Celebrate LGBT Subculture with Vivaldi

— Posted inBrowser, Personal — 6 min read

Celebrate LGBT subculture with Vivaldi, the browser that prides itself on its openness and distinctiveness. From leather to rubber, from bears to pups, there’s a theme for everyone, and more to come!

Pup Pride

Enter the dog house with the Pup Pride theme, a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of the Pup Pride flag. This flag is not just a symbol, but a beacon for the Pup Play culture, a unique form of role play that invites us to don the guise of dogs or pups. It’s a world where the mundane is left behind, and the extraordinary takes center stage.

Contrary to the common misconception, this isn’t always about sensuality. It’s about liberation, about breaking free from the shackles of reality and embracing the joy and simplicity of a pup’s life. It’s about finding your bliss, your tail-wagging, ear-scratching bliss, and holding onto it with both paws. Furthermore, it’s about being true to yourself, about finding happiness in the most unexpected places. So, let’s step into this world, let’s unleash the pup within us, and let’s celebrate the Pup Pride! 🐾

Leather Pride

Add some patina to your browser with the Leather Pride theme, a powerful symbol drawn from the rich hues of the Leather Pride flag. This flag is more than just a piece of fabric; it’s a bold declaration of the Leather culture within the gay community, a culture that celebrates strength, resilience, and a unique form of self-expression.

Leather Pride isn’t just about the material; it’s about the spirit it embodies. It’s about the freedom to express one’s desires and identity without fear or judgment. It’s about the courage to be oneself in a world that often demands conformity.

This culture is not merely about the physical aspect of wearing leather; it’s about the emotional journey of self-discovery and acceptance. It’s about finding a community that embraces you for who you are, about finding a sense of belonging in a world that can sometimes feel isolating.

So, let’s don our leather with pride, let’s celebrate our individuality, and let’s honor the Leather Pride within us all! 🖤

Bear Pride

Enter the bear cave with the Bear Pride theme, a robust emblem inspired by the Bear Pride flag. This flag is not merely a symbol, but a proud proclamation of the Bear culture within the gay community, a culture that cherishes authenticity, camaraderie, and diversity.

In the gay subculture, a “bear” is typically a term used to describe a man who is large, often with facial and body hair, and exudes an aura of rugged masculinity. But it’s more than just a physical description; it’s a sense of identity, a feeling of belonging to a community that values acceptance and inclusivity.

Bear Pride isn’t just about being a bear; it’s about embracing who you are and celebrating it with pride. It’s about the strength in our diversity, the warmth of our community, and the bonds that unite us. It’s about the joy of being comfortable in your own skin, of being able to express yourself freely and without judgment.

This culture is not just about the physical attributes; it’s about the spirit of acceptance and unity that it fosters. It’s about finding a community that welcomes you, that celebrates you for who you are, and that stands with you, no matter what.

So, let’s raise our voices, let’s celebrate our uniqueness, and let’s honor the Bear Pride within us all! 🐻‍

Otter Pride

Swim your way to the Otter Pride theme, a vibrant emblem drawn from the spirit of the Otter culture within the gay community. This isn’t just a theme; it’s a celebration of a unique identity within the diverse spectrum of the gay community.

In the gay subculture, an “otter” is often a term used to describe a man who is slim or athletic and typically has a hairy body. However, being an otter is about more than just physical characteristics; it’s about embodying a playful, free-spirited, and confident persona.

Otter Pride is about embracing this identity and expressing it with joy and pride. It’s about celebrating the freedom to be oneself, to defy stereotypes, and to revel in the diversity of our community. It’s about acknowledging that our strength lies in our differences, and that every voice matters.

This culture is not just about the physical attributes; it’s about the sense of community, acceptance, and mutual respect that it fosters. It’s about finding a space where you can be yourself, where you are celebrated for who you are, and where you can connect with others on a similar journey.

So, let’s dive into the waters of self-expression, let’s celebrate our individuality, and let’s honor the Otter Pride within us all! 🦦🌊

Rubber Pride

Make your browser shine with the Rubber Pride theme, a potent emblem inspired by the dynamic shades of the Rubber Pride flag. This flag is not just a swath of cloth; it’s a daring proclamation of the Rubber ethos within the gay community, an ethos that applauds adaptability, endurance, and a distinct form of self-expression. 

This culture isn’t solely about the tactile sensation of donning rubber; it’s about the emotional odyssey of self-realization and acceptance. It’s about locating a tribe that welcomes you for your true self, about discovering a sense of kinship in a world that can occasionally seem alienating.

Furry Pride

Step into the vibrant world of furry culture, where creativity and self-expression reign supreme. This community is united by a shared love for anthropomorphic animals—creatures that blend human and animal traits in fascinating ways. The furry fandom is a tapestry of colorful characters, each one a unique reflection of its creator’s imagination.

Contrary to popular belief, furry culture isn’t solely about costumes or conventions. It’s about embracing a sense of belonging and finding joy in the extraordinary. It’s a celebration of art, storytelling, and the freedom to be whoever you want to be. Whether you’re drawing, writing, or donning a fursuit, it’s about expressing your true self and connecting with others who share your passion.

So, let’s dive into this world, unleash our creativity, and celebrate the furry fandom! 🐾

This post will be updated each time a new theme is added, not just by me, but other Vivaldi users as well. Celebrate what you love and what makes you happy, and know that you have a community here at Vivaldi who loves you for who you are!

How to fix “Getting Started” Facebook Messenger on macOS

— Posted inSoftware — 1 min read
Facebook Messenger Chat Bubble
Facebook Messenger Logo, All Rights and Trademarks belong to Meta

If you have downloaded Facebook Messenger on your Mac, installed it and can’t get past “Getting Started”, you’ve come to the right place to resolve it. Make sure the app is completely quit before starting.

  1. Open Launchpad or Spotlight and search “Keychain Access”, and open it. If it tells you to open system settings for your regular passwords, choose the option below it.
  2. Once opened, on the sidebar, click “Login” and search “Messenger Desktop” in the top right of the window. You should see something like this below.
Keychain Access window with Facebook Messenger’s application password shown.

From here, right-click the “Messenger Desktop.v1” menu item, and select “Delete” from the menu that appears. You may have to confirm with your password or Touch ID. After it is deleted, reopen Facebook Messenger on your device, and it should ask you to log in, or proceed and not remain stuck on “Getting Started”.

If this post has helped you, share it with others facing the same issue!

Microsoft Copilot Doesn’t Provide An Option To Disable History

— Posted inPrivacy, Technology — 2 min read

If you’ve been using tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard/Gemini or Microsoft Copilot, you may have asked the AI bot sensitive questions about events happening in your life, from drug abuse to a failing relationship. Either way, these are sensitive subjects, and shouldn’t be able to be viewed easily through history. While Google provides an option to outright disable keeping logs of chats, Microsoft doesn’t. There are no settings to disable the history, prominent display of recent topics, or even to lock history until verified (either through sign in or 2FA).

I discovered this when I was using Microsoft Copilot to organize notes that I took for my college courses. While I know I don’t suffer from any substance abuse or relationship issues and most uses cases for this AI aren’t sensitive, a person who is in an abusive relationship, suffering from addiction or otherwise any sensitive subject is, and these topics shouldn’t be available so freely. Microsoft by displaying these so prominently can ruin these peoples lives by broadcasting these for anyone to see by not authenticating a user, or providing any setting to outright disable the history of said chats. There isn’t even an option to disable history in Microsoft’s own privacy section of your account!

Amazon Pharmacy offers faster delivery for urgent refills.

— Posted inHealth & Fitness — 3 min read

Recently, I switched antidepressants. While waiting for things to be approved on their side, I couldn’t refill in time. However, I was able to get one-day delivery instead of two in an emergency with SSRIs, which can cause serotonin syndrome.

Amazon Pharmacy offers a convenient and affordable way to get your prescription medications. In addition to its standard two-day delivery, Amazon Pharmacy also offers emergency refills that can be delivered even faster. This is important for people who take SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), a type of medication used to treat depression and anxiety.

Serotonin syndrome is a rare but serious condition that can occur when someone takes too much serotonin. SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin in the brain, so taking too much of these medications can lead to serotonin syndrome. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome can include fever, sweating, shivering, muscle rigidity, tremors, rapid heartbeat, confusion, and seizures. In severe cases, serotonin syndrome can be fatal.

If you are taking an SSRI and you run out of medication, it is critical to call Amazon Pharmacy as soon as possible. They will work with you to get a refill as quickly as possible. In some cases, they may be able to deliver your medication the same day. I recently had to do this and was notified about Amazon Pharmacies Internal note of “critical refills/priority”.

Here are some tips for preventing serotonin syndrome:

Take your SSRI medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor.


Do not take more than the prescribed dose of your SSRI medication.


Do not take other medications that increase serotonin, such as MAO inhibitors or triptans.


Talk to your doctor about any other medications you are taking, including over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements.


If you think you may be experiencing serotonin syndrome, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

If you have one last pill or need to wait two days for normal times, split your dosage in half until your order arrives. This ensures that (for example) if you take 100 mg, you can take 50 mg of the last pill now, and 50 mg of the last pill tomorrow, and get your normal dosage back after that. TALK TO YOUR PRESCRIBER OR DOCTOR BEFORE DOING THIS, AS SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO SSRI CHANGES.

What is Serotonin Syndrome?

Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition that can occur when there is too much serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that helps nerve cells communicate with each other. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are a type of medication that increase the amount of serotonin in the brain.

When there is too much serotonin in the body, it can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

  • Fever
  • Sweating
  • Shivering
  • Muscle rigidity
  • Tremors
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Confusion
  • Seizures

In severe cases, serotonin syndrome can be fatal.

I do hope this helps anyone and everyone who uses Amazon Pharmacy.

Spez The Gaslighter: Redirect Reddit to Respectable Frontends using StopTheMadness

— Posted inSoftware, Technology — 2 min read

SUPPORT INDIE DEVS LIKE LAPCATSOFTWARE BY BUYING SOFTWARE

If you find yourself wanting to distance yourself from Reddit due to spez, but find yourself visiting Reddit out of habit, one way to slowly get off of Reddit is to redirect it to Libreddit or Teddit; both of these are anonymous frontends for Reddit that allow you to view content, without having Reddit track your clicks, sell your information or attempt to profit off of you as a user, as this front ends don’t have accounts. If you regularly post on Reddit, this may be difficult; however, if you are a lurker, this will be much easier as you only absorb content.

Now, there are many ways you can go about this, but I prefer using LapCatSoftware‘s “StopTheMadness”; in conjunction with many other things that make the web better, it has the ability to redirect URLs.

Today, we’ll be utilizing this. After purchasing and downloading the add-on, enabling it in Safari (or other browsers) and clicking the icon, you’ll be met with the following popup, scroll down, and you’ll see “Custom URL redirects on all sites”:

If you don’t see two boxes above, you may only see “Add URL redirect”. If you use old.reddit.com and reddit.com, create two separate rules.

In the top box, we’ll have any reddit URL
/www.reddit.com/
Redirect to libreddit.kavin.rocks in the bottom box.

If you use old reddit, again, In the top box, we’ll have any old reddit URL
/www.old.reddit.com/
Redirect to libreddit.kavin.rocks in the bottom box.

Growing up and looking back.

— Posted inPersonal, Software, Technology — 4 min read

It’s crazy to see how much things change

a close up of a piano

I was 15 or 16 when Vivaldi was in private beta; I was very excited when I got my invite, especially with all the press about it! Growing up, I remember my eldest sibling using Opera as her preferred browser. I myself used Opera in the form of the Nintendo Wii’s Internet Channel as my gateway to the net from 2008 to 2013. It wasn’t until I got my first laptop that I got interested in computers or even the browser I would use.

At this point in time, Opera was not the same as my sister, or I remembered it. This is due to them switching to blink and removing what made the browser so special. Learning this, I decided to settle on Firefox for a bit as the browser still had tons of customizability, albeit, the browser itself lacked many features, and would for years to come (translations). Though my sister would use Chrome, I myself was always on the lookout for what truly suited me.

Enter Vivaldi

Vivaldi Browser Original Logo

I was very into the browser from the get go, as I wanted something that I could adapt to myself and the way I use technology and browser(s). My only problem with Vivaldi was that, being a new product, it only had desktop versions. Throughout the years I left the browser for cross-platform alternatives (2015-2023), I would go through an HTC, iPhone 6s, iPhone 8 Plus, Google Pixel 3 XL and now, currently using, an iPhone 12.

For the most part on iOS devices, I would settle for Safari due to content blockers, and after iOS 15, extensions. While I don’t mind Safari, it’s not the first browser that comes to my mind when I think of the web. Though it is cross-platform on Apple’s own platforms, it is not cross-platform outside of them, since about 2012. On Android devices, I would cycle through a few, but with my Pixel, just opted into Chrome for it’s AdGuard (app, not add-on) integration + user scripts. I was never happy with Chrome on Android, though. The browser is so bare bones, and looks like a dinosaur now with its lack of extensions on mobile (which safari has supported since iOS 15) or Ad blockers (which iOS has supported since iOS 9 2015!).

In 2021, I bought all into the Apple ecosystem. I started with a Mac, then an iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, etc.; why? Just like the melodies of pianists, they all work together perfectly. Now, having a mix of Apple Devices, Windows and Android, I wanted something that felt “native” to all of them, in terms of browsers. Between the first Chromium Edge leak to Firefox Updates, nothing felt like it was designed for macOS or Windows. Sure, with Firefox you can use CSS to tweak around, but Mozilla or Apple can easily break it in an update. I gave up and resorted to using Edge (for Microsoft Rewards to be honest) due to this lack of my needs. This would change around early 2023.

Remembering Vivaldi, I downloaded the browser again, and set it up to fit me. I didn’t need to go to GitHub to find a theme or code to tweak the browser, as the options I like were built in as options, waiting to be tinkered with. Though I used it on and off again, between then and about mid-March, I’d switch to it as my main, and default browser. While adapting and moving from browsers, I decided to see what Vivaldi was up to while, I myself was growing from a teenager, into an adult. Not going to lie, I was somewhat astonished by how much Vivaldi grew up in such a small amount of time. An Android Version, Vivaldi Mail (remember @opera email addresses?), Vivaldi.Social, a thriving community, and now, Vivaldi for iOS… words can’t describe the amount of work, growth and ultimately, dedication of Vivaldi or its community that saw this all happen.

It’s funny seeing something you used, saw, etc. at a young age, and coming back to it years later as a mature thing. Whether it be in the digital, or physical realm. In some ways, it feels like Vivaldi has matured faster than I ever will.