#log analytics

[bright-and-burning]

sorry 4 reverting to constantly posting abt the inherent weirdness of my data science job i hope u still love me <3

[eywaseclipse]

Alrighty, based off the stress induced rash I have on my cheeks and eyes, I’m going to take that as a sign to log off for a bit. I think it’s one of those situations where it’s going to get worse before it gets better because of outside factors. Tata for now. 🌱

[rathologic]

patho2 players, check out %AppData%\LocalLow\Ice-Pick Lodge\Pathologic 2\Unity\(some UUID)\Analytics\config for an interesting hint at why the game includes an Internet communication socket. Sound of the summer!

[mushroompoisoning]

vash's humanity is both his greatest strength and his fatal flaw in this essay i will

the portrayal of humanity as an experience rather than a species in trigun makes me insane. is that anything. two of the most human characters ive ever seen aren't human at all. none of my thoights on this are connected or make any sense none of these words mean anything. explodes

[hinadori-chan]

low key wanna like

set up a queue for posts i like that don’t circulate anymore so that way the recirculate but also i don’t spam but like

i don’t think i’ve ever used a queue before tbh lol

[attila-werther]

twitter I don't fucking want that

[speridian]

A Comprehensive Guide to Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Small Businesses

As small businesses strive to streamline their operations, manage customer relationships, and foster growth, choosing the right tools can make a world of difference. Microsoft Dynamics 365 has become a go-to platform, offering small businesses a suite of applications tailored for sales, marketing, finance, and customer service. With Dynamics 365, small businesses can harness the power of enterprise-level software, yet maintain the flexibility and affordability that suit smaller-scale needs. Here’s an overview of how Dynamics 365 can help small businesses thrive, and why partnering with a Microsoft Gold Partner and leveraging Microsoft 365 Services can amplify these benefits.

What is Microsoft Dynamics 365?

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based suite that integrates Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) functionalities. This unified approach allows businesses to manage key functions such as customer interactions, finance, human resources, and supply chain all within a single platform. For small businesses, Dynamics 365 simplifies daily operations, making data and insights accessible across all departments, and enabling teams to work smarter and respond to customer needs more efficiently.

Key Benefits of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Small Businesses

Scalability and Flexibility: As businesses grow, Dynamics 365 scales with them. Small businesses can start with core functionalities and add modules as their needs expand, making it a cost-effective solution for long-term growth.

Integration with Microsoft 365 and Azure: Dynamics 365 seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365, allowing businesses to use familiar tools like Excel, Outlook, and Teams. Coupled with Microsoft Azure Cloud Services, small businesses gain access to a robust and secure infrastructure that enables remote access and collaboration.

Enhanced Data Analytics with Azure Log Analytics Services: Small businesses can harness advanced data insights through Azure Log Analytics. This tool helps business owners monitor application performance, troubleshoot errors, and make data-driven decisions. Azure Log Analytics provides visibility into operations and enables proactive problem-solving to reduce downtime and enhance productivity.

Deploying Microsoft Dynamics 365 with the Office Deployment Tool

For small businesses, deploying a cloud-based solution may seem daunting. However, Microsoft simplifies this with the Office Deployment Tool. This tool allows businesses to install and manage Dynamics 365 applications quickly and efficiently. The Office Deployment Tool enables IT administrators to customize installations, ensuring that each user has access to the specific tools they need without overloading devices with unnecessary software. This streamlined deployment process helps small businesses adopt new tools with minimal disruption.

Partnering with a Microsoft 365 Services Provider and Microsoft Gold Partner

Implementing and optimizing Dynamics 365 becomes smoother with support from a Microsoft 365 Services Provider and a certified Microsoft Gold Partner. Microsoft Gold Partners are experts trained in Microsoft technologies who can provide comprehensive support tailored to business needs. As a Dynamics 365 Partner, they bring invaluable insights and experience, helping small businesses leverage Dynamics 365 effectively, optimize its features, and ensure seamless integration with existing systems.

For small businesses in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Microsoft Managed Partners offer localized support, ensuring the solutions are tailored to regional regulations and business practices. By working with trusted Microsoft Managed Partners in MEA, small businesses can navigate unique challenges, tap into Microsoft’s network, and maximize the potential of their Dynamics 365 investment.

Secure, Scalable, and Growth-Focused

With Microsoft Dynamics 365, small businesses have a powerful tool at their disposal for managing their growth. Integrated with Microsoft 365 and Azure Cloud Services, Dynamics 365 offers unmatched scalability, advanced data insights, and a secure platform for business operations. When partnered with a certified Microsoft Gold Partner, businesses benefit from expert guidance, ensuring they maximize their Microsoft investment.

For any small business ready to take the next step, Dynamics 365 offers a clear path forward. It’s more than just software—it’s a strategic tool for sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and seamless collaboration. Whether you're just beginning your digital journey or looking to enhance existing capabilities, Dynamics 365 provides a scalable, future-proof solution tailored for success.

[uraandri]

the app i was using for my clothes diary broke again so i need to figure out how to replace that

[drazillion]

Drawfee Tarot Analysis with Draz

Nathan Past - The Sun / Present - Strength

The Sun is a card of unbridled positivity and optimism. When you see it upright in a reading, it is always a good sign. But it's also a card that's often unrealistic and naive. Other cards come with warnings, but the Sun does not.

Strength reminds us that physical force is one manifestation of power. Emotional strength is equally as important. The maiden has tamed the lion with her kindness and compassion, not by besting it in a fight. Still, it is important to remember that on this card, both maiden and lion share the mantle of Strength. It is both of them, not one or the other.

Both largely positive cards, the Sun and Strength embolden each other.

In regards to Nathan in particular, I have to point out the similarities of Nathan's 2024 avatar and the duality of the maiden and the lion. Nathan is perhaps best known for his kindness and warmth, qualities exemplified by the sun, but ignoring the wide spectrum of his feelings is like ignoring the lion. Personally, I admire him for his ability to keep his optimism and his bitterness and rage in balance.

Therefore, in a sense, Nathan's cards represent his increasing willingness to share his more negative frustrations, while never losing sight of the light of the sun.

Jacob Past - The Fool / Present - The Chariot

The Fool is unique in that it is the 0th Major Arcana. The Fool is unbound by numbers, by order. The Fool is potential incarnate, inviting us to leap towards the future and seize the day. The Fool does not care about plans, preferring to deal with each new situation as they arise.

In comparison, the Chariot is a focused force with a goal in mind and with the confidence to see it through. The two sphinxes that drive the chariot represent opposing desires, but upright the charioteer is able to get the sphinxes to move forward together through sheer willpower alone.

Together, they are a confident duo encouraging forward momentum. The Chariot reins in the Fool's more reckless aspects while the Fool reminds the Chariot to still have fun along the journey and that keeping plans flexible is important.

These two cards clearly represent Jacob's journey since Drawfee became independent. While his role as episode and stream host (in particular trying to get everyone through the intro) is the most obvious, this also includes his role as content strategist. His analytical side is where his Chariot aspects shine brightest. In addition, the Fool and the Chariot combine when he makes music. When Jacob's well crafted plans fall apart, it is the Fool that comes to his rescue.

Karina Past - The Empress / Present - The Magician

Representing Mother Nature, the Empress is all about beauty and creativity. The Empress asks us to embrace qualities traditionally seen as feminine, regardless of gender. You are not weak or lesser for taking care of yourself or expressing yourself. The Empress encourages us to get in touch with our emotions, as well as the natural world.

The Magician is numbered 1 in the Major Arcana, and represents the transformation of the raw potential of the Fool into something actionable. The Magician has all the tools needed to fulfill their desires, but those tools might not necessarily look usable in their current state. The Magician must recognize this and realize the true nature of these tools.

The Empress and the Magician are both creative cards and support each other in this endeavor, provided that the querent (person the card reading is about) takes initiative.

Though both cards symbolize Karina's journey these past four years, it is no surprise that the Magician is one of them, with the creation of Sonny Mama and other mixed media creations in the past year. Nothing exemplifies the Magician more than literally using things like a log and a brick as part of a sculpture. The Empress's presence is subtler though the numerous plants that live in Karina's apartment give it away.

Julia Past - The Tower / Present - The Emperor

Due to its name, Death is often seen as the "worst" Major Arcana card. It's not. That distinction goes to the Tower (though the "worst" tarot card overall goes to the Ten of Swords). The Tower is sudden upheaval, is destruction, is disaster. Yet even so, the Tower is not an unredeemable card. Far from it. Sometimes a situation is so bad the only way to end it is to obliterate it. Sometimes the old must be destroyed to give way for the new. The Tower does not give us the tools to rebuild, that is something we have to do on our own, but it does show us that it is possible to build something better from the rubble.

The Emperor represents an authoritative figure who enforces structure in an otherwise chaotic world. Equally, the Emperor is a strategist who keeps in mind the needs of others when making decisions. The Emperor is also a protector, shouldering burdens so that others don't have to.

It can be easy to think of these two cards as complete opposites. In reality, this means they are both sides of the same coin. If the Tower is destruction of the old paradigm, then the Emperor is the establishment of the new.

The Collegehumor Layoffs exemplify the idea of the Tower. An established workplace that came crashing down. And Julia, the Emperor, rose up to the challenge of dealing with all the paperwork that would eventually lead to Drawfee's independence. Four years later, Drawfee still benefits from the work Julia did, not to mention the fact that she continues to deal with everything finance related in regards to the company. Not to mention all of the other tasks Julia takes on. While all five members of Drawfee are essential, it would be safe to say Drawfee would be unable to exist in its current form without Julia.

[thebirthofvenusfly]

i like thinking about the odile loop au primarily because I like odile. but also,

i like the thought of the eldest character going through so much, trying so hard to keep her calm over the loops because the others are looking up to her, depending on her sometimes cold but analytical and precise demeanor to understand what doesn't make sense and keep their heads on. i like thinking about her initially fascinated by the opportunity to study the loops, to ask more questions about Vaugarde because she has more time, to listen to her family's banter again and again, but then she beats the king with them and everything resets anyways.

she's confused. she hates being confused. she's trying to understand WHY, trying to study, trying to hyperanalyze every variable she's fucking up here, trying to make sense of it, trying not to detach entirely because she's seen siffrin's body crushed under boulders or mirabelle have mental breakdowns to tears and wailing or protect bonnie from the sadnesses that she hates to admit did get the better of her once or twice.

she's trying to survive but she's trying to understand it all so she can reverse engineer whatever the hell is happening, whatever force has left her here to fend for herself over and over. she's screwing up her loops because she's becoming desensitized, unable to have her witty remarks and humorous banter and ruffle bonnie's hair when they say something innocently funny, or even fake a smile anymore at their snack breaks. she's lashing out at the others when they question her because she's gone too quiet because she's thinking so hard about what she's doing wrong, what must she be doing wrong to continue being stuck here, like this.

she won't admit that she was lonely. she won't admit she didn't want to leave the party and return to Ka Bue after everything. the first few days of looping, she's still got half a mind to be concerned and trying to get to the bottom of this time fuckery, but part of her is... relieved? to hear all these stories and see her loved ones smile, and still learn something new about them, just because she has a little more time? but then she learns everything she can, then she's stuck, then she's terrified and won't admit she's terrified, and then she's convinced none of them could really understand what the hell is happening to her when SHE doesn't even understand despite how hard she's trying despite the logs and journals she's burning through to track every choice she's made and every thing that's happened as a result she's trying so hard, man

[bcacstuff]

A Thank You

To start with a thank you to all the people in the comments on my previous post, and all the Anons, all the kind words, showing your support and appreciation for my blog. I received some very sweet and lovely messages which I will cherish and look again at when things get so negative that I start to question myself why am I doing this.

Snapped

Yes something snapped, after a long time ignoring all the harassment, negativity, toxicity, name calling and recently even threats in my inbox. Telling me, oh we all know how toxic this fandom is, isn't realistic. Logging on here and first being confronted with it personally as it is in my inbox, takes the fun and pleasure out of things. It's like getting home, but you first have to clean out your doorway because the neighbours dumped all their trash on it. At some point you will address your neighbours with this bad behaviour, wont you? (and probably not in the nicest way)

I ignored them all the time, trashed them right away stopped even reading them, as the content had not any substance. I wondered often, why do people do this? Does it make you feel better? Do you feel a hero hiding behind an Anon? Do you go tell your friends what you just sent to a person you clearly don't know the first thing about. Do you think it is justified because you don't like what I post or what doesn't fit your narrative?

It is never justified, no matter what, to do these kind of things to another human being. Never!

There are people that call me obsessed. When I see multiple harassment messages all similar, simply recognizable coming from the same person(s) on a daily basis in my inbox, lurking around on my blog just to get off on every post I publish, the second after I post it. Running to the Anon button to mock every word and purposely give a false interpretation of the things I write, or write on a daily basis on your blog about it, that is not obsession? But when I do what everyone does here, look at some IG accounts is obsession?

You know, posts on IG accounts stay there forever (most of the time), no matter when you look. Stories are published for 24 hours, and even forever when an account also puts them in their highlights. You surely know about that don't you? There is no need for me to watch every minute of the day an IG account, I don't refresh it every minute to see if there is something new. It's your biased imagination that makes you unable to see it in a normal way. I do not sit 24/7 in a cellar with 5 screens around me watching people. I also do not sit in my car for hours and hours in front of someone's house to wait till someone comes out of the house or arrives. That is stalking, watching someone's IG account isn't.

And perhaps I look at a few things more related to an IG account, like the analytics, as an interest because of my marketing background, using a simple tool available for everyone, doesn't make me obsessed or a stalker either. There is no need to watch it every minute of the day either, I can refresh it whenever I like, the numbers from a whole month (and more) are still there.

Saying I keep track of every move he does is a false interpretation. I don't know what he ate for breakfast this morning, or what color socks he wears today. I don't know all the time where he hangs out, what he is doing or whom he is with. I don't know, I know as much as you all! I simply use my logic, can see like you all can at what times he posts, and as he has his habits and patterns (which you learn easily over a bit of time) it is no rocket science to see when these times shift and he likely traveled to a place in another timezone. That doesn't justify calling someone obsessed or a stalker neither.

And then, on top of it all, I learned some things about his activity last weekend, which was perhaps the last drop. Yes I added that part, because it was part of why something snapped in me at that moment. Perhaps my reaction would have been different if it didn't came on top of all this negativity and toxicity I already deal with for a long time and only got more. Oh yes, I could've simply stayed quiet about it and perhaps I would have if not for above reasons. People that like to say I did mention it because I was just seeking attention, are just ignorant. Gosh the (negative) attention in my inbox is overwhelming, I don't need it and actually wish it wasn't so OTT. But since I mentioned it, I will address it in a separate post, but don't get too excited. I will share how I learned about it but wont elaborate on my personal thoughts which I choose to keep to myself. I also will not share any name or any other details.

If you don't like my blog, don't like to read about some things I post, don't like me as a person; Remember instead of running to the Anon button to lecture me and give me unwanted (and very unneeded) advise about how I should run my blog or live my life after you called me out, you also have the option to scroll on or move to another blog. You don't need to read my blog, I don't force you to come to my blog, you are here on your own free will and can leave whenever you want.

Anon

As a result of all this bad behaviour, I have switched off the Anon option. It's a bit with a heavy heart, as I prefer to keep my blog open and accessible to everyone who wants to be here and send messages to me. You still can send a message, but only with an account which will be visible to me. You can of course ask me to hide it when I choose to post your message, I will absolutely do so. For me it is just a way to finally prevent the cowards to send hateful messages to me.

I feel sorry for the ones that do not have an account on here and always gave me useful tips, and sent constructive messages. I hope you'll understand and consider to create an account. I don't mind if there is nothing on it, I don't see empty blogs necessarily as a sockaccount like some do.

I have to say, since switching the Anon option off, I received 0 messages. (that tells you a lot about how brave the Anons are) I enjoy the calm, the positive feeling instead of the negative feeling that I first need to clean out all this crap when I log on. So I will keep it this way at least for a while, and perhaps even forever.

Let's just try to keep the good and positive atmosphere here again, have some fun, some good discussions in a respectful way and exchange our thoughts on things.

[miyosei]

I LOVE YOU, HOW SWEET.

premise. epiphanies that come in bursts. ( or, what it’s like when he is starts to fall in love ) — ft. albedo, heizou, kazuha, thoma, tighnari

reader is gender neutral, no warnings everything is just nice and sweet, written in lowercase

ALBEDO. kreideprinz

albedo falls in love like a campfire at night — fitting for the chief alchemist's solitary camp set outside of mondstadt, situated only in the shallowest caves of dragonspine. it melts like the frozen rivers that hug the shore and thaws at the frozen edges of the heart he never had when klee comes running in excitedly cheering about how much fun she had while in your care.

things feel warmer when you're around. the way his name sounds at the ends of your lips, the feeling of your hand against his own, the way he can't help the fond smile from overtaking his face when you lose your mind to sleep at the fireplace. the winter storm rages just outside the cluttered space albedo calls his camp, and it is only you and him when you lean against him in your slumber.

and when you smile up at him embarrassed after waking, sleepy eyes and his signature coat wrapped around your shoulders to prevent you from becoming too cold in the night �� albedo swears that something within the emptiness of his chest cavity skips a beat. warm and soft and blooming straight from where his heart should have resided and right out for the whole world to see.

"won't you get cold?" you ask, offering to share the large article of clothing with him. it's rather big, after all. surely the two of you would both fit under it without any problems.

in any other case, albedo would have denied that possibility. as a homunculus he takes only the temperatures of his surroundings — albedo does not feel them himself. but when the flames inside his chest burn their last logs, you make your return to the city without him. and for the first time in his life, the ever so intelligent chief alchemist can't explain the dimming warmth.

SHIKANOIN HEIZOU. analytical harmony

heizou falls in love like diving into the ocean. in fact, it's safe to say that he doesn't fall in love, because from the very first moment he laid eyes on you, he knew that you were the one. you, who rushed through the open doors of the tenyrou commission with flying paperwork in your hands and a uniform that was just slightly out of place around your shoulders — untied laces and a hat one size too big. you were late on your first day. how unprofessional, how sporadic, how interesting.

you barge into his life like a criminal on the run, and heizou decides right then that there could be nobody else but you. the look on his face when you're announced to be his new partner is priceless, one that no one will ever let him live down. and heizou is almost completely okay with that.

because there isn't anyone in the world he would rather ask for to accompany him, dragging you by the hand as the wind tussles your clothing and faint shouts of your names call from behind you. heizou's laughter fills the air and he does nothing but smile when you express your concerns.

the edge of the cliff soon approaches, crashing waves sound against the open air. with nowhere else to go, he turns to you with sparkling eyes and a grin that spells nothing but trouble and a plan that you're more than certain he hasn't thought through. but shikanoin heizou is unpredictable and a master at surprises, and shikanoin heizou does just that.

he pushes himself just over the edge, falling backwards with your hands held tightly in his own — throwing everything behind with the wind as it whips around him, free falling thousands of meters approaching the ocean depths. and for the first time in his life, heizou finally allows his guard down, wrapping his arms around you and breaking the surface.

KAEDEHARA KAZUHA. scarlet leaves pursue wild waves

kazuha is like a star at sea. a supernova waiting to happen he is fused together with flammable elements light years away reaching out to you with open arms, burning through the hydrogen fuel until the pressure collapses in on itself like a falling platform.

and if kaedehara kazuha is a star, then you are the night sky that envelops him whole — swallowing his light for as long as he can remember. you have been in his life for more years than not, and he cannot possibly imagine a life without.

stars live for millions of years, but humans only have a fraction of that time to share. and kazuha wastes none of it — he trails by your side like a lost puppy, recites to you poems with a love you only hear in your dreams. he traces the constellations in the night sky and guides your hand to follow the connecting lights.

there isn't a moment in time where he isn't utterly and hopelessly in love. the days seem brighter, the storms become more bearable, the past becomes written down on pages of memories ready to be released into the sky.

when the festival comes around, it's like he's meeting you for the first time all over again. quietly watching you under the lights and and full of thoughts he always wanted to say to you but could never voice them out loud. the supernova in his heart explodes into the universe, a confession worth a thousand words falls unheard under the booms of the golden fireworks — but the expression on his face alone is enough to tell you what he means.

THOMA. protector from afar

thoma's love blossoms like the promise of sakura blooms in early spring, as natural as the passing of seasons. it's almost like nothing changed, falling into routine so long ago that it's normal to wake up and see him making breakfast in the kitchen. it's normal to fall asleep on the cough together, held closely against his chest under the warm blanket. it's normal to hold hands at every given opportunity.

'yeah, we're on a date,' you jokingly say to a friend while passing by a festival stalls. with a grin, you spare a glance at thoma, ready to give him a cheeky, 'aren't we?' in further jest — stopping only when you see the soft look in his warm eyes.

he is inazuma's fixer, there's no problem in the world he can't take care of. but when you say those words so unashamed and so naturally, oh — this is one problem he doesn’t think he can fix.

winter comes to an end, and the flowers in his heart have since begun to bloom at an exponential rate — hyperaware of every lingering touch, every offhand comment, every time you hold him close and joke about how a life without him is a life not worth living at all.

and when you're surrounded by splashes of pink and falling petals like this — laughing beside him without a care in the world, thoma thinks he couldn't ever imagine a life without you either.

TIGHNARI. verdant strider

tighnari falls in love like prolonged silence. his mind is a puzzle, caught in a perpetual state of concentration; high on alert at all times — because when you live with a handful of reckless forest rangers, being anything less than his best is something he cannot afford to be. the tension is enough to make his head spin and chest tight, but he pushes away the uncomfortable weight in favor of his own research.

both in and outside the akademiya, people have put him atop their pedestal and declare him a genius above the rest, begging for his appearances like a trophy on display. but when he stumbles through the door of your shared hut with stray sticks in his hair and dirt on his clothes, falling into you exhausted beyond what you can only imagine, he is just tighnari — nothing more and nothing less.

he won't get attached, he swears to his heart that if it isn't related to his focus on the forest that he will not get involved. but your studies have surprisingly brought a new light into lessening the effects of the withering, and you aren't totally incapable at holding your own ( unlike those incompetent traveling merchants ), and collei seems to be in a brighter mood now that you're around.

tighnari's mind is like a puzzle, always connecting new pieces, picking apart every detail the world has to offer and never stopping the trajectory of his research for even a second.

but you find your way into his heart like a seedling deeply rooted into the soil, his feelings grow with time and with no time at all. through quiet research or conversations the span hours on end, tighnari makes no attempt to pull you out of his life — and you settle into the garden of his chest. tighnari watches through the doorway your figure slumped over and asleep on your desk, papers scattered across the wooden table and pen rolling away from your fingers, and he thinks maybe you aren't so bad to be around.

something sweet i did way long ago … iykyk

[mostlysignssomeportents]

A year in illustration, 2023 edition (part one)

(This is part one; part two is here.)

I am objectively very bad at visual art. I am bad at vision, period – I'm astigmatic, shortsighted, color blind, and often miss visual details others see. I can't even draw a stick-figure. To top things off, I have cataracts in both eyes and my book publishing/touring schedule is so intense that I keep having to reschedule the surgeries. But despite my vast visual deficits, I thoroughly enjoy making collages for this blog.

For many years now – decades – I've been illustrating my blog posts by mixing public domain and Creative Commons art with work that I can make a good fair use case for. As bad as art as I may be, all this practice has paid off. Call it unseemly, but I think I'm turning out some terrific illustrations – not all the time, but often enough.

Last year, I rounded up my best art of the year:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/25/a-year-in-illustration/

And I liked reflecting on the year's art so much, I decided I'd do it again. Be sure to scroll to the bottom for some downloadables – freely usable images that I painstakingly cut up with the lasso tool in The Gimp.

The original AD&D hardcover cover art is seared into my psyche. For several years, there were few images I looked at so closely as these. When Hasbro pulled some world-beatingly sleazy stuff with the Open Gaming License, I knew just how to mod Dave Trampier's 'Eve Of Moloch' from the cover of the Players' Handbook. Thankfully, bigger nerds than me have identified all the fonts in the image, making the remix a doddle.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/12/beg-forgiveness-ask-permission/#whats-a-copyright-exception

Even though I don't keep logs or collect any analytics, I can say with confidence that "Tiktok's Enshittification" was the most popular thing I published on Pluralistic this year. I mixed some public domain Brother's Grimm art, mixed with a classic caricature of Boss Tweed, and some very cheesy royalty-free/open access influencer graphics. One gingerbread cottage social media trap, coming up:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/21/potemkin-ai/#hey-guys

To illustrate the idea of overcoming walking-the-plank fear (as a metaphor for writing when it feels like you suck) I mixed public domain stock of a plank, a high building and legs, along with a procedurally generated Matrix "code waterfall" and a vertiginous spiral ganked from a Heinz Bunse photo of a German office lobby.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/22/walking-the-plank/

Finding a tasteful way to illustrate a story about Johnson & Johnson losing a court case after it spent a generation tricking women into dusting their vulvas with asbestos-tainted talcum was a challenge. The tulip (featured in many public domain images) was a natural starting point. I mixed it with Jesse Wagstaff's image of a Burning Man dust-storm and Mike Mozart's shelf-shot of a J&J talcum bottle.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/01/j-and-j-jk/#risible-gambit

"Google's Chatbot Panic" is about Google's long history of being stampeded into doing stupid things because its competitors are doing them. Once it was Yahoo, now it's Bing. Tenniel's Tweedle Dee and Dum were a good starting point. I mixed in one of several Humpty Dumpty editorial cartoon images from 19th century political coverage that I painstakingly cut out with the lasso tool on a long plane-ride. This is one of my favorite Humpties, I just love the little 19th C businessmen trying to keep him from falling! I finished it off with HAL 9000's glowing red eye, my standard 'this is about AI' image, which I got from Cryteria's CC-licensed SVG.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/16/tweedledumber/#easily-spooked

Though I started writing about Luddites in my January, 2022 Locus column, 2023 was the Year of the Luddite, thanks to Brian Merchant's outstanding Blood In the Machine:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/26/enochs-hammer/#thats-fronkonsteen

When it came time to illustrate "Gig Work Is the Opposite of Steampunk," I found a public domain weaver's loft, and put one of Cryteria's HAL9000 eyes in the window. Magpie Killjoy's Steampunk Magazine poster, 'Love the Machine, Hate the Factory,' completed the look.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/12/gig-work-is-the-opposite-of-steampunk/

For the "small, non-profit school" that got used as an excuse to bail out Silicon Valley Bank, I brought back Humpty Dumpty, mixing him with a Hogwartsian castle, a brick wall texture, and an ornate, gilded frame. I love how this one came out. This Humpty was made for the SVB bailout.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/23/small-nonprofit-school/#north-country-school

The RESTRICT Act would have federally banned Tiktok – a proposal that was both technically unworkable and unconstitutional. I found an early 20th century editorial cartoon depicting Uncle Sam behind a fortress wall that was keeping a downtrodden refugee family out of America. I got rid of most of the family, giving the dad a Tiktok logo head, and I put Cryteria's HAL9000 eyes over each cannonmouth. Three Boss Tweed moneybag-head caricatures, adorned with Big Tech logos, rounded it out.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/30/tik-tok-tow/#good-politics-for-electoral-victories

When Flickr took decisive action to purge the copyleft trolls who'd been abusing its platform, I knew I wanted to illustrate this with Lucifer being cast out of heaven, and the very best one of those comes from John Milton, who is conveniently well in the public domain. The Flickr logo suggested a bicolored streaming-light-of-heaven motif that just made it.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/01/pixsynnussija/#pilkunnussija

Old mainframe ads are a great source of stock for a "Computer Says No" image. And Congress being a public building, there are lots of federal (and hence public domain) images of its facade.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/04/cbo-says-no/#wealth-tax

When I wrote about the Clarence Thomas/Harlan Crow bribery scandal, it was easy to find Mr. Kjetil Ree's great image of the Supreme Court building. Thomas being a federal judge, it was easy to find a government photo of his head, but it's impossible to find an image of him in robes at a decent resolution. Luckily, there are tons of other federal judges who've been photographed in their robes! Boss Tweed with the dollar-sign head was a great stand-in for Harlan Crow (no one knows what he looks like anyway). Gilding Thomas's robes was a simple matter of superimposing a gold texture and twiddling with the layers.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/06/clarence-thomas/#harlan-crow

"Gig apps trap reverse centaurs in wage-stealing Skinner boxes" is one of my best titles. This is the post where I introduce the idea of "twiddling" as part of the theory of enshittification, and explain how it relates to "reverse centaurs" – people who assist machines, rather than the other way around. Finding a CC licensed modular synth was much harder than I thought, but I found Stephen Drake's image and stitched it into a mandala. Cutting out the horse's head for the reverse centaur was a lot of work (manes are a huuuuge pain in the ass), but I love how his head sits on the public domain high-viz-wearing warehouse worker's body I cut up (thanks, OSHA!). Seeing as this is an horrors-of-automation story, Cryteria's HAL9000 eyes make an appearance.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

Rockefeller's greatest contribution to our culture was inspiring many excellent unflattering caricatures. The IWW's many-fists-turning-into-one-fist image made it easy to have the collective might of workers toppling the original robber-baron.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

I link to this post explaining how to make good Mastodon threads at least once a week, so it's a good thing the graphic turned out so well. Close-cropping the threads from a public domain yarn tangle worked out great. Eugen Rochko's Mastodon logo was and is the only Affero-licensed image ever to appear on Pluralistic.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/16/how-to-make-the-least-worst-mastodon-threads/

I spent hours on the sofa one night painstakingly cutting up and reassembling the cover art from a science fiction pulp. I have a folder full of color-corrected, high-rez scans from an 18th century anatomy textbook, and the cross-section head-and-brain is the best of the lot.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/04/analytical-democratic-theory/#epistocratic-delusions

Those old French anatomical drawings are an endless source of delight to me. Take one cross-sectioned noggin, mix in an old PC mainboard, and a vector art illo of a virtuous cycle with some of Cryteria's HAL9000 eyes and you've got a great illustration of Google's brain-worms.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/14/googles-ai-hype-circle/

Ireland's privacy regulator is but a plaything in Big Tech's hand, but it's goddamned hard to find an open-access Garda car. I manually dressed some public domain car art in Garda livery, painstakingly tracing it over the panels. The (public domain) baby's knit cap really hides the seams from replacing the baby's head with HAL9000's eye.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/15/finnegans-snooze/#dirty-old-town

Naked-guy-in-a-barrel bankruptcy images feel like something you can find in an old Collier's or Punch, but I came up snake-eyes and ended up frankensteining a naked body into a barrel for the George Washington crest on the Washington State flag. It came out well, but harvesting the body parts from old muscle-beach photos left George with some really big guns. I tried five different pairs of suspenders here before just drawing in black polyhedrons with little grey dots for rivets.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/03/when-the-tide-goes-out/#passive-income

Illustrating Amazon's dominance over the EU coulda been easy – just stick Amazon 'A's in place of the yellow stars that form a ring on the EU flag. So I decided to riff on Plutarch's Alexander, out of lands to conquer. Rama's statue legs were nice and high-rez. I had my choice of public domain ruin images, though it was harder thank expected to find a good Amazon box as a plinth for those broken-off legs.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/14/flywheel-shyster-and-flywheel/#unfulfilled-by-amazon

God help me, I could not stop playing with this image of a demon-haunted IoT car. All those reflections! The knife sticking out of the steering wheel, the multiple Munsch 'Scream'ers, etc etc. The more I patchked with it, the better it got, though. This one's a banger.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

To depict a "data-driven dictatorship," I ganked elements of heavily beribboned Russian military dress uniforms, replacing the head with HAL9000's eye. I turned the foreground into the crowds from the Nuremberg rallies and filled the sky with Matrix code waterfall.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/26/dictators-dilemma/#garbage-in-garbage-out-garbage-back-in

The best thing about analogizing DRM to demonic possession is the wealth of medieval artwork to choose from . This one comes from the 11th century 'Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae sistematisatae per celeberrimos Artis hujus Magistros.' I mixed in the shiny red Tesla (working those reflections!), and a Tesla charger to make my point.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/edison-not-tesla/#demon-haunted-world

Yet more dividends from those old French anatomical plates: a flayed skull, a detached jaw, a quack electronic gadget, a Wachowski code waterfall and some HAL 9000 eyes and you've got a truly unsettling image of machine-compelled speech.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/02/self-incrimination/#wei-bai-bai

I had no idea this would work out so well, but daaaamn, crossfading between a Wachowski code waterfall and a motherboard behind a roiling thundercloud is dank af.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/03/there-is-no-cloud/#only-other-peoples-computers

Of all the turkeys-voting-for-Christmas self-owns conservative culture warriors fall for, few can rival the "banning junk fees is woke" hustle. Slap a US-flag Punisher logo on and old-time card imprinter, add a GOP logo to a red credit-card blank, and then throw in a rustic barn countertop and you've got a junk-fee extracter fit for the Cracker Barrel.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/04/owning-the-libs/#swiper-no-swiping

Putting the Verizon logo on the Hinderberg was an obvious gambit (even if I did have to mess with the flames a lot), but the cutout of Paul Marcarelli as the 'can you hear me now?' guy, desaturated and contrast-matched, made it sing.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/10/smartest-guys-in-the-room/#can-you-hear-me-now

Note to self: Tux the Penguin is really easy to source in free/open formats! He looks great with HAL9000 eyes.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/18/openwashing/#you-keep-using-that-word-i-do-not-think-it-means-what-you-think-it-means

Rockwell's self-portrait image is a classic; that made it a natural for a HAL9000-style remix about AI art. I put a bunch of time into chopping and remixing Rockwell's signature to give it that AI look, and added as many fingers as would fit on each hand.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/20/everything-made-by-an-ai-is-in-the-public-domain/

(Images: Heinz Bunse, West Midlands Police, Christopher Sessums, CC BY-SA 2.0; Mike Mozart, Jesse Wagstaff, Stephen Drake, Steve Jurvetson, syvwlch, Doc Searls, https://www.flickr.com/photos/mosaic36/14231376315, Chatham House, CC BY 2.0; Cryteria, CC BY 3.0; Mr. Kjetil Ree, Trevor Parscal, Rama, “Soldiers of Russia” Cultural Center, Russian Airborne Troops Press Service, CC BY-SA 3.0; Raimond Spekking, CC BY 4.0; Drahtlos, CC BY-SA 4.0; Eugen Rochko, Affero; modified)

[cyle]

i love reading through other platforms' data exports of what they have on me.

for example, Discord's data export has a few big JSON files of "analytics events", that seem to accidentally contain some things that are probably not really analytics events.

there are these fun "prediction" JSON blobs in a different format than the events...

one of them is trying to predict my gender. "predicted_gender: male", over and over. and what's really hilarious is that it logs its estimated accuracy and the timestamp of the attempt. so i can see that in late 2022, discord kept started to try to predict my gender, and it swung from 91% confident i was male to only 71%, and has been doing this prediction process almost daily this year (2023), ranging from ~70% confidence to ~92% confidence.

another is trying to predict my age, and has waffled between "25-34" and "35+" for a year. similarly with a wide range in confidence. makes me wonder what data modeling they're doing to make that prediction...

relatedly, it's always fun to look at the different event names a platform is logging, to get a taste of how granular they're tracking people... here are some fun ones:

start_listening

tooltip_viewed

context_menu_link_opened

keyboard_shortcut_used

premium_upsell_viewed

app_native_crash

jump

remix_surface_exit_modal

nuo_transition

there are over 400 different kinds of events logged in my data dump, and over 419,000 of these events logged. kinda scary!

[starshadyy]

what your favorite splatoon character says about YOU!

obligatory “this is a joke” disclaimer, please don’t take offense i’m only being silly👉👈

☆ ★ ☆

callie: you are a diehard squid sisters fan. you have an intrinsic sense for design and are probably super creative. you hate it when people misinterpret her. others wouldn’t assume it, but you actually need therapy more than most others on this list…😔

marie: you’re really intimidating but probably super nice. you’re actually good at the game and are well-versed in the meta. you may not be the best at communication, but you have a strong intuition and are good at reading people

pearl: an absolute feral crackhead who needs to be kept on a leash. definitely queer. nasty majesty is your national anthem. you breathe life and energy into every situation you enter, and others appreciate you for it. you are pearlina’s strongest soldier! 🩷🩵

marina: you are a massive nerd /affectionate. you either wanna be her friend or you have a fat crush on her. you listen to splatoon ost all the time. your room is packed with stuff from the media you like, including mountains of plushies

shiver: you join her team during splatfests even when you don’t necessarily agree with the platform. you’re likely very sarcastic and always speak your mind. oh yeah, and you’re a weeb

frye: you loved her from the start and defended her honor back when everyone was clowning on her design. you’re very talented but humble about your accomplishments. you would bite someone if allowed

big man: you act laid back but are probably filled with anxiety. i get the vibe that you would own an unconventional pet of some kind [turtle, frog, ferret, etc.]. you’re for sure the mom friend. you know nothing about splatoon lore

captain 3: you are the BACKBONE of this fandom and i have nothing but respect for you. you’re probably ranked pretty high in competitive and are likely a completionist

agent 4: you grew up on splatoon 2 and were sure that they would show up in side order only to be… uh, half right? i’m so sorry sweet prince /gn. don’t you worry, your day [splatoon 4] is fast approaching…

eight: you’re very analytical and derive great joy from the story aspects of splatoon. you either write or read fanfiction and maybe cosplay too. you LIVE for the found family trope, and also probably ship them with captain 3. you have amazing taste :]

neo agent 3: you think lil buddy is the most adorable creature to walk the planet. you wish their initial outfit was actually accessible in the game. you’ve probably only played splatoon 3

cap’n cuttlefish: you’re an og who’s been around since splatoon 1 but still know next to nothing about the lore. you don’t main a weapon, and instead prefer to bounce around. you are… an inscrutable crackhead who i want to study

dj octavio: you’re willing to die on the hill that he is not a villain and only did what he did to support his people [you’re right btw]. you’re actually really chill and fun and i have a lot of respect for you. also, i’m liable to believe that you ship him with cuttlefish, don’t you? DON’T YOU?!?

commander tartar: you’re… ME??? villainous characters are always your favorites. you think octo expansion is a masterpiece [and you’re entirely right]. you’re a splatoon scholar and scour every obscure twitter post and artbook note to satiate your hunger for that sweet sweet lore. there’s something deeply wrong in your head.

mr. grizz: you play a lot of salmon run but are actually kinda bad at it [shhh i won’t tell]. you suffered through after alterna just for his backstory log and the bear ears. i’m going to go out on a limb here and say… you have daddy issues

smollusk: you LOVE the idea that marina and pearl are its adoptive moms. you’ve beaten side order with every palette. you overuse the “🥺” emoji. you miiight be a little annoying, but your heart is in the right place… probably

acht: either the chillest person you’ll ever meet or the most insane. probably both. you’re 100% queer and probably neurodivergent too. i bet you listen to will wood and / or tally hall. i wanna be your friend

harmony: you know every chirpy chips song by heart. you’re probably really sweet and i know you make banger fanart. you have an affinity for cute things and i bet your favorite pokémon type is fairy. DEFINITELY neurodivergent.

cq cumber: ???you both confuse and frighten me!!! what can i even say? you’re a cryptid! but honestly, you’re kinda iconic. i salute you, you freak of nature🫡

iso padre: I LOVE YOU. you’re accepting of all people and are just an absolute saint in general. daddy issues, but you’re coping way better than the grizz fans. also, i’m betting that you’re neurodivergent

sheldon: i didn’t think you existed, but turns out that you do? you actually listen to his rambles. splatoon 2 is your favorite game in the series. you’re able to see the value in things that others tear down and y'know what? i respect that [not saying i approve of your character choice though]

judd: wait, why him? ohh wait, i know! you probably just don’t care about splatoon’s story at all and / or love cats. there, that’s totally it, right?

lil judd: you either DON’T know his lore and just like the cute little kitten, or you DO know his lore and you’re unhinged. i’m scared of you

spyke: you’d bark for him without hesitation and DON’T pretend you wouldn’t. you clown. you absolute freak. i know what you are. /j

murch: if i had to bet, you’re probably the shy type who prefers to let others do the talking for them. you might secretly be a little freaky though, and i think you should embrace that side of yourself. you’re safe here. be free.

[dailyanarchistposts]

In mid-August, a three year-old lawsuit charging that environmentalist groups were religious extremists comparable to some of the more violent, intolerant, ultra-orthodox Islamic sects collapsed when the attorney failed to meet a re-filing deadline with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The suit had been brought against the Forest Guardians, the Superior Wilderness Action Network, and the U.S. Forest Service by the 125 companies that make up the Associated Contract Loggers (A.C.L.) of northern Minnesota. The loggers were asking for $600,000 in damages and permission to plunder timber from the Superior National Forest.

Lawyers for the A.C.L. argued that deep ecology was actually a religion, and so by extension, environmental groups that espoused its philosophies were cults, and by outlawing timber cutting on so-called “federal land,” the Forest Service was favoring a particular set of religious doctrines and was therefore violating the guarantee of neutrality in matters of religion purportedly vouchsafed in the U.S. Constitution.

According to theological scholars at the logging company syndicate like former executive director, Larry Jones, Deep Ecology is an “earth-centered religion,” a “belief system” that holds that “trees and Man [sic] are equal.” Anti-logging activists who extol the virtues of forested spaces over industry profit and environmental degradation are spiritual zealots, and the government functionaries who are swayed by their proselytizing may turn out to be fanatical closet druids themselves.

Stephen Young, the A.C.L. lawyer and a former Republican Party senatorial candidate, explained his legal action on such esteemed venues as Rush Limbaugh’s radio show by saying that clear-cutting in national forests had been restricted by the Forest Service for no reason other than reverebce for some fringe New Age religion.

A U.S. District Court judge in Minnesota dismissed the case as “frivolous” in February 2000, but the A.C.L. petitioned the Supreme Court last year after reports that Wahabi Islamic extremists were responsible for the blitzkrieg attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

“The doctrine of Deep Ecology is the very worldview that gave rise to eco-terrorism. We feel that after the events of September 11, it’s an obligation of the Supreme Court to keep religious fanaticism in check,” Young said. “Just as devout faith in the literal words of various Hadith of Mohammad gave the Taliban license to impose through state power harsh conditions on the women of Afghanistan, so Deep Ecology gives license to its adherents to take extreme actions against those who would live by different beliefs.”

Perhaps the less said about this sleazy episode the better, which is just as well, since it is so hard to get a firm analytic grasp on it because it is sad and sick on so many different levels. For instance, likening the plight of women in Afghanistan to that of lumber barons in northern Minnesota is staggering in its shamelessness, as it has been my experience that women living near industrial logging camps are subjected to at least the same sort of abuse, derision, and masculinist domination as women who had been living in Taliban-controlled Kandahar.

And we all know that if the U.S. government was serious about keeping homicidal religious terrorism in check, then John Ashcroft and the Army of God anti-abortionists would be in the Guantanamo Bay gulag. It was all obviously just a miserable attempt to slander and jam up anti-logging activists with legal action, and it failed.

But I can’t help thinking about the broader philosophical implications of who supported it. I have no idea as to whether or not there are Deep Ecologists involved in Forest Guardians or the Superior Wilderness Action Network (and I suspect that none are to be found among the Forest Service feds), but in demonizing Deep Ecology as an alien fanatical religious practice in this lawsuit, we can see once again how tighly Christianity is bound to capitalist exploitation and ecological destruction.

Deep ecology is not a single doctrine, but rather an ethical sensibility informed by a variety of perspectives on the relationship of hummankind to the whole of nature’s systems. We can oversimplifydeep ecology by saying that its fundamentals include a belief in the intrinsic value of all forms of life as well as the holistic diversity of those life forms. The economic, technological, and ideological beliefs that prop up Western civilization antagonistically threaten the existence and diversity of natural life systems.

Individuals who adhere to the ideas of Deep Ecology are obligated to work towards radically changing those deadly attitudes and social structures. Deep ecology challenges the long-held anthropocentrist notion which entitles humans to take advantage of and destroy wilderness at will and for private profit, a view obviously held sacred by the A.C.L. timber industrialists.

Anthropocentrism derives from core Judeo-Christian values that have been part of the settler-capitalist catechism on this continent since the early seventeenth-century. Consider, for example, the preaching of Puritan minister, John Cotton. In his popular pamphlet of the 1630’s, “God’s Promise to His Plantation,” Cotton claimed that God desired colonists to “take possesion” of land in New England, saying that whosoever “bestoweth culture and husbandry upon it” has an inviolable divine right to it.

The Native Americans, dying in large numbers from exposure to European diseases was proff that God wanted to wipe the slate clean for the Puritans and thereby better facilitate His decree in the Book of Genesis that humans aggresively “subdue” the earth. Christians were the center of the universe, exclusively licensed by Almighty God to dominate the land, eradicate wild nature, and replace it with the purity of civilization. “All the world out of the Church is as wilderness, or at best, a wild field where all manner of unclean and wild beasts live and feed,” Cotton proclaimed in 1642.

There were many others during the period who were at least as enthusiastic about Christ, colonization, and commercial cultivation as Cotton was, and these ideas, linked to distinctly Judeo-Christian models of linear (rather than seasonally cyclical) time, became ingrained in the settler psyche, especially during the era of westward expansion some two centuries later. Justified by the Calvinist capitalism of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations — complete with its fallacious notions about the ennobling “civilizing” powers of wealth, marlets, and economic growth — the implications of Puritan repugnance for the wilderness and wildness on the North American continent becomes depressingly clear.

As inheritors of Puritan fanaticism that have erected the violent, intolerant faith of capitalism, it is individuals and organizations like the A.C.L. who hold a worldview that advances a five hundred year-old campaign of terrorism against entire bioregions and “empowers its adherents to take extreme action against those who would live by different beliefs.”