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  It's hard to talk about the theft. It is hard to even describe the crime because nothing quite like it has ever been done in human history. At least not in a time of relative peace. Hear the sound of the fire. The roar of hot air escaping from between the rafters, the rustle of pages that will never be read again, the blackening twisting traceries of heat turning beautiful images the work of human imagination into uniform gray dust.

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  Perhaps men should not be in leadership positions because they are distracted by sexy ladies too easily.* *This is a parody of red scare anti-gay notions and only 1/3 serious or about current events.

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  Said to a coworker today: "it's like whenever you use chatGPT just imagine Sam Altman peering over the top of your monitor watching everything you do with his little eyes and he's enjoying it."

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  Google Classroom sends you notifications on your phone when students leave comments on their homework assignments. So, being a good teacher I rush to see what it says. Only the phone app will not display comments. And it's boxed up so you can't use the webapp on the phone. This is what I mean by thoughtless software. Why tell me about it if I can't see it? There are at least two dozen UI/design problems like this one. Thousands of schools PAY for this. Pay. With cash money!

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  More Russian men are being sent home from the war in body bags than are being born back at home. The war has been deadly not just for the people of Ukraine but for the aggressor.

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  There are dozens of independent schools that would pay a decent yearly fee to use a quizlet-like website that was less junky and better designed than quizlet. This isn't exactly a bonanza of money, but there is opportunity and reward for some minimalist clean programming. Although quizlet continues to be ... tolerable. #thanklessTasks

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  I do *not* need a portable metal folding bow. However, I will still show it to you because it's kind of cool and I wonder just how compact and effective such a weapon could be.

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  Beautiful perfect fall city day. The red of these leaves was so deep and warm.

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  How would you explain the mandelbrot set to a sixth grade student who is trying to distract you from teaching your substitute lesson on solving linear equations? (I swear to god these kids pass around lists of which topics distract which teachers most easily. They know the ants won't work, it's too obvious. But this was a good one.) Said student also has some peers convinced that the mandelbrot set will "eat you" and I haven't done much to clear up this rumor.

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  If you don't try and you fail, it might be less painful than if you try hard and still fail. You can think "I could still do it, if I really wanted to." It protects your time, and your ego. This can become a real problem if you are trying to learn something that can only be done with full mental investment. Mathematics is like this. It requires a kind of intellectual vulnerability. No one wants to feel stupid. Even just to ourselves.

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  I've been feeling taciturn about the big old blue wave. Glad, but nervous because there is so much work to be done and I don't know if it will happen. But there is one part that just fills me with joy. It makes my skin prickle with happiness. All those little gerrymanders that backfired. (this is where they tried to rig state houses for more Republicans, but instead made districts more competitive.) mmmmm... isn't that just. It's lovely isn't it?

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  You can swing an election more than a billionaire buying ads by manning the snacks table at phone bank night. They spent SO MUCH MONEY and lost lost lost. The money doesn't work, so there is no need to chase and be polite to the people who hand it out. Maybe be nice to Shirley at the snacks table instead. How about that?

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  "We may look back on this era in human history and shake our heads." "If we get to look back at all..." "Second thought, no one will want to remember this if they are lucky to live, the cringe, the secondhand embarrassment for your ancestors ... it will hurt too much."

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  How did Google think adding AI overview would make them money? I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know. I assumed that they thought: * It's what people want and will maintain market dominance with the public * It's a new opportunity to sell a different more powerful (manipulative) kind of advertising placement to our customers They seem to be pulling back because their customers (advertisers, not those who use them for search) are unhappy with the results.

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  This guy is CANCELED forever! People are so harsh, ONE mistake and they never forgive you and- oh he's back

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  Zoomie Fit #PicaTheCat's Exercise Secrets? Even pushing 20 (which is like 90 in cat years) Pica can leap from the floor to the top of the high couch with only minor scrambling to get the rump up as well. We interviewed her and she dropped a hint that she may soon release her *secret* exercise routine to premium members of her online university. "The secret is to NOT exercise, exercise is work. I never exercise, I ZOOM" Excitement is building, you won't want to be left out!

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  I'm fascinated by the rise of Halloween. Fascinated and also delighted. When I was a child in the 80s Halloween was mostly a "kid's holiday" there were whispers around the edges about danger, satanic panic, devil's nights... but it was not as huge as it has become. I think the real thing that made it become massive was the pandemic lockdown. When lockdown was over people threw themselves into this holiday. I think about 200 kids came to the building last night.

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  silly city. https://www.amny.com/nyc-transit/mta-halloween-fun-spooky-station-signs-maps/

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  Happy #caturday to all the fedi from your devoted internet crime syndicate leader, empress of cuteness and the head of the regime I live under in this small apartment… #PicaTheCat

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  "If the Democratic Socialists take over that is, like, the end of America." - Peter Thiel Essay Prompt: What does this statement suggest about the characteristics Mr. Thiel sees as foundational and essential to "America"?

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  is there... an ... elegant, slim, mathematically robust HS level book on statistics? This will sound a little gauche but most of the books just have way too many words and not enough content.

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  Growing up did you attend religious services regularly? For example going to church on most Sundays, or similar.

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  I can hear a cat meowing loudly behind the door of my neighbor. I can hear a TV too. I have an over-active imagination and worry they are sick in there and so I'm going to try knocking and asking the doormen if they have seen them? Am I paranoid? I think so maybe a little.

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  Why Not Just "ask the ant" ? "Excuse me ma'am, but what colony are you from?" "The drippy hose colony! We're the best! You should see our queen... *eyes narrow* BUT I WON'T let you!" "That's fine, that's fine. She sounds amazing. So what species are you?" "Oh... oh. Well, I guess I don't really know! Do you have any hamburger? Candy? Hamburger and candy? People have that stuff, right?" And that is why you don't just...

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  The "tea tools" thing is getting out of hand. Now there is a rack. So ... I do know what most of these are. You have (from left to right) spout cleaner cup lifter squeegee? tea scoop tea tongs (to hold lid and many other things) pot brush I think the scissors are to open tea packets? Where are the cake pliers? #teaculture #tea

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  tweed gremlin She mumbles little comments and criticism of everything I do. #PicaTheCat

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  Future archeologists have dubbed us the "glass rounded rectangle and plastic trash people"

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  Listen. I know far less about cars than most but even I have some foundational questions about what I am looking at here.

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  Early voting has started in NYC. I'll go tomorrow. The poll site did seem very active. So, that's a small positive thing, I suppose.

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  After watching a crow hiding a chicken bone in our garden my husband wondered if it was perhaps a bit dark for a bird to eat another bird. "Not at all, the hawks do it all the time. But, I must admit I was disquieted by the sight of pigeons feasting on fried chicken one day... should they not recognize the plight of their distant cousins in bondage?" I guess it's fine for the crow since crows are sometimes hunters... Soylent green, do you think they know?