Kiran Jonnalagadda @jackerhack@mastodon.social

#introduction #india I'm a computer programmer, community organiser and digital rights activist based in Bangalore, India.

Growing up as a lonely, bullied kid in the 90s, I found solace in books, computers, and later, the online world. In my quest to find belonging, never quite fulfilled, I've been involved with various communities over the year. A biography in toots:

(My vaccination slot had no hanky-panky. I was simply lucky to be at my desk when @BloreVaccine@twitter.com beeped. The slots were all gone within a minute while I got my brother on the phone to register him, and he's still not found an open slot.)

Tinnitus can be caused by:

1. Exposure to loud noises
2. Infection
3. Elevated stress

It is a known symptom of the virus but not of the vaccine, so I'm hoping it's just work stress for me. Mine is annoying enough that I can't wear earphones or be in a quiet room.

Two week update: did not experience a fever or any of the usual symptoms of a jab. Just a sore muscle for a few days, which is normal for an intramuscular injection.

However for the last few days I've had an elevated level of tinnitus, which is unusual.

Today's unsolicited email. If you are part of this India Influencer Network, how is this weighing on your soul?

Our meddling local MP Tejasvi Surya doesn't know what he's doing, predictably. He had announced that Nandan Nilekani was going to supply the "techies" mentioned here. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/covid-19-bed-allotment-scam-reforms-spearheaded-by-bjp-mp-draw-flak/article34537163.ece

The proclamation of the The Daily Guardian as a fake publication created to share propaganda doesn't feel right. I've been digging and it feels like a legit publication launched last year, that came to the spotlight via a propaganda campaign. For eg: https://youtu.be/nfKwWpiYKHs

I haven't yet tried Insight Timer or Walking Up.

Ended up with Headspace. Calm was >3x the price with nothing to show for it. Among the write-ins, Ultrahuman was a confusing mess, one leg in a meditation app and another in Spotify, and for some reason promoting a marathon in a lockdown. Down Dog was okay, but less polished.

This is a good examination of how the Gates Foundation skews media coverage of itself. https://www.cjr.org/criticism/gates-foundation-journalism-funding.php

Wow, this is a good session. Still ongoing, so join away.

🔔 Starting at 4pm: A lecture by Ornit Shani on how India got elections. It's live only – no recording – so you have to join from here. https://hasgeek.com/kaarana/blockchain-based-voting-systems-and-electoral-democracy/

On Delhi vs Mumbai. I hadn't realised the extent of political dysfunction in Delhi. This is appalling.
https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/05/08/why-is-mumbai-handling-its-second-wave-better-than-delhi

Any reassurance I give her that she can achieve anything hold no water when the stories keep saying she'll be stopped. They probably work for a teenager seeking hope against pushback, but not for a pre-teen.

Parents: what can you recommend as replacement bedtime books?

7 y.o. and we regularly read a chapter from Rebel Girls for bedtime, a ritual we've had for a few years now.

Today she observed that girls are not allowed to do anything. These stories are all about girls struggling to be allowed.

I'm mortified. We need better stories.

||https://api.twitter.com/1.1/live_pipeline/$domain=mobile.twitter.com

||https://api.twitter.com/1.1/jot/client_event.json$domain=mobile.twitter.com

||https://mobile.twitter.com/i/api/2/badge_count/badge_count.json$domain=mobile.twitter.com

And done. Home feed gone.

What if you also want the Home feed for some of the time? Install the regular Twitter app too, and set time limit in Digital Wellbeing.

3. Enable HTTPS filtering in AdGuard. It'll take you through a scary notice about installing a root certificate. You'll need to do this.

4. In AdGuard > Settings > Content Blocking > User rules, add these four rules. Copy paste exactly:

||https://mobile.twitter.com/i/api/2/timeline/home.json$domain=mobile.twitter.com

But fear not, you can also benefit by following these complicated steps.

1. Open https://twitter.com in Chrome Android, use Menu > Install App

2. Get AdGuard Pro from https://adguard.com/en/adguard-android/overview.html (NOT Play Store). Sideload required. Pro license required.

Nothing is wrong here, despite what the screenshot says. I have deliberately blocked Twitter's Home feed to save myself from doomscrolling.

I am now accepting accusations of tech elitism because ordinary people don't know how to save themselves from Twitter's bad product design.

Made it across. Many checkpoints but no checks.

Thanks, @rbalablr@twitter.com, @gonsalves_r@twitter.com, @tejpochiraju@twitter.com, @umanghome@twitter.com, @JayadeepJayaram@twitter.com, @ksprashu@twitter.com. This was helpful.