Weeknotes #12: going more indie web with Webmentions

Webmentions

I’ve been working on getting Webmentions up and running on my blog posts. If you’re familiar with the pingbacks and trackbacks of Wordpress yore, Webmentions are a similar concept. Website A can send Website B a notification that Website A contains a reference to B. These can include things like social media posts (like the example on Weeknotes #10, hi Dave 👋) or response articles, and can be displayed similarly to comments on Website B.

Some resources that were helpful to me in setting up receipt of Webmentions:

• IndieWeb on Webmentions
• Webmention.io itself
• Aaron’s Jekyll plugin
• Bridgy, for connecting social media mentions (I’ve filtered out likes and reposts, considering these vanity metrics)

Next I need to set up Netlify to automatically build every few hours. I also want to keep thinking through the UX of how Webmentions are displayed beneath posts, as it can be a little “what…the heck…is this?” if you’re unfamiliar and expect a comment box.

How to help targeted immigrants in the U.S.

Switching gears to a more serious topic…I would characterize this administration’s immigration practices as crimes against humanity; reporting from the camps make me sick to my stomach, especially when so many detainees have sought asylum in the U.S. to keep their families safe from targeted violence. If you feel likewise (and I hope you do), here are some ways to help:

• Children Shouldn’t Be Dying at the Border. Here’s How You Can Help.
• What can YOU do to help immigrants whose rights are under attack?
• Advocates say the fastest way to help immigrants separated from their children: Post their bail: goes into a little more detail about paying into bail funds. You’re going to want an ad blocker on this site, and CW for suicide.
• Several prompts for calls to lawmakers on 5calls.org
• Immigrants’ Rights and info on immigration raids for allies

On the internet

• Queering the Map: so many pins. So many feelings. 😭

Reading

Design and development

• [Drop caps & design systems](https://product.voxmedia .com/2019/6/17/18524029/the-ballad-of-drop-caps-and-design-systems)
• Pokemon Fusion: Behind the Scenes
• Livin’ on the Edge: Dude Where’s My Fix?!?

Other interesting articles

• Autistic Communication Differences & How to Adjust for Them
• How to set your Personal OKRs and stick to them: something I’m trying out, since I always try to do 5000 things with my personal time, which is not conducive to getting things done.