@verbeeld@mastodon.social
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

verbeeld

@verbeeld@mastodon.social

Director Public Technology at the research centre imec 🧙🏻‍♂️
Aspiring Superintendent of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge 📖
Bike, bench & tree 🚲🪑🌳
He/him 🙋🏻‍♂️

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

kaia, to random
@kaia@brotka.st avatar

wrote a letter by hand and it's such a weird feeling having to wait for it to be delivered. I have to remind myself that it's not even at the recipient yet

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@kaia That was my resolution for 2023: write at least one letter per month. I'm so happy I did.

https://mastodon.social/@verbeeld/109542605285760530

warandpeas, to random
@warandpeas@mastodon.social avatar

It's World Book Day!

Here's a thread with some books we wrote:

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@warandpeas I bought a signed copy for my girlfriend. Recommended (for your own partner).

lain, to random
@lain@lain.com avatar
verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@lain Strong Eero Aarnio Bubble chair vibes here!

girlonthenet, to random
@girlonthenet@mastodon.social avatar

Friend: shall we go to the pub?
Me: ah I’d love to but I have to be up early tomorrow.
Friend: fair. But also... pub?
Me: you make a compelling point.

TO THE PUB

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@girlonthenet @lisamelton Those moments on social media when you encounter strong and convincing arguments. Spreading knowledge and insights: a true cause of the Internet.

jeffjarvis, to random
@jeffjarvis@mastodon.social avatar

Say who is doing this. Say who is attacking the right to vote and democracy: Republicans.
Americans will find voting easier — or harder — depending where they live https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/08/voting-laws-swing-states-2024/

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@jeffjarvis For me the possibility of selective erosion of voting rights, is the strongest argument I have in favour of the current compulsory vote we have in Belgium.

Instead of trying to keep you away from the voting booth, governments could require you to show up.

(Formally in Belgium we have compulsory attendance at the voting booth, not compulsory voting.)

Daojoan, to random
@Daojoan@mastodon.social avatar

"it's important to recognize" = this post was written by chatGPT

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@Daojoan @lisamelton Let’s delve into that issue some more.

https://x.com/jeremynguyenphd/status/1774021645709295840

mcnees, to random
@mcnees@mastodon.social avatar

Elf -> Elves
Dwarf -> Dwarves
Smurf -> Smurves

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@mcnees The difference is that the first two are fictional.

ZachWeinersmith, to random
@ZachWeinersmith@mastodon.social avatar

Is there a term where you send someone a sext, but it's not a picture of your dong? Like it's just text.

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@ZachWeinersmith Is this a text version of “I only read Playboy for the articles”?

verge, to random
@verge@mastodon.social avatar

Our favorite smart home automations https://www.theverge.com/24087581/smart-home-automations-verge-favorites

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@verge I’ve connected my (not-connected) washing machine in the basement, using a Wemo Insight plug (which measures energy use).

When my washing machine ends (stops consuming significant amounts of energy), it activates a led-strip behind my basement door.

I like the non-obtrusive but clear visual clues on a place I frequently pass by.

All local WiFi, no cloud needed.

Image 2: The same setting as the first, but with the frosted window now illuminated from within by a string of bright lights, giving a warm glow to the opaque glass.

verge, to random
@verge@mastodon.social avatar

Ikea begins beta-testing Matter on its Dirigera hub https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/4/24087827/ikea-dirigera-hub-matter-support

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@verge The IKEA TRETAKT smart plug you mention can be found for € 7,99 on the website!

https://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/p/tretakt-fiche-connecte-00556513/

verbeeld, to random
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

In Roubaix they are serious about their one-way streets.

📍: Roubaix, France

Photo of a yellow speed bump with unidirectional metal spikes.

verbeeld, to random French
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

Je suis Alfred.

macrumors, to random
@macrumors@mastodon.social avatar

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Which Is Better? https://www.macrumors.com/2024/03/01/apple-maps-vs-google-maps/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@macrumors I use Maps a lot for bike navigation in Belgium… which Apple Maps doesn’t offer here. So Google it is. 🤷🏻‍♂️

TarkabarkaHolgy, to 13thFloor Hungarian

Proving the point of the previous toot, here is last year's list I made, about women in folktales who slay monsters.
Because THEY EXIST. Lots of them.
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2023/03/folktales-about-women-who-slay-monsters.html?m=0

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@TarkabarkaHolgy Saved for future reference. I'm always looking for themes for my daughters' birthday parties.

They've defeated the Kraken threatening our city, and they've defeated Medusa… your list is great inspiration! Thanks!

Daojoan, to random
@Daojoan@mastodon.social avatar

Choosing any app in 2024 is a battle between convenience and freedom.

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@Daojoan @lisamelton The greatest trick that Convenience ever pulled was convincing the world that it was equal to Freedom.

design_law, to random
@design_law@mastodon.social avatar

U.S. Patent No. 4,378,116 - issued to Ernö Rubik in 1983 for a "spatial logical toy."

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@design_law 👆🏻 Today I learned that I'm older than the Rubik's Cube.

lain, to random
@lain@lain.com avatar

god has a sense of humor

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@lain And she speaks French.

verbeeld, to streetphotography
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

Impressive street art in Brussels… "The Ark" by François Schuiten.

https://www.altaplana.be/en/dictionary/arche-l

📍: Brussels, Belgium

A drawing of the art work "De Ark", which was turned into street art.

qag, to random
@qag@social.ridetrans.it avatar

Has anyone else been flooded with spam on here? It’s super annoying. CW: spam

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@qag Yes, apparently it’s a thing since yesterday. Admins (volunteers) are battling, but it's a real onslaught apparently. (My instance is remarkably free of spam in this wave though.)

philipdutre, to random Dutch
@philipdutre@mastodon.online avatar

De voorbije 30 jaar heb ik doorgebracht in het onderzoeksdomein van . Jaar na jaar zag ik nieuwe algoritmen en technieken verschijnen die telkens leidden tot het ‘realistischer’ maken, manipuleren, wijzigen, van synthetische beelden. Amper werd er stilgestaan bij de ethische en maatschappelijke implicaties. Immers, zolang het ging over films en games was alles ‘cool’. Maar nu begin ik me oprecht zorgen te maken. 1/

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@philipdutre Philip, welke vormen zie je die “actie” aannemen? (Ik denk graag mee.)

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@philipdutre En ook in andere richtingen vermoed ik.

Mijn argument naar juristen en artsen die zeggen dat ze geen wiskunde/statistiek nodig hebben, is dat ze zich zo perfect positioneren om zich in de luren te laten leggen.

Dat in de luren kunnen leggen wordt nog ordegroottes straffer bij AI.

craiggrannell, to random
@craiggrannell@mastodon.social avatar

My column for Stuff this week is ‘My phone does everything, which is why I want to resurrect my iPod’.

I realise my inability to focus for more than about two seconds is a me problem. But as I look around, I find it’s a ‘lots of other people problem’ too.

https://www.stuff.tv/features/my-phone-does-everything-which-is-why-i-want-to-resurrect-my-ipod/

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@craiggrannell I’m fully on board for the resurgence of the single-purpose devices!

ajsadauskas, (edited ) to australia
@ajsadauskas@aus.social avatar

Australia is bigger than some people overseas imagine.

So here's a quick comparison of Australian states to their US counterparts.

Tasmania is Australia's smallest state, with a total area of 68,401 square kilometres.

That's bigger than West Virginia, Maryland, Ha​waii, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, or Rhode Island.

Australia's second smallest state is Victoria, at 227, 444km2.

It's larger than Minnesota, Utah, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Washington, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Wisconsin, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maine, Florida, or Pennsylvania.

Fun fact: Victoria is larger in area than Indiana and South Carolina combined.

Now on to the ones that might surprise you.

You know how Texans love talking up how big Texas is?

New South Wales is bigger than Texas.

And by quite a margin. NSW is 801, 150 sq km compared to 696,241 sq km for Texas.

South Australia is bigger than Texas, and Michigan. Combined.

SA is 984, 321 sq km.

Texas (696,241 km2) plus Michigan (250,493 sq km) is just 946, 734 sq km.

Queensland is bigger than Alaska.

Queensland is 1,729,742 sq km, compared to 1,717,854 sq km for Alaska.

That also means Queensland is bigger than Texas and California. Combined.

Texas (696,241 km2) plus California (423,968 km2) is 1,120,209 sq km.

You can add in Michigan too (250,493 sq km) and it's still only 1,370,702 sq km.

That's right kids. Texas, California, and Michigan combined are 359,040 sq km smaller than Queensland.

That leaves Western Australia. It's 2,527,013 square kilometres.

How big is that? Well, the combined area of Texas and Alaska is 2,414,095 sq km, so pretty bloody big.

Source: https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/dimensions/area-of-australia-states-and-territories

@australia

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@ajsadauskas @australia

https://www.thetruesize.com/#?borders=1~

vicgrinberg, to random
@vicgrinberg@mastodon.social avatar

😭 It's the third year in a row that I get an outreach request that I would really love to say "yes" to but somehow I always have something in parallel. This time a conference I need to attend in my functional role at ESA, so it's not even like I could say "no" to it ...

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@vicgrinberg I find that this ‘passing on requests’ usually works really well… it’s a great way to support younger colleagues and to manage your own workload.

It’s a balance between having a lasting positive societal impact, while making yourself redundant in the long run.

(Or is that too philosophical for a Saturday night?)

kaia, to random
@kaia@brotka.st avatar

I think.

verbeeld,
@verbeeld@mastodon.social avatar

@kaia You are.

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