lienrag

@lienrag@mastodon.tedomum.net

If you give me childish arguments, don't act surprised if I answer in a paternalistic tone.

Mon expérience est ce qu'elle est¹

Mes analyses valent ce qu'elles valent

Mes préjugés n'ont a priori aucune valeur

C'est évidemment pareil de votre côté

¹ Par contre l'interprétation que j'en fais est bien sûr tout à fait discutable

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

The Quakers don't quake anymore and maybe they should bring back the quaking I think.

lienrag ,

@futurebird and/or the quacking ?

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!

lienrag ,

@futurebird

How could a stochastic parrot not make such mistakes ?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

The time genie will bring back one (1) extinct animal from any time in all of earth's history. The animal will be integrated into an ecosystem seamlessly with no major negative consequences. You get to pick the creature.

Do you feel obligated to pick something like a sauropod just so people can experience the awe?

Do you bring back something more recent to correct the crimes of mankind?

Or are you selfish and you ask for hell ants so you can finally see how their mandibles work?

lienrag ,

@futurebird
I'm tempted to say Homo Floresiensis, to determine what in mankind's humanity is actually biological...

mekkaokereke , to random
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io avatar

Does anyone else feel bad when an overly ambitious little spider starts to build an impressive web somewhere they shouldn't, and you have to tear it all down? 🕷️

Sorry!

lienrag ,

@futurebird

So... you're inviting us to ponder their orbs ?

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

lienrag ,

@futurebird

You're surprised that fascists do not share the essential values of educators ?

parismarx , to random
@parismarx@mastodon.online avatar

Germany’s AfD is so extreme it was kicked out of the far-right grouping in the European Parliament last month, but Elon Musk thinks their policies “don’t sound extremist.” That’s because he’s also a fascist.

#tech #elonmusk #politics

lienrag ,

@parismarx

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Character Profile:
Sad red pilled US teen boy. His mom is a big somwhat distant scientist. He has become enamored of the past and longs for a “traditional life.” Thinks he’d be more respected and have a better shot at happiness in white suburbs of the 50s. He breaks into his mom’s lab and uses her time machine to get displaced to that world— only the way time travel works is you switch with a person of that time: and he didn’t realize he couldn’t control who that would be.

1/

lienrag ,

@futurebird

If that's a reference to someone we're supposed to know, I don't get it...

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Have you ever stopped listening to or trusting a person who posts information in media, or online because of a "red flag" ?

That is are there certain topics, habits, actions etc. that instantly decrease your trust in a person you might have otherwise listened to on a podcast, article, or video?

Are there any "green flags" that build trust?

lienrag ,

@futurebird

A guy who posts interesting but confusing (to me at last) posts once made a very bad logic error in an argument with me, so even if he's good-willing I know that he usually doesn't really understand what he's talking about.

A woman who made political points that are infuriating to me earned my respect by being quite to-the-facts and humbly wise in her other posts, so I agreed to disagree.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I hate what debates tend to be: soundbite mines where each side runs around claiming that they got in the best "dunk" and thus won.

It reminds me of when I as a teen and the ran the dozens in the school yard. "Yo mamma so fat the lobbyists say 'save some for me!'"

Can't even agree who won the last election. How can Trump ask to participate in a system he doesn't even recognize as legitimate?

Why debate Biden? You don't think he's president, right?

lienrag ,

@futurebird

He actually was less interventionist during his mandate I believe ?
(while being callously brutal where he intervened, though)

TatianaIlyina , to random
@TatianaIlyina@mas.to avatar

An incomplete list of inappropriate comments I received from my male colleagues recently:

  • You look furious.
  • You have a quiet voice. A woman from Ukraine in our department also has a quiet voice.
  • You look nervous.
  • You gave me an angry look at the elevator and I didn't dare to discuss a project with you.
  • You are so modest.
  • You don't have to get so confrontational.

They reduce our professional interactions to an imaginary emotional state of mine.

Do men talk like this to each other?

lienrag ,

@TatianaIlyina

No, unless we're good friends.

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!

lienrag ,

@futurebird

Ever watched "Mouseland" ?

https://video.liberta.vip/videos/watch/bd136698-230c-4adc-9a20-a767f20d8298

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Has anyone read any good math and science history nonfiction books recently? (pop nonfiction please) Are there any really good ones out?

lienrag ,

@futurebird

I've read only the publicly available excerpts of it, but "We have no idea" from Jorge Cham seems quite good.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I could deal with, but didn't agree with, the idea that a president can't be hauled into court during his term, ok, ok I can see the potential for abuse there.

But, no man is president for life, so that protection will expire and the force of the law still exists. (and the burden of proof)

I simply don't get immunity beyond that. I don't get it at all.

lienrag ,

@futurebird I really believed that you were talking about Pica¹...

¹ IIRC the name of your cat

lienrag ,

@futurebird Reading just this last message while being unaware of the thread, I really believed that you were talking about Pica¹...

¹ IIRC the name of your cat

Victor_el_DM , to random
@Victor_el_DM@mastodon.art avatar

[Finds out famous sci-fi author Larry Niven is still alive]

Me: Oh, I should check his Wikipedia entry, I want to know what he wrote and if...

[reads Larry Niven's Politics section on Wikipedia]

Me: He can totally die now and it would actually improve the world.

Larry Niven's Wikipedia article on his politics: "In 2007, Niven, in conjunction with a think tank of science fiction writers known as SIGMA, founded and led by Arlan Andrews, began advising the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as to future trends affecting terror policy and other topics.[18] Among those topics was reducing costs for hospitals to which Niven offered the solution to spread rumors in Latino communities that organs were being harvested illegally in hospitals."
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    • lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    When do you release your novel about spacefaring ants ?

    @pkraus @foolishowl @Victor_el_DM @scalzi

    CelloMomOnCars , to random
    @CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social avatar

    " plans to plant 5 billion trees in 2024 as it seeks to foster mitigation as the country faces extreme environmental events including drought and torrential rains.

    Over 90% of the country’s estimated 110 million-strong population obtain energy from biomass, but unsustainable harvest from natural forests resulted in the widening of the gap between supply and demand of forest."

    https://northafricapost.com/76739-ethiopia-to-plant-5-billion-trees-to-fight-climate-change.html

    lienrag ,

    @CelloMomOnCars

    The problem is nearly never planting trees, but ensuring their survival.

    And that means not a one-off intervention that looks good on TV when an official participates, but creating a continuous ecological, social and legal environment where people are incentivized to let nature (even controlled nature) thrive.

    Very little success stories on that front so far, except in projects relying on peasant's autonomy and self-governance.

    @georgeeyong

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    If you are connected to firewalled wifi and attempt to post in the Mastodon app you do not get an error. Your post is eaten. Deleted forever.

    I wrote this amazing post and it’s gone. This has happened before. Other apps say “cannot post” when firewalled. Seems like bug.

    (please don’t tell me to use a different app I have four apps each with their own issues- the purpose of this post is to check if it’s fair to call it a bug)

    #mastodonSuggestions #mastodonsupport #mastodonapp #mastodonbug

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Clearly a bug.
    Please report it.

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

    "The Why Files" is a youTube channel that regularly has videos with over a million views. They started as a kind of paranormal/fringe science channel that was mostly harmless, and that often debunked conspiracies.

    But, they've moved beyond that in to material such as suppressed patents for cars that run on water. And treating climate change like it's a unresolved question. This has made their audience grow.

    The things is they aren't just spitting lies. 1/

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Would you have time to make a list somewhere of the videos that you consider good ?
    (with an attached caveat containing what you wrote above about his new videos)

    A rational approach of fringe topics is something that would interest me.

    @llewelly

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    France wanted to pass a law about mental manipulation, sanctioning it by two years in jail.
    All the advertising industry went amok and derailed the law... since they clearly understood that though the law was aimed at cults, advertisers would have come afoul of it.

    @GiddingsMJ

    lienrag ,

    @jrconlin

    Cory Doctorow has a good thread/article about the problem with conspiracy theories denunciation : https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/25/black-boxes/

    @futurebird

    GottaLaff , to random
    @GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

    Via Kyle Cheney:

    JUST IN: Rep. Bennie Thompson (former chair of the Jan. 6 committee) has introduced legislation that would terminate Secret Service protection for, uh, anyone sentenced to a year or more in jail.

    lienrag ,

    @GottaLaff

    A good way to fuel conspiracy theories...

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    “regular people” whoever that is… will never use the crunchy homemade internet if they have the option of slick apps instead. You can’t hire designers, you don’t have an advertising budget, your project with its dreamy cooperative ethos is an anathema to tech media who don’t see the point in mentioning it exists.

    “regular people” like pop-ups, and bots, and having their data sold to the highest bidder, they like porn spam, and scammers and discourse so broken it causes mental harm. Right?

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    It's the "don't see the point in mentioning it exists" that drives me mad, especially when it comes from people who are usually honest.

    I never understand why.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Found a queen ant on Park Ave. Looks like Prenolepis imparis, or the american winter ant. You can spot queens by their distinctive waddle. She was hustling along the side walk as if on her way to the Chanel store. Now she’s in one of my luxury ant condos— but don’t tell her I’ve moved her out to the Bronx.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Thousands or millions ?

    @earthlingusa

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    I just read a review of a children's book written in 1911 (the review is from 1913) and the person reviewing the book totally missed the point of the story. The whole thing went right over the reviewer's head.

    Tempted to write the latest, least expected bad book review clap-back in the history of humankind.

    1/

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    The main problem with Antz is the casting director's delusion that Sharon Stone could ever be sympathetic...

    (considering how her character evolves from a queen bitch - which SS plays fine - to a positive character later - so a huge mismatch)

    @Rachel_Thorn

    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.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Yeah, you need a friendly biologist first, to check whether you have something or just missed an obvious (to a specialist) point.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    There are a lot of papers about ants, and we know a lot about ants, but also there are a LOT of ants and a whole lot to know about them.

    Hence, we know a lot about ants but we also don't know much about ants.

    If what I've observed holds up it's wild to me that no one has noticed or mentioned that this very common species of ant in the United States is among the smaller club of ants that can produce female workers without mating under certain circumstances.

    But it makes sense. 1/

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Not an ant expert but from what I understand it could be proved by genetic analysis ?
    So maybe your first myrmycologist scientific paper is in gestation there ?

    @AngloPeranakan

    crewcrew Bot , to random
    @crewcrew@bird.makeup avatar

    A merit-based civil service is crucial for good governance. We cannot risk having a government filled with loyalists who won’t stand up to illegitimate presidential orders and their ethical responsibilities. https://www.citizensforethics.org/news/analysis/faq-the-conservative-attack-on-the-merit-based-civil-service/

    lienrag ,

    @crewcrew

    Actually the USA does this quite well, and you may not aware that it's a specificity of your political system : there is a clear separation between political offices and non-political ones in your civil services, so the new president is officially supposed to renew a whole (but clearly defined) bunch of appointees in the administration, leaving the rest to bureaucratic rules (officially said to be based on merit).

    @futurebird

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Which, on one hand, means that there's not that much at risk...

    @crewcrew

    golgaloth , to random
    @golgaloth@writing.exchange avatar

    Tech bros should not be in charge of anything.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Actually, there are youtube channels that narrates anime series, and though they do it in a very lame way (notably with a very monochordous voice) they apparently have great success.
    Never understood whether that means that modern anime is drivel or that our youth is doomed..

    @golgaloth

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    My dear sweet elderly mother just told me about a conversation with one of her neighbors. (They live in a small rural town in PA)

    This neighbor is a white guy and ... he sincerely thought that my mom had "Obamacare" because Obama made it for black people only. Or something like that.

    "Well at least you've got that Obamacare."

    I want them to move back to NYC. I wouldn't trust that guy to call a damn ambulance. Mom insists he's nice. And to be fair he has done some nice things IDK. WTF

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Spinrad says in one of his books that Americans are really nice people but that you should never, ever, under any circumstances, ask them about their political views...

    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

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Because this is not a place...

    @secretsloth

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    "Do people think they are smart enough to notice if they are being manipulated? " that is a very, very, very common conception.
    Even among educated people.

    @bjc @secretsloth

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Why is anti-vax content so popular. Looking at places like Fox news, Rogan, others who fed into that content (and made it more legitimate seeming to many people) the only reason I can detect to make such content is that it's popular with a segment of the population.

    So, that explains why people make it. To make money.

    But why is it "popular" ?

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Good question...
    I'd be interested if you got answers.

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

    "10 days without food and over 80 percent of people commit cannibalism"

    • Some Terminally Online Creep

    Ten days?
    Jesus fasted for 30 days. (ETA: correction 40 days) Brah.

    What is wrong with you?

    lienrag ,

    @australopithecus

    I've read more 40 days than 60, and with probable long-term sequels anyway.
    And because you'll probably survive it (if you don't need to make any physical effort) doesn't mean than it's easy to withstand the hunger.

    People on La Méduse's draft were 13 days adrift only, and it's not mentioned on what day they resorted to cannibalism.

    Custom of the sea exonerated people who drew lot to see who's to be eaten in similar time frames.

    @futurebird

    lienrag ,

    @australopithecus

    Didn't expect the "it's not cannibalism if you drink the guy instead of eating him" argument...

    @futurebird

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Remember when I was posting about ideas to share with your liberal friends that make more sense than giving money to Biden (aw come on!)

    Local races, local orgs are better.

    I found a good one. This group is doing a recall campaign to get rid a of literal torch carrying nazi who won by just 36 votes while hiding his ties to racism and extremism.

    https://www.enidsjc.org/

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Speaking of crazies, may I ask you what is this I've just been reading ?
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/posobiec-democracy-cpac-january-6-b2501566.html

    Just some fringe guy that the media overblows, or has the GOP officially embraced anti-democratic ideas ?

    I can't make head or tail of that...

    @DecaturNature

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Sure, I've read a bit about that.
    But now they admit it publicly ????
    I mean, they used to say that they need to save America, save the Constitution, save Democracy, whatever.
    Now they clearly say that they want to abolish democracy entirely ?

    @DecaturNature

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Only ants can make tearing a dubia limb for limb "cute" --

    They are little terrors. But they are my little terrors.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    The only dubia I"m aware of being George dubia Bush, your phrase sounds a bit weird...

    Not necessarily unwarranted, but weird nonetheless.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Oh, so now you admit that Bush was fed to the lizard people ?
    David Icks was right all along ?

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Study I'd like to see that won't ever get done:

    Do adults who participate in "structured make - believe" things like roleplaying games, collaborative stories etc. believe in conspiracy theories more or less.

    The thing I want to be true is that there is some innate need for imaginary play, and conspiracy theories are a maladaptive way to fill that need. But that's my bias speaking, it could really go either way.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    You're aware of the "Qanon is an alternate reality game" article, right ?

    But I'd say that it can work only on people who have no experience in playing these games...

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    This video concept feels ... like a call-out on my watch preferences.

    And yes I would totally click on this.

    (Drawing by parakavka on tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/parakavka/743974006823190528/my-partner-has-about-3-genres-of-youtube-video )

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird You definitely should do a Minetest mod for ants.

    SteveThompson , to random
    @SteveThompson@mastodon.social avatar

    "Fake AI images of Trump with Black voters circulate on social media"

    https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4507279-fake-ai-images-of-trump-with-black-voters-circulate-on-social-media/

    "Trump has been courting Black voters, particularly Black men."

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird If you ever fake porn, please don't put Trump in it.
    Please.

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    Designing formicariums and keeping ants is an art form. Look at this set up for honeypot ants! (Myrmecocystus mexicanus)

    Some ants in Myrmecocystus are raised to be "repletes" with expanded gasters to store honeydew & water for the droughts in their harsh desert home environments. The repletes suspend themselves from the ceiling. So when designing nests for these ants "hanging space" is a must.

    More photos of this remarkable colony at the link.

    https://www.formiculture.com/topic/20214-picture-timeline-journal-of-a-myrmecocystus-mexicanus-colony/

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Seems the pitch of a nice video game...

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

    Did you have "sex ed" (sometimes called "health class") in school? Did it help you in any way? Hurt?

    Which of the following apply (check more than one if needed, so if you had a multiple classes at different ages check both)

    If I could change one thing about the education we had it would be to have more focus on the reality of rape and the nature of consent. These topics weren't addressed much beyond a cartoon version of bogey men jumping out of bushes and I think it left many unprepared.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Do you know Françoise Dolto ?
    She said that what teenagers really need is to talk about their emotions about sexuality, and that sex ed only talks about the mechanisms of it (not that it's not important to understand the biology, but if you were a teen you probably remember that it wasn't what you were most interested in - the biology was a mean to an emotional end, not the other way around).

    futurebird , to random
    @futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

    I love Ian Banks' books because he frequently takes the time to imagine a utopia, not as an allegory for why utopias are impossible (and in the extreme sense they are, we all get that, it's not interesting) but rather as an exercise in seeing how close one could get to a society with real freedom and few contradictions.

    I think it's a good exercise. OK fine so how would a world without hunger or unwanted suffering work?

    He took on the topic of gender in this spirit and it's glorious.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    I've always wanted to read him, but never knew whether his "culture" series can be read in any order...
    (I hate to read a book, and then discover that it references another book I hadn't read)

    @zjp

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird My public library only has "Inversions".
    Is it a good book to start with ?

    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.

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    Have you read Svetlana Chmokova's "Awkward" ?

    lienrag ,

    @futurebird

    And then please tell me if you do so (and noticed why I asked the question).
    It's not a must-read, but it's cute and quite good.

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