate primarily to the sciences.

Zotero – A free and easy to use program to collect, organize, cite and share research.

Car Complaints – Buying a used car? Check out what other owners of the same model have to say about it first.

CamelCamelCamel – Check the historical prices of items on Amazon and set alerts for when prices drop.

Have I Been Pawned – Still the king when it comes to checking if your online accounts have been released in a data breach. Also able to sign up for email alerts if you’ve ever a victim of a breach.

I Have No TV - A collection of documentaries for you to while away the time. Completely free.

Radio Garden – Think Google Earth but wherever you zoom, you get the radio station of that place.

Just The Recipe – Paste in the url and get just the recipe as a result. No life story or adverts.

Tineye – An Amazing reverse image search tool.

My 90s TV – Simulates 90’s TV using YouTube videos. Also has My80sTV, My70sTV, My60sTV and for the younger ones out there, My00sTV. Lose yourself in nostalgia.

Foto Forensics – Free image analysis tools.

Old Games Download – A repository of games from the 90’s and early 2000’s. Get your fix of nostalgia here.

Online OCR – Convert pictures of text into actual text and output it in the format you need.

Remove Background – An amazingly quick and accurate way to remove backgrounds from your pictures.

Twoseven – Allows you to sync videos from providers such as Netflix, Youtube, Disney+ etc and watch them with your friends. Ad free and also has the ability to do real time video and text chat.

Terms of Service, Didn’t Read – Get a quick summary of Terms of service plus a privacy rating.

Coolors – Struggling to get a good combination of colors? This site will generate color palettes for you.

This To That – Need to glue two things together? This’ll help.

Photopea – A free online alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Does everything in your browser.

BitWarden – Free open source password manager.

Just Beam It - Peer to peer file transfer. Drop the file in on one end, click create link and send to whoever. Leave your pc on that page while they download. Because of how it works there are no file limits. It's genuinely amazing. Best file transfer system I have ever used.

Atlas Obscura – Travelling to a new place? Find out the hidden treasures you should go to with Atlas Obscura.

ID Ransomware – Ever get ransomware on your computer? Use this to see if the virus infecting your pc has been cracked yet or not. Potentially saving you money. You can also sign up for email notifications if your particular problem hasn’t been cracked yet.

Way Back Machine – The Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites and loads more.

Rome2Rio – Directions from anywhere to anywhere by bus, train, plane, car and ferry.

Splitter – Seperate different audio tracks audio. Allowing you to split out music from the words for example.

myNoise – Gives you beautiful noises to match your mood. Increase your productivity, calm down and need help sleeping? All here for you.

DeepL – Best language translation tool on the web.

Forvo – Alternatively, if you need to hear a local speaking a word, this is the site for you.

For even more useful sites, there is an expanded list that can be found here.

[bowtiepastabitch]

Here's the deal on the Good Omens limbo situation. My optimistic and analytic two cents, if you will.

If we look at this through a capitalistic lens, the chances of the show being cancelled are pretty slim at the moment. Think for a moment about the top three amazon prime originals that you pay/keep the platform for. Can you think of three? I honestly can't, not off the top of my head. I know I'm not really the target audience for streaming services, since I don't watch a lot of new shows, but still. I can name plenty of netflix shows I like/might watch. That's why Netflix can cancel anything and everything so easy. They don't have just one or two fandom cash cows.

Amazon, though, doesn't have a lot. Here's a list of all their original shows. I only even recognize 8 titles. I've only actually watched 2. Plus, Good Omens is currently one of the biggest fandoms in fandom right now, with Aziracrow being the top ship on ao3 for the Jan-Dec 2023 wrap up and again on the Summer 2024 leaderboard, as well as the top ship on tumblr and Good Omens as the top tv show (plus second overall after Artists on Tumblr) for 2023. We're a big deal, and I'd bet money that they're betting money on us. I also lowkey think we're the reason Amazon is spending money on a british miniseries starring Michael Sheen tbh but that's just speculation. The show has also won a slew of awards, the same of which cannot, to my knowledge, be said of many of their other properties.

So let's talk production changes; I think there's a good chance they're doing this for the same reason. Our fandom had unique access to the creator via tumblr, and a majority of the conversation around the allegations of SA against Gaiman were and are taking place in fandom spaces. There have been petitions to fire him from the show and conversations (both productive and otherwise) about the duties of fandom when engaging with content connected to problematic individuals. Meanwhile, Gaiman has effectively dissappeared from the internet. Additionally, the video and threads sharing that Terry Pratchett wrote most of the original book have been making the rounds here and I think on the bird app(?). All that to say, if they're betting on us they want to make us happy and keep their good PR. I don't ever expect a major corporation to make a "good" decision, but they will always make the profitable one.

There is, of course, also the matter of the Pratchett estate and the other major players in the matter: the actors, directors, and creative team. These are forces at play with the power to block or stall productivity and profit for Amazon through copyright and labor power. I can imagine there's conversations happening backstage that we don't know about as well as what we see in headlines.

Ultimately, I think the biggest risk to season 3 is unfortunately going to be Neil Gaiman himself and how he responds to the situation at hand. If he steps back quietly, we're living in our best case scenario and everything moves forward as much according to plan as can be expected with at least this small justice being served. I see a hissy fit on his end as the greatest potential wrench in proceedings, but that would exacerbate the (currently quiet in the mainstream) bad PR for him so I give it low odds.

All that to say. From a pragmatic viewpoint, Amazon's best interest seems to be entirely tied to ours as a fandom, and I anticipate Season 3 being made and most likely being only minorly delayed. Either way. What happens behind the scenes in corporate office buildings between rich white men is entirely out of my and your control. I know how huge anxiety can get when it relates to a special interest or a community that has a huge role in your life, and whatever happens we're in this together as a fandom. It's going to be alright. Take a deep breath and maybe get some water. Whatever happens, we're in this together as a fandom, and at least it won't be the end of the world;)

[knitmeapony]

You should donate or subscribe to Consumer Reports

So this was one of those things I thought everyone knew about, and I was very wrong about that.

If you are looking to buy something expensive and don't trust the ratings on Amazon or random websites that make you wonder if they're sponsored by a company, Consumer Reports is your answer.

You can get a one month subscription for $10, and if you're going to be buying a $1000 TV, that's absolutely worth it.

CR is a not-for-profit. They buy everything they test, and are only sponsored by donations and subscriptions to their magazine.

Here's what you get for that $10:

articles on how to decide what kind of thing to buy -- don't know the difference between OLED and LCD and other kinds of TVs? They'll tell you the difference. How big a TV is worthwhile in a space the size of your living room? What is HDR? Is it better to get a streaming box separate, or stream directly through the TV? They have guides for everything.

Price guides -- they will tell you, for instance, that new TV models tend to get released in the spring, so late spring/early summer is when you get slightly discounted rates on the last year's models

How to take care of your thing -- what should you use to clean a flat-screen TV? Does it matter if it's antistatic or antidust? Should you shade it from the sun? What features are worth turning off if you don't use live TV?

And then the big one: their rating guides

They rate hundreds of products in dozens of categories. You can then filter down. Say you live in an apartment and you can only afford $500 for a TV, and you really care about data privacy.

Those are your top 3 options for a 52 inch or smaller TV in your price range with better than average privacy. Click that Shop button and it'll show you where to buy it. Want to know how those ratings were created?

You can then add up to 5 products to a 'compare' grid.

Want to know how many products they've tested and have guides for?

Pet GPS collars. Countertop icemakers. Streaming services. Air travel. Seriously, this should be your first stop before making any big purchase, and if you subscribe it can be your first stop for ANY purchase.

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

03/07/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; David Jenkins; Samba Schutte; Dominic Burgess; Lindsey Cantrell; Rhys Darby; Fan Spotlight; Never Left Podcast; Cast Cards; AdoptOurCrew; SaveOFMD Crew; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika;

I figure we could all use some normalcy tonight so I'm going to treat tonight like every other night and bring some news in-- Love Notes are where to go for commentary/love tonight lovelies.

== David Jenkins ==

All the photos from his Instagram Post Are listed here on Tumblr

Instagram Source

== Samba Schutte ==

Good news! Samba ISNT GONNA STOP POSTING BTS!

Samba BTS Videos

OFMD 2 Set Shoutout #2 Video Part 1

OFMD 2 Set Shoutout #2 Video Part 2

OFMD 2 Set Shoutout #2 Video Part 3

OFMD 2 Set Shoutout #2 Video Part 4

OFMD 2 Set Shoutout #2 Video Part 5

Rhys Wink Video - @kiwistede ty

#Crew4Life video

== Dominic Burgess ==

Being the upstanding gentleman that he is, Dominic is still out here supporting us.

== Lindsey Cantrell ==

Getting love from Lindsey regarding our loss. Ty so much hon.

== Rhys Darby ==

Look whose cameo is back 👀

== Fan Spotlight ==

== Never Left Podcast ==

The Never Left Podcast has decided to throw hands and I fucking love it. Balls for days. Never Left Podcast - A Message for David Zaslav and Casey Bloys

Art by: AmysBirdHouse

= Cast Cards =

Even with the bad news, our lovely @melvisik is still at it! More cast members to collect! Love it!

== Watch Party Reminders ==

March 8th - Next Goal Wins!

When:  8 pm GMT / 3 pm EST / 12 pm PST

Thank you @lamentus1 for the info! Now available to buy in the UK: £11.99 @ Apple (https://tinyurl.com/mr3p6bvm) and £9.99 or £11.99 @ Amazon https://tinyurl.com/2fwdmezz. 

(US fans can watch on Hulu, and Disney Plus)

Watch Party Hashtags:

#SaveOFMD

#OurFlagWins

Mar 4 - Mar 8: Wrecked Season 1

Don't have access? DM @iamadequate1 on Twitter or Tumblr

Season 1 watch from March 4th to March 8th. 

Times will be 10pm GMT / 5pm EST / 4pm CST / 2pm PST. 

Saturday there will be a re-watch for those who need to catch up (time TBD) .

Hashtags: 

#WreckedPirates

#SaveOFMD

#RhysDarbyFaction

== Adopt Our Crew ==

A message from our dear friends at @adoptourcrew

== Save OFMD Crew ==

Our good friends over at @saveofmdcrewmates also had a message for us.

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. Boy. What a day it's been, huh?

Never thought the clowning/honking would stop. I have to say, I'm glad at least that David saw all our commentary about "if he thought there was no hope he'd say something" and did in fact say something.

It's a bit of a hard pill to swallow, I know. We're all going through the various stages of grief right now. Some of us are already progressing on at a quick rate, others are still at the beginning.

I know I've said some of this across the platforms so I apologize if you've heard it already, but I think it's important to hear.

YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY COULD.

Whether it was only signing the petition, or tweeting every day for a week, or just supporting your crewmates. Every little bit to every large bit you did--

You did EVERYTHING you could.

None of this is your fault. None of this is David or the Cast's fault, and certainly none of it is the fans fault. You did everything you could, and even if it feels like it it was all for nothing, it meant so very very much.

Every Cast and Crew member got to see how much they meant to you. Smaller cast members like our friends Wendy Anderson, and Damien Gerard, and Dominic Burgess have all gotten to feel so much love from us. They've come in and participated with us in our various fuckeries, and we've gotten to know them better because of it!

Every single streaming service we targeted got to see just how much queer media means to us. So many new fans got to join us on this journey because we were loud, polite menaces, and we made a safe space for them to join us. Not just streaming services and new fans, but products, and groups too! Fucking Astroglide did watch parties with us, squishables got involved! Q+ and Pink News!

News Media ALL OVER THE DAMN PLANET looked at us and commiserated and shared their distaste for our loss.

ALL OF THAT MATTERS.

If ONE streaming service picks up a true queer show (not just queer bait) because they saw our engagement, it was worth every single tear lost.

If ONE queer kid, years from now, gets a show where they feel represented because we fought for our silly little pirate show, it was worth EVERY SINGLE EFFORT.

IF ONE of your crew-mates felt included and decided to stick around on this planet a little longer because of it, IT WAS WORTH IT.

IT MATTERS.

It already matters so much, to all of us. I get to spend every day, feeling hope in humanity because of this fandom. Every single day I come online and I see just how creative, and kind, and accepting you all are, and it gives me so much hope for the future. I feel loved again, for me, not who I pretend to be in my day to day life.

We raised money for SO MANY charities. We made LITERAL differences in people's lives. People we don't know, and who don't know us. Do you know how incredibly powerful that is?

Do you know just how much those tiny ripples cascade over this entire earth? Kindness is one of the most powerful driving forces in this world. It is not quantifiable in any way, and yet it makes such an impact.

We have some of the most amazingly talented, and resourceful, and brilliant people on the planet in this crew. That's all of you. You are absolute treasures, every single one of you.

And you know what? You didn't fucking deserve this.

You deserved your show back. You fought hard for it, and you are allowed to be angry about it. You are allowed to cry, or scream, or lie on the floor and not get up for a while. You are allowed to grieve.

Some of you haven't got there yet. Some of you are still fighting the good fight, or trying to support others, and just know lovelies, we will all be there when you struggle too.

I've said it before, but grief isn't linear, it comes in waves, and no matter how each of us proceeds tomorrow, it's going to continue to take time to heal from.

Whatever YOU NEED to cope, do it.

Do you wanna "Fuck it we ball" and keep fighting? Fucking do it.

Do you wanna go cry in a corner and take a week off? Fucking do it.

Do you wanna go hug a fellow crew-mate and tell them a goofy ass joke so they laugh? Fucking do it.

Do you wanna go read fanfiction til you pass out? Make sure to drink some water, but go fucking do it.

Do you wanna draw, or sing, or write something that gets some of this awful energy out? Well? You guessed it--Go fucking do it.

BUT a gentle reminder lovelies:

Don't go hurt anyone, they don't deserve it.

Don't hurt yourself, YOU don't deserve it.

We've got discords, and tumblr, and twitter, and dm's galore. If you need support, reach out. I know so many of your crew are reaching out to each other to send love and support, and dole out all the hugs.

Lean on each other.

We are in this together.

We still have each other, and we will continue to.

This is not the end for OFMD. Whether it gets renewed in 10 years, or gets a movie, or graphic novels, or some other medium. This is not the end. It's certainly not the end of any of the cast & crew's careers. We will have so much to support them in going forward.

This fandom, these friends, don't end with this.

Keep making your fanfiction-- write and draw your own s3! Share it! Take this wonderful piece of queer art and joy that means so much to us and keep extending its infinite universes. Write meta and discuss and laugh and cry about it. We have lost the potential for s3, but we haven't lost what we already have, which is a glorious piece of media.

We have the cast & crew who continue to support and send love, and share our artwork and stories.

We have each other.

Now I'm gonna go mama bear on you and ask you to consider some things:

Have you had any water lately? Have you had anything to eat? Have you slept? Have you gone to the bathroom lately? Have you been outside, even for a moment?

Then finally, going with one last thing. This song helped me a lot today. Maybe it'll give you some love today too.

Just Begun by WILD

Not your vibe? Are you angry? @celluloidbroomcloset reminded me of this gem today:

This isn't the end crew.

This fandom is our home. We've just begun.

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

I realize the vibe might be off for these gifs but you deserve dopamine inducing gifs, you can fight me about it later.

Rhys gif: @ofmd-ann / Taika Gif: @dallonismysavior

[sirfrogsworth]

I had a bad feeling about sending all of my camera gear to Sigma. I sent my camera body and only 2 lenses to get calibrated because they were wildly out of alignment and all attempts to adjust them myself failed miserably.

Sending my only means to create photography across the country just felt scary. And it turns out my fears were somewhat warranted. Though my big fear was my stuff being pulverized during shipping. I paid for insurance, but I've heard stories of USPS not honoring that or making it a lengthy and painful process.

But the frustrating happenstance ended up being less smashy-smashy and more bureaucratic in nature.

I previously asked Sigma's service department how much it would cost to get each lens calibrated. They told me $100 for a zoom, and $50 for a prime. And there was no hesitation in their wording. There was no "it could be more or less depending on these circumstances." They said very definitively those were the prices.

So the final repair quote was sent today and it is... confusing.

Wut?

First of all, the total should be $400. So they can't even get their own math correct.

But this is not what was agreed to and I risked sending my entire photography setup to New York under the assumption it would only cost $150 plus shipping and tax.

So, I sent screen captures of my quotes to the service department. But I also mentioned how I have had frustrating experiences with them in the past with no satisfactory resolution.

After an unscrupulous Amazon seller sold me a fraudulent lens, I asked Sigma's service department how I could prevent this from happening in the future. They told me to only purchase their lenses from "Authorized Dealers" listed on their website.

And that's exactly what I did.

And I got scammed... AGAIN.

An "Authorized Dealer" sold me a refurbished lens as new. I paid full price for it. And when I asked Sigma what to do, they said they would "investigate" and that was it.

To this day, that dealer is still on their authorized list. And I have a lens I paid full price for which has no warranty.

I love Sigma lenses. You get as-good or sometimes better quality for half the price of the name brand lenses. I really don't have a choice but to purchase their lenses. And I don't think the company as a whole is bad. But their New York service department is failing to live up to the brand's standards.

I'm hoping after seeing my receipts, they will honor their original prices, but I am really frustrated with my entire customer service experience.

[doctordeathawaits]

INFO - LIST FOR TRANSABLED AID ACCESS

A list of discreet access of assistive aids , ways to hide assistive aids , and euphoria inducing replacements .

Where to get assistive aids ?

01 , An obvious choice would be online shopping , although discreet shopping can be a bit difficult . Buying many things at once so you get a big / couple of packages could be a way to not turn any eyes , especially now that the holidays are coming up . " But I live with people who have the tendency of opening my packages " , there are a couple of options of what you can do - use a p.o box or locker service ( ex: amazon locker will send you an email with pickup instructions ) , choosing a specific delivery time of when you are only home / you have time to be the first one to pick it up ( tip : have delivery notifications on so you can be the first one to receive it ) , have delivery instructions to specify where to put the package ( ex : behind a pot plant , under the steps , etc ) , have it delivered to your friends / work . " But big shopping sites aren't safe for me " , Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist could be a better option for you , may be also safer as you can request the person selling you the item to make it discreet / can also be on the cheaper end , as they tend to be used . It can also be safer on the end of simply picking it up , making it so that there isn't any sort of electronic transaction that can be seen on a bank / phone receipt . 02 , Thrifted / Yard sales are also a good option - not only is it generally more discreet , allowing you to take it home by simply putting it in your bag without any other notice , but it's also generally cheaper , seeing that often times its used items still in a somewhat good condition . " What / where do I look for ? " , I would often suggest Goodwill , as they tend to have a wider range of mobility aids . You can also find them at your local small shops - try calling ahead and asking if they have anything , as they mostly will have more time to look through their storage . " How do I know it's worth it ? " , shopping out is a greater option as you can test out if the aid is good for you . When shopping for aids , test if they are sturdy , if they are the right size for you / there is any ability to diy fix it to your measurements , and how you would be able to put it away / hide it .

When it comes to what sort of aid is the most discreet : Canes : foldable canes are the most discreet , they are compact and are able to be carried in a bag . Double use canes , such as umbrella canes , are also discreet in the sense of being able to play it off as just an umbrella . Rollator : also good to consider a foldable rollators / walkers , ones that also have a seat can be passed off as just portable seats . Wheelchairs : Wheelchairs , unless you live in a spacious area without any judging eyes , are hard to turn discreet . While folding wheelchairs are a thing , plus lightweight ones - like most wheelchairs , they are expensive , and often are badly fitted / uncomfortable . ++ temporary replacements are a better option . Hearing Aids : Hearing Aids kept in their case can very easily be passed out as to be wireless earbuds / there are many hearing aids that resemble simple ear buds. Although , Hearing Aids bought online aren't the most reliable , and may be even dangerous - so temporary / thrifted replacement is a better option .

Where do I hide my aids if I am in an unsafe environment ?

While hiding things from the people you live with can be draining , it is still suggested for your safety .

01 , Folding Aids - Any aid that is able to be neatly folded and easily stored is the best when it comes to hiding . Placing them in bags in also the best , as you are able to take them out once you leave your place . Another way would be having a designated spot outside your place , where you can easily access it once you are out . More ways of hiding them : in drawers , unused umbrella holders , under your mattress , in coat hoodies , old shoe boxes .

02 , Aids with Wheels - While trickier , definitely able . The biggest suggestion is to have folding versions . You can fold them and store in the back of your closet along the wall . You can put it on the frame of your bed and put a mattress over it . If you have a rug , putting it specifically near / under your bed , and then the aid right under the rub can also be an option . If you have a dresser , sliding it between the wall and the dresser's side can help . On top of closets can also be good . When needing to store it for outside use , big portfolios could fit them . 03 , Hearing Aids - Probably the easiest to hide as they resemble ear buds . Although getting custom / decorated cases can be good for disguising them . Nonetheless , if needed , hiding them in small pockets of backpacks , coat pockets , pencil cases can be extra security . " What if I immediately need to hide something for my safety ? " , when opening your drawer - look past the drawer / take it out , you will see that there is room on the inside of the frame , even with the drawers fully closed . You can throw any smaller sized aid in that space , and then simply take out the drawers to take it back when ready . Another way for more bigger aids - take out all of the drawers from a dresser , put the aid inside , then put the drawers back in . If the back of your dresser is a softer material that's able to be cut , cut a ⊏ shape so that it creates a flap , put your aid in and tape the flap , put your dresser back up on the wall - the flap is an easier access than taking out all drawers . Although if you feel like you are in immediate danger for having an assistive aid in your home , prioritize your safety and take the aid out of your home . You are worth more than something that you will be 100% able to get back in the future < 3

DIY - ING

Everyone should be able to have access to assistive aids - even when it comes to creating their own .

Folding Crutches . ( need to already have simple crutches ) Cane out of yardsticks . ++ easier , You can make a cane by taking hard pvc pipe , sealing the bottom + adding a stopper ( shaped rubber or foam ) , while at the top you cut out to sides of a handle - a top and bottom , glue it with hot glue and attach it.

While it may not be as sturdy - it's still a good alternative .

More affordable assistive aid shopping :

essentailaids.com , affordable canes / crutches / walkers - lots of accessories , has wheelchairs too .

mobilityshop.co.uk , also affordable AND a huge range , so you have some options . Also offers accessories and some more simpler accessibility aids .

argos.co.uk , on the more pricier end yet still quite affordable , also offers joints support and braces .

abilitysuperstore.com , while not as affordable as other sites , still has a pretty decent price range - but has way more options to offer .

[writingquestionsanswered]

Is there a way for me to figure out speech & expressions in a specific past century? I've been trying to write a novel set in the 16th century but there are alot of expressions & idioms that I don't know if they existed back then or not. Do I just cut them out completely?

Researching Historical Lingo, Slang, and Grammar

Here are some things you can do to research the proper lingo, slang, and grammar for a historical setting:

1 - Google "slang (or phrases, lingo, grammar) of [era/decade] [location]" - I don't know where your story is set, but as an example, I Googled "slang of 16th century England" and got back 13 million hits, including things like "9 Elizabethan Words to Bring Back," "English Slang 1400 To 1680," "Elizabethan Swearing, Cursing and Vocabulary" and others. If you Google the era/decade and location of your story and take the time to sift through the results, you can get to know the lingo, phrases, slang, and grammar that would make sense in your story. (Just remember not to over rely on it... you want to avoid obviously modern phrases or words... no one in Elizabethan England would call something "freakin' sweet"... but you also don't want to write something so archaic sounding that it annoys the reader.)

2 - Go to YouTube and Search "slang (or phrases, lingo, grammar) of [era/decade] [location]" - YouTube can be a great source for learning how people spoke in a particular time and place. And in video format, this information is usually presented with additional information about the people and place that helps you understand why they spoke the way they did.

3 - Look for Books About Your Time Period and Setting - There are a lot of time/place settings that are popular enough to have books written about them. There's no shortage of books dedicated to life in Tudor and Elizabethan England, for example, and there are books dedicated to writing stories set in that time and place as well. Whether you go to your local library and ask, go to a local bookstore, or look on Amazon, books about your setting and time period can be a really helpful resource for learning about how people spoke.

4 - When In Doubt, Ask Google - If there's a particular expression, idiom, slang, or lingo you want to use but you're not sure if it existed in your story's time and place, try Googling the phrase plus "origin" or "etymology." That will almost always bring up something that will tell you the history of the expression, idiom, slang, or word that you're curious about. For example, let's say I wanted to know if they would have said "right as rain" in Tudor England. The very first hit on Google told me that while "right as rain" did originate in England, it doesn't seem to go further back than the 1800s. So, it wouldn't make sense for my Tudor character to say it. Some articles will suggest earlier variations, too, which can give you a fitting alternative. @definitely-not-julio suggested the OneLook online thesaurus which has an origin tab... and that actually leads to the Online Etymology Dictionary, which is a fantastic resource.

You can also use any number of idiom search engines or the dictionary to learn the origin of a particular phrase or word.

5 - Curl Up and Watch Stuff - One last helpful resource I want to mention is the great and powerful screen, whether that's the TV screen or device screen. There's a whole world of period dramas out there that take place in just about every possible time and place, so if all else fails, try watching a TV series or some movies set in the time and place of your story, and take notes! Just be aware that TV and movies aren't always super accurate, so it's a good idea to still double check anything you use, but they can be a great way to learn all kinds of potential words, phrases, lingo, etc. The Willow and Thatch web site has a list of period dramas by era (click on "best period dramas list") and it also has lists of period dramas by streaming service.

Have fun researching your story!

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[nykloss]

I'm seeing so much actively harmful misinfo regarding boycotts.

If you are spreading information on a boycott PLEASE focus on just what the BDS is asking you to boycott. In my honest opinion even THAT is a lot to keep track of, but boycotts work better the more laser-focused they are.

This is the closest thing to an official boycott being asked:

I've seen a lot of posts both here and elsewhere asking people to boycott not just everything on that list, but also Walmart, Amazon, Google, PespsiCo, Coke, Nestle, 4 dozen other big name conglomerates, and a big list of at least 50+ individual celebrities/CEOs/actors. That is not boycotting.

If YOU want to personally abstain from every Israeli-supporting-prduct/service you can, please do it!!!! Even before now, I've personally always abstain from chick-fil-a and 🏴‍☠️ most of my media–but that isn't an organized boycott. In fact, spreading info that every single one of those companies/individuals are "part of the boycott" is blatant misinformation and actually harms the boycott.

Giant lists that include dozens to hundreds of giant conglomerates and individuals that are hard to keep track of are meant to overwhelm individuals and dissuade them from boycotting at best, and are actively impossible to personally enforce at worst. If you are reading this post, chances are you are breaking one of the many unofficial "boycotts" being asked of you.

For example, following every ""boycott"" being asked of you 100% means: stopping use of any Google products (quitting a job that uses Google workspace, abandoning your Android phone, switching to Firefox or Safari web browser, not using Gmail, not using YouTube), stop using most/all social media, making entirely home cooked meals (every restaurant, even small ones, support Pepsi/coke), only being allowed to buy ingredients for those home cooked meals from physical, local small businesses (which may be wiped out in your area/take more gas to drive to/cost more money to buy from), and cross-checking every single item you buy with a giant list (that I hope you printed out, because chances are you can't use your phone/the internet without sending precious ad profit to Google!).

Telling someone to "do that much or do nothing" is going to result in the vast, vast majority of people doing nothing. Think about the every day people in your life–parents, coworkers, community members. Are they going to do that much? If the answer is no, then a boycott is ineffective. (Plus, doing a lot of that stops you from staying informed on the situation, which is top priority right now!)

Stick to spreading the image at the top of this post. The more people boycotting a small handful easy-to-remember companies, the more effective a boycott will be. A small amount of companies will lose a lot of money, and will have to re-evaluate their stance to give money to Israel–the point of a boycott. But, if everyone only ends up boycotting a handful of completely different companies depending on what list they were given online, all of those companies only lose a little money and no impact is made at all.

TLDR: Feel free to personally abstain from whatever products/services you want, but spreading that they are part of the boycott if they AREN'T is harmful!

[chirpychipslive]

i desire a masterlist of rick wright lore. i absolutely love that man but i don't know half the silly, goofy things he got up to and i need a long-ass post explaining all you know about that little weirdo.

HI HELLO okay so as much as i see and understand a desire for a "rick wright lore masterlist", i don't think i would be able to do proper service by just listing all of the stuff i know off my head, plus i don't want people to see it and just take everything i say at face value and not look into things further if that makes any sense

so instead i will put a rick wright source masterlist under the readmore so people can go watch/read things for themselves in as much detail as they feel comfortable doing so, + i think a lot of people aren't aware of half of the sources i take from

Books

As far as books go your best starting points are Mark Blake's Comfortably Numb and Nick Mason's Inside Out, both of which are much more generalised sources for any Pink Floyd related material - I do have PDFs of both of these (i have physical bought copies too dw), so if you can't read/listen to either of them for any reason DM me and I'll send those PDFs to you :] They're both available widely on Amazon and other bookstores and Inside Out is also available as an audiobook!!

Guy Pratt's My Bass And Other Animals is 75% his own biography and 25% pink floyd related, so while it does have some Rick-related stuff in there, don't go into it expecting any in-detail explanations. Unfortunately I don't have a PDF of this book, but it is widely available and relatively inexpensive to buy (and I totally reccomend it!)

Franka Wright has supposedly been writing a tell-all on her marriage and experiences with him, but there haven't been many updates on it in a while. I've been relatively quiet on everything she's said about him in public as I don't think I have enough information on what happened to properly comment, but if that book does drop expect me to be the first in line to take a look

Websites/Online

Please god if you have even any passing interest use rickwright.com. It's a resource largely made by his estate and has a lot of information on there, it's a really sweet and interesting labour of love and I cannot reccomend it enough

pinkfloydz.com is an older website but has a gigantic catalogue of interviews, which include a large amount of transcribed interviews with Rick from 1996. It's just such a good resource in general and I highly reccomend checking it out, as even if you're not a Rick fan you still have a lot of interviews with the others in there

Here me out here; @mamazano (who has been inactive since 2021) has SO much on there that I don't feel bad putting them down as a source. Almost everything they post about is properly cited so you can find exactly where they came from, and they catalogue a lot of stuff that is locked behind more expensive/less available books. Their attention to detail for citing and sourcing quotes has been so admirable to me even if they're no longer on Tumblr anymore!

Watchlist

Here's links to watch Live At Pompeii, P.U.L.S.E, Delicate Sound of Thunder and Live 8 if you haven't done so already. also Chit Chat With Oysters has him for like 3 minutes

Remember That Night (an On An Island concert film)

Breaking Bread, Drinking Wine (On An Island tour documentary)

Rick talks about Syd for the 2001 Syd Barrett documentary by John Edginton

Broken China interview

Interview with Guy Pratt about PATGOD

There's definitely a lot more but this is the stuff I already had on my Youtube playlist of interviews - here's some that were on there but I haven't watched/listened to in a while so I can't 100% verify them rn (x) (x) (x)

Maybe one day I will try and chronologue all of the shit I know into something comprehensible but that definitely wouldn't just be a Tumblr post or smth lol

In the meantime I do thrive infodumping-wise off specific questions so if there's something more concrete you want me to (attempt to) explain I'm happy to do so! Thank you sm for the ask (I wouldn't have done this otherwise) and please feel free to contact me if you would like anything specific answered :]

[catfox13102ndblog]

Trying to add more information to the Maria Robotnik's Fast Track AU.

The first post didn't really have much information regarding the AU, so hopefully this next post can add more too it. A little justified since I just made the AU pretty much.

This one will attempt to... well... add more information to it, mainly ideas for the paint schemes, tracks and a few other characters as well.

Paint scheme ideas.

I orginally said ideas for the cars, but I actually ment to say paint schemes, since the cars themselves are 90s NASCAR stock cars.

I also headcanon that they're specifically based on the CES prototype cars seen here:

Yeah, they're pretty much the same as the cars from the regular arcade game, just with a more basic look and without the rear tires popped out.

Anyways, I don't need to explain Maria Robotnik's car, since I already mentioned that her car is literally the player's car in Daytona USA. Specifically the AT colors. You've all probably seen this car before, you know what it looks like.

Now... onto the others...

Melody [LAST NAME SPOILER]: #13, Scorpio Plasma

The sponsor is a reference to the one seen on the normal level car from Daytona USA 2, while the number is a refrence to the Hornet's number in Daytona USA Deluxe/CCE.

Helen: #67, Chaos Cola

Frances: #68, Chaos Soda

Just felt like Chaos Cola and Soda should be sponsors really. Plus, Sonic X is mostly based on the Adventure-era games, so it'd fit.

Princess Elise: #06, Balance

This one I brefly mentioned in the last post, but the car is pretty much one big Daytona USA Deluxe/CCE reference, as the #99 Balance car is one of the cars that you can drive in the game. The number is a pretty obvious nod though.

Sara: #93, SEGA

This catgirl's sponsor is the company that made Sonic themselves! I know that Sara is a gamer in some of the OVA's scenes, so I thought her sponsoring a video game company would fit. The number meanwhile is a reference to Sonic CD's release date (1993). The Sonic OVA does have Metal Sonic in there, so it makes sense to me.

Hope Kintobor: #14, SOAP

Hope's number is ment to be a reversed version of Maria's number, and the sponsor is based on the SOAP Shoes ad seen in City Escape.

Molly: #58, Emerald Notwork

Sponsor is just another reference to an ad seen in City Escape.

Merlina: #00, Phantom Full Force

The sponsor is a reference the one seen on the hard level car from Daytona USA 2.

Sage: #51, Eggman Empire

The number is a nod to Roudy Burns' number in Days of Thunder, and I figured that Eggman would definelty sponsor his empire on the car, he is a narcissist afterall. And to fit with the retro vibe, the Eggman Empire logo could be the same on seen in Sonic 2 down below.

Claris Sinclar: #16, Oriole

Helen Cartwright: #2, Max

Like Elise's car, these two cars are playable cars in Daytona USA Deluxe/CCE. Though, they actually have the proper numbers of course.

Hatsune Miku: #01, Greatsmirk Racing

I mentioned this one in the previous post, but for those unaware, the sponsor is a parody of Goodsmile Racing, something that Miku is commonly assosiated with. The number is a reference to to the number seen on Miku's shoulders.

Neptunia characters and paint scheme ideas (if they actually appear).

I'm still unsure if they will actually appear here, but Hyperdimension Neptunia was published by SEGA, so it's still a possibility. Regardless I'll tell you the ideas for their cars anyways.

Neptune: #91, Nep Bull Noire: #94: Lastation Racing Vert: #1, Leanbox Labs Blanc: #81, Amazoo Delivery Service (It's a FedEx-like company instead of an Amazon parody here) Uzume Tennouboshi: #7, Sleepcast Pillows Nepgear: #27, Gallop (Another car from Daytona USA Deluxe/CCE) Uni: #53, TSA Tools Rom and Ram: #3, Star BLUE and #4, Star RED

The Tracks.

The tracks are pretty straight forward, they're mostly existing tracks from Daytona USA and Virtua Racing. And while they don't really matter in this AU, I did mention before that this could work better as a fangame, so track list is as follows:

The tracks from Daytona USA and Daytona USA Deluxe. (Three Seven Speedway, Dinosaur Canyon, Seaside Sreet Galaxy, National Park Speedway, Desert City, and Silver Ocean Causeway)

The tracks from Virtua Racing. (Big Forest, Bay Bridge, and Arcropolis)

The Beginner Course from Daytona USA 2. (SEGA International Speedway)

Florida International Speedway (a parody of Daytona International Speedway)

Speedianapolis Motor Speedway (a parody of Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

Other Characters

Alright, time to introduce other miscellaneous characters.

The Mobians (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty, Ray, Shadow and Amy Rose), Madonna, and Dr. Eggman.

The crew from Sonic The Hedgehog of course, as well as a scrapped human character from the Tokyo Toy Show build. They all utilise their classic designs to fit with the overall 90s vibe the AU is going for.

Currently, Shadow is the only modern-era mobian included in this AU. He will have a custom "classic" design to fit with everyone else.

Sonic and his pals (and Shadow) usually hang out and have their own adventures outside the race track, but they also hang out near the garages and watch the cars zoom by. Sonic and Tails also often help out in the garage or within the popcorn booths as well. While Shadow goes to see Maria.

Amy Rose and Madonna work as race queens, they do race queen stuff, nuff said. (And yeah, the idea of Madonna being one of the racers is retconned now.)

Dr. Eggman isn't really an evil mad scientist here, he's more of a goofy nuisance who likes to cause trouble while still being a self-centered narcissist like in canon. To sum it up, he's JP Eggman with elements of Dick Dastardly if he were the owner of a race team instead of a driver.

Tom West and Mr. Virt McPolygon.

The race announcers who work for SEGA Sports Channel, you can probably guess what they do.

Tom West comes from Daytona USA 2 while Mr. Virt McPolygon comes from Virtua Racing.

And that's all there is to this semi-extended post about the AU. Now I'll admit, there still isn't much here, but then again, like I said in the previous post, there isn't really a "story" for the AU by any means.

Anyways, like always, you can ask me things about it, or do the designs for the race outfits and cars if your interested in doing that.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from National Geographic:

Dragonflies, those colorful bugs zooming around like mini-helicopters, are more than just a spectacular sight. These iridescent predators may also be the best way to detect where and how mercury—a toxic metal for both people and wildlife—is accumulating in our environment, a new study says. 

Scientists have often used fish or birds as harbingers of mercury contamination. But dragonflies are an even better indicator. For one, their larvae develop in almost any type of water body, including tiny desert potholes or muddy marshes that can’t support larger animals. Plus, it’s cheaper, easier, and more accurate to analyze mercury in insect larvae than it is in fish or birds.

The World Health Organization lists mercury as one of the top 10 chemicals of major public health concern, and the metal exists in our atmosphere at a concentration of about 450 percent higher than natural levels due to humans' industrial activities, including coal burning and cement production. (Read about an effort to track mercury in the Amazon.)

Since 2009, more than 7,000 citizens and researchers have collected dragonfly larvae from 150 U.S. national parks as part of the Dragonfly Mercury Project, which is run by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service. This community science effort, now the nation’s largest assessment of mercury contamination, has analyzed tens of thousands of dragonfly larvae. 

In doing so, scientists have discovered surprising patterns in how mercury moves through the landscape, including where concentrations of this harmful metal are the highest.

This successful research effort shows dragonfly larvae should be the gold standard for detecting mercury, saysCollin Eagles-Smith, a USGS research ecologist and science lead for the Dragonfly Mercury Project who co-authored a study on the topic recently in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

[icedbatik]

Player recommendations for the bye week

Courtesy of Michelle Crechiolo January 29, 2024

The Penguins began their annual bye week on Sunday, Jan. 28, which leads into the All-Star break. That means Pittsburgh won’t return to game action until Tuesday, Feb. 6, when they host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena.

A number of the players shared their recommendations for books, shows, and podcasts to help pass the time over the next week-plus until hockey is back, with some adding commentary to their picks. I tried including where you can stream the shows, but if you aren’t subscribed to the service I listed, I would do some research to see if it’s accessible elsewhere. Enjoy!

Sidney Crosby: Shrinking (Apple TV+), Prison Break (Hulu)

Alex Nedeljkovic: The Art of Clear Thinking by Hasard Lee; Same as Ever by Morgan Housel (he’s listening to it as an audiobook and reading a physical copy at the same time); Born a Crime by Trevor Noah; The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo; American Sniper by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice; Red Notice by Bill Browder

Lars Eller: Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Billions (Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+)

Noel Acciari: Reacher (Amazon Prime Video), Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King (Paramount+), and “I’m watching Boardwalk Empire (HBO Max) with Steve Buscemi. That one, I’ve seen already twice through. I pick long series that I haven’t seen in a couple years, like last year I did a show called Power (Hulu). Then the year before, I rewatched Game of Thrones (HBO Max). All those long ones.”

Ryan Graves: American Kingpin by Nick Bilton - “it’s unbelievable”; Born to Run by Christopher McDougall; From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle; How I Built This podcast; and the Doctor’s Farmacy podcast.

Rickard Rakell: Mario Kart on Nintendo Switch - “I’m always Waluigi. Because it’s the best character… with the kart and the wheels, he’s the fastest one.”

Drew O’Connor: Entourage (HBO Max)

P.O Joseph: “Watch the Marvel movies, all of them. There’s like, 26. That’ll keep you busy during the week. You watch two a day, you’re not even going to get half of it done. I finished all of them. I did them in (chronological order versus order of release), so Captain Marvel is first, then Captain America.”

Marcus Pettersson: When We Were Kings podcast; and “I go through a lot of shows. I feel like there's a lot of different ones that catch my eye, but I like more sci-fi or fantasy. Like the new Lord of the Rings show, I watched… the new Game of Thrones, I've watched… and the old Game of Thrones, all of those. I watched a show early in the summer called Silo on Apple TV+. It's a really good one.”

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT ECOMMERCE NEWS (INCLUDING ETSY), LATE JUNE 2024

Welcome to my latest summary of Etsy and other ecommerce news, relevant for small and microbusinesses online!

Get these updates plus my website blog posts via email: http://bit.ly/CindyLouWho2Blog Get all of the most timely updates plus exclusive content by supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/CindyLouWho2

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

Etsy has yet again changed how processing times work for some countries, and this time, they’ve opted everyone into working on every national holiday. [post by me on LinkedIn, with screenshots] Many people are happy they can officially opt out of working on some days, but not so happy Etsy opted them in. The next day, Etsy clarified that this is currently only available for Canada and the US, and is only for national holidays, not regional or provincial ones. 

The old Etsy listing form disappeared as promised on June 25, and the new one is still a mess [post by me on LinkedIn]. Etsy claims to have fixed numerous issues with the new listing form, including manual translations, bulk editing, and sharing to Pattern. No word on the numerous pricing issues that have affected non-US sellers in particular through the domestic pricing tool, and that have apparently changed both variations and shipping prices for US sellers. The latest new listing form fix is the inability to save drafts, although it doesn’t seem to be working for everyone. 

USPS seems to have reused its tracking numbers early recently, with widespread reports of labels created June 18 and later showing as already being delivered in April or May. I’ve updated that linked Patreon post with info on how to get Etsy to correct their own records, so that seller protection and Star Seller status are not affected. 

ETSY NEWS 

Wondering if your images meet Etsy’s minimum size requirements? I did a video for you [on Patreon] so you can easily check for yourself. 

Etsy is still pushing shop loans through YouLend, “up to two times your monthly revenue.” Thanks to Michele from Artologica for the screenshot of the dashboard notification, and some of what you see once you click it:

and a link to the Etsy program at YouLend. Please read the terms carefully, as they get repaid through your future sales. It appears to be US-sellers only. 

There’s a new “Made for You” page with a lot of links to various features for buyers, but I don’t see it linked anywhere on the desktop version of the site. I also don’t really see the point, but maybe we’ll have to wait and see how they use it. 

Apologies for missing this one, but sellers in Turkey must now use “ShipEntegra” to mail orders, unless they already use another service. In effect, this means all new shops in Turkey are required to sign up and only ship orders through ShipEntegra, as of June 3. 

Apparently the “Buy More and Save” badge Etsy applied to some listings that already had multiple quantity discounts is just a test [item 2] per Etsy.

ECOMMERCE NEWS (minus social media)

General

Facebook appears to be removing links to EcommerceBytes on its platforms. 

Amazon

Amazon's "Subscribe & Save" feature will be available for products that are not Fulfilled By Amazon items, as of June 27. 

Amazon's Prime Day 2024 is July 16-17th. 

“Ad Relevance” is Amazon’s proposed solution to the end of ad cookies; it has AI at its core. 

North American Amazon orders will stop using plastic air pillows by the end of the year. 

Amazon is facing another lawsuit on copying successful sellers’ products and manipulating the Buy Box, this time in the UK. 

eBay

As of July 1, eBay will be charging most of its sellers more for Express Payouts: $2 each time instead of 1.5% of the total. 

eBay is now charging buyers of luxury wallets and handbags an optional $40 for authentication, for items between $200-$499.99. Items $500 and up are still authenticated for free. 

The eBay Summer 2024 Seller Update included new tools and renamed programs, but some of them had already been announced. 

If you are using the eBay seller app, watch for draft listings disappearing. 

Shopify

Businesses selling through Shopify can now apply to sell on Target Plus, a third-party marketplace that currently has around 1200 sellers. 

Shopify now has a chatbot for site owners, called Sidekick, but it is currently only available to English stores in North America. 

Walmart

Walmart+ Week started June 17th, almost a month before Amazon’s Prime Day. 

All Other Marketplaces

Just a few months after ending selling fees, Mercari is laying off a substantial portion of its US-based workers. It’s also still looking for new sellers, offering credits that can be spent on the site for opening a new shop and inviting friends. 

Payment Processing

Apple Pay Later is being phased out in favour of “Affirm”, a third-party Buy Now Pay Later app that will be available in more countries than Apple’s own product. 

Shipping

USPS hopes to change its non-standard package surcharges by region, charging more when the package travels further. 

[service-vip1]

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[nickgerlich]

Finding Resolve

We’ve all done it. We are all part of this new phenomenon, something that barely existed before this century, and only truly gained momentum in the last decade. The worst part is, most of us have forgotten exactly how much we are involved with it, because it is hard to remember what and how much these phenomena cost.

I am talking about the subscription economy, that magical place where software and streaming services are the product, and our monthly bill is usually on autopay. It ranges from SOAS (Software As A Service) providers like Adobe and Microsoft, to all the music, movies, and more that we stream into our homes, cars, and mobile devices.

And it is eating us alive.How many subscriptions do you have? Let’s start with your vehicle. Do you have satellite radio? That’s one. Do you subscribe to cloud-based software? That can be one or more. What about streaming tunes like Spotify or Apple Music? There you guy. The list is getting longer.

And then there are all the streaming TV choices, which runs from services like YouTube TV to Netflix, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Peacock, Max, Hulu, Disney…I could go on. You may have cut the cable at home, but you tethered yourself in other ways to the extent that the net effect is little different.

Then there’s the gaming community, if that’s your thing. More dinero. Maybe you fell for the premium version of an app, like Accuweather. If you’re a regular Amazon shopper, you no doubt have Prime, which costs $139 a year, plus the vitamins and supplements I receive every month from them. Like listening to books? There’s Audible. Old newspapers? There’s Newspapers.com, one of my favorite sites to do research. Cloud storage? Good Lord, I have several, for my thousands of photos and documents.

So successful has the subscription model been that paywalls have appeared everywhere online, like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Atlantic Monthly, each of whom have amazing content, a feast for my eyes and brain. Alas, I have drawn the line, because I sense it has long spun out control. And if CNN goes ahead and paywalls its app and site, I guess I won’t be reading them anymore.

Because I, like many people, have subscription fatigue. I simply cannot begin to consume all of this media. Sadly, I cannot remember all of the services to which I subscribe, and if you aren’t there yet, I bet you will be soon enough. The only way to know for sure is to carefully track your credit card statements to look for monthly billing.

That, of course, is the problem, because we willingly provided our billing data so that we do not have to do this every month. As long as that credit card is valid, those providers will keep hitting your card every month. It is only when your card is about to expire that you get a notification. And if you were not careful and instead provided a bank routing and account number, they can keep sticking their hand into your pocket as long as you have that account.

Ironically, there are new subscription management software sites and apps that supposedly make it easy to track and opt-out of all the things, but they are subscription services themselves. That’s like replacing one drug with another. You’re still on the hook.

It all starts so easily, because many of the subscription services are technically just micro payments, only $5 or $10. We see that as pocket change. Other services offer annual payment options, which provide a slight discount for paying in full in advance. But many of the once-cheap micro payments have started to get expensive, like Netflix and Spotify (I am speaking from experience). They are no longer minor indulgences.

Were these tangible products we had to buy in a store, I bet we would all be a lot more careful. The friction of having to be somewhere to even just tap your credit card would probably be enough to cause us to think. But it is simply too easy in the digital world to keep subscribing, because once we get in that loop, there is never any friction.

We are all going to have to muster a lot more resolve to win this fight, as well as start keeping meticulous records. Otherwise, these things develop lives of their own, lives that will continue hitting credit cards even after our own lives are over. I’m pretty sure none of us will be consuming anything at that point, and there’s no use paying for it.

We don’t have to wait for New Years Day to make this resolution.

Dr “I Honestly Can’t Remember All Of Them” Gerlich

Audio Blog