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https://github.com/laylavish/uBlockOrigin-HUGE-AI-Blocklist

Install this blocklist using the instructions on the GitHub page. For Firefox, you will need to install uBlockOrigin for this. Google Chrome no longer allows the uBlockOrigin extension, so I'm assuming you're at least primarily a Firefox user - or about to be (see browser alternatives below).

For Google Chrome or mobile browsers, this will work with uBlacklist. See the GitHub page for full details on compatibility.

Remove AI Widgets:

If you go to your uBlockOrigin Filter lists page, you can select to filter out AI Widgets - this should completely remove the 'AI Mode' widget/button from your Google search page, in addition to the work done by the Huge AI Blocklist.

Using the uBlockOrigin Huge AI Blocklist filter has made my Google searches look like they used to, and gives me genuine search results.

Look at this. It's beautiful. It's informative. It's not a heap of burning trash bloated with fake information made up by a hallucinating chat bot.

We can go even further: return to the old school search results.

Now, the above results are great and should be free of generative AI junk, but some people would rather not see any of the summary widgets or 'people also ask' box at all. Fear not! You can remove all that by using the 'Web' mode in the Google search bar. Click the 'More' drop down menu and select 'Web'.

Huzzah! Incredible. It's like a functional search engine again.

You can make this the default Google search mode in Google Chrome using Method 1 from this page (https://allthings.how/how-to-turn-off-ai-mode-in-google-chrome/). Unfortunately, I don't know if there's a way to do this in Firefox too. This is why for the most part I still use DuckDuckGo (see below) as my default search engine, and only use Google to supplement my searches on the rare occasion I'm just missing something.

Remember, if you clear your cookies, your search engine preferences will reset, including any settings you enabled/disabled to avoid AI. This applies to DuckDuckGo as well; check your settings every time you clear your browser!

Extra filters (optional):

I've also added four filters (their order doesn't matter) to the My Filters page. Full disclosure: I'm not sure they still work, or may only work on Chrome, but I'm keeping them anyway, just in case.

From https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/1i7kg83/comment/m8lllwr/: see which solution in the list works for you, it seems to be different for everybody.

google.*##div[jscontroller]:not(:has(div[jscontroller].YzCcne)):has(.YzCcne)

From https://allthings.how/how-to-turn-off-ai-mode-in-google-chrome/:

www.google.com##.Beswgc

www.google.com##.olrp5b

www.google.com##.hdzaWe

Make sure you hit the apply changes button when you add filters.

Browser alternatives: escaping Google Chrome.

If you haven't jumped ship from Chrome yet, I'd recommend doing so. Sometimes Chrome outperforms Firefox for niche purposes or because a website doesn't bother to fully support non-Chrome browsers, but the days of Chrome being the superior browser are long gone — by about 10 years. If you're trying to escape Chromium browsers, beware that a lot of the popular Chrome alternatives are just Chrome in a different hat.

Firefox has been the most popular non-Chromium browser for years, and for good reason. However, the company running Mozilla Firefox has annoyed their users, me included, by refusing to take an anti- generative-ai stance, and even included AI features in the Mozilla Firefox browser. Most Firefox users specifically use it because they hate Google's enshittification and want a privacy-focused, clean browser that doesn't hog their RAM and CPU for no reason. So, you can imagine that Mozilla's attitude has pissed us all off recently. You can turn off the AI features in Firefox with the built-in settings, but the company has recently steered straight into the burning garbage heap by saying they want to make the browser based on AI.

Waterfox and LibreWolf:

There are really good alternatives based on Firefox (open-source) which are not affiliated with Mozilla (the company), if you don't like how it operates. Waterfox and LibreWolf are even more trimmed down and privacy-focused than Mozilla's Firefox, and don't use AI. Anti-ai statements: Waterfox and LibreWolf.

From this page: https://programming.dev/post/42546774

In short: LibreWolf is for those who want a “locked-down” fortress out of the box, while Waterfox is for those who want a privacy-conscious browser that still feels like a normal, convenient daily driver. Choose LibreWolf if: You want the highest level of privacy without having to manually edit config files, and you don’t mind occasionally “fixing” a broken website or re-logging into accounts. Choose Waterfox if: You want a privacy-respecting browser that supports Firefox Sync, has an Android counterpart, and handles streaming sites/logins without any extra friction (it supports WideWine out of the box, which lets you stream DRM protected content (netflix, hulu, disney, etc). — [email protected]

I've heard good things about both of these browsers and will investigate them further to decide whether to personally switch from Mozilla Firefox.

DuckDuckGo:

I would also recommend installing the DuckDuckGo extension to your browsers and setting it to be your default search engine.

I've had DuckDuckGo installed on my browsers, Chrome or Firefox, for like 10 years now. It is a good search engine, it's unobtrusive, and blocks trackers, cookies, and does not save any data about you. I've also used it as my default mobile browser for years, along with Firefox mobile, which you can add the AI Blocklist to (see again the GitHub page). I haven't tried the DuckDuckGo desktop browser yet, but I imagine it works just fine like the mobile version. I think DuckDuckGo's browser is also Chromium-based, at least indirectly. I use Firefox with the DuckDuckGo extension so I can have a widely-supported, non-Chromium browser, but include all of DuckDuckGo's anti-tracking features.

Note: DuckDuckGo has included AI in its browser product, however you can opt-out of all AI features with the built-in settings and they will not push it on you like Google does. I hope they remove AI features entirely in the future, but for now I am comfortable with the barriers in place to keep AI out of my face. Firefox also has AI features like Chrome does, which you can turn off with the built-in settings.

There's also noai.duckduckgo search, an alternative version of its normal search engine which removes AI-generated images and turns off AI results/assists by default. Even though DuckDuckGo's inclusion of any AI features annoys me, its policy to make these features 100% optional builds trust with this browser/extension/search engine.

You can always use Google search if you need to, but with uBlockOrigin and the AI Blocklist filter added on, at least you shouldn't have AI-altered search results or the AI overview anymore.

Other browsers exist, probably:

There are certainly more non-Chromium alternatives out there, but Firefox, Waterfox, and LibreWolf are the top three recommended to me. That link to alternatives, plus this ComputerCity page are the best lists I could find in a brief search. If you google "non-Chromium browsers" you'll get a lot of mixed results which require a bit of digging to realise they're not really recommending you what you looked for at all.

I've heard about Ecosia over the years, and while I like the idea of a search engine that plants a tree for each query, I don't think that's actually what happens — at least, that's what they used to be reputed to do, but I believe that's an unsustainable business model which has likely changed. In 2026, Ecosia says it uses 100% of its profits for the planet and runs its search engine off clean energy. That's cool! It's still Chromium-based. And it also uses generative AI for chat bots, so I don't trust its principles on environmentalism. I need to do more reading on this to form a stronger opinion about it.

I hope this post has helped at least some of you have a better experience browsing the web and googling your questions.

Waterfox has a marginally better privacy footprint via my testing in Cover Your Tracks. I have to log into websites more often than Firefox, but not every time like Librewolf. My Firefox account is usable on Waterfox (thus all of my bookmarks and extensions). I usually use Startpage as my search engine with the AI features turned off. Startpage isn't a default option but only takes a moment to add (guide here). Hate Mojeek, Ecosia, Qwant, DuckDuckGo is okay but adds news and previews to search results.

I have Waterfox on my phone, Steam Deck, and PCs. I use Brave on my iPad just for the ad blocking. Waterfox syncs great and I have very minimal user issues. At the moment the Android application can be a little buggy with letting me upload files so I switch to Firefox.

For those wondering, I did end up installing Waterfox and it's literally just Mozilla Firefox, but less bullshit. 10/10 would recommend.

Haven't used it for long, obviously, but I've made a clean transition from Mozilla to Waterfox and it took maybe like, an hour? Because I like to dig through all my settings and fiddle with things to make sure it's all set up right. After the initial setup, it's good to go and I expect I won't need to touch it again soon.

If you're making the switch from Mozilla Firefox, it'll import and sync everything including the mobile browser straight from your Mozilla account, including history, bookmarks, settings, etc. You'll need to check and re-install your extensions and your uBlock Origin Huge AI Blocklist. Follow the prompts and you'll be fine. You could use the default adblocker from Waterfox, but if you install uBO, you'll have to choose one or the other so they don't conflict. Remember to re-select the AI Widgets filter under Annoyances for uBO! All the advice on this post applies the same to Waterfox as it did Firefox.

If you're on Google Chrome, skip Mozilla and just switch straight to Waterfox - you're doing the slightly tedious work of transferring to a new browser anyway, might as well make it the cleaner version.

It's pretty much identical and trims off the AI bullshit. I set my home page to the search, and removed all search engines except DuckDuckGo and the Waterfox default. If you wanna go a little extra, you can try LibreWolf but if you want "Firefox without the AI garbage shit" then just go for Waterfox and call it a day.

It's clean, it's easy, it has mobile versions you can continue to use extensions on just like you could with Mozilla Firefox. You can open YouTube on mobile, open the page's settings, set that page to your phone's home screen, and use that for watching videos on your phone without ads.

The most common generic midsummer pole design.

May/midsummer poles are often considered a typical Swedish symbol for how recognizable it looks. This decorated pole is sure common across Sweden and parts of Finland. However did you know there are also various other designs?

You will notice that I will mention different cardinal direction for the same provinces/Counties since many of them are large such as Småland (despite literally means "small land") and Västergötland.

Most of the photos and their sources comes from Sveriges hembygdsförbund.

To view the unusual Finnish midsummer poles, go HERE!🇫🇮

Lessebo, Småland, Southeastern Sweden

It looks like those bubble wands with multiple rings (especially the more advanced toys that spins when pushing a button). Source

Northern Bohuslän, Southwestern Sweden

Northern Bohuslän had a very unusual tradition to depict the midsummer pole as a woman by having a paper doll-head with a flower wreath on the top with chained eggshells as a necklace, seemingly called “Kajsa” (common Swedish female name). It has been described since the 1780s. Well that debunks that the pole is a male-centric symbol by male-centric Freudian perverts. They at least didn't put two wreaths to further emphasis on female fertility or motherhood on Kajsa like many cultures does to signal something being a woman. Kajsa just looks like she have what appears to be clutched hands (the old illustration) or mantle during a T-pose for asserting female dominance (on the photo). I don't know the motifs behind this one. She might be a personification of summer and nature in general. Old description describe Kajsa as a "proud lady". Seemingly no specific emphasis on maidenhood or innocence with Kajsa. I don't think it's an effigy where they burn it. Source

Southern Bohuslän, Southwestern Sweden

This midsummer pole looks more similar to the typical cross one. The drawing looks like the man is sitting there playing a violin.

Herrljunga, Västergötland, Southwest Sweden

Based on a description from 1896.

Västergötland, Western Sweden 1865

Polkagrisstång! [Swedish-styled candy cane pole!]. The ultimate lance for jousting!

Brevens bruk, Närke, Central Sweden

Source

Lindekullen, Östergötland, Central-Eastern Sweden

Nynäshamn, Södermanland, Eastern Sweden

Source

Sorunda, Södermanland, Central-Eastern Sweden

Based on a design described in 1944.

Malmköping, Södermanland, Central-Eastern Sweden

I live in the same province and have seen this one before in real life but mistook it as just a random decorative pole after midsummer. The area I live in uses the standard design however with the province's coats of arms on it which is a cool black griffin.

Close up on the pole. This one looks like it has easter eggs hanging on it like Christmas ornament! Source

Seglingsberg, Västmanland, Central Sweden.

This one has been documented since the 1800s. At the start of the 1900s this pole design was briefly discontinued until 1937 where this pole has been used since then.

Seglingsberg, Västmanland, Central Sweden.

It’s common for midsummer poles to have the municipal coat of arms on it like where I live if it’s a larger communal celebration. Although this doesn't look like Västmanland's coat of arms since it has three flames on it. This looks like two intercrossed hammers or other tools. The only coat of arms having something crossed are two crossed arrows in Dalarna's and Närke's coat of arms which is shown on the midsummer pole at Skansen (Stockholm) for some reason.

Nusnäs, Dalarna, Northwest Sweden

The most patriotically Swedish one! Let's appropriate it! The Dala horse is especially significant in Nusnäs.

Gräv, Dalarna, Northwest Sweden

I know place names in Dalarna are weird (this one just means “dig” in English although I have heard far worse unfortunate place names in Sweden). This one has heart symbols on it as well as their coats of arms. I don't know if there's specific symbolism here or if it was just aesthetics but midsummer historically had various romantic and fertility connection akin to Valentine's day however the midsummer pole is ironically the exception of lack of clear historically documented fertility symbolism. This one resembles Skansen's variant of the typical cross-shaped one that attached the hearts and intercrossed arrows on it for some reason (alongside other shapes). Source

Siljansnäs, Dalarna, Northwest Sweden

Yeah, some places still raise poles in the middle of winter and still call it "maypoles" and "midsummer poles". Source

From left to right: Julstång from 1959 from Sweden, Tuomaanristi/Tomaskorset/Korpokorset from Finland

Various variants of Julkorset found in Sydösterbotten, Eastern Finland.

This winter maypole might be related to the obscured tradition of the Yule pole which is called Julstång, Julruska and Tomaskors in Sweden. It's said being more ancient than Midsummer pole. This tradition could have been a national symbol like the midsummer pole! It's a decorated twig that either looks like either a tiny Christmas tree, midsummer pole or a snowflake/star on a pole! It's so sad it fell out of fashion today with very few still preserving this tradition. Likely their decline were caused by Christmas trees became mainstream. It has a Finnish variant called Tomaskors, Korpokors and Tuomaanristi. Another variant is called Julkors(et), which means Yule cross, that exists in both Finland and Sweden, believed to scare away evil spirits. I have recently made a collection of these rare traditions and planning on making a post of it in December.

Skansen, Stockholm

Vintage poster titled "Skansen Stockholm Sweden - Midsommar" designed by Olle Ericson from 1940. Very typical vintage Swedish modernist poster. Source

Postcard estimated between 1955-1969 (I don't know why these specific dates). Source

Skansen continues using these midsummer poles where they just slaps the same random shapes on it like hearts, circles, intercrossed arrows (stealing Dalarna's and Närke's coats of arms!) and stars (some appears to be David's stars although might be coincidental). Although Skansen is an open-air museum showcasing various things from different regions from Sweden even if they are regional-specific. Dalarna tends to be that one specific isolated region getting appropriated the most for being the ones most distinct and niche. I don't think this variant is common elsewhere in Stockholm which uses the most common generic one. I did found unusual designs in Stockholm as well however I can't find them right now.

Swedish-Americans/American-Swedes in Florida

Well, no matter if Swedes got shipwrecked in Florida, they will always desperately craft a midsummer pole out of whatever plant they find for midsummer! Source

I found one photo of another midsummer pole from America in a typical cross design that was unusually really thick like a hedge but can't find it right now. Well, everything in America is thicker.

Various Historical Depictions of Other Midsummer Poles

Left: Jönköping, Småland, Central Sweden. Right: Skara, Västergötland, Western Sweden. Two of the earliest depictions of midsummer poles from 1600s. Full images HERE and HERE!

Various early depictions of variants. Source Usually, these horisontal parts are called "arms" and many has various sets of them.

Well you may have notice in this post that there was no single specific definitive symbolism behind the design of the common cross-like one, neither religious nor male-centric symbolism (F-off Freud!). Even if many has a literal rooster on top of them!

The common cross-shaped one is very likely becoming dominant because it's so simple and practical with only one sets of arms while still very recognizable distinct. It has plenty of variants and older ones resembles these regional ones. I think most of them are either structured to be aesthetically pleasing however most of them resembles trees a lot. I don't know if there was ancient pre-Christian origins with symbolizing world trees like Yggdrasil. I have been taught in school that vikings decorated and worshipped trees. The oldest recordings of a midsummer pole in Sweden was in 1600 and it's commonly believed that it was imported from Germany since their first recordings can be found in the 1200s. Although it was recorded since medieval throughout Europe, including Sweden, to hang wreaths on poles, very much like many of the regional armless examples above.

Also, why we are obsessed with wreaths in Europe could be because it's believed being healthy. I think maybe it's believed it's like putting plants indoor to get more oxygen as well as it smell fresh.

I was originally intended to include Finnish midsummer poles (which are even more diverse) however they were so many of them so I decided to post them in another post instead. I also intended to release this post on midsummer but I decided to do something else for that holiday.

So which ones are your favorite?

bruh

But yeah, it’s a WYSIWYG with a really straight-forward GUI, if I remember correctly.

It even comes with some free backgrounds and characters and stuff, and this is what it looks like:

Did I mention it’s super duper free? It hasn’t been updated since 2010, but it has basically all you’d need to make a simple visual novel.

They are literally books you can play. You can even insert your own character’s name and pronouns and that would make writing reader inserts so much easier And as a writer who can not art, writing and making dating sims and games is more convenient.

The coding is also super simple and easy to learn and all it requires other than the program files is a text editor. And just like that you can start typing up like you would your own fanfics or stories. Plus it’s very versatile so you can make your game/book as simple or as complicated as you want, and even implement stats and inventory systems.