mastodon - Link to source

Ever wonder why Americans spell "canceled" with one L but still spell "cancellation" with two? In this week's podcast, we explore how spelling rules, stress patterns, and historical quirks explain this inconsistency.

And then, @glennf looks at the history of "fine" print — from typesetting in smoky print shops to its modern use in hiding legal loopholes.

Read: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/ep…

Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/…

Watch: youtu.be/Ak2A_m4Z47o

#GrammarGirl

Possibly the ugliest promotional image I have ever made. I'm doing my best here, people. It's been a week. In this graphic promoting episode 1059 of the Grammar Girl Podcast, the background is split diagonally into two sections: the top left is a warm yellow-orange, and the bottom right is a deep maroon. In the top left, bold text asks, "CANCELED OR CANCELLING?" In the bottom right, the phrase "Fine Print'"appears in glowing purple text. At the bottom of the image, a black bar contains white text reading "1059 Grammar Girl Podcast" and a list of podcast platforms.

Why Americans write 'canceled' but still write 'cancellation.' How printing history gave us 'fine print.' Fluff.

Podcast Episode · Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing · 02/25/2025 · 16m
Apple Podcasts
#grammargirl @Glenn Fleishman
This entry was edited (10 months ago)

mastodon - Link to source

"Musk and Trump’s focus on fraud is nothing new. Fraud has always served as a powerful political trope, one that provides a rationale for cutting government. Accusations of fraud were used to discredit Black elected officials during Reconstruction. Ronald Reagan’s Welfare Queen was an especially effective trope directed against poverty-based policies."

~ Pamela Herd and Don Moynihan

#Musk #Trump #FederalGovernment #fraud #firings #workers #billionaires
/1

donmoynihan.substack.com/p/mus…


Musk’s Fraudulent Fraud Squad

A tired trope gets a new lease of life
Pamela Herd (Can We Still Govern?)
#Trump #musk #billionaires #fraud #workers #federalgovernment #firings
This entry was edited (10 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

mastodon - Link to source

William Lindsey

"How does Elon Musk use the word 'fraud' to dismantle the US federal government?

The term is not as an attempt to describe the world, but to change it. It is a political tool, used by a politician to justify a political action: regime change to oligarchy."

~ Timothy Snyder

#Musk #Trump #FederalGovernment #fraud #firings #workers #billionaires #EconomicElites #TaxCuts #Medicaid
/3

snyder.substack.com/p/the-frau…


The "Fraud" Fraud

How DOGE destroys
Timothy Snyder (Thinking about...)
#Trump #musk #billionaires #fraud #workers #medicaid #economicelites #federalgovernment #firings #taxcuts
in reply to William Lindsey

mastodon - Link to source

William Lindsey

"Musk's 'fraud' rhetoric is presented as an anti-politics, as something fresh and exciting. But it is in fact a politics, a very old sort, the politics of oligarchy. As he himself has made clear himself, Musk is a politician with a program. It is to disable the rule of law, leaving no barriers to his oligarchical power. In this scheme, the only parts of government meant to function are the ones used to silence people who point out this obvious truth."

#Musk #Trump #fraud #LawandOrder
/4

#Trump #musk #fraud #lawandorder

mastodon - Link to source

:flag_un: 🤔 If you wanted to contribute to an #OpenSource project working on various types of social goods, and contribution opportunities were curated through the global UN Volunteers* Programme, how likely would you be to pursue that option?

:boost_love: #boostsAppreciated

unv.org/become-online-voluntee…

#FreeSoftware #FLOSS #FOSS #volunteering


Become an Online Volunteer

Why volunteer online? Through Online Volunteering, you can contribute your skills and expertise towards achieving sustainable human development efforts of organizations around the world.
www.unv.org

  • Very likely (28%, 4 votes)
  • Somewhat likely (57%, 8 votes)
  • Somewhat unlikely (0%, 0 votes)
  • Very unlikely (14%, 2 votes)
14 voters. Poll end: 9 months ago

#FreeSoftware #foss #opensource #floss #boostsAppreciated #volunteering

flipboard - Link to source

Immigration officials say everyone living in the US illegally must register. What does that mean?
https://apnews.com/article/illegal-immigration-immigrant-registry-trump-homeland-security-942d770aa7a54a34bfed1e8d93d82510?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into U.S. News @u-s-news-AssociatedPress


Why immigration officials say those living in the US illegally must register

Immigration officials are saying that anyone living in the U.S. illegally will soon have to register with the federal government, and those who fail to do so could face fines, imprisonment or both.
Tim Sullivan (AP News)
@U.S. News

mastodon - Link to source

"What has happened at MSNBC in the last several days is such an orgy of bad faith and bad ideas that it may be an industry record. Joy Reid? Gone. Jonathan Capehart? Lost his show. Alex Wagner? Lost her show and demoted. Ayman Mohyeldin? Lost his show."

~ Charles Pierce

#MSNBC #MediaFailure #capitulation
/1

esquire.com/news-politics/poli…


What Is Happening at MSNBC Is Such an Orgy of Bad Faith and Bad Ideas That It May Be an Industry Record

NBC News and MSNBC are starting to look like Mississippi after the federal troops left in 1877.
Charles P. Pierce (Esquire)
#msnbc #mediafailure #capitulation
This entry was edited (10 months ago)
in reply to William Lindsey

mastodon - Link to source

William Lindsey

"When billionaires take control of our communication channels, it’s not a win for free speech. It’s a win for billionaire babble.

When they talk of 'personal liberties and free markets' they mean their own liberties to become even richer and more powerful, as the rest of America slides into greater economic insecurity and fear."

~ Robert Reich

#WashingtonPost #Bezos #MediaFailure #capitulation #EconomicElites #billionaires #Musk #Trump #oligarchy
/8

robertreich.substack.com/p/its…


It's the oligarchy, stupid.

Friends,
Robert Reich
#Trump #musk #billionaires #bezos #washingtonpost #oligarchy #mediafailure #capitulation #economicelites
in reply to William Lindsey

mastodon - Link to source

William Lindsey

"This is not about personal liberties or free markets. It’s about making the Post more amenable to the Trump administration so that Jeff Bezos’s businesses will not be punished."

~ Jonathan V. Last

#WashingtonPost #Bezos #MediaFailure #capitulation #EconomicElites #billionaires #Musk #Trump #oligarchy
/9

thebulwark.com/p/the-washingto…


The Washington Post and Autocracy’s Asymmetric Advantage

Liberalism is afraid to take its own side.
Jonathan V. Last (The Bulwark)
#Trump #musk #billionaires #bezos #washingtonpost #oligarchy #mediafailure #capitulation #economicelites

mastodon - Link to source

As one of the original March for Science organizers, I couldn't be more excited to support a new team that is organizing another day of mass mobilization in support of science at a time when we need it most.

scientificamerican.com/article…


‘Stand Up for Science’ Rallies Will Protest Trump Attacks on Research

Amid President Donald Trump’s attacks on government scientists and science funding, researchers are arranging rallies to “Stand Up for Science” in Washington, D.C., and nationwide on March 7
Meghan Bartels (Scientific American)
in reply to Dr. Lucky Tran

mastodon - Link to source

Dr. Lucky Tran

The #StandUpForScience2025 rallies will be held in DC and around the US NEXT FRIDAY.

Please sign up to attend at standupforscience2025.org

To effectively push back the attacks on science happening now, it is critical to show mass support for science by gathering in the streets!

STAND UP FOR SCIENCE 2025 MARCH 7, 2025 Washington, DC and nationwide SCIENCE IS FOR EVERYONE Find your local rally site and other ways to get involved: standupforscience2025.org

STAND UP FOR SCIENCE

March 7, 2025. Washington DC and nationwide. Because science is for everyone.
STAND UP FOR SCIENCE
#standupforscience2025
in reply to David Dunphy

mastodon - Link to source

David Goldfield

Oh, you're absolutely right about that and I've been saying this for years. Bit Defender gets top ratings when it comes to malware protection but the last time I tried to use it I found it to be inaccessible, though this was many years ago. Kaspersky used to get similarly good reviews. For a while, it was reasonably accessible but its accessibility went downhill and of course using it nowadays is pretty much out of the question. One reason why I distributed that article is because MalwareBytes is almost 100% accessible and it's what I've been using for years, along with Windows Security as a backup.
This entry was edited (10 months ago)
in reply to David Dunphy

mastodon - Link to source

David Goldfield

@startrek2025 I use MalwareBytes Premium. The free version is accessible but it won't give you real-time protection. The free version is good for a scan and cleanup but that's about it.
The main accessibility challenge is that when you tab to a combo box, your screen reader says nothing, giving you the false impression that you've moved to a blank region. However, once you press down arrow, you'll be able to navigate to the options in the menu. There are a few other accessibility issues and I've been meaning to find someone in development that I can establish a relationship with rather than going through their standard support channels and talking with someone who probably won't fully understand the issues.
This is for Windows. I don't know what it's like with VoiceOver on a Mac.
With VoiceOver on iOS, it's not bad but could use some work to make the experience more efficient.
@David Dunphy
in reply to David Dunphy

mastodon - Link to source

David Goldfield

@startrek2025 Yes, it should work fine with JAWS 2024 and NVDA on Win10. It does have a free trial which I think is for 14 days, possibly longer. After the trial period ends, the program reverts back to the free version, which you can continue to use for a scan if you want a second or third opinion regarding the state of your machine. I also recommend reading reviews from sites like CNet, PCmag.com, PCWorld, etc., which will point out its strengths and weaknesses.
@David Dunphy

mastodon - Link to source

Biking on the wrong side of the road. Crossing the Rio Grande on foot. Shoplifting at Target.

These are some of the arrest records for 178 Venezuelan migrants detained in #GITMO this mo. Others seem to have no record at all.

Of 18 cases, found: 6 of the migrants appear to have no previous record, 5 only charged with illegal entry -sentenced to time served. Several were detained during scheduled appts with border authorities for those seeking asylum...
#Immigrants #USPol
miamiherald.com/news/local/imm…

Buses at GITMO:
#uspol #immigrants #gitmo
This entry was edited (10 months ago)

reshared this

mastodon - Link to source

RFK Jr.'s Disinterest in the Measles Outbreak!

An unvaccinated child in west Texas died of measles on Wednesday, marking the first time that someone has died from the viral illness in the U.S. in a decade.

So far, 18 people have been hospitalized for the disease around Lubbock, Texas, where a measles outbreak has infected at least 124 people, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Most of those infected are children.
#AureFreePress #News #press

newrepublic.com/post/192025/ro…

RFK Jr

RFK Jr. Has Horrific Response to Measles Death

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s comments reveal the terrifying new normal.
The New Republic
#News #press #aurefreepress

mastodon - Link to source

Let me just say that this is fucking disgusting.

‘Trump gold card’ to offer rich foreigners route to US citizenship for $5m
theguardian.com/us-news/2025/f…

#ArrestTrump #ArrestMusk #DonaldKrasnov #RepublicansOwnThis #GOPKakistocracy #GOPWeirdos #NoRepublicansEverAgain #USPol


‘Trump gold card’ to offer rich foreigners route to US citizenship for $5m

US president says new visa program would be open to Russian oligarchs, some of whom ‘are very nice people’
Ed Pilkington (The Guardian)
#uspol #republicansownthis #gopkakistocracy #gopweirdos #norepublicanseveragain #donaldkrasnov #ArrestTrump #arrestmusk

mastodon - Link to source

Jeff Bezos is cracking down on the Washington Post opinion pages: They will be all right-wing, all the time. Nonconforming opinion "will be left to be published by others."

So much for "Democracy Dies in Darkness."

theguardian.com/media/2025/feb…


Washington Post opinion editor departs as Bezos pushes to promote ‘personal liberties and free markets’

Opinion editor leaves as Amazon executive and newspaper owner says ‘viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others’
Richard Luscombe (The Guardian)

mastodon - Link to source

Such a warm, happy glow from the modern #BBC:

"... the BBC will be making BBC Sounds available exclusively to UK audiences and ending access to the service for international users beginning Spring 2025."

To give credit where it's due, the marketing spin on this is next level:

"Through this new user experience, listeners can explore deeper context and analysis on select topics, gaining a richer understanding of the issues that matter most—all without leaving the [new BBC Audio] platform."

radiotoday.co.uk/2025/02/most-…


Most BBC radio stations to become unavailable for international users

A new BBC audio website and app will replace BBC Sounds for users outside the UK later this year
Roy Martin (RadioToday)
#bbc

mastodon - Link to source

“When you're infected with #measles, your immune system abruptly forgets every pathogen it's ever encountered before – every cold, every bout of flu, every exposure to bacteria or viruses in the environment, every vaccination. The loss is near-total and permanent. Once the measles infection is over, current evidence suggests that your body has to re-learn what's good and what's bad almost from scratch. “

bbc.com/future/article/2021111…


Measles: The race to understand 'immune amnesia'

Scientists have known for years that measles can alter the immune system – but the latest evidence suggests it's less of a mild tweaking, and more of a total reset.
Zaria Gorvett (BBC)
#measles

mastodon - Link to source

Our In-Process blog is out! Featuring:
- Update on NVDA 2025.1
- Planning for CSUN
- What's on the web
- Reading paragraphs in Braille

And bonus history of the Pilcrow! (Ok I was interested)

nvaccess.org/post/in-process-2…

#NVDA #NVDAsr #ScreenReader #Blog #News #Newsletter #Typography #CSUNATC


In-Process 27th February 2025

Welcome to another In-Process, whether you are reading on the web, or via email. This time around we cover: NVDA 2025.1 Planning for CSUN What’s on the web Reading paragraphs in Braille NVDA 2025.1…
NV Access
#blog #screenreader #nvdasr #News #newsletter #nvda #typography #CSUNATC

reshared this

mastodon - Link to source

@mozillaofficial speeding up towards enshittification : mastodon.social/@sarahjamielew…

Sarah Jamie Lewis

2025-02-26 21:24:23

mastodon - Link to source

General rule of thumb: Every time an organization updates their terms of service and/or privacy policy, it is never because they have your best interests at heart.

Specific thoughts on this latest Mozilla action (blog.mozilla.org/en/products/f…)

Setting aside the "worldwide license" bullshit, the privacy policy appears to have broadened both the classes of data Mozilla aims to collect, and the situations in which they collect them.

These are not the actions of an org that cares about your privacy.



Introducing a terms of use and updated privacy notice for Firefox

We’re introducing a Terms of Use for Firefox for the first time, along with an updated Privacy Notice. 
Kristina Bravo (The Mozilla Blog)

@Mozilla

mastodon - Link to source

Firefox now has Terms of Use! This'll go over like a lead balloon.

You give Mozilla all rights necessary to operate Firefox, including processing data as we describe in the Firefox Privacy Notice, as well as acting on your behalf to help you navigate the internet. When you upload or input information through Firefox, you hereby grant us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information to help you navigate, experience, and interact with online content as you indicate with your use of Firefox.


mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/…

Update: See below in the thread for their clarification.


Firefox: About Your Rights

Mozilla
This entry was edited (10 months ago)
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