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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 21st, 2023

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  • Noelia Voight via Instagram

    In life, I strongly value the importance of making decisions that feel best for you and your mental health. As Individuals, we grow through experiencing different things in life that lead us to learning more about ourselves. My journey as Miss USA has been incredibly meaningful, representing Utah with pride, and later the USA at Miss Universe. Sadly, I have made the very tough decision to resign from the title of Miss USA 2023. I am grateful for the love and support of the fans, old and new, my family, my friends, my coaches, former state and local directors, and my darling beloved Miss Teen USA, UmaSofia. Lifelong friendships and connections that I had the opportunity to make along the way while attending different events, and competing at state pageants, Miss USA, and Miss Universe are invaluable things I will be forever grateful for. Every time someone asked me what my favorite part of being Miss USA was, I would always share with them how much I loved getting to work with Smile Train, being a fervent advocate for anti-bullying, dating violence awareness and prevention, immigration rights and reform, and shedding light on my roots as the first Venezuelan-American woman to win Miss USA. Never could I have imagined the journey that my childhood dream would take me on. Constant and consistent hard work and dedication all lead me to where I am today, and I hope that over the last seven years of competing in pageantry and sharing my journey with you all is something that inspires you to never give up on your dreams, whatever they may be. Eternal gratitude fills my heart when I think about the platform I was given to make a difference, the feeling of achieving a lifelong dream, and connecting with people all over the world, just as I said I would do on the Miss USA stage. Deep down, I know that this is just the beginning of a new chaptor for me, and my hope is that I continue to inspire others to remain steadfast, prioritize your mental health, advocate for yourself and others by using your voice, and never be afraid of what the future holds, even if it feels uncertain.

    How I wish I could hug all of you. I love you all with all of my heart and always will. Peace and love, always.



  • If you haven’t gotten one in a bit

    I wish guidance on when to get a booster shot was more prevalent. I remember them pushing the first 3 rounds at various intervals, but it wasn’t too difficult to follow if you were paying attention. Now it’s just “get your COVID shot”, but little-to-no mention of how often.

    I know it’s complicated, depending on if you’ve been vaccinated before, and which version(s) you got. It seems that, assuming you’re an adult who has been vaccinated up to this point, it’s now just an annual shot like the flu, but the CDC page mentions “the updated shot” with a long list of notes about when various versions were updated. It would be nice if it was just “if your last vaccination was more than X months ago, it’s time for another”.

    I guess, if you have questions, the general advice of “talk to your doctor” applies.


  • Unfortunately, DMCA abuse rarely has consequences for those behind it.

    Oh look! The actual problem is buried at the end of the article.

    It’s my understanding that filing a DMCA request requires that you certify that you have reviewed the content, and confirm that you believe the content to be infringing.

    Here’s an excerpt from a sample takedown notice, provided by Georgetown University:

    I am providing this notice in good faith and with the reasonable belief that my rights as the exclusive rights holder are being infringed.

    Under penalty of perjury, I certify that the information contained in this notification is both true and accurate

    I know that “reasonable belief” gives a lot of wiggle room from a legal standpoint, but c’mon. If no one pushes back on that, of course it will be abused!




  • The fundamental relationship between smart-home companies and their customers is founded on trust.

    Man… I’d like to be able to live in their world. In reality, it seems the fundamental relationship is based on “this is convenient and cheap enough that I’m willing to give up some privacy in that aspect of my life.”, but I’d never classify it as “trust”. I’ve had internet connected cameras. I would only ever place them outside my house. My garage door also had a camera watching it, just in case my smart garage door opener decided to act up unexpectedly.

    Of course, I still have a smart phone in my pocket. I guess I’ve essentially given up on that front.