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Have any blind folks bought and used the TPLink LED strip? How accessible is the app for controlling it? What all can you do from a smart speaker in terms of controlling the lights? I'm very familiar with their smart plugs/switches, but have never used their LED strips. If that's not accessible, is there one that is? I'm considering all options for Christmas lights in my basement in our now permanent home. Please boost for reach. Thanks.



"You need a lot of things to travel through the universe.... but most of all, you need a hand to hold."

Even more true today than in 2006.

And yes, I did just quote #DoctorWho 's episode Fear Her.


in reply to victor tsaran

@vick21 ah yeah, you are 100% right. I was hoping you would expose me to something new. We are trying to make improvements but it’s slower/harder than we would like.


Are there any tools to turn a PDF into @libreoffice text document (with the text from it) on Linux ?


It really disheartens me to see think pieces and social media posts about asinine stuff like the Magic Mouse charging port or the Mac mini’s power button.

Everybody navel-gazing and playing wannabe designer.

Anything accessibility-related? It’s platitudes and GEE WHIZ all the way down.




“If more of us valued food & cheer & song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

J.R.R. Tolkien



New blog post: Make your own Personal Hub

With the slow decay of the big social media sites and spread of userbases to different ends of the internet, it's time to make your home in the Internet.

pixelde.su/blog/make-your-own-…

in reply to Andy

This seems like what the IndieWeb is trying to do, but with an emphasis on slow-paced timeless work.


Does someone want to proof-read/give feedback on a blog post on the topic of personal websites? 👀


exercise +

Sensitive content

in reply to Seirdy

re: exercise +

Sensitive content

in reply to Kat

re: exercise +
yeah, explosive exercises are hard to do safely with a dumbbell in each hand. Resistance bands are best, but two-handed grips on a free weight also work. I would hold a heavy bag with both hands and wear a backpack for jumping goblet squats, and I may have a chance to do them with a dumbbell tomorrow.
This entry was edited (4 days ago)


Trump just picked Fox host Pete Hegseth to be his Secretary of Defense. In 2019 Hegseth said on air that he has not washed his hands for 10 years because "germs are not a real thing.”😐

It’s official. We’ve all lived long enough to see Idiocracy transform from parody to documentary.




The 12 best Black Friday Dell deals 2024: Early sales available now zdnet.com/article/best-black-f…


This mysterious iPhone upgrade protects your data from thieves zdnet.com/article/this-mysteri…


Bitwarden vs. 1Password: Which password manager is best? zdnet.com/article/bitwarden-vs…


This viral iPhone keyboard case is the most ingenious accessory I've tested zdnet.com/article/this-viral-i…
in reply to David Goldfield

Hi. This is a really cool idea, and I'm glad it's out there, but it just didn't work for me. I didn't anticipate how tiny the keys are. They are about the size of pencil erasers. I didn't know that cited people would type with their thumbs on these types of things. Has anyone else who is blind ordered and used one of these? Just curious. Harkens back to the old Blackberry days, doesn't it? Isn't that the kind of keyboard those devices had?


I'm not transphobic but pickled cucumbers are just okay. Pickled carrots and radishes are where it's at.

#Pickles



Is there a nut allergy community out here? What hashtags should I look for?

Federico Mena Quintero reshared this.




Apple’s head of accessibility highlights the importance of AI in helping people with disabilities 9to5mac.com/2024/11/12/apple-a…


@vick21 Hey there. Do you know if you can connect to the internet via the regular recovery partition in macOS? Please let me know.
in reply to Mabelin Ramirez

You should be able to just like in earlier versions of Mac OS, but I have never done it.




The people selling shovels in a gold rush are the people who have a financial interest in creating unrealistic expectations about the likelihood you'll find gold.

This was true for the gold rush.

It was true for Bitcoin.

It's true for AI.



You know how people used to keep polaroids from their holidays?

Well I've started doing the same thing. Except... I got a polaroid printer, and I print screen shots I've taken in video games I've played.

Digital holidays. Vintage mementos of spaces that don't really exist.



A Tesla crash in Toronto left four passengers dead after electronic doors trapped them inside the burning vehicle. A bystander saved a fifth passenger by smashing a window. Tesla's electronic locks, requiring power to open, have raised safety concerns in similar past incidents. futurism.com/the-byte/four-die…
in reply to Zilahu

@zilahu a Model Y-ban, amiről szól a cikk és amivel a baleset történt, abban van manual ajtó kioldó. Az hogy pánik helyzetben nem találták meg még simán lehet design error, és nem mondom hogy tökéletes. Csak kicsit hangulatkeltőnek érzem az eredeti post leírását ami meg se említi ezt, csak annyit ír hogy az elektromosan vezérelt ajtókat nem lehet nyitni. És mindenki hőbörög a válaszokban ezt hogy engedhetik meg.
in reply to Gerego

Well, everyone would be right, because testing is supposed to be a thing, right? so yep, that's a bit of a screw up.




The image is a statement from President Donald J. Trump, dated November 12, 2024. It features a logo at the top with the words "TRUMP VANCE TRANSITION" in blue and red letters, with five red stars above the word "TRUMP."

The statement announces that Elon Musk, in collaboration with Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency, abbreviated as "DOGE." The goal is to dismantle government bureaucracy, reduce regulations, cut expenditures, and restructure federal agencies as part of the "Save America" movement. Elon Musk is quoted as saying that this will send shockwaves through the system and affect many involved in government waste.

The statement describes this initiative as potentially the "Manhattan Project" of the time, aiming for drastic changes with guidance from outside the government. It will partner with the White House and the Office of Management & Budget for large-scale reform and an entrepreneurial approach to government.

The statement expresses anticipation for Musk and Ramaswamy to improve federal bureaucracy efficiency and reduce government spending, which is stated to be $6.5 trillion annually. The work is expected to conclude by July 4, 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The statement ends with confidence in their success.



Wow! I don't know what to say about this other than we are definitely fucked! | Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead new ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ in Trump administration | CNN Politics cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/el…


Wait, is that the actual quote? What is this “great Elon Musk”? Can anyone be greater than the president? LOL journa.host/@w7voa/11347286205…


@vick21 Hey. Just wondering, have you updated to macOS Sequoia? If so, how do the new features in VoiceOver work? Like, how would I go upon adding keyboard shortcuts, etc.
in reply to Mabelin Ramirez

I think 15.1 is quite fine. I like the new “commands” panel in VOiceOver Utility.


#MutualAid

Please boost for reach.

We could really use some help. I've been sick for about a week now, and haven't had the spoons to post, but reaching the point now where I dont have a choice. We are out of money ($17.33 total to our names atm), and we have a lot of bills coming due, including $275.67 if we don't want our electricity disconnected on the 18th, $300 for our overdue income tax payment arrangement which was supposed to have been paid on the 8th, $168.84 for our water, $226.46 for our phones, another $567.83 at the start of next month for them to not take our car.

paypal.me/AaronHosford
venmo.com/u/Aaron-Hosford-42

#MutualAid

This entry was edited (5 days ago)

reshared this



Seriously, the keyboard and screen reader accessibility of Zoom text chat is abominably awful. How does anyone use this efficiently and without wanting to scream? How do Zoom just not care enough to do anything about it for so long?
in reply to Jamie Teh

I'd say it's been gradually getting worse over the last year or so. it used to be ... not great by any means but somewhat better. now its just painfully bad
in reply to Jamie Teh

IT'S SHIT. I often need to click links in Zoom chats and I fight with it every damned time


My fellow human beings.

Before joining Bluesky.

You should read about Cory Doctorow's description of the Enshittification process.

The first part of the process is vendors create high-quality offerings to attract users, even if it results in a loss of money. The idea is to get market share.

I fear that mankind is trapped in an endless cycle with social media.



Just like cars all have the brake pedal in the same place, remote controls should all have the mute button in the same place.


Apple intelligence is also not syncing the grocery list for over an hour.


How Can I Stop My Windows PC Restarting for Updates? askdavetaylor.com/how-to-stop-…