#considering it uses their own licensed library

[demonzoro]

re: adobe being dogshit about rights as usual, i've seen affinity being thrown around as an alternative for layout/vectorising software. also worth noting the total claim of rights to your content might not apply to you if you're storing your stuff locally on your computer instead of on adobe cloud.

however, if you feel like cancelling your adobe sub on principal, affinity could be something to look into. it's a one-time purchase and has a free trial. if you're using photoshop purely for illustration, there are many other options out there too.

[thegalleonsnest]

OK since I haven't seen too many people talk about this since twitter news usually strikes pretty fast over here whenever e'usk does anything ever, let me give ya'll the run down on two things that will go live on NOVEMBER 15TH and why people are mass migrating to Blue Sky once more; and provide resources to help protect your art and make the transition to Blue Sky easier if you so choose:

The Block function no longer blocks people as intended. It now basically acts as a glorified Mute button. Even when you block someone, they can still see your posts, but they can't engage in them. If your account is a Public one and not a Private one, people you blocked will see your posts.

They say because people can easily "share and hide harmful or private information about those they've blocked," they changed it this way for "greater transparency." When in reality, this is an extremely dangerous change, as the whole point of blocking is to cease interaction with people entirely for a plethora of reasons, i.e. stalking, harassment, spam, endangerment, or just plainly annoying and not wanting to see said tweets/accounts. or you know, for 18+ accounts who do not want minors interacting with them or their material at all (There is speculation saying these changes are specifically for Elon himself so he can do his own kind of stalking, and honestly, with the private likes change, it lowkey checks out in my opinion)

Also, this straight up goes against and may violate Apple and Google's app store policies and also is straight up illegal in Canada and probably other countries as well.

If this ACTUALLY goes through, twitter will only be available in select countries, probably exclusively in the US, which would collapse the site with the lost of users and stock, and probably be the last push it needs to kill the site. And if not, will be a very sad and exclusive platform made for specific kinds of people who line up with musk's line of thinking.

2. New policies regarding Grok AI and basically removing the option to opt out of Grok's information gathering to improve their software.

And anything you upload/post on the site is considered "fair game" with "royalty-free licenses" and they can do whatever they please with it. Primarily using any and all posts on twitter to train their Grok AI. A few months ago, there was a setting you can opt out of so they couldn't take anything you post to "improve" Grok, but I guess because so many people were opting out, they decided to make it mandatory as part of the policy change (This is mainly speculation from what I hear).

So this is considered the final straw for a LOT of people, especially artists who have been gripping on to twitter for as long as they can, but the AI nonsense is too much for people now, including myself. Lot's of people are moving to Blue Sky for good reason, and from personal experience, it is literally 10x better than twitter ever was, even before elon took over. There is no algorithm on there, and you can save "feeds" to your timeline to have a catered timelines to hop between if your looking for something specific like furry art or game dev stuff. It's taken them a bit to get off the ground and add much needed features, but it's genuinely so much better now

RESOURCES

Project Glaze & Cara

If you're an artist who's still on twitter or trying to ride it out for as long as you can for whatever reason you have, do yourself a favor and Glaze and/or Nightshade your work. Project Glaze is a free program designed to protect your art work from getting scrapped by AI machines. Glazing basically makes it harder to adapt and copy artwork that AI programs try to scan, while Nightshade basically "poisons" works to make AI libraries much more unstable and generate images completely off the mark. (These are layman's terms I'm using here, but follow the link to get more information)

The only problem with these programs is that they can be resource intensive for computers, and not every pc can run glaze. It's basically like rendering a frame/animation, you gotta let your pc sit there to get it glazed/nightshade, and depending on the intensity and power of your pc, this may take minutes to hours depending on how much you wanna protect your work.

HOWEVER, there are two alternatives, WebGlaze and Cara

WebGlaze is an in browser version of the program, so your pc doesn't have to do the heavy lifting. You do need to have an account with Glaze and be invited to use the program (I have not done so personally so I don't know much about the process.)

Cara is an artist focused site that doubles as both a portfolio site and a general social media platform. They've partnered with Glaze and have their own browser glazing called "Cara Glaze," and highly encourage users to post their work Glazed and are extremely anti-ai. You do get limited uses per day to glaze your work, so if you plan on doing a huge backlog uploading of your art, it may take awhile if your using just Cara Glaze.

Some twitter users have suggested glazing your art, cropping it, and overlaying it with a frame telling people to follow them elsewhere like on Bluesky. Here's a template someone provided if you wanna use this one or make your own.

Blue Sky Resources and Tips

So if your a twitter user and your about to realize the hellish task of refollowing a massive chunk of people you follow, have no fear, there's an extension called Sky Follower Bridge (Firefox & Chrome links). This is a very basic extension that makes it really easy to find people on Bluesky

It sorts them out by trying to find matching usernames, usernames in descriptions, or by screen name. It's not 100% perfect, there's a couple people I already follow on Blue Sky but the extension could not find them on twitter correctly, but I still found a huge chunk of people. Also if your worried that this extension is "iffy," they do have a github open with the source publicly available and the Blue Sky Team themselves have promoted the extension in their recent posts while welcoming new users to the platform.

FEEDS and LABELS

OK SO THE COOLEST PART ABOUT BLUESKY IS THE FEEDS SYSTEM. Basically if you've made a twitter list before, it's like that, but way more customizable and caters to specific types of posts/topics. Consolidating them into a timeline/feed that exclusively filled about those particular topics, or just people in general. There's thousands to pick and choose from!

Here's a couple of mine that I have saved and ready (down below). Some feeds I have saved so I can jump to seeing what my friends and mutuals are up to, and see their posts specifically so it doesn't get lost in reposts or other accounts, and also specialized feeds for browsing artists within the furry community.

The Furry Community feeds I have here were created by people who've built an algorithm to place any #furry or #furryart or other special tags like #Furrystreamer or #furrydev. They even have one for commissions, and yes you can say commissions on a post and not have it destroyed or shadow banned. You are safe.

If you want, and I highly recommend it to get visibility and check out a neat community, follow furryli.st to get added to their list and feeds. Once your on the list, even without a hashtag, you'll still pop up in their specialized feeds as just a member of the community there. There are plenty of other feeds out there besides this one, but I feel like a lot of people could use one like this. They even got ones for OC specific too I remember seeing somewhere.

And in terms of labels, they can be either ways to help label yourself with specific things or have user created accessibility settings to help better control your experience on Blue Sky.

And my personal favorite: Ai Imagery Labeler. Removes any AI stuff or hides it to the best of it's abilities, and it does a pretty good job, I have not seen anything AI related since subscribing to it.

Finally, HASHTAGS WORK & No need to censor yourself!

This is NOT like twitter or any other big named social media site AT ALL, so you don't have to work around words to get your stuff out there and be seen. There are literally feeds built around having commissions getting and art seen! Some people worry about bots and that has been a recent issue since a lot of people are migrating to Blue Sky, but it comes with any social media territory.

ALSO COOL PART,

you can search a hashtag on someone's profile and search exclusively on that profile as well! You can even put the hashtag in bio for easy access if you have a specialize tag like here on tumblr. OR EVEN BUILD YOUR OWN ART FEED FOR YOUR STUFF SPECIFICALLY!

So yeah, there's your quick run down about twitter's current burning building, how to protect your art, and what to do when you move to Blue Sky! Have fun!

[what-eats-owls]

a point about the IA situation that I cannot make on twitter without death threats

Like many authors, I have complicated feelings about the IA lawsuit. IA has a whole raft of incredibly invaluable services, that's not in dispute. The current eBook licensing structure is also clearly not sustainable. Neither was IA's National Emergency Library, which was unrestricted lending of unlicensed digital copies. There are some thoughtful posts about how their argument to authors, "you'll be paid in exposure," is not especially compelling.

But I'm not here to discuss that; I'm here to talk about the licensing. TL;DR I don't want my work being fed into an AI or put on the blockchain, and to enforce that, you need a license.

So, here's the thing. IA's argument for the NEL boils down to "if we possess a physical copy of the book we should be able to do what we want" and that's frankly unserious. (Compare: Crypto Bros who thought spending $3 million on a single copy of a Dune artbook meant they owned the copyright.) Their claim is that by scanning a physical copy of the book and compiling the scans into a digital edition, that is sufficiently transformative to be considered fair use.

What that gives them is something that functions almost identically to an eBook, without the limitations (or financial obligations) of an eBook license. And I'm sure some of you are thinking, "so what, you lose six cents, get over yourself," but this isn't actually about the money. It's about what they can do with the scans.

A license grants them the right to use the work in specific, limited ways. It also bars them from using it in ways that aren't prescribed.

For example, what if IA decides to expand their current blockchain projects and commit their scanned book collections to the blockchain "for preservation"? Or what if IA decides to let AI scrapers train on the scanned text? One of their archivists sees AI art as a "toy" and "fears [AI art] will be scorned by the industry's gatekeeping types."

Bluntly, an unlicensed, unrestricted collection seems to be what they're gunning for. (Wonky but informative thread from a lawyer with a focus on IP; this cuts to the pertinent part, but the whole thing's good reading.) The Authors Guild is in no way unbiased here, but in the fifth paragraph of this press release, they claim that they offered to help IA work out a licensing agreement back in 2017, and got stonewalled. (They also repeat this claim on Twitter here.)

At the end of the day, I don't want the IA to fold; I don't think anyone does. As a matter of fact, I'd be open to offering them an extremely cheap license for Controlled Digital Lending. (And revamping eBook library licensing while we're at it.) I think there's a lot of opportunity for everyone to win there. But IA needs to recognize that licenses exist for a reason, not just as a cash grab, and authors have the right to say how their work is used, just like any artist.

[scrubbinn]

Mimic HRT: month 23 “Alone with myself”

“This is a dumb idea. The day after Erian gives up with his mimic research, you decide to resort to the worst possible option. There's so many other options we could try.”

“Oh, so now you show up in my head. Of course you're only here to attack me. Why should I expect anything different? It's just magic. We're inexperienced but the book can guide us. If you want to help then you can stay, otherwise I don't want to hear a single thing out of you.”

“You can't call this magic. This is so much worse. Look, I'm here to make sure you're going to be ok, I'm here to talk when you need it.”

“Well I don't need to talk to anyone right now. So go away. I need to concentrate.”

“And what would she think?”

“Leave!”

“Ms.Mulberry, You’ve been in your office for a while now. Is everything alright? You seem to have locked the door, and barred it considering the master key is doing nothing. I understand if you’re having trouble with your panic attacks. It’s the only reason I gave you this place. I just need the recording on Mimic behavior. The full recording, not the edited draft this time.”

“Sorry Theo, I, uh, yeah I’m kind of busy at the moment. I left the recorder in your desk drawer, the one with all the candy. By the way, you know you’re not at that age where you can be so casual with your teeth, right? Maybe get that sweet tooth pulled instead? Anyway, I’ll be busy for a while so I could use some space.”

“Right… Well your unneeded chastising aside and your odd hiding of your recorders around my office, I’ll take a look. Please don’t take more than 15 minutes. We have several important clients coming in soon and I need you at the front desk on your best behavior.”

“What happened to Jacob?”

“He was fired after he screamed at a dragon walking into the clinic on three separate occasions. Look I would appreciate not having a conversation with a door, will you open up or not?”

“Busy right now, like I said. Just. Go away for now. Like an hour?”

“You have 10 minutes. Harumph. I will be in my own office with the door not barred and I will be listening to your findings, they better be worthwhile.”

* * *

“Mayday! Mayday!? You open this door this instant!!” Listen to me right now! I know you have that book from Thayer library in there! Do not use it! Mayday, you will not use that book or you’ll wish all that happened today is me breaking down this door!”

“Leave Theo, I’m not stopping now. There were no concrete answers anywhere until this book found its way to me. If science won’t show me my origins, then the only answer I have left is magic. Now be quiet. I need to make sure the ritual circle is perfect. I can’t afford to mess up a single line. You said you had some clients, right? Go tend to them, I’ll be fine.”

“You most certainly won’t be! This isn’t magic, Mayday! This is something far more dangerous! Not to mention it could cause the ethics board to take away my license if they found out something like this happened here! I'm calling the fire department, I'll be taking the damages out of your paycheck!”

“Of course that’s what you’re worried about. Now hush already… The protection circle goes here, I think there’s just enough salt to finish the rest of these sigils…”

“Why are you even doing this here of all places!? Do you seriously just want to get me in trouble when this childish impatience blows up in your face? 

Wait. Why are you doing this here? This is the only place where I could interfere with you… You’re worried what she’d say if she knew what you were doing. It’s easier for me to hate you, isn’t it.”

“...Don’t bring up Abigail. She wouldn't get it. Neither of you would. It's so clear you've hit a dead end. You just found some random substances in your office and decided that, in your oh so infinite wisdom, this, this right here. This is what should go in a person's medicine. I'd ask what you'd have done if it didn't kill me, but I've actually seen how many people have nearly choked on your experiments. It's your fault I'm a mimic, I never asked for this. I wanted to be a slime! I still do. Now I'm this thing that can only fake it. I was so close, I was so, so close. And now it's gone forever. I am the only mimic in existence. I am alone, and I can't convey to anyone how scared that makes me.”

“You're worried Ms.Abigail could talk you out of this, aren't you.”

“The ritual is nearly complete. Please leave the building, Theo. I can't call you a friend, but you're like the definition of Stockholm syndrome. I don't want to see you hurt.”

“You open this door this instant you little ungrateful stain of a-

“Theo?... He's… gone? Oh the summoning circle! Ok everything looks fine. Protection ring, spell ring, candles.. have blown out. It's pitch black outside. I think I should close the blinds. Though I doubt it'll stop whatever's out there from getting in. Ok, focus, you're in this deep, what's a few more miles. All you need to do is read the next part. Heh, hehehahaha! I… why can’t I read these words? It's my nerves, I’ll bet. I don’t want to think if it could be something else. Let’s just get this over with, read the passage, figure out the rest later. Iɟ I ʍɐᴉʇ ʇoo louƃ I pou,ʇ ʞuoʍ ʍɥɐʇ ʍᴉll ɥɐddǝu…

I think my reality is starting to break. Oʞ lǝʇ,s qǝƃᴉu.”

“HⱯⱯⱯꓵ ҼODOʁHꓕ IⱯ,Է BEҼ,Γ-EE,H HꓕOHꓕOƧ-ҼO⅄ 'HⱯҼИ,ҼИ,IⱯ,⅄!”

“Are you there?”

…

“Oh, oh stars it worked. Hello… I am Mayday Mulberry. I've summoned you to-

…

“Of course, how rude of me. Then does that mean you know? You know what I am, and where mimics come from?” I beg of you to impart this knowledge onto me. I must know my kind and their history. Are there others out there like me?”

…

“I… I'm sorry for summoning you, but I had no other choice. I- what do you mean I'm stagnant? No, I'm still changing, I’m a mimic! We’re the definition of changing.”

…

“I. I don't believe you! You're wrong! Just shut up! Just tell me what I want to know! I summoned you! I'm the one in control here!”

…You are an insect, a being, trying at something it is not. You who expect mere shapes to impress and salt to keep you safe. You fumble in ignorance. You crave the isolation that you fear so much. If you wish for knowledge, You will have knowledge. This stagnant thing before me. It pretends to change in vain displays of approval. Revolting.

… ..! …….!!

You will not speak. This ingredient you wish to know. This thing that makes you mimic. It is nothing. The entirety of nothing. The concept to not exist, so that you may be anything. You should not be physical, but only existing blissfully as the thoughts of others pass through you. And forget you. Mortals think, and you mimic. You are the accident of yourself. A concept that formed its own existence. The byproduct of which was found by a paradoxically curiously incurious mortal who knows its place in the cosmic scale. Unlike you, stagnant thing. I will teach you. You will mimic.

* * *

Where am I? I can’t speak. I can’t see. I can barely keep a single thought, it disappears

       the second I stop thinking about it. There’s no sensation. Am I dead? Could I even be considered dead? Self, think of a self and try to form an idea and then it will work. I need arms, I don’t have arms. Can I form an arms? Wait… what is an arms? I don’t remember. Legs? No, I've never heard of those. What’s a self? No, I know what a self is because I am a self. I think… hard to think.   How do you think again? Can you do that in this reality?

Mɥɐʇ ǝʌǝu ᴉs ɹǝɐlᴉʇʎ ɐuʎɯoɹǝ?

I I w I

t s i

l c

f t l a

e h n

e i I t

l s

s s r

l e e

s i e m

o v e

i t m

s n h b

t g e e

r ? m r

a

n a h

g g e

e a r

i

Ah n n

did I  a

just melt m

into myself? e

Do I still have a 

self? I can’t even 

remember anything 

about myself. I am a 

mimic. My name is. Oh, 

I don’t know it anymore… 

I think that would be scary, 

but I don’t know how to be 

scared anymore. Was this 

supposed to teach me? To 

be ever changing. Why did 

I do this again? To learn who 

I am? Did I not have a self 

before? Why did I need to 

know?... I was lonely. Right?

It was so lonely. 

I remember being 

so incredibly tired. 

Sometimes I would 

just cry from how 

bad it got. I had to 

be seen. To be 

known. I had to 

be. Or else I. Or 

else I… I don’t 

remember. 

What shape am I 

now? Something 

called a knife? 

What is that?

I was just something wasn’t I? I was a past memory. I don’t remember it anymore. It wasn’t a good one. Should I forget it? But if I do then I won't remember anything ever again. Eternity with a bad memory. It feels fitting for some reason. I should figure a way out. I want to leave.

Every thought takes so long to form.

If I stay here any longer I won’t be able to leave. I need to think. I was talking with someone before I came here. I know they’re here because they've always been here. Because where else could they be? Because… where are you?

There you are! Here I am. 

Who are you? I'm you!

Can you please explain? I’m someone to talk to.

I see. Like an imaginary friend? No, I’m very much real.

Could we talk normally? Yes we can, and it’s no problem.

I’m… Mayday, being able to talk with someone helps focus my mind. I feel like I can actually think straight. How long has it been since we came here?

I think it’s been about… 20 years? I have zero frame of reference. But at least we can finally communicate easily. Imagine if it took us 20 years in the real world. That would suck! But seriously, we really should talk now. I think it’ll be important. Oh right, where are my manners. My name is. Well. Mayday doesn’t really work for me. We can figure out a different one later. Let’s just pick something at random for now. Something like, how about laborer?

Are you sure you want to go with a name like that? Well I guess it’s temporary. So I have a lot of questions. How are you me? Are you the voice in my head? Were you always a part of me, or are you some mimic brain thing?

Woah, Woah, slow down. One thing at a time. How do I answer everything? No, I've been in here long before you. Yes I'm the one who's been able to talk to you, and before you ask, I'm not some ghost of Mayday's former self. I'm just… Someone who works here.

Cryptic. Maybe you should start from the beginning? I'd rather not test if Getting a headache without a head is possible.

Really? You want to start a self therapy session out here in the void? Alright. I’m game. Well you spent the last decade here feeling isolated. I’m sure it felt longer, that’s what happens when you get trapped in a place without time, I guess. Anyways, you don’t remember, but I used to be you. Before we even knew who we actually were, and that was the problem. We didn’t know what was wrong with us, but we knew we weren’t, ugh, normal. Normal in boring people’s eyes. But, it was isolating, we removed ourself from people who didn’t understand, and it isolated us even more.

So you’re saying I went crazy because we never connected to anyone? Why are you only showing up now anyways?

First of all, we’re not crazy. I’d bite anyone who’d call us crazy for that. Secondly, I've only been able to reach you since you started feeling like your true self.

Pretty sure I screwed that up becoming a mimic instead of a slime.

Oh, no, I wanted to be a slime, you were the one who wanted to be a mimic.

Huh? I guess I didn't hate being a mimic exactly. So all this happened because I, er, we felt isolated. Is that really true?

  Loneliness is more traumatic than you’d think. When it was just me, it got to the point that… I couldn’t think of anything else but… no, don't worry about it. Since you stopped me before I could do something stupid, you took over, and you started talking to people. It helped, it got us to where we met others like us.

But it didn’t help. I still feel lonely. I can feel it, you know. There’s other mimics around us here. They’re all here and I still feel lonely.

Yeah, dummy. We don’t know how to feel any other way. We need to unlearn it. Otherwise nothing is going to change.

… Hey um, laborer, ugh awful name. We'll pick something better, I wanted to say I'm sorry, for getting us stuck here for all eternity. I was supposed to be the one who stopped us from feeling this way and I ended up digging us into a deeper hole, at least we have each other, and the trillions of mimics that surround us.

You did your best. Hey, let's try doing something. Look down. You can see Erian right? This is him two years ago. We’re mimicking his thoughts right now. I think normally we would just munch on his stray thoughts. But being physical we could do something fun with what’s left of our body. Check it out.

What did you just do? Did you just. We're the one who left that ingredient for Erian to use. So we created ourself on accident. Oh stars, the ingredient was our own decayed body, I think I'm going to be sick. Wait, isn't this like a time paradox?

Paradoxes aren't real, humans just haven't figured out the physics of time yet. This is a teachable moment. We're going to get out of here. We're going to find a tear in the void and walk out of it. Since time doesn't exist, our perception of it becomes reality. A century becomes a blink, we just need to find the point where we escape to the correct time and go there.

I understood basically none of it but you’re saying we can go back, right? Then I’ll try whatever nonsense you tell me. Hey laborer, will we be able to talk when we get back? Laborer? Hey! Are you there?!

“Ms.Mulberry? Mayday! Mayday! Are you finally awake? Mayday, can you hear me?!”

Theo? H-how long was I gone?

“Mayday! You have so much to answer for! Pull yourself together already!”

Huh? Can he not hear me? Oh, right, I forgot how to make a mouth. No, that’s not a mouth, that's just teeth. Teeth and eyes. Is that all I can remember? No… Teeth, eyes, and knowing, I just know. I know what he’s saying, that he knows what I am, and he doesn’t understand. It felt like it was years. No wonder I can’t remember how to move a body.

All of my memories are flooding back… Except the old ones. I don’t remember my time there. Just that it was horrific, and that I’ll miss it. I was connected to my kind for just a brief moment of eternity. I think I met someone there, and I wanted to say goodbye to everyone before I disappeared. I don’t think I’ll ever get back now. What do I even do? Therapy I guess. Oh, Erian is still talking. Maybe it’s important.

“I swear, you just do things with no regard! You could have seriously endangered my life, and the livelihood of everyone who comes to this clinic! Do you ever think about others? You better have a good explanation, and more importantly answers to our research if you ever want the chance of me forgiving you. You arrogant, ignorant, self-obsessed, blah, blah blah blah…”

Yep. Nothing important. Whatever. Stars, I’m bored. I want to hang out with Aria again, I want to see how Sandy is doing, I want to make sure Alexis is ok, I want to be able to hold Abi again. Maybe I should host a party. It’d be nice to be around others.

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Mention list: @a-shramp, @calliecwrites, @be702, @respectfulevil, @hyacinthdoll1315

@aster-is-confused, @bloodandbrandywyne, @glitchgloop, @nyxthewary, @lunadook

[sexhaver]

Hi hi. I think when people are talking about AI art and stealing by scraping the Internet, I’m not sure I’ve heard about compensation as much as I’ve heard about credit and the idea of plagiarism as stealing.

I think from what I’ve seen from my artist friends - and obvs I could totally be wrong that’s why I’m asking and curious about your take - a lot of the debate is sorta analogous to derivative works. Like, if I scraped all of Github for the code there and I used all these different libraries and bits of source code in my own code without crediting anyone to make my Ultimate Application:tm:, that runs foul of copyright even under some of the most open licenses. Now, this isn’t necessarily me endorsing our copyright system, but people see credit as important and that’s the sort of mindset I think a lot have with the idea of stealing and AI art. Citing your sources - if every bit of art used in DALL-E was instead a quote, people would be upset if you didn’t have a bibliography, right?

What do you think?

i think this is a very silly idea that falls apart as soon as you start considering how you would possibly isolate the specific works being fed into the generated output. also the hypothetical code-writing AI you mentioned literally exists and does not have a biliography. so.

[faeriekit]

How to get a library card: the whole process.

Call your local library. Ask them how to get one.

Do what they tell you

The end.

...Okay I'm kidding.

Call your local library. Every library will have its own restrictions, so make sure that you double check with the library that you are in their service area and ask how to confirm such when you go in.

They usually ask you for documents, such as proof that you're a real human and proof that you live/work/are educated in their service area. This usually means going in with your driver's license, and if you're new in town, going in with a license plus your water bill/cell bill/electricity bill/rental agreement/credit bill to prove that you're paying something official at this address in town. If you're from out of the country but living here, that means whatever paper you need to prove you're tied to an address here plus your passport. Doesn't matter if it's foreign. It's from your government. It counts. If you're going to school/working, you might need to bring in a work id or school id, or even a bill or pay stub.

BUT you may be able to fill out half the paperwork online. This is why you call ahead to find out if they have a digital form on their website. This saves you from filling out the paper form in person.

You go in and fill out the paper form/confirm you did it digitally and show off your documents. Usually they just slap a card on the table right then HOWEVER:

Sometimes public libraries cost money for their cards. I consider this highway robbery. You may qualify for a card in a different service area, so don't immediately fork over $60 bucks or whatever they're asking without checking other libraries around you.

You might qualify for cards for more than one library, see above; some college libraries will let locals make cards, and some public libraries will let you make cards if you go to school or work in the area.

Yes, you can email your library instead of call, but we can guide you over the phone a lot faster than we can by email, and honestly, the immediate response of a phone is going to be way faster than trying to email us.

Sometimes there are other, secret fees, like charging you to borrow only certain items and not others. This has never made sense to me.

There may be other secrets your library card may offer you, such as ebooks or shows through libby/hoopla, museum passes, kits, and more! Ask what other services your library card offers you while you're at the desk!

There have been libraries giving out free cards to teens and those in censorship-affected areas in recent years. Keep an eye out for people who are advertising such online and follow up with that library following steps 1-3

Happy reading, happy listening, and happy visiting! Remember: read banned books, and don't talk to cops!

[theblackdahliaemporium]

Tips for Pagan Parents

This post is for all the parents that follow a pagan or witchcraft path! Tips and tricks.

-Build a community of support around yourself. Resources for pagan parents are incredibly limited. To help make those parenting challenges easier on you, give yourself a place to turn to on those bad days! Join a Pagan Parenting Facebook group, or something along those lines!

-Start a “Spiritual Scouts” group! This is a group of young children (like boy or girl scouts) that do Pagan activities and you can even make up your own badges and have your own ceremonies.

-Bring a little magic into your child’s life -Embrace your child’s imagination -Bring Nature into your child’s everyday life.

-Involve your child in your faith. -Most pagan parents are not looking to push their personal beliefs on their children. Involving them in your faith and/or practice is a great way to help them find their own path! Help them celebrate the holidays and answer any questions they ask. Help them build their own set of Magickal tools like building their own set of Runes.

Some Everyday Tips and Tricks:

1. Transportation Magick: Most parents are busy driving their kids around from place to place. Mix in a little Magick! Play your favorite witchy music, look for divine messages on license plates or in the clouds, and talk to your guides once the kids have left the vehicle. Some good Magickal and folklore podcasts on Spotify: The Midnight Library and Supernatural. Use essential oils in your car, peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus depending on the mood.

2. Morning Blessings: In the morning, bless your coffee, tea, and breakfast by drawing sigils or symbols over them. Pray to your goddess (or deity) while getting ready in the morning. If you are an early riser, spend some time at your altar! If you are not a morning person, Try evening rituals instead!

3. Quick Divination: This is a great way to add Magick to any moment and connect with the divine. Read nature signs outside, try a rune or tarot mobile app for practice and knowledge. Listen to the songs stores play!

4. Lunch Break: Take the time to yourself and eat a lunch outside. Enjoy fresh air and connect with nature. If you have time, go for a short walk! Listen to a meditation podcast through earphones or just listen to nature! If your kids are with you, take them for a walk too! We look for items to bring home, pinecones, acorns, cool rocks. Look for anything Magickal!

5. Add Magick to your chores: I have an entire post about this—View on my Page "Turning the Mundane into the Magickal"

6. Cooking Magick Meals: If you are a kitchen witch, You got this covered! Consider learning how to add intention into your meals, work with culinary herbs, make teas, and more. Get the kids involved! Make moon cookies, craft fairy offerings, etc.

Books for Pagan Parents- · The Magickal Family- Monica Crosson · Witchy Mama- Melanie Marquis & Emily A. Francis · Circle Round- Starhawk, Diane Baker, Anne Hill · Pagan Parenting- Kristin Madden · Children of the Green – Dr. Hannah E. Johnston · Parenting Pagan Tots- Janet Callahan · The Earth Child’s Handbook- Brigid Ashwood · Pagan Family Values- S. Zohreh Kermani

[blackjackkent]

OK, arrived at Moonrise again and shit is already intense. There are a LOT of dead bodies strewn on the entrance bridge. O.O;

Mostly Harpers and Flaming Fist, but some Absolute zealots too. And you can just see down at the end that Jaheira is alive and well, with some more of the Hapers and Fist, and staring the place down! Let's go talk to her.

Fuck yeah.

"'Unshackled from shadows, she will rise in moonlit glory and carve a path of brightness to the accursed one's second death.' So sayeth the wise Alaundo."

Nice to know Alaundo was up to even more prophecies than just the one that haunted Caden all the way through BG1/2. Jaheira has a slightly sardonic tinge to her voice as she says this; I wonder if she is thinking of the last time she watched a prophecy unfold before her eyes.

They can see the bright white flash of Aylin's wings over the top of the tower, just for a moment before she vanishes. Jaheira watches in silence, then turns to Hector with a gaze hard as flint.

"That beacon of angelic wrath has taken the fight to Ketheric on the rooftop, and the first line of defense are dead. But storming the castle won't be easy, and if we wait too long, Ketheric will gather his strength and retaliate." She smiles coldly; her words are brisk, almost military practical, but there is a sort of dark satisfaction behind them that cannot quite be masked. "For now, though, he's on the back foot for the first time since he returned from the grave."

She cocks her head at him. "This is it, the spearhead moment. You've brought us this far, so how shall we proceed?"

Hector blinks several times rapidly. It is one thing to be fighting in his own little group against the enemies they keep running up against - but this is an attack with an army. He knows plenty of theoretical strategy, but that was from dry books in a dusty library miles and miles from here. He's no soldier.

But Karlach is.

She's close at his side; she's still sticking quite close to him after yesterday's explosions, and he to her, although the desperate need for contact has eased a little after some rest. He glances sideways at her, offers a slight smile and a jerk of the head. You know more about this than I do, love.

Karlach raises an eyebrow, and then grins at Jaheira, the fire lighting in her eyes. "We move in and secure the ground floor first," she says briskly. "Cut off all exits."*

Jaheira nods approvingly, satisfied with this answer. "A sound strategy. Once it's done, me and my Harpers will hold the ground floor while you hunt down the general himself." She glances over her shoulder at the dark, imposing shadow of the tower behind her. "Florrick left some of her Flaming Fist. They'll scout the prisons and barracks below, to ensure we're not taken by surprise."

Hector considers telling her that he and his companions mostly decimated the Absolutist force holding the prisons, but it feels like a strange and uncomfortable thing to brag about. Besides... his thoughts shy away from the memory of the other thing in the basement and in the walls. Perhaps it is better safe than sorry.

"Say the word," Jaheira says, "and we're off."

Hector glances at his companions. Karlach is, of course, revved up for combat; her engine is sparking in her chest and her greatsword is already out in her hands. Wyll is standing square-shouldered and stoic, balanced forward on the balls of his feet in a combat stance Hector recognizes, ready to dart in any direction. Shadowheart... is unusually withdrawn at the rear of the group, her eyes haunted, expecting something to dart out of the shadows at her at any moment - but he can see her determination, too, still not quite broken in spite of all her torment.

"Let's do this," Hector says, as much to his friends as to Jaheira. And gods... I hope we're ready.

* Artistic license; in game this whole conversation was Hector.

[chaoskirin]

Watching the internet go after "major publishing houses" because they won the case against the Internet Archive is so upsetting.

I don't think people realize this, but they don't pay their authors enough to survive. Even if you're published through one of the big four, you're generally not going to earn enough to live, unless you're pumping out 6-10 books a year.

There seems to be this pervading belief that authors published with major publishers earn a LOT OF MONEY, IE that an advance might be in the range of six figures. Which leads people to the conclusion that piracy hurts no one.

In reality, your advance on a book might be in the range of $6K if you're a new author, and doesn't really go past the $20K range for established authors, unless you're really famous. They HAVE the money to pay authors. They just... don't.

I know $20K seems like a lot, but an adult living on their own needs a whole lot more to live, especially because authors in the US need to purchase health insurance. They don't get it through work.

In 2023, the living wage for a family is, at the very minimum, $80,000.

So what happens when you boycott Penguin, or Harper Collins? They aren't going to give their CEOs less. They're going to give their authors less. Because to them, authors are disposable. There are always more people willing to sell their books, until they realize they can't make a living wage off being an author. Then they stop writing.

And the CEOs keep getting yearly raises.

I really, REALLY wish I could get through to people on this. Every time I try, I'm usually slammed with one of two arguments: 1. Piracy hurts no one. Or 2. I ought to get an actual job and stop treating a hobby like a job.

Which just baffles me, because y'all are out here consuming books, but you're literally despising the authors for trying to write full time and survive. It sucks. And it's gotten progressively worse. Not even 5 years ago, the prevailing opinion was that you Do Not Pirate Books.

Honestly, it's hard to care anymore with wave after wave of instructions on how to pirate books. It's barely worth the effort to write anymore, and the desire to put the work into creating a story, editing, and then searching for a publisher just isn't there.

And that's how a lot of queer and marginalized authors feel. By pirating books, you're losing the voices you want to read, while elevating the voices who are doing real harm.

I just think you all should know that and accept that before pirating. If you're okay with that, then I guess go ahead and do it. You'll definitely be satisfied in the short term, but just understand that queer voices are FINALLY getting their stories heard. Pirating is just going to erase all that progress.

That being said, if I ever earn out 6 figures, pirate my books with my blessing. But right now, here's a picture of my March royalties:

So please, don't pirate my books.

Also, despite what the comments say, this is NOT a slippery slope toward destroying fanworks archives. The Internet Archive was literally pirating books (not purchasing them, like libraries do) then scanning them and putting them up on the internet to borrow. If the IA purchased books from authors to scan, it would be considered a library, and authors would be happy.

Fanworks like fanfiction fall under derivative work, or parody. It's a totally different ballpark.

So many organizations reached out to the Internet Archive in an attempt to come to a license agreement, and the IA did not respond.

I really hope people consider reblogging this post. My source is that I'm an author, and have been following this case very closely.

[myalgias]

From the article:

When it comes to physical books, copyright laws are relatively straightforward. Libraries purchase a book and lend it to patrons one at a time. But with digital copies, libraries usually rent e-books from publishers, lending them out a few dozen times before they have to renew licenses which can cost upwards of four to five times the amount of buying the book.

But the IA and other libraries have tried a different tack by buying and scanning copies of books to lend out to patrons one at a time through a model called Controlled Digital Lending (CDL).

What has become clear during this lawsuit, according to IA policy counsel Peter Routhier, is that publishers want CDL as a whole declared illegal. Moreso, Routhier writes that the lawsuit shows “publishers will continue to sue libraries over digital practices that were long considered fair uses in the physical world — even if they are done on a nonprofit basis with no measurable economic harm.”

In the current case, publishers argue that digital lending harms markets they claim to own and that CDL is not a fair use under copyright law. But library advocates argue that behind their argument of copyright infringement, publishers are simply trying to increase their profits while wresting control of the use of digital books away from libraries.

As Kyle K. Courtney, chair of Library Futures, argues, CDL is “not some form of library-sanctioned piracy,” but expressly based in copyright law, no different than lending a print book, while also offering the benefit of “broadening access to the books that library systems spend billions of dollars to collect and maintain for the public,” including out-of-print books that lack e-book licenses.

While libraries have tried to keep up with the growing demand for digital books, turning to a number of lending platforms like Libby and OverDrive, the high price of e-books can be a strain for any library, and even the most well-funded systems are struggling to keep up with demand.

That’s why many librarians believe lending digital books should be treated in the same way as physical books, and support for that belief has only grown since the lawsuit began, including from authors who originally opposed the NEL.

In an open letter, more than 300 authors organized by the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future said that publishers are “undermining the traditional rights of libraries to own and preserve books, intimidating libraries with lawsuits, and smearing librarians.”

Besides growing their e-book market and forcing libraries to pay heavy licensing fees, there is also a fear that publishers could gain more power in restricting access to information as they see fit, with libraries ultimately becoming “beholden to the whims of third parties, who might decide not to carry books on queer rights, abortion or other sensitive political issues,” and books being chosen by corporations as opposed to communities.

[eaglesnick]

“Practically every environmental problem we have can be traced to our addiction to fossil fuels, primarily oil.”

Dennis Weaver

Oilman Sunak today (27/09/23) approved fossil fuel drilling in the North Sea. This policy is “better for our energy security", said the Prime Minister. Absolute nonsense!

Greenpeace remind us that 80% of oil produced in British waters is already exported. What is more, the Russian-Ukrainian war that is often used as an excuse for ensuring  “energy security” is a misleading argument as only 3% of the gas we use is from Russia.

There is another flaw with “we must drill for oil and gas to secure or own energy supplies” argument.  What Rishi Sunak and energy secretary Grant Shapps neglect to tell us is that any fossil fuels extracted from the North Sea BELONG TO THE LICENCE HOLDER not the UK government. They can sell that oil and gas wherever they like.

To make matters worse, Sunak is granting licenses to foreign multinationals and foreign state-owned fossil fuel companies. It is these companies that will benefit the most from the massive profits that the fossil fuel market has generated in recent years.

“Monster profits for energy giants reveal a self-destructive fossil fuel resurgence.”  (Guardian:09/02/23)

As if that wasn’t a big enough weakness in Sunak’s strategy then consider this

In July of this year (2023) the government passed the Energy (Oil and Gas) Profits Levy Bill, which, among other things introduced a new “super- deduction” style investment relief scheme. This quote from a government minister says it all.

“The new 80 per cent investment allowance will mean that, overall, businesses will get a 91p tax saving for every £1 they invest, providing them with a clear incentive to do so.” (Chartered Institute for Taxation: 15/07/230

In other words, the British taxpayer, you and I, will be giving foreign owned fossil fuel companies £91 for every £100 they invest in North Sea fossil fuel extraction.

If we were private investors we would expect and get a return on any profits the fossil fuel companies make proportionate to how much we had invested in the companies. What dividend does the British Taxpayer receive for such a massive investment in private companies? NONE!

 Britain, or rather, the Conservative Party, has ruled out a Sovereign Wealth Fund.

“The UK government doesn’t have a sovereign wealth fund and the Government currently has no plans to introduce one.” (House of Commons Library: UK Sovereign Wealth Fund: 09/12/16)

Our government quite literally gives taxpayer money to private companies, some of which are owned by the sovereign wealth funds of other countries, and expects nothing back in return. I am sure Rishi Sunak didn’t make his own estimated wealth of £730million by giving away money and not expecting a return on his investment so why does he expect the British taxpayer to act differently? Could it be he wants a job in the oil industry when he is kicked out of office?

[historyhermann]

Cleopatra in Space Review

The mythology and history of Cleopatra, pharaoh of Egypt, has often been a topic in popular culture, from Hollywood films, webcomics like Everywhere and Nowhere, and mature animated series such as Clone High. This year, a new show, titled Cleopatra in Space, tapped into those myths and stories and began streaming on NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs, my History Hermann WordPress blog on Jan. 5, and Wayback Machine. This was the second article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on December 22, 2020.

The animated series is based on a graphic novel series of the same name by Mike Maihack, with Doug Langdale and Julia “Fitzy” Fitzmaurice as showrunners. As a fan of various animated series, especially those with sci-fi elements, this series drew me in, even though it’s aimed toward younger kids, rather than young adults or mature adults over age 18. Egyptian themes and mythology are interwoven throughout the show’s imagery and music, composed by Jay Vincent and Ryan Lofty.

The series begins with the premise that brown-skinned Cleopatra “Cleo,” voiced by Lilimar Hernandez, a rambunctious teenage princess in Ancient Egypt, touches a tablet, which sends her 30,000 years into the future. She enters the Nile Galaxy, where she is considered the “savior” to defend the galaxy from the evil clutches of Octavian (voiced by Jonathan Kite) and attends an intergalactic high school on a planet, Mayet, governed by a council of talking cats. Lilimar also sings the theme song, “Written in the Stars,” which opens every episode.

The show’s first season, which is 13 episodes long, begins Cleo’s adventures with her friends Brian (voiced by Jorge Diaz) and Akila (voiced by Katie Crown), and her mentor, Khensu. Cleo is shown to be sometimes brash, dislikes authority, and likes to do her own thing. However, she also respects Khensu (voiced by Sendhil Ramamurthy) and supports her friends, apologizing if she made a mistake or overstepped. Unlike other shows where the protagonist wants to talk rather than fight, she fights the robotic soldiers of Octavian, destroying them repeatedly, using futuristic weapons like laser guns and plasma staffs. At the same time, she is a relatable character, is resourceful, and can go into action as needed, not even needing to plan. She, Brian, and Akila form a team, which go on wild adventures, whether on Mayet or in the Nile Galaxy, fighting space scavengers, space butterflies, robotic dragons, or angry ex-cons who work at a space hotel. While there are serious moments, the show is filled with comedic moments. Like other animations, teamwork and friendship are emphasized.

Cleopatra in Space has compelling characters and stories, and various sci-fi themes, like time travel. Apart from Maihack confirming Cleo as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the graphic novels, which means that she would have the same characteristics in the animated series, Brian is shown to have social anxiety and Akila as a busybody who enjoys school. Specifically, Akila, unlike Cleo, who detests school, likes to study in libraries and is very gregarious. Cleo is further shown to have an academic rival, who is unique to the animated series, named Callie (voiced by Kari Wahlgren) and Zaid (voiced by Xolo Maridueña), a so-called “bad boy” who Cleo has a crush on. Additionally, the episode “Quarantine” has a lot of parallels to the current COVID-19 crisis, as Cleo ends up infecting the whole school campus with a virus from another planet after she ignores Khensu’s warning to quarantine. However, licensing issues have prevented it from being added to Peacock.

Currently, half of the show’s second season, six episodes, are listed on Peacock for streaming. This season begins with Cleo getting her own animal companion named Mihos, like similar companions in other animated series: Kero in Cardcaptor Sakura, Amaru in LoliRock, Luna in Sailor Moon, and Nut in Magical Girl Friendship Squad. The mystery of Octavian deepens as Cleo and her team tries to search for the UTA Tablet, while Zaid is expelled by the council. Like season one, there are many sci-fi and fantasy vibes, including simulated realities and futuristic technology. The importance of self-worth, accepting who you really are, and controlling your ego, are major points of these episodes, including when Brian employs an A.I. named Cyrano (voiced by Greg Cipes) to help him become more popular. Furthermore, at times Cleo begins to distance herself from her friends, while at others she plays matchmaker between Brian and Akila, whose romance expands during these episodes, and tries to establish herself as the team leader. In one episode, “School Break,” the show’s first confirmed LGBTQ characters are introduced: Theoda (voiced by Cissy Jones) and Pothina (voiced by Kari Wahlgren), the mothers of Akila.

If the show is renewed for a third season, after the second half of season 2 is added to Peacock, hopefully, the show improves moving forward. For one, the show could have more LGBTQ characters other than Theoda and Pothina. While Cleo and her friend Akila, who are roommates, do kiss each other in the episode “Do-Over,” it is clearly shown to be a “friendship kiss,” rather than a romantic one. Any same-sex pairings, either of Brian and Zaid, Akila and Cleo, or Cleo and Callie, some of which are favored by those in the small fandom for the show, are unlikely in the upcoming season, due to the emphasis on Brian and Akila as a would-be couple, and Zaid and Cleo are shown to have feelings for one another. The show could further benefit from re-casting the voices of brown-skinned characters, like Lakshmi and Yosira, so they are voiced by people of color rather than White actors like Kari Wahlgren.

If Cleopatra in Space is a success, it may result in more animated shows from DreamWorks are added to Peacock in the future, instead of on Netflix, like most animated shows from the company. However, due to the lack of promotion by DreamWorks and Peacock of the show on Twitter, and in general, there is a possibility that the show will be canceled after the second half of season two is added to Peacock. In the end, the show is fun, exciting, and can be enjoyed by everyone, worth watching in its entirety.

Cleopatra in Space is available on Peacock for streaming

© 2020-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[makiruz]

I wonder if anti-AI art people realize how incredibly restrictive would it be to pay to every artist who's work is used for machine learning, we're talking about millions of people, and considering lots of works are fanart that would probably include paying licensing fees

The end result of this would be that only the large corporation would be able to afford using image libraries, more likely their own image libraries. Which means media monopolies, again

Also, how do you even know who all the artist are? Or the time, I don't know exactly how feeding the AI works, but I feel that if they had to credit artists one by one that would require looking at every image one by one and tracking every artist individually and it would take 2 eternities to complete because again, this are millions of images

I genuinely believe you guys don't realize what you're asking.

[showboxandroidcom]

The Showbox App Experience: How to Maximize Your Entertainment

If you're an Android user and a fan of movies and TV shows, you've likely heard of the Showbox app. Showbox has been a popular choice for those seeking access to a vast library of content without the need for a subscription. In this article, we'll explore how to maximize your entertainment with the Showbox app, covering everything from installation to tips for an enjoyable viewing experience.

Showbox App: A Quick Overview

Before we dive into maximizing your entertainment, let's provide a brief overview of the Showbox app. Showbox is an Android application that offers users the ability to stream and download movies and TV series for free. Its user-friendly interface and extensive content library have made it a go-to choice for many Android users.

Getting Started with Showbox

Here are the essential steps to get started with the Showbox app:

Download the Showbox APK: Since Showbox is not available on official app stores like Google Play, you'll need to download the Showbox APK from a reputable source.

Install the App: Once you've downloaded the APK, install the Showbox app on your Android device. Be sure to enable installations from unknown sources in your device's settings.

Open the App: Launch Showbox and start exploring the vast content library.

Maximizing Your Showbox Experience

Now that you have Showbox installed, let's look at how to make the most of your entertainment experience:

1. Explore the Extensive Library

Showbox offers a wide variety of content, including the latest movie releases and TV series episodes. Take your time to explore the library and discover new titles and genres that pique your interest.

2. Use the Search and Filter Options

Showbox provides efficient search and filter options to help you find specific movies or TV shows. You can search by title, genre, release year, and more, making it easy to locate your favorite content.

3. Create Customized Playlists

One way to maximize your Showbox experience is by creating customized playlists. This feature allows you to organize and curate your own collections of movies and TV series, making it convenient to access your preferred content.

4. Enable Subtitles

If you prefer watching movies or TV shows with subtitles, Showbox has a built-in subtitle feature. You can enable subtitles for content that supports them, ensuring a comfortable viewing experience.

5. Download for Offline Viewing

Showbox offers the option to download movies and TV episodes for offline viewing. This is particularly useful for travelers or situations where you might have limited internet access.

6. Check for Updates

Regularly check for updates to the Showbox app. Updates often include bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features that enhance your streaming experience.

7. Consider a VPN for Privacy

If you're concerned about your online privacy while using Showbox, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN can help protect your data and identity while streaming content.

Legal Considerations

While Showbox offers a wealth of free entertainment, it's essential to be aware of the legal implications of using the app. Showbox provides access to copyrighted material without proper licensing, which can lead to copyright infringement issues. To enjoy movies and TV shows legally and without worry, consider exploring subscription-based streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or Disney+.

Conclusion: Enjoy Your Showbox Entertainment

In conclusion, the Showbox app can be a fantastic source of entertainment for Android users. By following the steps to install and use the app, exploring its extensive content library, and making use of its features, you can maximize your Showbox experience. However, it's crucial to use Showbox responsibly and be aware of the legal considerations associated with streaming copyrighted material without authorization. Enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows with Showbox while keeping these guidelines in mind for a safe and enjoyable viewing experience.

[getmylife]

Thrills - Reality Vs. Goals

Completed March 18 2023

Reality

I feel like I’m always either in a reading slump or a binge. I don’t know how to be in between. Right now I’m in a slump and I think it’s based on two things: I’ve been really busy for the last few weeks in terms of both work and volunteer projects and me time was very hard to come by. I feel like most books I want to have read (note I didn’t say “want to read”; I might have issues; who knows?) require a high investment and a long wait before the pay off. So in the evenings when everything is quiet and everyone has gone to bed I just read fanfic, webtoons or those quick beach read romances.

I’ve started a collection of used books. Our local library gives them away from time to time and Ma has been picking ones up that she thinks I’d like. That in itself brings me so much joy, so I don’t mind being one of those people who considers that a whole different hobby.

Also I’m really interested in scrapbooking and reading and other kinds of tracking journals that use calligraphy and all different kinds of writing styles. My dream is to do them in a physical book but I don’t really have my own space right now and I’d want to keep all the pieces safe. Also, I don’t know that I have a lot of the resources like the magazine cut outs. I don’t think I’d want to print out everything and then cut them out. Also I don’t know how to do calligraphy.

So I made a reading journal on Canva but I have not begun to use it because as I said –BUSY.

I’m not as into crafting as Sib 2 (she does crochet, macrame, embroidery, cross-stitch, and she has a paper quilling set too), but I do know how to do some basic crochet (I’ve made two hats I believe). I wouldn’t mind making a cute sweater or cardigan (although, I find most yarns kinda’ scratchy and ridiculously expensive where I live).

I think my other hobbies are included in TONES and PEN.

I don’t have very many close friends where I live. So any socializing would have to be done virtually. We all have such busy lives it feels like we’re drifting apart sometimes, but I think we’ll just have to do friendship differently.

That being said, Sib 2 wants to go out and do things so once one of us gets our license we might start going for ice cream or drives etc.

Habits to Develop by the End of the Year:

Check on three friends every quarter

Spend money on something fun or entertaining every quarter

Plan a relaxing experience every month

Create something every month

Bonus: Media consumption scrapbooking/overview (monthly to quarterly)

[cinnamonwolfy]

i have some criticisms for the gnu project

like, a lot of criticisms. there's so many things they do so wrong and are so questionable, it's not even funny. then again, stallman still is part of the foundation, and stallmanisn is suuuper contagious (even i had it for a bit, luckily @raisinware was there to deradicalize me before it was too late <3 <3 <3)

i have a lot to say, but i will just put the top 3 things wrong with gnu and the fsf in this post

so let's start with one of the lesser ones, lgpl. in theory, lgpl should be a lot less restrictive and easier for companies to follow without being forced to open-source their code (i know that for a lot of foss devs that this is a hard pill to swallow, but some software is best left to be closed-source. not everything needs to be foss, and for most commercial software projects, it would be detrimental to have such stuff open-source). well, the lgpl is just the gpl with a shared linking exception, basically making it kinda useless. the lgpl really should've been a stricter mpl-like license. mpl just makes more sense for libraries than gpl does, and making lgpl almost fully compatible with mpl would've helped a lot with mpl-gpl interop. sadly, lgpl is still gpl for the most part, which means that barely anyone uses it (at least compared to gpl)

one of the bigger gripes i have with the gnu project is autotools. i'm not gonna sugarcoat it, autotools is garbage. it generates so much stuff that goes unused due to it being legacy cruft from other proprietary unix clones, and it's a biggger pain in the rear than cmake to set up a project with it and actually make it compile something. i guess it works nicely for compiling software on legacy unix systems, but gnu is not really legacy, as it keeps getting updated. and with how many gnu extensions they already do with their software to the point where there's software that depends on gcc to compile at all, you would assume that they would get rid of all of the legacy cruft that nobody really uses anymore (unless you're runinng it on aix, in which case, you'd go with an older version anyway). this is why a lot of my projects use their own custom autotools-like build system alongside meson, so that way i can accomplish cross-platform compilation while also supporting old unix systems via the posix shell scripts

and now, my biggest problem with gnu: their complete obsession over c90, despite c99 existing and being hundreds of time better (and that's before you consider c11, which is already out of date, and rust). gnu still believes that current year is 1991, and thus still uses c89/c90 in a lot of their projects (which is why their projects are so messy), even projects such as gnulib, which even though it already requires c99, they still write a lot of the library in c90 and even deliberately just avoid using c99 for no reason known to science. i swear, they act like rust programmers do, but instead of a nice and modern language that deserves that attention, it's an ancient piece of crap that nobody except them likes using, that has been replaced by newer versions of the c language and even rust

anyways, that's enough complaining for one post (i did just write a nyt bestselling book above x3). it was nice to release some of the stuff i've had to deal with while creating and maintaining portalinux with my gf. i have more stuff about gnu and the fsf to complain about, but that would be too long, even for tumblr standards x3. so i will probably end up making a video of it on my yt channel whenever i feel comfortable enough with my voice to post :3. if you made it this far, thank you for putting up with so much text, i just really needed to let some steam off :3

i wish you all a good day (or night) :3