Since there's a possibility that Discord might add AI features in the future, now would be a good time to start recommending some good alternatives that respect privacy and are easy to use :3

Element is a free and open-source instant messaging client that uses the Matrix protocol. Element features end-to-end encryption, private and public groups, file sharing, voice and video calls, and much more! You can use various clients for it like Element, Element X, SchildiChat, and more! It's available for platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, IOS, and you can even use it from the web application!

You choose a homeserver for creating your account, and then you should be ready to go! There's plenty of different homeservers that don't require an email to make, so you'll likely need to make a secret passphrase in order to access your account.

This isn't as much as a Discord alternative as it is rather similar to that of Telegram or Skype. It's basically an open-source messenger that has end-to-end encryption, and it features groups chats, voice and video calls, stickers (similar to Telegram's), file sharing, and more! It's mainly to be used for one-to-one chats or group chats, but I still recommend it nonetheless since it's very good for privacy, and you can even import your phone contacts and message them there! It's available on Windows, Mac, Linux, but these three require the Android or IOS app in order to use.

Stoat (formerly called Revolt) is a free and open-source communication platform very closely resembling Discord itself in terms of UI and function. Stoat has many (but not all) the same features Discord has, like servers, voice and video chat, file sharing, and even features custom emotes! You can use the official client available on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and IOS. You also use the web client if the apps don't work.

In terms of privacy, it's lower on this list because it's not as private as the other two options, but it isn't enshittified like Discord is, so you don't have to worry much about AI stuff on there. Do be aware that people do make their own bots on the platform.

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by any of the platforms I've mentioned here. I'm simply providing some alternatives for people wanting to ditch Discord's AIocalypse.

Jason Poulos on TikTok

Link to Twitter post

I've mentioned multiple times about how Congress wanting to repeal Section 230 is going to be devastating for fandoms, but I should probably go into more detail about that.

First, you should know what Section 230 is.

as Wikipedia states:

"In the United States, Section 230 is a section of the Communications Act of 1934 that was enacted as part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which is Title V of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and generally provides immunity for online computer services with respect to third-party content generated by their users. At its core, Section 230(c)(1) provides immunity from liability for providers and users of an "interactive computer service" who publish information provided by third-party users: No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

Basically, this law protects websites from constant lawsuits over user content, and thus allows user-generated content to flourish, and that's largely how fandoms have been able to exist.

Now, I think we're ALL aware of a very certain large videogame company who starts with the letter N who's not only hyper-protective of their IP's, but generally goes against the very fans that enjoy their works.

Nintendo is practically the Disney of videogame companies, and there have been numerous cases of Nintendo taking down fanworks that range from "adult only" content, to also safe and harmless fan-content like fanart in some cases.

Nintendo game fandoms have been able to survive despite Nintendo's attempts to take down fan-content because of the existence of Section 230. If they send a C&D to take something down, it's on the individual user and not the platform itself. If one goes down, the rest is usually safe. Now you can imagine what would happen if Section 230 was repealed and Nintendo was given the power to sue entire websites instead of just the individual user…

Nintendo game fandoms would probably go extinct at that point...

Not only this would harm most videogame fandoms, but it ALSO harm videogame preservation efforts. That would mean A LOT of obscure games and media would vanish and become lost media forever…

I'm not trying to fearmonger, but I think it's REALLY important to know what the effects of the Section 230 repeal (and also the 18 "kids online safety" bills) would do to various aspects of the internet.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

Don't forget to call and email your reps.

Down below are screenshots of the active bills in Senate and in House to repeal SEC 230.

First up is US Senate bill S.3546. Aka: A bill to repeal section 230 of the Communication Act of 1934.

Sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham [Republican-SC] and it currently has 9 co-sponsers (see next screenshot below)

ID:

List of 9 Senator cosponsors, all same date signed 17 Dec 2025.

End of Image Description.

Names look familiar? They are the usual suspects/big supporters of this type of BS (age/id verifications, ridding the 230, Etc.).

☆ If any of these Senators represent you, CALL them; tell them what they are doing doesn't represent you, that it is a threat to your 1st amendment rights. When (if) midterm voting comes primary their asses OUT! They need a reminder that WE voted them in, therefore we can vote them OUT.

Next is the US House bill, H.R. 6746, aka Sunset to Reform Section 230 Act.

This Bill is sponsored by Rep. Harriet M. Hagerman [Republican. WY-at large].

The bill currently has no cosponsors at this time. Could be bc we are calling our House Rep and they don't want to risk it. Idk exact reasons.

Regardless let's call our House Reps and tell them to vote NO.

And ppl of Montana, give this Rep. Hageman lots of calls and emails.

♡♡ Its overwhelming but we got team up and tell them NO.

If unsure who is your congress members⬇️

HOW TO PROTEST AGAINST ROBLOX'S NEW CHAT POLICY

As many of you likely know by now, Roblox has recently released a pretty awful update; one that requires users to submit images of their government ID and face to be scanned by an AI so that they can verify their age. If they do not do this, they will not be allowed to use the chat in games or talk to their friends. This is very bad for a variety of reasons, but I have a suggestion for anyone who wants to protest against this.

Hop on Roblox and go to the icon with three dots and the word "More" underneath it on the left of your screen. Click the box on the bottom left labeled with the words "Help And Safety." Once you do this, select the option "Help". Look at the bottom of the screen and click on the words "Contact Us". From there, you will be shown a screen that will ask you to fill out some information and check a few items from some drop down menus.

Put in your email, as it's a requirement. However, I'd advise that you refrain from putting in your first name or username. Confirm whichever device you're having the issue on. Click on the drop down under the phrase "Type Of Help Category" and select the option "Ideas & Suggestions". You will then be asked for a subcategory. Click "Feedback". Then, paste this into the large box below the words "Please Describe Your Issue":

"I am concerned with your new policy that deals in implementing age verification via the use of AI collecting data from players' photos and IDs. Not only are you making many of the games on your platform practically unplayable by disabling players' abilities to communicate with one another, you are also putting the minors that you claim to wish to protect in danger of sexual predators. The AI company that you are working with has been known to use the images they take of people in generated works of pornography without the consent of the individual in the image. This is a malicious act and will undoubtedly be committed upon the children who submit to this new law you have enforced. You are doing more harm than good. Repeal this ASAP"

(Paste without the quotation marks)

I know this may seem like a fruitless effort at begging a corporation to change their policies, and perhaps it will be if I end up being the only person to go through with it (which I already have), but there is power in numbers, and I truly believe that if several people submit this appeal, sign petitions, and boycott Roblox as much as possible until change happens, change very well may actually come.

So, as much as I don't normally like begging for attention, I highly request that everyone who sees this uses this method, reblogs this post, and tags any of their friends or mutuals who have accounts on Roblox. Spread the word, make your voices heard, and together we can all make a difference.

@inside-the-mind-of-st4rry @xxglitterbrainxx @callieloveshlvrai @apple-temp @moonsandloons + any other moots/followers who play Roblox!

(I pretty much never make posts like this and this was admittedly quite impulsive/unplanned. If any information about the nature of this update is incorrect, please let me know and I will fix it ASAP.)

100 Dialogue Tags You Can Use Instead of “Said”

For the writers struggling to rid themselves of the classic ‘said’. Some are repeated in different categories since they fit multiple ones (but those are counted once so it adds up to 100 new words). 

1. Neutral Tags 

Straightforward and unobtrusive dialogue tags: 

Added, Replied, Stated, Remarked, Responded, Observed, Acknowledged, Commented, Noted, Voiced, Expressed, Shared, Answered, Mentioned, Declared.

2. Questioning Tags 

Curious, interrogative dialogue tags:

Asked, Queried, Wondered, Probed, Inquired, Requested, Pondered, Demanded, Challenged, Interjected, Investigated, Countered, Snapped, Pleaded, Insisted.

3. Emotive Tags 

Emotional dialogue tags:

Exclaimed, Shouted, Sobbed, Whispered, Cried, Hissed, Gasped, Laughed, Screamed, Stammered, Wailed, Murmured, Snarled, Choked, Barked.

4. Descriptive Tags 

Insightful, tonal dialogue tags: 

Muttered, Mumbled, Yelled, Uttered, Roared, Bellowed, Drawled, Spoke, Shrieked, Boomed, Snapped, Groaned, Rasped, Purred, Croaked.

5. Action-Oriented Tags 

Movement-based dialogue tags: 

Announced, Admitted, Interrupted, Joked, Suggested, Offered, Explained, Repeated, Advised, Warned, Agreed, Confirmed, Ordered, Reassured, Stated.

6. Conflict Tags 

Argumentative, defiant dialogue tags:

Argued, Snapped, Retorted, Rebuked, Disputed, Objected, Contested, Barked, Protested, Countered, Growled, Scoffed, Sneered, Challenged, Huffed.

7. Agreement Tags 

Understanding, compliant dialogue tags: 

Agreed, Assented, Nodded, Confirmed, Replied, Conceded, Acknowledged, Accepted, Affirmed, Yielded, Supported, Echoed, Consented, Promised, Concurred.

8. Disagreement Tags 

Resistant, defiant dialogue tags: 

Denied, Disagreed, Refused, Argued, Contradicted, Insisted, Protested, Objected, Rejected, Declined, Countered, Challenged, Snubbed, Dismissed, Rebuked.

9. Confused Tags 

Hesitant, uncertain dialogue tags:

Stammered, Hesitated, Fumbled, Babbled, Mumbled, Faltered, Stumbled, Wondered, Pondered, Stuttered, Blurted, Doubted, Confessed, Vacillated.

10. Surprise Tags

Shock-inducing dialogue tags:

Gasped, Stunned, Exclaimed, Blurted, Wondered, Staggered, Marvelled, Breathed, Recoiled, Jumped, Yelped, Shrieked, Stammered.

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

Instagram Tiktok

When your Character...

is...

needs...

loves...

has/experiences...

[these are just quick references. more research may be needed to write your story...]

Writing Resources PDFs

Original Post: Keith Porter was tragically taken from us by an off-duty ice agent, and his family is seeking justice during this difficult time. Every donation can help support their fight for truth and accountability. Please consider clicking the link below to contribute or share it with others who might want to help. Thank you for your support! https://gofund.me/530afb61e

https://gofund.me/530afb61e

link for the fundraiser is down this is the new one

A lot of younger people have no idea what aging actually looks and feels like, and the reasons behind it. That ignorance is so dangerous. If you don’t want to “be old,” you aren’t talking about a number of years. I have patients in their late 80s who could still handily beat me in a race—one couple still runs marathons together, in their late 80s—and I lost someone who was in her early 60s to COPD last year. What you want is not youth, it is health.

If you want to still be able to enjoy doing things in your 60s and 70s and 80s and even 90s, what you want to do, right now, is quit smoking, get some activity on a regular basis (a couple of walks a week is WAY better for you than nothing; increasing from 1 hour a day of cardio to 1.5 will buy you very little), and eat some plants. That’s it. No magic to it. No secret weird tricks. Don’t poison yourself, move around so your body doesn’t forget how, and eat plants.

If you have trouble moving around now because of mobility limitations, bad news: you still need to move around, not because it’s immoral not to, but because that’s still the best advice we have. I highly recommend looking up the Sit and Be Fit series; it is freely available and has exercises that can be done in a chair, which are suitable for people with limited mobility or poor balance. POTS sufferers, I’m looking at you.

If you have trouble eating plants because of dietary issues (they cause gas, etc.) or just because they’re bitter (super taster with texture issues here!), bad news. You still want to find a way to get some plants into your body on a regular basis. I know. It sucks. The only way I can do it is restaurants—they can make salads taste like food. I can also tolerate some bagged salads. On bad weeks, the OCD with contamination focus gets so bad I just can’t. However, canned beans always seem “safe,” and they taste a bit like candy, so they’re a good fallback.

If you smoke and you have tried quitting a million times and you’re just not ready to, bad news. You still need to quit. Your body needs you to try and keep trying. Your brain needs it, too. Damaging small blood vessels racks up cumulative damage over time that your body can start trying to reverse as soon as you quit. I know it’s insanely, absurdly addictive. You still need to.

You cannot rules lawyer your way past your body’s basic needs. It needs food, sleep, activity, and the absence of poison. Those are both small things and big asks. You cannot sustain a routine based on punishment, so don’t punish your body. Find ways to include these things that are enjoyable and rewarding instead. Experiment. There is no reason not to experiment—you don’t have to know instantly what’s going to work for you and what won’t, you just need to be willing to try things and make changes when things aren’t working for you.

You will still age. Your body will stop making collagen and elastin. Tissues you can see and tissues you can’t see will both sag. Cushioning tissues under your skin will get thinner. You’ll bruise more easily. Skin will tear more easily. Accumulated sun damage will start to show more and more. Joints will begin to show arthritis. Tendons and ligaments will get weaker and get injured more easily, as will muscles. Bones will lose mass and get easier to break. You’ll get tired more easily.

But you know what makes the difference between being dead, or as good as, in your 60s vs your 90s? Activity, plants, and quitting smoking. And don’t do meth. Saw a 58-year-old guy this week who is going to have a heart attack if he doesn’t quit whatever stimulant he’s on. I pretended to believe it was just the cigarettes, and maybe it is, but meth and cocaine will kill you quicker. Stop poisoning yourself.

Baby steps; take it one step at a time; you don’t need to have everything figured out right now. But you do need to be working on figuring things out.

You will be unsurprised to learn that someone already accused me of ableism for suggesting that people not smoke, move regularly in ways their body can tolerate, and eat plants.

Do NONE of you eat canned beans with maple and ham? This is at every Safeway on Earth as far as I can tell, and if you hate most vegetables, these are a lot sweeter because of, you know, the added sugar. Eat candied plants—glazed Brussels sprouts, candied yams—if you can’t stand the regular kind.

Oh, this is true, but you aren’t familiar with how lazy I am. I will work 36 hours straight for WORK—I’ve done it before and god willing I will never have to do it again—but cooking or preparing food has never been something I’ve devoted time to. (Partly because of hours and demands of work.) I wasn’t taught to cook because (explanation of my mother) and I didn’t even scramble eggs until I was 19, and then I set them on fire the first time I tried. I gave myself nutritional deficiencies twice during residency. The prospect of having to know what’s in my crisper AND use it before it goes bad despite the attentional difficulties, when my contamination OCD focus is already very bad, and KNOW when it’s gone bad when my only reference point is my also extremely OCD father, is untenable. I don’t enjoy cooking or making salads, and they’re pretty affordable at local places (in the sticks), so for me the math maths. However, it is definitely a good idea to learn to prepare salads and those of you with less baggage than me should definitely give it a shot! Salads can and should taste good! Raspberry vinaigrette and some candied walnuts or pecans plus some blue cheese crumbles = good shit. Who cares what plants you put it on. Except not iceberg lettuce.

I once saw it observed on Tumblr that adding good tasting things you like to a salad you're making does not cancel out the nutrition in the vegetable matter

(might've been OP. sounds like the kind of thing you post)

That wasn’t me, but I co-sign it 100%. I’d rather have patients eating salads that are completely covered in those “high fat!!!!” salad dressings that news programs love to freak out about than not eating plants. Do what you need to do to the plant to make it enjoyable to eat. Caramelize your onions. Put hollandaise sauce on your asparagus. Glaze your Brussels sprouts. Make! Life! Worth! Living! And make it possible to keep living it.

Penitence as a lifestyle is both unnecessary and often actively harmful.

I have some guided movement recommendations!

And a guided flexibility recommendation!

All three of these people emphasize that you can follow their videos without special equipment, using things you probably already have (like a chair, a wall, a counter, and weights like a water bottle or can of food).

as someone who remembers the patriot act and all the conversation surrounding it, it's a bit... of an experience being able to remember how many people pointed out that Terrorist was a politically convenient term which could be used to dehumanise and legally strip the rights from someone and that eventually all this would be used internally. and the response was 'nuh uh only browns with funny headgear are terrorists'. and then two decades of 'fighting age males' being blown to pieces at weddings because they might have, maybe, looked at a terrorist once. A week ago a head of state is black bagged in the middle of the night by the US for being a 'narcoterrorist'. And now an unarmed, random woman - white, citizen - is gunned down by jackboot thugs and before her body is cold she is, of course, a domestic terrorist.

If you are reading this, you need to know that the moment the US state needs to kidnap you, the moment a drone pilot decides you're in the wrong place, the moment you are bleeding to death on the sidewalk, you will be a Terrorist. Because anything can be done to a Terrorist.

Palestine Action for aid to overseas supporters

Hind Rajab Foundation against legal impunity

Gaza Medical Tent Project

One Heart Volunteer Team Drop of Life Water Campaign

Dahnoun Mutual Aid

Mawasi al-Qarara Mutual Aid

The Sameer Project for North Gaza Aid

Sameer Project's South Gaza Aid

Medical Campaign x Sameer Project

Team Hussain's Grassroots Aid Campaign

The Mohammed Project's Aid Campaign

Abu Hureirah Aid Network for Sudan and Palestine

Ihyaa's Mission for Students in Gaza

Official Gaza City Water Fund

Official Gaza City Campaign for Prosthetic Limbs for the Children of Gaza

Emergency Water Relief for Gaza City

Ele Elna Enak Emergency Water Food and Hygiene Relief

Water Fund for Khan Younis Camp

Revive Gaza's Farmland Initiative

Ihyaa Initiative: Support Students in Gaza

People's Front For The Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Fundraiser

Lifeline4Gaza - vetted family fundraisers

Help this pharmacist dispense life-saving medicine

Donate to direct action and gaza municipality and watch your money go to the best cause - if we can be anything we should be efficient. The most effective money you can give is to direct action, to group movements to protect our insurgents from adventurism, to Gazan medical tent for emergency medical relief, to providing water and food for Gaza through grassroots campaigns such as the PFLP's and mutual aid projects, and to Gaza municipality for their infrastructure. These crucial resources for maintaining life remain underfunded. Support BDS however you can against Carrefour, HP, Puma and Siemens. Share the following toolkit with your union and movement:

https://www.workersinpalestine.org/who-arms-israel

share this frequently, please. or include these into other compilations. these are crucial and don't get as much attention. these are resources that benefit everyone. Look for these resources in other websites with greater traction. Please do your best as you can.

2025 recap (a little) - thank you for spreading my art.

Check out the Archive on Tumblr.

USA Internet Censorship is Back on the Table

The Kosa is on the table again. Fight back #censorship is evil.

So, the people in government are once again attacking the internet.

Please call your representatives to PROTECT SECTION 230

If we lose it, it'll mean more censorship and probably a lot of websites and creators will go bye bye. So, kiss Ao3, Fanfiction.net, (maybe Discord), and TUMBLR, bye bye!

I don't want to lose this place or AO3! I like writing! I love Tumblr! I don't wanna lose it!

Call your congressmen!

Google your representatives' numbers, emails, twitters, heck even their fax!

SAVE THE INTERNET! PLEASE!

Fight!

so y'all may be aware of the US Senate and US House of Rep. are pushing to repeal Sec 230 [S. 3546 and H.R. 6746 bills] after their holidays (reconvening in Feb, from the sounds of it), so it gives us time to Call/ email/send letters/etc. Fill their voice-mails/inbox/what have you.

For the folks who don't deal with the hellsite (Twitter), a poster, @/friesein, on there dropped an awesome thread of reminders of our previous fights and suggestions of what to say to your Congress members (both senator and house rep):

As Freisein mentioned, you can absolutely leave a voice-mail (or +20 😁), just make sure to leave Name, Address with Zipcode, along with opposition of repealing Sec230 and the multiple id verification bills

They also gave a helpful call script and email template of what to say to our congress members:

To find your congress memeber:

dictator drump killed open internet access once, the FCC opened the internet back up, and now he's fighting to restrict it again, so he can use access to the internet to force ppl to comply with his Digital ID tyranny.

About that.... can't depend on FCC to be on public side....

Unfortunately the current FCC's chairman is Brendan Carr, someone who is heavily involved in the Project 2025 and Hertiage Foundation. And the one who initially tried to kill net neutrality back in T.rump's first term.