Israel systematically targets the health of pregnant mothers and infants in Gaza. This is a reality every parent in Gaza knows. It has also been confirmed repeatedly by others. Pediatric healthcare professionals in Gaza have been bravely speaking out about how Israel is currently using restrictions of formula into Gaza to torture and kill Palestinian babies.
If you don't want LinkTree putting your imagery into AI... get out now
Just canceled my account (not that I used it that much). But I wonât permit this. Via @unaminh.bsky.social:
IMPORTANT: For any artists/writers/etc etc, using Linktree to point people to their work, from 5 July, they'll be feeding all imagery you use on your landing page into DALL-E by OpenAI.
Navigating gender dysphoria? Be heard and be counted in the science.
Join our confidential, cross-country study of 18-25 year olds to tell your story, challenge preconceptions, and have YOUR experience reflected in the science on queer youth | ayagdos.org
IF YOU SEE THIS DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY. THIS IS A BAD FAITH STUDY TARGETING TRANS YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SOME OF THE LEADING MINDS OF THE ANTI TRANS MOVEMENT. DO NOT TAKE AT ALL.
Alright now that itâs not the middle of the night let me add some more context: All leading researchers of this studyâJ. Michael Bailey of Northwestern University, Lisa Littman, and Kenneth Zuckerâhave longstanding professional associations with research frameworks that challenge or reject gender-affirming models of care. Many trans-led organizations, advocates, and researchers are urging families NOT to participate in this study, as the data collected will be skewed to promote false and harmful narratives about trans people, and will be weaponized by lawmakers looking to pass discriminatory bills.
(Information above from PFLAG National)
Bailey has spent the last 20+ years of his professional career attacking the Trans community â he has been accused of misconduct MULTIPLE times around not getting informed consent for the research he does.
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD THEY ARE BLAZING THEIR POST TRYING TO REACH THE QUEER COMMUNITY ON TUMBLR.
The bipartisan push to remove anonymity from the internet is ushering in an era of unprecedented mass surveillance and censorship.
"The problem is that thereâs no way to reliably verify someoneâs age without verifying who they are. A platform cannot magically discern that a user is 16 without collecting identifying information, whether through government documents such as a passport, payment information like a credit card, or other identity-disclosing data. Whether that data is stored by the platform itself or outsourced to a vendor, the result is always the same: A userâs offline identity is forever linked with their online behavior.
Stripping anonymity from the internet would constitute one of the most sweeping rollbacks of civil rights in recent history. It would allow for unprecedented levels of mass surveillance and censorship, endangering the most marginalized members of society. Whistleblowers exposing corporate wrongdoing could be tracked and fired, government employees speaking out about illegal behavior or bad policies could face prosecution, and activists organizing protests could be identified and surveilled before ever setting foot on the street."
And this is exactly the kind of thing US lawmakers will decide for US citizens, and it will effect everyone who uses the internet globally. Already any kind of age verification amounts to "hand over your government identification to a private US corporation".
I dont know what solutions might be on a broader scale, but its absurd for one country to have this much power and for their private corporations to be handed this amount of authority from literally world governments demanding "safety for children". This power structure is absurd.
Yall USians have got to shut down all this bullshit, youre the ones who vote these people in and out. Theyre not gonna give a shit what foreigners have to say.
Hey, so this may be a weird place to put this, but if your college or school uses Canvas, it was likely affected by the recent data breach. As of right now, the most likely personal information swept up in this hack is names and email addresses. Login and financial information were not included in the breach (as far as we know).
Right now, as a student you should beware of phishing attempts. Do not click on links seeking your login or financial information. Do not respond to emails about financial aid until verifying the email is legitimate first. Call your school or go speak to an admin in person if you have to. Report any suspicious emails to your school's IT department.
took me a minute to find, but the company that owns canvas has confirmed a "cybersecurity incident"
its being reported on by mashable, some smaller tech outlets, and Inside Higher Ed. i was also able to find a local news station reporting on their scool district's response to the attack
Huge apologies, I swear I had sources linked but Tumblr mobile loves stripping my links for some reason.
(Also for clarity to some reblogs - Canvas is an Learning Management System in which online classes are hosted. Canva is the graphic design website. They are not the same, despite being frustratingly similarly named.)
đšBREAKING: OpenAI published a paper proving that ChatGPT will always make things up.
Not sometimes. Not until the next update. Always. They proved it with math.
Even with perfect training data and unlimited computing power, AI models will still confidently tell you things that are completely false. This isn't a bug they're working on. It's baked into how these systems work at a fundamental level.
And their own numbers are brutal. OpenAI's o1 reasoning model hallucinates 16% of the time. Their newer o3 model? 33%. Their newest o4-mini? 48%. Nearly half of what their most recent model tells you could be fabricated. The "smarter" models are actually getting worse at telling the truth.
Here's why it can't be fixed. Language models work by predicting the next word based on probability. When they hit something uncertain, they don't pause. They don't flag it. They guess. And they guess with complete confidence, because that's exactly what they were trained to do.
The researchers looked at the 10 biggest AI benchmarks used to measure how good these models are. 9 out of 10 give the same score for saying "I don't know" as for giving a completely wrong answer: zero points. The entire testing system literally punishes honesty and rewards guessing.
So the AI learned the optimal strategy: always guess. Never admit uncertainty. Sound confident even when you're making it up.
OpenAI's proposed fix? Have ChatGPT say "I don't know" when it's unsure. Their own math shows this would mean roughly 30% of your questions get no answer. Imagine asking ChatGPT something three times out of ten and getting "I'm not confident enough to respond." Users would leave overnight. So the fix exists, but it would kill the product.
This isn't just OpenAI's problem. DeepMind and Tsinghua University independently reached the same conclusion. Three of the world's top AI labs, working separately, all agree: this is permanent.
Every time ChatGPT gives you an answer, ask yourself: is this real, or is it just a confident guess?
Sad update everyone, Tama recently passed away⊠An estimated 3,000 people, including railway officials, attended Tama the catâs funeral on Sunday, days after she died of heart failure aged 16. [x]
For those who havenât read articles about it, the local shrine elevated her to a god. Sheâs now the Eternal Stationmaster and patron god of the station.
Nitama, already now a mature cat (born 2010), has a protege named Yontama (fourth Tama, b. 2016). There is no information available for either the physical befellment or tragic self-disgrace which has removed Santama from contention.
okay but actually what happened to santama (or sun-tama-tama, which is her name because itâs a pun on santama) was that she was basically sent to train for the position in okayama and they liked her so much they refused to send her back
âSun-tama-tamaâ (a pun off of âSantamaâ, lit. âthird Tamaâ) was a calico cat sent for training in Okayama. Sun-tama-tama was considered as a candidate for Tamaâs successor, but the Okayama Public Relations representative who had been caring for Sun-tama-tama refused to give the cat up writing, âI will not let go of this child, she will stay in Okayama.â [25]
As of September 2018, Sun-tama-tama is working as the stationmaster in Naka-ku, Okayama and appears occasionally on Tamaâs Twitter account.
The shrine of Tama DaimyĆjin (Great gracious deity Tama), next to the Kishi station where she worked.
Nitama presenting her yearly offerings to Tama DaimyĆjin on the anniversary of Tamaâs Death, June 23 (The offerings are presented by the company president, as Nitama is a cat and thus canât hold the offerings herself) (Not pictured, but also present, Yontama)
So, fun fact- the manga Noragami has an arc where the main character, Yato (a minor kami/God that is down on his luck but trying to make it big time) goes to a council/conference for all the Gods in Japan.
And they are announcing the winner of the âup and coming godâ award, and of course, Yato thinks itâs him.
22 March - Ever Given Eve. Many celebrate by completing some small task theyâve been putting off, symbolically clearing blockages in their own lives.
23 March - Blockage Day! The main celebration. The exchanging of memes.
24 to 28 March - Hilarity ensues. Memes continue to circulate. The best are saved for next yearâs observances.
29 March - Clearance Day. Festivities wind down. A more solemn occasion.
It's That Time Again: Wildfire Season is Upon Us (It never really stopped being that time.)
I wanted to put together a post of resources and advice all collected into one spot, so here we go!
And remember, just because you think you live in an area where you are safe from wildfires because "it doesn't happen here" does not mean your risk is zero. Wildfires can happen anywhere in the United States, and their prevalence is increasing. Don't be afraid, just be aware and prepared.
Watch Duty
First and foremost, no matter where you live, I HIGHLY recommend getting the Watch Duty app and turning on alerts for the area you live. It is available on Apple, Android, and just as a website. It will allow you to get push notification updates for any wildfires that start in your area, what's happening with them, evacuation information, shelter information, and more all in one spot. It is now available in all fifty states.
The basic and important functions are all free, but you can also get a paid subscription to access some other neat stuff like a flight tracker to see what the firefighting aircraft are doing, fire progression prediction models, a list of links to local emergency services radio feeds you can listen to, etc.
Local Alerts
Signing up for local alerts is also something you need to do. EVEN IF YOU WERE SIGNED UP BEFORE 2026, RECHECK THAT YOU ARE SIGNED UP. Last year the Code Red system, which was one of the most popular local alert systems, was hacked and many places have since moved to other platforms. This means you may need to sign up again even if you were signed up before.
To find out what your local alert system is and how to sign up, search for your town's emergency management information, check government websites, check local fire department websites, or ask local officials.
Mitigate Mitigate Mitigate
Wildfires are going to happen. The best way to help protect your home and/or your business is to mitigate the impact when a fire starts. Things like defensible space, keeping your roof free of combustible debris, screening vents with metal mesh, and using fire safe plants can all be the difference between saving your home and losing it.
The FireWise program is a great place to get started with mitigation, especially if you are interested in community and neighborhood scale projects.
Another great resource if you want to look at mitigation on the community scale is the trainings offered by Coalitions & Collaboratives.
Be sure to also check what resources are available in your local community. You may be able to grants or other forms of support to help with your own mitigation projects.
Prevent the Fire Before it Starts
Put your campfire all the way out. Maintain your vehicle to prevent sparks. Don't park on or against dry plants. If you are towing, make sure your tow chains aren't dragging. If you have snow chains hung on the bottom of your vehicle anywhere, make sure those aren't dragging.
Obey Fire Restrictions
Fire restrictions are generally done on a city or county level, and can be found on the associated city or county websites. Some places are better about this than others. Most areas use the same general restrictions like no open burning, no fireworks, etc., but some may have more specific restrictions you should be familiar with.
And use common sense. If it is hot, dry, and/or windy, don't do things that could start a fire.
Know How to Report a Wildfire
Reporting a wildfire, or potential wildfire, can be tricky without an address. The BEST way is to provide a latitude/longitude, which can usually be obtained on your phone by opening a map app and dropping a pin where you think the fire is, or using other place finding apps like a compass.
If that's not an option, the closest cross streets and landmarks are good. Try to give the closest town as well, even if it is a good distance away, since there are many duplicate place names so having the closest town will help narrow things down considerably.
Understand Your Insurance
I wish I had a good link for this one, but it's going to vary heavily by state. Everyone is doing something different these days, pushing different legislation, enforcing different things. The best thing you can do for yourself is to read through your current policy(ies), talk to your insurance agent, and look up ongoing reforms in your state/area. But it is better to take the time to understand these things now, ahead of fire season.
Have an Evacuation Plan
Know multiple ways out of your neighborhood AND the area where you work AND anywhere else you spend an extensive amount of time. There is a very, very good chance that in a wildfire emergency your cellphone will lose signal and you will not be able to use a GPS app. Pre-planning your evacuation route--and actually driving it a few times--can be critical.
Keep up to date paper maps in your vehicle as well, and know how to read them, in case you lose cell signal for a more extensive amount of time.
Do not attempt to drive on roads that you and/or your vehicle is not capable of. If you get stuck, that creates a much bigger issue for you, other evacuees, and responders.
If you don't drive, for reasons of disability or otherwise, make a plan with friends or family for how you will get out. If you don't have a good support system, reach out to your local fire department to see if they know of any local services that can help, or if they can just take note of your address.
Have a Go Bag Ready
Last but not least, have a Go Bag ready along with your general preparedness measures. A Go Bag is something with JUST the basics. It is not meant to be everything you could ever need, or a full survival system. It is a backpack with the necessities to get you through the first 24-48 hours of an evacuation so you can get your feet under you and figure out the rest from there.
(Full alt text for this poster below the cut.)
As the world changes, it is important to be prepared to safely and efficiently evacuate your home, potentially with little or no warning. Preparing ahead of time can help to reduce stress and anxiety, and help you evacuate safely if the time comes.
Red Level (No Warning): People | Pets | Keys. Human life matters most. If you canât rescue your pets, let them out to give them their best chance. If evacuating by car, donât forget your keys.
Orange Level (Less Than an Hour): Crucial Meds | Important Papers | Money | Paper Map | Pet Vaccination Records. Crucial meds and medical equipment. Papers including passports, birth certificates, medical records, etc.. Multiple forms of payment. Paper map with marked evac routes in case of signal loss. Phone. Most evac centers require vaccine records for pets to be allowed in.
Yellow Level (More Than an Hour): Photos | Hard Drives | Computers | Chargers | Irreplaceable Items | OTC Meds | Pet Supplies | Pet Food | Clothes | Weather Gear. Family photos. Hard drives and computers. Make digital backups ahead of time. Charging cords. Irreplaceable items such as collectibles and mementos. Over the counter medical supplies such as Aspirin and tampons. Pet supplies such as bowls, crates, toys, and litter. Pet food and treats. Clothes. If you are running out of time grab your laundry basket. Weather gear if needed.
Green Level (General Preparedness): Food | Water | Radio | N95 Masks | Multitool | Power Pack | Gas | Stove + Fuel | Flashlight | Toiletries | Emergency Contact Info | Bedding | First Aid | Can Opener. Easy prep, shelf-stable food. Water. Battery powered/rechargeable NOAA weather radio. N95 masks for smoke. A multitool. Rechargeable power pack for phones. Keep your car at least partially fueled at all times. Portable stove and fuel for cooking food without power. Flashlight and spare batteries. Toiletries including hair products, toothbrush and paste, etc.. Emergency contact info for friends and loved ones. Spare pillows and blankets. Dedicated first aid kit. Can opener.
Save yourself time and stress by preparing an evacuation bag ahead of time and keep it in an easy to access place. At the end of every season rotate out the perishable items within such as food, water, and medications. The more you can keep in the bag, the more time youâll have to grab everything else. Remember, it is okay if you canât do everything. Some preparation is better than no preparation.
If you are in the U.S.A. and experiencing disaster related anxiety call the Disaster Distress Hotline at 1-800-985-5990 for support and resources.
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If you share this image outside of tumblr, please link back to my website: www.Katy-L-Wood.com
Holllyyyy crap the new paid leave law in MN is AMAZING.
I was happy it was there but not frankly paying much attention because I am self employed. So, like, I figured it wouldn't apply to me.
NOT SO! For $300 a YEAR I can buy in to the scheme that will give me 66% of my average weekly income if I get hurt, or if I have to take care of someone. Like for Pookie's top surgery. Or if one of the many aging boomers in my life need help. (People with actual employers have this all paid for by their employer. Like it's mandatory. But I am my employer, so I get to choose. And I am choosing to pay in because this is amazing.)
BUT WAIT!
It can also be for taking care of people I'm not related to, as long as I'm not charging them for care. A law that supports found family! Amazing! Anybody can take care of anybody they care about enough to do this for!!!
It also covers bonding time for new adoptions, bonding time for non-carrying parents, and, not helpful for me but amazing. you can also use it to safely get out of a domestic violence situation!
BASED ON MY AVERAGE WEEKLY INCOME IN MY HIGHEST PAID MONTH????? NOT THE ANNUAL AVERAGE????? WHAT GLORIOUS MAD SORCERY IS THIS?
Holy crap do you know how much I worry about what happens if I can't work for a while? Pookie works to, more than me actually, but largely for our health insurance. We can't come close to covering the bills on just one income.
PS that $300 a year is based on MY income. It's LESS if you make less!
And! And! People who make less than $700 a week get a higher % of their average income! They get 90% instead of 66%. Whereas richer people get 50%, with a cap on how much.
Minnesotans who are self-employed or don't have benefits through their employer, you can learn more here! Non-Minnesotans, you can also check out this neato program if you think you might like to try and get your electeds to do it too. God, I wish this had been available when my mom was dying. I would have gotten to spend so much more time with her.
REALLY solid position opened up at the Indiana state museum. Downsides: it's Indiana, with all of the political and health limitations that entails, and the pay is sub-60k- which can be livable in parts of Indianapolis, but not all of them.
Upside: the ISM rocks and this is a really good conservation lab. And unlike a lot of conservation lab manager positions, this only requires a BA- you could probably work an online MA while you were doing this and get assistance/reimbursement.
Reminder, if you ever pay someone for a commission on Paypal (NSFW OR NOT) you SHUT THE FUCK UP in any text box it gives you.
(No this does not mean try to be a snarky comedian and say it was "bomb materials" or "fuck u" or whatever. Don't play with people's livelihoods, just shut the fuck up and don't type anything at all, it's not that hard.)