#software developer work from home

[newcodesociety]

Ready to Work?

I’ve been freelancing for many years now and I’ve used a few of these platforms in the past. Here’s a list of all the ones I could find that seemed reputable or I have used in the past.

I recommend going to InterviewBit to prepare for the interviews if you’re going to be working for a company.

How to Write A Cover Letter will help you prepare one. Heaven know it’s been a long time since I’ve had to write one.

Toptal

Upwork

Freelancer

People Per Hour

Simply Hired

Guru

Fiverr

Gun.io

Showcase

Remote Frontend Jobs

Flex Jobs

Tech Ladies

Well Found

Crunchboard

[sunshinel3mon]

The Battle of Nameservers: WordPress, Cloudflare, Bluehost, DreamHost, Wix, and Ezoic Unveiled

Let’s face it, in the online universe, nameservers are the unsung heroes that keep your website ticking. This silent workforce is usually not given much thought until, of course, something goes haywire. Well, it’s time to give these heroes the limelight they deserve. Today, we’re diving deep into a face-off of nameservers, with WordPress, Cloudflare, Bluehost, DreamHost, Wix, and Ezoic in the…

[the-remote-jobs]

Experienced Ruby Engineer - Product Team [€99.000 - €134.000 a year] (link in the bio)

[yandereshingeki]

lovely message from the mr

[firastifreelancers]

Freelance Work Opportunities for Developers, Designers, and SEO Experts on Firasti.com

Freelancing is a rapidly growing trend across the world, especially in tech fields like development, design, and SEO. For developers, designers, and SEO experts, finding freelance opportunities can be the key to financial freedom and career growth. As businesses increasingly seek specialized professionals, platforms like Firasti.com offer excellent opportunities. Whether you're based in the USA, UK, or Australia, Firasti.com connects freelancers with high-quality job listings from top companies. In this blog post, we explore the freelance work opportunities available on Firasti for developers, designers, and SEO experts, while targeting key cities in these regions.

The Rise of Freelance Work

Freelancing has transformed the way businesses operate. Small startups, large corporations, and everything in between rely on freelance talent to enhance their teams. The shift to remote work, boosted by global events, has further fueled the growth of freelance markets. For developers, designers, and SEO experts, the time to explore freelancing has never been better.

According to recent studies, the freelance workforce has grown significantly in countries like the USA, UK, and Australia. This growth is due to the flexibility, independence, and wide range of job opportunities that freelancing provides. Platforms like Firasti.com have emerged to meet this demand, offering a dedicated space for professionals to find freelance work.

Why Firasti.com is Ideal for Freelancers

Firasti.com stands out as a leading platform for freelancers, particularly in the tech industry. Whether you're a web developer, graphic designer, or SEO specialist, Firasti helps you connect with potential clients. Here's why it's the best place to find freelance work:

1. Wide Range of Freelance Jobs

Firasti.com hosts a variety of freelance work for developers, designers, and SEO experts. From coding and app development to SEO optimization and website design, there's always a project that suits your skill set. Freelancers can easily browse job listings and submit proposals.

2. Global Reach

While the platform is popular in the USA, UK, and Australia, Firasti.com attracts clients and freelancers from all over the world. This global reach means more job opportunities and higher chances to find the perfect project.

3. Competitive Rates

Freelancers on Firasti.com can set their rates and negotiate with clients. This flexibility ensures that developers, designers, and SEO experts can earn competitive rates, particularly for high-demand skills.

4. Secure Payment System

Firasti.com offers a secure payment system that protects freelancers. Clients and freelancers can rely on the platform to ensure smooth and timely transactions for completed projects.

Freelance Opportunities for Developers

In today's tech-driven world, developers are in high demand. From front-end to back-end development, mobile app creation, and software development, opportunities abound for skilled developers. Below are some of the freelance job opportunities you can find on Firasti:

1. Web Development

Web development continues to be one of the most sought-after freelance opportunities. Companies and individuals regularly seek freelance web developers for tasks such as building websites, creating custom web applications, and adding new features. On Firasti.com, web developers can browse various job listings in top cities like New York, London, and Sydney, ensuring they always have access to the latest opportunities.

2. Mobile App Development

The demand for mobile app developers has skyrocketed, and it's no surprise why. Every business needs a mobile app to remain competitive. Freelance opportunities for mobile app developers include creating apps for iOS, Android, and cross-platform development. By signing up on Firasti.com, mobile developers can connect with top businesses in major cities such as Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Manchester.

3. Software Development

From building complex software systems to creating customized solutions for specific business needs, freelance software development is a lucrative field. If you're a software developer, Firasti.com can connect you with clients in major tech hubs like San Francisco, London, and Brisbane.

Freelance Opportunities for Designers

Design plays a critical role in the success of websites, apps, and digital marketing campaigns. Whether you specialize in graphic design, UI/UX design, or web design, there are countless freelance opportunities for designers. Some of the top design-related jobs you can find on Firasti include:

1. Graphic Design

Graphic designers are needed for everything from creating logos to designing marketing materials. Companies often hire freelance graphic designers to create stunning visuals for websites, social media, and print. Top cities like New York, Melbourne, and Birmingham offer a wealth of opportunities for graphic designers.

2. UI/UX Design

UI/UX design is one of the most important aspects of digital product development. Freelance opportunities for UI/UX designers involve working with clients to enhance user experiences and improve the overall functionality of websites and apps. You can find UI/UX design jobs on Firasti.com in cities like London, Sydney, and Chicago.

3. Web Design

Web designers are in high demand as every business wants an attractive and functional website. Freelance web designers can work on various projects, from creating landing pages to designing entire e-commerce sites. You can easily access web design opportunities on Firasti.com, particularly in cities like Toronto, Brisbane, and Los Angeles.

Freelance Opportunities for SEO Experts

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for businesses aiming to rank higher on Google and other search engines. SEO experts are responsible for optimizing websites and online content to increase organic traffic. As businesses increasingly realize the importance of SEO, the demand for skilled SEO freelancers is on the rise. On Firasti.com, SEO specialists can explore several lucrative opportunities:

1. On-Page SEO

On-page SEO involves optimizing elements of a website, such as meta tags, headings, and content, to improve search engine rankings. Freelance SEO specialists can work with clients to optimize their websites and ensure they are search engine-friendly. Cities like New York, London, and Sydney offer high-paying on-page SEO opportunities.

2. Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO focuses on building backlinks and improving a website’s domain authority through external methods. Freelance SEO experts who specialize in link building and off-page strategies can find abundant job opportunities on Firasti.com in cities like Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Manchester.

3. Technical SEO

Technical SEO involves optimizing the backend of websites to improve site speed, mobile responsiveness, and crawlability. As technical SEO becomes increasingly important, more businesses are hiring freelancers who specialize in this area. SEO experts in cities like San Francisco, London, and Brisbane can leverage Firasti.com to find technical SEO gigs.

Top Cities for Freelancers in the USA, UK, and Australia

Freelance work on Firasti.com is not limited to any one city, but some cities in the USA, UK, and Australia stand out as hubs for technology, design, and SEO. These cities often offer the best opportunities for freelancers.

Top Cities in the USA

New York: As one of the largest tech and business hubs in the world, New York offers countless freelance opportunities for developers, designers, and SEO experts.

Los Angeles: With a booming tech and entertainment industry, LA is home to many businesses looking for freelance professionals.

San Francisco: Known for its tech startup scene, San Francisco is a prime location for developers and SEO experts.

Chicago: A growing tech market with plenty of opportunities for freelance web developers and designers.

Top Cities in the UK

London: The UK’s capital is home to numerous tech companies and digital marketing agencies, making it an ideal location for freelancers.

Manchester: A growing tech scene makes Manchester a great place for developers, designers, and SEO experts.

Birmingham: As a business hub, Birmingham offers plenty of freelance opportunities for creative professionals and tech experts.

Top Cities in Australia

Sydney: As Australia’s largest city, Sydney has a thriving tech scene and a high demand for freelance developers, designers, and SEO specialists.

Melbourne: Melbourne is known for its creative industries, offering numerous opportunities for freelance designers and SEO experts.

Brisbane: Brisbane is home to a growing tech industry and offers excellent freelance work opportunities in development and SEO.

Freelancing is an exciting career path for developers, designers, and SEO experts. With platforms like Firasti.com, finding freelance opportunities has never been easier. Whether you're a developer looking for web development, mobile app creation, or software development gigs, a designer in need of graphic or web design projects, or an SEO expert ready to optimize websites for clients, Firasti offers a wide range of job listings to suit your skills.

The USA, UK, and Australia are home to some of the top cities for freelance work, including New York, London, Sydney, and Melbourne. With competitive rates, a secure payment system, and a global reach, Firasti.com is the platform you need to take your freelance career to the next level.

Sign up today on Firasti.com and start your journey toward a successful freelance career!

SEO Keywords Used: Freelance opportunities for developers, freelance designers, SEO experts, freelance work USA, freelance work UK, freelance work Australia, freelance jobs for developers, freelance web development, freelance graphic design, freelance SEO, Firasti.com

[global-remote-jobs]

There is a new remote job board that I figured. This could be a huge!

[ismailfazil1-blog]

60 Digital Moneymakers | Launch Your Digital Product & Building a Lucrative |

the ever-evolving landscape of online entrepreneurship, this book serves as your comprehensive guide to unlocking the potential of digital products. Dive into proven strategies for making money online, exploring diverse avenues such as selling online courses, designing and selling printables, and developing software. Discover the art of building a digital empire through effective e-commerce strategies, online marketing, and the creation of passive income streams. Whether you're seeking work-from-home opportunities, aspiring to embrace the digital nomad lifestyle, or simply looking to enhance your entrepreneurial skills, this book is your gateway to success. Explore essential topics such as pricing strategies, marketing automation, legal considerations, and time management, equipping you with the tools to scale your digital product business and build a lasting brand. Let the journey to financial freedom and creative business success begin.

[earlgraytay]

So, you've probably all seen this post going around, about how The Chuds Want Gentleman's Clubs (but can't afford to go to the things called "gentlemen's clubs" today, so wouldn't have been able to in the past either). And I hate to say it, but that post isn't accurate.

The things we call "gentlemen's clubs" today and the things that were called "gentleman's clubs" in the past are not the same thing; the one is descended from the other, but they used to be a lot more common and served a purpose that they don't really serve anymore.

The modern equivalent of the historical gentleman's club isn't the thing currently called a gentleman's club; it's the premium airport lounge. And by losing the concept for all but the turbo-rich, I think we genuinely have lost something! Let me explain.

(NOTA BENE: This is mostly about England and from about 1880-1930, and most of my experience with this is from fiction written in that era. I know enough to know what I don't know, but I also know menswear guy is wrong about this.)

So- gentlemen's clubs started in *wiggles hands* the late 1700s, and mostly served a particular purpose: they were places you could stay in a city if you mostly lived in the country, instead of staying in lodgings or owning your own place. Finding a place to stay in London was kind of a misery at the best of times, and owning your own house in Town wasn't practical for a lot of people, even rich people. If you were, say, a young man, just starting out in life, and you hadn't inherited your father's wealth but also weren't set up to live on your own? Having a place you were guaranteed to be able to stay was a fucking godsend. And as time went on, even people who lived in London most of the time started joining clubs, because they served another important purpose- they were a place you could go if you didn't particularly want to be at home, for whatever reason.

The way that historical gentlemen's clubs worked is, you got recommended to the club by a friend who was a member, you paid dues to the club, and in exchange, you'd get to use the club's facilities. * Most gentlemen's clubs had, at minimum, a dining room (with waitstaff, natch), a library, a couple of nice places to sit and hang out, a game room, and a bar. Many of them also had rooms you could sleep in overnight, fitness equipment, or stuff related to the club members' interests. Most of them had a room or two where you could invite friends who weren't part of your club and spend time with them. In the era where phones were a thing, a lot of them had a phone. You could write letters there and get your mail sent there.

Here's the thing: in the period I know best, gentlemen's clubs weren't just for the turbo-rich. They were the province of rich guys, yes- you had to be a 'gentleman' and know the right people to get in. But men who were doctor/lawyer/software-developer rich were most likely members of a gentlemen's club. Anyone who was rich enough to travel regularly was part of at least one club, because having somewhere to crash when you were going between (say) London and Delhi and back again was worth the cost.

Most gentlemen's clubs were owned by their members- not an outside corporate body. The club leaders were elected, usually by a small committee.

And a lot of gentlemen's clubs founded around specific interests, as time went on. There were gentlemen's clubs specifically for Guys Who Were Really Into Radio. There were clubs specifically for men who spent a lot of time traveling. There were clubs specifically for dudes who wanted to talk your ear off and clubs for old dudes who mostly wanted to nod off in their chairs and talk about The War and clubs for dudes who did not want to be percieved at all.

There were clubs for men who were really into science, or the arts, or sports. And one perk of being in a club like this is that you had access to equipment that you might not have been able to buy on your own. You didn't have to shell out for an entire library of scientific and medical books; you could go to your club and read in the library there. If your club had, say, an art studio, you could go paint at your club and not have to keep a studio space of your own.

There were gentlemen's clubs specifically oriented around specific political or social views. There were socialist clubs. (And a lot of them admitted women, which was !!!SCANDALOUS!!!) Like, they were still the province of goddamn rich people, there were a lot of trust fund baby socialists and not many working people, but there were socialist social clubs.

...I don't want to pretend that gentlemen's clubs were some kind of idyllic haven. 99% of these clubs were For Men, and For The Right Sort Of Men at that; if you didn't have a friend who was a member, or you weren't "respectable" enough, you didn't get to join. There's a reason that most of these clubs are gone now. Part of the point was excluding the Wrong Sort of People, and that became gauche over time. After a certain point, being part of a club became a thing for stodgy, out-of-touch rich men- not just "men who happened to have enough money to be part of a club"- and so most of the men who could join one didn't, and people stopped forming new ones. Only Old Money assholes (who will continue to do what they've always done, current trends be damned) keep the concept alive.

But like... the thing that replaced gentlemen's clubs for 99% of the people who would have had one a hundred years ago... is the premium airport lounge, and the premium gym membership, and the ~coworking hub~.** Anyone can join, yeah, as long as they're able to pay. You pay a corporation a chunk of money for similar amenities, and the amenities are ... fine? But because the entity is driven by profit, most of the money you're paying them goes into running their other business concerns and paying their CEOs a fat paycheck.

I think... as exclusionary as gentlemen's clubs were back in the day, there's the seed of a good idea there. I think the guys who wish they were still an attainable thing for a middle-class person have a point, and I wish we could inject some fucking nuance into this conversation.

A community-owned space that gives you a place to crash when you need one, has community-owned resources for its members, and isn't beholden to a corporation is a good thing. Third spaces that don't have to turn a profit are a damn good thing.

At the end of the day, my politics are 'everyone should get to have the kind of luxuries that were historically reserved for the rich'. Everyone should get to have the best life has to offer- leisure, beauty, good craftsmanship, and community. And so, you know, if this kind of community space sounds like a thing you'd like to have, maybe it's something you could work towards creating, too.

*TBF, this is still how they work today! But the networks are much smaller.

**I do find it very funny that apparently one of the biggest problems facing the few remaining Actual Gentlemen's Clubs (TM) is that people are trying to use their space to telework-- a lot of them are trying to ban laptops and business talk to "keep the club's character" (read: "we're too rich to have to work here").

[masumbillah55]

AI Funnels Review+ Bonuses launch Discount

An AI funnel, also known as an AI-powered funnel or automated marketing funnel, refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to streamline and optimize various stages of the marketing and sales process. It leverages AI algorithms and data analysis to enhance customer engagement, personalize interactions, and drive conversions. Here’s a breakdown of what an AI funnel involves:

Click Here To Grab Your copy now and get my bonuses>>

Data Collection and Analysis: AI funnels start by collecting and analyzing data from various sources, such as user behavior on websites, social media interactions, previous purchase history, and more. This data is used to gain insights into customer preferences, behaviors, and patterns.

Lead Generation: AI can help identify potential leads by analyzing data and predicting which individuals are most likely to be interested in a product or service. This allows marketers to focus their efforts on prospects with higher conversion potential.

Click Here To Grab Your copy now and get my bonuses>>

Personalization: AI allows for highly personalized customer interactions. By analyzing user data, AI can tailor content, recommendations, and messaging to match individual preferences, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.

Content Creation: AI can assist in creating content at scale, from generating product descriptions to writing blog posts. This can save time and resources while ensuring consistency and quality.

Lead Nurturing: AI can automate lead nurturing processes by sending targeted emails, messages, or notifications based on user behavior. This helps to keep potential customers engaged and informed throughout their buying journey.

Predictive Analytics: AI-powered analytics can forecast customer behavior and trends, enabling businesses to make informed decisions about marketing strategies, inventory management, and more.

Sales Assistance: AI can assist sales teams by providing relevant information and insights about leads, helping them understand customer needs and tailor their pitches accordingly.

Click Here To Grab Your copy now and get my bonuses

Chatbots and Customer Support: AI-driven chatbots offer instant responses to customer inquiries, providing support around the clock. They can answer frequently asked questions, troubleshoot issues, and escalate complex queries to human agents.

Conversion Optimization: AI can optimize conversion rates by analyzing user data and identifying points in the funnel where users tend to drop off. This information can be used to make necessary adjustments to the funnel and improve overall conversion rates.

Retargeting and Remarketing: AI can identify users who have previously engaged with a brand but didn’t convert. It can then target them with personalized advertisements to encourage them to return and complete their purchase.

Feedback and Improvement: AI funnels continuously gather data and feedback, allowing marketers to refine their strategies. This iterative process helps improve the funnel’s effectiveness over time.

In essence, an AI funnel is about leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance every stage of the customer journey, from initial awareness to final purchase, while also providing ongoing support and engagement. This results in a more efficient and personalized experience for customers and ultimately leads to improved business outcomes.

Click Here To Grab Your copy now and get my bonuses

Who Should Buy It??

E-Commerce Businesses:

Digital Marketers:

SaaS Companies:

Content Publishers:

Financial Services:

Healthcare Providers:

Travel and Hospitality:

Real Estate Agencies:

Education and E-Learning Platforms:

Automotive Industry:

Retailers:

B2B Companies:

Nonprofit Organizations:

Get More Info>>

[xiaq]

There is an incredibly talented developer I’ve worked with for the last few years who is an absolute font of technical knowledge. They know just about every coding language and pick up literally anything software-related at the drop of a hat. This individual is indispensable to their team. To replace them, their expertise, and their work ethic, would require hiring at least three people.

And today, this developer turned in their resignation notice. Not because they’re unhappy with their job, or pay, or coworkers. They love their job!

But because they no longer feel safe in the US. Because they’re trans.

Already, they can no longer receive medically necessary treatment in their home state and they fear that moving to a different state would merely prolong the inevitable. So they found a new job in a different country that has accepted them and all their skills with delighted, open arms, and the promise that they will be able to continue their life without fear.

And listen, a person should not have to display indispensable talents for us to care that they are being forced out of their home country. A person’s usefulness is not the most important thing about them. But in this case, we are actively losing a highly educated, intelligent, and genuinely good person from our workforce because people with shit for brains needed a villain and they decided trans folks were the ideal target.

No point to this. Just anger.

As you were.

[bi-writes]

whats wrong with ai?? genuinely curious <3

okay let's break it down. i'm an engineer, so i'm going to come at you from a perspective that may be different than someone else's.

i don't hate ai in every aspect. in theory, there are a lot of instances where, in fact, ai can help us do things a lot better without. here's a few examples:

ai detecting cancer

ai sorting recycling

some practical housekeeping that gemini (google ai) can do

all of the above examples are ways in which ai works with humans to do things in parallel with us. it's not overstepping--it's sorting, using pixels at a micro-level to detect abnormalities that we as humans can not, fixing a list. these are all really small, helpful ways that ai can work with us.

everything else about ai works against us. in general, ai is a huge consumer of natural resources. every prompt that you put into character.ai, chatgpt? this wastes water + energy. it's not free. a machine somewhere in the world has to swallow your prompt, call on a model to feed data into it and process more data, and then has to generate an answer for you all in a relatively short amount of time.

that is crazy expensive. someone is paying for that, and if it isn't you with your own money, it's the strain on the power grid, the water that cools the computers, the A/C that cools the data centers. and you aren't the only person using ai. chatgpt alone gets millions of users every single day, with probably thousands of prompts per second, so multiply your personal consumption by millions, and you can start to see how the picture is becoming overwhelming.

that is energy consumption alone. we haven't even talked about how problematic ai is ethically. there is currently no regulation in the united states about how ai should be developed, deployed, or used.

what does this mean for you?

it means that anything you post online is subject to data mining by an ai model (because why would they need to ask if there's no laws to stop them? wtf does it matter what it means to you to some idiot software engineer in the back room of an office making 3x your salary?). oh, that little fic you posted to wattpad that got a lot of attention? well now it's being used to teach ai how to write. oh, that sketch you made using adobe that you want to sell? adobe didn't tell you that anything you save to the cloud is now subject to being used for their ai models, so now your art is being replicated to generate ai images in photoshop, without crediting you (they have since said they don't do this...but privacy policies were never made to be human-readable, and i can't imagine they are the only company to sneakily try this). oh, your apartment just installed a new system that will use facial recognition to let their residents inside? oh, they didn't train their model with anyone but white people, so now all the black people living in that apartment building can't get into their homes. oh, you want to apply for a new job? the ai model that scans resumes learned from historical data that more men work that role than women (so the model basically thinks men are better than women), so now your resume is getting thrown out because you're a woman.

ai learns from data. and data is flawed. data is human. and as humans, we are racist, homophobic, misogynistic, transphobic, divided. so the ai models we train will learn from this. ai learns from people's creative works--their personal and artistic property. and now it's scrambling them all up to spit out generated images and written works that no one would ever want to read (because it's no longer a labor of love), and they're using that to make money. they're profiting off of people, and there's no one to stop them. they're also using generated images as marketing tools, to trick idiots on facebook, to make it so hard to be media literate that we have to question every single thing we see because now we don't know what's real and what's not.

the problem with ai is that it's doing more harm than good. and we as a society aren't doing our due diligence to understand the unintended consequences of it all. we aren't angry enough. we're too scared of stifling innovation that we're letting it regulate itself (aka letting companies decide), which has never been a good idea. we see it do one cool thing, and somehow that makes up for all the rest of the bullshit?

[sitepathos]

From Gold to Mold

Chapter 3: The End (Warning: this will be dark. Read at your own risk)

The last bell of the day rings, letting everyone know that they’re free to go. In unison, your classmates begin shoving books and papers in their designer book bags before getting up and flooding the exit all at once. People begin to pair up with their friends, talking about hanging out and staying over at one another’s house for the weekend, but as usual, you’re left by yourself; when you first enrolled in GA, many students wanted to be your friend, but you could tell they were more interested in Bruce Wayne being your father than you because they talked more about Bruce than you. When Tim became Timothy Drake-Wayne, everyone flocked to him, starstruck that he was now a member for two of Gotham’s most elite families. Since you lack Bruce’s good looks and charisma, Dick’s athletic prowess, Jason’s brute strength, Tim’s intelligence, and Damian’s pure pedigree, everyone here has deemed you unworthy of a passing glance; you’re painfully average in every aspect and in a family as prestigious and remarkable as Gotham’s beloved Wayne Family, that’s an unforgivable sin.

It didn’t matter to you, though. You didn’t care that no one in school or in your “family” acted like you didn’t exist and think you unworthy of a fraction of their attention, you had your video games. When the silence of Wayne Manor became deafening to you, you had your faithful 3DS with multiple generations of teams full of loyal and strong Pokémon that have defeated the mightiest of champions and your preowned laptop that’s allowed you to play a wide variety of games, your favorite being Fallout New Vegas as it took place in your rightful home of Nevada and started off in your beloved Goodsprings. You’ve gone through countless playthroughs because you feel close to your childhood home, no matter how many times you go through the same dialogue options and quests.

In fact, video games have been a major influence on you that you’re determined to be an indie video game developer when you finally graduate. Your laptop isn’t too old to run a visual novel maker software that came out four years ago and you spent over a year scribbling away in a notebook that held all the details that would form your first game, staying up late for three months working on the plot alone and the remaining nine months on side quests, combat, dialogue, and everything else. Despite your best efforts, you’re not an artist like Damian (and how ironic that someone so spiteful like him has the gift to create beauty) or a musician, so the only thing you’re able to work on right now is the code, but you’re not tech smart like Tim so it’s full of bugs and errors and despite you following your Guide to Making Video Games book to the letter, the code just won’t do what you want it to do. With spring break around the corner, maybe you’ll be able to make progress on it.

As you step through the front door of the school, you see Damian and Tim being dragged into a bear hug by Dick, the little shit quickly breaking free; Dick laughs and ruffles his hair before all of them getting into the older man’s car and drive off, leaving you behind. That’s nothing unusual, though, Dick’s always picked up the two of them from school and you know they always go get ice cream or go to an arcade while you get left behind to find your own way home. You’ve never been offered a ride to or from school or asked if you’d want to go hang out with them and with how they’ve treated you over the years, you’d sooner have a tea party with the Mad Hatter before you ever got in a car with any of them. Knowing them, Damian would probably try to strangle you with your seatbelt, Dick would most likely try to guilt you to spend more time with your “brother,” and Tim would just sit there, not saying anything, no matter how wrong their words were or how upset you got.

You’ve been relying on Alfred to give you rides (always a block away from the school since you didn’t want them knowing you were relying on him), but Bruce gave him the month off. He tried to turn it down, of course, insisting that he had important duties at the manor (you knew it was because he was worried about what would happen to you while he was gone), but Bruce insisted. Only after you promised to text him everyday and call him the moment something went wrong did he book a flight to Essex. After taking care of a museum the size of the Smithsonian, taking care of a family full of assholes, and dealing with your emotional baggage, the man deserved to take off and relax for a while.

Since he’s been gone, you’ve used the bus to get to where you need to go and have kept a wide berth between you and the Waynes and so far you’ve managed to stay under their radar. Though, with you not even clocking on their radars, can you really claim such an achievement. Hell, you’re positive they wouldn’t notice you even if you were right behind them. World’s greatest detectives, your ass.

That’s right, you knew about their nightly activities of wearing bird themed costumes, jumping across rooftops, and battling with the demented freaks locked up in Arkham. Not because Alfred told you (and god knows they’d never tell you shit), but because your status as the unwanted and forgotten firstborn of Bruce Wayne is like an invisibility cloak allowing you to walk in plain sight without anyone noticing you and it’s thanks to that you’ve been able to spy on conversations. You’ve come down many times in the late hours of the night to find them sitting at the dining table, eating, talking, laughing, and enjoying their lives as if you don’t even exist. Sure, it hurt you to see them so happy while you sit above them, miserable, what hurt even more was the fact that Alfred didn’t tell you. Sure, you have no intention on joining them in fist fighting Joker or solving the Riddler’s Saw-inspired puzzles (not that you could, you obviously lacked the capabilities), but you thought that after all that they’ve out you through, you were entitled to know what was going on.

But, you know that Alfred is also in on it, providing support from cave under the mansion (that you found after investigating the library while they were all out) and since he’s helped you through the bad times, hugging you tightly white you cried your eyes out, you decided to keep your discovery to yourself. Besides, if the secret ever comes out, you have plausible deniability.

Your phone rings and when you pull it out to check the caller ID, you see a picture of Alfred and you on the screen.

“Hey, Alfred,” you answer.

“Good afternoon, Master Y/N. Did you have a pleasant day at school?”

“I did. Since spring break is next week, the teachers toned down on the lessons.”

“And how did you fare on your algebra test?”

“Fine, I guess,” you mutter. “I’m sure I got more right than wrong.”

Math’s always been your worst enemy (at least until you met Damian) and getting an A on an anything math related was always once in a blue moon. A B was always your goal back in Goodsprings Elementary, but with Gotham Academy being a prestigious institution, their math classes were as difficult as a speed run in Dark Souls. Sure, all your classes are hard, but math has always been your Achilles’ heel.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you prepare for it. Maybe I should come home—“

“No,” you quickly say, cutting him off. “It’s fine. I studied my notes and found some practice problems online. I’m sure I passed.”

There was a brief pause before the man said, “Very well, Master Y/N. If you’re sure. How have you been faring? I trust you’re eating three meals a day and sleeping enough?”

“Of course,” you say. You’re lying, of course. You skip breakfast and dinner since they’re all downstairs at the same time in the mornings and at night use before going out on patrol and only eat lunch at school, where lunch is prepared by five star chefs because their elite students will accept nothing less. As for sleep, you’ve been cramming for this test and trying to work on your game, where as soon as you fix one bug, three more come to take its place.

“Of course,” he says, obviously not convinced, but chooses not to call you out. Not over the phone, anyway. Had he been here in person, it would be a different story. “And how have the others treated you?”

“Like I don’t exist. So, things are status quo.”

“I know their behavior has been nothing less than unacceptable, but have you tried talking to your father? Maybe he’ll be more receptive to you if you approached him while he was alone.”

“We both know that’s not gonna happen, Alfred. Bruce can’t stand the sight of me because I’m his greatest mistake.”

“Master Y/N!”

“It’s true and you know it! Both he and Momma were young and stupid, one thing led to another, and I was their reminder why condoms were invented. He got stuck with me and he’ll never forgive me for that. You know it and I know it.”

His silence tells you he knows you’re right. You hate to say how you really feel since you know that Alfred raised the man after his parents were murdered and telling him things like this makes him feel like he failed as a father figure, but after being treated like shit for most of your life, you’ve really run out of fucks to give. Hell, when you turned eighteen last month, you had your bags packed and were ready to buy a ticket on the first bus to Las Vegas, but Alfred begged you to stay long enough so you could graduate and since it would be a pain in the ass to transfer this close to schools letting out for summer, you agreed. Plus, it’d look good on a resume that you graduated from Gotham Academy. .

“Maybe I could talk to him for you? I just don’t want you to leave hating your father so much.”

“Look, Alfred, I really don’t wanna talk about this. I gotta go, I’ll be late for work.”

“Very well, Master Y/N. Please be safe. You know I hate you being out at night all alone.”

“Don’t worry, I will. Talk to you later, Alfred.”

And with that, you hang up and head to the nearest bus stop to take you to Chinatown. When you turned sixteen, you decided that it wasn’t fair taking Alfred’s money (in your defense, you helped out in cleaning the mansion, but you were still taking his hard earned paycheck), so you went out and found a job working at Gotham Games, a small store in one of the few nicer parts of Gotham that specialized in video, trading card, and tabletop games. Your boss, Mr. Chen, is a sweet old man who loves to talk games with you, especially Pokémon; in fact, he always gives you a free booster pack when he hands you your paycheck, saying that it’s a bonus for doing a good job. You love your job and aside from Alfred always willing to lend an ear to listen to your troubles, it’s made living in this hellhole of a city actually bearable.

After arriving at the bus stop in Chinatown, you walks a few blocks to find Mr. Chen closing the door and locking it.

“Mr. Chen,” you say when you near him, making him turn around to face you.

“You’re always on time, Y/N,” he says with a chuckle, but you can see he’s sad about something.

“Is the store closing for today?”

“No, I’m afraid I’m closing the store for good.”

Your heart stops and you feel yourself losing balance a little and you quickly steady yourself. You quickly think for any reason why the store would be closing for good.

Poor sales? No, you helped Mr. Chen with the spreadsheet for last month and sales had gone up by 11% thanks to the Pokémon TCG tournament you hosted.

Too much theft? No, you keep a close eye on all the customers and last time you checked, all inventory was accounted for.

Threats? Please, Mr. Chen’s been here for twenty-five years and is a pillar of the community. If anyone ever had the dumbass idea to threaten him, all shop owners in the street would rush to his aid, yourself included.

So, why?

As if he read your mind, he says, “My daughter said she was worried about me when the Penguin broke out of Arkham the other day and his car chase with Batman ended when he crashed a block away from here. She said that she and her husband had already set up a room for me at their house and now they’re here to take me with them to Florida.

You remember hearing about that. Bruce devotes all his time to fighting Gotham’s crime problem and one would think all the time he doesn’t spend with you could go to keeping things like car chases with Arkham’s inmates far away from innocent people and their businesses, but guess that’s what you get for having expectations when it comes to Bruce.

“What will happen to the store?”

“Mark’s already taken care of it. He called up some company that owns plenty of stores that’s just like mine and they agreed to buy my entire stock. They’ll have some people here tomorrow to get it all.”

For the second time in your life, it feels like your entire world’s been turned inside out. Working here and being around Mr. Chen was the best thing that’s happened to you since you over to Gotham and with Alfred gone and the loss of your job and boss, you’re extremely tempted to get on the nearest bus and ride it out of Gotham right now.

“I also wanted to wait for you so I could give you this.” He hands you a neatly wrapped box that you just now realize he’d been holding this entire time. “To thank you for keeping an old man company.”

You take the box and with shaky hands, you unwrap it and open the lid to see a pristine aqua blue Game Boy Advance surrounded by several cartridges. When you take a closer look, you see that they’re all Pokémon games, ranging from the original Red and Blue to Red Rescue Team.

“You appreciate the classics and it seemed a shame to let that Game Boy and those games just sit around, collecting dust. Plus, it’s my way of saying thank you for taking care of an old man.”

At this point, you realize you’re crying and can’t help but hug your boss. “Thank you, Mr. Chen.”

“You’re welcome, Y/N. When you move back to Nevada and win big in Vegas, don’t forget to give me a call so we can celebrate.”

You laugh at that and it makes you feel better, but only a little bit. When he promises to call you when he’s set up in Florida and you promise to call him when you’re back in Nevada, you two separate and watch as he gets in his daughter’s car and drive off, waving at him until he’s out of sight.

As you neatly tuck the box into your backpack, you realize that your schedule’s totally fucked up now. Normally, Alfred comes and gets you when you get done working at 7, but with him gone, you’d been using the bus that comes at that time to take you to the closest stop to Bristol and walk the rest of the way to Wayne Manor, but that bus won’t be here for hours. And you’d sooner chew your own arm off before calling any of them for help.

You mull it over for a minute or two before deciding to walk to the nearest stop, hop on the bus, and ride it to as close to Bristol as possible. With the store closed (and your beloved job lost) you can use the time to get ahead on your spring break plans and work on your game, ironing out bugs and working on your art. You pull out your map of Gotham’s bus stops and see the closest station is over in the East End, a place no one with a half working brain cell goes. Still, it’s the closest bus stop and you’ll only be there for a few minutes. You’ve survived Wayne Manor for thirteen years, surely you can deal with Gotham’s trash can for a little bit.

With your mind made up, you make your way to the East End. As you cross into the district, you’re greeted by a group of kids playing Cops and Robber, but instead of cops, one of them plays the role as Red Hood, complete with two stick guns and a red plastic pail on his head. That’s right, East End is Jason’s territory and is well loved by many of the children. The thought of the brute gives you even more incentive to leave the area as fast as possible because you’ve heard Jason yelling at the others for entering the East End because it’s his to protect and he doesn’t want any of them unless it’s a really big emergency and even then, they need his permission. Knowing him, he’ll accuse you of invading and try to fill you full of lead, despite the fact that you’re not a vigilante and he ever pulled his head out of his ass, he’d know that, but you guess that being in a family full of distrust and paranoia has polluted his higher reasoning skills.

The further into the district you get, the closer you hold onto the straps of your book bag. With every step you take, you hear glass shattering, people screaming, and even a gun shot or two, making you regret ever coming here. You should’ve found another bus stop or just found something to kill time until your regular bus showed up. Still, you’ve already come this far and turning around would probably be more dangerous than continuing forward, so you keep your head up high and try to change your stride to be more confident, hoping that appearing more confident would keep people away from you.

You see the bus stop and pick up speed to get there quickly, but just as you get close enough to see the map and schedule, you feel something grab your book bag and you’re quickly yanked backwards. You turn to look behind you to see three men staring down at you and by the way they’re grinning down at you, you can tell this won’t end well for you.

“Well, what’s a little GA snob doin’ here,” one of them sneers.

“Surprised you’re actually walking,” the other jeers. “Thought all you little shits were carried around by your butlers and maids. Too good to use your own legs.”

That little joke actually pissed you off because you’re not like the rest of your classmates who have their private drivers open their car doors when they go to the airport to spend Christmas on their private islands. You aren’t using Bruce’s money to pay for every little thing you see (not that he’d give you any because he’s forgotten you exist), you actually have a job and work hard for your money, damn it!

“Bet there’s someone who’d pay a pretty penny for you,” the man, obviously the leader of the other two, says. “Looks like we’ve hit pay dirt, boys.”

You struggle to break free of their grasp, but the three of them are too strong for you. The leader pulls out a rusty pipe from his back pocket and the last thing you see is said pipe rushing towards your head before everything goes black.

“Wake up, you little bitch,” a gruff voice says as you’re overcome with feelings of sheer cold and wetness.

You open your eyes to find that you’re sitting on n extremely dirty floor. You look up to see a man looking down at you, a sadistic look on his face and a dirty metal bucket in hand. Your mind finally boots back up and you remember being stopped by three dirtbags and being knocked out be a pipe to the head. As if on cue, the memory triggers immense feelings of pain in your head and while you’re no doctor, you’re pretty sure that you have a mild concussion. When the rest of your senses come to, you realize that you’re tied to chair with thick ropes you have no chance of getting out, at least without a knife. Through blurry eyes, you’re able to look around to see you’ve been dragged to some dirty shack and based on what you see through the busted windows nearest to the door, you know two things: that you’ve been dragged to Gotham Woods and you’ve been knocked out for a while.

“Alright, now that you’ve had your beauty sleep, it’s time to get to business.” The leader squats down to your level, an old flip phone in hand. “You’re gonna give us a number we can call to ransom you off. Try any funny business and…” he trails off as he brings out a gun and points it at you. “You won’t live long enough to regret it.”

You hears the words, but all you can focus on is the gun aimed at you. You’ve known Gotham is a dangerous place and going to certain parts of the city at night is practically committing suicide, but you never thought you’d be in this position, where the slightest action or inaction was the difference in sleeping in your bed or being put to rest in a pine box when everything was said and done. Ever since you’d turned eighteen, you’ve kept a tally of how many days you have until you graduate and put this city of the damned behind you and now there’s a good chance you’ll die here, in a city you’ve hated since you were forced to move here.

“Hey,” he says, breaking you out of your stupor. “Number. Now.” He emphasizes his point by waving his gun.

At first, you’re tempted to give him Alfred’s number, knowing the butler would probably come to your rescue and kill these thugs John Wick Style, but you know that they wouldn’t appreciate talking to someone on the other side of the world and right now, you couldn’t take the chance on pissing them off; you need someone here in Gotham and as much as every fiber in your body wants to throw up at once just for even thinking it, you know Bruce is your only hope of making out of this in one piece. Even if he doesn’t care about you, he’ll be able to swoop in and bash in the heads of a bunch of kidnappers, so that should be enough of a reason to bring him here.

“Alright, you can call my father,” you say, the word “father” leaving a bitter taste in your mouth, but right now, you can’t afford to let your hatred for the man get the better of you; not when your life hangs in the balance. You give him the manor’s home phone number, which he dials and puts it on speaker.

You wait with bated break as the phone rings. After the third time, you can feel yourself breaking into a cold sweat and when you look up at one of your captors, you can tell he’s getting angry by the second; with every ring, his scowl gets more and more intimidating and the gun starts to shake in rage.

Finally, after an eternity, you hear someone pick up.

“Hello,” Bruce’s voice comes through, and based on the tone, he sounds pissed. Knowing the time, he was probably getting ready to go out on patrol. Still, you can’t help but feel just a little to relived to hear his voice. You just might make it through the night. “Bruce Wayne speaking.”

“Holy shit, man, we’re about to be rich,” one of the other men whispers to his cohort, who nods in agreement.

“We have your son, Wayne,” the man says with an air of confidence. “Do as we say and you—“

“No, you don’t,” Bruce says, cutting off the man.

“What,” the leader says, the wind obviously taken out of his sails.

“No, you don’t,” Bruce repeats.

“Fuck you mean,’ he shouts. “I’m looking at him right now! Don’t you know you’re missing a brat right now?”

“All my kids are right here with me and I’m none of them are missing,” Bruce says in a matter-of-fact tone that makes your heart stop.

“Did you really think we wouldn’t notice if someone was missing” Dick chimes in.

“Man, you’re fuckin’ stupid,” Jason mocks.

“You’re not the first to fake holding a Wayne for ransom,” Tim explains. “It hasn’t worked before and it won’t work now.”

“If you lowlifes put as much effort into finding a job as you did trying to steal money, you’d be rich,” Damian taunts.

“Wow, you’re a loser,” Cass laughs. “Don’t you have anything better to do with your life? Why don’t you get out of your mom’s basement and go outside to touch grass and maybe talk to a girl.”

They all laugh at that and you can feel your heart just collapse in on itself. Right now, you have a better chance of sprouting wings and flying out of here than this man letting you go after being insulted by every member of the Wayne Family. And based on the fact that his face is as red as a beat, this definitely won’t be for you.

“As you can see, all my children are home, where they should be. I don’t know how much you hoped to get out of this, but you aren’t seeing a dime.”

And with that, the call ends and so does your chances of leaving here in one piece. You always thought that your existence was a complete unknown to them, but to actually see something that proves it? You can’t help but begin to cry, both at how the call went and for the world of hurt you’re no doubt about to experience with your captors.

“Bet you thought that was funny,” the man says as he slowly flips the phone shut, indicating that he’s pissed off beyond words.

You decide that Alfred is the one you should’ve had him call, but before you correct your mistake, you’re filled with pain as he strikes you on the head with the pipe. He hits you again and the force sends the chair tumbling to the floor, but that doesn’t matter to the man; he’s pissed and all he cares for now is hurting you. He’s spouting off insults and threats, but all you can focus on is the immense pain you’re in. He never hits in the same place twice, spreading the pain to your head, arms, torso, and legs. You feel your skin tear, bones break, and blood shed and the pleas you’d been shouting since he began his assault finally die, opting for crying and sounds of pain.

By the time he’s finished, you’re in so much pain, you can barely think. All you want to do is die.

“Hey, look what I found in his bag.” You look up through swollen and blood filled eyes to see one of the other men is holding up your Momma’s pen. “Looks like real gold. Might be worth something.”

After the pen incident three years ago, you’ve lived in constant fear that Damian would take you pen in an act of revenge, so you’ve kept the pen on you at all times, even keeping it under your pillow as you slept, only taking it out when you were in the safety of your room. Up until now, it’s kept your most treasured possession safe, but it looks like it’s about to cost you dearly.

“At least it’s something. Anything else?”

“Naw,” the man responds as he rummages through your bag. “Just the regular school shit, a wallet with a few bucks in it, and…” He pauses before pulling out the box Mr. Chen gave you and opens it. “Holy shit, looks like an old Game Boy! And there’s a bunch of games with it!”

“Is it worth much?”

“Might be able to get something for it. A bunch of collectors out there looking for shit like this. Couldn’t hurt to check around.”

“Haven’t seen one of those in years,” the last man chimes in. “Had one when I was a kid. Someone stole it, though. Hey, if we can’t get much of it, can I keep it?”

“Not now, Butch,” the leader growls. “Batman’s busy dealing with that clown bustin’ outta Arkham and all we got out of this is a lousy pen and a stupid video game.” He looks down at you. “Since you didn’t give us a name to ransom you off to, guess no one’ll care if you go missing.”

He picks his gun up and aims it at you. You feel your heart skip a beat at the sight of staring down the barrel of a gun aimed at you.

“No, please,” you beg, struggling to spit out the words as you’re so badly hurt, it’s a miracle you’re able to talk at all, but right now, all that matters is that you do what ever it takes to survive this.

“What’re we gonna do with the body,” one of the men asks.

“There’s the chasm near Mt. Gotham,” the one called Butch says. “That thing goes down for miles. We dump him in there and not even Batman’ll find him.”

Is this how it ends? After everything you’ve gone through, you die from being shot by three thugs in the forest and you’re thrown in a big ditch like a trash bag when you’re so close to leaving this damn city behind. You try to open your mouth to say something, anything that will at least buy you a few more minutes, but whatever you wanted to say is drowned out by the flash of a muzzle and the bang of a gunshot.

Your world goes to black.

A/N: Sorry, we were a little under for on cliffhanger quota, so we had to up production. The original plan was to split this chapter into two, with the kidnapping at the end of the first and the shooting at the end of the second, but with October upon us, I think things are going to get really crazy for me this semester, so I decide to be merciful (this time) and make one big chapter that only has one cliffhanger. Enjoy the wait for the next chapter! Also, if you asked to be added to the tag list and don’t see your name, I promise it’s not because I didn’t do it on purpose, but because when I went to tag you, Tumblr didn’t find your blog. I always check twice before uploading a new chapter to ensure everyone who asked to be tagged has been added.

Tag List: @space1crow @bat1212 @minkyungseokie @solelifauna @nosyrobin @bunbunboysworld @kitty-from-daaaa-voidddd @feral-childs-word @l0serl0v3r @phoenixgurl030 @soriansick

[draconym]

nightshade is basically useless https://www.tumblr.com/billclintonsbeefarm/740236576484999168/even-if-you-dont-like-generative-models-this

I'm not a developer, but the creators of Nightshade do address some of this post's concerns in their FAQ. Obviously it's not a magic bullet to prevent AI image scraping, and obviously there's an arms race between AI developers and artists attempting to disrupt their data pools. But personally, I think it's an interesting project and is accessible to most people to try. Giving up on it at this stage seems really premature.

But if it's caption data that's truly valuable, Tumblr is an ... interesting ... place to be scraping it from. For one thing, users tend to get pretty creative with both image descriptions and tags. For another, I hope whichever bot scrapes my blog enjoys the many bird photos I have described as "Cheese." Genuinely curious if Tumblr data is actually valuable or if it's garbage.

That said, I find it pretty ironic that the OP of the post you linked seems to think nightshade and glaze specifically are an unreasonable waste of electricity. Both are software. Your personal computer's graphics card is doing the work, not an entire data center, so if your computer was going to be on anyway, the cost is a drop in the bucket compared to what AI generators are consuming.

Training a large language model like GPT-3, for example, is estimated to use just under 1,300 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity; about as much power as consumed annually by 130 US homes. To put that in context, streaming an hour of Netflix requires around 0.8 kWh (0.0008 MWh) of electricity. That means you’d have to watch 1,625,000 hours to consume the same amount of power it takes to train GPT-3. (source)

So, no, I don't think Nightshade or Glaze are useless just because they aren't going to immediately topple every AI image generator. There's not really much downside for the artists interested in using them so I hope they continue development.

[mahmoudna]

“I Need Your Support to Continue My Studies and Build My Future from Gaza🍉🍉

My name is Mahmoud Naeem Abu Hatab, from Gaza.

I am a university student majoring in Software and Databases at Al-Azhar University. Since the beginning of my academic journey, I have been passionate about User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design, as well as website development. These fields inspire me, and I dream of advancing my skills and building a professional career in them.

Unfortunately, during the recent war, I lost my laptop, which was essential for both my studies and work. I was forced to flee my home and relocate to southern Gaza due to the difficult circumstances. Despite my efforts to replace my laptop, the financial situation has made it impossible to afford a new one.

Without a laptop, continuing my studies or seeking job opportunities in programming and design has become extremely challenging. This directly affects my academic progress and future career.

Today, I am reaching out to ask for your support to help me purchase a new laptop. Having a laptop would allow me to resume my studies and work on programming and design projects that are crucial for improving my skills. It is a vital step towards completing my education and pursuing my dream of becoming a professional in programming and UX/UI design.

I know that the situation in Gaza is difficult, but I believe education is the only path to building a better future for myself and my family. If you are able to contribute any amount to help me get a new laptop, it would be a real opportunity for me to get back on track academically and professionally.

I am determined to keep learning and working despite the challenges, but I need your support to achieve this goal. Every donation or act of help, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in my life.

If you’d like to support me, you can donate through:

GoFundMe

OR

USDT

If you can assist in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Thank you for your support and kindness! 🌿

@gaza-evacuation-funds @appsa @nabulsi27 @palestinegenocide @orblesbian @palebluebutler @pallasisme @fallahifag-deactivated20240722 @vakarians-babe @sayruq @ @plomegranate @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @queerstudiesnatural @tamamita @apollos-boyfriend @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @queerstudiesnatural @palestinegenocide @sar-soor @akajustmerry @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @marnosc @flower-tea-fairies @flower-tea-fairies @tsaricides @tsaricides @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @brutaliakent @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @4ft10tvlandfangirl @90-ghost @paper-mario-wiki @nabulsi @prisonhannibal @beepiesheepie @walcutt @schoolhater98 @commissions4aid-international @sar-soor @zigcarnivorous@tododeku-or-bust@turtletoria @brutaliakhoa @flower-tea-fairies @schoolhater @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @sayruq @omiteo777 @malcriada @neptunerings @bat-luun @kaneverse @nightowlssleep @staretes @friendshapedplant @soon-palestine @aria-ashryver @heritageposts @magnus-rhymes-with-swagness-blog @khangerinedreams @kordeliiius @mazzikah @feluka @dlxxv-vetted-donations @girlinafairytale @a-shade-of-blue @vakarians-babe @babygoatsandfriends @self-hating-zionist @mangocheesecakes @dlxxv-vetted-donations @gazaboovintage @gazavetters @wellwaterhysteria @sar-soor @applebunch @irhabiya @sayruq @xxx-sparkydemon-xxx @junglejim4322 @reptilianspecies @dr-lapdance @tamamita @cantsayidont @fairweathermyth @dear-indies @eruthiawenluin @katealot @lenasai @stalinistqueens @ayeshjourney @gaza-evacuation-funda @el-shab-hussein @irhabiya @nabulsi @ibtisams @dlxxv-vetted-donations @tododeku @a-shade-of-blue @gaza-relief-fund @catnapdreams @northgazaupdates @buttercuparry @stuckinapril

[moatemfarid]

🚨Don't stop helping🫶🍉

Hi, I am Motasem from Gaza. For the past 11 months, my family and I have been enduring unimaginable suffering — facing genocide, starvation, homelessness, and severe health issues. We’ve been left without any source of income, and we’ve lost our home, food, water, and access to basic medicine. We are a hardworking family; I used to work as a software developer, and my brothers were engineers. But now, everything has been stripped away from us.

This my donation link:

We are desperately in need of support to survive these conditions and rebuild our lives. Any help, no matter how small, will go a long way in providing us with food, water, and medical supplies. Please consider sharing our story and contributing if you can. Your kindness can help us survive this tragedy and bring hope back to our lives.

[seat-safety-switch]

Only the most important dogs are allowed to ride in cars, according to dogs. Although they don't understand in any way what a car is (softly woofing house that goes fast?) dogs know that it has innate value. To be able to haul ass along the landscape, nose out of the window to inhale the world's odours without consequence: this is the bounty of the richest dogs in the world.

We know all this because of pet psychologists, who have developed a device capable of reading the thoughts of pets. You really don't want to hook one of these babies up to a chinchilla, apparently. Turns out that when you plug the dogs in, all they want to do is go for a car ride. Well, the dogs who have ridden in cars before. The control group? They mostly just want to eat sausages. Both of these goals are noble and relatable, but it's cars that we can help with most.

When you were a child, what did you want more than anything? That's right. To be able to drive the car. This is now what we believe dogs want. However, dogs cannot be trusted with conventional automobiles. Our highways are already enough of a gong show as it is. The last thing we need is an Alsatian driving on the shoulder for fourteen miles because it saw a squirrel. Luckily, self-driving car technology has advanced to the point where our backers can be convincingly lied to that it actually works.

Our strategy? We put a dog in a self-driving car. We build a piece of software that automatically figures out from barking and body language where the dog wants to go. That last part isn't very hard. They mostly just want to go to the park. Then we take the dog back home, and charge the owner one thousand dollars. It's advanced new technology, you see. The novelty of being an early adopter is worth it.

Sure, there's bound to be some problems. Already we've found that certain breeds of dogs (greyhounds, mostly) are displeased with how slow our self-driving vehicles go in the interest of public safety. They leave a very low score, which means we have to fire the software for non-performance. Luckily for us, an unrelated company that is run by the exact same people has started a self-driving car pseudo-sentience unemployment agency. They'll be driving humans around, which we all agree are less valuable than dogs.