Thinking about fucking around with Android, mostly because I want to try Amethyst, but also GrapheneOS. There’s a decent deal on a Pixel 6 right now ($340, early Black Friday). I don’t really want to spend much more than that since I’m just testing the waters, but is that model too old? Also, best guides for setting up and using Graphene? nostr:npub1lrnvvs6z78s9yjqxxr38uyqkmn34lsaxznnqgd877j4z2qej3j5s09qnw5 do yourself a favor and mute this thread
Meme credit to nostr:npub1tvqc82mv8cezhax5r34n4muc2c4pgjz8kaye2smj032nngg52clq0rkrq4 
That model is totally not too old. Stripped of spyware and adware, it'll fly!
I haven't installed GrapheneOS, but if its anything like Replicant / Cyanogen / LineageOS, you'll need a selection of cables, the forums open on another device, and an evening's supply of patience.
Nothing will change...
I'll stick to defending it covertly :-p
"Try to look unimportant, they may be low on ammo"
- Murphy's Laws of Combat
The Dual Realities of Social Media Influencers: Shaping News and Facing Financial Struggles ( #2398ad81 , v0.05)
In the midst of the Israel-Hamas war, independent social media influencers have emerged as a powerful force, surpassing traditional media outlets in terms of reach and influence . These influencers, often referred to as the 'new elite,' have generated a staggering 1.6 billion views in just three days, leaving mainstream media platforms like CNN and the New York Times behind . Their rise to prominence can be attributed to the support they received from influential figures like Elon Musk, who engaged with their content and recommended following some of them .
These independent social media accounts, many of which were created in 2020 or later, have become known for spreading sensational and unverified information, contributing to the proliferation of fake news and incitement against Israel . They often publish emotionally charged content, including graphic images and videos of violence, capturing the attention of millions of users . While some accounts take a pro-Palestinian or pro-Israel stance, others remain neutral, further diversifying the narratives being shared .
The impact of these influencers goes beyond shaping public opinion. Researchers have highlighted the ease with which a small group of users can manipulate the discourse and spread disinformation . Their ability to reach such a wide audience and influence the narrative underscores the need for vigilance in combating fake news and ensuring the accuracy of information being shared .
The rise of independent social media influencers as powerful news sources raises important questions about the role of traditional media outlets and the changing landscape of information dissemination. It also highlights the need for media consumers to critically evaluate the sources and veracity of the content they encounter on social media platforms .
Becoming a social media influencer may seem like a dream career, but the reality is often different. Many influencers face financial struggles, including credit card debt and draining savings, as they try to maintain the illusion of wealth. The high cost of entry, including expensive cameras and equipment, can be a barrier for those with limited income. Top influencers often come from privileged backgrounds, with financial support from family or partners. Transparency has become an issue, with influencers not always disclosing gifted items or sponsored content. Some influencers resort to faking a lifestyle they can't afford, borrowing luxury items or renting clothes. The rise of new platforms like TikTok has created a more demanding environment, with influencers investing more time and money into their content. Enforcing transparency in the influencer industry is challenging, and influencers risk being called out by their audiences if they are perceived as fake or dishonest. Balancing authenticity and escapism is a challenge for influencers, as they are expected to create aspirational content while also being relatable. Despite the difficulties, being a successful influencer can still be a flexible and lucrative career for those who can navigate the challenges.
#socialmediainfluencers #newsshaping #financialstruggles #transparency #fakenews #disinformation
References:
- The Business Standard: https://www.tbsnews.net/thoughts/what-does-degeneration-word-influencer-say-about-our-society-738642
- Fortune: https://fortune.com/2023/11/05/influencer-financial-struggles-debt-savings/
- Ctech: https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/k0w9stdz8
And yet still trusted more than the Deep State and its legacy media appendages.
Apparently many people aren't swallowing the narratives any more...
Whatever happens,
We have got,
The Maxim Gun,
And they have not!
- The Honourable Belloc Hilaire, British MP, dissident and poet, 1902
He was talking about the power of government, especially imperialist government, over the masses.
Well, its a lot more true today than it was then. Its nice that somewhere, sometimes, you can do what the f--- you like and you don't get censored, caged, beaten, robbed, raped or murdered by agents of the state. But that isn't the reality for most people, most of the time. We aren't that privileged.
Cryptocurrency is the reengineering of a tool of government (fiat money) into its antithesis. That's wonderful. But.
It doesn't stop bullets. It doesn't soothe the sting of rubber hoses. It doesn't open prison doors.
The world needs brave activists and whistleblowers standing in the full glare of publicity, the Julian Assanges and Edward Snowdens. But it also needs anonymous builders, discreet evangelists documentation writers, beta testers, and even critics.
Eat ze bugs
"...flush with venture capital, that promises to one day produce vast amounts of protein with fewer greenhouse emissions..."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/11/12/biggest-insect-farm-record/
It has AI, Robert Downey Jr, and the dream of making Venture Capitalists' deplorable social inferiors eat bugs.
Bullish AF!
Off chain token wen???
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village
But not for Creepy Joe, its for the media, and the investors who follow it.
'The reason for the change? We’re not entirely sure but we can make a few guesses. LowPass cites industry insiders claiming Amazon’s plan is to reach “hundreds of millions of eyeballs on a wide range of inexpensive devices” and, from there, “monetize those eyeballs with ads and services”. '
(Shocked Picachu face)
LOL! The times we live in... (Sigh)
Inverters are hellish expensive! Charge controllers too. :-(
You don't need either of those for a minimalist system to charge your laptop - just a 12v panel, a "laptop car charger", some wires, and a "cigarette lighter" socket.
You can also use this system to run things like battery chargers, xenon lamps, fans during a power outage. I'm using something not too different for my laptop right now.
Just a thought.
Don't spend money you don't have, but you could certainly build a minimalist offgrid system for less than the cost of one laptop battery.
I'm sorry, Malos!
If your laptop is the kind that won't run without the battery, you're going to need a new battery. I've tried to hack around that and failed before, myself.
If the grid is that bad, do you have anywhere you can mount a solar panel? There are some pretty minimalist systems you can put together that can charge a laptop without exposing it to your insane grid...
#offgrid
All of those sound like good plans! One day. Meanwhile, we learn skills :)
You're absolutely right, it is ridiculous and wasteful, designed to pander to some people's profits and to other people's lazy, fearful ignorance. It also makes our society far more brittle, as the supply of certified electricians is inelastic but the demand for them very unpredictable.
So about typical for our government, at all levels.
But having once worked as a crisis counsellor, no way Jose do I want to be vulnerable to jackbooted petty autocrats stealing my stuff or jail me like what some of my clients went through. Or friends in their younger years. I have a middle-class accent, a decent grounding in law, and a lawyer's number in my phone, but a time may come when that's not enough. So if I can plan a way to jump, dive or roll through a legal loophole without it costing me too much, I do it.
I sent excited traffic-stop cops home with sad faces three times during COVID lockdown, because my paperwork was in order. Essential Worker, KMA!
(But if I lived out in the sticks like my sister and BIL, I'd care a whole lot less. I'm in Melbourne).
Re battery banks:
My original version had a solar charge controller managing a lithium polymer battery bank, feeding an inverter.
The low voltage cutoff function... didn't. Dead lithium cells in the morning.
Version #2 had a better solar charge controller with lead-acid cells and the inverter. Worked okay for months until the solar charge controller developed a short.
(But before that the 2000W inverter blew up the first time I tried to use a small AC power drill. It was 5x overrated for the drill. Some people say 7x overrated is enough, others say 12x. I gave up and went all-DC for tools.)
Unlike The_Beav, my plans haven't been surviving first contact! :-p
I've charged a number of battery packs since then with my system, but haven't wired any in as online backups.
I'll try to keep everyone posted on how my Mk III battery pack goes!
That's what I always say! (as I hide the evidence :-p)
Offgrid Solar - distributed DC microgrid
So I was writing this as a reply to The_Beave in his offgrid thread, but realised it should probably be its own thing.
Here, I can literally go to jail for working on anything over 40v without doing a long apprenticeship first (or paying someone who has, to pretend they did the work). It almost never happens - unless someone doesn't like your politics, or a scapegoat is needed.
So while SWIM may or may not have wired up 415v 3-phase industrial machinery perfectly safely at work (where if work gets raided he can adopt a blank look and claim he doesn't know how that came to be :-p), he's not going to do that where he sleeps.
Government-subsidised solar systems here are exclusively the grid-tied kind. Grid goes down, they go down. And fairly overpriced because of the expense and bother of maintaining certification to qualify for those subsidies.
So I've started experimenting with essentially the opposite architecture to The_Beave's - building a multiple-source, multiple-load DC microgrid. The idea is to keep it legal but offload some usage to solar, both to save $$$ and to have a backup for when our grid starts failing harder. And it will keep working even if some components fail (always right at the worst possible time).
What I've done so far that works:
Sources:
- 24v 250W nominal solar panel x 4
- 24v 5A AC-to-DC power supply
Infrastructure:
- 10A and 20A twin-core DC cabling
- Rail-mounted DC circuit breakers for each source (safety first!)
- portable capacitor bank ( 6 x 4.7 uF) with three automotive sockets for inputs and outputs (this allows electric motors to spin up without the voltage sagging to zero).
- multi-socket junction boxes with internal shared busses, designed to take cables with automotive plugs. I mod the plugs with 20A ceramic fuses.
Loads:
- many DeWalt power tools, the older style with minimum electronics, modded with automotive sockets where the batteries once slotted in.
- evaporative airconditioner, all original electronics removed, 24v nominal electric gear motor now driving the fan and a 24v peristaltic pump moving the water.
- seat heaters, resistive, automotive kind
- Fans, 24v nominal, computer kind but larger
- 19v 5A step-down transformer: charges laptops and 20v nominal battery packs if the cases are opened.
- camping 12v stuff - kettle, ministove, air pumps
- automotive USB chargers, many of these, working well.
- 12v dc-to-dc power supply, runs led lighting in my shed.
Things planned:
- huge old 24v camping fridge (going to need a bigger capacitor bank!)
- little 2kg mains-voltage washing machine I purchased to convert. Going in my under-construction offgrid container cabin.
- little 24v truck air conditioner, also for cabin.
- DC ATX power supply for a desktop computer. Looks underpowered and under-filtered, previous one blew up. Going to mod it with stepped-down input and possibly a secondary 12v supply.
A friend is adamant I should have converted all the automotive plugs and sockets to Andersons.
Your thoughts?
#diy #solar #offgrid #prepping
Very nicely done!
Do you use much in the way of DC loads, or do you use it all through your inverter?
Here in Australia, the cheapest new car is about 1/4 the average income. So much easier for us to buy a car.
But the yearly registration fees, taxes and compulsory insurance here are much higher than in Malaysia, or even the USA. The cost of maintainence and repair is more expensive still. And the cost of government inspections of a car after you repair it before you can drive it on the road again... Too much. Cheaper to buy another car.
If you live in a rural area here, you must have a car - the distances are so much more than in Malaysia, it can be 50 km to the nearest supermarket, and there are no minibus services.
But I now live in a city with good public transport and bicycle paths. My e-bike can get me anywhere nearly as quickly as my car.
I haven't been to Malaysia in many years, but my impression of even KL is that it is designed for road traffic only. Even in the city centre, the footpaths are not useful for walking far.