Notices by Shaula Evans (shaulaevans@zirk.us)

A question for science-literate and pandemic-serious people (others please do not reply):

If you could go back to March 2020 knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

[Part Two now follows below.] 1/n

#Polycrisis #Pandemics #CovidIsNotOver #AvianFlu

I asked about lessons from March 2020, because I am seeing intelligent, informed experts talk about the prospect of the US-centered (but about to be global) Avian flu outbreak to become very bad, possibly soon.

I am thinking about March 2020, what I've learned since then, and what I should perhaps be doing now, espec. in light of the fragility of complex systems now.

If you are paying attention to H5N1, what are you doing to prepare? 2/n

#H5N1 #Polydemic #Polycrisis

I love my little indoor garden. In my isolated life, my plants are my only tactile contact with other living things; they're good for my spirits and mental health.

However, I'm not producing food in meaningful quantities. It's a joy-giving hobby, nothing more.

If anyone has successful set up indoor gardens to produce significant amounts of food, I would love to hear about what you're doing. My stress would be lower with a bit more food independence.

#IndoorGardening #Hydroponics #Microgreens

Serious question: How do you mitigate against identity theft, etc., when the major threat is various government agencies with which your life is deeply and historically entwined, where opting out is not possible?

Non-snark answers from infosec people who are actively addressing these questions from a place of knowledge and expertise are welcome.

(Uninformed conjecture, cynicism and snark are not welcome, to be very clear.)

Since the last time I asked about password managers, I have heard complaints about some of the top products that were recommended then. So let's try this again:

What do people who know their stuff recommend for password managers (espec. in light of the Big US Tech Political Circus)?

I need something that 2+ people can log into on a distributed team.

(I would tell you how this is being handled now but you would all die of cringe and horror.)

#InfoSec #PasswordManager

Saying, "Don't worry, it will all be okay" to someone who is intelligent, informed, and at risk is not comforting.

It's actually offensive and alienating.

If you wan to keep your relationships intact, and if you want to be a comfort to your friends, learn to sit with their concerns and distress without reflexively smothering them in toxic positivity.

It's a habit worth cultivating. We're all going to need it.

A challenge of this era: following up with people who aren't tracking things, without coming across as a patronizing jerk or micromanaging.

What is one simple step you've taken recently yourself to increase your resilience or disaster preparedness that you would recommend to others?

Likewise, what's one advance step you've taken or are in the process of taking?

#DisasterPreparedness #Resilience

A reminder that #ContentWarnings are fundamentally about consent.

It's not about soft-peddling reality or coddling readers.

When it comes to political news in particular, it's about making it possible for the many vulnerable people who are directly and secondarily affected by these developments to opt in or out to seeing deeply traumatizing content.

If you care about marginalized people, then #CWs are an obvious choice.

If you don't care about the vulnerable or consent... sit with what.

@rysiek Thank you for this.

I really wish there were more posts (in any context) in the format of: "Here's what's happening, don't panic, here's what you need to know, here are actions you can take." It's extraordinarily helpful.

Thank you again.

I don't use any Meta products personally, but I was pleased to learn about Lights Out Meta from a friend. It's a movement to get people to log out of all Meta platforms for the week of January 19-26.

I suspect Meta isn't popular with the Fedi crowd (epic understatement), but you might want to share this with friends who are still there.

It's a great opportunity to invite your friends to the Fediverse! (And to @signalapp, too.) 1/n

#Meta #Facebook #Instagram #Whatsapp #Threads #SocialMedia

It's a good time to take stock of your resources and priorities, and to consider what it means to step into your power.

What (and who) truly matters to you?

What are the lines you won't cross? What are you willing to fight for?

What does"fight for" mean?

What is less important that you can let go of?

Can you contribute time, strength, physical presence, knowledge, expertise, moral support, space, resources, something else?

If you step up and do more, what will it be?

There's a lot of quiet, unglamorous work that needs doing and there will only be more from here out.

Step into your power, roll up your sleeves, and do what you can. Whatever that is.

We get through this together.

Dear socially privileged people of the world:

It doesn't matter if you "approve" of others (and especially Others) or not. We're all going to keep going about our business and leading our weird little lives the best we can as we see fit.

You have permission to let go of your entitlement and anger. It will leave so much more room for happiness for you and the people around you.

Don't take my word for it. Try it.

@slothrop @ifixcoinops That looks wonderful. How did you come across it?

@ifixcoinops Did you ever find a toaster?

@ifixcoinops I was shopping for a toaster several years ago and learned that there are basically two ways to categorize them:

1. the spectrum of cheap to affordable-ish toasters that absolutely do not work (the majority of toasters) vs a handful of models that may work if you're willing to sell a kidney to buy them; and,

2. toasters that off-gas nasty chemicals like PFAS from their non-stick coatings (vast majority again) vs ones that aren't trying to kill you.

Pick your criterion. 🙁

You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.

*Many people in many contexts do not understand this. (I tend to do well with people who do.)

**Metaphorically. Maybe you can literally with determination and special equipment. That's not the point.

I have said this before but I will say it again: there are some lovely people in the world and an awful lot of them are in the Fediverse.

If you really want people to join the Fediverse, or install Linux, or whatever, don't yell at them (it dosn't help) -- adopt them.

Offer meaningful, on-call (tech) support to someone to tackle the project of your choice. Stay available/involved until they truly find their way. Then take on more people as your capacity allows.

Also look at how this concept applies to non-tech needs in your community, too. Interesting.

It's the difference between bullying or grandstanding versus helping.