KurtVonnegut

I'm reading here:

As Starlink’s user base grows, the Iranian government is likely to intensify efforts to restrict satellite internet access.

How could they do so?

Hi all. For several years I have been together with my partner, who is from a different country and speaks a different language. Together we mostly speak English, but her family does not.

We quite regularly go on holiday with her family, and this is what my question is about: about (how to change) the social dynamics of such holidays.

The point is: together her family has a lot to talk about, even if it is about nothing. They have their internal jokes. They are all very much "tuned into" each other.

As a result, they find it very hard to have attention, time or space for me. Don't get me wrong, I don't have to be in the center of the attention. And yes, I guess this discomfort is partly the result of the privilege of being accustomed to more open, social dynamics that are more inclusive (with my own friends and family). But after several days without talking and without being talked to, it gets quite tough.

In "normal situations" I consider myself quite social and open. But in these situations, after some unsuccessful attempts to "join a conversation", I usually just withdraw in a book, or in my computer.

My partner is aware of this and sometimes tries to get them to involve me, but it's very hard for them to create and maintain space for me.

I can imagine all kinds of reasons: as a family they have withstood hardship that created strong bonds. Also they don't see each other that often. And finally they are used to me not speaking their language (in the beginning), which means that they are used to leaving me outside their conversations.

The point is: I believe they are nice people, and that they are not actively trying to exclude me. I believe (hope) that there are ways to change things around, without undermining the thing that they have going on among each other.

So this is where the question part starts: how to do this?

I was thinking of maybe proposing to play a game in the evening, in which everyone gets a turn to do or say something, which would then also involve me. Does anyone have any suggestions for this?

Or maybe you have other suggestions?

This pest is kind of beautiful but also terrible. What is it? Any tips for how to get rid of it, besides cleaning all the leaves?

Why do some cultures prefer to light their homes with bright white neon lights? And others with more yellow dimmed lighting?

This is not a science meme.

I just want to take a moment to thank @fossilesque@mander.xyz for providing us with so much quality content.

Really improves my day!

If so how could they enforce that?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_to_Prevent_and_Combat_Child_Sexual_Abuse

Reading this article, and especially the end ...

CEO Jay Graber told The Verge that the plan is to hand over control of the AT protocol to a web standards body like the Internet Engineering Task Force.

... it almost sounds as if Bluesky is (going to be) as community-run as Mastodon.

But I'm suspicious. What is the catch?

A close up of the flower:

Thanks!