@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

glennsills

@glennsills@dotnet.social

Software developer. Father. Old Guy. I am mostly here to consume interesting content rather than create it.

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

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

That makes sense.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Dude! Take out one sugar and add one water.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

I love Edward Scissorhands.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Oh! Snip!

GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Witness tells House Ethics Committee that Matt Gaetz paid her for sex: Sources -

“One woman, who ABC News is not identifying, told the committee that a payment from was for sex, while others have said they were paid to attend parties that Gaetz also attended and that featured drugs and sex, multiple sources told ABC News”


https://abcnews.go.com/US/witness-tells-house-ethics-committee-matt-gaetz-paid/story?id=111217102

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@GottaLaff Come on guys! How would you feel if you wanted to have sex and the only way you could guarantee that you partner didn't laugh is if you paid them not to laugh. It isn't paying to have sex it is paying people not to laugh!

rbreich , to random
@rbreich@masto.ai avatar

Your periodic reminder that Medicare For All would save $450 billion in health care costs and 68,000 lives per year.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@rbreich Yes, but it would cost the rich a ton of money!

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

All I wanted was a normal book on Arthropleura. All I found was... this.

Listen everyone loves a giant millipede... but I think some of these book mills have misunderstood what that means...

At least they used one of the reconstructions with a correctly sized head. And no silly jaws or anything. Arthropleura was a herbivore.

(A whole book on Arthropleura was too much to hope for. I'll need to go back to collecting papers.)

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird The things that people do get up to.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

If you see a new youTube channel with a plain sounding name like "NatureView" or "BrightScience" etc. and there is what looks like a tempting video on a specific education topic "Most Active Volcanoes" or "Incredible Carnivorous Plants"

There is a 50/50 chance it will be a generated voice with stock footage and a script written by GPT.

I am now avoiding videos if I don't recognize the creator, or don't see signs it was made by a person.

So much spam!

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Tech bros gonna bro

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I don’t buy the theory that psilocybin somehow caused human civilization to develop. My issues:

  1. How could something used only by a few even today have such a big impact?
  2. Some people find themselves in altered states naturally; why are the mushrooms needed?
  3. is this solving a “problem” that doesn’t exist? It’s not mysterious it took time for complex societies to form. Life is hard, full of set backs. Couldn’t it be for once the weather was nice & not everyone got eaten by bears?
glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Evolution is really slooooooooooow. Cultural evolution that requires passing down wisdom from generation to generation is sloooooooooooooooooower.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Lost in all the jokes about "I'd rather be electrocuted than eaten by a shark." -Trump

(It's right up there with "But let me tell you something that I found out: A werewolf can kill a vampire. Did you know that? I never knew that." - Herschel Walker Ah, yes, Republican wisdom!)

But lost in all the kerfuffle was another curious comment from Trump about sharks:

"I watched some guys justifying it ... They bit off the young lady’s leg ... These people are crazy."

So, about THAT. 1/

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Trump is like Pavov's dog except with speech. When he gets applause for saying a phrase he says that phrase repeatedly without regard to context. Dementia is definitely taking a toll.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Pica, on me being gone all day: “This is the first of my list of 15 grievances… two hours of meowing This is the second of my list of 15 grievances two more hours meowing this is the third of my list of 18 grievances!—“

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird I know, right? I get that from the neighborhood feral cat, Whosit and I don't even own them. I just pet them every morning on my pre-sunrise walk.

rbreich , to random
@rbreich@masto.ai avatar

59 years ago today, Griswold v. Connecticut guaranteed the right to birth control.

Justice Thomas says the Supreme Court should "reconsider" that ruling.

And this week, 38 GOP senators voted against the Right to Contraception Act.

Republicans are coming for birth control.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@rbreich The problem with people who identify as "conservative" is they are a bunch of busy bodies who can't keep their noses out of other people's business. They are all like the neighborhood gossip that everyone hates but is afraid to stand up too.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

This happened to my uncle.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Huh?

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

That explains a lot.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts This explains a lot.

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

I’m crying on the bus (again) because some middle school kids decided that for their “design challenge” they’d envision an emergency food delivery drone that could fly high enough and fast enough that no one could shoot it down. And no one asked why someone would want to shoot down a food delivery drone— or why you couldn’t just drive a truck.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird And thus another tech bro is born.

glennsills , to random
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

So, @futurebird, I was listening to NPR, and they were talking about people trafficking in exotic ants? Is this really a thing?

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

That makes sense.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Well observed.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

This is my biggest fear.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Yes, it is called "hail".

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

That's terrifying.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Are you sure it isn't caused by silent but deadly farts which causes everyone in the cockpit to run to the back of the plane?

rbreich , to random
@rbreich@masto.ai avatar

When I was a mere clerk for the 1st circuit appeals court, I wasn't allowed to have a political bumper sticker for fear of creating even the appearance of bias on the court.

How can Justice Alito be allowed to rule on Jan 6-related matters after flying a pro-insurrection flag?

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@rbreich Well, you say this, but were you married? Did you have a spouse that you could throw under the bus?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I bought some pink sand for my ants but it’s strangely hydrophobic? It is very fine sand and it will become saturated if stirred vigorously - but why does it trap air like this? isn’t this odd?

Piles of sparkling pink sand retains air at the bottom of the glass.
another view of strange sand.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Is it microplastic instead of sand?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

My nervous Formica subsericea colony. These are black field ants. When I turn on the light they panic. A newly emerged worker (called a callow) cowers as her sisters stampede over her. She is newly emerged and not strong enough to run and freak out.

One of her sisters picks her up and she tucks her legs in like a pupae so she is easy to carry. In a few days she will be a lovely black like her older sisters.

The light gray ant picked up by a sister.
Side view of callow and fully hardened exoskeleton.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird @starrwulfe This might be a hardnosed but effective solution to the Social Security funding problem. (Don't tell any of my friends I said that because they are old like me... oh wait, this is social media...)

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Babies are weird.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Oh, they have kidneys and the filter a lot of water through them every day!

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Classic Ross.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts I know I did and I have copies of the letters to prove it.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

We need to pass a law that says cats can't vote in US elections. Why won't they pass a law? Why? We all feel like cats are voting! (just look at them! You can feel it too, right???)

yeah yeah ... it's already illegal for cats to vote... and I can't show any evidence of cats voting...

but that's just because of UM uh because of..cancel culture.

I can't even talk about this without everyone going nuts.

Why wouldn't someone want such a law? hm? Unless they too are a CAT! Makes u think!

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Cats will not replace us!

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

My Neuralink implant is incredible. I was concerned by the electric shocks at first, but tech support assured me that it's a feature, not a bug. They even increased the voltage for me. If I upgrade to the premium membership for only $99 a month then Elon will restore my fondest childhood memories.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Elon will restore you memories for only 56 billion dollars!

flexghost , to random
@flexghost@mastodon.social avatar

After the parasite, that feeds off brain activity, starved to death leaving only a black spot, RFK jr was asked for a comment:

“Sometimes duck with cheese can purple. Tartar baby staples. Vaccines bad.”

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@flexghost Well this is better than Trump with his dead worm!

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Gadget concept: An adjustable pair of pants, jacket & shoes with sensors for measurements for tailoring. simply put on “measuring pants” cuff them to the right length, adjust the straps in the thigh, calf waist etc until the fit feels perfect: now of your measurements is in the tailor’s computer. Critically these would be the same measurements tailors take by hand, the garment ensures they are done correctly.

Thinking of what kind of sensors could do this is surprisingly hard—

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Could it be created out of paper or cloth with embedded measuring tapes embedded in the garment?

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Social media user: All this political stuff is exhausting. I'll just post something silly.

posts picture of a cute cat yawning

First comment: I don't get it. Is this cat an anti-Biden or anti-Trump thing?

Second comment: Hmm this cat post feels like a big "fuck you" to the student protests.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Hmmm.. Did this actually happen? It seems like these could and maybe probably happened, but this is the Low Quality Facts feed so...

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Smart.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Hmm, this one is probably correct.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

That makes sense.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Are you sure? I thought it was created by vets to help with elephant sex.

baldur , to random
@baldur@toot.cafe avatar

“Why Would I Buy This Useless, Evil Thing? - Aftermath”

This x1000. Just… why? https://aftermath.site/why-would-i-buy-this-useless-evil-thing

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird @baldur My complaint with Ai is ecological. Tech brose are going to bro, but we need to encourage them to bro without using so much electricity. First with THE crypto and now this.

rbreich , to random
@rbreich@masto.ai avatar

A few things to remember about Trump's NY trial:

-He is accused of a criminal conspiracy
-He allegedly falsified documents to cover up payments before the 2016 election
-His goal was to deceive voters and seize power
-He was indicted by a grand jury made up of ordinary citizens

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@rbreich The last bullet is the most important. Whether he is convicted or found innocent, it will be by a jury made up of ordinary citizens. He will still have the right to appeal. JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Why did I need to learn what "checkbook journalism" is? I mean, I'm always happy to learn new things... expand the mind and all but some of the time I wish I could just not need to know about some things in this world. I wish they could be irrelevant.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird What you are saying is true, but when you think about it, cable news networks (especially Fox News) are doing the same thing when they bias the news towards a specific demographic that they for monetary reasons.

wdlindsy , to random
@wdlindsy@toad.social avatar

"What is now clearly a pro-Russia Republican caucus has consolidated inside Congress. The lesson is clear: Anyone who seeks to manipulate the foreign policy of the United States, whether the tin-pot autocrat in Hungary or the Communist Party of China, now knows that a carefully designed propaganda campaign, when targeted at the right people, can succeed well beyond what anyone once thought possible."

~ Anne Applebaum

#Russia #Putin #Ukraine #Republicans
/1

Gift read:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/republican-ukraine-russia-aid/678150/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK3_cjBNHDlqfgMUKykcIiQBE&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@wdlindsy A simpler explanation to all this is that the Russians supported Donald Trump in 2016, because he was very dumb compared to Hillary Clinton and would provide the U.S. with poor leadership. Trump has been loyal to Russia in return and he has enforced that loyalty within the GOP.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

I wonder why they changed it.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Nah man that was Nala. Don't mess around with females they are tough.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

I've always suspected as much.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts This is clearly true. I noticed in NY City that people honk their horns as soon as the light turns green. Does that make the light stay green longer.

pluralistic , (edited ) to random
@pluralistic@mamot.fr avatar

This week on my podcast, I read "Capitalists Hate Capitalism," my latest column for @Locusmag:

https://locusmag.com/2024/03/cory-doctorow-capitalists-hate-capitalism/

--

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/18/in-extremis-veritas/#the-winnah

1/

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@pluralistic @Locusmag Excellent article, although it repeats itself a few times.

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

OMG look who I met on my walk to the bus stop this morning! It’s a little brown snake or garter snake??(not venomous, small, gentle, native) Look at this amazing New Yorker! So cute. They were sunning on the sidewalk so I moved them to a warm hidden rock. I worry someone will kill it just for being a snake. Happily the school kids who stopped to watch were delighted if a little scared. This snake has made my day!

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird Great shot.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Very impressive.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Only residents of Venice.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

That's so interesting.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts I am pretty sure you mean comma.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

My mom was the head of a math department at a community college and I have fond childhood memories of the crazy mail she got. I think all math departments get this kind of mail. Basically people who think they've proven the Riemann hypothesis and such. She'd have me look for math errors in them because they always had SO MANY errors.

So, the idea of writing about biology scares me because I don't want to be "one of those guys" for some poor biology department head.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird No, no! Keep it up. Your ant posts always entertaining and sometimes (probably I don't really know enough to say) educational.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

"Most of its expenses are tied to interest on debt, although TMTG also had around a $16 million operating loss for 2023."

Since the total operating losses were $58 million that's $42 million just for interest on debt! Interest. How big is the debt? How was it incurred? This is a social media company using tweaked open source software. They didn't make a new technology, there is no need for a huge investment to get a website running.

Where did they money go?

https://www.axios.com/2024/04/01/trump-truth-social-revenue-2023

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird I know. Does Trump think he is Elon Musk or is it the other way around?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Cataglyphis lutea (UAE and parts of India) is a desert dwelling ant, the photos of this ant on iNaturalist caught my eye, since, like Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (the Spider Ant of Australia), this these little ants fold their gasters over their mesonoma.

Very little is known about Cataglyphis lutea, shockingly little. I can't even find a mention of gaster folding in any of the brief descriptions of this ant.

This is why descriptions are not enough. 1/

(photos by Jonghyn Park and TimL)

A black ant with a red head and black dot eyes clamors over a rock on remarkably long legs. The antennae and legs are very long and evenly spread giving the impression of a spider (hence the common name) The gaster is folded over the mesonoma.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@albertcardona @futurebird My physical therapist has prescribed all sorts of exercises designed to elevate my keister. Is it the same as a gaster? What is a gaster?

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@futurebird @albertcardona I figured. The fact that "gas" is in the name, and the fact that some geek named it, hinted at it being the butt.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Wow, you learn something new about Mount Everest every day.

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Of course this isn't true. Usually the next climber up farts, the one below faints and falls off the mountain.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

I'm surprised that so many people don't know this.
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts Not true. It was 5G. It is always 5G.

GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Via Lisa Rubin:

Yes, got his bond reduced to $175 mil. But guess what? The court denied his motion to stay provision of the judgment forbidding him from borrowing from finan institutions registered or chartered in NY state

That matters because his legal team previously told a judge on panel that staying that provision was integral to his ability to obtain a bond. & without a stay of that provision, will Trump have to post his own cash w/in next 10 days? Watch this space

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@GottaLaff So, when Trump fails to come up with the $175 million, will he be liable for damages by the survivors of people who laugh themselves to death?

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

Yum?
https://patreon.com/lowqualityfacts

glennsills ,
@glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

@lowqualityfacts No kidding? I thought they were pickles.

lowqualityfacts , to random
@lowqualityfacts@mstdn.social avatar

I owe you all the deepest and sincerest apology. It has been brought to my attention that my facts are enabling fascism and destroying democracy. I am especially sorry for the harmful facts stating that:

-Every month is National Potato Month.
-George W. Bush has a Foo Fighters tattoo on his back.
-Optimus Prime is the only heterosexual Transformer.
-The Lord of the Rings was filmed in New York City.
-Cher’s full name is Chernobyl.

I pray that you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me.

A post tagging me that says: "With the misinformation problem we have in this country right now leading to the rise of outright FASCISM, I don't think "low quality facts" is even something which should be put into the public discourse. It's like Kelly Anne Conway's "alternative facts".....the goal should be to fight misinformation in any way possible...not pollute social media with any of it....even in jest at this point. It's not funny and it's destroying a democracy. Thanks.With the misinformation problem we have in this country right now leading to the rise of outright FASCISM, I don't think "low quality facts" is even something which should be put into the public discourse. It's like Kelly Anne Conway's "alternative facts".....the goal should be to fight misinformation in any way possible...not pollute social media with any of it....even in jest at this point. It's not funny and it's destroying a democracy. Thanks."
ALT
  • Reply
  • Expand (12)
  • Collapse (12)
    • + lowqualityfacts
    glennsills ,
    @glennsills@dotnet.social avatar

    @lowqualityfacts Interesting. I can't tell if this is for real or a "low quality fact".

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