rdfranke

@rdfranke@sfba.social

By understanding history, we learn how we may be able to nudge the future into a better direction.

My interests: #abyssinian, #art, #bordercollie, #business, #catsofmastodon, #comedy, #democrat, #diversity, #dogsofmastodon, #ecology, #economy, #history, #science, #socialjustice

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skaly, (edited ) to random

Quotes from my poetry I'm considering putting on shirts. What do you think?

"Tragedies happen just like miracles. Unexpectedly sometimes.”

rdfranke,

@skaly How about reversing it? "Miracles happen just like tragedies. Unexpectedly sometimes."

rdfranke, to photography

We visited the cows at Arana Gulch (Santa Cruz CA) this morning on our 24 mile bike ride. There are four cows grazing which is apparently good for habitat restoration in this city park open space.

rdfranke, to Israel

"Biden backs Schumer after senator calls for new elections in Israel", and "Biden backs Schumer's criticism of Bibi",

"'He [Schumer] made a good speech,' ... 'I think he expressed serious concerns shared not only by him but by many Americans'", Biden said.

I've posted before:

  • Israel has a right to exist
  • Israel has a right to go after Hamas
  • If Israel is not careful they may win the battle and loose the war
  • The only long term solution is a two state solution with most of the occupied West Bank returned to Palestinian control and as part of the Palestinian state.
  • Netanyahu must go as with Likud
  • The US should end funding for Israel until Netanyahu is gone and the extremist Israeli government is replaced.

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-netanyahu-israel-gaza-schumer-de9cc522cdce548469578a4be48c7349
https://www.axios.com/2024/03/15/biden-schumer-israel-netanyahu-speech

davemark, to apple
@davemark@mastodon.social avatar

Had my Vision Pro demo last night.

SO many thoughts. Will definitely get into it on this week's show ("The Dalrymple Report" podcast records on Thursdays, drops on Friday mornings).

But in a nutshell, this was breathtaking, game changing.

My gut, right now, is that all diehard Apple fans will all own a Vision Pro eventually.

Maybe not this generation, but Series 2? Series 3? Like Apple Watch, the more refinement cycles Apple gets, the deeper into the market sales will go.

rdfranke,

@davemark WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social On the "all diehard Apple fans will all own a Vision Pro eventually". As an Apple fan with an Apple office and household, with technology I always ask the question, "why do I need this?".

  • iPod, the answer was that I could take all of my music with me on travel - that was good.
  • cell phone, it would be good in emergencies.
  • smart phone, now there's access to the internet and more information
  • iWatch, no need to carry a cell phone for calls and texting.

As the versions evolved capabilities got better and new features were added. All good.

On the Vision Pro, clearly one can see obvious potential benefits for specific uses, such as training and maintenance. But outside of specific use cases, Apple fans like me are asking, why do I need this?

Like much of technology, there will probably be some set of features that answers the question of need, and, that overcomes the hefty purchase price and the inconvenience of wearing the device. I'm open.

rdfranke,

@davemark I agree that there are many potential use cases. Reading your list, and the family event idea (which is good), made me wonder, how is that event content captured and broadcast? I haven't spent a lot of time reading up on the Vision Pro, and have heard that Apple is working with third parties on producing content and features. So, it would be interesting to understand how a "family" event would be made so that one could "be there in person". An interesting technology problem.

rdfranke,

@danilo @davemark Good point, it should have been on the list too.

rdfranke,

@davemark OK, interesting, I didn't know that. I have the iPhone 14 Pro and will probably get the 16/next version. It's definitely just the beginning.

rdfranke, to politics

Dear President Biden,

I have a modest proposal. Call the Republican's bluff. Especially those on the Supreme Court.

Claim Executive Privilege and Presidential Immunity and issue warrants for the arrest of John Roberts, Jr., Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett for gross corruption, tax fraud, perjury, and for domestic terrorism, in the form of crimes against women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Let's see how long they take to decide that Trump is a criminal and a domestic terrorist.

Regards, your faithful supporter,

Ron

drahardja, to ai
@drahardja@sfba.social avatar

Cisco doing a to “shift its focus to “key priority areas,” such as artificial intelligence”.

Getting the feeling that “shifting focus to ” is becoming a bullshit term used to rationalize literally everything.

“Cisco to lay off thousands of employees”

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/14/business/cisco-to-lay-off-thousands/index.html

rdfranke,

@drahardja Let’s go with Yes.

rdfranke, to Russia

On Navalny’s death, the interesting question is, "why now?".

What is happening in Russia and the Putin inner circle that necessitated assassinating Navalny?

What made him dangerous to Putin now that wasn't as much of a danger before?

There is some substantial reason, and fear, that Putin had to have Navalny murdered.

ElleGray, to random
@ElleGray@mstdn.social avatar

so tucker carlson blew the interview with putin. time to send in philomena cunk

rdfranke,

@ElleGray Philomena Cunk is the best. Good suggestion.

GottaLaff, to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

To address many replies:

"Share your blockages." Folks, if you've missed my & posts, you haven't been paying attention. 🤭

"I find it best to ignore, report if necessary, and block. Who wants to acknowledge morons..." Ignoring does not help. I report & block constantly. Again, alerts YOU to who I block, means "blocked."

I often don't share bc I don't want to give them air, but I do it often enough to alert you.

I'll do it every time if you need it.

rdfranke,

@GottaLaff I had a "sure, of course" moment when I saw your reply "YVW!" and wondered what that stood for. Googling "YVW" yielded several pages about Yarra Valley Water, that is apparently in Mitcham Victoria, Australia. So now I've learned two new things today. Thanks!

GottaLaff, to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

I hope some of you watch the new Lewis Black 2023 special, "Tragically, I Need You." We watched on YouTube (with really annoying ad intrusions).

So damn good.

rdfranke,

@GottaLaff Lewis Black is the best. We'll look it up.

WTL, to running
@WTL@mastodon.social avatar

Monday: 160 seconds of plank, 75 pushups, followed by 10.1 km of (-7°C with a windchill of -14°C), then picked up groceries, and walked home.

Got out the door a bit later than intended, but it was a good enough run, even if it is still feeling like a struggle; my heart rate was about 10 bpm higher than usual for the same “effort”. Might just be a Monday thing. 🤷🏻

Alices Inferno’s Dreams and Dust

rdfranke,

@WTL As an aside, I saw a news clip on the morning news today (Monterey Bay area CA) about the opening of the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa. Not surprisingly it's something new to me. It appears to be a very nice area that you live in.

rdfranke,

@WTL I had to look up what a beaver tail is. "hot chocolate and a beaver tail" sounds like a good thing on a cold day.

rdfranke, to Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the better choice for the future cars and trucks.

Regarding current stories about electric cars and freezing temperatures with their problems with battery length of charge and with charge time reinforce that hydrogen is the future.

Everything that I've read about hydrogen technology solutions tells me that it is the best answer for environmental, technological, and infrastructure issues.

GottaLaff, to legal
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

I'm back at my computer. 🧵 starts here. 1/...

(Painters slowed me down. I'm catching up...patience)

Via InnerCityPress aka Press:

Habba: My client & I wish to pt out Ms Carroll can sit in front of jurors every day. But my client has to choose between attending his mother in law's funeral--
Judge Kaplan: I have ruled. Sit down
Habba: I don't like to be spoken to that why. Please refrain. I am asking for an adjournment for a funeral.
Judge Kaplan: Denied. Sit down

rdfranke,

@GottaLaff Thanks for your great work. Not only informative, but highly entertaining.

DannyStaley, to random
@DannyStaley@mastodon.world avatar

I LOVE Supertramp and I am so sick of apologizing for it.

rdfranke,

@DannyStaley @Skepticat Supertramp's "Take the Long Way Home" is one of my favorite songs and "Breakfast in American" still holds up as a great album.

GottaLaff, to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

" I really don't care about the Iowa caucus, do U?"

rdfranke,

@GottaLaff Strangely enough I thought about a comedic answer to this and googled a bit to help think of something funny.

Then it dawned on me. You're question was a play on the Melania jacket. Very clever.

And, no, not in the least.

sharonecathcart, to random
@sharonecathcart@sfba.social avatar

Quote from article: Bullies never stop. And, most importantly, every time they win, they set their sights on the next conquest. Giving in to their demands only creates a newer and more elaborate set of demands.

We have so many of these bullies polluting our political waters today that it’s nearly impossible to get anything done that benefits anybody except the morbidly rich bullies themselves and their friends.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/trickle-down-fascism-america-is-suffering-4f5?r=1ekuyr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

rdfranke,

@sharonecathcart Yes. I learned at a young age, never, ever, give into a bully. No matter the cost. They will back down and move on.

rdfranke, to Economics

The Boeing 737 Max 9 failure of the planes fuselage plug area is a direct example of the failure of corporate America and capitalism in general, here's why.

At Boeing there is clearly a:

  • Failure of Process and Quality Control implementation and enforcement.
  • Corporate culture that enables engineering and manufacturing defects, and fails to provide adequate management oversight.
  • Reliance on manufacturing outsourcing for theoretical cost reduction.
  • General sloppiness due to a virtual monopoly in US manufacturing and an oligopoly in international competition.
  • Recognition that no one person at Boeing, or their contractors, will be held criminally liable for injury or death due to manufacturing or design defects that could have been knowingly identified and remediated.
  • Allowance of periodic failures that become a cost of doing business and insurance liability.

This incident can't be dismissed as a one-off event.

rdfranke, to random

"Get over it". The stated Republican party policy platform.

Concerned about:

  • your kids being shot while at school?
  • your wife, daughter, or girlfriend getting necessary lifesaving healthcare?
  • access to birth control?
  • women's equality?
  • LGBTQ equality?
  • marriage equality?
  • affordable housing?
  • income inequality?
  • billionaires controlling courts and legislatures?
  • Oligarchies and monopolies?
  • white supremacy?
  • Republican corruption?
  • a functional House of Representatives?
  • politicized GOP state and federal courts?
  • voting rights?
  • democracy?
    Get over it.

Your GOP today in action. Do you think the GOP cares about you? Get over it.

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

💖I hope all the judges think I'm pretty too! 💋

Via Ron Filipkowski:

asked if hired her because she’s hot:

“I don’t think I’d be on TV or sitting here if I didn’t look the way I look. I think I caught attention. I’m very honest about that and I don’t mind. I’m not a feminist … Someone asked me, 'Would you rather be smart or pretty?' ...Easy! Pretty! I can fake being smart!...You have to honest, it doesn’t hurt to be good looking.”

ADDED: https://politizoom.com/alina-habba-id-rather-be-pretty-because-i-can-fake-being-smart-thats-what-you-think/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

rdfranke,

@GottaLaff Wow, and how sad a view of oneself.

rdfranke, to Economics

I recently learned that I'm a Luddite. And I'm kind of proud of me.

I finished "Blood in the Machine the Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech", by Brian Merchant.

Even thought I've been in the tech world for quite awhile, I've always been concerned with how technology is used and it's negative impacts on society at large. All of my tech efforts have focused on helping individuals be better at what they do. Not in replacing individuals with technology. Privacy has always been a concern of mine.

If you're not part of the top 1% or the top 5%, your job, your livelihood, and your self worth is at risk with someone who's one goal is to increase their wealth by taking your job away.

The solution is to recognize the insidiousness of the danger and it's ability to hide and deflect until it's too late to guard against it's outcome, and to take action now.

I recommend that you read this book.

mekkaokereke, to random
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io avatar

Happy !

I still haven't made it to Black history yet. I'm still on white US history.

Q: Why is it OK for Black folk to like the Black Panthers, but white folk can't like the klan? Black supremacy is just as bad as white supremacy! Why the double standard?

A: Black folk know white US history, so they know that the Black Panthers were not Black supremacists.

(At this point, half of the Black folk reading this just involuntarily said "COINTELPRO!" out loud).

rdfranke,

@stewf @mekkaokereke @letterformarchive "they were armed with breakfast, and vaccines, and the truth" is a great phrase.

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