Tootfinder

Right, folks, so there is an account on mastodon.social (@8124@mastodon.social) that has been libelling me and others, defaming us as antisemites for the longest time.
They just sent the posts attached.
They have been reported to mastodon.social and I have raised my concerns with them and yet no action has been taken against that account even though the account has been suspended on at least three major Mastodon servers and limited on at least four others.
It is not limited…

Friday was an adventure in tech futility. Started with a gifted laptop, Dell Latitude, and the simple task of wiping its poor excuse for an OS and installing something sensible.
#Ubuntu wasn't it. OMG Ubuntu, what HAVE you done?! Tried first #UbuntuStudio then stock Ubuntu, 24.04, 25.04, 25.11, all the installers simply hung, no log, no journalctl, CPU chugging but nada detectable action, even hours later, just "Preparing…"
Net advice is old, of course, but points to the snap bootstrap service, fix has no effect but Kee-riced look at the mount table?! Snaps crackle and pop all over! Wtf, why? 🤯
And it is tedious. These 'DVD' iso files are 7GB, so, after 6 hours frustration, I thought, let's try something smaller to cut the turnaround time. #Debian13 simple bare-bones net-install seemed a good candidate …
And it was. Seemless install. 😊

"Analysis: UK newspaper editorial opposition to climate action overtakes support for first time"
#UK #UnitedKingdom #Climate

Analysis: UK newspaper editorial opposition to climate action overtakes support for first time - Carbon Brief
Nearly 100 UK newspaper editorials opposed climate action in 2025, a record figure that reveals the backlash against net-zero in the right-leaning press

I love that so many Americans turned out to not just protest policies that hit personally,
but to rally in support of democracy writ large.
For many, it was their first time taking this kind of action,
and they were doing it in a way that expressed optimism and possibility rather than giving in to anger or despair

Commentary: America tried something new in 2025. It's not going well
Glow up or grow up? Times columnists Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak look back and assess whether 2025 was good for America or an unmitigated disaster.

Intending to apply for 2026-27 but not yet finished with your application? There's still time to act. Apply by day's end on Sunday, Feb. 1, and move a big step closer to joining our community of faith, scholarship, and action.
https://divinity.yale.edu/admissions-aid/how-to-appl…

Trump warns Iran 'time is running out' for deal to avert US military action (Steff Chšvez/Financial Times)
https://www.ft.com/content/070b13a2-61c8-48fb-9bb0-42512f0c487d
http://www.memeorandum.com/260128/p88#a260128p88

I think it's time for some #FollowFriday action once again. Today, let's focus on computational/algorithmic/generative art/design practitioners (not AI art :)
An entirely incomplete list, in A-Z order:
@…

I feel as though I should illustrate the difference that this one single constraint can make by two examples.
The rules of Simon Says are maximally authoritarian. You must perform any action ordered, with the only restriction that the authority must say "Simon says" first. Were you forced to stay in this system, it would be the most despotic autocracy possible. But it's not. It's a silly game because you can leave at any time.
Let's flip this and imagine a room. During a specific period of time you will have absolute control over everything in this room. In this room you have total freedom. This is not even the limited freedom, the coordinated freedom, the compromising freedom of civil society. You could, without consequence, perform any action you wish in this room. You could say anything, destroy or steal any object, order any individual to perform any action, kill any person in the room with you and take anything they own. This is the sovereign freedom, the absolute freedom, of dictators and kings. The only restriction is that you are not allowed to leave the room while you have this freedom. In fact, you really only have this level of freedom because the room is actually empty other than for you. I am, of course, talking about a form of torture still common in the US: solitary confinement.

For the past 15 years, I've observed San Francisco leaders talk about how important climate action is - but not actually do a lot. There now a petition asking the Mayor to take meaningful action at
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/mayor-lurie-implement-…

Mayor Lurie: Prioritize Climate Action Plan goals as you restructure city government
San Francisco approved a detailed and comprehensive Climate Action Plan in 2021 with a top-line goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2040. Some progress towards this goal has been made since then, including general fund budget money awarded over the last few years to the SF Environment Department, for the first time ever. But we are now in danger of going backwards in our fight to mitigate climate change. Mayor Lurie and the Board of Supervisors recently approved a 2-year budget that revokes...

For the past 15 years, I've observed San Francisco leaders talk about how important climate action is - but not actually do a lot. There now a petition asking the Mayor to take meaningful action at
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/mayor-lurie-implement-…

Mayor Lurie: Prioritize Climate Action Plan goals as you restructure city government
San Francisco approved a detailed and comprehensive Climate Action Plan in 2021 with a top-line goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2040. Some progress towards this goal has been made since then, including general fund budget money awarded over the last few years to the SF Environment Department, for the first time ever. But we are now in danger of going backwards in our fight to mitigate climate change. Mayor Lurie and the Board of Supervisors recently approved a 2-year budget that revokes...

love my fuckin Tons

If you had told me that Alex Jones orchestrated this as a controlled opposition false flag to have something new to rant about, I might have believed you
"The Europeans" (a nebulous bunch, but seemingly in fact a climate action group called We Don't Have Time) are launching a new distribution platform for approved propaganda. From one summary: "W is a new European-backed social media platform, announced publicly at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026. I…

Progressive lawmakers are demanding that the Democrats use the upcoming government funding deadline to reduce DHS’s ability to wreak further havoc.
“I just don’t understand how we provide votes for a bill that funds the extent of the depravity,”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told CNN Thursday.
#DefundICE #Make5Calls

Schumer, Jeffries Refuse to Join Democrats' Growing Calls to Slash ICE Spending | Common Dreams
The killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent sparks outrage as Democrats debate funding for the agency. Should they use their power to rein in ICE's violence? Progressive lawmakers demand action, but top Democrats seem hesitant. Is it time for a change in leadership to hold ICE accountable? #ReinInICE #EndViolence

Want to break into climate work but don't know where to start? Terra.do's Learning for Action fellowship might be your answer.
This 12-week program covers clean energy, climate policy, and other key solutions—all designed to fit around your full-time job (6-10 hours/week). You'll learn from industry pros, build your network, and join graduates who've successfully landed climate careers.
Financial aid available for those ready to make a difference.

Answering Your LFA Questions
Terra.do's Learning for Action fellowship (LFA) is our flagship 12-week course. Here, we'll answer some common questions about the program.

I feel as though I should illustrate the difference that this one single constraint can make by two examples.
The rules of Simon Says are maximally authoritarian. You must perform any action ordered, with the only restriction that the authority must say "Simon says" first. Were you forced to stay in this system, it would be the most despotic autocracy possible. But it's not. It's a silly game because you can leave at any time.
Let's flip this and imagine a room. During a specific period of time you will have absolute control over everything in this room. In this room you have total freedom. This is not even the limited freedom, the coordinated freedom, the compromising freedom of civil society. You could, without consequence, perform any action you wish in this room. You could say anything, destroy or steal any object, order any individual to perform any action, kill any person in the room with you and take anything they own. This is the sovereign freedom, the absolute freedom, of dictators and kings. The only restriction is that you are not allowed to leave the room while you have this freedom. In fact, you really only have this level of freedom because the room is actually empty other than for you. I am, of course, talking about a form of torture still common in the US: solitary confinement.

Let's get festive! 🎄 Tonight we're back in Middle-earth for more LOTRO Yule Festival chaos! Time to throw rotten fruit at the actors in Frostbluff and grab those new cosmetics.
All the holiday action powered by my Bazzite gaming setup! Come join the snowball fight!
🔴 LIVE AT https://www.twitch.tv/tuxramus

Tell Congress: NO Funding for Primate Breeding! #AnimalRights

URGENT: Tell Congress NO to Funding Primate Breeding!
Right now, Congress is working on the 2025 federal budget, and the Senate Appropriations Committee has allocated a staggering $30 million to expand primate breeding and research at National Primate Research Centers. This funding will support invasive, unethical experiments on primates—causing unimaginable suffering while advancing unreliable science that fails over 90% of the time in human clinical trials. 🔬 Despite these facts, the NIH asked for $10 million, but the Senate has tripled th…

The Post-Gazette closes in five months, leaving time for Pittsburgh institutions to react, maybe by growing a replacement or helping its owner start a nonprofit (Joshua Benton/Nieman Lab)
https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/01/will-pittsb…

Will Pittsburgh become America’s most important city without a newspaper?
One of the country's oldest newspapers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, says it's shutting down in May. Not going digital-only — just closing. But the delayed closure could also spur some long-delayed action.

From Translink
Customer-driven improvements are coming to Metro Vancouver transit
TransLink’s new five-year plan outlines 34 actions shaped by feedback, focused on reliability
Better real-time transit information, more reliable elevators and escalators, easier ways to report cleanliness issues, and continuing design work for Bus Rapid Transit are among the improvements TransLink is advancing through its new Customer Experience Action Plan.

The group chat is dead. It’s stunning that people keep saying it’s where the action is when it’s been dead for a long time.

Time for a social experiment. I have 5 questions:
- What should we work towards as a society?
- What's one thing that doesn't exist now in your community but should?
- What's one action you could take in the coming year to align your life with that goal?
- What's one thing you could achieve in the coming year to get closer to making that thing exist?
- Imagine that we changed everything and you're living in the world you want to see exist. What does the world look like?
I've asked variations of these already (and am still getting great responses), but this time there's a catch. Get together some of your friends (3-5 people) and ask these questions of the group. Come up with *one* answer that everyone in the group agrees on and post it here, then write a bit about your experience.
If you don't know people locally (or otherwise can't do this in person), tag some folks in here or wherever your people are at digitally. Just add some info on if it's online or in person.
For anyone bold enough to actually do this, let me know if you'd be OK with me putting this in an upcoming entry (https://anarchoccultism.org/building-zion/).

Want to break into climate work but don't know where to start? Terra.do's Learning for Action fellowship might be your answer.
This 12-week program goes deep on real-world climate solutions—beyond just clean energy. You'll learn the science, explore diverse solutions, and connect with a global community, all while working full-time (6-10 hrs/week).
Financial aid available.

Answering Your LFA Questions
Terra.do's Learning for Action fellowship (LFA) is our flagship 12-week course. Here, we'll answer some common questions about the program.

Given how horribly my society is behaving I have decided to give at least as much money as I spend on myself to charity each of the next 3 years.
I don't spend much, compared to my middle class USA peers (say $60,000 a year for housing, health insurance, food, car, technology...). Even that is up from what I used to spend and will go higher I think the next 3 years (as I reduce my long time frugality).
I think it is important for us to take action to protect the USA and the …

Progressive lawmakers are demanding that the Democrats use the upcoming government funding deadline to hopefully reduce the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to wreak further havoc.
“I just don’t understand how we provide votes for a bill that funds the extent of the depravity,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told CNNThursday.
“I know we can’t fix everything in the appropriations bill but we should be looking at ways we can put some commonsense limitations on their ability to…

Schumer, Jeffries Refuse to Join Democrats' Growing Calls to Slash ICE Spending | Common Dreams
The killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent sparks outrage as Democrats debate funding for the agency. Should they use their power to rein in ICE's violence? Progressive lawmakers demand action, but top Democrats seem hesitant. Is it time for a change in leadership to hold ICE accountable? #ReinInICE #EndViolence

Door Dasher Life Fun Facts: This might be useful to think of when you're rating your Dasher.... Who's at fault in this situation?
Let's say I accept an offer for McDonalds.
I head straight there... pull up to the store, and as I walk in the app buzzes again with a 2nd order for the same McDs.
Naturally, I accept. (not accepting reduces my Acceptance rate and potentially my ability to get new offers).
Now I have two orders at the same place! Great! Efficient!
The first order comes up quickly, I put it in my bag, 'pick it up' in the app, and wait for the 2nd order.
Now the fun begins. The restaurant says the 2nd order will be 10 minutes beyond the pickup time. I notify the app, and both customers of the wait... and I wait... and wait... if I remove the 2nd order from my app it affects my completion rate *and* means the customer has to wait for another dasher to come along.
Eventually the 2nd order is ready and I head out to make the deliveries. Both of course now late.. the first potentially cold (even in an insulated bag) *and* late.
In addition, sometimes, often a day or two later, the dasher will receive a “Contract Violation” for the lateness. 3 Contract Violations in a short period and you can be deactivated.
So... there ya go. It happens. I'm never sure what the best course of action is... unless both orders are immediately ready, which you can never predict, someone will end up losing; the store, customer, dasher, or a mix of all three.
#DasherLife #GigWork #DoorDash #Uber
P.S. It's worth noting that Door Dash is the only service I know of that is this strict. Uber Eats does not have mechanisms like this (at least in my experience). Never used Skip, so can't say on that.

Iran extends airspace closure
Iran further extended an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation early on Thursday.
A notice to pilots said the closure was estimated to last until 7.30am local time, the AP is reporting.
A previous order had closed the airspace for just over two hours.
The Iranian government offered no explanation of the decision to shut its airspace amid the tensions with Washington over Tehran’s protest crackdown.

I keep seeing Americans who want to do something about the state of our #politics, but feel like no action they can take will do enough to fix things, so it’s not worth trying.
It’s easy to feel nihilistic. So I’d like to propose an alternative - a 10% improvement approach to political change, of sorts.
It comes from my #PTSD treatment: the idea that no one approach, skill, or intervention can make the #trauma just go away instantaneously. So instead, us humans are left with 10% solutions - things that help a little bit, for some amount of time.
The key to healing is to develop an ongoing set of multiple different solutions that you rotate through based on what feels feasible on any given day / moment. Each one helps a bit. 10%, 5%, 1%. But eventually, you get to making big changes that felt impossible at the start.
The same works for political change and activism. Sure, going to any one protest, or calling your representative, or boycotting a brand, or changing one person’s mind, or donating to one fundraiser won’t fix the entire broken political regime. But it will help A LITTLE.
And if a lot of us continue to find ways to do things that help a little, it will end up doing a lot more.
A movement starts with a thousand little steps that don’t look like much on their own.
Take that little step. Then another.
#USPol #activism #socialChange