hillbillyoracle

[hillbillyoracle]

Some drawings from my most recent zine, Art is a Time Capsule 💕

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Nadia Waheed (Pakistani, 1992) - Dream Mythology I (2025)

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[hillbillyoracle]

“Now, bear in mind,” *I pause, allowing time for you to visualize the bear*

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Opalescent glass Art Deco sculptures by French artist, Lucille Sevin. 1920s—1930s.

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Gremlins. Signed prints are back while supplies last in my web shop.

[hillbillyoracle]

For those who are interested in this endeavor:

here's a list of a bunch of privacy minded alternatives

here's a 21 day "cyber cleanse" - steps for better privacy broken down into more manageable chunks

here's a video tutorial on the basics of degoogling*

here's a good overview of mastodon and the fediverse generally

some free media inspiration - "only consuming media from the library"

some analog media inspiration - "only consuming physical media that fit on this shelf for a month (an experiment)"

some analog media inspiration - "ONLY reading $1 books for a week!! + book shopping at dollar tree & free little libraries "

here's a virtual zine library and shameless plug for my free zines

can't find a resource for music set ups so: musicbee on windows rocks, you can obviously use itunes on apple, there's a ton of linux music set ups (qpp uses k3b), and I love musicolet on android. I get music from the library and on bandcamp.

basics of masking and how to protect yourself at home from lola germs - their long covid video is a must watch!

here's a resource for finding free masks

*I don't recommend Brave - it has crypto "enhancements"; going the Pixel + Graphene OS route for phones is probably best for security but Fairphone + Lineage OS is better if repairability is a key concern

I want to work on something more elaborate but basically what I want to say comes down to this:

Too many people waste their time staying informed about things they'll never change while ignoring the vast amount they could - and that is only to the benefit of everyone they profess to be against.

My recommendations:

Block ads - they track and sell your data on and offline; they're whole goal is to further capitalism/consumerism

Get off of social media entirely (especially Meta platforms) or move to decentralized platforms; decentralized ones at least aren't optimized to keep you on them

Leave streaming platforms (Netflix, Spotify) limit or avoid endless content platforms (YouTube). They have a vested interest in you not feeling satisfied, tiring you out so all you can do is consume them.

When you do consume, switch to more free/low cost media from collective sources like libraries (books, DVDs, music, Kanopy or Hoopla) and direct from creators (indie books, zines, games, etc). This supports your community and cultivates valuing exchanges outside of commercial factors.

Learn about security and privacy issues - consider degoogling, switching to Linux, using a safer phone OS or downgrading your phone, infosec online, etc.

Mask as often as possible with the best quality mask you can afford. This is not as effective at blocking facial recognition as has been reported but it does limit spread of many deadly viruses and saves lives.

Create an archive and back it up of work you enjoy or find useful. Have ways to access it completely offline. Prepare for an internet that is controlled by autocrats or cut off entirely. Make it so you can share it with friends and family if need be.

When you're less influenced by tech and business oligarchies, you're better able to think critically for your own and other's benefits. When you value spending time and consuming outside of their reach, you aren't a cog in their machinery - spending that time feeding them content they can train AIs on and spy on you to sell you to others. When you care about privacy and security and take measures to protect yourself, you help others who have to take those measure to protect themselves because they're targeted - activists, marginalized groups etc - by making it less easy to flag those people. When you mask you protect yourself and others from disease while the health care system is getting attacked and dismantled.

These are meaningful and concrete ways of assisting others that are getting completely ignored in favor of more performative ways of "helping" or not helping at all. And I just...wish people knew it wasn't all or nothing.

The powers that be are trying to destroy services that were intended to benefit all of us so they can sell it back to some of us at a steep mark up. When you use NWS for your weather or NPR/PBS for your news and television, you care when they're gone.

You do not have to consent to autocracy. You can resist it.

[hillbillyoracle]

Expelled from Word, he is now trying to contact you through other programs...

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Mitani Takuya

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Yel, Ezekiel, 2024

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James Lloyd (British, 1905-1974) - Bird Nest (n.d.)

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Phenakistoscope Disk - France - c.1835

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been working on a screenplay recently…………………xx

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Dietrich Moravec (German,b.1950)

Cherry Pyramid, 2020

Acrylic on canvas

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Franz Kafka

(The photo isn’t mine. credit to owner.)

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Choose your fanfiction fighter 🌚

[hillbillyoracle]

Can I Please Eat In The Computer Room Tonight? by Nicole Nikolich (2025)