@AskPippa@c.im
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

AskPippa

@AskPippa@c.im

I'm a science & medical writer curious about the world. I like to share what I find out. Remember Ask Pippa, science for kids in the Toronto Star? That was me. Also the Medical Post, Medscape, SciAm, Vice and more.

#scicomm #journalism #medicine #science #technology #ScienceFiction #PublicHealth #scifi #vaccine #immunology #oncology #pediatrics #cardiology #diabetes #virus #cancer #epidemiology #Medmastodon #IDmastodon #plastic #climate #biodiversity #space

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molly0xfff, to random
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io avatar

"[The moderator crackdown is] just a reminder that anything you post on any of these platforms can and will be used for profit. It's just a matter of time until all your messages on Discord, Twitter etc. are scraped, fed into a model and sold back to you." – @ben

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/stack-overflow-bans-users-en-masse-for-rebelling-against-openai-partnership-users-banned-for-deleting-answers-to-prevent-them-being-used-to-train-chatgpt

h/t @dangillmor

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@molly0xfff @ben @dangillmor Question: "scraped, fed into a model." Can't people scrape posts, etc. from Mastodon? They're not exactly hidden from the Internet... (Seriously, I don't know how this works)

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Oh great. A Trumpee interested in buying TikTok.

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4651527-mnuchin-still-considering-tiktok-purchase-says-technology-could-be-rebuilt/

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

And yet another side to supportive issues.

@cbc_top_stories https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/housing-first-ottawa-problem-support-1.7196460

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Different approaches works for different individuals.
https://slate.com/technology/2024/05/polyamory-nonmonogomy-dating-relationships-sex.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Insects and Other Animals Have Consciousness, Experts Declare. An article by @danfalk in Quanta Magazine.

@QuantaMagazine

AskPippa, to 13thFloor
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Want to learn about the business side of writing your SF stories?
Can*Con is offering an online workshop. it runs for three weeks starting on May 14, every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7 to 8:30 pm ET. It's a dedicated workshop with vetted experts who work in the field who’ll share wisdom, experience, and a way forward.

@proprietor
https://can-con.org/level-up/

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Fun with microwave ovens. How to make a small fireball with a grape.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-a-grape-turns-into-a-fireball-in-a-microwave

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

A problem with writing for a website that is password protected is that I feel nobody is reading the articles I'm working so hard on, and I can't share them with others more widely.
But, at least there are pay cheques.

AskPippa, to Birds
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

So excited that a robin is nesting on the front porch, and a wren has moved onto the back porch.
I really, really hope the Cooper's don't come back this year.

AskPippa, to Starwars
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Yesterday: May the 4th be with you.
Today: Revenge of the 5th.

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Estrangement from family. It's not uncommon and might be becoming more common according to this article.
A couple of things stood out for me:
There is “a growing recognition of the importance of mental health and wellbeing, leading more individuals to prioritise their emotional health and set boundaries with toxic or abusive family members.” And...
"A familial relationship coming undone doesn’t signal a character flaw or impending lifelong loneliness. It just means you have to work harder to find the love you want."

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/family-estrangement

AskPippa, (edited ) to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

A powerful story about a student protest in 1970 some might find hard to read.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-girl-in-the-kent-state-photo

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@deano I had heard bits about this before, but had no idea about the details until I read this. The article alludes to a building being burnt down the day before, but no idea what happened with that. A pretty powerful story. I was moved by it too.

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-girl-in-the-kent-state-photo

AskPippa, to random
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

I so want to live in one of these. Or at least use one as a writing retreat.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/a-map-of-the-last-remaining-flying-saucer-homes

theverge, to random
@theverge@flipboard.com avatar

DoorDash won’t let you tip NYC drivers without the app
https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/3/24148152/doordash-drivers-nyc-tipping-minimum-wage?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Policy & Law @policy

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@theverge @policy The solution is to keep some cash on hand for tipping. Then you know for sure that particular individual is getting the tip -- and it avoids other complications.

ChemicalEyeGuy, to random
@ChemicalEyeGuy@mstdn.science avatar

bans such as “so that elites can’t force people to eat it!” 👀 👉 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-bans-lab-cultivated-meat-sales-distribution_n_6634edd9e4b0fc2b952949e9

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@ChemicalEyeGuy Um... Impossible Burgers are soy based. I'm not sure any of the lab grown ones are on the market yet.

https://impossiblefoods.com/products/burger

JohnDA, to DadBin
@JohnDA@vivaldi.net avatar

The Evening Post, 3 May 1924:
DIPHTHERIA
“ASSASSIN OF CHILDREN”
ITS PREVENTION AND CURE
POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND
…
SUMMARY.

  1. is preventable.
  2. All under 14 years of age should be tested for susceptibility to diphtheria.
  3. Have your children of the ages of from one to 14 years who show susceptibility to diphtheria immunised against diphtheria.
  4. Toxin-antitoxin is the 100 per cent. preventive of diphtheria.
    STEPS IN NEW ZEALAND.
    The New Zealand Department of Health has been keeping in close touch with these latest developments, and has indeed made trial of the methods outlined above. The earliest adoption of those methods in New Zealand, so far as is known, were in 1919…. Since then, the method has been used for the of one school in a suburb of Dunedin and two schools in Hamilton. The results have in each case been most encouraging.
    The Health Department is desirous of pressing on with this phase of its work, and hopes in the near future to be able to offer to the school population in all parts of the Dominion this method of protection against a most formidable disease.
    …
    https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19240503.2.117
AskPippa, (edited )
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@JohnDA I'd heard of diphtheria referred to as the 'strangling angel of children', but the assassin of children is pretty descriptive too!
https://www.museumofhealthcare.ca/explore/exhibits/vaccinations/diphtheria.html

Edent, (edited ) to random
@Edent@mastodon.social avatar

You receive a call on your phone.
The caller says they're from your bank and they're calling about a suspected fraud.

"Oh yeah," you think. Obvious scam, right?

The caller says "I'll send you an in-app notification to prove I'm calling from your bank."

Your phone buzzes. You tap the notification This is what you see.

Still think it is a scam?
1/3

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@Edent If I get a call, and I'm at my computer, I'll log into my account to see what's going on right at that moment.

AskPippa, to Birds
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

If you have a window birds are crashing into (that includes glass balconies), use a bar of soap to draw patterns, etc. on it -- until you can get the right sort of film to put on the outside of the glass. If you try stickers, there shouldn't be any more than 2 inches between any sticker patterns in any direction. If there are spaces, will swoop (sometimes tucking their wings in to make themselves smaller) to try to go in between (like they do when flying between branches on trees). Rows and columns of tiny dots are popular, as are closely spaced stripes, or film that is slightly opaque that kills the glare.
Here is one source for sheets of dots. The dots are good because it leaves a lot of space for you to see out. If you use stickers or decals, you have to cover practically the whole window for them to be effective.
I have 1 suspect window -- as long as I muss it up with soap or leave it dirty, I haven't seen any crashes. Any stickers or sheets of dots need to be put on the outside of the window as that is where the reflective surface is that cause birds trouble. Screens work too.

https://www.conveniencegroup.com/featherfriendly/feather-friendly/

AskPippa, to H5N1
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Pasteurization of dairy products is a good thing. "Pasteurization inactivates H5N1 bird flu in milk, new FDA and academic studies confirm."
From @STAT

@medmastodon
https://www.statnews.com/2024/05/01/bird-flu-pasteurization-inactivates-h5n1-in-milk/

statisticsworld, to random
@statisticsworld@mastodon.world avatar

1 / 9 = 0.1111111111111111111111...
12 / 99 = 0.12121212121212121212...
123 / 999= 0.1231231231231231123...
1234 / 9999 = 0.1234123412341234...
12345 / 99999 = 0.123451234512345...
123456 / 999999 = 0.123456123456…
1234567 / 99999999 = 0.1234567123456712...

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@statisticsworld I love weird number patterns like this.

AskPippa, to Hockey
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

Breakaway and another goal by Spooner!

rockmastermike, to random
@rockmastermike@mastodon.social avatar

@Alice This is the tshirt I mentioned the other day. Couldn’t find it it was in the laundry

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@rockmastermike @Alice Folding, what's that? 🤔 I know it's time to do laundry when there's only 1 clean shirt left.

AskPippa,
@AskPippa@c.im avatar

@rockmastermike TMI! TMI! (Haines must love you!) :bd06: :bd06:

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