#also even better if its a website that ships to australia

[poelliottpovey]

Exotic and endangered birds

All screenshots and bird info from: https://www.ifaw.org/uk/journal/18-most-endangered-birds

Why is the yellow-crested cockatoo endangered? The yellow-crested cockatoo, a medium sized white parrot native to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, is critically endangered. There are an estimated 1200-2000 individuals remaining in the wild, and their population is sadly still decreasing. The yellow-crested cockatoo’s decline is primarily due to cage-bird trade and trafficking, which effectively became illegal in 1994 after being included in Appendix I of CITES; however, illegal trapping of these birds continues in many areas. Because they breed in large tree hollows, logging and agriculture also indirectly threaten their survival.

Are Amazon parrots endangered? Out of 36 species of Amazon parrots assessed by the IUCN, five are endangered and four are critically endangered, namely the imperial Amazon, lilacine Amazon, Puerto Rican Amazon, and yellow-naped Amazon. Two species have gone extinct—the Guadeloupe Amazon and the Martinique Amazon.

What is a nuthatch? Nuthatches are a genus of birds with large heads, short tails, and strong, pointed beaks. Most species are blue-grey with black eyebrows. Bahama nuthatches have brown heads and white underbellies.

What is the mangrove finch? The mangrove finch is a species in Darwin’s finch group, part of the tanager family, with dull brown, olive-toned, and white plumage. It’s native to the Galápagos.

What is a bunting? Buntings are a family of passerine (perching) birds from Europe, Asia, and Africa. Related to finches, they eat seeds and are commonly recognised by their typically brown, streaked feathers and bold markings on their heads.

What is the New Zealand storm petrel? Native to the waters between New Zealand’s North Island and eastern Australia, the New Zealand storm petrel is a small seabird. Similar to the more common Wilson’s storm petrel, it has a black head, wings, and tail and a bright white stripe around its back. This bird only comes to land to breed and spends the rest of its life at sea.

There are a lot more birds and information on the website i listed and it makes me really upset that so many birds have gotten to this point of near extinction and a lot of it is because of humans. deforestation leads to birds loss of habitat. even environmental factors, if a species environment is no longer a liveable space for that animal a person could make the point that if an animal cant live in the place they live in then its the animals 'fault' for not adapting to their environment, but due to humans effect on the planet a lot of the time that changes the environment to quickly for the species to keep up.

i wanted to make my world somewhat realistic so i wanted to have a look at endangered birds to find one i could use as the one that 'bird man' is protecting but after looking through the pictures and info i have decided to change him up a bit, he's not just protecting one bird, he's protecting as many endangered birds on his giant ship as he can. i think that would be a lot mor interesting and fit his character better, as he's meant to be a strong but kind man.

[couponawk]

How to Save Money by Using Vessi Footwear Coupons?

Table of Contents

1. Where and How to Get Vessi Footwear Discount Codes?

2. Does Vessi Footwear Take Part in Black Friday?

3. Does Vessi Footwear Have Any Cyber Monday Promotions?

4. How about Shipping Policy?

5. What’s Vessi Footwear Return and Refund Policy?

If you don’t have a pair of universal shoes that can withstand any weather, it may because you have not tried Vessi Footwear shoes. You can wear Vessi Footwear shoes in any weather. It doesn’t feel uncomfortable whether it’s direct sunlight or storm. You may be skeptical of what Vessi Footwear says, but in fact, their products can do just that. You don’t have to worry about your shoes getting wet on a rainy day, or you don’t need to worry about sweating from the sun, or your feet will frostbite on a snowy day. It is no exaggeration that you can even wear it to take a bath. Shoes should meet people’s travel needs to the greatest extent, so Vessi Footwear has been committed to designing shoes that can be worn in any situation. With this feature, you may feel that their products will be expensive. But in fact, they will provide you with some valuable Vesti Footwear coupons to help you buy the products you like. 

1. Where and How to Get Vessi Footwear Discount Codes?

If you are increasingly interested in Vessi Footwear products, you may need to pay more attention to the available Vessi Footwear coupon codes, which can save you a lot of money. If you have selected the product you want to buy and added it to the shopping cart, let me introduce you to the details of how to receive and use the coupon. Before operating, you need to open a very useful website, couponawk.com, where you can find almost all kinds of coupons. You need to search here for the coupon for the product you purchased and copy its code. Then go to the Vessi Footwear website and pay for the products you have added to your shopping cart. After transferring to the payment page, you just need to paste the code you just copied into the corresponding box.

2. Does Vessi Footwear Take Part in Black Friday?

Yes. If you are a person who likes and is good at shopping, you must know what Black Friday means to you.  In order to provide more benefits to customers through this annual opportunity, Vessi Footwear will make a lot of preparations for the arrival of the Black Friday every year. In the promotional holidays, in addition to the large number of coupons that are usually issued, they will also issue some relatively rare and higher value Vessi Footwear promotions. If you can grab this kind of coupon, you can save more money than others. Therefore, if you’re excited, you’d better pay attention to their promotions in advance. 

3. Does Vessi Footwear Have Any Cyber Monday Promotions?

They have Cyber Monday promotions. They are merchants with enough experience, so they are really familiar with Cyber Monday. They know that tens of thousands of customers are waiting for this festival every year. Therefore, they will carefully plan some activities that can attract customers. If you have an unpaid product in your shopping cart that makes you hesitating because of price, you can look forward to Cyber Monday at Vessi Footwear. Through this promotional holiday, you may be able to receive large coupons or get valuable gifts from them. 

4. How about Shipping Policy?

Currently, Vessi Footwear can provide delivery services to many countries around the world, including Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and more. Their goal is to provide customers with products on a global scale. As for freight, if you order more than $ 35, you can enjoy free shipping. Of course, you don’t need to worry if it doesn’t exceed $ 35, they have made every effort to keep your shipping costs to a minimum of $2. Moreover, some discount coupons only for freight will be issued on their website or couponawk.com, you can pay attention at any time. 

5. What’s Vessi Footwear Return and Refund Policy?

After understanding their product preferential policies and shipping conditions, you may also want to know about the return policy. They pay great attention to the shopping satisfaction of each customer and want to give them the best shopping experience. Therefore, for the return policy, they will definitely formulate the most reasonable policy from the perspective of customers. They are happy to accept your return request within 60 days of receiving the goods, and you do not need to pay any additional shipping charges. Of course, the premise is that you need to keep the product brand new and intact. After receiving your return, they will do all the procedures for you as soon as possible.

If you have a pair of Vessi Footwear shoes, you will no longer need to consider wearing the right shoes in the right weather because Vessi Footwear shoes allow you to walk comfortably in any weather. With this advantage, maybe you don’t want to wear other brands’ shoes in the future. So why not try Vessi Footwear once? If you’re ready to go, don’t forget to pick up available Vessi Footwear coupons at couponawk.com. 

https://linkcoupon.wordpress.com/2023/06/07/how-to-save-money-by-using-vessi-footwear-coupons/

[fabdia]

Why Buying Kurta Sets Online is the Way to Go in Australia?

Kurta sets have been a popular attire choice for both men and women in India for centuries. This traditional garment is not only comfortable, but it is also extremely versatile and fashionable. Nowadays, kurta sets have evolved into a highly popular fashion trend around the world, including Australia. However, with busy lifestyles and limited time to shop in-store, more and more people are opting to buy kurta sets online.

Online shopping has become increasingly common amongst consumers all around the world. It provides convenience, accessibility, and often, better deals. This is particularly true for clothing, where online retailers can offer a diverse range of designs and sizes to choose from, all from the comfort of your own home. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing people to stay home, online shopping has become the most preferred method of buying goods.

This blog post aims to explore the benefits of buying kurta sets online in Australia. We will examine the convenience of online shopping, the variety of styles and designs available,

1. Wide variety of styles and colours available

When it comes to buying traditional Indian wear, the easy and convenient option is to purchase online from a trusted website such as fabdia.com. One of the biggest advantages of buying kurta sets online through this platform is the wide variety of styles and colours available. Traditional kurta sets come in many different fabrics such as cotton, silk, and chiffon. By purchasing online from fabdia.com, you can browse through an extensive collection of kurta sets in a variety of styles, colours, and fabrics. This ensures that you can find exactly what you are looking for, whether you want a simple and elegant kurta set or a more elaborate set with intricate embroidery and embellishments. With the option to buy kurta sets online in Australia through fabdia.com, customers have the convenience of shopping from the comfort of their own home while having access to a diverse range of options to choose from.

2. Easier to find the perfect fit

When it comes to shopping for clothes, finding the perfect fit can be a frustrating and time-consuming experience. However, buying kurta sets online via fabdia.com and other similar websites has made it easier to find the perfect fit. Online stores typically offer a wider range of sizes, styles and cuts than physical stores, giving you more options to choose from and increasing the likelihood of finding something that fits you perfectly. Additionally, online stores often have detailed and accurate size charts, so you can measure yourself and compare it to the chart to select the right size without even leaving your home. This convenience allows for a more pleasant shopping experience and can save you time and energy, making buying kurta sets online in Australia the way to go.

3.Affordability of online shopping

With the increasing availability of online shopping, it has become easier and more convenient for consumers to purchase goods without leaving the comfort of their own homes. The affordability of online shopping is another major factor that has contributed to its popularity. When compared to traditional brick-and-mortar stores, online stores like fabdia.com, which offer buyers the option to Buy Kurta Sets Online in Australia, tend to offer lower prices and better deals. They are able to pass on these savings to their customers due to the lower overhead costs that come with running an online business. In addition, online retailers often offer free shipping and discounts for first-time buyers, further reducing the cost of online shopping. Thus, for those looking to purchase kurta sets in Australia, buying online is the way to go, providing a cost-effective and convenient solution for all their needs.

4. Door-to-door delivery for convenience

In the modern era of online shopping, many customers are looking for convenience. This includes not only easy access to a shopping platform but also hassle-free delivery. That's where fabdia.com comes in. When you buy Kurta sets online in Australia from this platform, you can take advantage of the door-to-door delivery service for complete convenience. This option makes shopping from fabdia.com an ideal choice for those who may not have the time or inclination to go to a physical store to purchase clothes. With the added advantage of door-to-door delivery, you can have your purchases delivered right to your doorstep, so you can start enjoying your new Kurta sets without any unnecessary delays.

5. Access to unique, high-quality designs from around the world

When it comes to buying kurta sets online in Australia, fabdia.com is an excellent choice. One reason is the availability of unique, high-quality designs sourced from around the world. These designs are carefully chosen by professionals who are passionate about fashion and style, ensuring that consumers have access to the latest trends and classics that transcend time. To choose from a wide range of designs that meet your unique taste and preferences, fabdia.com allows you to browse through its comprehensive collection of kurta sets, featuring different cuts, fabrics, colors, and embroidery patterns. Whether you are looking for a traditional or modern look, you can find the perfect kurta set to complement your style and personality at fabdia.com. The platform offers a seamless, reliable, and convenient shopping experience, with secure payment methods and fast shipping to anywhere in Australia.

In conclusion, buying kurta sets online in Australia is the most convenient and cost-effective way to shop for this traditional Indian attire. The online market offers a wide range of kurta sets in various designs, fabrics, and styles at affordable prices, making it easy for customers to find and purchase exactly what they're looking for. With the added benefits of doorstep delivery, easy returns, and customer-friendly policies, there's no doubt that online shopping for kurta sets is the future of purchasing traditional wear in Australia.

[soundskinsglobal]

Soundproof Insulation in Your Car for Greater Comfort

Cut down that road noise dramatically Sound Deadening Panels for Cars. SoundSkins offers the highest quality dampening products that will never leave you disappointed. Road noise comes from:

tires

the car engine

exhaust noise  

They get into the interior of your car making drivers and passengers feel so tired. Besides this, a lot of noise coming from other road users gets into your car cabin. As a result, you always try to turn the volume all the way up in order to listen to your car music more clearly. In fact, this is very stressful and makes drivers feel so exhausted.  

Road noise is also fatiguing, so that is why you should aim to reduce that unwanted noise as much as possible. Luckily, you can install sound deadening material in your vehicle and have an enjoyable ride. Simply visit SoundSkins and be sure you can reach that goal in the easiest way possible. This shop offers the highest quality Sound Deadening Panels for Cars that can insulate your car against road noise. This can result in having a quieter car cabin and allow you hear more details. There will be no need at all to turn the volume up or speak louder because you

Reasons to Buy Sound Deadening

Noise reduction

The first reason is noise. Thanks to deadening materials, you will be able to reduce both external and internal noise.  

Comfortable ride

The second reason is the comfort of both drivers and passengers. It becomes easier for passengers and drivers to talk. They don’t shout and don’t turn the speakers up to enjoy music.

Safety  

The third reason is driving safety. When you drive a sound-deadened car, you become calmer, concentrated, and not distracted or annoyed.

Rust prevention

The dampening product makes the car body more stable. Its waterproof characteristics also protect the metal against rust.  

Thermal Insulation

The fifth reason is optimal microclimate inside. Sound deadeners can help your car become warmer in winter and cooler in summer, even when exposed to direct sunlight. You must admit that it is another argument for sound deadening.

Driving without the stresses of road noise is what every driver wants. SoundSkins gives you that amazing chance to avoid the unwanted noise. Their sound deadening material can perfectly reduce all the vibrations that are caused by the speakers, providing a better sound quality. You just need to visit the website of SoundSkins and place your order online. Here you can find the best sound deadening material like:  

SoundSkins Pro

Pro Plus

Templates Kits

Sound Rings  

They are worth your investment, so whenever you buy these deadeners you’ll realize that it is more comfortable to drive a car that has sound deadeners.

Look no further and visit SoundSkins for the highest quality deadening material. The experts behind SoundSkins know how much you hate road noise, so they always strive to deliver the most effective products. Regarding their shipping services, they ship to North America, Mexico, Australia & New Zealand. Your order will be shipped from either USA warehouse in California or Sydney. It’s usually depends on your region or country.

Driving will become smoother and more pleasant with SoundSkins. Have a nice journey!

[print-on-demand]

Which Print on Demand Businesses Integrate Through Wix?

Do you want to get into the print on demand industry but don't know how to get started? Maybe you could try out Wix. Find out which print on demand services work with Wix and how to get started in this informative blog post. So, whether you're looking to start a t-shirt business or sell prints online, read on for more information!

What Is Wix Print on Demand?

Print on Demand Wix offers a printing service that lets you design and market custom-printed products without fretting about shipping or inventory. With Wix Print on Demand, you can design and sell anything from t-shirts to notebooks, mugs, and phone cases. All you require is a sketch, we'll handle the rest. Plus, there are no setup fees or minimum orders, so you can start selling your custom products right away.

Whether it is Squarespace Print on Demand or Wix Print on Demand, PODW can be an excellent starting point for businesses who want prints only when they need them. 

Why should you select Wix to host the management of your Print on Demand Business? 

With Wix, a well-liked website builder, you can construct a website with a professional appearance even if you have no coding experience. Moreover, it is among the most reasonably priced website builders. Wix is a fantastic option to get started with a print-on-demand company. It's more elegant and has better out-of-the-box SEO tools than Shopify. Wix also comes with excellent marketing tools built-in to help you in the promotion of your shop.

Wix Print on Demand is an all-in-one solution that gives you everything you need to start and grow your business. With WooCommerce Print on Demand, you can connect your WooCommerce store to Wix and start selling products without any inventory or risk. Print on Demand with WooCommerce is an excellent solution for those who want to offer custom-designed products without worrying about shipping or inventory.

Now that we've discussed some reasons why you should use Wix for your print on demand business, let's take a look at which businesses are integrated with Wix dropshipping.

Printful 

Printful is a print-on-demand firm that sells t-shirts, posters, mugs, and phone covers. They have an intuitive user interface with lots of customization choices available. Print not only provides a dropshipping service but also eliminates the pressure of inventory and fulfillment for selling on your own website or blog.

The best part of Printful is that it has several fulfillment centers in different regions, such as the US, EU, and Australia. This enables the company to deliver most orders within the same region where they were purchased. This also helps keep shipping costs down while maintaining efficient shipping times.

There are hundreds of customizable products available on Printful for Wix dropshipping.

Shirtee

Shirtee, based in Germany, has invested over €5 million in printing technology and software development. It can process more than 5,000 objects daily with a 2.500-square-metre production and storage area and a 2.000-square-meter packaging facility.

The product return management system that sets Shirtee apart is its customer support. You can have the company handle everything from sending a shipping label to the customer to managing the return procedure and inspecting the shipment for you when it arrives at the warehouse. If a consumer buys one of your items and returns it to Shirtee's warehouse, Shirtee can repackage and ship it to the buyer without needing to purchase more of the item from you.

Shirtee also strives to be a responsible and environmentally friendly print-on-demand service. It purchases eco-friendly textiles, prints with water-based inks, and uses eco-friendly paper for all of its packaging.

                                          Read more here

[realaussiesolar]

How to Choose the Best Residential Solar Panel in Brisbane

If you are in the market for a best residential solar panel in Brisbane, there are several options available to you. These include: LG, Mission Solar, Qcells, REA Solar, and Longi. You'll want to choose a brand that is well-known, well-reviewed, and well-supported.

Longi

Longi solar panels are one of the latest in the premium range of solar panels to hit the market in Brisbane. They boast a number of benefits. Not only are they hightech, they also come with a solid reputation in Australia.

The first is that they offer a 6.6kW panel system for just $4200. The second is that they have a 25-year performance warranty. This is a great bargain for anyone looking for a good quality panel.

For those on a tight budget, Longi solar panels are an affordable option. Their monocrystalline cells are designed to produce more power than polycrystalline cells. That may not seem like much of a feat, but incremental improvements add up.

LG

LG has a long history of manufacturing and distributing high quality solar panels. These panels offer unmatched efficiency and are rated as one of the best available on the market. In fact, LG has won numerous awards for their products, including the Sustained Excellence Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

As one of the leading manufacturers in the industry, LG's commitment to producing the highest quality products is second to none. The company has a number of product lines that vary from a simple 60 cell panel to a premium, 72 cell configuration.

Qcells

Qcells solar panels are made from half-cut monocrystalline silicon PERC cells. They come in a variety of prices, depending on the product, its power output, and aesthetics. You can also buy them wholesale.

These high-efficiency panels should help you save on your energy costs. However, they'll cost you more up front. Fortunately, Qcells gives you a 25-year performance warranty on its panels.

Qcells solar panels are designed to operate at maximum efficiency. They use a hightech aluminium alloy frame and a high snow (5400 Pa) tolerance. In addition, they perform well in low-light conditions.

Keen 2B Green

Keen 2B Green is a solar company that has been around since 2009. They have a lot of products to offer its customers, from batteries to solar panels to inverters. The Keen 2B team is a courteous bunch and even left our yard in tip-top shape. We can't recommend their services enough.

In fact, if you are considering adding or upgrading your home's power output, you might want to check out their website and their free in-house solar survey. If you are not into DIY, they have an on-site installer who can have your power supply running and your wallet singing at the same time.

Mission Solar

Mission Solar offers a high quality solar panel at a reasonable price. These are ideal for homeowners looking for a well-rounded product that blends into their roof. Besides, they come with a 25 year warranty.

There are many things to consider when comparing the different solar panels on the market. Some have better conversion rates, while others have higher degradation rates. It's important to select a product with the best value for your money. A good solar panel manufacturer has a track record and the means to test each and every panel before shipping.

CSA Services

In Brisbane, there are a number of solar panel system providers. However, you may wonder which one to choose. There are many to choose from, and they all offer different features. You should do your homework, compare prices, and choose a provider that best suits your needs.

Choosing a solar panel system is a complicated process. It's important to make sure you are working with a reputable company, and that you are getting a quality product. Your choice should be based on what you need, how much power you need, and how much you can afford to spend.

REA Solar

REA Solar is a leading solar power company in Australia that designs, manufactures, and residential solar panel install a variety of solar energy systems. Their services are available to both residential and commercial customers.

The company's expert advisors will help you determine the best solution for your home or business. They can also provide you with a free quote. It's important to take into account your own personal budget as well as the size and shape of your roof.

A typical Brisbane customer can expect to save up to $3,000 per year on their electricity bills. This amount of savings depends on the size and type of solar panel system you choose.

[drunkendragons]

@newsies cosplayers: where do yall get your hats from? Im lookin’ for one but I can only find the one from the Official Store but its got the logo on it and the logo is a no-go for this cosplay im tryna do

[proship-selfship]

csa survivor here, who's probably an "anti" (i used to be proship, bear with me) by your definition because i cannot even begin to comprehend how someone can look at horrible traumatic shit and go "damn that's hot". althought i'm obviously anti-harrassment cause i don't think anyone should be sending death threats to anyone. also i do have a few ships that are considered ~problematic~ because of an age gap or something else. so idk.

but do you have any sources or explanations on how being pro-ship is harmless?

because i can't wrap my head around people jerking off to fictional kids. because in my eyes, if the concept of a fictional child in a sexual situation is arousing, there's probably something not right with you. but again, that's just me.

if you have any genuine articles or responses that aren't just "it's fiction uwu", that would be great. if not, that's fine too. i just don't know how to feel about this discourse anymore because i got harrassed by both antis AND proshippers so lol. yea.

I can see how you would think it’s repulsive or concerning. And hey, I totally get where you’re coming from. It’s less “damn that’s hot”, and more “hey here’s a way for people to explore darker themes without any legal repercussions”. I can’t exactly give you articles about proshipping in general being harmless, but I can give you some stuff on exposure therapy for other survivors of CSA or any kind of abuse/trauma. Also big yikes to getting harassed by both sides of this. Proshippers are supposed to be anti-harassment, jfc.

Under the cut, it’s gonna be a long one.

It might not be how you cope, sure, but for some people it can give them a way to explore what happened to them and find some closure, almost in a way that desensitises the one suffering to the trauma itself, and it’s been shown in some cases with PTSD to help with the symptoms: x x x The big thing here is that it’s in a controlled environment. You can stop at any time if you’re exploring it through fandom content, which is probably the best part of it if you are shipping “problematic” ships to explore what happened to you. And some people might not do it to cope. Some people just enjoy exploring darker themes because it interests them. It doesn’t really reflect on them as a person, sometimes a spoon is just a spoon. Sometimes you see two characters and want them to make out. It doesn’t make you a bad person. This gif from a shoe0nhead video sorta explains it:

The next thing I want to cover is the whole “jerking it to fictional kids” thing. By definition, paedophilia is a psychological condition that can be treated, but not very well understood. I’ll make it clear now that I’m not defending the actions of paedophiles, but let’s make it clear that this condition needs to be better understood to prevent any harm to children and to better treat these people. I won’t deny that there are some very sketchy individuals on this website and other social media platforms. Now let’s discuss the laws around pornography portraying minors in very adult situations- while Australia doesn’t know the difference (because blanket solutions to intricate problems is kinda what we do here), in the US and UK, to my knowledge, explicit images of fictional minors is not considered CSEM (Child Sexual Exploitation Material). They do not portray real minors, and therefore does not endanger any real children or warrant an arrest or investigation- most of the time the artists have the good sense to age these characters up to be over 18. In the past, antis have wasted the time and resources of the relevant authorities by sending them after artists who haven’t broken the law, and organisations like the Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and INHOPE have repeatedly asked for this to stop happening. The use of the term ‘pedophile’ to brand proshippers ultimately ends up with a “boy who cried wolf” effect where the word loses its true meaning. Again, sometimes a spoon is just a spoon.

To put it rather simply: those who partake in problematic content or ships are not breaking the law or causing harm. What causes harm and distress is when the content that creators have tagged appropriately is dragged into spaces where it was never meant to be without the artist’s permission or knowledge or the right tags. I can understand how it upsets you and other csa survivors who might think similarly, really I do. But the best thing to do is trust that these people who ship the things you find problematic know the law and do not intend to hurt anyone because of it. 

[warninggraphiccontent]

16 July 2021

Food for thought

At last week's Data Bites, I noted how 'Wales' is a standard unit of area. This week, along comes a map which shows that all the built-up land in the UK is equivalent to one Wales:

The map is from the National Food Strategy, published yesterday (and the man has a point).

It has divided opinion, judging by the responses to this tweet. I understand where the sceptics are coming from - at first glance, it may be confusing, given Wales isn't actually entirely built up, Cornwall made of peat, or Shetland that close to the mainland (or home to all the UK's golf courses). And I'm often critical of people using maps just because the data is geographical in some way, when a different, non-map visualisation would be better.

But I actually think this one works. Using a familiar geography to represent areas given over to particular land use might help us grasp it more readily (urban areas = size of Wales, beef and lamb pastures = more of the country than anything else). It's also clear that a huge amount of overseas land is needed to feed the UK, too.

The map has grabbed people's attention and got them talking, which is no bad thing. And it tells the main stories I suspect its creators wanted to. In other words, it's made those messages... land.

Trash talk

Happy Take Out The Trash Day!

Yesterday saw A LOT of things published by Cabinet Office - data on special advisers, correspondence with parliamentarians, public bodies and major projects to name but a few, and the small matter of the new plans outlining departmental priorities and how their performance will be measured.

It's great that government is publishing this stuff. It's less great that too much of it still involves data being published in PDFs not spreadsheets. And it's even less great that the ignoble tradition of Take Out The Trash Day continues, for all the reasons here (written yesterday) and here (written in 2017).

I know this isn't (necessarily) deliberate, and it's a lot of good people working very hard to get things finished before the summer (as my 2017 piece acknowledges). And it's good to see government being transparent.

But it's 2021, for crying out loud. The data collection should be easier. The use of this data in government should be more widespread to begin with.

We should expect better.

In other news:

I was really pleased to have helped the excellent team at Transparency International UK (by way of some comments on a draft) with their new report exploring access and influence in UK housing policy, House of Cards. Read it here.

One of our recent Data Bites speakers, Doug Gurr, is apparently in the running to run the NHS. More here.

Any excuse to plug my Audrey Tang interview.

The good folk at ODI Leeds/The Data City/the ODI have picked up and run with my (and others') attempt to map the UK government data ecosystem. Do help them out.

Five years ago this week...

Regarding last week's headline of Three Lines on a Chart: obviously I was going to.

Have a great weekend

Gavin

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Today's links:

Graphic content

Vax populi

Why vaccine-shy French are suddenly rushing to get jabbed* (The Economist)

Morning update on Macron demolishing French anti-vax feeling (or at least vax-hesitant) (Sophie Pedder via Nicolas Berrod)

How Emmanuel Macron’s “health passes” have led to a surge in vaccine bookings in France* (New Statesman)

How effective are coronavirus vaccines against the Delta variant?* (FT)

England faces the sternest test of its vaccination strategy* (The Economist)

Where Are The Newest COVID Hot Spots? Mostly Places With Low Vaccination Rates (NPR)

There's A Stark Red-Blue Divide When It Comes To States' Vaccination Rates (NPR)

All talk, no jabs: the reality of global vaccine diplomacy* (Telegraph)

Vaccination burnout? (Reuters)

Viral content

COVID-19: Will the data allow the government to lift restrictions on 19 July? (Sky News)

UK Covid-19 rates are the highest of any European country after Cyprus* (New Statesman)

COVID-19: Cautionary tale from the Netherlands' coronavirus unlocking - what lessons can the UK learn? (Sky News)

‘Inadequate’: Covid breaches on the rise in Australia’s hotel quarantine (The Guardian)

Side effects

COVID-19: Why is there a surge in winter viruses at the moment? (Sky News)

London Beats New York Back to Office, by a Latte* (Bloomberg)

Outdoor dining reopened restaurants for all — but added to barriers for disabled* (Washington Post)

NYC Needs the Commuting Crowds That Have Yet to Fully Return* (Bloomberg)

Politics and government

Who will succeed Angela Merkel?* (The Economist)

Special advisers in government (Tim for IfG)

How stingy are the UK’s benefits? (Jamie Thunder)

A decade of change for children's services funding (Pro Bono Economics)

National Food Strategy (independent review for UK Government)

National Food Strategy: Tax sugar and salt and prescribe veg, report says (BBC News)

Air, space

Can Wizz challenge Ryanair as king of Europe’s skies?* (FT)

Air passengers have become much more confrontational during the pandemic* (The Economist)

Branson and Bezos in space: how their rocket ships compare* (FT)

Sport

Euro 2020: England expects — the long road back to a Wembley final* (FT)

Most football fans – and most voters – support the England team taking the knee* (New Statesman)

Domestic violence surges after a football match ends* (The Economist)

The Most Valuable Soccer Player In America Is A Goalkeeper (FiveThirtyEight)

Sport is still rife with doping* (The Economist)

Wimbledon wild card success does not disguise financial challenge* (FT)

Can The U.S. Women’s Swim Team Make A Gold Medal Sweep? (FiveThirtyEight)

Everything else

Smoking: How large of a global problem is it? And how can we make progress against it? (Our World in Data)

Record June heat in North America and Europe linked to climate change* (FT)

Here’s a list of open, non-code tools that I use for #dataviz, #dataforgood, charity data, maps, infographics... (Lisa Hornung)

Meta data

Identity crisis

A single sign-on and digital identity solution for government (GDS)

UK government set to unveil next steps in digital identity market plan (Computer Weekly)

BCS calls for social media platforms to verify users to curb abuse (IT Pro)

ID verification for social media as a solution to online abuse is a terrible idea (diginomica)

Who is behind the online abuse of black England players and how can we stop it?* (New Statesman)

Euro 2020: Why abuse remains rife on social media (BBC News)

UK government

Online Media Literacy Strategy (DCMS)

Privacy enhancing technologies: Adoption guide (CDEI)

The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset is now available in the ONS Secure Research Service (ADR UK)

Our Home Office 2024 DDaT Strategy is published (Home Office)

The UK’s Digital Regulation Plan makes few concrete commitments (Tech Monitor)

OSR statement on data transparency and the role of Heads of Profession for Statistics (Office for Statistics Regulation)

Good data from any source can help us report on the global goals to the UN (ONS)

The state of the UK’s statistical system 2020/21 (Office for Statistics Regulation)

Far from average: How COVID-19 has impacted the Average Weekly Earnings data (ONS)

Health

Shock treatment: can the pandemic turn the NHS digital? (E&T)

Can Vaccine Passports Actually Work? (Slate)

UK supercomputer Cambridge-1 to hunt for medical breakthroughs (The Guardian)

AI got 'rithm

An Applied Research Agenda for Data Governance for AI (GPAI)

Taoiseach and Minister Troy launch Government Roadmap for AI in Ireland (Irish Government)

Tech

“I Don’t Think I’ll Ever Go Back”: Return-to-Office Agita Is Sweeping Silicon Valley (Vanity Fair)

Google boss Sundar Pichai warns of threats to internet freedom (BBC News)

The class of 2021: Welcome to POLITICO’s annual ranking of the 28 power players behind Europe’s tech revolution (Politico)

Inside Facebook’s Data Wars* (New York Times)

Concern trolls and power grabs: Inside Big Tech’s angry, geeky, often petty war for your privacy (Protocol)

Exclusive extract: how Facebook's engineers spied on women* (Telegraph)

Face off

Can facial analysis technology create a child-safe internet? (The Observer)

#Identity, #OnlineSafety & #AgeVerification – notes on “Can facial analysis technology create a child-safe internet?” (Alec Muffett)

Europe makes the case to ban biometric surveillance* (Wired)

Open government

From open data to joined-up government: driving efficiency with BA Obras (Open Contracting Partnership)

AVAILABLE NOW! DEMOCRACY IN A PANDEMIC: PARTICIPATION IN RESPONSE TO CRISIS (Involve)

Designing digital services for equitable access (Brookings)

Data

Trusting the Data: How do we reach a public settlement on the future of tech? (Demos)

"Why do we use R rather than Excel?" (Terence Eden)

Everything else

The world’s biggest ransomware gang just disappeared from the internet (MIT Technology Review)

Our Statistical Excellence Awards Ceremony has just kicked off! (Royal Statistical Society)

Pin resets wipe all data from over 100 Treasury mobile phones (The Guardian)

Data officers raid two properties over Matt Hancock CCTV footage leak (The Guardian)

How did my phone number end up for sale on a US database? (BBC News)

Gendered disinformation: 6 reasons why liberal democracies need to respond to this threat (Demos, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung)

Opportunities

EVENT: Justice data in the digital age: Balancing risks and opportunities (The LEF)

JOBS: Senior Data Strategy - Data Innovation & Business Analysis Hub (MoJ)

JOB: Director of Evidence and Analytics (Natural England)

JOB: Policy and Research Associate (Open Ownership)

JOB: Research Officer in Data Science (LSE Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science)

JOB: Chief operating officer (Democracy Club, via Jukesie)

And finally...

me: can’t believe we didn’t date sooner... (@MNateShyamalan)

Are you closer to Georgia, or to Georgia? (@incunabula)

A masterpiece in FOIA (Chris Cook)

How K-Pop conquered the universe* (Washington Post)

Does everything really cost more? Find out with our inflation quiz.* (Washington Post)

[broadronnie554]

6 Online Communities About funko pop movies You Should Join

What's Funko Pop! Vinyl figures? New to Funko Pops! Vinyl? No issue, let's bring you up-to-date.

Funko Pops! Vinyl figurines are collectible figurines based on your favorite characters from blockbuster movies, cult classic television shows and even video games. Each one is made from top-quality PVC (Shortened to vinyl) and painted with an extremely high degree of detail. Each figure is individually limited to an edition of just 100 pieces. This means that you, the collector, are getting something unique- maybe even a one-of-a-kind- each figure in your collection.

Why are these so popular with collectors? Since these vinyl figurines are so fun! Young and old, everyone can appreciate a excellent Pop! Figurine and its colorful world filled with memorable pop culture images and pop culture icons such as: Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Batman, Superman, Jurassic Park, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Batman Begins, The Fantastic Four, The Incredibles 2, Toy Story, Toy Boy, Barbie and many more!

How did this happen? In January of 2021, Funko brought back the infamous Freddy kubrowski- but this time, the"kool-aid" was replaced with a bottle of Tri-Head beer. Yes, because of the genius of Freddy kubrowski, we now have a Freddy kubrow who is a literal pop culture icon and the face of all that is FUNK! The company also included a line of funko pop culture collectible figures, such as: The Freddy Pop, The Poopie Pig, Mr. T, Mr. Bear, Barbie Bopper, Funky Chicken Bopper, The Cheeseburger Surprise, The Fun Koala, The Fun Frog, The Cabbage Patch Kids, The Three Musketeers, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Odditor, The Poopsie twins, The Bruiser, The Tasmanian Devil, The Bad Seedling and many more!

These funky-style funk-pop statues are made of vinyl, and are individually hand sculpted by the world's biggest pop artist, Freddy Kopp. These figurines are made to have a soft glow in the dark glow which appears when the lights are turned on and off. The glow acts as a medium in order to add depth to the picture and make the perfect illusion of 3-D pop! Many of these personalities come with their own special effects and sometimes, you could even get a chance to flex your imagination and create your own custom sounds and music for all these vinyl figurines! This is because most of them come with all sorts of different"sound chips" that can be used to record your personal voice and record songs for these characters!

Funko Pop products lines include: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Barbie and Ken, The Flintstones, Batman, Spiderman, Indiana Jones, The Powerpuff Girls, The Incredibles, Spongebob Squarepants, Justice League, Shrek, Cars, Toy Story, The Beatles, The Wizard of Oz, Spongebob Squarepants, The Betty Boop Movie, T.V. and more! There's definitely something for everyone.

If you want to find the most recent releases, you must have a look at the Funko Pop website. This gives you a sneak peek at what is in store for your future. The Funko Pop headquarters is located in California in San Diego, and the primary manufacturers are based there as well. All the toys are made in the U.S.A. and they ship all over the world, but they do ship internationally to countries such as Australia, Russia and Germany. Along with the Funko Pop collection, the company also provides other kinds of merchandise such as: San Diego Comic-Con merchandise, including convention exclusives and rare posters, key chains, collectible jeans and shirts, autographed books and much more. And if that is not enough to satiate your passion for pop culture, simply try the Funko Pop videos, featuring guest stars from the most popular shows on tv today!

If you haven't heard, the company is thinking about hosting three Pop Music Nights at different San Diego events in the summer of 2021. There will be appearances by Justin Timberlake, The Chainsmokers, Skrillex, P Diddy, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, J.Lo, Usher, Flo Rida, David Guetta, and many others. Don't miss out on the most recent celebrity-filled fun at this year's San Diego comic-con. http://quietraquel860.image-perth.org/11-embarrassing-funko-faux-pas-you-better-not-make Bring your favourite pop star dolls to the event and add Funko Pop characters to your own collection!

[eddlestonian]

Passwords

001 Many sites on the internet require passwords.  Although they seem a nuisance, they protect you.  Consider them like a key to a door.  

002 Why bother with passwords?

(i) Financial Management

For most people this means online banking.  If you use a weak password it is likely it will eventually get hacked.  Needless to say this could result in you losing money.

(ii) Auction Sites

If someone hacked your account they could make binding bids or buy things in your name.

(iii) Stock Trading

This is like (i) plus (ii).  Someone could buy or sell stock or have stock transferred.

(iv) Social Media

Hacked social media accounts can be used to post compromising messages that could embarrass or defame somebody, be used for harassment, or to build up a picture of who you are and everyone you know.  This could result in a visit from the police.  Social media is also very useful for hackers for enabling identity theft.

(v) Shops

Hacking one of your shopping accounts (e.g. Amazon) would only be an issue if you have a “stored” payment method such as credit card details.

If you discover that your payment information was used to ship unexpected goods to an unknown location, it’s clear that someone has hacked your account.

(vi) Gambling

A hacker could generate debts on your behalf.

003 How To Design a Good Password

The important things when designing a password (in order) are make it -  

(i) Memorable,

(ii) Long – the longer the better (at least 12 characters),

(iii) Complex,

(iv) Different for different sites.

004 The Core of the Password

First of all create a “core” password with a string of letters.  Three ways ways of doing this include -  

(i) Initial Letters

Open your favourite book.  Go to a memorable page e.g. your birthday. Read the first sentence.  For me this would be “The Age of Reason” by Sartre.  My birthday is on the 23rd.  The first sentence of the first paragraph on page 23 is “Boris bitterly regretted never having been there, he would certainly go if it reopened.”

This makes bbrnhbthwcgiir – 14 characters.  If I forget it I just have to go to my favourite book.

(ii) Relevant but Not Guessable Words

This could be a street name, hill names, school name, stream name(s), car. Don’t use words relevant to you or close family.  However, you could use a relative’s street name etc.  Hill or mountain names, especially if non-English, are good.  Similarly, the name of your school is bad because a hacker could probably get it from Facebook. So use a relative’s school instead.  The advice regarding streams/rivers is the same as for hills/mountains.  If the resulting password is too short add something relevant.

So, examples from these could be -

springwoodbank (where my parents-in-law lived)

anteallach (a Scottish mmountain)

bluemountainsgrammar (a school in Australia)

severnriver (a river far away)

deloreanbelfast (not my car!)

or -

Look out of the window -  flowerwheelbarrowbinhusband

Look at your wall - picturetelevisionblue

Look at your spouse - greynoseartist

(iii) A Silly Phrase

Examples could be -

weneedanewcomputer

mustremembermilk

quickbrowndogs

lillylikeschocolate

myneighbourisnoisy

dollypartonhasbigboobies

These are long and memorable.

005 Make The Password More Secure

The core password generated as above satisfies the first two criteria – long and memorable.  You could use it as it is.  However, to make it even better we can add complexity.  There are three easy ways of doing it – add special characters and/or numbers and use mixed case.  But where to put the number and special characters?  The easiest is between each word (ignoring example (iii) above) but the better way would be to place it in random places.  The downside here is that random places make   it less memorable.

(i) Special characters such as !, £, $, _

flower_wheelbarrowbinhusband

bbrnh£bthwcgiir

springwood!bank

we_need£a$new_computer

Bear in mind that some sites only allow certain special characters.

(ii) Numbers

The question here is how to decide what numbers to use.  Anything relevant to you or your close family is bad because it is available online from various sources (e.g. Facebook, Linkedin, Ancestry).  Of course 123456 is bad.  You could use something random but then it won’t be so easily memorable.  Ignoring close family, you could use the birth date of, say, your mother (or even better, your grandmother).  For me that would be 07071936.  You could use one or more of these numbers -

flower07wheelbarrow07bin19husband35

bb07rnhb07thw19cgiir35

07spring07woodbank1935

w07eneedane07wco19mput35er

(iii) Mix upper and lowercase letters

FlowerwheelbarrowbinhusbanD

bbrnhbthwcGiir

SpringWoodBank

wEnEEdanEwcomputEer

(iv) To make an extremely secure password, use all three complexity methods -

Flower_07wheelbarrow07bin19husbanD35

bb07rnh£b07thw19cGiir35

07Spring07Wood!Bank1935

w_07EnEEd£a$nE07w__co19mput35Er

006 Create Different Passwords For Different Websites

You could use the same password for each website but if that gets hacked it would mean the hacker would have access to all of your accounts online.  So, how to make it unique for each website?  Here are some suggestions.

(i) Add the name of the site to your password

Flower_07wheelbarrow07bin19husbanD35amazon

bb07rnh£b07thw19cGiir35ebay

07Spring07Wood!Bank1935twitter

w_07EnEEd£a$nE07w__co19mput35Erfineartamerica

(ii) Add an acronym relevant to the site

Flower_07wheelbarrow07bin19husbanD35azn

bb07rnh£b07thw19cGiir35eb

07Spring07Wood!Bank1935twt

w_07EnEEd£a$nE07w__co19mput35Erfaa

(iii) Add numbers

How to choose a number relevant to the site?  An easy way is the length of the name of the site -

Amazon = 6

Ebay = 4

Twitter = 7

Fineartamerica = 14

To make it harder for the hacker “pad” it to three digits; -

Amazon =  006

Ebay = 004

Twitter = 007

Finartamerica = 012

So we get -

Flower_07wheelbarrow07bin19husbanD35006

bb07rnh£b07thw19cGiir35004

07Spring07Wood!Bank1935007

w_07EnEEd£a$nE07w__co19mput35Er012

007 Storing Passwords

Generally speaking, storing passwords anywhere is a bad idea but if you really can’t remember your passwords, here is some advice.

(i) Write Them Down

Writing your passwords on a piece of paper and sticking it to your screen or under your keyboard is a bad idea.  

So find that favourite book again and your favourite page and slip your password note in there.  What happens if a burgler finds it? Burglars rarely, if ever, are interested in passwords – they are looking for cash or small high value items to sell on quickly.

If you have accepted the advice above you have a core password used for all sites.  For each site you have added a three-digit number at the end.  This means all you have to do is store your core password because you can work out which password to use for each site but others would have a hard time figuring it out.  

For example, instead of storing

Flower_07wheelbarrow07bin19husbanD35006

use

Flower_07wheelbarrow07bin19husbanD35

Even if a burglar/hacker tries to use the password it will not work anywhere.

(ii) Password Manager

A password manager is a computer program that allows users to store, generate and manage their passwords for local applications and online services.

Types of password managers include:

locally installed software applications

online services accessed through website portals

locally accessed hardware devices that serve as keys

Password managers typically require a user to generate and remember a master password to unlock the password manager.  Many password managers offer additional services such as storage of credit card and frequent flier information.

Password managers come and go but the popular ones in 2021 are LastPass, myki, LogmeOnce, Norton and bitwarden

The two downsides of using a password manager are that you usually have to pay for it and, of course, if the password manager gets hacked your passwords are exposed.

(iii) Security Key

A security key looks a bit like a USB pen.  It allows you to securely log into your accounts without having to key in passwords.  They usually just plug into a USB port.

There are various security keys available so its worth shopping around and comparing them.  For example scan.co.uk sells the Hypersecu FIDO Titanium Pro (works in Windows, Apple devices and Android) which currently does well in reviews.

In addition to managing passwords a security key can combat real-time attacks such as man-in-the-middle (MITM), prevent phishing, make keylogging impossible and protect PINs from brute force attacks.

The problem is that they can be difficult to set up.

008 How To get Hacked (Bad Security Online)

(i) Use Number Substitutions in Passwords

Common substitutions are -

a = @

s = $

o = 0

e = 3

i /l = 1

So, ”myamazonassword” becomes “my@m@z0nA$$w0rd”

Hackers are aware of this so number substitution is a bad idea.

Note – this is substitution not addition (discussed above).

(ii) Use Personal Information in Passwords

Examples are -

Your birthday,

Close family names (sons, daughters),

Pet name,

Your address.

(iii) Repeating Characters in Passwords

1234567

aaaaaaaaa

abcdefg

abcabcabc

(iv) Same Password for All Sites

Someone who culls your Facebook or Twitter password in a phishing exploit could, for example, access your bank account.   Reusing passwords for email, banking, and social media accounts can lead to identity theft. Two recent breaches revealed a password reuse rate of 31% among victims.

(v) Auto Sign In

Do not allow your computer to automatically sign into sites on boot-up

(vi) “remember me”, Automatic sign-in option

Do not use “remember me” or Automatic sign-in option which is available on some web sites.

(vii) Alien Computers

Do not enter passwords on a computer you don’t control, such as a friend’s computer, because you don’t know what spyware or keyloggers might be on that machine.

(viii) Open WiFi

Do not access password-protected accounts over open WiFi networks or any other network you don’t trust unless the site is secured via HTTPS. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) if you travel a lot.

(ix) Keyboard Combinations in Passwords

Avoid consecutive keyboard combinations such as qwerty or asdfg.

(x) Security Questions

The names of spouses, kids, other relatives, or pets, can be deduced with a little research.  When you click the “forgot password” link within a webmail service or other site you are often asked to answer a question or series of questions.  The answers can often be found on your social media profile.  This is how Sarah Palin’s Yahoo account was hacked.

(xi) Social engineering

This is an elaborate type of lying.  An alternative to traditional hacking, it is the act of manipulating others into performing certain actions or divulging confidential information.

[parabelled]

You said you love skincare over makeup: me too! What's your favorite brands? :)

I have extremely sensitive skin that is prone to cystic acne due to my hormones being out of whack due to endometriosis, so I have to be very careful about the brands I use for either skincare OR makeup, and it took me a long time to realise that, and lean more into cultural beauty routines that take skincare over makeup (For example, Korean beauty or more traditionalist Swedish beauty, a la Ingrid Bergman, who famously never wore a stitch of makeup if she could help it and her skin was just that lovely that she didn’t have to). I’m also very aware of overt fragrances, stripping agents like alcohol (Baby Lauren was not; and thought drying out your skin equaled less acne; yikes), and any harsh additives. 

Sunscreen:

I’ve always taken sun care extremely seriously, as both my mother and my grandmother have had skin cancer before, so I’m most likely predisposed to having it. This has led to some unintentionally hilarious results of being the palest person in the world who plays beach volleyball both professionally (back in the day) and competitively (now, or before the COVID hit). I always wear long sleeves on the beach unless I have time to completely apply sunscreen, and am a snob when it comes to sunscreens as well. They can’t cause a breakout, leak into my eyes due to sweat, any of that good stuff. 

My sunscreen recommendations:

 (Note: And I literally get them from all over the world, so get ready, because I probably cover something available in your town/country. I’ve lived in Australasia, North America, and Europe, so I’ve pretty much covered a large part of the world in my travels xD)

Face:

Mychelle Pharmaceuticals SPF 28 in Coconut (Unfortunately only an American brand, but I literally get it shipped to a P.O. box near Canada so I can go across the line to get it. It’s that good. XD Doesn’t melt, dries quickly, unsure how it would look on darker skin than ghost white, but still doesn’t give me any sort of cast).

Innisfree Daily UV Protection Cream No Sebum: Literally a steal at twelve bucks, but DOES cause the dreaded white cast. Anti-acne and also settles down really well on the skin. I’m luckily pale enough that if I layer makeup over it, it usually doesn’t look as bad, but I’ve heard a lot of POC say they love the texture, but it gives them that ashy-white look (See below for some skincare brands I’ve heard are better for this for POC). 

Body:

Bioderma Photoderm SPF 50+ UVA and UVB Lait protection élevée: This is a really popular French sunscreen that doesn’t move and stays firm after you apply it and it dries down. It’s a high SPF quality, and I can find it in Canada, but I also obviously saw it in France when I was there as well. France is another country that really seems to follow the ‘If you have great skin you don’t really need makeup do you” train.

MooGoo Skincare (Generally and their sunscreen): This was my go to in Australia: I’d have to reapply it often because otherwise you would get burned, but Australia also has a gigantic hole in the ozone layer so it isn’t exactly helping itself. xD But it’s a local Aussie brand, it’s natural, and it’s great and relatively cheap (although you can order it worldwide I believe and they have a US based website if you’re in the states). I also love their leave in hair conditioner, as well as their self-tanner. They also send you great testers with it, and have great mineral-based makeup if you’re keen.

Coola SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray Pina Colada: This is my go to spray on for playing sports last summer. It’s natural, smells good, is expensive, but it lasted me an entire summer playing beach volleyball most days at the beach, and I still have some left over.

Some of my top other skincare recommendations I’d recommend otherwise would be:

My Current Routine:

- Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel (everyday)

- Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel (everyday)

- Dermalogica Microdermabrasion (everyday)

- Mychelle Cosmetics: SPF 28 Coconut (everyday)

- Clinique Oil Control Gel with Uneven Skin Tone Pump (everyday)

- Lush Eye Cream (optional)

- Benton Aloe Vera Gel (optional if my skin is feeling dry)

- Bioderma Photoderm 50+ for my body sunscreen  (everyday)

(Note: I also use a micellar water to clear eye makeup if I use it, and occasionally the Thayers toner if I have it on hand, but it’s not essential to my routine, and I don’t use eye makeup that often).

Dermalogica:  Expensive as all hell, but it’s literally the only thing that I can get a ‘wash and go’ effect from. Their Special Cleansing Gel is the only face wash I’ve been able to use for more than three to four months without having to switch it up from my skin throwing it’s own mini revolution. xD The one thing I could say is that their Cleansing Gel LITERALLY lasts forever. I have a gigantic pump which is 88 dollars (YIKES), but it’s lasted me literally seven months without having to change products and buying usually amount in cheaper skincare, going to the dermatologist, or having to get further medication from my doctor for my skin (I take an antibiotic to keep my skin at bay as well). It’s literally worth the money of me searching and floundering about buying cheaper options that make my skin break out that progressively add up to the full amount of the Dermalogica/ avoiding dermatologist appointments, so that’s how I justify it. So while it makes me cringe every time I buy it, it really is worth it if you’re washing it two times a day (There’s also a 250ml size for 55 bucks Canadian on Sephora if you want to give it a go for less commitment, and that usually lasts for a good two months on its own).

I also use their Overnight Clearing Gel for my acne (also expensive), and I can do without, but do like, their microdermabrasion scrub, which also lasts forever. I also forgot to mention that this is the stuff coming straight from The International Dermal Institute, so they know what they’re doing. 

Others I enjoy:

Klairs: My (relatively) cheap routine if I’m running low on funds for the month. They have a great body-based soap bar if you have body acne (Which I usually don’t, but if I’m doing a lot of beach volleyball in the summer, gremlins in the sand fuck with my skin, I swear to god). 

Innisfree: Great based routines, and if you’re able to actually go to a store to get skin-matched, they have some amazing stores in Australasia. I use their sheet masks often.

Benton: Their aloe vera-based products are amazing for skincare; I use them usually in lieu of a body lotion.

Thayers: Their unscented toner is the only toner I trust, and it’s usually on sale at a drugstore.

Mychelle Cosmetics: As mentioned above, it’s responsible for my daily sunscreen; unfortunately, you can only get it in the States (Which is why I literally have a P.O. box across the border in America where I go to pick it up from because I live about fifteen minutes from the US-Canada border. Seriously, it’s that good).

 MooGoo: As mentioned above.

 Clinique: An oldie, but a goodie. Their skincare routine doesn’t have the same effect on my face like Dermalogica, but if I’m in a financial pinch and need something to hold me over at the mid-point price level, I still turn to Clinique. I still use their gel as my moisturiser, and they now have this new ‘mix and match’ program with Emilia Clarke as their promo-woman. I’ve heard the shade range for the BB cream-based moisturiser is terrible, even for white ladies, but I just got their Oil-Control gel with an ‘uneven skin tone’ top mixed in to address acne-scarring, and I’ve already seen some good results.

 Biotherma: See above.

La-Roche Posay: The routine my dermatologist recommended as a top professor of skincare at a leading hospital related to a university in Australia. It’s very gentle, and their Effaclar another mid-level price routine.

St Ives: If I’m really poor, I go for St. Ives. I don’t use their scrubs, because they use walnut shells on their that can literally rip up your face, but I do like their body wash, body lotion, and they recently released a cleanser with camomile which is calming for the face. It’s not as good as the Dermalogica stuff, but for cheap and for no harsh alcohols or chemicals, plus making a move towards being cruelty-free, I think St. Ives is trying to revamp their brand a bit after that bad press they had concerning #walnutgate. xD

Lush: Another cheaper option (although not really, because Lush usually gauges you for more than you’d pay for a proper Clinique cleanser for a bar of soap/ once you’ve got your full routine together). That being said, I do like their eye cream. I’m in my mid-twenties now, so I’m starting to try to do more preventative skincare.

Mario Badescu: I still use their acne spot treatment if I have a really terrible zit, and it’s gone the next morning.

Other brands I’ve heard good things about:

First Aid Beauty (I want to try their tinted sunscreen for summer)

Supergoop (Apparently their mineral sunscreen is really great for POC, as it doesn’t give the dreaded WHITE CAST)

Shiseido (A classic Japanese brand)

Keihls (Another one I’ve heard great things about but is more expensive)

Ren Clean Skincare (Another skincare brand I want to try).

So hopefully this gives you some ideas to try, nonny, and hopefully this helps someone. xD -shrug-

[ellencoopertech]

All the Latest Gadget Announcements by Apple

Apple had lined up a lot of products and software updates for iOS and iPadOS users for 2020. But the pandemic delayed a lot of plans. Better delayed than never is the quote that has probably inspired Apple to introduce their latest gadgets to the world. On 13th October, Apple announced four new models in the iPhone 12 line. It will be the first significant design progression since 2017’s iPhone X. This year, the models will sport an array of colors (red, blue, green, black, and white) and 5G wireless connectivity support. The company is also ready with its HomePod Mini smart speakers.

The latest upgrade in the iPhone 12 will bring a custom antenna design along with mmWave 5G support (at least in the US). Apple has also updated its wireless charging on the iPhone with MagSafe that has a coil-like design and magnets. Below we have mentioned the list of latest products and the feature or specs updates Apple has made on them:

iPhone 12

The newest update will make the iPhone even thinner, smaller, and lighter in weight. It features a new OLED Super Retina XDR display with boasting 460 PPI pixel density and Dolby Vision HDR support. It also has a Ceramic Shield protection layer on the screen. It uses A14 Bionic rather than the A13 chip. The A14 Bionic chip is also integrated into the new iPad Air that has enhanced AI processing. The iPhone 12 upgrade also features a dual setup f2.4 ultrawide and f1.6 wide camera. All the cameras also have a Night Mode and night time-lapse feature on it. It costs $799 in the US, £799 in the UK, and AU$1,349 in Australia.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch screen, and the iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.7-inch screen. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has received better and premium specs than the iPhone 12 Pro. iPhone 12 Pro Max features three cameras and lidar for depth mapping, AR, and low-light autofocus. It also has a new sensor with sensor-shift image stabilization on its third telephoto camera, and it can record videos in 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR. Surprisingly, it will follow a new format, i.e., Apple ProRaw, that synthesizes the computational photography and applies processing as its parameters, which will help you tweak adjustments without much trouble.

The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max starts at $1,099.

iPhone 12 mini

The latest iPhone 12 mini has all the similar features that the latter device offers. The only significant difference is in the display size, which has shrunk down to 5.4-inch only. It is Apple’s first tiny phone that is also sleek in design and lighter in weight. The pixel density and display resolution are slightly lower in the iPhone 12 Mini. It starts at $699 in the US, £699 in the UK, and AU$1,199 in Australia.

HomePod Mini

In the online event, Apple also announced its first Mini smart speakers that look more like a candle than a gadget. The HomePod Mini speakers use the ‘computational audio’ for adjusting the sound characteristics automatically. Apple claims that they have combined a powerful voice assistant with the equally excellent audio quality as the original HomePod. Its privacy features are also similar to the original HomePod. HomePod Mini also offers anonymization and data encryption for additional security. It can auto-pair your iPhone when it comes to proximity. It costs $99 only. You can pre-order this device from the 6th of November, and ten days later, it will start shipping.

This was all you needed to know. You can keep your eyes on Apple’s website if you feel interested in purchasing either of these devices.

Aida Martin has diverse interests that range from writing to video games. She has always had a strong passion for writing. She likes to write about games, tech events, security, and whitepapers. Her vast and varied knowledge aided by her supreme writing skills, have made her a powerful writer at norton.com/setup.

Source:- https://legit-antivirus.com/all-the-latest-gadget-announcements-by-apple/

[hopefulfestivaltastemaker]

September 13, 2020

My weekly roundup of things I am working on. Topics include wildfires, exotic energy sources, speculative energy sources, the Biden housing plan, and creative outlets.

Wildfires in Oregon

Oregon, along with the rest of the West Coast, has been in the news for devastating wildfires that are still ongoing. This is certainly the worst I have experienced, much worse that the 2017 fires in California. Both Oregon and California are having their worst seasons on record.

In Oregon, it started last Monday, when a strong (and unseasonably early) east wind came over an already dry state, drying the air further and spreading fires rapidly. The Portland metro area experienced sporadic bad air quality on Monday and Tuesday, and it has been consistently bad since Wednesday. Today is no noticeable improvement. The weather forecast is for clouds on Monday and some rain on Tuesday, which should finally bring about some improvement.

So far there have been dozens of deaths in the West and several dozen more people unaccounted for and significant property damage. My guess is that most of the damage will be harder to see: the impact of the poor air quality on people who are already vulnerable. These events bring about yet more disruption in a region that has already been reeling from the pandemic, economic hardship, and civil unrest.

I made a facetious remark on Twitter about solar radiation management, but I really have been struck at how much the weather has cooled down. The temperature is at least 20 degrees (F) cooler than it should have been, due to soot particles reflecting sunlight. In my neighborhood, the light-sensitive streetlights are on during the day. I can look directly at the Sun without hurting my eyes. Needless to say, I will need to be convinced that any solar radiation management scheme will not significantly harm air quality before I will believe it’s a good idea.

If anyone is actually reading this, I would implore you not to use the fires merely as a talking point for your pet climate policy. This is something that irritates me greatly. In the immediate term, we need relief and a stronger firefighting force. In the medium term, we need better forest management practices. Greenhouse gas mitigation helps only marginally in the long term. Don’t try to tell me that building a bike lane in New York City is the solution we in the West are looking for. Once the fires are extinguished, most climate activists will lose interest in our land use needs and move on to the next disaster.

Exotic Energy Sources

This week I added an Exotic Energy section to Urban Cruise Ship. I had been considering this for a long time, and I went ahead and did it mainly because I have been stuck on some harder projects and wanted to do something relatively easy. There are no graphics planned, as I don’t see the topic as important enough to justify assigning more work to our graphics guy, but there are a few interesting things.

One recurring scheme is various ways to capture piezoelectricity, which is generated through pressure on a surface, such as when people walk over a plate or cars drive over it. One study in Australia found that with more advanced generators, an educational building at Macquarie University might recover 0.5% of its electricity usage by installing generators at high traffic points. With technology that was current at the time of the study, it’s probably more like 0.06%.

As for roadways, I cited several studies that report levelized costs of electricity in the range of multiple dollars per kilowatt-hour (wholesale prices tend to be in the range of 3-6 cents/kWh and retail on the order of 10 cents). The exception was a California study that reported 8-20 cents/kWh, which as far as I can tell is just an uncritical repetition of claims from the vendor. Also not discussed is the fact the source of energy is kinetic energy from cars, so unless the car is braking, the generators are stealing energy from motorists. We might as well be using diesel generators then.

If I were to make a guess, the pilot project is little more than California burning several million dollars on a patently unworkable scheme because of some marketing by a shady vendor. I’m all for trying bold ideas that are not guaranteed to succeed, but one must draw the line at ideas that clearly won’t succeed or where basic feasibility questions haven’t even been asked.

Biomechanical energy harvesting is an idea that got a bit of hype a few years ago, but now few people seem to still be interested. Making some extremely generous assumptions, I estimated that it would have a theoretical of about 1 exajoule per year, or about 0.2% of primary energy supply. More medium-case assumptions would cut that by at least a factor of five. Plus that doesn’t account for extra exertion required by the person or embodied energy in the devices.

There are probably some niche use cases for piezoelectric generators and biomechanical systems, such as low power distributed sensors and personal electronics respectively.

I even commented on the power from rainfall paper earlier in the year, an idea too silly to take seriously.

Speculative Energy Sources

But even with the above we’re not done. I decided to venture into the realm of speculative physics.

In quantum physics, even a system with zero temperature must have some latent energy due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. This has been termed the zero point. So naturally that leads people to speculate that zero point energy could be harvested for useful purposes. The near-consensus seems to be that this is impossible, that it must violate thermodynamics somehow, though I found it surprisingly difficult to find a rigorous explanation of why this is the case. This paper from 2019 is all I found, and even then, it only rules out two of three proposed ZPE extraction methods based on thermodynamic principles. Incidentally, the authors hold a patent on the third method and claim there is inconclusive evidence that it works.

Additionally, there is the NASA Eagleworks project to use the quantum vacuum to develop a spacecraft that can operate without onboard propellant.

There is a lot of interesting physics here that I don’t understand. I was expecting to write a short, dismissive comment for the website, but it would seem that ZPE is a legitimate area of scientific research. Maybe this will actually work for energy production someday. But there is no solid evidence yet, and any claims of a currently working ZPE device can be safely rejected.

Some other ideas that pop up, based in speculative physics, including hydrinos, neutrinos, quark fusion, and the ever popular perpetual motion machine. At least neutrinos and quark fusion are legitimate physics, but as far as useful energy production goes, these are all pathological ideas. I’ll add more as I see them. I briefly covered cold fusion a while ago on the Fusion page.

I expect that when the site is finally done, of the many things people could fairly accuse me of, not being comprehensive will not be one of them.

The Biden Housing Plan

Evidently I am a few weeks late, but the Biden-Harris campaign has a housing plan. The tl;dr is that there might be a few good things here, but I’m not too impressed.

When it comes to housing affordability, the principle I’ve tried to reiterate over and over again is that it comes down to supply. If there are 1,000,000 people who want to live in a city with a zoned capacity for 800,000, then 200,000 people will not be able to live there. It doesn’t matter if you impose rent control, eviction moratoria, inclusionary zoning rules, offer Section 8 or other subsidies, or whatever. As long as the supply is fixed, all these do is change the rationing mechanism from price to something else. Which, it must be acknowledged, is often the intent.

Traditionally, the federal government has a limited role in zoning. That could change of course; the federal government today has major roles in many areas where it previously had a limited or no role. As it is now, I see two plausible hooks for federal involvement in the near term. The first is the Fair Housing Act, where it can be argued fairly convincingly that zoning rules have disparate impact on protected groups, and in some cases intentional impact; and the second is to tie zoning reform to federal Community Development Block Grants or transportation funding, where reform is a matter of insuring that federal spending is actually used effectively.

The Biden plan calls for reinstatement of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, which while imperfect, I think is better than what the Trump Administration decided to go with, which is nothing. As for the second, I momentarily got my hopes up when I saw that they were promoting legislation to do just that. But upon reading the details of the HOME Act (which was introduced last year but I was unfamiliar with until now), I see that the list of measures the bill calls for to promote “inclusive land use” are wide-ranging, and only some of them can reasonably be expected to increase the housing supply. It could be a good piece of legislation, but much rides on the implementation. Zoning reform advocates at the state level routinely underestimate the creativity that municipalities will show in evading the intent of their laws.

Anyway, there is a lot of other stuff here on racial discrimination, energy efficiency, and the Davis-Bacon Act (which probably makes housing less affordable by running up construction costs), but I won’t belabor the issues. All in all, it’s a plan that reflects the set Democratic interests pretty well, has a lot of stuff in it, and would do little to achieve broad-based housing affordability.

Creative Outlets

Like many people, I have been continuing to struggle with a variety of stressful circumstances. I took more time than usual this week on some creative projects, which has helped.

The newest one I am calling Project Epsilon, which for now is a maze generator. I’ve long had a fascination with generative content, and I would like to see how far the concept can be taken, but for now it is really just for fun. It is not deployed, but someone knowledgeable with Python and Flask in particular can download and run it fairly easily. Not that there is much to see yet. All it does it let the user input a few parameters and make a maze.

The other is Repair the Cosmos, which is deployed but hasn’t been updated publicly in a long time, despite considerable local activity. This is an incremental game that is meant to tell the story of humanity from the Paleolithic to the far future. I started it in January and have been working very intermittently since then, but I finally have a burst of creativity going for the first time in months. I still expect at least a few weeks before the next update, and I can only go for so long before I start feeling guilty about not doing real work.

[sailorfailures]

Adelaide/Aus Sailor Moon Fans:

Right, time for some EXTREMELY niche content.

The Royal Adelaide Show, and potentially Melbourne’s or Perth’s, is, for the first time in recent memory (or perhaps ever), carrying a Sailor Moon showbag.

(Showbags are bundles of themed toys, merchandise, food, etc. that are either exclusive to the Royal Show or available at a discounted price, contained within a branded plastic bag or, more recently, a reusable canvas or fashion bag. Most are aimed at children but plenty are aimed at teens, adults, and families.)

Above: Sailor Moon and associates.

Showbags can be a (no pun intended) mixed bag WRT value-for-money. You have to consider the amount of items included, the quality of the items, and whether you would also use/purchase the items individually.

The Chicane Showbags website lists the AUD$26 (USD$17.50) bag as containing the following items:

One (1) group image lenticular drinking cup, one (1) group image baseball cap, one (1) Luna keyring, one (1) group image lined spiral notebook, one (1) pair of pink and white ankle socks with series logo, and one (1) Luna pass holder/luggage tag, all contained within one (1) large PVC group image backpack. (Note: Some wall displays show only the keychain OR the bag tag, like the top photo, but you should in fact receive both.)

If I’m being honest, as modern showbags get better and better to compete with online retailers, this one isn’t great value-for-money. In comparison, the AUD$28 (USD$18.85) Gudetama showbag would get you some markers, erasers, a drink bottle, nail stickers, exercise book, clear pouch, post-it notes, stickers, temporary tattoos, and a backpack, IN a canvas tote. I think just one or two more things would really help round out this showbag and make it worth the price tag, like a drink bottle or some more stationery.

That said, the quality of the items does seem decent, and compared to a showbag that’s padded out with smaller, less useful flotsam, I could see myself independently buying or using everything in this showbag except perhaps for the keychain (because I have so many damn keychains). I do think this is worthwhile for a fan of the series purely for the novelty of being able to buy a Sailor Moon showbag after all these years, and while it’s probably a little more expensive than it should be, it’s not a waste of money, unlike those showbags that look big and impressive until you realise you won’t use half the things inside... Not that I’m speaking from personal experience.

If you want to obtain your own overpriced but highly sentimental backpack of Sailor Moon goodies without actually attending a Royal Show, the bag is apparently also available online to be shipped within Australia.

For myself, as a child who grew up dreaming of someday seeing my favourite under-represented cartoon get its own shiny and expensive Australian bag-o-doodads-I-do-not-need, I feel as if a part of my soul has come to rest. (Even if I don’t know what to do with yet another keychain.)

[i-dont-like-it-cos-im-thedoctor]

we are fucking up the earth

alrighty so we already know that we are fucking up earth and if you don't, well now you do. if you don't believe in climate change and global warming and say it isn't real, you're a fucking idiot. anyway for those that do know we are fucking up earth and want to help, here is a bunch of shit you can do.

websites:

https://www.ecosia.org/ 

ecosia is a search engine, search whatever the fuck you want it works like google, but with every ten searches or something, they plant a tree where it is need, so start using this to search up shit

http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1425 

free rice is a vocabulary website, it gives you a word, you pick one of four answers that it the meaning of the word. You got one right? Fantastic! you just donated 10 grains of rice to help end world hunger!

here's some other website that you should check out, I'm just not very good at explaining things but you should definitely look at them

http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1425

https://plasticoceans.org/ 

https://plasticoceans.org/ 

https://www.beforetheflood.com/

go, look at them, read them and get a little more educated on problems and how they are helping and how you can help

you can also watch documentaries to get woke, you should watch 

Before the Flood and Plastic Ocean, these are both are on Netflix, so watch them to see how the problems are affecting things and ways you can help.

Zero waste:

one way you can help that makes an everyday difference is to try to have zero waste, or as little waste as possible.

these are websites who sell things that you can buy things from to swap out single use items and/or can be reused, idk, I'm bad at wording things but look at the websites and maybe you’ll understand a bit better.

https://www.lush.com/ 

you’ve heard of lush, if you haven’t, well here it is, they sell makeup, cosmetics and bathroom shit, but zero waste, like bar shampoo and conditioner, even bar deodorant. their makeup containers can be taken back, cleaned and reused. and they are against animal testing and their products are home made

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qkQmzdoFNw Gabbie Hannah did a video where she didn't use any trash for 24 hours and talks about lush products, honestly watch the whole video its fucking great I love it.

https://earthhero.com/

https://www.ecolateralshop.com.au/ 

https://zerowastestore.com.au/ - I think this one is based in Australia but I'm leaving it here anyway, still go look at it cos it could have global shipping

alright bitches here's your shopping list so you can stop using trash,  ( and seriously, stop using plastic straws, bottle and bags, its 2019, you’ve see the video of the turtle with the plastic straw stuck in its nose)

 reusable straw, reusable water bottle, reusable bags, bar shampoo/ conditioners, bar deodorants, bar soaps, reusable coffee mugs, reusable trash bags, biodegradable tooth brushes, food wraps, tooth tabs and cora microfiber laundry ball.

now at those last two, you may have thought “ what the fuck are those” well here's some pics and an explanation 

tooth tabs, you can get ‘em from lush, instead of getting tubes of tooth paste you get these, put one in you mouth, chew it and brush ya teeth. 

mircro fiber laundry ball. basically when you wash ya clothes, mircro plastics come off them and are washed into water ways, this amazing little fucker catches those plastics before they can escape. 

some other shit you can do

compost

pick up trash when you see it

support originations that are helping

educate people

reblog this so other people can be woke and can help cos we only got like 12 years to do something otherwise we’re fucked

feel free to add more shit that we can do to help