... Eh, what in the world are you even saying now? Are you perhaps assuming that I'm a crippled femcel just because I'm a deformed 3/10 or

stuff.octt.eu.org/2025/06/im-s…

Harper is an English grammar checker designed to be just right. I created it after years of dealing with the shortcomings of the competition.

Grammarly was too expensive and too overbearing. Its suggestions lacked context, and were often just plain wrong. Not to mention: it's a privacy nightmare. Everything you write with Grammarly is sent to their servers. Their privacy policy claims they don't sell the data, but that doesn't mean they don't use it to train large language models and god knows what else. Not only that, but the round-trip-time of the network request makes revising your work all the more tedious.

LanguageTool is great, if you have gigabytes of RAM to spare and are willing to download the ~16GB n-gram dataset. Besides the memory requirements, I found LanguageTool too slow: it would take several seconds to lint even a moderate-size document.

That's why I created Harper: it is the grammar checker that fits my needs. Not only does it take milliseconds to lint a document, take less than 1/50th of LanguageTool's memory footprint, but it is also completely private.

GitHub - Automattic/harper: Offline, privacy-first grammar checker. Fast, open-source, Rust-powered

Offline, privacy-first grammar checker. Fast, open-source, Rust-powered - Automattic/harper

^GitHub

Last week, I wrote about alternatives to Meta’s WhatsApp. While WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, the many privacy issues with both Meta in general and WhatsApp in particular provide many reasons to stay away or move away from WhatsApp. I, myself, have never used WhatsApp, but I want to be as thorough as possible in providing solutions for the Meta problem.

This week, we take a look at Threads, the micro blogging service which Meta released in 2023 to take advantage of the mass exodus from Twitter after Elon Musk’s purchase in 2022. As with other Meta services, Threads comes with its fair share of issues. Before Threads was out of beta, TechCrunch reported that Threads was a “privacy nightmare”:

Information provided about the app’s privacy via mandatory disclosures required on iOS shows the app may collect highly sensitive information about users in order to profile their digital activity — including health and financial data, precise location, browsing history, contacts, search history and other sensitive information.

Lomas, N. (2023, July 5). Meta’s Threads app is a privacy nightmare that won’t launch in EU yet. TechCrunch. techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/thre…

‌While Threads initially grew quickly, reaching 100 million users within days of its launch, Meta stopped reporting their user count, so any reported current user counts are estimates at best.

Threads other issue is that, as part of Meta, there is no longer any fact-checking to attempt to counter misinformation and extremism on the platform. This decision came shortly before Donald Trump began his second term as US President and was a clear capitulation to Trump and Republicans, who have used misinformation and extremism as tools in their continuing war to establish fascism.

Export Your Threads Data

Before leaving Threads, the first thing we’ll do is export our account data for backup and archival purposes. Fortunately, Meta provides instructions on how to do this.

1. Go to instagram.com.
2. Click Menu in the bottom left, then click Settings.
3. Click Account at the top.
4. Click Download your information.
   
   • Enter the email address where you’d like to receive a link to your data, then click Request Download.
   • Enter your Instagram account password and click Next in the top right, then click Done.
   • You’ll receive an email titled Your Threads Data with a link to your data. Click Download data and follow the instructions to finish downloading your information.

   
   

View and download your Threads information | Instagram Help Center. (2017). Facebook.com. facebook.com/help/instagram/25…

What’s confusing is that the option to download your Threads data is actually under your Instagram account. Be sure to select your Instagram account, choose the “Some of your information” option, and then check the box for Threads in the list of information choices under your Instagram accounts. You will also have the ability to select the data format (HTML or JSON) and how far back you want to download (I selected “all time”). Once your data is ready to download, you will receive an email notification with a link to start the download.

Since I’ve only been on Threads for a few months, my download was ready within minutes and was just a few megabytes in size. If you’ve been on longer or posted a lot of media, your data will take longer to process and download. You should also note that you only have 4 days to download your data before it expires, though you can re-submit your request at any time.

Delete Your Threads Account

Originally, you couldn’t delete your Threads account without also deleting your Instragram account. That, of course, was very unpopular, and Meta eventually made it possible to just kill your Threads account. Just follow these simple steps:

To permanently pull the plug on your account, make sure you’re signed into the Threads app. Tap the profile icon in the lower right on the bottom toolbar, tap the double-lined icon in the upper right, and then select Account. At the Account screen, tap Deactivate or Delete profile. Tap the button at the bottom for Delete profile.

Enter your password in the password field and then confirm your action by tapping Delete Threads profile. A message pops up telling you that your account is scheduled for deletion, an action that will occur in another 30 days. Until that time, you will no longer be visible on Threads. If you change your mind, just sign back into your account. Otherwise, wait for the 30 days to pass for your account to be permanently removed.

Whitney, L. (2025, January 13). How to Delete a Threads Profile Without Getting Rid of Your Instagram Account. PCMAG; PCMag. pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-delete…

Threads Alternatives

When Elon Musk bought Twitter and started morphing it into his own personal Truth Social, I had looked at alternative micro blogging sites I could move two. There were two main alternatives then and they are still the front-runners now.

Bluesky

Bluesky first appeared as an invite only service in October 2022, right around the time Musk took over Twitter. The service has iOS and Android apps for mobile and has released its code as open source, allowing anybody to create an account on the service for free. The service grew in a big way thanks to the influx of Brazilian accounts created with the impending shutdown of Twitter in the country in late 2024. There are even projects in the works to make the Bluesky service federated and visible to other services, including…

Mastodon/Pleroma

I am listing these two services together as they are both similar. Both Mastodon and Pleroma are free open source micro blogging platforms, similar to Bluesky. The difference is that these services are decentralized and federated. What this means is that, unlike most major social media platforms like Threads and Facebook, which are their own “walled gardens” and won’t play nice with others, there are many Mastodon and Plerorma servers on the web which CAN talk to one another. This is similar to how email works, but for micro blogging. For example, my Mastodon account is hosted on a server called twit.social, but I can see and respond to posts from other Mastodon servers such as mastodon.social, writing.exchange, social.coop, and others. I can also see and respond to other services on the “Fediverse“, including Pixelfed (photo sharing), Diaspora (Facebook alternative), Bookwyrm (book and reading social sharing), and others.

Do you have a Bluesky, and/or Mastodon/Pleroma account? Post your account info in the comments. My accounts are located at:

• Bluesky – bsky.app/profile/medi-nerd.com
• Mastodon – twit.social/@kevingamin

From a commenter under the video:

Summarized the measurements, with rough timestamps:

Stock blades (6:43): 1 m/s, 64.3 W,

simple airfoil (7:55): 0.8 m/s, 66 W

modern airfoil (9:12): 1.2 m/s, 64.5 W

stock motor no blades (13:49): 53.8 W

BLDC motor no blades (16:24): 8 W

BLDC stock blades (18:27): 1.8 m/s, 59 W

BLDC stock blades at reduced speed (19:35): 1.0 m/s, 27.3 W

For many thousands of Albanians, Filma24 was the top destination for pirated movies and TV shows. This weekend, however, that routine came to an abrupt halt when the site and many of its backup domains went offline. All signs point to an intervention from anti-piracy group ACE and parent organization the Motion Picture Association (MPA), which is the new owner of Filma24's domain names.

ACE Shuts Down Filma24, Albania's Movie Piracy Juggernaut * TorrentFreak

Filma24, Albania's most popular pirate website, has been pulled offline by ACE and now points to an official takedown notice.

^{Ernesto Van der Sar (TF Publishing)}

The Redditor was experiencing problems with his Asus TUF Gaming Radeon RX 9070 XT OC Edition graphics card, leading him to return it to Micro Center for a replacement. Although the replacement GPU's packaging is labeled for the Asus TUF Gaming Radeon RX 9070 XT OC Edition, the actual card inside features a shroud marked with both AMD Radeon and GeForce RTX branding. This unusual hardware issue appears to be a manufacturing mistake by Asus, directly stemming from the company's production line.

Rare Franken-GPU has both AMD and Nvidia branding — AMD Radeon GeForce RTX 9070 XT is the new ultimate midrange gaming champ

Gaming GPU suffers from an identity crisis.

^{Zhiye Liu (Tom's Hardware)}

By MEE correspondent in Tehran
Published date: 24 June 2025 15:22 BST

"In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin. As fear of Israeli air strikes drove people indoors at nightfall, his music carried through the quiet neighbourhoods, offering residents a moment of solace and peace.

“I just wanted to remind my fellow citizens that the lovely sound of love and music is louder than the terrifying sound of bombs and explosions,” the musician, who didn't want to share his name, told Middle East Eye.

“I’m not into politics at all, but I wanted to give love to the people around me and remind them that life is still going on.”"

Violins over violence: Tehran’s musicians fought fear with music

As Israeli bombs fell and Iran's air defence systems lit up the skies over Tehran, music drifted through parts of the city. In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin.

^{MEE correspondent (Middle East Eye)}

By Rayhan Uddin
Published date: 24 June 2025 17:51 BST
Last update:~13:30 EDT

"It [Israel] attacked Iranian nuclear and military facilities, and assassinated high-profile security, intelligence and military figures, as well as nuclear scientists.

Tehran, which denies it seeks a nuclear weapon, retaliated with ballistic missile strikes on Israeli towns and cities. At least 439 Iranians were killed and 28 in Israel.

While the assault left Iran undoubtedly damaged, it nonetheless provided lessons about its nuclear and military capabilities, as well as the domestic standing of the Islamic Republic itself."

What Iran achieved during the conflict with Israel

After an 11th hour exchange of fire, and a sweary address to reporters from Donald Trump, Israel and Iran have ceased hostilities. 

^{Rayhan Uddin (Middle East Eye)}

By MEE staff
Published date: 24 June 2025 22:12 BST
Last update:~17:20 EDT

"CNN reported on Tuesday that an initial assessment of the strikes by the US Defence Intelligence Agency was that the main components of Iran’s nuclear programme were intact and likely only set back by months.

This flies in the face of Trump saying that the US air strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. The White House trumpeted its bombing of Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz enrichment complexes as a major military feat that surprised Iran."

US intelligence report scales back claims on damage to Iranian nuclear facilities: Report

^{MEE staff (Middle East Eye)}

Brett Wilkins
Jun 24, 2025

[Since this article was written, #Mamdani has won the Democratic primary.]

"The prospect a Mamdani victory is deeply worrying to many of the Wall Street bankers, corporate executives, real estate developers, mega-landlords and others who are bankrolling #Cuomo... Backers include billionaire former Mayor Michael Bloomberg; financiers Bill Ackman and Dan Loeb; Wall Street titans Blair Effron, Steve Rattner, and Antonio Weiss; Palantir founder and co-CEO Alex Karp; and former President Bill Clinton."

Oligarchs 'Terrified' Democratic Socialist Mamdani Might Win NYC Mayoral Primary

"This is a tale that we're seeing across this country, where it's a battle of organized money versus organized people," Zohran Mamdani said on the eve of the election.

^{brett-wilkins (Common Dreams)}

The partnership will help both Ottawa and Brussels to deliver NATO’s new capability requirements.

Canada signs defense pact with EU

^{Csongor Körömi (POLITICO)}

By MEE correspondent in Tehran
Published date: 24 June 2025 15:22 BST

"In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin. As fear of Israeli air strikes drove people indoors at nightfall, his music carried through the quiet neighbourhoods, offering residents a moment of solace and peace.

“I just wanted to remind my fellow citizens that the lovely sound of love and music is louder than the terrifying sound of bombs and explosions,” the musician, who didn't want to share his name, told Middle East Eye.

“I’m not into politics at all, but I wanted to give love to the people around me and remind them that life is still going on.”"

Violins over violence: Tehran’s musicians fought fear with music

As Israeli bombs fell and Iran's air defence systems lit up the skies over Tehran, music drifted through parts of the city. In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin.

^{MEE correspondent (Middle East Eye)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/32192782

By MEE correspondent in Tehran
Published date: 24 June 2025 15:22 BST

"In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin. As fear of Israeli air strikes drove people indoors at nightfall, his music carried through the quiet neighbourhoods, offering residents a moment of solace and peace.

“I just wanted to remind my fellow citizens that the lovely sound of love and music is louder than the terrifying sound of bombs and explosions,” the musician, who didn't want to share his name, told Middle East Eye.

“I’m not into politics at all, but I wanted to give love to the people around me and remind them that life is still going on.”"

Peter Link

2025-06-24 15:06:04

Violins over violence: Tehran’s musicians fought fear with music

By MEE correspondent in Tehran
Published date: 24 June 2025 15:22 BST

"In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin. As fear of Israeli air strikes drove people indoors at nightfall, his music carried through the quiet neighbourhoods, offering residents a moment of solace and peace.

“I just wanted to remind my fellow citizens that the lovely sound of love and music is louder than the terrifying sound of bombs and explosions,” the musician, who didn't want to share his name, told Middle East Eye.

“I’m not into politics at all, but I wanted to give love to the people around me and remind them that life is still going on.”"

Violins over violence: Tehran’s musicians fought fear with music

As Israeli bombs fell and Iran's air defence systems lit up the skies over Tehran, music drifted through parts of the city. In the middle of an empty street in Tehran, a young man stood playing the violin.

^{MEE correspondent (Middle East Eye)}

By Rayhan Uddin
Published date: 24 June 2025 17:51 BST
Last update:~13:30 EDT

"It [Israel] attacked Iranian nuclear and military facilities, and assassinated high-profile security, intelligence and military figures, as well as nuclear scientists.

Tehran, which denies it seeks a nuclear weapon, retaliated with ballistic missile strikes on Israeli towns and cities. At least 439 Iranians were killed and 28 in Israel.

While the assault left Iran undoubtedly damaged, it nonetheless provided lessons about its nuclear and military capabilities, as well as the domestic standing of the Islamic Republic itself."

What Iran achieved during the conflict with Israel

After an 11th hour exchange of fire, and a sweary address to reporters from Donald Trump, Israel and Iran have ceased hostilities. 

^{Rayhan Uddin (Middle East Eye)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/32211816

By Rayhan Uddin
Published date: 24 June 2025 17:51 BST
Last update:~13:30 EDT

"It [Israel] attacked Iranian nuclear and military facilities, and assassinated high-profile security, intelligence and military figures, as well as nuclear scientists.

Tehran, which denies it seeks a nuclear weapon, retaliated with ballistic missile strikes on Israeli towns and cities. At least 439 Iranians were killed and 28 in Israel.

While the assault left Iran undoubtedly damaged, it nonetheless provided lessons about its nuclear and military capabilities, as well as the domestic standing of the Islamic Republic itself."

Peter Link

2025-06-24 22:38:24

What Iran achieved during the conflict with Israel

By Rayhan Uddin
Published date: 24 June 2025 17:51 BST
Last update:~13:30 EDT

"It [Israel] attacked Iranian nuclear and military facilities, and assassinated high-profile security, intelligence and military figures, as well as nuclear scientists.

Tehran, which denies it seeks a nuclear weapon, retaliated with ballistic missile strikes on Israeli towns and cities. At least 439 Iranians were killed and 28 in Israel.

While the assault left Iran undoubtedly damaged, it nonetheless provided lessons about its nuclear and military capabilities, as well as the domestic standing of the Islamic Republic itself."

What Iran achieved during the conflict with Israel

After an 11th hour exchange of fire, and a sweary address to reporters from Donald Trump, Israel and Iran have ceased hostilities. 

^{Rayhan Uddin (Middle East Eye)}

By MEE staff
Published date: 24 June 2025 22:12 BST
Last update:~17:20 EDT

"CNN reported on Tuesday that an initial assessment of the strikes by the US Defence Intelligence Agency was that the main components of Iran’s nuclear programme were intact and likely only set back by months.

This flies in the face of Trump saying that the US air strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. The White House trumpeted its bombing of Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz enrichment complexes as a major military feat that surprised Iran."

US intelligence report scales back claims on damage to Iranian nuclear facilities: Report

^{MEE staff (Middle East Eye)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/32212238

By MEE staff
Published date: 24 June 2025 22:12 BST
Last update:~17:20 EDT

"CNN reported on Tuesday that an initial assessment of the strikes by the US Defence Intelligence Agency was that the main components of Iran’s nuclear programme were intact and likely only set back by months.

This flies in the face of Trump saying that the US air strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. The White House trumpeted its bombing of Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz enrichment complexes as a major military feat that surprised Iran."

Peter Link

2025-06-24 22:50:19

US intelligence report scales back claims on damage to Iranian nuclear facilities: Report

By MEE staff
Published date: 24 June 2025 22:12 BST
Last update:~17:20 EDT

"CNN reported on Tuesday that an initial assessment of the strikes by the US Defence Intelligence Agency was that the main components of Iran’s nuclear programme were intact and likely only set back by months.

This flies in the face of Trump saying that the US air strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. The White House trumpeted its bombing of Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz enrichment complexes as a major military feat that surprised Iran."

US intelligence report scales back claims on damage to Iranian nuclear facilities: Report

^{MEE staff (Middle East Eye)}

By Phoenix Tso and Elizabeth Chou
06/20/2025 1:41 pm

"The article below was first published by the Los Angeles Public Press on June 20, 2025. It documents a new form of the multi-faceted resistance by #immigrant rights supporters to the #Trump administration’s workplace raids and #deportations of #UndocumentedWorkers.

World-Outlook is publishing it for the information of our readers. The headline, subhead, photo, and text below are taken from the original.

— World-Outlook editors"

Federal Agents Thought They Could Stay at LA-area Hotels. Protesters Are Trying to Make Sure They Can’t - World-Outlook

This article, first published by the Los Angeles Public Press, documents a new form of the multi-faceted resistance by immigrant rights supporters to the Trump administration’s workplace raids and deportations of undocumented workers.

^{world-outlook.com (World-Outlook)}

cross-posted from: lemmy.ml/post/32218845

By Phoenix Tso and Elizabeth Chou
06/20/2025 1:41 pm

"The article below was first published by the Los Angeles Public Press on June 20, 2025. It documents a new form of the multi-faceted resistance by #immigrant rights supporters to the #Trump administration’s workplace raids and #deportations of #UndocumentedWorkers.

World-Outlook is publishing it for the information of our readers. The headline, subhead, photo, and text below are taken from the original.

— World-Outlook editors"

Peter Link

2025-06-25 02:57:46

Federal Agents Thought They Could Stay at LA-area Hotels. Protesters Are Trying to Make Sure They Can’t

By Phoenix Tso and Elizabeth Chou
06/20/2025 1:41 pm

"The article below was first published by the Los Angeles Public Press on June 20, 2025. It documents a new form of the multi-faceted resistance by #immigrant rights supporters to the #Trump administration’s workplace raids and #deportations of #UndocumentedWorkers.

World-Outlook is publishing it for the information of our readers. The headline, subhead, photo, and text below are taken from the original.

— World-Outlook editors"

Federal Agents Thought They Could Stay at LA-area Hotels. Protesters Are Trying to Make Sure They Can’t - World-Outlook

This article, first published by the Los Angeles Public Press, documents a new form of the multi-faceted resistance by immigrant rights supporters to the Trump administration’s workplace raids and deportations of undocumented workers.

^{world-outlook.com (World-Outlook)}

L’evento di Valdobbiadene del 28 settembre introduce il “tempo minimo”: partenza alle 8.30 e non entrerà in classifica chi completerà i 100 km di percorso tra i vigneti prima delle 11.40. L’organizzatore Massimo Stefani: “Vogliamo garantire la massima sicurezza e rendere l’evento ancora più originale e divertente”

Alla Prosecco Cycling non fa difetto l’originalità, la capacità di proporre nuove idee per rendere l’evento sempre più coinvolgente e attrattivo. La novità dell’edizione 2025, in programma domenica 28 settembre, è l’introduzione di una sorta di “tempo minimo”: chi concluderà il percorso tra le splendide colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene prima delle 11.40 non entrerà in classifica.

Considerando che la partenza in Piazza Marconi a Valdobbiadene è prevista alle 8.30, significa che i partecipanti alla Prosecco Cycling 2025 non potranno giungere al traguardo in meno di 3 ore 10’. Ne uscirà rafforzato l’invito che da sempre la Prosecco Cycling rivolge ai partecipanti - pedalate senza fretta, alzate la testa dal manubrio e godetevi il paesaggio che incontrerete lungo il tragitto tra i vigneti - ma soprattutto l’evento di Valdobbiadene offrirà un’esperienza ancora più inedita e coinvolgente: perché da queste parti, dove la festa inizia alla fine, non c’è motivo per spingere sempre a fondo sui pedali.

Valdobbiadene (TV): PROSECCO CYCLING, domenica 28 settembre 2025 - ViaggieMiraggi

PROSECCO CYCLING, VIETATO PEDALARE TROPPO VELOCE L’evento di Valdobbiadene del 28 settembre introduce il “tempo minimo”: partenza alle 8.30 e non entrerà in classifica chi completerà i 100 km di percorso tra i vigneti prima delle 11.40.

^{Redazione (ViaggieMiraggi)}

Hey there! There is a Reddit subreddit called r/saveafoxsnark which bullied, harrased and spread outright lies about an animal rescuer and digital content creator called Mikayla Raines, which pushed her to commit suicide. Reddit is not banning r/saveafoxsnark even after an innocent women committed suicide! I was not comfortable being a member of a platform which gives space to communities which basically pushes someone to commit suicide. By being there I was letting Reddit gain money by selling my data, so I decided to not allow it anymore. I was a long time Reddit qunkie and couldn’t quit it and kept on going back there. But never again! I have permanently moved into Lemmy! Please help me spread this and help Mikayla get justice! Make Reddit accountable!

Findings by Defense Intelligence Agency suggest Trump’s declaration that sites were ‘obliterated’ may be overstated

An initial classified US assessment of Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend says they did not destroy two of the sites and likely only set back the nuclear program by a few months, according to two people familiar with the report.

The report produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency – the intelligence arm of the Pentagon – concluded key components of the nuclear program, including centrifuges, were capable of being restarted within months.

The report also found that much of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be put to use for a possible nuclear weapon was moved before the strikes and may have been moved to other secret nuclear sites maintained by Iran.

US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites only set back program by months, Pentagon report says

^{Hugo Lowell (The Guardian)}

A Colombian woman describes how she was recruited for sexcam work at 17 and encouraged to livestream from school.

Archived version: archive.is/newest/bbc.com/news…

Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.

Sexcam industry recruited us while we were schoolgirls, say models

^{Sofia Bettiza (BBC News)}