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PWAs: Will The Web-based Apps End Big Tech App Store Tyranny?
July 12, 2024
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Progressive Web App(PWA) is basically a website built to function as a native desktop software or mobile app. The main advantage of a PWA is that it is apps store-independent and cross-platform.

Opening a PWA-optimized website like 'Gab.com' for example, on a standards-compliant browser like Brave would immediately trigger an instal prompt on the top-right corner of the browser window within the address bar.

On mobile browsers, the PWA prompt may be 'install Gab' or 'add Gab' [to the homescreen]. In the absence of the prompt, just adding the website to the homescreen will do the trick.

Once installed, the PWA functions more like a native app. This circumvents app stores like Google Play and Apple's App Store where free speech apps like Gab are banned.

Other browsers that support PWA include Gab's own Dissenter, Microsoft Edge, Google chrome, Apple's safari and Opera mobile. PWAs are supported on Windows 10, android and iOS.

For a website to be a PWA, it must run on certain core web technology components. And while User Interface frameworks like Angular and React support and have all the components for PWAs, it is important to note that PWAs are not framework-dependent.

PWAs store data as HTML files, use CSS and images from the browser cache which makes them load faster and also work offline by utilizing a specific set of components.

Critical components of a PWA includes Service worker, JSON manifest, App shell and other tools that continue to be added as UI frameworks and standards evolve.

A service worker is a type of web worker. It’s a JavaScript file that runs separately from the main browser thread, intercepts network requests, caches, and delivers push messages. If there is no network connection, a service worker will pull data from the cache using the browser’s cache API.

JSON manifest is a file that contains metadata of the app describing the UI. The manifest controls whether the app will have a more native rendering, the icon to be displayed on the home screen when installed, the orientation, the full-screen rendering, and so on. The manifest is responsible for creating an app-like experience.

App shell is the container where the data is stored. The app shell architecture consists of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and allows some lightweight settings to be quickly loaded during the first visit, which reduces the time required the first time the PWA is launched. The app shell is responsible for the UX of the PWA.

Note that PWA components are based on common and open web technologies, hence keeping the development independent of any one app store software development kit(or SDK).

Google and Microsoft are working together to support the PWA ecosystem. Google has been adding PWA components -- like workbox, chrome Devtools and lighthouse -- to their UI frameworks.

The technologies behind PWAs are not new. Steve Jobs tried this in 2007 with HTML5-based standard for web apps on iphones. Apple later changed course with the introduction of iOS SDK.

Web technology development has since advanced, and JavaScript is becoming a computational power. Most PWAs are more feature-rich than their traditional native counterparts.

Advocates claim that with PWAs, smartphone users don't need to worry about app updates and storage space; and developers don't have to grovel to the big tech app store duopoly of Apple and Google, to distribute their PWAs. Gab social and other apps banned from Play store and App Store, are taking advantage of PWAs to great success.

Ironically, the tech giants are embracing PWAs, probably for different reasons and the fact that the general trend is towards 'stream everything.'

ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported last year that Microsoft is building an Azure-powered 'Cloud PC' service to be launched this year. With such service, Windows 10 operating system users can access and interact with the OS via a browser, making windows 10 accessible on any 'thin client.' A windows 10 PWA on android, iOS or Mac can give one access to the OS without having to worry about updates and graphics power of your device. The crunching of data is done behind the scenes on Microsoft servers.

Microsoft has also released popular apps like Office and outlook as PWAs. The tech giant accepts PWAs from developers who wish to distribute via their windows 10 app store.

Google has released their popular services as PWAs. These include YouTube music, map, photos, Drive, Keep and stadia. Google Play store also supports PWAs. Twitter Lite is a PWA.

With gaming being the only holdout for now in the 'stream everything' race, it may not be too optimistic to say that in 5 to 10 years, the tyrannical regime of the app store duopoly -- Google and Apple -- will be have ended. Though they obviously will not go down without a fight.

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Candace Owens Slams US Aid To Ukraine, In Remarks At SPIEF: Governments 'Should Encourage Big Families'

Ukrainian long-range drones struck the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Kronstadt naval base on Wednesday, igniting massive fires and damaging military assets just hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

The attacks targeted critical energy and military infrastructure in Russia's second-largest city, creating a visible backdrop of thick black smoke as international delegates arrived for the summit, often dubbed "Putin's Davos."

The targets included the JSC Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of the largest oil transshipment facilities on the Baltic Sea, which was set ablaze after drones bypassed air defenses. In the nearby city of Kronstadt, Ukrainian forces struck the naval base home to Russia's Baltic Fleet, with video evidence confirming a direct hit on the guided-missile corvette Boikiy while it was in dry dock for repairs.

Additional strikes reportedly hit a weapons factory in the Tambov region, part of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as "long-range sanctions" designed to disrupt Russia's logistics and war economy.

The timing coincided with the start of SPIEF, a flagship event intended to showcase Russia's economic resilience, attended by approximately 20,000 guests from 130 countries. Notable attendees included a low-key US delegation led by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, and popular American personalities such as podcaster Candace Owens.

The Ukranian assault forced the temporary closure of Pulkovo Airport and disrupted mobile internet services in St. Petersburg, while Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted over 350 drones across multiple regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the operation a highly precise execution of Ukraine's "long-range sanctions" to disrupt Russia's war economy.

In response to the strikes, which followed earlier deadly Russian barrage on Kyiv that killed 23 people, the Kremlin promised "systemic" retaliation.

In immediate retaliation for the St. Petersburg strikes, Russian forces launched another wave of attacks. Dnipro, which was actively observing an official day of mourning for the victims of the previous day's attack, was struck again. A precision-guided Iskander-M ballistic missile directly struck a massive distribution and food storage warehouse belonging to ATB, Ukraine’s largest supermarket chain.

The strike entirely destroyed a vital hub of civilian food supply. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov expressed immense frustration online, tying the event directly to the Kronstadt naval strike: "We hit their war corvette in Kronstadt. And they target ATB grocery warehouses in Dnipro."

The warehouse strike, combined with a secondary strike on an innovative Nova Poshta (postal service) logistics terminal and residential areas later that evening, injured at least 12 people in Dnipro, leaving three in critical condition.

 

 

Candace Owens Slams US Aid To Ukraine, In Remarks At SPIEF: Governments 'Should Encourage Big Families'

Meanwhile, Owens emerged as one of the headline foreign guests at SPIEF, participating in multiple sessions alongside high-ranking Russian officials like State Duma Deputy Chair Anna Kuznetsova and nationalist philosopher Aleksandr Dugin.

Owens was featured on panels addressing the "social sphere and new technologies," as well as sessions focused on family policy, titled "Balancing parenthood in a large family with a successful career."

The popular conservative commentator who was the event with her husband George Famer, criticized Western liberal social norms, claiming that institutional shifts in Western Europe and the United States have degraded traditional family structures and core civic values. She suggested her presence in Russia as an act of defiance against what she termed "globalist" censorship, praising alternative platforms that allow for non-Western-aligned perspectives.

Speaking directly to journalists on the sidelines of the forum, Owens directed her sharpest critiques toward U.S. foreign policy and financial commitments to Ukraine. "Ordinary Americans are growing increasingly fatigued by unchecked foreign aid spending while critical domestic issues are sidelined," the 37-year-old mother of 4, said.

Owens asserted that billions of American tax dollars are being funneled into a foreign conflict to sustain "oligarchical spending," arguing that the average U.S. citizen receives no benefit while domestic infrastructure, economic stability, and border security suffer. She argued that mainstream media narratives have artificially sustained the conflict against the true economic interests of the American public.

Also in the country, are controversial 'manosphere' influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate who made a highly publicized arrival at a Moscow airport, where they were greeted by traditional Russian folk dancers offering bread and salt. While the Tate brothers' presence sparked intense debate within Russia, their itinerary was focused heavily on filming content for international audiences and meeting with cultural figures.

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Ukraine Attacks St. Petersburg, As Candace Owens, Others Attend The SPIEF

Ukrainian long-range drones struck the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Kronstadt naval base on Wednesday, igniting massive fires and damaging military assets just hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

The attacks targeted critical energy and military infrastructure in Russia's second-largest city, creating a visible backdrop of thick black smoke as international delegates arrived for the summit, often dubbed "Putin's Davos."

The targets included the JSC Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of the largest oil transshipment facilities on the Baltic Sea, which was set ablaze after drones bypassed air defenses. In the nearby city of Kronstadt, Ukrainian forces struck the naval base home to Russia's Baltic Fleet, with video evidence confirming a direct hit on the guided-missile corvette Boikiy while it was in dry dock for repairs.

Additional strikes reportedly hit a weapons factory in the Tambov region, part of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as "long-range sanctions" designed to disrupt Russia's logistics and war economy.

The timing coincided with the start of SPIEF, a flagship event intended to showcase Russia's economic resilience, attended by approximately 20,000 guests from 130 countries. Notable attendees included a low-key US delegation led by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, and popular American personalities such as podcaster Candace Owens.

The Ukranian assault forced the temporary closure of Pulkovo Airport and disrupted mobile internet services in St. Petersburg, while Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted over 350 drones across multiple regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the operation a highly precise execution of Ukraine's "long-range sanctions" to disrupt Russia's war economy.

In response to the strikes, which followed earlier deadly Russian barrage on Kyiv that killed 23 people, the Kremlin promised "systemic" retaliation.

In immediate retaliation for the St. Petersburg strikes, Russian forces launched another wave of attacks. Dnipro, which was actively observing an official day of mourning for the victims of the previous day's attack, was struck again. A precision-guided Iskander-M ballistic missile directly struck a massive distribution and food storage warehouse belonging to ATB, Ukraine’s largest supermarket chain.

The strike entirely destroyed a vital hub of civilian food supply. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov expressed immense frustration online, tying the event directly to the Kronstadt naval strike: "We hit their war corvette in Kronstadt. And they target ATB grocery warehouses in Dnipro."

The warehouse strike, combined with a secondary strike on an innovative Nova Poshta (postal service) logistics terminal and residential areas later that evening, injured at least 12 people in Dnipro, leaving three in critical condition.

 

 
Candace Owens Slams US Aid To Ukraine, In Remarks At SPIEF: Governments 'Should Encourage Big Families'

Meanwhile, Owens emerged as one of the headline foreign guests at SPIEF, participating in multiple sessions alongside high-ranking Russian officials like State Duma Deputy Chair Anna Kuznetsova and nationalist philosopher Aleksandr Dugin.

Owens was featured on panels addressing the "social sphere and new technologies," as well as sessions focused on family policy, titled "Balancing parenthood in a large family with a successful career."

The popular conservative commentator who was the event with her husband George Famer, criticized Western liberal social norms, claiming that institutional shifts in Western Europe and the United States have degraded traditional family structures and core civic values. She suggested her presence in Russia as an act of defiance against what she termed "globalist" censorship, praising alternative platforms that allow for non-Western-aligned perspectives.

Speaking directly to journalists on the sidelines of the forum, Owens directed her sharpest critiques toward U.S. foreign policy and financial commitments to Ukraine. "Ordinary Americans are growing increasingly fatigued by unchecked foreign aid spending while critical domestic issues are sidelined," the 37-year-old mother of 4, said.

Owens asserted that billions of American tax dollars are being funneled into a foreign conflict to sustain "oligarchical spending," arguing that the average U.S. citizen receives no benefit while domestic infrastructure, economic stability, and border security suffer. She argued that mainstream media narratives have artificially sustained the conflict against the true economic interests of the American public.

Also in the country, are controversial 'manosphere' influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate who made a highly publicized arrival at a Moscow airport, where they were greeted by traditional Russian folk dancers offering bread and salt. While the Tate brothers' presence sparked intense debate within Russia, their itinerary was focused heavily on filming content for international audiences and meeting with cultural figures.

Read full Article
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[UPDATED] Lena The Plug Files For Divorce From Adam22, Years After Jason Luv Sex Scene Shoot
UPDATE | Lena The Plug Says She's Not Divorcing Adam22

Lena The Plug says reports of her divorce are false, claiming a stalker filed the paperwork without her consent and that she’s currently working with the courthouse to reverse it. “I love my husband, we’ve been together for 10 years”

==================

Lena the Plug (Lena Nersesian) filed for divorce from Adam22 (Adam Grandmaison) on Monday, in Los Angeles County, which was her birthday. She filed without a lawyer and is seeking legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old daughter. The couple lists their date of separation as April 15, 2026.

In the filing, Lena states she has no job and her only income is $3,000 monthly in spousal support from Adam. She claims limited access to joint financial information (estimating figures) and is requesting half of their $1.1 million entertainment studio. No specific reasons for the divorce (like irreconcilable differences) are detailed in public reports.

Lena and Adam dated for years (starting around 2016–2017), got engaged, had a child, and reportedly married in 2023. Their relationship and brand were built on extreme degeneracy in the adult industry.

They ran the Plug Talk podcast (interviewing adult stars, often followed by scenes) and shared OnlyFans content, including scenes together and with others. Adam also hosts No Jumper. Their dynamic was non-monogamous for content purposes, which they discussed publicly, including boundaries and occasional jealousy.

Lena notoriously filmed multiple scenes with adult performer Jason Luv. The first major scene around 2023 was highly publicized. It generated massive hype, subscriber growth, and memes. Adam initially said he felt "a little jealous" but supported it as great for business and even gifted Lena a Lamborghini afterward.

Luv made comments in interviews claiming he was a "better lover" than Adam, which led to online backlash, a feud, and Adam "blacklisting" Jason from future scenes with Lena at one point.

There was reportedly a second scene later ("The Luv Boat" in 2025). Tensions played out publicly, including during a 2026 amateur boxing match in Miami, where Adam fought Luv. Lena made comments at events favoring Jason in bed, while praising Adam otherwise, probably adding fuel.

These events were controversial—critics saw them as humiliating for Adam or exploitative, while the couple framed them as empowering/business decisions that boosted their platforms. There were also rumors of Lena's off-camera interactions and beach sightings with Luv.

Despite the filing, the couple continued promoting Plug Talk content around the time the news broke. Adam responded on social media with posts about "FREEDOM" and jokingly inviting Black women to DM him, offering to buy a car in one reported post. Their relationship had ups and downs visible online -- financial discussions, content disputes, public feuds -- but they often continued collaborating.

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