Join us tomorrow for "Making a Difference: How to contribute and jump start your career in Free Software with the KDE Community" with Aleix Pol.
Discover how to get involved, grow your skills, and advance your career in free software. Don't miss it!
Join online: https://meet.kde.org/b/lyd-vjd-rrs-oww
As a Blind person i never thought i would be on social media savoring photos. But the communal Mastodon alt text game is so strong that sweet, poetic or silly descriptions abound on my timeline. Thanks to legions of people who take time to write a meaningful description of the ephemera they post, i learn so much about insects, plants, buildings, memes — all dispatches from a dimension of the world that i otherwise wouldn't experience. If you're wondering whether anybody reads these things: YES.
uspol, furries, kink, Elon Musk, the world is a joke
Elon Musk was kicked out of the Bay Area Babyfur community.
Much respect to the furries for recognizing how much of a toxic piece of shit Elon is, and giving him no quarter. Even if this may have led to him acquiring twitter so that he could avoid being kicked out, it really shows the power of furry communities to maintain a healthy environment.
https://x.com/denimneverdies/status/1817441645236772931
https://x.com/HYENAFREQUENCY/status/1816661175037268201
https://old.reddit.com/r/EnoughMuskSpam/comments/1ecshvh/elon_tried_to_enter_the_babyfur_community/
uspol, Blackness and the presidency
This is a really good thread on the differences between Obama's and Harris's experiences as Black people.
Folks, I just spoke to my MP and the main takeaway was that we have to mobilise people who aren't transphobic because MPs are inundated with cis women who are scared and angry about trans folks.
They are simply not hearing from people who aren't scared and angry.
If you haven't contacted your MP about this - please do it now! Especially if you're a cis woman.
Oh dear! While i was up in Yorkshire finishing off putting down a floor, CIG decided to launch a free-fly event for #starcitizen and because i was busy thinking about that floor, i missed doing my usual writeup ;) But! That's done now, and here you go: https://www.reddit.com/r/starcitizenreferrals/comments/1e3vt9y/starf3v9nvlk_for_5000_uec_aopoa_nox_hoverbike/
(tl;dr: sign up for an account using https://robertsspaceindustries.com/enlist?referral=STAR-F3V9-NVLK and then head to https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/20015-Foundation-Festival-2024 to actually join the free-fly, runs until the 19th (also there's a ref bonus, it's good ;) ))
If you've received #NGIZero funding then you need to pay attention to this:
https://kolektiva.social/@hackstub/112762068812732277
@nlnet has funded many #fediverse apps and other awesome software for the commons.
What's disappointing is that Horizon has chosen to remove the cascade funding to put more funding to #AI. Which already has several AI funds.
This will in no way help small #FOSS development. I like @NGIZero because it funds some really unique ideas, that come from a diverse community. AI ain't that.
Normally, this kind of advice is framed more positively, but I want to be absolutely clear:
Don’t put yourself down.
Don’t apologize for existing.
Don’t tell others they should feel bad for knowing you.
Don’t wallow in shame.
Even if you feel bad, or like you’ve something to atone for, that kind of behavior doesn’t help you or anyone else; debasing yourself does nothing to process negative emotions or to take responsibility for your actions - and nothing hurts your loved ones quite like it.
#Democracy won in the UK! ... ?
... "Democracy won" is generally code for "our side won", or even "we replaced something bad with something somewhat better"
The third ranked party, with 14% of the votes got 1% of the seats, green, with their 7% got 1%, while libdems with 12%, got 11% of the seats.
Insane...
"So, would you prefer that Reform UK go<stoppit>" - no, but democracy isn't about my preference. Nor do we even know WHAT the percentage could be if people were not given the "we better vote labor, or else..." gun to their head.
There really should be massive demonstrations...
Based on the % votes, I assume a labour / libdem / green coalition government. Many peeps worry "this would give green too much power" but that would be all up to labour. Pushed too far, they could say "nah, you insist that, we'll step down and you rule try to rule with conservatives instead". Small parties "unfair power positions" is generally nothing more than blocker for "abusive changes from larger parties".
We are proud to introduce Sofawolf Academy, an online community for all levels of furry storyteller who wish to improve their skills.
We will be in Public Beta for the next couple of months while we build out content and take input from members.
Base level membership is FREE and will remain so. Later this year we will introduce additional membership levels that include access to advanced training and support appropriate for individuals seeking to make an income through their writing.
Interested? You can sign up here (Because we are in Beta, we have "Request to Join" step for now.):
The Cass Report/transphobia in science (If you are cis pleas read this!! includes a link to a study showing all the ways the report is biased and pretty overtly shaped by bigotry)
The Cass Report and the 'results' it claims to show are in no way scientific, factual, good faith, or really anything but transphobic drivel.
Science has a long history of bad actors using "research" shaped by their own bigotry to perpetuate and legitimize systematic harm to disenfranchised groups, because a lot of people trust research to be unbiased and based on fact. Choices of methodology, what data is included or highlighted, how results are framed and shared, and so much more of are all *choices* that can lead to studies looking at the same people/data/concepts getting the exact opposite results. The choices made in creating The Cass Report are pointedly and purposefully transphobic.
Researchers are people, and some people are driven more by their horrific bigotry than anything else. The Cass Report was not made to advance our understanding of the world, it was made to advance the goals of transphobia.
Cis people- please take the time to educate yourselves on transphobia. I highly recommend reading this study looking at the choices made in creating the report and explaining how and why it’s results are biased and clearly shaped by bigotry: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26895269.2024.2328249. Share what you learn, correct EVERYONE you see talking about the Cass Report uncritically, and be better allies overall.
-a trans person with a professional background in research and degree focused on LGBTQIA+ research in particular who has personally designed and conducted studies relating to gender and sexuality
boosts very much appreciated!
#Transphobia #Bigotry #TransRights #TransRightsAreHumanRights #Transmisia
An optional six band parametric equalizer and a sidechainable compressor? For each of the #synth and #audioeffect slots in the graph on all tracks? Yup, that's a thing on the zynthbox #groovebox now :) took a bit of work, and much learning, but it's kind of a neat result, I think ;)
35,000 responses as of 2 days ago!
It's especially helpful to share among LGBTQ+ groups who are:
- Age 25 or older
- Outside of the USA
- Not white
Only 18% of respondents are over 31, and over half are in the USA, so it really helps to get the word out to as many different places as possible.
Here's the survey link:
https://survey.gendercensus.com
One day before parliament was dissolved on 30th May, the UK government used an obscure emergency process to make possession of puberty blockers for new treatment of trans kids illegal, and punishable by up to two years in prison. [1] There was no parliamentary debate, no vote, and no public consultation.
The timing was deliberate. As parliament was dissolved a day later, we have no MPs, and therefore no way to challenge this decision as citizens.
The Good Law Project is challenging it in court, and crowdfunding £75,000 to do so. They have about £2,000 so far.
Donations here: https://goodlawproject.org/crowdfunder/trans-pubertyblockers-cf/
[1] https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/uk-secretary-uses-emergency-powers
"Claims that the majority of the UK’s housing stock is not suitable for a heat pump appear to be [lies].
Research published in 2022 found that properties including Victorian terrace houses and 1960s flats could have a heat pump successfully installed.
A 2021 study found: “Homes can convert to electric heating at a cost far lower than the accepted wisdom” and “with no threat to comfort”. Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions would “fall very dramatically as a result”."
Happy pride, and remember the first one was a riot! Also, if you'd like one of these pretty things (i'm the one on the right, which, obviously i'm not the one on the left ;) ), Tylo is doing these for USD 20 monies, which is frankly silly little money for this kind of pretty! https://www.furaffinity.net/view/56865653/ for you :)
weirdo free/libre open source software person, member of the KDE community since forever, who loves squeaky, slinky and fuzzy things - they/them