PresGas Words 2026-04-12T09:09:30-04:00 Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name Cinematic Sunday 20260412 Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/cinematic-sunday-20260412.html 2026-04-12T09:09:30-04:00 I was browsing a friend’s blog this morning with my coffee and she mentioned liking movies from other countries. It definitely got me thinking about some of the recent bits I’ve watched.

I thought I would post these recent ones I watched that are so powerful and beautiful. They tore me up in all the best ways and I recommend watching them with someone you really enjoy being with (and maybe not afraid to cry in front of)

:-D

Petite Maman is a quiet, slow movie about grief and generational connections.

Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes - or “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” is an amazing animated movie set in post war Japan. It is adapted from Amélie Nothomb’s book. I usually read the book first, but the expansive animated medium…it was great to see on a big screen - so see it there or get a big TV if you can.

I found that I am not quite sure where to link movies or shows from. I want something kinda permanent and community oriented but don’t want to give away the plot (Wikipedia is kinda out - sorry). I have OpenLibrary or WorldCat for books and at least Bandcamp or (uuuuuugh) YT (if I must) for music. Let me know of good cinema options if you got it!!

Also, Lemme know of some good, expressive, expansive movies you like!

]]> "Tithing" for Not-For-Profits n' Other Support Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/tithing-for-not-for-profits-n-other-support.html 2026-01-17T11:12:57-05:00 I’m thinking about implementing something like the Old Tyme Religun tithing in my budget.

In light of all the funding issues with many things I do use/support (lookin’ at you, NPR and PBS) along with just really wanting to do something to support stuff I use often, it has been popping up in my mind often.

Tithing used to be effectively donating about 10% of your income to the church you attended. I’m not religious so what about using it as a budget line item? We can’t possibly donate to every cause, service we support. However, we also have to eat, rent (uuuuuugh!!) and generally support ourselves and the ones we love.

I feel like this, if you can do it (definitely take care of your base needs first and always), is a good baseline to start in my own journey.

I’m going to think about this a little more as I got thoughts I need to write down about what I trust and how much I trust any particular organization. However, I am thinking about what gets ongoing support and maybe what gets an occasional donation.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this since I’m still stewing about it. I definitely think allocating 10% is a start. Then you have to break that up. Anyway, if you have a method or just want to say “Hi!” please do so!!

]]> Blog Process - Publii and `nb` Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/blog-process-publii-and-nb.html 2025-12-14T10:31:03-05:00 As much as I am liking some of the simplicity of Publii, there are still frictions that I am feeling.

It is a relatively simple app, but not commandline. As it is a full app, I don’t feel comfortable installing it just anywhere (like a work computer). As a result, there are times I think about posting something and realize I’m not at my “usual device”. Then the idea fades.

I have been using nb (https://xwmx.github.io/nb/) for a lot of general note takiing; work and personal. I really like that interface and if is amazing that it is all just one script keeping in line with Linux/Unix philosophy of simple tools chained together to do something well. However, there isn’t a way to immediately publish from it and I am really in love with this here Publii theme.

However, since BOTH techs use markdown I think I am going to move to at least using nb as a drafting area to maybe jot down ideas for the blog.

I want to post on my own timetable, but also don’t want to have something I am thinking about get lost.

I don’t know why it took me so long to think of this, but there it is. Perhaps in time I will revisit this issue again and look at another simple/flexible blog engine. It needs to be commandline, markdown, flat file, simple themes that are easy to manage, git backed. Maybe another look at the bashblog fork I have languishing?

Anyway, if you have thoughts on simple (I mean STOOPID simple) blog CLI software lemme know!

]]> Step 3 in the Playbook Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/step-3-in-the-playbook.html 2025-11-22T10:30:55-05:00 https://wagingnonviolence.org/2025/11/the-playbook-of-every-successful-nonviolent-struggle/

Was going through the ol’ RSS feeds this morning and found this from a great site more people should be looking at. It outlines a general playbook of successful struggle.

All of it made general sense to me. However, the thing I guess I needed to hear today and the thing that stuck out was Step 3 - Act to shift power.

Our default, too often, are marches and rallies. Yes, these can be symbolically powerful, but unless they’re part of a broader strategy to shift power — by withdrawing cooperation, applying economic pressure and disrupting key functions — they rarely force change on their own. Actions must not only express outrage, but help bring about specific shifts in power.

I think we inherently know this, but I also feel we aren’t actively doing it. There is a lot going on and sometimes getting out there in the streets is all we have energy to to. I will admit I was getting caught up in the guilt (protest FOMO??) of missing out on some recent rallys in my town. However, I know I am active in attempts to make small changes. I need to remind myself this often.

It really is the small moments that each person does for another human being that is power shifting. If we rally, it should end in actionable items. I guess like any meeting? So yeah, the guilt has been remediated. Thank you, Waging Nonviolence <3

Got any thoughts about this or the eficacy of protest? Reach out!

]]> Sigh... social web is just bad m'kay? Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/sigh-social-web-is-just-bad-mkay.html 2025-10-05T11:35:50-04:00 TL;DR - Just keep a blog! Get off the socials or approach them with EXTREME scepticism. It is not a good business model and tends to be run by not good people.

Was thinking about posting something light and positive as it has been a bit and wanting to keep contributing in the Kblogosphere. Went and updated Publii to the latest, brought out my brand new Debian 13 install and made sure all was in order. Then thought I’d catch up on “The Socials”… Uggggh…

Now all 2 of my readers know that I am not on many. I killed Twitter off a long time ago along with many of the Meta tech B$.

I am in the fediverse but been mostly lurking these days.

I am also on a certain get-a-job related social, but is that really a social?

I’m also on reddit, but I just can’t consider that social at all; why offer a follow of a user when there is no meaningful way to do anything with it?!?

Anywhoo, I (was?) on Bluesky just to kick the tires. I was hearing that many of the TTRPG people were going there and not all of them have blogs. Maybe it would have been the next Google+??

Well, recent posts I’ve seen are just reminding me that for so many reasons, the “big socials”…even Bluesky… is just maketing and unhealty hot takes run by not very nice people. Hat tip to jwz and them linking to Azhdarchid, who is going into the RSS reader for sure.

I have way more thoughts on it, but no more energy for it today. Feel free to chat me up about it.

]]> Rocky Horror Picture Show is 50 Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/rocky-horror-picture-show-is-50.html 2025-08-17T10:16:57-04:00 Great little history from Ars Technica of all places!

Yet in some respects, it’s as relevant as ever. “There are still those extreme prejudices in society and Rocky Horror still provides a space for people to be themselves, or to be someone else, for the two hours that it takes to do the film,” Milinovich said. “The line in the film is ‘Don’t dream it, be it.’“ People still take that line to heart.

Happy Birthday, Rocky!

]]> Debian(et al) Repo Management Hidden Gem Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/debianet-al-repo-management-hidden-gem.html 2025-08-16T10:44:22-04:00 Why is it that I hadn’t heard of Debian’s extrepo management tool?!?!

I stumbled onto it from an article from beardystarstuff.net’s post and then looking at the LibreWolf browser.

So, it was quite the rabbit-hole but daaang I wish I heard of this before. Having repos curated is better then the Ubu-based PPA’s.

Definitely a good toolset to use as I think about moving to pure Debian from Ubuntu.

Got any thoughts about extrepo vs PPAs? Let me know!

]]> About NearlyFreeSpeech Hosting + Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/about-nearlyfreespeech-hosting.html 2025-08-09T09:28:12-04:00 This blog post is yet another reason, I am so glad I chose NearlyFreeSpeech.net for my hosting. Not only do they have a solid policy in the “MFFAM” policy, but they really believe we all have value. Passing along their blog post “A quick note to our queer members”.

You. Are. Worth. Protecting.

Given this and all the other recent bullshit, we just wanted to make that clear to all of our queer and LGBT+ members… the brand new and the very, very old.

Is the hosting on BSD and mostly commandline, yes. However, I would call that a strength keeping folks from getting deskilled and learning HOW things work.

I am just reall proud to know my stuff is hosted here. Come on in!

Reach out if you also host your stuff at NFS.net!!

]]> Even in "College Towns" - Moving Day Needs to Die Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/even-in-college-towns-moving-day-needs-to-die.html 2025-07-06T09:50:36-04:00 Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of issues with large cities and housing. Hell! There are problems all over; ‘cos don’t get me started on housing should just be a human, friggin’ right!!

However even Chicago in the mid 1900’s, got rid of the dreaded moving day.

“Why everyone would want to move on one day in the calendar year is baffling,” said Paul Durica, the Chicago History Museum’s director of exhibitions. “And almost every [contemporaneous account] acknowledges that. It’s, like, ‘Why have we adopted this system? It’s not at all efficient. It’s overwhelming. It’s chaotic.’ ”

Take note, towns like Bloomington, Indiana!! If you are already willing to roll over and go about kneecapping Higher Education by doing this sort of bullshit in order to “comply” and have “marketable degrees” and cheat students; towns like this need to allow folks some flexibility in moving in. Otherwise, this will be one more factor in the feared demographic cliff.

Feel free to rant with me!

]]> Time to Support The Chicago Reader Robert Freeman-Day (PresGas) https://words.presgas.name/time-to-support-the-chicago-reader.html 2025-06-21T11:56:32-04:00 I have been reading off and on Chicago Reader since I lived there for 2 years at the turn of the century (love that I… ]]>

I have been reading off and on Chicago Reader since I lived there for 2 years at the turn of the century (love that I get to say that - thanks, generational placement!). It used to be free with adverts for all. The adverts were actually useful too!

I’ve found that I recently returned to reading it much more and since they have been there for us, if we are reading it or not, it is time for me to do my part and donate.

They have great articles for goings on around Chicago, which is a great city.

Considering the fsck-ed up situation with journalism and news deserts, every little bit counts, and The Reader has quite a good and useful reach.

You got a local place you get your news and goings on about that could use some donation love? Let me know!

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