@futurebird@sauropods.win
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futurebird

@[email protected]

pro-ant propaganda, building electronics, writing sci-fi teaching mathematics & CS. I live in NYC.

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futurebird, to random
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I'm so sorry.

(no I'm not. Not really.)

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Via tumblr:
(https://www.tumblr.com/futurebird/735700044986105856/image-descriptions-mattxiv-posts-a-series-of?source=share)

There were no image descriptions on the tumblr post I took the time to add them.

Text: "How are so many young people LGBTQ all of the sudden? Where are all of the older queer people?" Photo: A pile of colorful individually wrapped candies in the corner of a room. Text: untitled (portrait of ross in L.A.) (1991) by felix gonzales-torres begins as a 175 pound pile of candy, representing the healthy weight of the artist's boyfriend, ross laycock. viewers are invited to each take a piece of candy; the diminishing pile represents the wasting away of a : body with AIDS and the public’s : participation in his sickness. laycock died from AIDS in 1991, and gonzales-torres in 1996. they were 32 and 38, respectively.
Text: "How are so many young people LGBTQ all of the sudden? Where are all of the older queer people?" Photo: A chior. Those dressed in black face away, those in white face the audience. Text: "the san francisco gay men'’s chorus in 1993. the seven men in white were surviving choir members, while the 115 men in black represent members who had died of AIDS. in 1993 — about twelve years into the AIDS epidemic — the san francisco gay men’s chorus took this portrait. the seven men in white were surviving members of the original choir, while the 115 men in black represent members who had perished."
Text: "How are so many young people LGBTQ all of the sudden? Where are all of the older queer people?" Photo: A painting, A blue black and white pattern of bold lines and human forms fills the upper left corner of the canvass, the rest is unfinished. A few drips of paint have run down from the colored portion. Text: "most people know keith haring for his colorful dancing figures. his final piece, “unfinished painting” (1989), was intentionally left incomplete to represent a life cut short by AIDS. haring died one year later at age 31. "

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I finally saw that "Elon" interview everyone was talking about. Or at least some clips from it. And, it crossed over from watching a guy who I don't agree with with bad ideas... into ... He's Not OK. Territory.

If I had a student saying such strange self destructive alienated things, I'd have a conversation with the guidance councilor about next steps.

It's bizarre that one of the most wealthy and by that also powerful people in the world is giving off "cry for help" vibes.

It's creepy.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Do not argue with someone online who says stuff like "I don't think I can vote for Biden because of ..." left wing thing.

  1. They aren't saying it for you.

  2. If they know enough to be informed about a particular left wing issue they know the bigger stuff too.

  3. If they really are so turned off they don't want to vote dem ... yelling won't budge them.

Instead look up that cousin you have not called for years, call & ask if they are registered. Are they doing any drives in their area?

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Retailers are getting more bold about where they place ads! I was going to buy something online from Lands End and went to pay, selected my card ready to send them money and do you know what they did? They put up a pop up ad! You can’t complete the transaction until you hear a pitch from “hello fresh” and “do you want to apply for an apple card?” etc. (I have pretty robust adblockers at home, is this how people live now?) Of course, I canceled the purchase.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

What made it worse? They had a little counter to show you how many “offers” you had to reject (3) before you could complete the purchase. So they knew it was an imposition on some level. No, I don’t want to save $10 and use some shady sounding shipping service. No I don’t want $40 “hello fresh” whatever— NO.

Hopefully, it’s pilot and when they see all the abandoned shopping carts they’ll quit. It’s always an arms race with companies to preserve an unharried digital environment

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Does anyone know anything about cohost?

They are catching a few eyes as a tumblr replacement... mostly by replicating the tags system and signaling they won't ban porn.

But I want to know: will they be subscribe-able via the fedi?

I think it's worth noting that simply by saying they will replicate how a beloved feature works they have gotten a lot of traction. The Mastodon response would be "we have tags at home" (that aren't as good as the tublr system)

But that's what drives growth.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Given the way tumblr users generally use reblogs... they would fit in here extremely well. This is a group of users that understand that you need to reshare the timeline you want to see in the world. (something former twitter users struggle with)

But, the opaqueness of search and the janky-ness of subscribing to and using tags here would be a big hurdle. One that could be crossed, I think. But, not as things are now.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

If someone would start selling those nifty suffragette pantaloons you can bicycle in I bet they could sell a bunch.

But every skirt in stores looks like a horrible tube that will rutch up on your tush as you walk like an handsy subway creeper; you try to walk in little tiny steps. Sitting without flashing? Some kind of mysterious party trick.

Then there's a whole article in the fashion section hand wringing if skirts that aren't tight are "too conservative"

If that bothers you? Pantaloon!

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

This is the article. It's not that bad I guess. But, it really is bizarre to me that anyone would think flared skirts are old fashioned. Haven't they come back like 3 times since the 80s?

Also these fashion people seem unaware of the influence of cosplay and international fashion. The full skirt has been a big deal in Korea for several years. Why? It's warm, comfortable and easy to sit down.

But why stop there?

https://www.elle.com/fashion/a44727841/full-skirt-fashion-trend-2023/

Ladies pants that are puffy and comfortable. The shirt looks annoying, though.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

One of the small delights of a big city is encountering people selling things who just have more customers than they can handle so they become progressively more rude and obscure about how they render the service.

Economists would say they ought to raise the price... but they don't. Raising prices changes expectations, brings different more annoying customers.

Instead you get the best chicken tenders on earth DO NOT ask if you can buy them without the fries. Fries are mandatory.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

And I get it. It's more fun to sell a really great product at a great price and no one ever complains or tries to return it. And you get to do your thing all day and make money.

Charge more and the whiners show up. "can I have an extra pack of sauce?" "can you fry it fresh?" "can I have them in separate containers?" who needs that?

These places are often cash only. And when they close everyone mourns. Twas a gift.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Typical story. Flight attendant won't believe black woman is doctor, believes random white guy instantly. 🙄 So typical it's boring.

One thing.
If you are ever that white guy-- the one who's believed without jumping through hoops & if you notice what's happening. (which isn't a natural thing to notice, but perk your ears up. you'll see)

Say something! It can be mild. Dry even. But, don't let it roll by. No one will think you are being angry & unreasonable.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-woman-doctor-racial-profiling-airplane_n_5bdaf2dde4b0da7bfc177a77

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Sometimes I encounter videos on tiktock/tumblr: "wealth attractors" -reblog it & get good luck with $. At first I'm disgusted. Crass displays of wealth are ugly-- then I'm struck by how modest these dreams of 'wealth' really are.

It's always like ... just a few thousand dollars ... never even close to the obscene sums that distort our world. "root canal money" not "buy a supreme court justice" money.

I'm doing OK for now. But, I remember when $500 could have changed everything.

A young woman with long wavy dark hair obscures her face with a fan of $100 US bills. "my aura is like a money magnet i never go negative"
View of a Chanel shopping bag and a designer purse resting on the passenger seat of a car. In the foreground a manicured hand with red nail polish clutches a bunch of US cash of various denominations. Some $20 bills have purple bank bands that read $2000. There are also $20s and $50s in rubber bands.
Another manicured hand with long pastel pink gel nails holds a thick wad of cash that contains at least a few $100 bills.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

The first thing I did when I got a better job and had, for the first time in my life, the "dilema" of what I should spend the money I wasn't planning on saving on...

I treated myself to four root canals. Best choice ever. I can get so much more done now that my teeth aren't slowly driving me insane. I still need to get one more. But the dentist said it could wait till my insurance resets again.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

In about three years companies will realize they are being talked about in the fediverse and ooo gee maybe we should pay attention to that! A lot of professionals here with disposable income. Not a one looking at ads.

That will be a sad day in many ways. But, the attempts to adapt should be an endless source of humor.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I can hardly watch the news they keep talking about war like it’s a football game. It was bad with war in Ukraine, but this new war is worse. I just feel sick all the time.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Another teacher asked me an interesting question today. "What do you think about this idea of replacing calculus with statistics. After all statistics is more useful."

That's probably true on the surface, but I can't say I'm a huge fan of the "replace calc with stats" craze... even as I lament the poor understanding many people have of stats. It's obvious we need more education on interpreting datasets and visualizations.

But, there is a subtext to this argument I dislike. 1/

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

The subtext is that statistics is somehow "easier" than calculus since it's more connected to the "real world" --

But, nothing about real world problems is easy. Real world problems are harder, require more experience, more analysis, are less susceptible to canned techniques and strategies.

And more importantly it's hard to really understand much about statistics without knowing some calculus. Not a popular opinion. I know. 2/

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Do you ever think about abandoned tech trees? Like how no one is working to design better drafting compasses or vellum? No one is perfecting vacuum tubes. No one is laser focused on methods to speed paint and accurate portrait by hand to send out for marriage proposals.

Technological leaps make entire areas of research pointless— but

What if just a bit further down the line on the old tech tree there was some bigger breakthrough we’ll never see? I think about this A LOT.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Fired up and ready to go?
More like
dowsed, drowned and ready to “no.”
Get ready to “hmph the vote”
(now is a good time to check you are registered still.)

This image was drawn in a children’s art contest to make a pro-voting sticker. I’m obsessed with it. Much to the chagrin of the inspired, idealistic, contest runners this image kept winning public votes on which logo to use. And so it was the official sticker. Ain’t democracy grand?

jerry, to random
@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar

This. This is what I have to put up with before dinner. He is convinced I am performing experiments in feline starvation. Were he not about 50% overweight, some might even believe his tales of woe.

Thor, realizing that meowing was not going to change my mind about an early dinner, resorted to totally unfair tactics of looking super pathetic

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@jerry

He's looking at you like he's never been fed even once in his whole life!

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Well if you ask me the entire system of driving is criminal so I'm not phased by this.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

i wish I could visit alternate universe where some of the most destructive conspiracy theorists just wrote science fiction instead. I want to scream sometimes— if you have a neat idea and know you probably can’t back it up because it’s too advanced or probably not true… just write fiction! You don’t need to lie! Tell a story! It might even be fun!

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I'm starting to really like Jamelle Bouie's writing on politics. While He still essentially has a liberal perspective (as opposed to a radical or left perspective) he's really good at identifying and criticizing liberal process, technicality and hypocrisy-based criticisms of the right.

These are criticisms that don't address the gulf in values, morality, or outcomes, but focus instead on things like finding hypocrisies, or showing how the right is failing to live up to the constitution. 1/

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

The problem with simply showing that the right is hypocritical is that they know this and do not care. They don't want to treat people equally or apply rules fairly.

Take the whole supreme court mess. The hypocrisy is staggering! "You blocked Obama from appointing and yet did not apply the same standard for Trump, instead you enabled his appointments!"

To this the right says "Of course. We are trying to win. What on earth are you playing at?"

2/

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

And for what it's worth I think we could use more thinking like this in liberal circles. The left isn't big enough or popular enough to lead the conversation, making our best hope at surviving and growing being that more moderate people wake up to the zero sum game the right is playing.

There will be no norms, no decorum, no respect for the integrity of institutions. They will stretch the letter of the law to meet their ends, and when that fails ignore the laws.

3/3

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@zzzeek

No one serious, or not taking astroturf money is really doing this.

The most significant player doing this is Dr. West, who announced a presidential run to a massive collective shrug from the left.

What is a non-starter at the moment is thinking that voting alone is a solution to any of the issues. It's more important to keep boosting the growing labor movement, organizing locally, and maybe electing some people you really like at that level.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@zzzeek

3rd party voters are complex and hard to predict. I think many of them show up to vote if there is a 3rd party candidate they like but would not vote otherwise.

US elections have such low turn out it's much more about who shows up than it is about swaying voters from one candidate to another.

Trump managed to trick some people in 2016 by making vague anti-war noises and by pissing off establishment media which some people find delightful. He's lost a lot of those people forever.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@aprilfollies @zzzeek

In some cases it's that it is too hard to vote. The locations change, people are removed from rolls, after moving, you have to re-register etc.

In places like NYC where voting is frankly pretty easy, often there isn't much to vote about. Close elections are rare, so a lot of the low turn out is from very blue or red areas where showing up doesn't change much.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@TerryHancock @aprilfollies @zzzeek

In case anyone thinks there are lines in the cities in TX because cities have more people, in NYC I have only ever waited in line once 20 years: 2016 for about 10min.

And that was more like a party than a line, everyone wanted to vote for the first black president (south bronx)

I do wonder why that 10min line isn't there every time. Further, I suspect if the line was there often they would increase the number of polls. I never wait. No one should.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Been listening to people in their 20s and 30s complain about how "cars aren't colorful anymore" and "apartments aren't colorful enough" and "Every style is so dull." also "I hate minimalism time for maximalism"

And mostly I've been rolling my eyes. But, then I thought about ski wear... and...

My god the children are right!

What happened????

The trendiest ski wear is mostly about exotic materials and looking like the world's most boring snowboarder even though you are skiing not snowboarding.

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

If every company has "a responsibility" to do "the most profitable thing possible" then what's going to stop everyone from offering to sell people smack... on credit? Or whatever they can think of that comes closest to that?

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@mansand posted some hilarious ant drawings. Here is one of them but there are more at the link.

https://www.tumblr.com/futurebird/728401115908096000/image-descriptions-im-very-excited-by-these?source=share

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

No. No I can't explain why I need it ... or what I want to do with it. But... why do you care anyways!?

I need this!
I don't need to explain!

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

My husband had this tradition at his old job as a journalist where if they had to work a long night on the way out they delivered "the parting shots" things you can say that sound good on the surface... until you think about it.

"Bill? This has been a day I won't forget easily."
"Sarah? You really wrote one of the articles of all time."
"Jake? Tremendous effort tonight."
"It was a crazy night, and whenever it was at its worst? Well you were right there."

etc.

Do you have a "parting shot?"

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Seeing their attempts at indoctrination fail to take hold the indoctrinated can only imagine they have been stymied by some equal and opposite form of indoctrination. That we might be sincere about creating the space for each young person to find their own way, to make up their own mind is impossible from their perspective.

That we wait on the outcomes of experiments and study to determine what is best? Just a lie.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@CedarTea

Healthy in the sense that there are not instances of child abuse in correlation with physical punishment.

Effective in the sense that the child is less likely to have discipline problems at school or legal problems as an adult. Spanked children are not more obedient. It fails to do the thing most people think it is most effective for.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@darnell
This is one of the reasons spanking persists as a method. With a constant and loving parent it’s often not harmful. What is important is to recognize that it’s never more effective or needed. Some parents don’t know of any other way or their elders pressure them in to it. But there really is no evidence that it’s more effective than other forms of consistent and caring discipline.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@CedarTea
But you’d need to spend as much time thinking about the definition of violence. Spanking isn’t enacted as violence in the minds of the people who use it and this matters. It also matters that the outcome is no different than real violence.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@bertwells @darnell

One should never be angry when so much as yelling at a kid let alone spanking. My point is that even when done “correctly” all guard rails on it still fails to magically produce better discipline. And in reality not everyone follows the “never yell in anger” rule even if they claim that they do. Yelling can be fixed with an apology.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@darnell @bertwells

No child needs spanking. Especially not black children. There are heaps of trauma we have passed down buying into the idea that it’s possible to “spank a kid safe” or buying in to the idea some kids are so bad, so hard-headed nothing else will reach them. But this just isn’t true.

I’m not some wishy washy hippie. I live and teach in the Bronx. I have seen a bad child once or twice.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@darnell @bertwells What’s really interesting is when you study “effective” spanking (what little there is) it comes with a conversation & time out to think, it is consistent & never delivered in anger. And that’s because it’s not the spaking that’s working. It’s the desire of the child to not disappoint an adult they trust & respect. It’s the consistency. It’s the calm. The spanking is incidental: could be replaced with “I’m not putting up a star for you today”

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@squig @darnell @bertwells

I used to think it was possible. But there just isn’t evidence that supports it. What maybe true is that a trusted adult choosing a much more serious punishment one they have not used before helps a child examine their actions with more care. Makes them not want to disappoint their elder to that degree ever again.

eg. “You will stay in and not get to help with any of the chores.” was my wake up call at age 8–

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@squig @darnell @bertwells If you think not getting to do chores sounds like a reward… reframe your chores! Are you trustworthy enough to operate the vacuum cleaner? This is where my mom had my mind — so being told she thought I was basically so bad at listening that I could do nothing? Well. It was memorable.

“this won’t work on the bad kids I have to deal with”
you’d be shocked. but you need to pay attention to the significance of every action.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@bertwells @darnell @Mina
It is true that without consequences we never learn. They just don’t need to be hitting to work. And hitting isn’t even very effective. It can suffice but we can do better and at the same time remove a great potential for danger and harm.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@squig @TruthSandwich @bertwells

It can be really upsetting to learn, if you were a child who was both loved and hit. That the hitting could have been skipped and nothing would have been lost. (and maybe some things might have been gained) I was only spanked by my grandparents who were convinced my parents were crazy snowflake hippies for not spanking us and who feared as sensitive precocious black children the world would destroy us. It did not.

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@squig @TruthSandwich @darnell @bertwells But since my grandparents did not spare the rod I loathed admitting they had done anything less than what was optimal. They were formidable and intelligent people. They raised my parents and aunts and uncles who are basically perfect as far as I can tell. But then— I started reading research on children and punishments— my eyes were opened!

futurebird,
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

@squig @TruthSandwich @darnell @bertwells I still wouldn’t say they were “wrong” to spank me. It was what they knew and in their hands I was in little danger. (consistent, never in anger, etc.) They did nothing wrong.

But I will learn and do even better.

And many young people are not as lucky as you or I.

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