@cshlan@dawdling.net cover
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

cshlan

@cshlan@dawdling.net

Over educated under achieving one time computer geek, baker, and sandwich maker now delivery driver and bookkeeper.

I also dabble with knitting patterns which are linked below.

And I'm annoyed to have lost my "Joined Nov 1, 2022" in my instance moves.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. For a complete list of posts, browse on the original instance.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

There is a really crazy paper where they did the "mirror dot" test for self recognition on ants. BUT. It's in the "Journal of Science" which isn't "Science" ... and it's odd to have an insect paper not in an insect journal.

And this is their webpage:

https://www.journalofscience.net

Listen I just want this paper to be real, but it's kind of out there and the journal IDK.

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@futurebird
I feel like it's difficult to separate self awareness from understanding mirrors in this test. Our dog, seeing herself in the mirror, has run down the hall checking every room "behind" the mirror. I suppose to find "the other side". She understands windows but not reflections. She'll ask to go outside at night when I'm reflected in the door while sitting at my desk then turn around wanting back in immediately when I'm not outside. How does any of that comment on self awareness?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

“they are attacking the ten commandments”
Listen I know this is hard to relate to if you live in a place where everyone isn’t going to the same 8 different Christian churches in a town with a population of less than 80,000 but this is what the little town where my mom grew up in PA was like. Churches are the social fabric— a “different religion” means someone is Catholic or goes to one of the three Black churches.

This commandments in the schools thing is supposed to stirred up an old wound.

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@futurebird
My parents used to go to one that actually did. Their pastor had other issues as far as I was concerned but the church as a whole did great outreach and provided a thriving community for its members. It had grown up from a much smaller church over the decades they lived nearby.

My experience with other mega churches doesn't live up to that one, though. They focus more on the leadership's message than building community.

kevinrns , to random
@kevinrns@mstdn.social avatar

Biden's economy is roaring because he taxed the un-taxed corporations,tamed Greed-flation and fought climate.

Give Biden a Majority in both houses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/business/economy/economy-jobs-fed-politics.html

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@futurebird
"tax and spend" as a put down always amuses me because it's so much better than the Republicans' "borrow and spend"
@Beachbum @kevinrns

dangillmor , to random
@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar

You have to carefully read this Axios piece -- on the rise of "partisan-backed outlets designed to look like impartial news outlets" -- to learn what should have been shouted right at the top: The overwhelming majority of these "pink slime" sites are engineered by right-wingers.

With that context firmly in your mind, do read it.

https://www.axios.com/2024/06/11/partisan-news-websites-dark-money

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@futurebird
I've been wondering, too. I know about the chemically extracted beef but can't figure out how it works as a metaphor here.
@dangillmor

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Zoe has been making some important content about PragerU's effort to creep into public schools. Her main point is an important one: It's not just that this content comes from an extremist right wing group with extreme views: it's also just not very good. It's all videos and multiple choice questions-- none of it very thoughtful.

But what would you expect? These people don't really like education or think it's important.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLKMW1LII7c

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@futurebird
They don't believe the masses are capable of being creative.
@benroyce @RufusJCooter

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Ever find a video so funny you had to describe it so no one would miss it?

https://www.tumblr.com/futurebird/752487199245729792/video-description-a-marketplace-in-a-busy-town?source=share

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@futurebird
The woman in red is my favorite part of the video 😂

ElleGray , to random
@ElleGray@mstdn.social avatar

If I was a university prof and a student's parent contacted me demanding that I change their grade I would get my mom to write back to them & tell them to leave me alone

cshlan ,
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

@ElleGray
This is brilliant.

cshlan , to random
@cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

I need more garden space. Or a trellis for the cucumber. I lost both zucchinis to vine borers 😑 I have a bit of one in water in hopes it'll root.

But mostly I'm pleased! Just wish I had room for greens and eggplant.

#gardening

A backyard with lawn and a weathered 6 foot wooden fence all the way across the picture. To the left is a rectangular garden with a brick border with bamboo tripod of runner beans, two tall tomato plants tied to bamboo poles, two okra plants in front and big, flat cucumber leaves covering most of the ground. In front of all that are four round, green bags with potato plants and a triangle of concrete. To the right is another brick bordered flower bed full of bushy plants and a red birdbath.
ALT
  • Reply

    • Growing corn?

    Any tips on growing corn in central Texas? Is it even practical? I sowed some corn in February, and they only grew 3ft. and looks like I might have a few very small corn cobs. The last time I tried to grow corn was in Ohio, and used the 3 sisters method, which worked pretty well. But idk wtf to do in central Texas.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @reddig33
    Tomatoes (especially cherry tomatoes like Juliet or Sungold), peppers, okra and black eyed peas. I learned a few summers ago why those are involved in so much Southern cooking.
    @31337

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Me: I’m standing here alone, the ship is waiting.
    Chat GPT: All systems are go!
    Me: Are you sure? Control is not convinced.
    Chat GPT: I have the evidence, no need to abort.
    the countdown starts

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    ❤️

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Why do all these solemn newsmen keep insisting that Trump said it’s fine for states to monitor all pregnant people because he “doesn’t think much about the issue” like —they see what a fantastically bad take it is and make excuses for him! Why? “he’s not really that authoritarian- he just hasn’t thought it through” Who cares?

    Why try to be a Trump whisper and decode the erratic catchphrase-driven slam poetry?

    And if it’s true he doesn’t care, isn’t that worse?

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    And how do you "monitor pregnancies" without looking for them?

    jeffjarvis , to random
    @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social avatar

    A festival of critical bothsidesism. Lionel Shriver: "Me, I instinctively blame the left for our grievance-saturated culture. Identity politics expressly pits groups against one another...Bruni, however, emphatically awards the grievance booby prize to the right."
    What Are Americans So Ticked Off About, Anyway? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/books/review/age-of-grievance-frank-bruni.html?smid=tw-share

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    That's exactly it. When they don't hear anyone complaining they assume everyone is happy. When people start speaking out in ways they can hear they get mad because "everyone was happy until you showed up!"
    @jeffjarvis

    GottaLaff , to random
    @GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

    #Doonesbury: “Ask yourself: If Trump were your grandfather, would you seek care for him, or would you seek to make him the leader of the free world?”

    Just… go. #comics

    Entire strip here: https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2024/04/28

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @GottaLaff
    Can we use this, though, to point out that the part about the languages is actually a problem? There are people speaking native languages from Mexico and Central America crossing the border and we need interpreters badly!

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    My husband is not the computer person. He has an old microsoft surface and a desktop PC.

    Today his mouse stopped working. And...

    Well the dongle for the mouse was plugged into the surface but somehow this let it work with both? (is that a thing?)

    But the surface just quietly died at long last so his mouse stopped working on the desktop. So he moved the dongle to the desktop and now its working.

    This is what he told me.

    What is going on?

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I expect Windows was syncing up with the Surface.

    Not exactly like when my sister's iPhone messages went to my son's iPad instead of my phone because my phone number was on the Apple account he signed in with but just as randomly weird.

    More useful, though.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Could we design a skyscraper & sewer system with the intent of creating ecological niches all through the building? Some of the work with green roofs touches on this... can your building handle rain like a forest, not produce fast run-off? Maybe even act as a water sink for less well designed nearby areas. You collect the runoff and get all the moss and plants your parking garage neighbor can't be bothered with.

    Don't be mad about the bugs in the walls, design walls that attract the best bugs.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    Wired had an article yesterday about blue green roofs. Treating buildings like sponges for water management.

    No word about bugs, though.

    https://www.wired.com/story/blue-green-roofs-amsterdam-resilio-climate-adaptation-sponge-cities/

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Hell's Kitchen at 7:55am, the sound of the metal security doors of the shops opening. The smell of coffee, toast, and windex.

    The Natural History Museum Cafeteria on a rainy day. Potato soup day. Museum loaner umbrellas in a pile by the glass door to the court yard.

    The University library lobby benches watching the courtyard in the storm. Classes canceled for snow.

    The playground pirate ship sailing a sea of wood chips. Midnight, midsummer. The smooth shiny iron of the tire swing chain.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I miss New York.

    futurebird , (edited ) to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Which of the following did you feel most often growing up? If you were "an almost only child" eg you had siblings but they were much older or younger... or you had siblings but didn't grow up with them most of the time answer as if you were an only kid.

    This is about if you had company in your family near your own age, and if you wanted more company like that or less.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I have three sisters and the oldest of them is two years younger than I am so I don't remember not having siblings. We fought a lot and they pestered me a lot and we stood up for each other a lot (mostly me because I was a lot bigger). We're not really close anymore, I've lived away for too long. But we still have a good relationship and enjoy seeing each other when we do.

    I kind of miss the chaos of my childhood. I'm glad I had space for quiet time but I also liked having company.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Allen Weisselberg has gone to Rikers TWICE for Trump. People say he's "a loyal foot solider" I don't buy that. He's a professional shady business dude from NYC. He's old.

    Trump, or someone in the Trump org ... knows something about this guy. Something terrible.

    Or they've threatened his family or something. It makes no sense.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @Adventurer
    I feel like it can't be fear of Trump. Trump falls back on getting his fans to scare people too often to have real influence with mobster type people. I see him more as a fanboy than a made man. The guy could definitely be afraid of the Russian mafia. I can see him trying to live up to some code for other clients.

    It might also be like Manafort. He's hoping Trump will get a second term and give him a pardon. Otherwise he's got no future in the kind of work he did.
    @futurebird

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    Fear of losing social standing does make a lot of sense. I think that's what got Epstein. He couldn't face not being what he'd built himself up to be for all those wealthy people for so long.
    @Adventurer

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    The fediverse is bigger than Truth Social and most of it isn't even a company... just a bunch of nerds running their own social network on pocket change (as it should be) and the content here is chefs kiss so much nicer.

    Maybe we should "go public" too LMAO.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    The only reason they're losing money on it is they're trying to make money on it. I'm sure there are bigger instances here run well enough off donations 😁

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Parthenogenesis Confirmed in Dorymyrmex Bureni!?

    Their queen died due to a tragic accident. That was weeks ago. They have since produced queen alates and many eggs. The queen alates are offspring of the dead queen. But the new eggs laid by either the workers or the new queens have matured and you know what I’m NOT seeing? Male alates! That means that either the workers or the new queens have managed to produce female workers! An ant miracle… though not unheard of. Just not in this genus!

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    It's a trans Easter miracle!
    @PetraOleum

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    There are too many ants.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    This is the first one today to make me laugh out loud! My first reaction was "what's this about?" then your response made this actually my favorite of the day.

    futurebird , (edited ) to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Am I the only one who finds the republicans in the house quitting a little ... ominous?

    What is about to go down that the rats are fleeing the ship?

    (with apologies to actual rats)

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I haven't thought of it as ominous. It kind of reminds me of the 80s when so many Dixiecrats were switching to the Republican Party. Only now it's the more competent conservatives and they have no where left to go.

    I think they're running from threats from their own voters. Like someone else mentioned I don't think there's anything spectacular being planned that the Republicans haven't telegraphed already.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Gold ring with quartz intaglio depicting an ant. Roman, 1st-2nd century AD

    I wonder who wore this ring. Why did they choose an ant as their symbol? It's interesting to me that the depiction is specific enough that it can't be written off as a general "bug" the mandibles, and body plan make this explicitly an ant.

    The ant motif appears on garnets in other rings.

    This is up in New Haven at the Yale University Art Collection and I am not contemplating becoming a cat burglar.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    It's things like this I'd want a time machine for.

    yurnidiot , to random
    @yurnidiot@mstdn.social avatar

    we meet again my elusive nemesis

    #Caturday

    orange cat jumping on bed playing with its own shadow on the wall

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    We used to have goldfish who would ride the bubble stream like a reverse slide when they were small enough. I don't know what they actually thought about it but it was fun watching them!

    futurebird , (edited ) to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    "Colonies found under items on the ground can be drenched with a few ounces of insecticide."

    Very disappointed to see that TA&MU is recommending "treating" Dorymyrmex bureni ant colonies. These ants love to attack and eat invasive fire ant queens and do not infest human dwellings. They are not pest ants, but one of the most valuable & charming native species. I wonder what other beneficial native insects are also on the kill list of the Agricultural & Life Sciences website! Boo! 0 of 10 stars.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I don't know if they have the name right but it sounds to me like they're describing ants we've had in our yard here in Austin that do bite nearly as bad as fire ants. They're not small. Probably mid sized and either black or reddish black.

    We didn't kill them. Just tried to avoid them.
    @deilann

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    Well I should say bite or sting. I don't know. But they've left welts on me 😁
    @deilann

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    It's been a long time. They were living around my garden beds years ago and once my dog must have been digging near one of their mounds because he carried some in. They didn't bother him but found me on the couch. The bites hurt and left bumps for a few days. But I didn't have any swelling that I remember.

    18+ futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    I keep seeing these discussions in left circles about how terrible social media is. It angers & frustrates me that Mastodon & the Fediverse don't even merit a mention.

    "The Majority Report" goes as far as dissing Threads but never mentions the fedi.

    There are only 170 comments. Why not leave a comment asking why "the left" keeps complaining (rightly) about corporate social media but ignoring the alternative?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqY7sLRaUWQ

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I like social commons. I like fediverse, too. But social commons has a nice internet third space ring to it.

    rbreich , to random
    @rbreich@masto.ai avatar

    [Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

    •
    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @rbreich
    Yup. Four years ago I was strategizing how we were going to make sure we and our employees were going to be able to keep paying for rent and food during the lock down and possible continued loss of business for months afterwards.

    Housing costs could be lower and food corporations need to be kicked in the pants over price gouging but other than that I'm pretty happy with Biden's economy.
    @briankrebs

    uspolitics Bot , to random
    @uspolitics@mastodon.social avatar

    Donald Trump may be closer to bankruptcy than it seems

    https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-bankruptcy-court-awards-e-jean-carroll-new-york-fraud-case-engoron-1877890

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @mastodonmigration
    I get the feeling he's lived close to bankruptcy for a long time.

    Natasha_Jay , to random
    @Natasha_Jay@tech.lgbt avatar

    The Indian restaurant I used to work for is so secretive, they made me sign a certificate promising not to share their flatbread recipe. It's a typical naan-disclosure agreement

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @Natasha_Jay
    IRL I feel like I worked for a bakery that actually did that.

    But all the bakeries in town already made all the same stuff anyway 😂
    @briankrebs

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    I don't even get this one. Naturally new food products should be carefully screened but this simply seems to be about ... being angry that someone else might not want to eat meat? Just thinking a product meets a need you don't share... so it should be banned?

    https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/02/24/what-is-lab-grown-meat-and-why-does-ron-desantis-want-to-ban-it-in-florida/

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    Only if the left start celebrating them.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    This is how one of the politicians responded to a question about the bullying that lead to the death, likely murder of a child.

    I don't think the people who are worried that the police questing for "toxicology reports" for the dead teen may indicate the signs of a cover up are being paranoid. It is reasonable.

    Look at who holds power.

    This is so ugly.

    https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/senator-calls-lgbtq-oklahomans-filth-says-constituents-dont-want-them/article_c8979398-d260-11ee-9823-973bf20c3730.html

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    The irony is these people are the saducees and pharisees Jesus was constantly poking fun at and correcting. They've fallen back on the dogma He preached against.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    I really would love to see some in depth interviews with the substantial group of CO Republicans who like Trump but hate Boebert.

    I just assume it's some kind of sexism. They are so similar. But, I'm curious if they are aware of it "a woman just shouldn't be that way" or if it's just ... a unexamined gut feeling.

    In other news, Ted Cruz is parroting Trump saying that Obama is somehow pulling the strings. This is a conspiracy theory based on a flubbed line and it's developing ... lore. WHY

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    It's because they care less about consent than public propriety.

    Grab someone who doesn't consent in an elevator or a dressing room... "she shouldn't have led him on." Grab someone who likes it in public with families around... "we don't need to see that!"

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Thinking about judges wigs and other trappings of power.

    Apparently in Poland when they have legal court everyone wears robes: different colors for attorneys and the judge etc.

    Of course in the UK judges still wear wigs which US judges are free to wear too, but simply don't.

    On the US Supreme court it's just black robes-- Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, and Stephen Breyer have all tried to make skull caps happen but no one else cared.

    US Supreme Court justices only some of them bother with the skull cap.

    cshlan ,
    @cshlan@dawdling.net avatar

    @futurebird
    I've been let go with a warning for small things that didn't actually endanger anyone. They pointed out exactly what I'd done both times, though. I've also gotten tickets a couple of times for speeding.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • random
  • test
  • worldmews
  • mews
  • All magazines
    •