As of July 4th 2018, the Internet as we know it might be dead for good.
The European Parliament is passing a new Copyright Directive. Article 13 #CensorshipMachine will impose widespread censorship of all the content we share online. Art, fanfiction, parodies, remixes, mashups, memes, etc.. Anything that you do not hold the rights over will be taken down.
Article 13 would force all online platforms to police and prevent the uploading of copyrighted content, or make people seek the correct licenses to post that content. Internet platforms hosting large amounts of user-uploaded content must monitor user behaviour and filter their contributions to identify and prevent copyright infringement.
Such filters will be mandatory for platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit and Instagram, but also much smaller websites.
Last Tuesday (19th June 2018) a group of more than 70 people who have played important roles in building the internet and developing it (Tim Berners-Lee, Vincent Cerf,
Jimmy Wales, Mitchell Baker…) into what it is today addressed an open letter to the members of the European Parliament:
“As creators ourselves, we share the concern that there should be a fair distribution of revenues from the online use of copyright works, that benefits creators, publishers, and platforms alike.
But Article 13 is not the right way to achieve this. By requiring Internet platforms to perform automatic filtering all of the content that their users upload, Article 13 takes an unprecedented step towards the transformation of the Internet from an open platform for sharing and innovation, into a tool for the automated surveillance and control of its users. […] The damage that this may do to the free and open Internet as we know it is hard to predict, but in our opinions could be substantial.”
People want to complain that Horace Slughorn wasn’t a well written Slytherin, but trashing your house, faking your death and transfiguring yourself into an armchair to avoid an uncomfortable conversation is about as Slytherin as it gets.
Also yeah, I’ve said it before, but like when people are like “why doesn’t Harry ask for help more, why doesn’t he ask questions” THAT IS LITERALLY WHAT HE LEARNED HE WOULD BE PUNISHED FOR DOING GROWING UP. It was drilled into him not to ask for help.
Like the scene that will always break my heart is when Ron discovered Umbridge was basically forcing Harry to mutilate himself, and he was like “WHY THE HELL DIDN’T YOU TELL ANYBODY? WE NEED TO TELL SOMEONE RIGHT AWAY” and Harry’s reaction was “they’re busy, they don’t need me causing them trouble, it would just get them in trouble, they don’t want me to bother them” instantly and Ron was like “what the fuck man” because that is just so, so accurate to what you learn when you’re being abused and bullied. Do not ask for help. Do not bother people. They don’t want to deal with you, this kind of thing is normal and things will just get worse if you do.
It was just really well and subtly done. How Ron completely didn’t understand and was horrified but this was obvious and normal to Harry. Of course he was used to doing things on his own. Of course it was his instinct to keep it a secret.
in the first book harry literally explicitly said in the narration that the dursleys didn’t like it when he asked questions and people still say he’s just arrogant and thinks he can handle everything
me at 2 PM: I hate seeing art of Danny DeVito where his tail bends in the middle as if it has some sort of knee joint bc that’s not how marine mamals bodies work but it’s so common in art ugh
me at 10 PM: it literally doesn’t matter because artists are free to take liberties with Danny DeVito designs like do I really have nothing better to do with my life than worry about an artist’s take on the anatomy of a fictional creature, god……
me a 1 AM: actually it does matter because absolutely Danny DeVito is real and I know this For A Fact
When you guys have visited potential apartments, what kind of questions did you ask besides the basics like what rent and utilities include?
Here are questions I didn’t ask but should have: what does the basement look like?
What measures are taken to secure the building ?
Are the walls thin? Brief info of who lives in the building. Are they college kids? People that work through the day? Elderly? Is it a mix? Where does the garbage go?
Can I pay rent bi-weekly? What kind of fuses does the apartment use? (My fuse box is in the basement. If I blow a fuse I have to replace it myself. They screw until the box. All of which I didn’t know until it happend and I was sitting in the dark suddenly)
Who do I call for repairs? (If it’s a private rental) Am I allowed to paint the walls? Is there any additional storage? Do you do regular pest control?
count the outlets, ask about recycling policies, ask if there’s a noise restriction (nothing loud after midnight, everything goes on the weekend, etc)
LAUNDRY FACILITIES Definitely ask about security Whether subletting is allowed (esp if you’re in college and might want to sublet for the summer) If you have a car, whether there’s parking/how much it costs What kind of heating/AC there is Procedure/response time for any maintenance How mail/packages are received/protected from theft (seriously people stealing your packages can be a huge problem) What kind of verification of your salary will they want, and in what circumstances will they accept a guarantor instead? Whether the apartment is furnished
Assuming you are in the middle of looking at/choosing between places: When does the lease start? Are you going to give preference to people based on when they can move in? Whether groups of a certain number of people get preference Really anything about who they prioritize for applications, it can save you a lot of trouble in trying to apply to places you’ll never get into
not something for asking the realtors, necessarily, but important rights you should be aware of as a tenant:
when and for what reasons are your landlords allowed to enter your home? how much of a notice should they give you before entering?
can the landlord make modifications to your home or apartment without your approval? to what extent?
what are the options and conditions for breaking your lease early if there’s an emergency? (this is ESPECIALLY important for anyone moving to a new state/considerable distance where you are not able to visit the apartment/home before you rent – students get taken advantage of ALL THE TIME with this shit)
if your first or last month at the property is a partial stay (i.e. you move in on july 15th, and rent is typically due on the first) make sure you don’t pay the full first month’s rent before you know the area laws! in many states, you are only legally required to pay for the time you are occupying the property
is renter’s insurance necessary? many apartments want at least 30k coverage, which can run a couple hundred dollars extra per year
are the landlords/property management liable for crimes on the property? for example, if your car was broken into. if not GET RENTER’S INSURANCE
-ask if there’s any property upkeep you can do to get a bit off the rent (aka, can they take 100$ off the monthly rent if you maintain the lawns/garden, etc.)
-ask if there’s been any consistent/frequent trouble with electricity/internet connectivity/cable if you have it
-what KIND of electricity?
-what kind of heating (hot water/electric)
-how secure is the neighborhood (if you don’t know)
-ANY PLUMBING ISSUES? check ALL the fucking taps, the showers, EVERYTHING WITH WATER to make sure it all works right.
-ANY PLUMBING ISSUES? check ALL the fucking taps, the showers, EVERYTHING WITH WATER to make sure it all works right.
I CANNOT SECOND THIS ENOUGH.
ALSO
- who last lived here? why did they leave?
- Do they charge an “amenities fee” (Around here you can’t avoid them at all now, but some places you might still be able to)
- Do they have a policy on rent increases? (Also check if there’s a legal limit to rent increases in the area).
- Are utilities paid in a separate check or with the rent?
- Are utilities metered or pro-rated (in older buildings it’s common to be charged by square footage and/or number of occupants, which can leave you subsidizing the people who turn the a/c down to 60 in the summer or the heat up to 80 in the winter - you may not be able to avoid this but it’s worth trying).
- Are there any switched circuits in the apartment. Buildings built in the late sixties through the early eighties often have switched circuits. If they do, then with the number of devices used these days you will probably have to have something important on the switched circuit - tape the switch in the on position! (Trust me).
- What are the rules on hanging pictures?
- Who is responsible for paying for and replacing bulbs in permanent fixtures? If it’s you and there’s a fixture with weird/unusual bulbs (globe style, chandelier style, etc) ask where you can buy the bulbs.
- What are the rules about pets? Do they have breed specific restrictions on dogs? Size restrictions on fish tanks? (Believe it or not that’s not uncommon).
This will be so useful once my lease is up thanks tumblr ☺️🙏🏾
If you have roommates, even if they’re your friends, ask what happens if one person moves out. Who is responsible for their rent? What about security deposit, how much is it and what do you have to do to document existing damages before you move in?
- It’s boring as hell, but read the lease before you sign it! Ask questions and clarify anything you notice that seems weird or that you don’t understand. I had a landlord that required I get the carpets professionally steam cleaned (which I didn’t realize until we were moving out because I didn’t read the entire lease) and another that tried to keep part of my security deposit because I didn’t pay for professional cleaning, but we got the money back because it wasn’t part of their lease that we’d signed.
- Take pictures/make detailed notes about damages already present on move-in. Add additional sheets to what they give you if needed because chances are they’re going to be just as nitpicky when you move out to try and keep part of your security deposit.
- An addition to the hanging pictures - ask what they allow you to use (nails/screws or tape only) and whether they want you to repair the holes to keep part of your deposit. If you’re planning to wall mount your TV, ask specifically about using molly bolts because they’re going to leave a much larger hole than a picture nail.
Damian Wayne, without a doubt, would absolutely kill Donald Trump if given the opportunity. Just. Straight up snap his neck. No hesitation. No regrets. No mercy. Damian doesn’t even kill anymore, but Trump is the one exception because he’s just that awful. He’s already dead within the first five seconds of him entering the room. Bruce isn’t even mad. He gives Damian a puppy as a reward. Robin goes down in history as the great hero who defeated Trump. The entire country celebrates.
I would gladly assist Damian (if he needed it though I think Damian only needs himself for that mission)
Context: my bard is fond of being extra in any situation involving acrobatics.
Me: I’m gonna use acrobatics to do a flip and dive down the stairs!
DM: Um… Go for it?
Me: *rolls a 9*
DM: Well, your flip was nice, but you missed the stairs.
Miguel Santiago is the last factor on saving net neutrality
At&t is going to pay him off to repeal it
tweet at him @miguelsantiagoAD53
call campaign office (213)538 8385
Capital office (916) 319-2953
District office (213) 620-4646
Even if you’re not californian
Tell him to advance SB 822 IN FULL and resist attempts to water it down
Or else we cannot use the internet as we do now and the big companies can control everything we see. Capitalism is destroying this and this democracy is fucked
