PSA: Do you have a local backup of all your data? If not....you should. #psa #backup

#PSA: Pasts Imperfect (a newsletter supporting a global antiquity) has migrated off substack and to Ghost, because #SubstackHasANaziProblem

https://pasts-imperfect.ghost.io/

#PSA #PolariPrize #Transphobia @bookstodon
Author Sasha Coward withdraws "Queer as Folklore" from the Polar Prize long list over the inclusion of John Boyne, transphobe. (his original post here: https://bsky.app/profile/sachacoward.bsky.social/post/3lvwhq7ljik23)

Also, there's an open letter you can sign, here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfe8SgwGycvDaXMHHzoRkuYDDbABS_R7-0EgsVN1QMMBKYl0w/viewform?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwMCfj5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABpxqBq16p0cryC_CvEDnzlJrh8pdH3X_GcMNRiZJ5VGVn0FfvqL7jsgB7CRQa_aem_jzYCfgNCzD2HWJdh2qjGhg&pli=1

Did #ChristieNoem kill #McGruff the Clinton era Crime #Dog?

As millions in money moves to #DHS to hunt #immigrants down, it ain't so farfetched...

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/08/g-s1-81074/mcgruff-crime-dog-fentanyl-campaign-cuts #PSA #FentanylCrisis

WARNING: BIG JOKES IN PROGRESS | @destiny

#PSA: You should almost always click “Deny” when asked about cookies/data collection on a website/app. Most will work just fine without allowing for data collection. Rarely will they say you can’t continue unless you accept. Always advocate for your #privacy!

Please take a moment for this important #PSA #PublicServiceAnnouncement !!!

I discovered a bunch of accessibility settings I didn’t know were available for the iPhone (iOS)—
(Settings > Accessibility).

Specifically, I found many related to the display which I find helpful as a migraine sufferer (e.g., motion reduction), but there are MANY settings for different things.

Settings can be changed globally or on a per-app basis.

#PSA #PublicServiceAnnouncement I unfortunately have to turn off getting words from the Free Dictionary because it throws error for multiple days now. - @pcdevil

#PSA #IT #healthcare folks:

Someone from Beth Israel Deaconess just left a 45 second voicemail reminding Aaron that they need to have a full bladder for their ultrasound tomorrow at 3:45pm.

That's great, but they got the wrong number and dialled me instead. I'm not Aaron. Or Erin.

The callback number is a generic for BID, so generic that there it is literally answered by a message explaining that it is used as a generic outbound identifier by the hospital and there is no way of tracing backwards to who sent the original call, so piss off.

IT folks, don't do this. Assign the outbound number for each department to a receptionist in that department. I know they don't want that. Do it for the patients.

Hey, it's time to have the consent chat with folx again! Yay!

So, I know I can *sometimes* come across as flirty, maybe even a little sexual...and I am. *BUT* that doesn't mean that everyone gets an evergreen ticket to ride.

Consent is an ongoing process—continuing education—not a one-and-done checkbox.

Boundaries change, and so do circumstances. Just because we had hot cybersex a week ago doesn't mean I'm down for pet names or roleplay today. The number of unsolicited dick pics I've seen in Signal this week is too damn high! (the solicited number was just about right)

There's a distinction between different mediums and contexts. Like, my nudes are there for your enjoyment. I know y'all touch yourselves to 'em, and that's pretty hot. But it's not an open invitation to hit me up on Signal like we're dating (unless we actually are).

I value my wholesome-ish designation, and I try hard to be as—if not more—well-known for my community-building, outreach, and research as I am for my body.

So, ask. Ask early and often. And if I say no, it's not personal...it's preference. I prefer friends, open chats, and enthusiastic informed consent.

TL;DR; Fedi is for friends, community, and fun—all of which I prefer to do in public interactions. Flirting is encouraged, but either keep it light (or be really clever with the punnuendos).

In contrast, I use Signal for messages that are too personal or private for Fedi. Sometimes things get intimate, but this isn't OnlyFans chat.

I've noticed that since starting @AltAfterDark, I've been getting a *lot* more chat requests on Signal, and I've already had to remind several of those folx that escalating requires new consent for each session and that I'm not an on-demand fantasy.

::: UPDATE :::

My new website is now first and foremost a Social Media and AI Manifesto.

Running out of arguments when debating why commercial platforms and ‘AI’ are bad? Why we should be wary of vendors’ promises?

I’ve compiled a list of links to sources which I believe to be helpful in convincing others of leaving commercial platforms’ and software giants’ walled gardens.

The sources are mostly recent. If you miss something or find a source worth adding, please let me know in the comments. Thank you.

Boosts very welcome :)

https://babumenos.com#manifesto

(I have also included a robots.txt and an .htaccess to exclude malicious AI bots from the site, shout-out to Jeff Starr (⁠@perishable⁠), https://perishablepress.com/ultimate-ai-block-list/)

#PSA: set up your profile somewhat before following people. Some of us vet followers after the fact, and if you don't look human to me, I will absolutely block you.

(Looking at you @jane30@mastodon.social… for a second)

Just a little #PSA for those voting in the #GreenParty internal elections…

Stack rank your favourite trans-inclusive candidates, then add re-open nominations at the bottom. Leave the TERFs and the 'not prepared to take a side'-ers on the left side of the screen. Don't give them any of your vote.

Please don't call the cops on homeless folks, who you may see/run into at some parks, if they're not bothering anyone at all & are trying to keep to themselves. I've met several different homeless folks all around this large urban park & never felt scared around them. I sometimes bring them free foods & first aid supplies.

We desperately need more social & transitional supportive housing in #VictoriaBC. All municipalities should be working on this - together. This is a shared social responsibility & it crosses every municipal border. Demonizing, dehumanizing & criminalizing homeless folks hasn't helped at all - it is also very unkind & lacking of humanity.

#PSA
This is your friendly reminder that if you, like me, are driven crazy by tiny little invisible scrollbars that are nearly impossible to see and click, and you use #Firefox, there's an advanced configuration setting for that:
"widget.non-native-theme.scrollbar.size.override".
I personally have it set to "25", rather than the default which is "0".
Details on how to set it: <https://support.mozilla.org/kb/about-config-editor-firefox>.
#UX