I Dont Hate The Concept Of Ebooks Per Se But What Bothers Me Is How Our Society Is Shifting From Actually

I don’t hate the concept of ebooks per se but what bothers me is how our society is shifting from actually owning entertainment in tangible forms like books and CDs and DVDs and game discs, to having to download everything so basically we’ll get to the point where everything is intangible and all of our property can be taken away by a website crash.

The Very Basics of Not Killing Your Computer

AVOID HEAT STRESS

If you have a laptop DO NOT use it on a soft surface like a pillow or on a blanket, it’ll block the vents on your computer and make it get really fucking hot inside.

If you have a desktop you gotta open it up and blow out the dust sometimes.

If you are moving your laptop in a bag turn the laptop off. Don’t put it to sleep, don’t just shut the screen, turn it off, because otherwise it’s in the bag generating heat and there’s nowhere for the heat to go in the bag. OFF. Not sleep. OFF.

DO NOT DROP

Okay I know that should be obvious but drop damage to your hard drive is bad bad news. Be as careful as you can to set your computer gently on flat surfaces; don’t leave it hanging out on a bed where it can get knocked off, don’t set it on the roof of your car. And yes, just dropping it a couple inches can kill your hard drive or totally shatter your screen.

DON’T PUT SHIT ON YOUR KEYBOARD

Look I’ve seen four people ruin their laptops because they had a pen on the keyboard and closed the laptop and it fucked up the screen and the keyboard and it sucks so much and you feel awful after it happens because it’s so avoidable just don’t put things on your keyboard and always check that your laptop is clear before you close it.

PROTECT YOUR PORTS ON YOUR LAPTOP

You’ve only got one power jack and a limited number of other inputs on your computer and if they detach from the motherboard you’re fucked. USB ports get damaged because people use them a lot and eventually it weakens the connection and then they just stop working and it sucks. You can get around this with USB ports by using a USB hub to connect things like your keyboard and mouse.

For your power plug you just gotta be careful. Avoid tripping over the cord at all costs, don’t yank the plug out of the computer. It will SUCK VERY MUCH A LOT if you have to buy a new computer because the power port lost contact with the motherboard.

Don’t move your computer with things plugged into it. Take the power cord off before you put your laptop in the bag, take out the USB mouse dongle, do not travel with little nubby bits sticking out of your computer that can easily get caught or get tweaked or snap off inside of the thing.

(I really can’t emphasize enough that most of the “it will cost more than it’s worth to fix this” laptops I see are because of USB ports and power jacks. People don’t seem to know that this isn’t something that can be fixed easily; a broken power jack is a “remove the motherboard and resoldier components” job, not a “plug a new one in in fifteen minutes” job and most computer repair shops aren’t going to solder things for you and if they DO it’s going to be very expensive)

RESTART YOUR SHIT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH AND JUST LET THE FUCKING UPDATES RUN

You should probably restart more than once a month but whatever. This is actually something that I consider part of reducing heat stress because when your processor is straining to keep up with all the background bullshit that’s running from a program you opened three weeks ago it’s going to use up resources and get hot and look just restart it once in a while.

Also the updates are almost always okay and safe and generally running updates is a good and secure thing to do (though maybe follow a blog dedicated to the OS you run because if there IS a problem with the updates that blog will probably talk about it before the update gets forced on your computer)

ANTIVIRUS BULLSHIT

Yes you should probably be running an antivirus.

Sophos is free and it’s fine. But don’t pay for it - if you’re using Sophos use the free version.

If you’re looking for something paid and a little more comprehensive I recommend ESET - get the cheap version, renewals cost less than the initial purchase, and feel free to get a multi-year version, the credentials follow your email not the computer so if your computer dies before your license expires you can install the license on a new computer.

DO NOT INSTALL NORTON OR MCAFEE THEY ARE EXPENSIVE BULLSHIT. Kaspersky is whatever. It’s less bullshit than Norton or McAfee but not as good as ESET for about the same cost.

If you think you’ve got a virus run the free version of Malwarebytes and get your shit cleaned.

KEEP LIQUIDS THE FUCK AWAY FROM YOUR COMPUTER

Again this should be obvious and yet. But seriously, just make a rule for yourself that drinks aren’t allowed on the same table as your computer and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.

PLUG YOUR COMPUTER INTO A UPS

Okay I fucking hate amazon but here’s a thing you should be using, just search the rest of the internet for “surge protector/UPS” and you’ll find something that isn’t from amazon - APC is a solid brand for this.

Basically you want a fat surge protector that has a little bit of a battery backup and you want to plug your computer (desktop OR laptop) into that instead of into the wall. The benefit of this is twofold:

1) if there’s a power surge the UPS will prevent your computer’s power supply from getting fried and possibly frying parts of your motherboard

2) if there’s a power outage and you’re *at* your computer you’ll have enough time to save what you’re working on before your computer loses power (like, you’ll maybe only have a minute or two on a small UPS but that’s still time to hit CTRL+S and keep from losing work)

At a bare, bare minimum your computer should be plugged into a surge protector but NOT directly into the wall.

BACK YOUR SHIT UP

[we interrupt this yelling for me to tell you that Western Digital has apparently released their new My Passport line and I’m obligated to inform you that you can get a 2.5″ USB 3.0 backup drive with FIVE FUCKING TERABYTES OF STORAGE for $130. Or you can get 4TB for $93. Or you can get 1TB for $53. basically what I’m saying is that it is not only cheap computer season it is also cheap hard drive season.]

[also if you’re getting a backup drive get western digital not seagate seagate fucking sucks and has a much higher failure rate]

Uh, okay, anyway - Do an image backup of your computer every once in a while so that if you get infected or your hard drive dies or whatever you can just restore from backup and move on like nothing happened.

HERE’S HOW TO DO AN IMAGE BACKUP.

SAVE YOURSELF THE WEAR AND TEAR

You know what is cheap? USB Keyboards and USB mice. You know what is not cheap? Fixing the touchpad on a laptop or replacing a laptop keyboard.

Get yourself a USB hub, a USB Keyboard and a USB Mouse (wired or wireless, doesn’t matter) and if you’re using your laptop at home plug *that* into your computer.

Also if your keyboard on your laptop breaks it’s fine just to use a USB keyboard instead I promise; if the screen breaks it’s also usually cheaper and easier to get a used or inexpensive monitor than it is to replace the screen. Your laptop is basically just a very small version of whatever bullshit is going on inside a desktop, if the peripherals break but the core components are fine you can just use it like a desktop.

Unless it’s a piece of shit that doesn’t have any USB ports or video out in which case you got ripped off, friend, demand functionality in your devices I’m sorry.

/rant

Would you know of like. Hobbies to start/things to do that don't require any physical objects or money, bc I have neither and have no idea what to do with myself. (I mean, that's all of the time, not bc of the virus since my school is still in session, but it might also be helpful for other people rn maybe? idk)

that’s a great question! starting off, i have a distractions tag that has lots of links for games and sites that can help pass the time, and some other posts that i’ll link straight to here, along with other interesting things i can find on my blog:

100+ Legal Sites to Download Literature

free online courses from Harvard / free online courses from MIT

24 Invaluable Skills To Learn For Free Online This Year

learn origami

free art programs

educational youtube channels

freerice.com (answer questions and donate rice)

hobbies masterpost

yoga for beginners (if you don’t have a yoga mat, you could probably make do with a towel)

free documentaries

youtube channels for exercise

learn things for free!

free online language courses

learn american sign language / signschool / asl resources

PBS Nova / PBS Nature

free Windows applications

read this if you want to start pirating media

look up the apps Overdrive, Libby, and Hoopla for free digital content from your local library

language pod company

37 best websites for learning a new skill

download photoshop and sai for free

internet resources for education

best educational websites

libguides

huge google drive folder of free essays and books on social issues

primewire (a site that collects streaming links)

some of my tags:

gardening tag (if you have a yard, you might be able to plant some things you already own, like garlic or tomato seeds)

yoga tag (again, you don’t have a yoga mat, a towel should suffice)

exercise tag

writing tag (for improving your writing skills)

adulting tag (you might learn some stuff)

school tag (even if you’re not in school, lots of interesting resources)

some youtube videos/channels:

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Complete, Ordered MST3K Collection)

Bob Ross

Watercolor by Shibasaki

How It’s Made

TEDtalks

Li Ziqi

What I’ve Learned

Bon Appetit test kitchen

Lush How It’s Made

Gayle

Body Positive Yoga

search “singing lessons” and you can find lots of videos to help you improve your voice, no matter how bad you think you are

failing all else, Cracked can always keep me occupied for hours.

if anyone has any youtube channels or sites they recommend, please comment or reply and i’ll add them. take care of yourself, everyone.

Now that JK has proven herself to be the jk we always knew she was, here is a list of incredible fiction by trans authors, because the best way to tell JK to shove her bigotry where the sun don’t shine is to buy the work of authors who deserve her platform. 

The Tensorate Series - JY Yang: four fantasy novellas about the guild of Tensors, magic users who can control elemental forces known as the Slack. V political, v beautifully written. Gender is a key theme but also there are dragons (naga), so there’s something for everyone tbh. 

Love Beyond Body, Space And Time - anthology: a collection of indigenous sci-fi / spec fic stories with LGBTQ and two-spirit characters and themes. Stories include narratives of transition, love stories, and just good ol’ space romps. 

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror - Daniel M. Lavery: a collection of fairytale retellings with a spooky and disturbing twist. Some of these are darkly comic, and others are just plain dark. All are beautifully written, because Lavery is just That Writer. 

The Spirits Series - Jordan L Hawk: a very spicy paranormal romance trilogy about Henry Strauss, an inventor, and Vincent Night, a psychic, whose differing approaches to communing with the dead cause (I’m so sorry) friction. These ones ain’t for the kiddies, but they’re so good and spooky.

The Mechanical Universe - EE Ottoman: a romance series (w a trans male protag!) set in a sort of steampunk universe, where spellcraft and mechanical animation are vying for equal respect. Tbh, everything by EE Ottoman is Very Good And Trans - The Doctor’s Discretion is my personal fave. Recommend 100%.

Peter Darling - Austin Chant: a trans retelling of Peter Pan, where Peter returns to Neverland to find that his place there is now much less certain than it was before, and he no longer belongs anywhere. There is also a romance with Captain Hook, but it works! I promise! 

The Danielle Cain series - Margaret Killjoy: a duology of novellas following Danielle Cain, a queer punk rock nomad, as she solves spooky mysteries. The first book is set in an anarchist settlement, and the theme of found family + community is prevalent throughout. 

An Unkindness of Ghosts - Rivers Solomon: on board the spaceship HSS Matilda, the last of humanity make their journey towards the Promised Land. Conditions on board are akin to the Antebellum South, and protagonist Aster is driven to find her way off the ship - if she can. 

I Wish You All the Best - Mason Deaver: a non binary teen, Ben, comes out to their parents and is kicked out. Their sister takes them in and they start a new school, where their life begins to change for the better. This one is v sweet and deals well with mental illness. 

Resilience - anthology: a collection of poetry and prose by trans women and amab trans people, featuring work by Casey Plett, KOKUMO, Magpie Leibowitz and many more. 

Small Beauty - jia qing wilson-yang: a mixed race Chinese trans woman returns to her small town Canada home after the death of her cousin, and she deals with her trauma and grief. Beautiful and sad, and absolutely honest about grief. 

Little Fish - Casey Plett: a trans woman begins to believe that her late Mennonite grandfather may have been trans, and while her own life starts to cave in, she attempts to connect with him through those who knew him. This one is A Lot but it’s phenomenal.

A Boy Called Cin - Cecil Wilde: a romance novel (so it’s SPICY) about Cin, a young trans man, and Tom, an older genderqueer billionaire. This is not your typical billionaire romance AT ALL; healthy relationships are depicted beautifully here alongside the reality of transition.

Confessions of the Fox - Jordy Rosenberg: a retelling of Jack Sheppard, the famous jailbreaker and thief. It’s told as though a trans man has discovered a manuscript about Jack (who is trans) and Jack’s story unfolds alongside the personal narrative of the manuscript discoverer. 

Nameless Woman - anthology: a collection of fiction by trans women of colour. There’s something for everyone here - romance, sci fi, personal narratives and more. A lot of the topics covered are very heavy but they’re treated honestly and sensitively. 

Maiden, Mother, Crone - anthology: a collection of fantasy stories about trans women and femmes. You want a story about a dread trans chthonic goddess? Of course you do. It’s right here. Enjoy. 

Caroline’s Heart - Austin Chant: a romance between a trans man (a COWBOY nonetheless) and a trans woman (a WITCH). Cecily has been trying to bring her lover, Caroline, back from the dead via magic, but when Roy gives his life to save her, she has a choice to make. 

The Queen of Cups - Ren Basel: a novelette about Theo, who’s about to set sail on their first voyage. As per their village’s custom, they ask the Oracle to bless their voyage, and she agrees - if she can come along. A great treatise on bravery, loyalty and independence. 

Amateur - Thomas Page McBee: not fiction, but OH WELL!! You gotta read it!! The autobiography of a trans man who learns to box and asks questions about what kind of man he wants to be; can he avoid repeating the toxic masculinity he fears? 

Trans Power - Juno Roche: also not fiction! Oops! Take me to court!! Roche interviews multiple trans people about their relationships with their transness, their sexuality and their bodies, and the result is a super empowering and beautiful book. 

The Shape of My Name - Nino Cipri: a novelette about time travel. I really can’t say much about this one because it’s better to go in without knowing a lot, but the main theme is self discovery and acceptance, especially within the context of a neglectful / abusive family. 

Pet - Akwaeke Emezi: the children in the city of Lucille know that there are no more monsters. They’ve been told so. So when Jam meets Pet, who definitely seems to be a monster, she has to face the problem of saving the world from something that it refuses to admit exists. 

There are obviously many more trans fiction authors out there, but these are the ones I’ve read and can call to mind immediately. On my to read list are Juno Dawson (who writes YA primarily), Kai Cheng Thom (whose story in Maiden, Mother, Crone was my favourite), Meredith Russo (also writes YA), Leslie Feinberg, and Sybil Lamb.

I haven’t included trans poets here because I feel like that’s a separate list in and of itself, but if anyone wants to add any, please feel free!

to whom it may concern

tear gas

background

tear gas is not a gas, it’s a kind of powder that clings to ur skin and clothing. it affects ur eyes and ur respiratory system. tear gas cans have different levels of toxicity, and the ones used against civilians are the lowest, but u should never trust a cop with ur safety

countries might have different policies about it, but common (rarely followed) protocols include: 

tear gas canister must be shot at the air, not directly at civilians

police must announce they will gas the place before shooting a can

lethality

people with respiratory problems should be thoroughly careful as death may ocur in a matter of hours exposed to it

others with no problems might experience fainting

have in mind the long lasting effects of this chemical weapon have not been registered yet

protection

thick face mask (the type made from a paper-like material) for a short period of exposure or low toxicity

proper gas masks with mixed filter against organic vapours and acid gases + particles

goggles (like ski masks or to go swimming)

if the gas mask doesn’t cover your entire face/doesn’t have a proper grip, u need to wear a bandana or a piece of clothing under it

do NOT use vinegar

do NOT wear makeup, creams or sunscreen as it worsens the effect on ur eyes

treatment & prevention

cheap: mixture of 90% water + 10% baking soda, apply on the nose, rinse ur mouth with it, pour it on the eyes (closed) and wait a little while before blinking repeatedly

 effective & cheap: boil a pot of water with laurel leaves (the kind u use to cook) until water turns brown. apply on nose, rinse mouth, pour on closed eyes and blink repeatedly. more effective as preventive measure (soak a piece of clothing and hold it against ur mouth/nose or tie it around ur head)

other: maalox antiacid

u can bite on a lemon for the effects to go away, but it would only last once ur away from the gas

do NOT run or get agitated, walk fast and watch where ur going. be calm, be mindful of others suffering the effects of the gas around u. help each other. contain each other

sneeze, cough, spit and blink as much as necessary until u’ve recovered

aftercare

tear gas clings to ur skin and ur clothes, so try to get the least amount of skin exposed. do NOT touch ur face (eyes, mouth, nose) with ur hands or ur clothes after u’ve been exposed, as the particles of the chemical will once again hurt u

u can wash ur clothes with baking soda, but the chemical might still remain (so dont take that forever 21 dress to a protest)

do NOT shower with hot water, as it re-activates the chemical. u dont have to use ice cold water but regulate the temperature carefully

neutralization

baking soda + water mixture in a big (6lt) reusable water bottle (some people add shampoo). u must wear heavy face protection and wielding gloves to manipulate the tear gas canister, grabbing it quickly from the floor and then cover the bottle as fast as u can once u put the can inside. it takes a few minutes to put off.

important: keep the canister, dont throw it away. when u’ve gotten to safety take a picture of the labels and information on the can, as it details the toxicity and precautions. make sure to check the protocols in ur country and report any misconduct.

not recommended: if u do not have the proper equipment to handle a tear gas canister, throw or kick the can against the police who shot it. watch them suffer. absolutely not recommended i do not support this u should never :-)

pepper spray

background

pepper spray isnt a gas either, the particles get under ur skin and stay there for a very long period of time. it obstructs ur respiratory system and blinds u for hours. if u see a cop walking around with a long canister in their hand, do please please get away and warn others.

lethality

death has been registered on asthmatic people

no long lasting effects as far as i know

protection

there’s nothing that can really prevent the effects of a pepper spray attack. it will cling to whatever u have on though, so the more covered u are the less particles will reach ur skin.

milk: magnesium milk is more recommended (u can buy it in a drugstore) but regular milk might work as well. it can lower the effects of pepper spray but it wont stop it. it relieves the effects after u’ve been attacked, but depending on how exposed u were. it leaves white stains on the skin and clothes.

aftercare

tear gas will worsen the effects, so if ur attacked with pepper spray u must get away immediately

if u are hit directly, in close proximity, u need to be taken to a hospital asap

it will burn ur skin and ur throat, u will feel hell on ur skin, but do not cry. remain calm. u need to know this will be over in a few hours and u will have no long lasting effects

the hospital may release u once u’ve recovered sight, but ur skin (especially ur hands, as u use and move them the most) will still hurt from time to time. sink the affected areas in a mixture of water and dish soap repeatedly and fast for 10-15 seconds

do NOT put any creams or lotions on

throw away the clothes and belongings contaminated with it, but be careful and mindful of the animals and homeless people who search for food in the trash, they dont deserve to suffer the effects of this weapon just because u are lousy

pellet shots

lethality

u will not die of a pellet shot wound, but if it lands on ur eyes u will be permanently blinded as the eye injury is irreversible

at the hospital they might have to give u vaccines

sometimes doctors are unable to remove the bullets and, depending on what it’s made of, u might suffer the effects of contamination

have in mind they can land anywhere, even ur face, and the removal is painful and excruciating

if ur shot in a non threatening part of ur body it will hurt like hELL, but u can still walk around just fine

protection

wearing jeans or windbreaker fabric will lower the speed of the shot, though it will still injure ur skin

anything from tin pieces to wood will stop the bullets. u can make a shield out of stop signs or cable satellites antennas

if u have a shield with u, it is ur responsability to stand in the front and protects other

for the eyes: safety glasses/goggles with ANSI z87.1 or z87+ standard are the easiest and cheapest to get, but military standard MIL-PRF-31013 is more effective. be sure to check the item actually qualifies legally for the standard

extra

water tank: throwing rocks at it only works if the door is open and u can aim at the cops inside. be careful since they might mix water with other chemicals (like caustic soda, which produces burns in the skin and vomit) and are more likely to use disposed water. depending on the type of tank it might actually hit u so hard u fly out of ur shoes, so be careful

laser pointer: u can use them to block cops’ vision, it will save lives

arrest: if u are being arrested and u are alone, or all the people u are with are being taken with u, yell ur full name so the people watching (probably recording) can have proof that u have been detained and ur family and friends can find out

recordings: dont post ur recordings on social media, as it can lead to the arrest of the people in it (or at least blur/cover their faces). it is important to have footage of the events to help the victims injured or abused by cops though

no, listen, when I say I want to integrate more specific solarpunk stuff in my life, i don’t mean to ask for yet again new “aesthetic” clothes that now you have to buy or make to show your support of the movement (screw that i’m consuming enough as it is), or more posts about impossible house goals, or whatever, I’m asking you what my options to build a portable and eco friendly phone charger are, im asking you viable tiny-appartment edible plants growing tricks on a budget,  im asking tips to slow down when my mind and society tell me im not fast enough, i don’t need more rich art nouveau amateurs aesthetics or pristine but cold venus project, okay, i know i should joins associations where I am tho i’m constantly on the move, thanks for that, just, you know, can we get a bit more practical ??? how do I hack my temporary flat into going off the grid for the time i’m here