futurebird

futurebird, 15 days ago (edited 15 days ago) to random

These AI SEO spam operations have used lists of common searches to ensure that their pages come up first in searches in the “long fat tail” the kind of search where it used to be about 50/50 if you’d find a page addressing your needs. But, it used to be if you found something like “The top 15 smallest ants in the world” it wouldn’t be nonsense. It’d either exist and be the work of another person who cared OR you found nothing. Not so now! I can’t possibly over-stress how bad this is! 1/

futurebird, 15 days ago to random

Mood: Checking the url of the source of my ant facts like I’m doing online banking.

futurebird, 15 days ago to random

I guess I just think that those questions children ask, that come from seemingly nowhere— that pure kind of curiosity: is really important, it’s precious. And I wish that it wasn’t so common for adults to stop asking questions like that. I spend a lot of time thinking about the sort of experiences that cause the endless stream of questions to dry up— (it is not because we suddenly have all the answers we need, though that is what some people seem to think it is)

futurebird, 15 days ago to random

It was always exciting and important when as a child I’d pepper some adult with questions and (at last) they would say “you know what? I don’t know. Let’s ask this other person or let’s look it up!”

LLMs are like the kind of adult who just makes up some plausible BS rather than say “I don’t know” those kinds of adults didn’t really think my questions mattered they didn’t think I’d remember or notice they’d lied to me. I always noticed. I think these systems trigger me because of it LMAO.

futurebird, 16 days ago (edited 16 days ago) to random

Here lies Irony, she was not well for many years, but after a valiant fight she is dead.

This would be ironic for any of the speakers at this event... but none more so than this man.

That people were hauled off by security for heckling him? Well irony would have had something to say about that, but as I explained, she is dead. RIP.

futurebird, 16 days ago (edited 13 days ago) to random

Without looking it up what is closest to 8oz?

(Curious how well the relation between oz and metric is generally known.)

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

Creatures with scientific names that betray how frustrated the scientists got trying to sort out their taxonomy.

Probolomyrmex (multiple species)
Camponotus confusus

There have to be more of these. I'd love to know the full story behind the names. Really there is a place in the world for a book that just goes into interesting taxonomic controversies and frustrations.

Have you encountered any scientific names that hint at someone pulling out their hair?

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

Rent five black SUVs.
Casting call for some wide men in suits. Give a few ear pieces.

Show up at random places, do mundane things. Do not explain. See how long it takes to get in the press.

Better than a casting call you'd really need to have the big guys in your art collective to play the roles ... no one can talk to the press or explain.

Carry a formicarium. The one thing they can say "It's not about her, I can't tell you who she is, of course, but it's not about her, it's that ant."

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

Here is a Formica Rufa queen who is a parasite of other Formica species (these are the famous wood ants of Europe) She has a dead Formica sp. worker and is gathering hydrocarbons from her exoskeleton to disguise herself as a member of the colony. Then she will likely try to sneak into the nest. Sometimes she will replace the queen, other times simply take some pupae and use them to jumpstart her own colony.

She can open and raise the pupae of many sp. in her genus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCuHsjtHAW4

futurebird, 16 days ago (edited 16 days ago) to random

I'm so sick of "big men" enamored of the trappings of power & anyone impressed with them. I'm sick of the mystique of "all he had to do was wave a finger & you were dead" & that is supposed to be impressive rather than terrifying & childish. I'm sick of their entourages, and the way they stick out their lips, pout, posture, bluster. The way they use other people as decorations.

They way they lie to your face as a power play.

It's all... so embarrassing for the human animal of which I am one.

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

Hey everyone I found an excellent website:

https://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Ramalina%20paludosa

#LichenSubscribe

futurebird, 16 days ago (edited 16 days ago) to random

(via. Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/hnknnw/now_its_our_cone_of_shame/)

"Now it's OUR cone of shame."

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

I think it might be fun to have contests to pour exact amounts of liquid to see who has the best measurement sense. It could be a party game and you have to drink the difference in booze.

(Or drink the difference is super carbonated water really fast for those who don't like booze.)

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

I feel like I need to say that Trump had a rally in the Bronx after all. He even found some black people to stand with him. It seems like he's making friends at the courthouse ... people he can commiserate with about how mean those prosecutors are. The guys he was with are notorious criminals. Gang leaders responsible for shootings.

They are not well liked at all.

But I can see how Trump would find them ... relatable. They are his peers in so many ways.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/trump-appeared-on-stage-at-his-bronx-rally-with-19477236.php

futurebird, 16 days ago to random

I'm getting that incredulous feeling I had in 2016 about Mr. Trump. "Why should I even think about this guy? He has no chance."

But, memory quickly checks such impulses. He's trying to get a bit of counterculture to rub off on him. I think I get it now, these recent appearances are about becoming an outsider again.

And outsider who is 'billionaire' former president at the head of a major party. Oh yeah. An outsider. Let's not play in to that one again OK?

futurebird, 16 days ago (edited 16 days ago) to random

I had to delete the post on ant biomass because I keep finding conflicting information.

Are Ants 20 percent of human biomass? Or do they beat humans by an order of magnitude?

I don't think anyone even knows.

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

This timelapse of a fungus kept by leafcutter ants is remarkable. Thousands of ants monitoring humidity, the nutrition needs of the fungus, removing unwanted growths, keeping their brood and harvesting food. Inside: the queen. Totally inclosed in a living home. The walls are food, a place for her eggs, they slowly renew, tended by her daughters.

As every living organism maintains itself, but on a strange macro-scale. These are your cells shedding and being replaced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3AZffDtOlw

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

I have a soft spot for Libertarians even though I shouldn't and they don't deserve it. When I was a kid I had a weird neighbor who was always giving me Libertarian books... I wish I still had some of them they were WILD. He was a thorn in the side of the local, school board as well insisting that if they had an event at the school that involved politics Libertarians had to be included.

And in defense of the guy, he was about as likable and earnest as a Libertarian could be.

1/

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

"It's not just a bug, it's a creature."

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

There were once giant aquatic sloths, like seacows... but sloths. (Thalassocnus)

And they lived in fear of the toothy teethed whale dolphins (Acrophyseter) who are the scariest things I've ever seen.

Miocene is one giant uncanny valley. I don't know why it doesn't get more attention for the sheer creep out factor.

futurebird, 17 days ago (edited 17 days ago) to random

Searching for "smallest ants in the world"

A list "15 Smallest Ants in the World."

1. Banded Sugar Ant
   (This is a large carpenter ant that lives in Australia)

Damn AI got me again. WTF. I wish I could report this junk somehow. It's worse than spam.

futurebird, 17 days ago (edited 14 days ago) to random

Who is the most morally compromised of our justices? If you think it is a tie you may vote for more than one.

If you think one or more of them has vastly outstripped the others in failing to live up to their office, limit your vote to the greatest failures.

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

New ant video of the pavement ants I disturbed moving nest.

(With narration describing what the ants are doing.)

#antVideo
#ants #tetramorium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a4tlw5htWA

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

"accuse them of what you do"

feels kinda creepy when you consider this whole "searching my house when I'm not home is trying to murder me"

... and what they tried to argue at the supreme court...

futurebird, 17 days ago to random

My husband wanted me to plant the garden but I found a Tetramorium queen in one of the planters and had to move her colony to a pot where they won’t be disturbed this summer. When I reunited her with her workers she came to life and they all disappeared into the moss to start again. Sorry little queen!

A shiny black ant hides in moss.