Thoughts on recent events...

If freedom of speech and expression is suppressed through assassination over differing political or social views, it indicates we do not live in a truly free society. A free society thrives on open discourse and debate, for without them, the pursuit of truth is impossible. Until next time... ...
Read post

Goodbye Windows 11... Hello Linux Mint

As someone who’s never used Linux as a main operating system, switching from Windows 11 to Linux felt like stepping into uncharted territory. But after years of dealing with Windows’ bloatware, invasive telemetry, and the forced Copilot AI integration, I decided it was time to reclaim control over my computer. I decided that I would make the switch over to Linux. I spent hours browsing various Linux distro subreddits and forums trying to find the right one for me. After explaining what I would ...
Read post

I convinced my friends and family to ditch WhatsApp for Signal

I over the last few months I made it my mission to convince my friends and family to switch from WhatsApp to Signal, a more secure and private alternative. It wasn't an easy task, but with persistence and creativity, I succeeded in getting them to switch. I was browsing YouTube and came across a video titled "How to convince your friends to use a private messenger". I watched the video and was inspired to take on the challenge of getting everyone I spoke to over to Signal. At that point in time...
Read post

Freedom of speech is being eroded in the UK

Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. While Starmer and Trump were talking to the press, Vice President JD Vance called out the infringement on free speech in the United Kingdom. “I said what I said. There have been infringements on Free Speech that actually affect not just the British people, but also American technology companies and American citizens.” Keir Starmer then made a comment saying the following... "We've had free speech for a ...
Read post

Apple Removes Advanced Data Protection from UK

In a significant move, Apple has decided to discontinue its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature in the United Kingdom. This decision comes after the UK (communist) government demanded the creation of a backdoor, aiming to access user information for surveillance purposes. Apple's stance on privacy and security has led them to remove the feature rather than compromise their encryption standards for millions of users. What is Advanced Data Protection? Advanced Data Protection is an optional...
Read post

Tools and services I use in 2024

I am currently using the following tools and services... 🔐 Authenticator: Ente Auth 💻 Browser: Vivaldi (main) Mullvad Browser 📆 Calendar: Proton Calendar 🗨️ Chat: Discord Signal WhatsApp ☁️ Cloud Storage: Proton Drive MEGA Filen ✉️ Email: Proton Mail Tuta I use SimpleLogin & Addy.io for email aliasing. 📓 Notes: Standard Notes 🪪 Password Manager: Proton Pass 📷 Photo Management: Proton Drive Ente For quick screenshotting and sharing of content on the web, ...
Read post

Things I would like to see in Standard Notes in 2024 and beyond

As someone who uses Standard Notes their main notes app, below are things I'd love to see come to Standard Notes Sharable notes via a secure URL It would be great if Standard Notes could add a feature that allows users to share notes via a secure URL. Currently, the only way to do this in Standard Notes is by making a private Listed.to post. This requires an extra step of having to make a Listed author page. A rival notetaking app called Notesnook has a feature called Monographs - where you...
Read post

My new Standard Notes themes

I recently made some custom themes for Standard Notes. Since then I have been experimenting more and these are my latest themes. I thought I'd share them with my readers. Introducing Standard Blue and Standard Blue Dark. Both of these themes are free to install without a Standard Notes paid subscription. I welcome all feedback about these themes! Please reach out to me on the Standard Notes Discord GitHub Repos If you like these themes, I would appreciate it if you could star the GitHub rep...
Read post

Call of Duty: MW3 (2023) - Things I like/dislike so far

Since the Modern Warfare III launch, I have put in a considerable amount of time playing the game. I've reached the max rank of 55 (pre-season 1) and levelled up most guns to max level. With over 1D 4H played, these are things I like and dislike about the game*. Things I like Movement Gun combat Zombies Classic MW2 [2009] maps War game mode Acquiring guns locked behind Armory credits in Zombies when you exfil Experimental Playlist Things I dislike Campaign Menus Skill-based Matchmaking (S...
Read post

I created some Standard Notes themes

Recently I have been making some themes to spice up the look of the Standard Notes application. As I have published 3 themes so far to my GitHub profile, I thought I would share them here so you can install them on your Standard Notes application. Note: You do not need to have an active subscription to Standard Notes' Productivity or Professional plan to install these themes. Free users of Standard Notes can install these themes too. Cobalt A blue inspired theme for Standard Notes. To ins...
Read post

Rest In Peace, Nan

This morning my Nan passed away peacefully with the family and I by her side. Cherish every moment you spend with your loved ones, because you'll never know if it will be the last. Rest in Peace, Nan. We'll meet again someday. ❤️ ...
Read post

A list of applications I use (2023 Edition)

There are many applications I use often, but highlighting them in this post would make the list too big. These apps I have listed below are the more important ones I use on a near daily basis. Security & privacy related apps: 1Password For a second year running, 1Password has been my go-to password manager. I continue to use 1Password because of it's simplicity and ease of use. I especially love the password sharing feature 1Password provides. It's just quick and easy to share passwords w...
Read post

How to: Add images to your Listed.to blog post

I get many people asking me how I am able to add images to some of my blog posts on Listed.to. Believe it or not, it's actually very simple to add images to your own Listed blog posts. I'll show you how to do it in this How to guide. 1: You need to sign up to a third-party image hosting website. (As Listed.to doesn't have first party image support from Standard Notes, you will need a third-party image hosting site for your images) I have listed a few image hosting sites that I've used in t...
Read post

WWE Backlash 2023 Predictions

WWE Backlash 2023 is set to take place on May 6, 2023, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and will be hosted by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. The event will showcase the aftermath of WrestleMania 39, with matches such as Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar, and a six-man tag team match between The Bloodline and Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Riddle. Match Card Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes Prediction: Cody Rhodes Winner: Cody Rhodes Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest (San Juan Street Fight) Prediction: Bad Bunny...
Read post

WWE WrestleMania 39 Predictions

WrestleMania 39 is just around the corner. The event will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and will feature some of the biggest names in wrestling history. One of the most anticipated matches of the two night event is the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Reigns has been dominating SmackDown since winning against Brock Lesnar and forming the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship. Aligning himself with Paul Heyman and his cous...
Read post

How you can help fight Internet censorship with your browser

Internet censorship is a serious threat to freedom of expression and access to information around the world. Many governments block or restrict websites and services that they deem undesirable, such as news outlets, social media platforms, human rights organisations, and even Tor, a network that allows users to browse the web anonymously and circumvent censorship. But what if you could use your browser to help people in censored countries access the Internet without restrictions? That's exactly...
Read post

WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 Predictions

Match Card Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn Prediction: Roman Reigns Winner: Roman Reigns United States Title Elimination Chamber Match Prediction: Austin Theory Winner: Austin Theory Elimination Chamber Match to determine challenger to the Raw Women’s Title at WrestleMania Prediction: Asuka Winner: Asuka Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar Prediction: Bobby Lashley Winner: Bobby Lashley (Via DQ) Edge & Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Bálor & Rhea Ripley Predicti...
Read post

Purpose

Once upon a time, there was a young man named Jack who couldn't help but feel like he was meant for something more. He had always been a hard worker, but no matter how much he accomplished, he still felt unfulfilled. He tried different jobs and hobbies, but nothing seemed to click. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was meant for something great. One day, Jack decided to take a trip to the countryside to clear his head. As he was walking through the fields, he came across an old farmer. The...
Read post

Why I still use Standard Notes 3 years on

Peace of mind I've always wanted a digital "lockbox" where I would feel comfortable to write and store personal things, whether my own beliefs and opinions, or sensitive information like health records. Because privacy is a core tenet of Standard Notes, end-to-end encryption is built into the application - so only I can read my notes. That's why Standard Notes is, and will continue to be my personal digital "lockbox" for my thoughts for many years to come. Flawless syncing In the last 3 yea...
Read post

WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Predictions

The Royal Rumble is back, and Cody Rhodes has declared he is entering this years Royal Rumble match for a championship match opportunity against the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. WWE Royal Rumble is live Sunday at 1am GMT in the United Kingdom. MATCH CARD Men's Royal Rumble match: Prediction: Cody Rhodes Winner: Cody Rhodes Women's Royal Rumble match Prediction: Rhea Ripley Winner: Rhea Ripley Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens This is a highl...
Read post

The Benefits of playing Video Games

Since the existence of video games, there has been an age-old argument to whether video games make people lazy, corrupt the minds of young children or provide any beneficial value to gamers lives. In this article, I am going to outline some interesting benefits everyone can gain from playing video games! Video Games improve your leadership skills When you play video games, sometimes you must take the role of leading a team of soldiers into battle. Showing leadership in most games tends to rewa...
Read post

Lvl'd up

30th December marks me one year older. 🎂 ...
Read post

Christmas

This Christmas, I am grateful for the wonderful friends and family that I have in my life. Despite personal challenges this year, I am thankful for the love and support that I have received from those close to me. This holiday season, let's all remember to be kind and generous to each other. I hope that you have a safe and happy Christmas, and may the coming year bring you peace, love, and joy. ...
Read post

Loneliness during the Holiday Season

The holiday season can be a particularly difficult time for those who are feeling lonely. With all the lights, decorations, and gatherings, it can be hard to feel like you truly belong. There are plenty of things you can do to make yourself feel a bit better and to make your holiday season a little brighter. Talking to someone is always the best way to ease loneliness and remind yourself that you are not alone. If you don't have a friend or family to reach out to, I urge you to call the Samari...
Read post

I gave Elon Musk my $8

Insert the meme here: Technically I gave Elon more than $8 (Thanks VAT), but now I get the cool blue checkmark on my Twitter account everyone's been raving about. Probably only for a month though... I'll enjoy it while it lasts. ...
Read post

Cold winter's day

After days of being stuck inside sick, I felt well enough to step foot outside the four walls I call home. The sky was a vivid shade of blue, with the sun hidden behind a curtain of grey clouds. The trees were covered in a thick blanket of white frost. Icicles hung from the branches, sparkling like crystals as light from the sun hit them. The air was crisp and still, and the only sound was the occasional chirp of a bird or the rustle of the leaves in the wind. Every breath I took was visible, an...
Read post

Ditching Google: Privacy Alternatives

Google products are packed with quality features that provide us with the convenience to do anything on the internet. Whether it is searching for something on Google’s search engine or uploading documents into Google Drive. We all rely on Google products to get important things done. With the ever-increasing privacy concerns from Google, did you know there are alternative services and products that are just as good and respect your data and privacy? In this article, I am going to tell you about...
Read post

Second time... Unlucky

Yesterday I woke up to having a bit of a sore throat. I didn't think much of it but when it got to around midday, my body started to ache a bit. The aching kept getting progressively worse throughout the whole day, and by time I went to bed, I was feeling very rough. I woke up today with what only I can describe as razor blades in my throat. It hurts like hell to talk, and to cough. The aching of the body is still present too, as well as a headache. I ended up taking a Covid test, and not to m...
Read post

Phishing emails: How to spot them and what to do if you’ve clicked on one

When it comes to cybercrime, phishing is the most common weapon a criminal has to obtain people’s personal information and break into their online accounts. Phishing has become so prevalent over the last decade; more people are becoming victims to it each year. It is important to know what phishing email scams are, how to spot them, and what to do when you’ve clicked on one. What are phishing emails? Phishing emails are a way for cyber criminals to try and trick victims into giving over person...
Read post

Awesome things you can do with an old USB drive

Years ago, USB flash drives were amazing for storing and transferring files like music and movies with friends and family. All you had to do was hand over the USB flash drive and plug it into a computer. Today, USB flash drives have more or less become obsolete as cloud storage and transfer solutions like Google Drive, Dropbox & Airdrop make it easier than ever to send larger files – eliminating the need of carrying a flash drive. As a result, most USB devices people own are stored in a ra...
Read post