#Brett In Tech

[hackeocafe]

8 Amazing Websites You Didn't Know Existed

There are a lot of amazing websites on the internet. In this video I will show you 8 amazing websites you may have never heard of and we’re getting started right now.

[chronic-invisibility]

i've been watching wired tech support videos lately because they're interesting and also sometimes funny, and this answer literally made me choke on my own spit bc i was laughing so hard. someone asked how to detect poison and she gave such a hilarious answer, sometimes the experts don't have much of a sense of humor.

[nanaturbina]

"I like my men fruity and pathetic, you wouldn't get it."

[varilovesyou]

Pretty men

[of-fear-and-love]

Character programming scene from Virtuosity (1995)

[gigijb1969]

Rockets 2025, Friday, May 2, Central Texas/Stonewall Weather Delayed Launch Report

[ur-mag]

Hunt for missing dad Brett Orme as murder cops join search ten days after his ‘suspicious’ disappearance | In Trend Today

Hunt for missing dad Brett Orme as murder cops join search ten days after his ‘suspicious’ disappearance Read Full Text or Full Article on MAG NEWS

[fandom-random-help]

Lady

Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Reader

You knew Simon wasn't ready. At least, that's how it came across to you.

When you announced you were pregnant, he just stood there. There was no protest, no excitement, no nothing. It made you worry initially, but you learned over the course of your realtionship, and even your marriage, that it's just going to take time for it to settle in his mind.

Oh that announcement settled in his mind pretty quick. While he never told you a lot, he made up for it in actions. He kept the house stocked on any and all foods you could've wanted. He bought everything needed to renovate the guest room into a nursery and hid it in the garage until he had enough time to get it all done. He even went as far as to give Price a head's up on the situation and asked to be assigned to short deployments until the baby arrives. Simon wanted to be there almost every step of the way.

When it came time for your eight-week appointment, Simon insisted he'll go with you. Once you both arrived, filled out paperwork, and got called in, he held your hand and followed behind you. You settled on the bed while he pulled up a chair to sit next to you. The ultrasound tech was super nice and kept you calm as she explained every little thing she was doing. After some time, she showed you both the screen.

Simon sat in silence, but inside he was panicing. He knew the baby was there, but seeing them on the screen was a different experience. It was further proof to him that this baby was real, and that he really needed to be the father that he never had. When asked if you wanted to hear baby's heartbeat, you nodded excitedly. The beating sound of the little one's heart was the only noise that filled the room. It rang through Simon's head cementing that yes, there was life. In all honesty, that's what scared him the most. He wanted to protect the baby like how he already protects you, but he knew he wouldn't always be there. He was worried he wouldn't be a good dad.

Simon was gripped and dragged from his spiraling thoughts by your solid hold of his hand. He didn't realize that the tech had left the room and you had gotten cleaned up and ready to go home. The drive home was silent. You kept glancing at Simon, trying to catch a sliver of emotion. It wasn't until you were getting ready for bed that Simon walked up to you and fell to his knees. His arms wrapped around your mid section as if he were sheilding it from the world. You finally felt relaxed as he did this as your fingers played with his short blond hair. You reassured him that everything would be fine and that he would not fail at being a dad.

~8 months later~

You were resting in your hospital bed. The birth of your new little girl was everything and more. Best part was you can now tease Simon about crying as soon as the baby started crying. She looked a lot like you, except for her eyes. Yes, she had her father's big, brown, beautiful eyes. That was the first thing you pointed out to Simon when you finally got the chance to hold her. As for Simon, he was an internal emotional wreck. Everything happened so fast that he couldn't keep up. He felt helpless, but in reality he wasn't. He got you to the hospital, he held your hand, massaged your lower back through every contraction, kept you as comfortable as possible, hell he even gave you words of encouragement the entire time. If you were asked, you would say he a big help during labor.

~At Home~

During the early hours of the morning, Simon was awoken by his daughter babbling in her bassinet. He slipped out of bed as to not wake you up and crept down the hall to the nursery. He leaned over the bassinet to look at his baby. As soon as her brown eyes connected with his, she was bursting with excitement in her little swaddle. Simon let out a light chuckle and picked her up. "Tha' right? You're a little cheery thing aren't ya?" He whispered as she continued to babble. He carried her to the living room and sat down in his recliner. The funny thing about Simon is that he doesn't use baby talk. He talks to his baby girl as if she can already fully understand his words.

"I'm not gonna be here all the time kid. I hope when you're a bit older you can keep an eye on your mom for me." He started his rambling. "I want you to know you can always come to me if you need help. You'll always by my baby, but I want you to grow up and be the strong lady I know you can be;" he paused, "I love ya kid."

You woke up without Simon beside you. You peeked into the nursery, no one. You tiptoed into the living room and finally found your favorite two people. He had your daughter curled on top of his abdomen with the recliner on full recline. You grabbed your phone and took a quick picture of the two. You had it printed out and placed it in your scrapbook. The title? Little Lady.

[coochiequeens]

Women in the UK cycle a lot less than men, and farming is male-dominated – so I aim to highlight the role of women in both these areas.” - PhD student Veronica White

By Alex Morrison

A University of Exeter researcher will cycle hundreds of miles across England to interview women in farming about their visions for the future.

PhD student Veronica White will set off from Land’s End on 12 April on a route of over 1,200 miles, ending at the Scottish border in July.

The future of farming is often visualised in high-tech terms – but White’s tour will investigate how women living or working on England’s farms imagine what the future of food production could look like.

Explaining her reasons for her “PhD by bike”, White said: “I was born in the US but I grew up in the Netherlands, where my family travelled by bike or public transport.

“I don’t drive, so cycling is still my main mode of transport – and of course it’s also a low-carbon, sustainable way to travel, which is important to me.

“By cycling, I will see and experience the farming landscapes I ride through – I will feel the hills in my legs, and experience the seasons as they shift.”

She added: “Women in the UK cycle a lot less than men, and farming is male-dominated – so I aim to highlight the role of women in both these areas.”

Credit Brett McKim

White will stop at various points along her journey to spend several days meeting people in farming communities.

Reflecting on the challenge of bike touring and camping, she said: “I know that this cycle tour is not going to be easy. It will, most likely, be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

“But isn’t that what they say about doing a PhD, too? Nobody starts a PhD thinking it’s going to be easy – so why not throw a 1,200-mile cycle ride into the mix?!”

To find out more, see the Farming Futures Cycle Tour webpage. For updates from the trip, see White’s Instagram.

There is also a JustGiving page to raise money for the Farming Community Network.

[rjzimmerman]

Press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

The Center Biological Diversity today sued the Trump administration, including Elon Musk, to obtain public records on the activities of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. The lawsuit appears to be the first contending that DOGE itself is an “agency” for purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

Today’s lawsuit seeks information on the number and identities of volunteers and paid workers within DOGE, meeting details of department staff, communications between individuals within the department and any of Elon Musk’s corporations, and the directives that the department is enacting from the White House and Trump’s advisors.

“The public has every right to know what kind of rogue agency Elon Musk and his tech-bro army have created,” said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center. “Musk’s wrecking ball outfit should be called the Department of Government Evisceration because he’s destroying critical federal agencies that keep us and the environment safe and healthy. The reality is that rebuilding functioning federal agencies will cost far more in the long run than any trivial savings gained.”

Since DOGE was established on Jan. 20, Musk and a few individuals have unlawfully dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development, unilaterally terminated federal contracts to further the right-wing culture agenda, attempted to obtain personal data on virtually every person in the country, and drove the mass firing of thousands of federal servants.

Since the presidential campaign, Musk has continuously promised transparency but virtually nothing is known about his role or how DOGE is structured and who works in the department.

The White House has attempted to obfuscate his role, claiming that Musk is a temporary “special government employee,” an advisor to Trump, an IT consultant and has no decision-making authority. In contrast, President Trump has stated that he has “put a man named Elon Musk in charge,” “he’s doing a great job” and that Musk runs the department. The main information on the department’s website consists of reposts from X, one of Musk’s companies.

In January the Center sued the White House Office of Management and Budget seeking all records of communications between the government and Musk or other members of Trump’s transition team likely to work for DOGE. To date, the government has failed to provide any records in response to the Center’s Freedom of Information Act requests.

The suit also contends that DOGE has failed to comply with FOIA’s requirements that agencies affirmatively disclose to the p

[wat3rm370n]

Republicans attempt to mandate deregulation of AI for tech tycoons and fossil fuel.

They want to stop all the protections and oversight of automation completely in the country, and handcuff state and local efforts to protect communities and save lives.

404 Media - Republicans Try to Cram Ban on AI Regulation Into Budget Reconciliation Bill Emanuel Maiberg · May 12, 2025 at 10:09 AM “...no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act,” says the text of the bill introduced Sunday night by Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. That language of the bill, how it goes on to define AI and other “automated systems,” and what it considers “regulation,” is broad enough to cover relatively new generative AI tools and technology that has existed for much longer. In theory, that language will make it impossible to enforce many existing and proposed state laws that aim to protect people from and inform them about AI systems. (emphasis added)

This is straight out of the anti public health and climate denial legislative playbook.

Unfortunately in Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is forcing AI tools into state government and I'm sure employees feel pressured to use such "tools" even if they do damage, because they want to keep their jobs after all, by keeping their deadlines. The incentive usually being to get things done, not necessarily do things right — and chatbots have the uncanny ability to make things look and sound believable even when they're incorrect. In my opinion, this technology belongs nowhere near the people's business.

My letter to reps:

AI and chatbots absolutely need regulation and oversight. And if the feds won't, the states have a right and a responsibility to do so. The idea of handcuffing us from protecting anyone is like saying you want dirty drinking water. I don't want this everywhere. AI is an out of control financial bubble wasting fossil fuel. It outputs inaccurate information, causing threats to patient safety in healthcare settings and has directly led to illness and even death. An AI generated foraging book told people to eat poison mushrooms. Fake childrens books full of nonsense. It can't even do what they say. It seems only to be able to create convincing sounding BS, use energy and water and land that communities desperately need. And it's functioning as an Oracle of Chatbot thing where unwitting people are being told they're connected to a spirit in the universe. Some would surely call this blasphemy. The pope himself has specifically called out the need to defend human dignity against AI. So why do politicians think they should stifle the freedom to protect communities?

Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.

Pope Leo XIV throws down the gauntlet against AI hype. At his first "working meeting", the pope outlined his priorities to include defending "human dignity" against the threat of AI, citing the dehumanizing effects of the industrial revolution. Chloe Humbert May 13, 2025

Republican state legislators in PA float punitive control of local governments forcing favour to fossil fuel. Republican lawmakers want to punish municipalities attempting to protect local residents and public safety, and impede their compensation for environmental destruction by gas drillers. Chloe Humbert Oct 24, 2024

Lying AI should not be doing the people's business or science. Lives are at stake and the U.S. government and scientific scholars are buying into tech hype boondoggles. Is it corruption, incompetence, or sabotage? Chloe Humbert Mar 22, 2024

More references can be found on these:

The oracle of chatbot phenomenon is not benign. Don't Wait For Everybody - Episode 022 Chloe Humbert May 07, 2025

It's imperative to inform politicians about tech scams that target their ideological hopes with false promises. Crypto mogul donors lure politicians to betray their communities by saying they're doing it to benefit their communities. It's a trick. Chloe Humbert Apr 14, 2025

[meret118]

GOP Tax Bill Would Cut Gender-Affirming Care From Medicaid For All Ages

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-tax-bill-would-cut-gender-affirming-care-from-medicaid-for-all-ages_n_6830f019e4b0b6e012c811d1

The Debt Is About to Matter Again

When interest rates outpace growth, very bad things can happen.

https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/archive/2025/05/trump-tax-cut-debt/682922/

The Largest Upward Transfer of Wealth in American History

House Republicans voted to advance a bill that would offer lavish tax cuts for the rich while slashing benefits for the poor.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/05/big-beautiful-transfer-of-wealth/682885/

'Call This What It Is—Theft': Republicans Approve Largest Medicaid, SNAP Cuts in US History

https://www.commondreams.org/news/republicans-cut-medicaid

They're Not Just Cutting Medicaid': GOP Bill Would Trigger Over $500 Billion in Medicare Cuts

"This is what Republicans do—pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires by going after programs families rely on the most: Medicaid, food assistance, and now Medicare."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/cuts-to-medicare

The hidden provision in the Big Ugly Bill that makes Trump king

“No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued….”

Translated: No federal court may enforce a contempt citation.

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-hidden-provision-in-the-big-ugly

Here are 10 things you need to know about Trump's big ugly bill

https://www.alternet.org/what-is-in-trumps-big-beautiful-bill/

The bill has passed the house.

ETA:

Moody’s downgrades United States credit rating, citing growth in government debt

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/16/moodys-downgrades-united-states-credit-rating-on-increase-in-government-debt.html

This could be solved if we just went back to the tax brackets before reagan was elected.

Republicans just sneakily handed a 'gift-wrapped favor to Big Tech'

U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) added the language Sunday night ahead of a markup session Tuesday, in what appeared to be an effort to stop state governments from enforcing existing and proposed laws to protect the public from AI systems.

www.alternet.org/republicans-just-sneakily/

GOP Effort To Revoke Tax-Exempt Status From Some Nonprofits Sparks Concern

www.newsweek.com/gop-effort-revoke-tax-exempt-status-some-nonprofits-sparks-concern-2071764

[lovelybeautifulsleep]

Photographer Chelsea Kyle captures model Marina Nery for the latest DSCENE STYLE STORIES exclusive feature, with assistance from Angela Cholmondeley and Nick Beaudet. In charge of styling is Stephanie Wengerkiewcz, assisted by Maksim Misgirev. Makeup is done by Tatyana Harkoff, while hair is by Francesca Alfonso. Chelsea Kyle and Marina Nery did the creative direction, and Brett Moen took care of digital tech.

[of-fear-and-love]

Virtuosity (1995)

[gigijb1969]

Rockets 2025, Thursday, May 1, Central Texas/Stonewall Launch Report

Rockets 2025, Central Texas/Stonewall Edition, began today. The original schedule listed 20 rockets for today launched by 6 schools. Of those, 19 were successfully tested today. All were good flights, some lacked deployment of chutes. Quite a few were successfully recovered, though some will need to be searched for tomorrow while retrieving new launches. The site took on a new look this year as…

[morayofsunshine]

holy shit they might've put a fam band reference in the off book captain dangersky musical

idk if it was intentional, but y'all know that episode where Brett brought some really cool musical tech and Zach & Jess sang a song to its beat where they implored people to look at the sea?