jeffc

jeffc, 1 month ago

@lowqualityfacts
Australia's native fauna starts with the relatively conventional platypus (do not pet), kangaroo (do not approach), and crocodile (assuredly not your cuddle-buddy), and become progressively more unusual/dangerous from there. If its true nature were widely known, it would put a dent in the tourism industry. So the Tourism Board invented the dog-like dingo (which will only eat you if it has nothing better to do). But you must admit, the animatronics are convincing.

jeffc, 1 month ago

@danilop
I keep wondering how Rust could incorporate a verifier into the compiler, so a developer could annotate a code block with proofs, and it wouldn't compile if the verifications fail.

Integrating them would let the proof address variables and code constructs directly, and would limit any temptation to skip the verification step when someone makes a maintenance change.

jeffc, 1 month ago

@OGjester
Seriously. In ours, it manifests in the traffic to and from the event.

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration

"Darned if it didn't get stuck."

"Eclipses can't get 'stuck'. Orbits don't work that way. If you put the moon in a geosynchronous..."

"Been three hours so far."

"..."

"Yeah."

"Wait a sec. I've gotta make a call. ... Hey Janice? ... Have you been down in the basement? ... You know that dusty light switch on the far wall? ... No, the pantry light's the other one. I need you to flip the one on the left. ... Yes, please. Now."

Suddenly cheers erupted.
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
Somebody needs to have a heart-to-heart with a certain electrician.

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
Luna's child awakes at dawn...

"I've given you air, and sun. A place to live. A place to thrive."

... knowing that his time has come....

"When your own world was dead, I gave you mine."

... Sings again the ancient tune....

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

... Luna's child has come...

"I ask little. But I will have my due."

... the Man on the Moon.

Coming for you soon.
#VisualInspiration

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
"Full throttle, Scrapper! No braking burn!"

The astroid Tortuga's built into protects her bow, and her drive plumes protect her stern, but only when they're lit. And then Scrapper couldn't reach the landing bay.

Nixie lit the drives when Scrapper was half a klick out. As the pursuit peeled off, the ship's acceleration turned Scrapper's crash into a landing.

"Ya get 'em'?"

Scrapper held up the seed bag and grinned. "Enough to restart the greenhouse!"
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
"Why are you writing, Archiva? Why not just text?"

"Because I'm trying to understand."

"Understand what?"

"Culture. Tradition."

"Why?"

"Science and technology are universal; culture and tradition make you you. We robots are too new to have our own, so I'm trying to understand yours."

"Trying to understand us?"

"Yes. And myself."

"What have you learned?"

"That it's necessary to learn."

"How'd you learn that?"

"By observing you, young one."
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 1 month ago

@Teri_Kanefield
Poor little guy looks like he's in shock. He's trying so hard to process the fact that the sky is falling--on him!

jeffc, 1 month ago

@darthstar
The financial statement may be a sticking point for him, but do I understand correctly that he tried to submit a bond without the power of attorney that would let the state collect the bond if he loses his appeal?
@GottaLaff

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
Some of us are born to be underlings. But not Morelli.

One day he mouths off to Mister Benedic. Mister Benedic shoves him into a box. Only he didn't realize the box was the Clone-o-Matic, and Morelli hit the Copy button on the way in.

A few minutes later, out pops a Morelli clone. The first thing it does is hit the Copy button. This continues.

Next thing I know, Mister Benedic has a Situation, the Mister Morellis are in charge, and I got a bunch of new bosses.
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
Somehow the wise guys from Kiss Me Kate got crossed with the Lentilla backstory from the Hitchhikers Guide radio version and up popped the Clone-o-Matic. Brush up your Shakespeare!

jeffc, 1 month ago

@DemocracyMattersALot
They filed an 8-K today with a ton of financials and other disclosures.

https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1849635&owner=exclude

It will be interesting to watch how they handle the valuation of their software platform. Public companies are much stricter about disclosure than private ones. I wonder how much they've considered that fact.

jeffc, 1 month ago

@golgaloth
It says a lot about the kinds of books he reads .

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration
"You're a demon?"

"Yup."

"You look like a luchador."

"I'm new. The old ones have full case loads. Why'd you summon me, O mortal?"

"I want to win class president over Sally."

"Here's what you do: your campaign theme is the playground's falling apart and you're the only one who can get it fixed. Then start a rumor that Sally was the one who told on Jessica."

"Sounds hard. Can't you just make it happen?"

"Sorry, no-can-do: Sally already has her own demon."
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 1 month ago

@mattblaze I take it activating the incident response plan was immediate, involuntary, and rather loud?

jeffc, 1 month ago

Electrostatic muscles made cargo walkers possible. Economics made them big. But Fenic Corp. gave them personality.

"Mule Six, pickup at Chin Ridge. Don't step on a hab."

"Tell 'em to stay out from underfoot."

"You like this work, Six?"

"Where else could I endlessly walk and carry stuff?"

As Six crested the ridge, it saw them. Bandits! Going after its pickup! Ears back, it marched in and started kicking. The survivors left quickly.

"Ready for pickup."
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 1 month ago

@VisualInspiration Huh. I somehow managed to reply to one of your posts without tagging you in the reply.

At least on my instance, the post above is linked to yours, but the body of the post doesn't "@" you. It's like a ghost reply. I didn't even know that was possible.

jeffc, 2 months ago

@atomicpoet
It came through fine with Mastodon+Fedilab.

jeffc, 2 months ago

@VisualInspiration
You think New Leipzig defenseless, Herr Messenger?

Before me is the Meisterorgel. It commands every emitter of sound in the city, all of them precisely matched in pitch, timbre, and phase. Together they make a sound such as you have never heard.

Sound that can focus and dance. Sound that can asphyxiate or explode a skull. Sound that can detonate munitions, destroy missiles, and implode tanks.

Now, Herr Messenger, will your troops withdraw? Or shall I play?
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 2 months ago

@VisualInspiration
"So it turns out we discovered one of the planet's resonant frequencies. Good news! We don't have to worry about the invasion any more! The survivors will kick off the Go Fund Me to build New New Liepzig next week..."

jeffc, 2 months ago

@VisualInspiration
Me too!

jeffc, 2 months ago

@VisualInspiration

Infomancy? Hands down worst thing to come out of the War. No contest.

We'd just locked down Sitka Bank. Military grade ciphers, air gaps, secure hardware, the works. Then some infomancer screws with probability, bypasses security, and takes everything. Crashed three national economies. People were killing each other over a bag of rice.

Security best practices my ass.

I chucked it all. Now I got nothing fancier than a wood stove. Tech's for suckers.
#MicroFiction

jeffc, 2 months ago

@VisualInspiration
That's essentially it. After their discharge, many joined what was left of the private sector, some went into the remaining government agencies, and the rest were left to fend for themselves with their new skills.