Month: November 2020

Behind the Scenes

| Ben

Hello everyone. This is just a quick little update on what’s happening with my projects! (Mostly website-related.)

Dropping ReCaptcha and Replacing It With hCaptcha

I am dropping ReCaptcha in favor of hCaptcha because I’ve discovered that ReCaptcha has a nasty habit of tracking you. That’s typical of Google products, so I’m replacing it with a system that’s similar but will present you with a similar “choose the pictures” verification. The good thing is that for each qualified verification earns money. 100% of all the money that will be raised on my website by hCaptcha will go directly to the WikiMedia Foundation.

I’m also going to move the fonts I use to my server instead of relying on a link to Google.

You can actually avoid all the tracking stuff by using another browser such as Brave or Ghostery.

Menu and Side Panel Rewrite

You probably can’t tell, but on Complicated Noise, I’ve rewritten the menu serving code. Everything looks the same right now, but I’m going to make things a little simpler in the future. If you have issues, please let me know.

Contact Form Rewrite (in progress)

My registration system is going to start handling messages sent to me by the website. Again, you’ll notice a new form, but everything will work the way it’s supposed to.

Native file attaching will be supported this time around. They’ll still be scanned for nasties though.

New Music Available

Have an account and want to listen to ambient music? You’ll see it in the podcast guide in the bonus section. “Beach Fingers” has appeared with “Visible Form” coming sometime within the next few months.

You’ll have to have an account to listen to the early stuff. It’s not available to anybody else right now.

I’m also making a new section to my website with links to the stuff that won’t require an account, but for now, the bonuses do require a free account.

Not Happening… Today

| Ben

“Happy” Friday, everyone!

woman in blue long sleeve shirt covering her face with white tissue
Photo by Mojca J on Pexels.com

One of the things that was supposed to happen today isn’t happening, but I don’t have to say that do I? The next podcast episode was supposed to come out today, but as far as I know that’s not going to happen. Honestly, I just haven’t been feeling it.

I haven’t been feeling well. Hay fever is in full swing and I am feeling horrible.

I’ll be in touch soon with some incredible* stuff. See you thing.

* may not actually be that incredible. And the picture of the person sneezing isn’t me.

Staying off Social Media

| Ben

Hi everybody!

I think over in the USA it’s officially Election Day. Regardless of what happens, I believe things are going to get really ugly. I’ve seen some general nastiness on both sides of the two-party fence and it gets a little too much. To combat this a little, I’ve decided to stay off social media for a while.

One of my morning rituals is to go through and check most of my social media and it’s a hard one to beat, but so far, so good! I have a general need to check on my family to see how they’re doing (and especially my friend who got an unfortunate case of the coronavirus). It’s been hard not to go to Facebook for that reason, but I am also more at ease with things right now. Instead of frustrated from reading people’s general stupidity, I am just sitting down and working on small bits and pieces of my website(s). There’s nothing too exciting to report there because it’s more about taking code out that I don’t need–something that’s way overdue.

Anyway, I can’t avoid the news and the inevitable forever. I, for one, think about half of Americans are afraid of change and the same half are incredibly stubborn, selfish, and they don’t care about people in general. I don’t understand how some people have no humanity or sympath for those having a hard time. That’s not the kind of America I want, but unfortunately, when you’re from Texas, that’s against the grain.

That’s all from me for now. That’s why I haven’t visited or posted to Twitter or Mastodon lately. I will be back of course! I just need to keep the stress level down, go to the post office and pick up my 10 boxes of incense, and drive my husband around who refuses to drive himself anywhere if he doesn’t have to. Have I mentioned that I hate driving? It’s a little hard to do when “civilisation” is about an hour away.

Oh, and if you’re American, and someone didn’t vote the same way you did, still be kind to them. Be compassionate (as much as possible). Even if things don’t go your way, you can still be a decent human being. The best of luck and let’s hope for the best. (Though I have a sinking feeling we’re in for four more years of pain.)

I’ll check in with you later! Much love.