Nostr notes by myrmepropagandist

Planning out what to say when I go to see the doctor. Ugh. I wish ...

2026-10-28T09:30:54Z

Planning out what to say when I go to see the doctor. Ugh.

I wish there were more forms or other ways of giving doctors information, talking is great, and needed, but it can feel so rushed that I leave things out.

But if you come in with too much "research" you make the doctor worried you are either a hypochondriac or second-guessing them.

My doctor is generally pretty awesome I feel confident if she just has the whole set of information she'll make a good recommendation.

tweed gremlin ...

2026-10-28T09:12:46Z

tweed gremlin

Future archeologists have dubbed us the "glass rounded ...

2026-10-28T08:31:30Z

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

Nostr event nevent1qqs0dvnl74ss8r2330e68vrcxtwkgarahuht9t5umntrd20nsagujvczyrq9g9zdwc2cyr42yv3w0zappcg3c3ppjpv5s2ephfc72x5h986qkg9y284

2026-10-27T21:37:46Z

Why are there "wife guys" but no "husband gals" ?

Listen. I know far less about cars than most but even I have some ...

2026-10-27T19:31:48Z

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

Early voting doesn’t mean voting early in the morning — they ...

2026-10-27T11:37:23Z

Early voting doesn’t mean voting early in the morning — they aren’t open yet. I was not the only one irritating the security guard trying to come in at this hour. I suppose I’ll try after work.

Well. I had a program that drew hyper and hypo cycloids using the ...

2026-10-27T00:31:03Z

Well. I had a program that drew hyper and hypo cycloids using the turtle but I seem to have misplaced it. Can't find my code anywhere.

But that means I get to write it again, and I could make it better this time.

One thing that bothered me about the old code is I didn't use the unique way that turtles can draw circles, I just used cartesian coordinates and goto commands.

Could there be a more elegant way?

Early voting has started in NYC. I'll go tomorrow. The poll ...

2026-10-27T00:24:26Z

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.

This is an odd assignment from the teacher, but as a teacher I ...

2026-10-26T09:51:48Z

This is an odd assignment from the teacher, but as a teacher I would rather have "I couldn't think of anything, gosh this is hard" in place of AI content.

Because these tasks we make as teachers... it's not because we want the output from the tasks.

As I tell my 9th grade students all the time "I do not eat homework, it's not what nourishes me"

Teachers make tasks so you experience them. Whatever the point was of this exercise? You've missed it!

No one take me seriously enough even though I'm very often ...

2026-10-26T02:01:35Z

No one take me seriously enough even though I'm very often right AND early.

Hmph.

I'v been trying to give #picaTheCat a chance to see the ...

2026-10-25T23:59:01Z

I'v been trying to give #picaTheCat a chance to see the crows. I just think she should know she's not the only intelligent creature around here. (she has obviously ruled us out already)

After watching a crow hiding a chicken bone in our garden my ...

2026-10-25T23:19:03Z

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?

In ancient Sumer the sun went to the underworld at night, under ...

2026-10-25T21:18:14Z

In ancient Sumer the sun went to the underworld at night, under the ground where dwelled the dead.

Few questions for the Australians.

Do you remember a life before?

I just got a letter from my bank saying "do not allow AI ...

2026-10-25T16:25:31Z

I just got a letter from my bank saying "do not allow AI agents to have your payment information for any of your accounts."

Full stop. Just don't use any agents. It's dangerous.

I didn't contain additional language saying they won't protect you if they do, but I wonder if that could be next.

I wonder if other banks are doing the same.

Maybe they will ban them.

It seems reasonable that, if an agent makes a financial transaction, it ought to be identified as such, no?

The strange comet in the sky has fated that the king must die ...

2026-10-25T13:45:51Z

The strange comet in the sky has fated that the king must die young, and so he has started a space program to stop the comment and bend it by means of gravity to a more auspicious path.

It is, of course, not really a natural comet, as our people shall soon discover.

Nostr event nevent1qqs8cjvp63uhln0wcgm7h7psspjcytn6vkflthfy2hs94xdel4x58pczyrq9g9zdwc2cyr42yv3w0zappcg3c3ppjpv5s2ephfc72x5h986qkl3akxm

2026-10-25T12:36:05Z

What is a fancy word for "potato-shaped" ?

A key feature of any organization with longevity is the ability ...

2026-10-25T11:33:02Z

A key feature of any organization with longevity is the ability to both create and dissolve concentrations of power through some (hopefully) non-arbitrary process. Although an arbitrary process will do when no other process is provided.

Individual people are excited by concentrations of power and focus more on creating concentrations than they do on how to undo that concentration.

War can be the most crude means of dissolution. Systems that provide other means of dissolution may avoid war.

It makes me a little sad to think that if this were preserved ...

2026-10-25T10:38:30Z

It makes me a little sad to think that if this were preserved suddenly in ash the people of the far future would just assume it was a warehouse storing a bunch of blocks for some big company and not an artistic comment on the same.

I have always thought it would be the ants, but, it could also be ...

2026-10-24T23:33:35Z

I have always thought it would be the ants, but, it could also be the beetles who take over. They have the numbers, after all.

Jerry has a can. He rigs stuff, but worst of all he ...

2026-10-24T21:13:46Z

Jerry has a can. He rigs stuff, but worst of all he "manders."

"8*7 is 56 because 7-6=1 and 50-1 is 49 and everyone knows 49 ...

2026-10-24T09:40:50Z

"8*7 is 56 because 7-6=1 and 50-1 is 49 and everyone knows 49 is a perfect square, and it must be the square of 7 since 8 is 64 squared and 5 is 25"

In "Annulorum Experimenta, Spells of the Rings" there is ...

2026-10-24T08:54:50Z

In "Annulorum Experimenta, Spells of the Rings" there is a spell that makes ants retrieve treasure for you.

Reading "Surface Detail" for a second time and muttering ...

2026-10-24T08:43:44Z

Reading "Surface Detail" for a second time and muttering "there is no way Elon Musk read and liked this" every now and then.

I teach my stats students the rules of "tidy data" so ...

2026-10-24T02:46:08Z

I teach my stats students the rules of "tidy data" so when they go out into the world maybe it will be just a little better.

This year they really enjoyed it. I wonder if "tidy tuesday" is still a thing.

https://vita.had.co.nz/papers/tidy-data.html

The precious book. The holy book. The keystone of the faith, the ...

2026-10-23T11:20:54Z

The precious book. The holy book. The keystone of the faith, the central processor of the moral compass of the whole religion was kept in a vault. That vault had only a few keys, and furthermore it was in an Undisclosed Location, down an obscure dirt road more heavily surveilled than the great ball of Times Square at the second of a dawning new year.

The scripture was both maximally hidden and watched.

The object itself appeared to be an ordinary notebook.

And, of course, it was also blank.

I suspect there are people in business who read that story and ...

2026-10-23T10:30:52Z

I suspect there are people in business who read that story and all they could think about how amazing it would be to be the person who owned all of the rented appliances in the story and collect all of those fees.

"every time a person moves, or chooses not to move I could collect a fee, me, it could be ME who gets all of the fees"

And then they sigh deeply and go back to vibe coding an app to let you have an agent that will buy futures on the outcomes of local elections on credit.

Can you imagine a house that was built to make it hard to move ...

2026-10-23T10:00:45Z

Can you imagine a house that was built to make it hard to move from room to room? Not for any reason of security but because you could collect a little fee from people for going through doors?

The antagonism in some software design disgusts me.

All of the barriers to just getting things done.

I was telling the CS club about the situation with PHP and they ...

2026-10-23T09:37:06Z

I was telling the CS club about the situation with PHP and they were fascinated.

"does that mean our server could be hacked?"

"Yes, however since it's on the school intranet it'd need to be someone using the school wifi doing it. We aren't at risk from the greater wide internet."

So we are having a kind of informal hacking contest now. Change the website without using the password.

To celebrate we'll update the software.

(The student run webserver isn't just hackable due to PHP.)

no no no I don't want any of your fries, but can I just sniff ...

2026-10-23T01:00:20Z

no no no I don't want any of your fries, but can I just sniff and lick most of them and then walk away?

You could eat them after I guess.

I just want to ... know.

What life did you lead? What songs did you help sing? And how did ...

2026-10-22T11:53:09Z

What life did you lead? What songs did you help sing? And how did all end here on these rough streets with even your precious illegal ivory teeth plundered? And me standing by contemplating the possible utility and value of your strings, hammers and wooden bones?

Isaac Saul takes a more moderated stance on if Democrats should ...

2026-10-22T10:32:54Z

Isaac Saul takes a more moderated stance on if Democrats should go after Republicans for their crimes. "it starts to look like political persecution" he says and then reminds Bouie and Osburn of how that combined with the PA assassination attempt on Trump in the last cycle.

But, I think this is missing the point.

"It starts to look like political persecution" when it's done for political reasons.

1/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg1F5iLLQWI

She’s not impressed. ...

2026-10-21T22:46:57Z

She’s not impressed.

Pica would like to know if I can join a "horrible vegetable ...

2026-10-21T22:09:18Z

Pica would like to know if I can join a "horrible vegetable club" why can't she join a "meat club" ... sounds like something rfk might run, to be frank.

What is a delicious way to use three white and purple turnips? I ...

2026-10-21T22:06:12Z

What is a delicious way to use three white and purple turnips?

I don't like cooked veggies as much as fresh? Can I make a pickle or something?

I have some nice fragrant cheese, old bread, a tiny cabbage (it's so small my god) and other basics.

I've never really used a turnip before. I don't know what to do with them.

There is a spot behind the 30 story apartment towers just outside ...

2026-10-21T11:47:58Z

There is a spot behind the 30 story apartment towers just outside my window where the acoustics are incredible. Someone is singing gospel on this cold early morning causing the pigeons to take flight wheel as one above the NYC skyline.

They fly over the pale yellow and pink clouds intermittently visible through the windows (which have been frosted over with condensation from the heater) And that fiery beast in the basement is also singing and banging.

It's going to be a beautiful day.

I mean... if you had 8 billion dollars and you could spend 10 ...

2026-10-21T11:23:18Z

I mean... if you had 8 billion dollars and you could spend 10 million on propaganda and politicians to get ANOTHER 8 billion dollars by saving in taxes and getting government contracts and whatnot why wouldn't you just do that?

Other than some vague pro-social sense that the government is meant to serve everyone or some kind of "work ethic"... nah. Buying lobbyists *is* real work.

I swear to god.

404 Media: People are making slop apps for abandon hardware, but ...

2026-10-21T11:03:38Z

404 Media: People are making slop apps for abandon hardware, but since it's vibe coded we're going to have a world of slop devices that don't work very well and have malware on them.

Me: You mean like how things are right now already?

Imagine sending a cheap analog pocketwatch (you can buy one for ...

2026-10-21T10:53:36Z

Imagine sending a cheap analog pocketwatch (you can buy one for $5, and most of that cost is the shipping and labor) to the distant past when technical watches were rare.

What would an expert watchmaker make of the mechanism? The cheapness of the parts? The extreme precision, but also the corner cutting?

Elon was never a big AI guy. He just jumped on the bandwagon as ...

2026-10-21T10:32:24Z

Elon was never a big AI guy. He just jumped on the bandwagon as he's done for so many other things and it's kind of funny that they only successful AI IPO to pop off in the end may well be Elon's company... X, or spaceCar or whatever it's called.

I'd feel bad for the people who have done the real work to make LLMs happen from the start if so many of them weren't trying to inflate the tech's importance in their own way.

Literal living gremlin. Muppet. Creature of mischief. How are ...

2026-10-20T20:30:14Z

Literal living gremlin.
Muppet.
Creature of mischief.

How are cats even real?

I love these little button stamps and so do my students for ...

2026-10-20T10:35:24Z

I love these little button stamps and so do my students for projects. They are just fun to use.

But, I don't know how to re-ink them when they start to dry out. Is this possible? Has anyone done it?

I'm thinking of just going at them with an eyedropper and some stamp ink? #crafts #artsAndCrafts

Business Idea: Human Agent Service Incorporated (and we DO mean ...

2026-10-20T00:28:56Z

Business Idea:

Human Agent Service Incorporated
(and we DO mean *incorporated*)

This is a business that operates online, through the dark web and any other digital network an AI agent might use to try to solve a problem.

Need a human to call the person who set you to a task and say something on the phone? Do you need a person to show up and do an action? Our human workers have got you and we'll make the bill say whatever you want for your expense report.

I don't think I can survive another American election. I ...

2026-10-19T22:39:52Z

I don't think I can survive another American election. I think it may well kill me dead.

I once helped with a kiln in the summer. You had to go out to the ...

2026-10-19T22:27:32Z

I once helped with a kiln in the summer. You had to go out to the little building in the predawn dark to start the firing and it lasted for more than a day.

Few things are as exciting and yet soothing and starting a kiln in the cold morning after crossing frosty grass.

It's both the beginning and the end of so much work.

But before you know it? You are listening to the sounds of cooling and asking over and over "can we open it NOW?" because you are a child and don't know how to wait.

I’m reading “Matter” by Banks again from the Culture series ...

2026-10-19T12:24:18Z

I’m reading “Matter” by Banks again from the Culture series (well I am listening to it) and Ive been thinking about “Shell Worlds” these vast ancient objects: at once pinnacles of technological prowess, but also filled with baffling layers of often primitive life.

And then it hit me: Hong Kong, Rome, New York

every ‘world city’ is a bit of a shell world

(that’s why everyone moons over them and calls them romantic— and yet they are also horrible places, but wondrous) #IanMBanks #theCulture

"Alexa, I think I met someone last night." "You spoke ...

2026-10-19T12:05:28Z

"Alexa, I think I met someone last night."
"You spoke to 8 women under 25." Alexa responded. It placed photos of each taken from stills from his conversations in an array. "... based on your existing and previous relationships I predict your interest is with Sarah." It brought her photo to the center enlarging it. It was almost like looking at her again. The AI had chosen a still of the young woman just as the hint of her aloof, but warm smile had started to reach her eyes. 1/

Should there be a limit to the amount of money one person can ...

2026-10-19T10:18:35Z

Should there be a limit to the amount of money one person can spend to attempt to influence the government?

Is it fine and dandy for a very wealthy person to show up in a tiny town and impose their whims on everyone just by outspending everyone and buying everyone and everything that can be bought?

Making tea eggs in the fall is perfect. The broth makes your ...

2026-10-19T09:46:19Z

Making tea eggs in the fall is perfect. The broth makes your house smell nice and letting it simmer helps with the humidity. And then you have snacks.

I've found a really really fun website for tessellation and ...

2026-10-18T14:58:51Z

I've found a really really fun website for tessellation and it's set up so educators can use it without a problem. You can also export what you make and print it, or even send it to a laser cutter.

https://tiled.art/

A Turing machine is the most stripped-down model of a computer, ...

2026-10-18T13:50:52Z

A Turing machine is the most stripped-down model of a computer, that still contains all of the elements of a true computer. It is a device for manipulating boolean(T/F) statements. A program defines states. Depending on the state new symbols may be written or erased and the machine may move to a different location on the tape.

This framework is sufficient to produce every computer program that has **ever** been written.

Every single one.

I once had an argument about the death penalty in college and my ...

2026-10-18T11:59:34Z

I once had an argument about the death penalty in college and my opponent said "What about a monster like John Wayne Gacy?" and indeed have have no feelings about such a man,

But, in killing John Wayne Gacy we also made him silent. He was a monster who killed many kids and young men. He took advantage of the friendless and frightened.

But, to this day people wonder if he acted alone.

Were he still alive we might ask.

Keep even the worst alive, it is preserving evidence.

Last night I was thinking about how powerful cooperation is as a ...

2026-10-18T11:39:43Z

Last night I was thinking about how powerful cooperation is as a strategy from an evolutionary perspective. And I was thinking about how you don't have to be very good at it to benefit from it.

Ants are famous for their cooperation, but they aren't exactly well organized or efficient. They just share a common goal and all move towards it, often they get in each other's way. Too many ants helping with one task and not enough doing another. But they have still taken over the world.

You want to be an author, a great teacher, a programmer, a ...

2026-10-18T11:24:42Z

You want to be an author, a great teacher, a programmer, a dancer? All your ambitions are nothing next to simply being a good lap and resting place for, me, the cat. You are the island of warmth and this is your true purpose in life.

You have a lap that I might rest.
Hands that you might pet me and open cans of delicious foods.
You have a voice to whisper of my beauty and to call me to the dish when it is full.

Learn well, primate.

"Yes, I may be a problem... but I am YOUR problem." - ...

2026-10-18T11:16:45Z

"Yes, I may be a problem... but I am YOUR problem."

- #PicaTheCat

Apparently someone has found a profitable use for AI... it's ...

2026-10-18T11:03:20Z

Apparently someone has found a profitable use for AI... it's great for stealing people's minecraft accounts. Which is a huge business for somereason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcx7ZOIUqOk

"m th ghst f bd spllng" The mysterious ghost spoke to me ...

2026-10-18T10:35:16Z

"m th ghst f bd spllng"

The mysterious ghost spoke to me by making bloody letters appear on the wall. It took me a moment to work out what it was saying...

"The ghost of bad spelling? My God, what happened to you?"

"ws dsnvwld!"

The letters said... and true, she had been disenvoweled!

You don't need "alexa" or "siri" if you have ...

2026-10-18T01:26:09Z

You don't need "alexa" or "siri" if you have a cat. You can say the cats name and all kinds of things will happen.

Probably not what you want, but it's still a kind of "voice interface"

And you still have a "she who will not be named"

Just because They really are watching you doesn’t mean you ...

2026-10-17T21:25:59Z

Just because They really are watching you doesn’t mean you aren’t also both paranoid and mad.

"If you want someone to put meat in your bowl it's better ...

2026-10-17T14:01:20Z

"If you want someone to put meat in your bowl it's better to stand to the side so they can get to the bowl rather than right in front of the bowl (in the way) facing and criticizing the person who is kindly trying to fill it with delicious meats.

For example, when I go to a restaurant I don't stand in the door to the kitchen yelling at the waiters as they try to bring out the food. Because I would be "in the way" and then it would take longer to get the food. I also don't try to trip them."

🚫 "he won't say anything, he's too spineless to ...

2026-10-17T09:22:59Z

🚫 "he won't say anything, he's too spineless to stand up to anyone"

✅ "he won't say anything he lacks the exoskeleton to stand up to anyone."

Since geese hiss, we might assume that dinosaurs of old could ...

2026-10-17T08:52:37Z

Since geese hiss, we might assume that dinosaurs of old could hiss. So, then did the cats learn to hiss to imitate the great avians of that other age?

Oh to be an ice fish making a circular nest in great sandy ...

2026-10-17T00:24:28Z

Oh to be an ice fish making a circular nest in great sandy expanse deep under the ink black-blue water that sits unknown under a glacial shelf on the edge of Antartica....

Almost too easy. Like shooting fish in a barrel. But this is ...

2026-10-16T23:49:17Z

Almost too easy. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

But this is still some ***mmmm*** nice satire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdEpyZVP5dU

One thing that I struggle to explain to 5th graders about ...

2026-10-16T22:41:06Z

One thing that I struggle to explain to 5th graders about programing is that they need to *click* on the console window before they try to type text to be processed by their program.

They are also mystified by pressing "enter" to submit the text to the program.

Maybe I should make them a little text adventure so they understand how a terminal/text interface works?

I mean... it's not surprising they've never encountered one before.

I need to think about a way to write a program that will allow ...

2026-10-16T22:08:38Z

I need to think about a way to write a program that will allow you to manipulate a rectangle or regular hexagon so it's a tessellating tile in python with the turtle... that's easy enough, but I need it to be dead simple enough for 5th grade students to read and edit.

I THINK it can be done.

They understand lists.

Interesting problem.

NYC has a lot of schools, a lot of young people and there are not ...

2026-10-16T11:51:32Z

NYC has a lot of schools, a lot of young people and there are not enough sports, clubs, and extra curricular activities for the young people.

In the south Bronx the fast food restaurants have bouncers who don't let the teens in unless they can show they purchased something on their phone or convince the guy they are there to buy something.

The kids aren't "bad" they are just teens and there are too many with nothing to do.

From 3 to 6pm their parents are still at work.

Pica has a vivid imagination, above average emotional and social ...

2026-10-16T11:16:09Z

Pica has a vivid imagination, above average emotional and social intelligence, exceptional athleticism and agility and next to zero (maybe less) understanding of logic.

This combination of extreme contrasts is the essence of the cat.

She doesn't understand that if she's standing on the blanket I can't pick it up so she can lay on my lap... but she knows how to help when you are depressed, and she's living an exciting saga where she hunts the ghosts that live in the walls.

Everyone can tell you used AI to do it. They just aren't ...

2026-10-16T10:25:36Z

Everyone can tell you used AI to do it. They just aren't saying anything about it because they want to be polite.

(Do you know someone who needs this thought to pop unbidden into their head?)

Queen of the bookshelf. ...

2026-10-15T17:30:53Z

Queen of the bookshelf.

"... and it's going to be soldiers with rifles executing ...

2026-10-15T11:27:51Z

"... and it's going to be soldiers with rifles executing the firing squad... heh ..."

Said the the United States Secretary of War, breathlessly to the reporter. It was clear that he found the idea of a firing squad exciting, titillating and ... novel.

Is he unfamiliar with the reality of violence or is he simply sadistic?

I really wonder about my fellow Americans if they see this glee and delight in violence and find it attractive or even excusable.

When I teach my 9th grade math students about the converse I tell ...

2026-10-15T10:42:05Z

When I teach my 9th grade math students about the converse I tell them that it's one of the most important concepts they will learn in my class. I'll share this lesson with you, for free!

A statement of the form "If ---- then ----." is called an implication. If you swap it around? *That's* the converse.

Statement: "If it rained, then the sidewalk will be wet."
Converse statement: "If the sidewalk is wet, then it rained."

But why does it matter?

Super Mario Brothers: the opera in classical Italian, a tale of ...

2026-10-14T12:11:06Z

Super Mario Brothers: the opera in classical Italian, a tale of revolution

Art Direction by Jordan Peele

Music David Byrne and Phillip Glass

When you add your sterling silver trilobite lace locks to your ...

2026-10-14T11:18:27Z

When you add your sterling silver trilobite lace locks to your dress shoes (as one does) should the trilobites face in (toward your ankles) or out?

Or does the direction of the trilobite have a hidden meaning?

:p

"A messy on it figure." "do you mean a messianic ...

2026-10-13T23:23:11Z

"A messy on it figure."
"do you mean a messianic figure?"
"no."

You ever just get so relaxed you just bite someone? I mean I ...

2026-10-13T23:06:48Z

You ever just get so relaxed you just bite someone?

I mean I don't, but #PicaTheCat does.

Absolutely diabolical. Should be illegal. What will spiders do ...

2026-10-13T19:56:04Z

Absolutely diabolical. Should be illegal. What will spiders do next?

When you see the eyes of a creature you can start to imagine how ...

2026-10-13T10:47:26Z

When you see the eyes of a creature you can start to imagine how it might see the world. How it might see you.

You begin to notice how it explores the space. The way that it touches the world the way that it feels. You may catch a glimpse of another wholly alien mind.

How thrilling and frightening to discover you are not alone!

You just need to find the right AI image and it will break the ...

2026-10-12T22:42:09Z

You just need to find the right AI image and it will break the spell. This view of NYC sent him into ... a state.

I bet if you don't live here it looks kind of OK.

So just show them something they know and it'll all fall apart.

I like Glass but do I really want to see Einstein on the Beach ...

2026-10-12T22:31:38Z

I like Glass but do I really want to see Einstein on the Beach live or nah? Brooklyn Academy of Music is going to do it next month.

Why won't anyone ever do Civil WarS again?

I'm a sucker for any story where the hero goes around helping ...

2026-10-12T19:27:45Z

I'm a sucker for any story where the hero goes around helping people but then, When It All Goes Wrong(tm) those same people show up even though the hero didn't expect it and help the hero.

Gets me all sappy every single time.

The new Trump accounts seem like "baby bonds" but ...

2026-10-12T18:09:41Z

The new Trump accounts seem like "baby bonds" but it's more like another tax-shelter IRA.

If you know someone or are someone who had a kid in the "window" you should claim the account. It's real money and your kid can use it later.

It's also basically an IRA, a way to avoid taxes from parent/employer contributions to a child. This child could be as old as 18. Big tax loophole right there for middle and upper income families!

If you don't live in the US, the way that people talk about ...

2026-10-12T13:05:40Z

If you don't live in the US, the way that people talk about Christianity in the US might make it sound like there are just a few dominant Christian churches. In particular once you rule out the more widely known versions of Christianity such as Catholicism and Mormonism ... you might think the there was some consistency among the Protestants.

And you would be very wrong.

Churches are intensely local organizations and there is tremendous variation. Among American Baptists this is by design.

I heard some people say that if there is one photo of you online ...

2026-10-12T11:37:38Z

I heard some people say that if there is one photo of you online then it doesn't matter if you post more "since your face is already in their system" they say this to feel better about posting lots of photos and video.

However this isn't true. Less information is better. If there are only a few photos of you then you can know which one someone was using, and photos grow out of date with time.

Less is better unless you have a good reason to put your face out there. It's not futile.

Nostr event nevent1qqsy9uhflk3w970n37el0vqx5v698mtsyvfj6sq2gu659x0cr3kkk8gzyrq9g9zdwc2cyr42yv3w0zappcg3c3ppjpv5s2ephfc72x5h986qkgsx3g0

2026-10-12T10:55:33Z

I know I'm annoying. But I'm annoying with LOVE.

I struggle to help my mother with computer security. She's ...

2026-10-12T10:24:04Z

I struggle to help my mother with computer security. She's scared to put the app from her bank on her phone "I never do anything with the bank or the internet with my phone and I have no apps on my phone" in her mind this keeps her safe. Only it isn't true because she does sometimes make online purchases, and obviously she has apps on her phone. It's a smart phone.

To her just seeing her bank balence on her phone is scary. To me this is the best way to keep eyes on the account.

1/

I am being criticized for using my pinky to clean my ears and I ...

2026-10-11T23:51:10Z

I am being criticized for using my pinky to clean my ears and I have been insulted: my hands (they are not paws) and don't look "like horrible spiders"

Who uses their foot to scratch their ear? Who think's ...

2026-10-11T23:48:52Z

Who uses their foot to scratch their ear? Who think's that's normal or cooth?

There are all these services that claim they can remove you from ...

2026-10-11T20:59:49Z

There are all these services that claim they can remove you from mailing lists, protect you from data breeches, or alert you when your data are on the dark web.

I'm really skeptical of all of them.

* Are there any standards or regulations about running such services?
* Are there any independent reviews of their effectiveness?

In the end it sounds like just one more group that would have your data.

I wrote this for my students but I thought I'd share it here ...

2026-10-11T15:24:33Z

I wrote this for my students but I thought I'd share it here too.

To memorize vocabulary words, formulas or definitions you should practice *recalling* that information. Just reading or copying the thing you want to memorize over and over may not help you remember it when there is nothing to copy.

Make flash cards for each thing you need to remember. Look at one side and then either write down the answer or say it out loud. Then check if it was correct.

1/

"fascism is a death cult" This always sounded a little ...

2026-10-11T14:06:37Z

"fascism is a death cult"
This always sounded a little hyperbolic to me. And I think that was just not really wanting to think about what fascists have done historically or why, or how.

"they celebrate death"
This also sounded hyperbolic. Or I wanted to think it sounded that way. But, right now I think it's easy to see. What is a public execution if not a celebration of death?

If this makes you feel sick, I think that's good. Don't burry that feeling or try to get over it.

I'm not a very religious person, but I do think that the ...

2026-10-11T13:08:01Z

I'm not a very religious person, but I do think that the choices you make that have an impact on other people also leave a mark on your soul.

And in my religion it's said all sins can be forgiven if you come to Jesus with an open heart. But, can you open your heart enough? Can you be sincere in seeking forgiveness? That is between you and your own heart and possibly God.

If you cannot be stopped because it's wrong maybe you could be stopped by knowing that you may never be whole again.

I don't support the death penalty because killing is wrong ...

2026-10-11T12:50:58Z

I don't support the death penalty because killing is wrong unless human life is on the line and there are no other reasonable choices.

I don't support the death penalty because the state is not infallible and killing a person is a mistake where restitution is impossible.

Who is meant to be intimidated by a public execution? Who will enjoy seeing how they have changed the US, reduced our standing and made us so small that we must brandish weapons to project power?

#PicaTheCat was sick last week and it was scary. But the vets ...

2026-10-11T12:12:38Z

#PicaTheCat was sick last week and it was scary. But the vets increased her thyroid meds and after three days of a double dose she was obviously doing better. She's even better now. Her hyperthyroidism is progressive and we may need to increase the dose again in the future. I'm so glad she responds well to the meds. She's once again her happy old self, and hardly seems like a 19 year old cat at all.

If you have an aging cat who looses weight you might be able to fix it with a pill.

What was a toy that you drove your parents crazy asking for? ...

2026-10-11T02:31:32Z

What was a toy that you drove your parents crazy asking for?

Alternately

What are your kids (extended family included) currently asking for that is driving everyone crazy for some reason?

Nostr event nevent1qqsy82jj34w5nk6jkdpqrdfqrraam6agfr7rmqu5n4rc555j4096frczyrq9g9zdwc2cyr42yv3w0zappcg3c3ppjpv5s2ephfc72x5h986qk53r6ws

2026-10-10T22:48:28Z

The Edicaran is the best low key almost as interesting as ants.

This store on etsy sells felt cicadas that come in a little tin ...

2026-10-10T20:29:40Z

This store on etsy sells felt cicadas that come in a little tin with various plants and a little wooden bed so you can tuck the bug in for a nice nap.

This is just so cute. The shop name is little green fern, but it's also just a neat gift idea for the right sort of kid... or adult...

Cat with short legs lives in a little fishing town and steals ...

2026-10-10T15:58:10Z

Cat with short legs lives in a little fishing town and steals things with his friends. #videos #entertainment #approvedContent

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

Nationality isn't really important to them. Religion ...

2026-10-10T13:59:39Z

Nationality isn't really important to them. Religion isn't really important to them. Culture? It isn't important to these kinds of wealthy and powerful people.

The only other people they can really "see" are those with enough wealth and power (and the will) to have an impact on their lives. Everyone else is essentially invisible, unimportant. Background music, an NPC.

Colorful hats of religion, ethnicity, nationality are like masquerade ball costumes. Useful, fun even, but not important.

The most delicious food is the food you get when you stick your ...

2026-10-10T01:27:04Z

The most delicious food is the food you get when you stick your little head under a screen or around a corner and just... get it... and then even better, someone is yelling at you so you just know it goos and then you eat faster.

Nothing tastes better than food under these circumstances.

I'm really glad that someone at ICE spoke to the media about ...

2026-10-09T11:33:20Z

I'm really glad that someone at ICE spoke to the media about what is going on in NJ. Putting people in a literal warehouse is disgusting. One of the people who spoke to the media said that "Miller" wanted it to be "inhumane" and dismissed their concerns about the dangers of this idea.

Talking to media is good but it is not enough. You will be complicit if you do not do more.

Make recordings. Save evidence. And find a way to slow them down or stop them. Or it's on YOU.

https://nj1015.com/ice-warehouse-roxbury-investigation/