#i.e. identity theft

[nougatbit]

in other related news, i just wrote down my stupid indexed secret for 2 factor authentication for my uni's online services again, because i lost my last copy...

security...

and all this because my phone is too old for yet another stupid fucking app

[mamawasatesttube]

you know the plotline in funeral for a friend where lois breaks into cadmus after finding out they stole clark's body, and she's pissed and grieving and so angry that they'd desecrate him in death?

i keep thinking idly about like. some au where in that process, she not only found clark's body strapped onto a lab table and hooked up to computers for all sorts of analysis, but also... she found the results of that research.

like. she's not thinking about secret identities or how to explain her sudden acquisition of a little guy. she just saw a little guy with clark's face in a tube, after being furious beyond measure about the theft and desecration of clark's body. she wasn't thinking about next steps. she just lost her shit and acted. only stopped to think about it later...

... i.e., lois phoning up ma and pa like haha. remember how we were just talking about how ill never get to marry clark and you'll never have grandkids and all that? um. well. there may have been. a development. WHAT? no!!! im not pregnant!! it's. uhhhhh it's. a lot more complicated than that?

ma on the phone: what do you mean? can you start at the beginning, dear?

lois, panicking: What Do You Do With A Child. Teenager. Person. Guy.

anyway here's how conner lane can still win,

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A decorative orange ceramic plate with a pyramid of green herbs and sesame seeds, topped with deep red sumac and more sesame seeds. End ID]

زعتر فلسطيني / Za'tar falastinia (Palestinian spice blend)

Za'tar (زَعْتَر; also transliterated "za'atar," "zaatar" and "zatar") is the name of a family of culinary herbs; it is also the name of a group of spice blends made by mixing these herbs with varying amounts of olive oil, sumac, salt, roasted sesame seeds, and other spices. Palestinian versions of za'tar often include caraway, aniseed, and roasted wheat alongside generous portions of sumac and sesame seeds. The resulting blend is bold, zesty, and aromatic, with a hint of floral sourness from the sumac, and notes of licorice and anise.

Za'tar is considered by Palestinians to have particular national, political, and personal importance, and exists as a symbol of both Israeli oppression and Palestinian home-making and resistance. Its major components, olive oil and wild thyme, are targeted by the settler state in large part due to their importance to ecology, identity, and trade in Palestine—settlers burn and raze Palestinian farmers' olive trees by the thousands each year. A 1977 Israeli law forbade the harvesting of wild herbs within its claimed borders, with violators of the law risking fines and confiscation, injury, and even death from shootings or land mines; in 2006, za'tar was further restricted, such that even its possession in the West Bank was met with confiscation and fines.

Despite the blanket ban on harvesting wild herbs (none of which are endangered), Arabs are the only ones to be charged and fined for the crime. Samir Naamnih calls the ban an attempt to "starve us out," given that foraging is a major source of food for many Palestinians, and that picking and selling herbs is often the sole form of income for impoverished families. Meanwhile, Israeli farmers have domesticated and farmed za'tar on expropriated Palestinian land, selling it (both the herb and the spice mixture) back to Palestinians, and later marketing it abroad as an "Israeli" blend; they thus profit from the ban on wild harvesting of the herb. This farming model, as well as the double standard regarding harvesting, refer back to an idea that Arabs are a primitive people unfit to own the land, because they did not cultivate or develop it as the settlers did (i.e., did not attempt to recreate a European landscape or European models of agriculture); colonizing and settling the land are cast as justified, and even righteous.

The importance of the ban on foraging goes beyond the economic. Raya Ziada, founder of an acroecology nonprofit based in Ramallah, noted in 2019 that "taking away access to [wild herbs] doesn't just debilitate our economy and compromise what we eat. It's symbolic." Za'tar serves variously as a symbol of Palestinians' connection to the land and to nature; of Israeli colonial dispossession and theft; of the Palestinian home ("It’s a sign of a Palestinian home that has za’tar in it"); and of resistance to the colonial regime, as many Palestinians have continued to forage herbs such as za'tar and akkoub in the decades since the 1977 ban. Resistance to oppression will continue as long as there is oppression.

Palestine Action has called for bail fund donations to aid in their storming, occupying, shutting down, and dismantling of factories and offices owned by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Also contact your representatives in the USA, UK, and Canada.

Ingredients:

Za'tar (Origanum syriacum), 250g once dried (about 4 cups packed)

250g (1 2/3 cup) sesame seeds

170g (3/4 cup) Levantine sumac berries, or ground sumac (Rhus coriaria)

100g (1/2 cup) wheat berries (optional)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp aniseed (optional)

1/2 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

Levantine wild thyme (also known as Bible hyssop, Syrian oregano, and Lebanese oregano) may be purchased dried online. You may also be able to find some dried at a halal grocery store, where it will be labelled "زعتر" (za'tar) and "thym," "thyme," or "oregano." Check to make sure that what you're buying is just the herb and not the prepared mixture, which is also called "زعتر." Also ensure that what you're buying is not a product of Israel.

If you don't have access to Levantine thyme, Greek or Turkish oregano are good substitutes.

Wheat berries are the wheat kernel that is ground to produce flour. They may be available sold as "wheat berries" at a speciality health foods store. They may be omitted, or replaced with pre-ground whole wheat flour.

Instructions:

1. Harvest wild thyme and remove the stems from the leaves. Wash the leaves in a large bowl of water and pat dry; leave in a single layer in the sun for four days or so, until brittle. Skip this step if using pre-dried herbs.

2. Crumble leaves by rubbing them between the palms of your hands until they are very fine. Pass through a sieve or flour sifter into a large bowl, re-crumbling any leaves that are too coarse to get through.

Crumbling between the hands is an older method. You may also use a blender or food processor to grind the leaves.

3. Mix the sifted thyme with a drizzle of olive oil and work it between your hands until incorporated.

4. Briefly toast sumac berries, caraway seeds, and aniseed in a dry skillet over medium heat, then grind them to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle or a spice mill.

5. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until deeply golden brown.

6. (Optional) In a dry skillet on medium-low, toast wheat berries, stirring constantly, until they are deeply golden brown. Grind to a fine powder in a spice mill. If using ground flour, toast on low, stirring constantly, until browned.

Some people in the Levant bring their wheat to a local mill to be ground after toasting, as it produces a finer and more consistent texture.

7. Mix all ingredients together and work between your hands to incorporate.

Store za'tar in an airtight jar at room temperature. Mix with olive oil and use as a dipping sauce with bread.

[arkipelagic]

are there any particular nuances regarding indigenous peoples' rights in philippines that you'd consider noteworthy of sharing?

Indigenous Peoples (‘IP’ or katutubo in filipino) is a political identity and is defined socially and legally as those who come from non-christianized and non-islamized ethnic groups, with a few exceptions like sama bajau people who are historically muslim. IPs are also defined by marginalization: they are targets for ethnic discrimination, land theft, and with relatively little political representation compared to other philippine ethnic groups. in other words, Indigenous Peoples do not fit into the quintessential filipino package: christian (typically catholic) and historically hispanicized/americanized.

majority filipinos are, in the most basic definition of the word, indigenous to the archipelago now called the philippines - meaning they are descended from the two major ancestral groups, the first humans who arrived during the paleolithic era and the later austronesian speaking migrants during the neolithic era - but very few are those who identify and are identified as Indigenous Peoples. the terminology can be confusing and i compare it to métis versus Métis: anyone mixed can be referred to as métis in french but only a very specific people can be Métis, i.e., the Red River Métis Nation of canada. the Proper Noun is named after the common noun.

as for my own observations: i think it’s jarring how, within a mindanawon context specifically, the filipinization of the island has been so rapid. to the point where visayans living in mindanao (who are descendants of visayan settlers) don’t even realize how they got to mindanao and what life was like in the previous century. if they aren’t ignorant then they are just plain racist towards the natives, see: my visayan mother’s side of the family about lumad and moro people. saying that visayan settlers are more industrious and capitalist compared to useless, unmotivated, and/or backwards natives is a common sentiment to have in families like mine.

and if you ever bring up land theft or ethnic discrimination towards IPs, the most common excuse is, “we’re all filipino. so what?”

[yeonbam]

People who wonder why Jack is so sensitive about Joke’s constant theft to get his way, even if it is for Jack, forget that one of the main prejudices against economically struggling classes of people is that those from privileged classes look at them with suspicion of crimes like theft literally chronically.

And Jack is the kind of person who is extra hard on himself because of the things he doesn’t have and he wants to escape this ‘othering’, this dehumanization of sorts, by using with what he has— his skills and knowledge, i.e. socially acceptable means.

This aversion to theft is seen even in Tattoo’s mother when she chastises her son for stealing from Boss despite how much they are literally suffering because of him. To escape prejudice against poor people being inherent thieves, they have to be ten times better than the average person, can't be immoral the same way the rich are, or else their suffering magically becomes "deserved" because they're not "good poor people."

YET, the complexity of this othering is so deep that even wanting to be self-reliant is frowned upon, as you see when Joke’s Dad criticizes Jack for being ‘poor but proud’ to want to give his grandmother the best medical treatment.

The reality is, the source of this ‘pride’/self-reliance, is literally… never having anyone who will help you out of your situations. Boss helping his grandmother with medicine was literally a scheme to use her to control Jack. And help for the hospital bills came at the price of his life and identity in the hands of Boss.

The first time Jack got help for his dream was from Joke and it ended in the shattering of his hopes due to betrayal and being almost involved in theft— of all things.

Jack is the amalgamation, of all these expectations from others and from himself. He is simultaneously inclined to be the perfect ‘victim’ and the saviour who, having lost his own childhood, wants to give all the things he never had to the children. It is going to be a chance for them and a second chance for himself. He formed this idea when he too was just a baby.

[jacquesthepigeon]

I'm a French person so forgive me if my English isn't good.

So I just got into Miraculous Ladybug, and I must say, the disproportionately unrealistically is amusing to me.

Andre Bourgeois would've have been kicked out of office for his abuse of power around his first term. Like seriously, the show portrays the citizens of Paris as unaware and lacking a backbone, when France (especially Paris) do not take abuse of power by the government lying down. Literally a year ago the entirety of France went on a nationwide strike and threatened to burn down Paris because the government wanted to raise the retirement age by 2 years. There is no conceivable way that people in the show would just bow down to the whims of the Mayor just because his stupid daughter threw a tantrum. And after Miracle Queen, he would have his head paraded on the streets. I'll be honest, the French have a proven track record of being prepared to burn Paris to the ground over most issues. It's pretty much our go-to mode of political expression. I doubt that the mayor prioritizing his stupid daughter over the wellbeing of his citizens would go over well.

Audrey Bourgeois should be facing lawsuits. This woman has been stated many times to fire her workers on a whim. Like I said before, French people are not lacking in backbone and the Style Queen should be facing lawsuits on the grounds of wrongful termination. Also, why isn't her awful behavior all over the news? Her image should be severely affected for the reasons mentioned above.

Chloe, Sabrina, and Lila should be expelled and facing criminal charges. Not only do we see Chloe, Lila, and Sabrina commit several crimes over the course of the series (i.e. theft, wasting emergency resources, fraud, academic fraud, harassment, physical assault, slander and defamation, destruction of property, breaking and entering, aiding and abetting terrorism), but bullying itself is illegal in France and considered a serious crime, especially in Paris. If it's reported with proof it can be taken to the police and the school board and the perpetrator can face up to three years of jail time along with a fine of 30,000 euros. All it would take is a single video of Chloe and her future would be as good as ruined due to the bullying and also the criminal record that she should have.

The President should've been involved since the beginning. The President lives in Paris, yet has done nothing about the Hawkmoth and Andre Bourgeois problem??? The only form of resistance we've seen outside of heroes were the occasional police force interference and the civilians fighting in heroes day (may favorite moment of the show).

Francios Dupont should be under intense investigation or completely shut down. Why is no one concerned that the highest rate of akumitizations come from a class of high school students? What do their parents think? Why is no one of authority investigating Hawkmoth's base of operations? It would realistically be the best lead that they have to finding out Hawkmoth's identity. The parents of the students should have either pulled the kids out or called up the school board with their concerns because there is no way a normal person would think that their child would be safe in an environment that is fermenting with negativity.

This is all that I could think of on the top of my head and probably the most glaring plot holes. Really, for a show written by French people, it is as far away from French that you can get.

Urban fantasy genre and all that but it’s really funny how the creator swears up and down the show (or it’s concept in general) can’t be written by anyone non french when there’s so much bull involved

[franki-lew-yo]

Spoilers (even though this isn't an existing fanfic or anything just doodles and headcanons...whatev) for "Eve and the Witnits"

Philip and Caleb still end up separated for a long while in this timeline because Philip gets traded to the Titan Trappers after Eve's mom looses a bet. The brothers meet up again once Caleb and Evelyn have already married and had their daughter.

Philip meanwhile is 'Shifter', i.e. a person who commits identity theft by literally disguising their form with illusion+oracle magic.

Most shifters have a pendant with which they trap the thoughts/memories of others inside of to assist in the transformations. Philip's is a concealment stone that was strapped onto him by force by the trappers that he's modified throughout the years named Walpurga. And yes, she's alive-

She survives off Philip's blood and the flesh of people Philip feeds her, both living and dead, and is completely in tune with him as a result. But not like a Palisman. Don't forget that part-

While living with the trappers, SOMETHING happened with Philip that caused him to let go of his period accurate witch-bigotry, but tbh I really don't think bigotry is the only issue PhilBelos has as a person. He'd always be nine kinds of sketch, so I hope you'll enjoy going through this with me.

[sosoribro]

I love that your Ninjoy is muffled like Kenny McCormick. If I may ask, do you have any headcanons for Joy and Moe + their alter egos?

OHOHOHO *RUBS HANDS TOGETHER EVILLY*

ahem im glad you asked

HOPE YOU LIKE MOEJOY

-she doesnt talk very much at all as ninjoy, but when she does, she puts on an almost comically deep batman-esque voice

-ninjoy and the dynamoe don't actually know the correct spelling of each-other's names (i.e ninjoy doesn't know that "dynamoe" has an "e" on the end)

-moe is set on finding out ninjoy's true identity, but thinks that joy is too obvious of a suspect.

-they met when they were very young kids, and were friends for quite a while during school before gradually finding different friends, eventually they reconnected when joy helped moe set up his shop

-joy actually finds the dynamoe to be really cool

-dynamoe's main motive is just the thrill he gets from causing chaos. vandalism is definitely his favourite crime

-he does not have a license

-ninjoy is very far from a hero herself. she just keeps the dynamoe from screwing over the whole city while she quietly engages in vandalism and the occasional jewellery theft. only occasional

-moe is ninjoy's biggest fan

-ninjoy is very dedicated to protecting moe

-the dynamoe won't stop teasing ninjoy like a kid would, mostly saying things like "awwwww does someone have a little crush on me???"

YOU CAUGHT ME AT THE RIGHT TIME BY THE WAY I AM WORKING ON LISTS

[nanachachasposts]

Hi I just read chapter 5 and wanted to say a couple of things about it c:

1.- Is it maybe implied that Lyssie and Festus old married couple quarre could lead to something more?

2.- I kind of understand Coryo but still my heart always bleeds more for Janey and that ending was really heart-breaking to witness.

3.- The fact that your Felix has a fondness for plants is adorable.

WARNING: LONG ASS RESPONSE TO THE SECOND COMMENT I'M SORRY YA GIRL LIKES TO RAMBLE

maaaaaaybe (when she's super fucking obvious lol)

2. I'm actually super glad that you feel that way. Personally, if I were to say someone was in the wrong in that argument, I'd say it was Coryo. That being said, I think the argument itself is nuanced (even if I didn't fully expand upon that in every way it could be expanded upon). Coryo is a 'Capitol elitist prick' and simply does not give a shit about anyone in the districts, but he's also not entirely wrong for being upset with Sejanus. Like there's a good chance he's being exaggeratory in just how much it matters, but it's obvious that his reputation and social status do in fact matter. It serves as both a vehicle for which he's able to maneuver and as protection against an oppressive system that (whether he wants to acknowledge it or not) exploits and abuses him (though not as severely as it does someone in the districts). It makes sense that he'd be extremely protective over it, especially when he lacks the funds Sejanus has (especially when taking into account that this is a society in which debtors are forced into indentured servitude (i.e. peacekeepers)). Sejanus lacks any social privilege Coryo has but outnumbers him ten to one in terms of class privilege. It's why he feels comfortable acting as boldly as he does, and this reliance on that - even if it's subconscious - is what eventually spells his doom (along with his trust in and loyalty to Coryo). So yeah, I do think Coryo's position in the argument is understandable but at the end of the day, like I said before, he's a 'Capitol elitist prick' who doesn't give a shit about anyone in the districts (and in turn, he's totally unable to understand or empathize with Sejanus or his point of view). He's in the wrong because Sejanus was in the right to stand up for himself and other 'district folk', and obviously Coryo's an ass for attempting to erase Sejanus' personal identity.

3. To be completely honest I subconsciously ripped off @thief-of-eggs by making Felix into plants and only just realized that today when I was rereading their fic for like the fifth time (I love you pls don't sue me for intellectual property theft)

[nothingtherefornow]

(I am just curious)

Which Holders are (in your opinion) "Major Characters" of Miraculous Team (i.e. these Holders that weren't given Miraculous "just because")?

I always saw Rena Rouge, Carapace, Viperion, Ryuko, Bunnix and now Vesperia as the major characters of the Miraculous Team, for different reasons, even if for now Nino and Alya are walking on thin ice because of their lack of faith and trust in Marinette and their disreguard of Adrien's opinion, and I still think it wasn't cool for Kagami to reveal Marinette's identity as Ladybug to Felix even if she felt that it was necessary for Felix to trust Marinette and Ladybug for help.

Rena Rouge and Carapace where the first temporary heroes to be chosen, and as much as theiy are left to be desired as reliable friends, I can't deny that they both proved themselves as heroes. Alya still managed to bring a considerable help to Marinette when she needed it during season 4, and Nino stood up to an akuma by himself only with Chat Noir's weapon to gain enough for Ladybug, and later in season 4 I think he did a great job with the Resistance if we are to exclude his plan during Illusion, I think those are notable feats to mention about Nino, but even though he was a great help as a civilian, his inability to keep a secret and the blind faith he had in Lila does not make him suitable to be a permanent miraculous hero. If Alya can learn from her mistakes with Lila I guess I can accept her as a major member of the miraculous team but she remain the same and repeat the same mistakes, I don't think she's worthy either.

Kagami and Luka really became major characters in Miraculous, and I think Ryuko and Viperion became a crucial part of the miraculous team, even more than ena Rouge and Carapace dare I say.

Luka provides a form of psychological support to Marinette and Adrien, and now knows the secret identities of the two concerned. And it is thanks to him that the events of Ephemeral could be rectified. And after having undergone training with su-Han, Luka must have gain an even more important place among the miraculous team, because if something were to happen to Laybug or should Marinette renounce her gardianship, Luka is the only one who I think could replace her.

About Kagami, as a sentihuman and one who is really involved in the lore because her mother is/was Gabriel's ally, and after Kagami became close to Felix as well as becoming aware or her sentibeing nature, I think she gained a more important role in the story, and this could make her one of the major miraculous wielder. At this point the trio Adrigaminette became very popular, and Kagami is also aware of Ladybug's identity, which in my opinion may have given her the same importance as Rena Rouge on the miraculous team.

Alix's role as a miraculous wielder was kinda predetermined from the moment hier future self as Bunnix was revealed. As the wielderof a miraculous allowing time travel, her importance in the team no longer needs to be proven. Even if I didn't really appreciate the dark look that Alix gave Marinette during the Ladybug episode when Lila falsely accused the girl of theft, but at least when Nathaniel believed that Marinette had played a trick on him to make fun of him, Alix knew that it wasn't Marinette's type and that Nathaniel had probably misinterpreted the situation, and during the rest of the episode she was of great help to the heroes. Then she accomplished her mission brilliantly during Evolution, and was absent when Lila was spouting bullshit about Marinette during Revelation and Confrontation, so for now I can't yet judge if she's a good friend to Marinette, and by extension if she's truly truly one of Ladybug's most reliable allies, but I like to think that for the moment this is the case.

Zoé could be a major member of the team, because she's the only one who defended Marinette when she needed it, and she bravely stood up to an akumatized Chloé during Queen Banana and thus proved her courage. But she's also Chloé's half sister, who is/was one of Miraculous antagonist, and she's now the wielder of the Bee miraculous, who was on the same spot as the Turtle, Fox, Butterfly and Peacock miraculous in the previous miraculous box for whom Master Fu was the gardian. She could be put in the background during season 6, or she could on the contrary gain a more important role within the miracle team, that's remain to be see.

As for others miraculous wielders that I could see becoming major members to the miraculous team if they prove themselves reliable enough, I would pick Max, Mylene and Rose. In the Robostus episode, if it wasn't for Max, Ladybug and Chat Noir would have lost their miraculous, and his help was his help and that of Markov were essential during starTrain. Mylene actively advocates for just causes that are close to her heart, and she did extremely well during her first use of the mouse miraculous. I would think the same thing about Ivan if we had seen him prove his worth rather than being chosen in Penalteam a bit by default by Ladybug in the same way as Traquemoiselle, Caprikid and coq Courage. And Rose was able to resist Guilttrip's power on her own, that's an impressive feat in my opinion, yet but I don't think she'll be that of a major member in the miraculous team though. As for Kim, He still has a lot to do to prove himself truly worthy, even if he's got potential, but I don't think he's that major for the miraculous team either, even if the monkey miraculous is pretty powerfull too.

But these characters have unfortunately proven that between Marinette's words and those of someone like Lila, it's not Marinette they will listen to, and for me Ladybug deserves better than allies who never listen to her alter ego civil

in season 5, Zoé, Alya, Kagami, Luka were the only other miraculous wielders to intervene and get the mostt attention from this arc contraru to the other wielders

For now I still don't think that Marinette's classmates are all worthy of being permanent wielders, and I'm saddened that Ldybug thinks that they are perfect for the job when she can't even fully rely on them as Marinette But then I can also theorize that Marinette entrusted her "friends" with miraculous permanently more likellly out of necessity so that no one can steal all the miraculous at the same time like Felix once did.

[sablewing]

Late night thoughts, about software and algorithms.

Hmm, haven't posted late night thoughts here before, it seems appropriate, I think? And late night is relative, as I get older, late gets earlier. :-)

Reminder, algorithms depend on human input to function. Without humans entering data and reacting to output, algorithms are just a bunch of gibberish text coded as 0's and 1's.

With the internet and current systems, it may take a large group of humans to change the behavior of an algorithm, but it is possible.

For example, it's possible to shift the results of a search in a search engine.

Analyze the current patterns of a search for a term, set up websites and social media posts to optimize their terms, and voila! Behavior changed to display results that may not apply.

See Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies who are paid to do this for advertising.

For social media, change the algorithm by changing what you like. Now these companies do work to passively gather data, so it is a bit harder to change the behavior. But even here, it is possible, with a bit of thought

Ad blockers and Javascript blockers can help to starve the algorithm of input. Using the built-in filtering tools and turning off notifications is another method of changing the input.

Check and respond on your schedule, not the algorithms.

Set new trends in fashion that mess with the algorithm. A few years ago there was software that claimed to recognize male versus female faces.

One problem, I am female, the different on-line software packages I tried only recognized me as male.

After some analysis, I think this occurred for two reasons

1. I don't wear makeup

2. My face structure is one that could be described as androgynous, i.e. I look male/female depending on the person's viewpoint.

I tend to think the lack of makeup is the strongest factor, however, I have had problems all my life of getting mistaken as a male so that's probably not the only reason.

A simple thing and a possible assumption built into the algorithm.

The key to all of this is to understand software is:

All software is built of branching trees that require input from humans to do anything. The input might be as simple as pressing a start button but the input is required.

If you shift the input so it fall outside of the parameters of one of the branches, you force it to follow a very different path.

Do this often enough and you can cause a break in the paths..

In my opinion, all software is inherently fragile due to the complexity of the branches.

Finally, PSA, I would like to see an effort to improve the tools used to develop software to help reduce this fragility. Software has become a key part of our infrastructure yet there has not been a lot of change in the underlying technology in my lifetime.

We should also look at identifying and regulating key portions of software development used in our infrastructure. I suspect everyone else is also tired of all of the cyber-attacks, identity theft and scams that are enabled by software.

Without humans, computers are fancy blocks of metal that have a bunch of sand storing ridiculous amounts of code and data. Talk of replacing humans is meant to cause fear and make money for someone somewhere.

And mess with the algorithm, post some nonsense to pour some sand in the gears.

Have a swimmingly lovely evening of brillig proportions while twitching the branch to an offload of intrigue that matches and mixes the tones of the sand in time.

And to all, a good nite, a good nite, a pleasant eve until the morrow and the sun of the nite transforms to the morning brights upon the brow.

[vic0329]

Black Mirror: Season 3

Episode 3: “shut up and dance”

Synopsis:

In the midst of the bustling and interconnected technological universe we live today, "Shut up and Dance" takes us into a disturbing analysis of how our intimidated is violated and influenced by digital media. Set in the near future, the plot centers on Sara, a college student who sees her existence take an unexpected turn when she is involved in the world of cyber extortion. A mysterious hacker, using a lethal weapon: In order to protect her reputation, Sara is compelled to undertake a series of supposedly insignificant but embarrassing acts. As the pressure builds, she falls prisoner to a deadly game where technology stands as the worst of her enemies and threatens her freedom. Through surprising plot twists and a story full of tension, "Shut up and Dance" raises fundamental questions about online security, the fragility of our digital lives and how privacy occupies an increasingly sqlvático world. Exploring the darkest corners of technology and human nature, this Black Mirror release presents a visually striking aesthetic alongside poignant performances. While Sara faces a merciless enemy and struggles with her own feeling hopeless, the audience is captivated by an intense emotional experience that leads us to reflect on the real control we have over our lives during these digital times. In "Shut up and dance", it is clear how in the virtual world there is no clear separation between public and private boundaries; showing us how a simple action like clicking can distort both truths and falsehoods.

Analysis:

IA and social media: In the chapter we do not see that the AI does not affect, but if the social networks because of a harassment that has an unknown person, the main protagonist has to do things he does not like as meet more people with the same problems or more serious, even had to kill another person to q the last equal to be disclosed a video of him, many people suffer from this daily because they are manipulated through social networks or cases where they get into pages with viruses and watch them all the time.

Mental health: Mental health has a great effect on our daily life and is related to our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It influences our most difficult moments and we react to various situations in which we face throughout our lives. This episode shows us a clear example of how, due to difficult situations and an imbalance in mental health, people made mistakes because they did not know how to deal with crises, stress, anguish, desperation and did everything to save their reputation.

Unfortunately we allow many people to play with our mental health and this is how it is presented in this episode, even though we want to be conscious in our actions, to manage our emotions, when we have pressure in various situations we make mistakes, stress wins us and our decisions go down, our life falls and in it our mental health and that is when we react and we realize that it was better to face the mistakes and not hide them no matter what, our physical and psychological health is worth more.

Positive aspects: social networks help us to manage our future, i.e. many activities in the future they will make our lives easier but they can replace us, through them we can communicate with our relatives at a distance and in emergency situations, social networks are a means of communication that when used in the right way are used to disseminate certain important news and be in context with what happens in the world second by second, the networks facilitate information, communication and entertainment and in our hand is the use we want to give it. Negative aspects: Social networks are categorized as a double-edged sword, many people take advantage of this knowledge in them to do evil, identity theft, theft of photos, personal information and manipulate people to do what they want, it is unfortunate that such an important and very useful tool little by little we are damaging it and so it is destroying us.

Rating:

The score we give to this chapter is 10, this chapter is one of the strongest chapters that in our opinion Black Mirror has had, it is known that Black Mirror touches on themes from the dark side of technology; This specific chapter talks about pedophilia and how hackers through the computer can be aware of everything the user does and use this against him. This 19-year-old young man violated his privacy by recording a video of him masturbating and How they threatened him that they were going to upload this video to networks and make him do illegal things.

This leads us to see the reality of many young people today and how this can influence their behaviors and mental health, leading them to commit illegal acts and even lead to death.

Technology is advancing rapidly, but even though it seems safe, we are always willing to take risks just by being on the Internet, in addition to the fact that technology today unfortunately handles everything and just one click away they have all our information. This chapter leaves many lessons, mainly about the care that must be taken with the devices and the information we give to them, because they can be within the reach of all hackers.

[g-a-costa]

Notes on Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth (Part 1)

Sharing some of my favorite passages from Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth.

Book: The Wretched of the Earth (Frantz Fanon)

Translated from French by Richard Philcox

Favorite/notable quotes from

Chapter 1 - On Violence

Page 1: “Decolonization is quite simply the substitution of one ‘species’ of mankind by another.”

My notes

Decolonization isn’t just switching who holds the flag or occupies the palace. It’s a revolutionary process that overturns a whole system of power where one group has treated another as subhuman.

Page 2:

1) “Decolonization, we know, is an historical process. In other words, it can only be understood, it can only find its significance and become self-coherent insofar as we can discern the history-making movement which gives it form and substance.”

2) “The colonist and the colonized are old acquaintances. And consequently, the colonist is right when he says he “knows” them. It is the colonist who fabricated and continues to fabricate the colonized subject. The colonist derives his validity, i.e., his wealth, from the colonial system.”

My notes

1) Decolonization is a historical process that unfolds in time, is shaped by historical forces, and should be understood within a temporal, social, and political context. It’s not just the end of colonial rule, but about the transformation of society, consciousness, and structures that colonialism produced and violently imposed on the colonized.

What is the “history-making movement”? It’s the people’s movement. This movement is often violent because violence is the language the colonized were forced to learn. It becomes not just retaliation, but a process of reclaiming humanity and agency.

Without it, there’s no meaningful decolonization. The real content of decolonization is found in the struggles and movements that create it. Otherwise, it risks becoming a hollow performance or a reproduction of colonial power in a new guise. We see this risk in post-independence states where old colonial institutions or systems of power remain intact under new leadership. This is what Fanon warned against as neocolonialism disguised in nationalist colors. Examples of this can be seen in countries like Haiti, Congo, Kenya, Algeria, India.

2) The colonizer-colonized relationship is interpersonal and manufactured. It’s not natural or accidental. The colonizer claims to ‘know’ the colonized, but only knows a version he created to justify domination. This identity is fabricated through institutions (schools, laws, media). Colonizers constructed categories (like savage, lazy, violent, terrorist). The colonist “knows” this fabricated subject because he made them that way through years of violence, propaganda, and material conditions. The colonist’s own wealth and sense of self depend on maintaining this system of illusions.

I’ve been reading The Wretched of the Earth as part of my own process of unlearning the narratives I was taught growing up. I was taught that colonization was good and that it brought “civilization,” “development,” and “order.” As I got older and joined socialist circles, I learned about the violence, the theft, the psychological warfare.

These quotes and reflections are part of how I’m trying to decolonize my psyche. I’m not posting to lecture anyone, but to think out loud, and maybe inspire someone else to pick up the book and read it with me.

[amxdetectives0]

What Types of Cases Do Private Investigators Handle?

Private investigators (PIs) are frequently shown in movies as being mysterious individuals who secretly follow suspects through secluded areas dressed in trench coats, but in actuality, their work is much more extensive and important. A PI of today works on cases of all kinds that related to personal, business and even legal, thus providing services very vital to the society. Matrimonial investigations are most commonly requested. PIs are hired for this kind of work to confirm the infidelity of a spouse or check their identity before the marriage. Such inquiries also involve the collection of evidence through secret surveillance, verifying someone’s past and, if it is necessary, conducting witness interviews, and taking pictures, videos, and behavioral records.

Another major field where investigation agency are mainly involved is corporate investigations. The companies always design the PIs with the role of conducting employee background check, monitoring internal fraud, or resolving intellectual property theft cases. When the theft is of extremely high value, it may require undercover operations by a company employee to uncover the illegal behavior such as embezzlement, loss of company information, or any type of workplace misconduct. At this point, it is the company's job to trust in the investigative professional not only for guidance and information but also for security itself.

Private investigators also are an important part of finding persons who are not where they are supposed to be, and also of chasing folks who are slow payers of their debts. Finding people is a pretty challenging task as it involves such activities like uniting family members separated for long, determining if a person running away is safe and secure or catching the ones that are at large. Digital footprints, online searches, and questioning people are the methods investigators combine when they look for someone. In legal proceedings, PIs can be of great support to the lawyers by getting evidence that is relevant, giving summons to respondents, or affirming alibis. Not only the fact of being able to function by themselves is a big strength of private detectives.

Ultimately, the exclusive detective agency in Chandigarh profession is exposed to different levels of confidential cases. It is cases where they either branch out in personal issues or cross over to business situations or perhaps legal matters that are also the ones where you can count on PIs, as their help is dependable, trustworthy, precise, and sure as fire. Contingent upon your detective's competence, resourcefulness, and persistence, the task of discovering what is well embedded in some covers will pass off unnoticed. It is the investigative work done by the private detectives that helps to read between the lines, i.e., catch the truth when it is being neglected, and generally, it does that job of the client being updated, doing so with reliable evidence in his or her hands.

[psalmonesermons]

Our identity is in Christ Part 1

Identity theft in believers

Marriage brings changes to our natural identities. How much more should our identities change when we become born-again through Jesus Christ?

Opening Prayer (from Ephesians 1:16-21)

Father of glory, we come to you in the name of Jesus Christ, give us this day the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, 18 that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of your power toward us who believe, according to the working of Your mighty power 20 which You worked in Christ when you raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Amen

There is a story about a young Christian who bumped into an experienced Christian whilst out for a walk one day. The older man asked the younger man, how are you? The younger man replied that under the circumstances, I am a bit depressed. The older man was shocked and said to the younger man, well if you are born again, you should not be under the circumstances but, in Christ you ought to be on top of them. It was as though the younger man’s identity as a born-again believer had been taken from him.

Identity Theft

Where do you take your sense of identity from today?

Many Christians today gain their identity more from their family background, work, or human relationships than from their biblical identity in Christ.

Are you one of them?

Or did you start out taking your identity from the bible, but someone diverted you?

Identity theft can happen not only at the level of the individual believer but to whole churches.

A church that God has called to be holy and pure , a beacon to the lost, can also have its identity stolen, becoming involved in hyper-grace, wrong theology, including the wrong prosperity message (i.e. the best definition of prosperity it for God to meet any given need at any given time- or what about John Wesley who gave to the poor everything he earned over the £30 he needed per year to keep his family). Churches may also become morally permissive, willing to bend the scriptures to accommodate people.

If the salt has lost its savour, then it is no use to the lost.

In modern society, it is becoming increasingly common for thieves to steal someone’s identity so that they can plunder their bank accounts, credit cards etc. There is no doubt about it that this is a wicked crime in taking what belongs to an honest citizen and giving to a thief. Yet we do not seem to realize that this very problem is rampant in the church of Jesus Christ, where Satan is robbing many true believers of their birth right, your identity and your true riches in Christ.

Identity theft can lead us to an identity crisis see 'Our identity is in Christ Part 2'.

Personal prayer

Amen

[mxtomituck]

Let’s also not forget the high rates of abuse among staff at these shelters. Let’s talk about “confiscation” (i.e. theft). Let’s talk about the staff destroying personal effects. Let’s talk about staff who make LIFE OR DEATH DECISIONS based on standards of conduct that don’t apply to people undergoing severe mental health crises or drug dependence/withdrawal (too aggressive? Not being polite enough? Using slang that makes staff uncomfortable? BACK ON THE STRET YOU GO!). Let’s talk about religious extremists outright denying care to people because a magical book told them so. Let’s talk about having to HIDE YOUR IDENTITY in order to receive services. Let’s talk about physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by STAFF.

I also want to talk about the psychological impacts of being treated like a disobedient child instead of a fully-grown adult. If your shelter does not provide agency, dignity, personhood to the people you “serve”, then an underpass is automatically going to seem better.

People undergoing housing insecurity don’t deserve to be used as pawns in your personal salvation scheme. People who have lived on the streets since they were children don’t need to be brow-beaten because of your inflexible standards for moral purity. If you’re opening a “charity” that forces people into obeying your personal moral code, that’s not a charity - it’s a cult that preys on some of the most vulnerable people that exist.

Human beings without a place to live should not have to give up their humanity in exchange for a basic human right.

Also, like, I'm sorry but if you've set up a free shelter, and people refuse to go because sleeping on the sidewalk under a freeway bridge is more pleasant, that's fucking on you, that's not on them.

You really can't compete with sleeping under the overpass so you are going to force people into shelter?

Unspeakably cruel and stupid.