Please Add Your Signature To Support Sen. Duckworth And All Women Who Should Not Have To Choose Between

Well, that's massively creepy! My library (and our OverDrive consortium) don't have any eAudiobooks with "synthesized voice" narrators. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean that we don't have AI narrators that aren't identified that way. We do have books by Blake Pierce, Molly Black, Fiona Grace, Rylie Dark, and some of the other authors listed in the article though.

Our Collection Development Policy doesn't specifically mention AI; we'll have to keep that in mind for the next review. I would recommend against purchasing AI-generated materials based on our criteria of artistic and literary quality, and reputation of the author, artist, or publisher. (Not to mention the damage that it does to the literary industry and the people in it!) However, that depends on us knowing that something is AI-generated. We don't have the time to do a deep dive into every author and narrator like Robin Bradford and SB Sarah did for this article.

Personally, I'm disgusted by AI-generated material being used in place of human-created works. Machine "learning" should be taking over repetitive, boring, and/or dangerous work to give humans more time for creativity! Using AI for creative work and leaving people to do more drudgery, is sickening. The fact that most of the bases that AIs are using come from people who are neither credited nor compensated for their work just makes it worse.

(This is my personal opinion and not the opinion of my employer.)

Is your library unknowingly buying AI written and/or narrated books?

OK, I know it sounds like clickbait. But smartbitchestrashybooks.com makes a pretty compelling case in their recent article,

AI Audiobook Narrators in OverDrive and the Issue of Library AI Circulation Policy

It's a long article, but worth the read. I wonder if it started before or after KKR bought Overdrive.

Any thoughts, @bibliofran ?

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Speaking as a relatively binary person who has several nonbinary sweeties and friends, this post seems to have generally good advice.  Many of the examples focus on singular they rather than neopronouns, although most of them will work regardless of the pronouns a person uses.  

The only section I have issues with is “tricking yourself” into using the correct pronouns for a person, partly because the examples given won’t work well for pronouns other than they and partly because that sort of mental gymnastics would be harder for me to learn (and unlearn) than teaching myself to do it right from the beginning.  However, I understand that that issue is specific to me, personally; other people are obviously going to have different experiences.

Pronoun tips from binary men and women

Every once in a while I am asked (or see someone asking) how to use pronouns other than he/him and she/her. The person asking is usually a man or a woman unfamiliar with nonbinary stuff generally, but they’ve got a particular nonbinary person in their life whom they care about and they don’t want to mess up. Maybe they keep misgendering their nonbinary friend and they feel guilty, or they want to take the burden off the nonbinary person who keeps having to correct them, something like that.

When binary people lack that confidence with pronouns, they seek the advice of nonbinary people. Not only are we likely to give advice that’s not ideal for binary people (because we’ve got skin in the game, all our friends are nonbinary so we’re used to it, etc.), but it is another facet of that dynamic of the privileged group (in this case binary people) placing their burden onto the marginalised group. Binary people should be asking advice from other binary people who’ve mastered pronouns.

So, I asked, and a bunch of binary people answered. I got advice from trans and cis binary people (men and women), and I’m collecting all the common stuff and the stuff I thought was good, all here for your perusal. If you know a binary person who’s struggling to get pronouns right, pass this along.

[This article assumes that you know a specific nonbinary person and you want to get better at using their pronouns, though the advice can be adapted. It also assumes that you’re familiar with the concepts of singular they and neopronouns, and you accept that they’re grammatically correct.]

Keep reading

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I don’t think I realized that sexual attraction was really the way it’s portrayed in stories until I learned about asexuality.  I would accept it for the sake of the story, but I still have trouble, sometimes, believing that it’s any more real than telepathy or werewolves.

IM LAUGHING SO HARD I DIDNT THINK SEXUAL DESIRE WAS A REAL THING LIKE I ALWAYS SAW PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WANTED SEX BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE JOKING OR EXAGGERATING OR SOMETHING THATS WHY IT WAS SO HARD FOR ME TO REALIZE I WAS ACE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WENT WITHOUT SAYING SEX ISNT THAT IMPORTANT IM 19 YEARS OLD I CANT STOP LAUGHING LITERALLY 99% OF THE POPULATION EXPERIENCES SEXUAL DESIRE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE

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You gave me a gold coin that comes with a bonus dragon, and you think I’m going to spend it?  Are you insane?!  I’m going home to see how well it gets along with the cats.

The world’s tiniest dragon must defend his hoard, a single gold coin, from those who would steal it.

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Hi! Thanks so much for following my blog, here is your moodboard. I hope you like it :)

Stay awesome! 

[Fran: Squee!  I love it!  Thank you very much @acelepuff!!]

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Awwww!

Some non-binary awareness pictures I made for a russian nb blog

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Woo-hoo -- more socks for my wish list!  I love the Dreamer line from Sock Dreams.  I have both over the knee and crew socks in ace pride colors.  They are very comfortable and sturdy, and I highly recommend them!  Their pride collection has a wide variety of other designs, from subtle to in-your-face.  I have gotten a lot of socks for myself and others from Sock Dreams, and I’ve always been very happy with them.

(Also, for people concerned with the commercialization of pride, Sock Dreams is not doing that!  They may promote their LGBTQ+ designs more during Pride month (because they’re a business, and it makes sense to promote things when people are looking for them), but they don’t just slap a rainbow on something for June and ignore the community the rest of the time.  The Dreamer line and other LGBTQ+ designs are always available, and new designs are added throughout the year.  Sock Dreams also donates to various LGBTQ+ charities and is generally supportive of the community.)

Dreamer Short Proud Stripes Tube Socks | Dreamer Socks

We just got in the same great pride flag colorways as our Dreamer Long Proud Stripes Tube Socks, only in shorter version! 

Because Pride is all about celebrating diversity, we designed these to fit as wide a range of feet and legs as possible. Tube style feet mean that these will comfortably fit most shoe sizes, and will end up being knee high, crew, or somewhere in-between, depending on the length of the feet wearing them. 

Unlike traditional tube socks, we designed these to have a low-profile toe seam on the top of the foot, instead of at the end of the toe, for improved comfort. If you’ve been considering sending Pride socks as a gift, but weren’t sure which style to get, these will be your safest bet! Proudly made in the USA.

Length: about 23 inches from toes to tops Stretch: 22 inches at cuff, 18 inches mid-sock

Note: Alas, we do not have stock for the Nonbinary striped version yet, but we do have it in a longer tube, over the knee sock, and crew! 

~♥~Rosalind Socks by Sock Dreams • Free Shipping in the US • $5 International Shipping Find us on facebook | twitter | pinterest | instagram | sock journal | g+

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This is a rough time for a lot of people.  Please take care of yourselves!

US Helplines:

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433

LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743

Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438

Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673

Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272

Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000

Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253

Child Abuse: 1-800-422-4453

UK Helplines:

Samaritans (for any problem): 08457909090 e-mail jo@samaritans.org

Childline (for anyone under 18 with any problem): 08001111

Mind infoline (mental health information): 0300 123 3393 e-mail: info@mind.org.uk

Mind legal advice (for people who need mental-health related legal advice): 0300 466 6463 legal@mind.org.uk

b-eat eating disorder support: 0845 634 14 14 (only open Mon-Fri 10.30am-8.30pm and Saturday 1pm-4.30pm) e-mail: help@b-eat.co.uk

b-eat youthline (for under 25’s with eating disorders): 08456347650 (open Mon-Fri 4.30pm - 8.30pm, Saturday 1pm-4.30pm)

Cruse Bereavement Care: 08444779400 e-mail: helpline@cruse.org.uk

Frank (information and advice on drugs): 0800776600

Drinkline: 0800 9178282

Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 1(open 2 - 2.30pm 7 - 9.30pm) e-mail info@rapecrisis.org.uk

Rape Crisis Scotland: 08088 01 03 02 every day, 6pm to midnight

India Self Harm Hotline: 00 08001006614

India Suicide Helpline: 022-27546669

Kids Help Phone (Canada): 1-800-668-6868

FREE 24/7 suicide hotlines:

Argentina: 54-0223-493-0430

Australia: 13-11-14

Austria: 01-713-3374

Barbados: 429-9999

Belgium: 106

Botswana: 391-1270

Brazil: 21-233-9191

China: 852-2382-0000

(Hong Kong: 2389-2222)

Costa Rica: 606-253-5439

Croatia: 01-4833-888

Cyprus: 357-77-77-72-67

Czech Republic: 222-580-697, 476-701-908

Denmark: 70-201-201

Egypt: 762-1602

Estonia: 6-558-088

Finland: 040-5032199

France: 01-45-39-4000

Germany: 0800-181-0721

Greece: 1018

Guatemala: 502-234-1239

Holland: 0900-0767

Honduras: 504-237-3623

Hungary: 06-80-820-111

Iceland: 44-0-8457-90-90-90

Israel: 09-8892333

Italy: 06-705-4444

Japan: 3-5286-9090

Latvia: 6722-2922, 2772-2292

Malaysia: 03-756-8144

(Singapore: 1-800-221-4444)

Mexico: 525-510-2550

Netherlands: 0900-0767

New Zealand: 4-473-9739

New Guinea: 675-326-0011

Nicaragua: 505-268-6171

Norway: 47-815-33-300

Philippines: 02-896-9191

Poland: 52-70-000

Portugal: 239-72-10-10

Russia: 8-20-222-82-10

Spain: 91-459-00-50

South Africa: 0861-322-322

South Korea: 2-715-8600

Sweden: 031-711-2400

Switzerland: 143

Taiwan: 0800-788-995

Thailand: 02-249-9977

Trinidad and Tobago: 868-645-2800

Ukraine: 0487-327715

(Source)

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Swoon!  I love both of the little dragony things.  

[swoon] I love all of these! It is hard for dragons to get comfortable in chairs made for humans.

Today’s problem

what do chairs for dragons look like.

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