ARGGGGH.

[feng_shui_house]

It was raining when I woke up, but mostly it threatened, so I did finish weeding enough cleared space to transplant the remaining grass runners.

I saw an assassin bug when I was weeding. Tried to take a photo, if it doesn't work, then look at the top photo here, which looks very similar to the one I saw. They're generally considered harmless to humans although they can bite and in some species it can be long lasting painful.


https://extension.umd.edu/resource/assassin-bugs

Around 10,000 people a year die as a result of assassin bug bites- because it can transmit Chagas disease.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deadliest_animals_to_humans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagas_disease

https://epi.ufl.edu/2024/07/10/chagas-disease-in-florida-what-to-know/

Finally I got down to find out the bugs that are disease vectors are 'triatomine' and while similar and often called assassin bugs (because they are predators on other insects) the assassin bug I saw is NOT the disease carrying species.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1412

That species is the Eastern Bloodsucking Conenose. Ok, I never saw one of those.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatoma_sanguisuga


Oh, HELL... forget about contacting me through Flickr. My account (had for over 11 years) has been DELETED. I put up a post, I commented, I returned to find my account gone and my user icon and name replaced by a generic cartoon camera and the name 'dashing spoon [deleted]'.

So, I've spent time attempting to use their 'help' which is basically ONE form you can fill out which is impossible for someone with a deleted account because some of it is 'provide the URLS for things you can no longer get to'.

I am too upset to think. I don't even know what photos were lost. I did a cull back years ago when Flickr didn't want any 'adult' images and I removed even slightly iffy fan fiction drawings, so I don't think they deleted me for that. If they ever get back and give me a reason I'll be lucky. I doubt they'll reinstate it for whatever reason they took it down.

So no photos now. I am too annoyed to function.

Comments

[spiralsheep]

Hi person I used to once-a-year with on naarmamo and who has popped up on my network page. I'm very glad to hear you're not going to be assassinated by a bug. I'm sad to hear flickr have restricted / deleted your account and access to your photos. I hope something good happens for you soon. :-)

[feng_shui_house]

Thank you, person who used to Naarmamo. I THINK the deletion was an error caused by me logging in on a different computer and then confirming it was me using an email that goes to a browser that no longer works properly on Flickr.

I don't know if they can reinstate it- or if they will even respond- I had a free account, and Flickr has cut customer service down to next to nothing. I found out yesterday that they even froze/archived the Help Forum- users helping users- 6 months ago, citing it was too much work because it was old and they couldn't be bothered.

Oh, well... it was nice while it lasted.

[spiralsheep]

Ugh. Good luck! I also have a free flickr account and, yes, I never expected it to last so long....

[feng_shui_house]

Thanks. I recall many years ago, my brother told me anything on the internet is forever... and I said, wait, what if the equipment holding the information breaks down or the company hosting the information? He was just Nah, of course it'll all be there forever.

Can't count on forever. I'm pretty sure I had backed up the photos on Flickr long ago, back when it was first sold and the rules changed, but even if I could find the thingies I saved them on, I don't remember where I'd linked any of them.

SO FAR, my photo host at LiveJournal still works, which is what I use here on DW. Back in the day I got a permanent account in one of the few times they offered it. There was a year when I couldn't log in due to them insisting I change the log in and then they didn't let the new log in work so I'm not even sure of the stability of that.