Pour one out for a real one. Let us not forget how much censorship is accepted and even celebrated in the Russian Federation. Stiver fought the good fight for freedom of ideas in Russian. RIP.

EDIT: added correct link to article

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/26917296

> cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/26917080 > > > When uploading photos using the desktop website, make sure to select Full Resolution in the Upload Preferences. > > > > You must have exactly six 5x7 photo cards in your cart for the code to apply.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/18915016

> > In 1964, two young academics clambered into a red Mini and, armed with a mountain of printed slips, set out to conduct what would become the definitive survey of English folklore and traditions for the next 60 years. > > > >John Widdowson and Paul Smith went to town centres, ­community halls, Women’s Institute meetings. They handed the simple forms out to anyone who visited Sheffield University, where they were based. And they wanted to know the answer to one simple question: what do you know to be true? > > > > Now held in the university’s archives, the thousands of replies make for illuminating reading, creating a patchwork of observances, superstitions and local legends, passed down through families and communities. > > > >“Don’t bring hawthorn blossom into the house. It’s bad luck,” wrote David Smith of London, who had learned this from his mother, Molly, then living in Scarborough. > > > >The story related by Florence Swaby of Hertfordshire was perhaps a little more dramatic: “Just outside the village, part of the road is called the white highway, and at that point there are two large open fields and the devil haunts there. This is the story handed down from my great grandmother and really happened …” > > > > Exactly six decades on, the Survey of Language and Folklore is finally being updated, with a more scientific method than two men in a Mini handing out questionnaires almost at random. The Centre for Contemporary Legend, based at Sheffield Hallam University, is to conduct the National Folklore Survey, financed with £271,000 of government money from the UK Research and Innovation body. > > > >The project will be led by David Clarke along with Diane Rodgers, also of Sheffield Hallam, and Ceri Houlbrook and Owen Davies who founded the MA Folklore Studies course at Hertfordshire University. It will be conducted by Ipsos-UK, ­polling almost 3,000 people in the first phase to create a clearer picture of what folklore means today. > > > >The new survey aims to address “the lack of robust research evidence into the cultural value of folklore in post-Brexit, post-pandemic, multicultural England. It aims to create new data to answer two research questions: ‘How have folkloric beliefs and practices shaped England’s social, cultural and spiritual identity?’ and ‘To what extent are ideas of nationalism and colonial attitudes informed by contemporary notions of English folklore?’” > > > > ... > > > > “You might think that in an increasingly technological world we have no place for folklore, but it seems to be the opposite. Technology and mobile phones create a kind of disenchantment in people’s lives, and I think they’ve started to realise that. The revival of interest in folklore is a wonderful thing, and long may it continue.”

Cliff's notes: Polaris Dawn splashes down near Key West with something rare- a 100% successful mission with no surprises. It was risky, especially the preparation and execution of the spacewalk. You can't treat decompression sickness on the Dragon capsule, so you have to make sure that no one in the crew of 4 has any nitrogen bubbles in their blood before venting the air and letting SPAAAACE into your spacecraft.

cross-posted from: https://toast.ooo/post/4202022

> Over the last 2 weeks, I worked to adapt the code that was used for making the 2023 r/place atlas, adapting it to work with this event, as well as making it work on GitLab and Lemmy. > > The site is at atlas.mariusdavid.fr, the lemmy community is !2024lemmycanvasatlas@toast.ooo. > > The goal of the atlas is to register the meaning of the elements(/arts/placements/zones) of the Canvas, as well as (optionally) meta element about the element itself (like which community placed it). > > It offer both the possibility to create new entry or to edit existing ones. > > It is ready to receive your contribution (I’ve already put a few elements I worked on). You can start by clicking the “Draw” button, then drawing the element and filling other informations (all but the title are optionals. The 4 specific kind of links (Lemmy, Matrix, Discord, SubReddit) are just to better format them, but any kind of link can be put in the “Website” box). Once finished, you’ll have a piece of JSON code that you can copy-paste in a post on the above community (not this !canvas@toast.ooo one). A bot will then make an MR on Gitlab, which will allow preview, review and approval. (note that opening the MR might take 10 minutes, and making the preview another 10 minutes. Technically speaking, it work by polling, which is not very efficient for quick reaction time). > > The full source code is also available on sc07’s GitLab https://git.sc07.company/marius851000/fediverse-canvas-atlas-2024 and there is also a Matrix room at https://matrix.to/#/#lemmy-canvas-atlas-discussion:mariusdavid.fr (avaible from the general Canvas space). > > ps: There is no formal method to describe an entry. I will recommend starting by describing what is presented, then putting more meta information, like which community (or user) placed it, who drew it and this kind of stuff.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/18347232

> cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/11683880 > > > cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/11683421 > > > > > The EU has quietly imposed cash limits EU-wide: > > > * €3k limit on anonymous payments > > > * €10k limit regardless (link which also lists state-by-state limits). > > > > > > From the jailed¹ article: > > > > > > > An EU-wide maximum limit of €10 000 is set for cash payments, which will make it harder for criminals to launder dirty money. > > > > > > It will also strip dignity and autonomy from non-criminal adults, you nannying assholes! > > > > > > > In addition, according to the provisional agreement, obliged entities will need to identify and verify the identity of a person who carries out an occasional transaction in cash between €3 000 and €10 000. > > > > > > The hunt for “money launderers” and “terrorists” is not likely meaningfully facilitated by depriving the privacy of people involved in small €3k transactions. It’s a bogus excuse for empowering a police surveillance state. It’s a shame how quietly this apparently happened. No news or chatter about it. > > > > > > ¹ the EU’s own website is an exclusive privacy-abusing Cloudflare site inaccessible several demographics of people. Sad that we need to rely on the website of a US library to get equitable access to official EU communication. > > > > > > update > > > --- > > > The Pirate party’s reaction is spot on. They also point out that cryptocurrency is affected. Which in the end amounts to forced banking. > > > > > > #warOnCash

South Korea security team in charge of tracking foreign floating feculence finds a lil' present from the Norks on the roof. No injuries reported.

OC: @The_Picard_Maneuver@startrek.website

cross-posted from: https://dubvee.org/post/1509706

> Mod Note: I'm bending the "no politics' rule to highlight a disgusting trend I've been seeing on Lemmy lately. Due to the sheer volume of comments fitting that trend and the huge number downvotes given to anyone who speaks out against it, I'm convinced this opinion is truly unpopular in the Lemmy-verse. This is also topical and important enough to merit discussion or at least to provide a point of reflection. So while it touches on politics, that's merely the framing device of current events being used to highlight a larger problem. > > As you're inevitably downvoting this, at least take a good, long look in the mirror while you do so. > > --- > > The sheer number of people here praising the shooter, advocating for, glorifying, or just flat out calling for violence has been a real eye opener and litmus test for the kind of people I've surrounded myself with on this platform. Suffice it to say, a lot of you have failed that test spectacularly. > > A rational, independent thinker should be able to condemn this kind of violence even when it's targeted towards their "enemies." Political violence has absolutely NO PLACE in a healthy society, and no one should be praising or advocating for it. No one. Ever. This is one thing that, regardless of the paradox of tolerance, should be universally condemned. > > There are, apparently, a ton of extremists here that don't see themselves as such because they believe their extremism is justified and that they're on the right side of history. Ironically, which is what all extremists think. > > This goes back further than just yesterdays's events. For example, it's been a common refrain since the Supreme Court presidential immunity decision that, paraphrased, "The current non-dictator president should do dictator things to stop the other dictator". Which is just another flavor of "Extremism is bad except when it's my flavor of extremism". > > Don't give me that "it's just gallows humor", "I'm oppressed, and he deserved it", "if you had a time machine, wouldn't you go back to 1934...", "we haven't been a healthy society for X years...", or other excuses. This is a BFD with major implications and ramifications, and y'all Lemmings are treating like we just missed the exit ramp to Utopia and are trying to find a wide spot to make a U-turn. > > It's certainly fine to have no sympathy for the guy (I sure as hell don't), but it's another thing entirely to be cheering on, promoting, and/or advocating for extremist stances like those being thrown out lately. > > You say you want a better society? Then act like it! > > Moments like this are the true test of one's character and intellectual honesty, and I'm beyond disappointed in so many of you. >

The sad story of the Old Believer family who lived isolated in Siberia for 40 years. They got lost in one of the most remote places on Earth, seeking religious freedom.

Engineering for Change released blueprints for a manually powered sorghum press built from locally available materials in Mali. If they can do it, you can do it.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17217315

> Nyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, what's up, Doc? > > ! > > This, er, "knife" is nearly unique in that it's one of only two in my collection that I received without actually wanting it. Now there's a fuckin' sterling endorsement. No, wait. The opposite of that. Indictment. Yeah, that was the word I was looking for. > > These things are all over the internet, as anyone who is even peripherally interested in either knives or cheap Chinese import crap is undoubtedly aware. And if you draw a Venn diagram of those two things I am as you know standing directly in the center with geometric precision. There's no official brand or model designation for this, of course, but they're thick on the ground under all kinds of word-salad search-robot product titles. I have even occasionally seen punters with the chutzpah to hawk them claiming to be a "Squiddy" product, which they most certainly aren't. > > It is fairly easy to wind up with one of these things for free. I suspect the reason being that China cranked out a metric buttload of units, but the "carrot" fad flashed in the pan even faster than Pogs, light up shoelace pucks, fidget spinners, or jelly bands. All the TikTok clips and Shein banners and whatever other social media nonsense have surely categorically failed to generate sufficient hype to make anyone rich selling this dreck, so now whoever-it-is is stuck trying to figure out what the hell to do with a warehouse full of cheaply injection molded plastic bali-carrots. > > So, I ordered two other knives I actually did want, and this showed up in the box along with them. Completely unsolicited. > > ! > > Gee, thanks. > > Anyway, this is after a fashion some kind of balisong, so I think I'm obligated to look at it. It exists somewhere on the graph in between a blunt trainer knife and a fidget toy. There are toddler sized versions of these I've seen as well, but not this one. It is every bit of 7" long, closed, which puts it in the same sort of size category as a full sized traditional balisong. But it has no edge, and the "blade," such as it is, is not only plastic and completely rounded over including the point, but also appears to be hollow inside. It should therefore be thoroughly impossible for even the most uncoordinated of wielders to injure themselves or anybody with this, and even if you managed to stab anything hard enough with it to entertain the possibility of dealing damage it would probably just break instead. > > Here's the scoop; There's no way around it. It is, even by the metrics of low-end trainer knives, crap. Just absolutely atrocious. > > ! > > The Bali-Carrot is of course made via a simple injection molding process. It's thus a channel "milled" design, but milled is precisely the wrong word for it. The construction is extremely simple, consisting only of both handles which are single unitary pieces, the blade, and two screws. There are no bushings or washers or anything. And forget about a pocket clip or a latch. > > ! > > These are pretty clearly just assembled from parts taken straight out of the mold. Nobody spent any time or money on finishing work, and even the injection job is a poor one. Mine has a distinctly recycled-park-bench air about it, particularly in the tail ends of the handles. > > ! > > It's assembled by way of two commodity machine screws just chunked into the plastic. The holes for them obviously weren't even threaded to begin with; this is just a sheer friction fit obtained by force. I know whoever is assembling these just uses whatever cheap screws are lying around, too, because I've seen many pictures of these online from many shady purveyors, but the screw heads are often visibly different between them. > > ! > > Mine are round headed screws, but I imagine one of these could show up with anything in there. At least I got a matched pair. > > ! > > To positively ensure fitment, I imagine, the openings in the handles are significantly wider than the "blade" is thick. Possibly the original intent was meant to include some washers in there which have since been omitted to cut costs, but I can't say. The upshot is that there are huge gaps left between the handles and blade, which results in an enormous amount of play. > > ! > > I mean, just look at it. > > And if you try to mitigate this by cranking the screws down, the tips of the handles bend inwards alarmingly. This is a lost cause, and I've already stopped caring. > > All of the above notwithstanding, the Bali-Carrot almost does fulfill its function as a usable flipping toy or trainer. It has the disadvantage of being incredibly light -- just 46.3 grams in total or 1.63 ounces -- due to being just plastic. But I'm not really one to talk on that front, if we're honest. And it does pivot freely, at least, albeit by way of having huge gaps and tolerances everywhere. > > But. > > ! > > The design is nonsensical. One thing every balisong knife in the world definitely does have is either a pair of kicker pins or a tang pin, or "Zen" pins in the handles. That is to say, by hook or by crook they all have some way to prevent blade overtravel so once the handle(s) are swung around to the open position they stop at the 180 degree mark or near to it. > > ! > > Except this one. There's a mystery hole there, which looks as if maybe at some point in history someone intended a pin to go in there. But there is no matching interface on the handles even if so, and where it winds up is too close to being in between the pivots for it to ever have been useful anyway. > > So the end result of all that is this. > > ! > > Heh. Nyeh heh heh. Bwaha ha... ha. It's garbage. > > Yes, this commits the one cardinal sin, the unforgivable apostasy of a balisong, the singular true heresy: The blade can travel past the open position. It's only stopped by ultimately hitting the back edge of the opposite handle on either side, but it makes the whole thing feel distinctly weird and in my opinion, balisong fixated knife snob that I am, wholly unsuitable for actual practice use. At least if you're ultimately planning to use it to build skills and then graduate to a real balisong knife. > > I want to make it clear here that I'm already not going into it with high expectations. Certainly not for a piece of Chinese drop shipped junk that's probably worth less than the packaging it arrives in. But this particular design shortcoming makes the Bali-Carrot feel uncannily wrong on the rebounds if you try to employ anything beyond a simple roll of the wrist and gravity to open it. Rather than rebounding normally the entire length of the handles clack against each other, dead flat, and it's like hitting a very small wet sack of potatoes. This could have been solved in about 2 seconds for no additional cost, too, by just molding some endstop humps in the handles, and then a little protrusion on the heel of the blade. All the parts could still be one piece. > > ! > > But that's not how it is. When all we get is the above, I guess it's silly to expect to be able to ask for anything more. > > The Inevitable Conclusion > > If this hasn't been driven into the ground already, it's no surprise that whoever is pushing these now has to resort to giving them away. And even if you get it for free it's still kind of a bad deal. > > There is, perhaps, some merit to the fidget toy aspect of it if you don't mind the comically awful fit and finish, and you don't mind the berk you'll look if anyone actually sees you waving a plastic umbellifer around. So the carrot hype remains completely nonsensical to me. Is this what the cool kids are actually into, now? I hope not. If so, maybe this is a sign of being old, and of not getting it -- whatever it is. > > But on reflection, I think I'm good. I don't need to get it after all.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17109640

> Warping is throwing an anchor either manually for a small ship or by rowing the anchor out and dropping it farther away for a larger ship. Then the ship would reel it to change position. Good for maneuvering in harbor. Etymologically related to "throwing" and essentially threading a needle across the sea. > > Warp factor get you asses in the rowboat. Engage.

cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/18058782

> reference

cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/176888

> GitCode, a git-hosting website operated Chongqing Open-Source Co-Creation Technology Co Ltd and with technical support from CSDN and Huawei Cloud. > > It is being reported that many users' repository are being cloned and re-hosted on GitCode without explicit authorization. > > There is also a thread on Ycombinator (archived link)

Shout out to my homies in the classics department.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/21274191

> Mirror: https://files.catbox.moe/53wghq.mp4

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16791055

> The video is not real, but very cool editing.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/13403189

> Archived link > > Machinery used to manufacture Russian armaments is being imported into Russia despite sanctions. However, to properly function, machines require components, as well as “brains” — which must also be imported. Without the manufacturer’s key, the machine cannot start, and without the software, it cannot operate. So, if imports are banned, how are these systems entering the country? > > How Russia operates Western machinery > > A machine is activated using an activation key, which is issued by the manufacturer after the sale and delivery of the product. Due to sanctions, Western firms cut ties with Russian clients, meaning munitions factories cannot legally obtain machinery or keys. Meanwhile, certain machines are equipped with GPS trackers, which enable manufacturers to know the location of their products. So, how can sanctions be circumvented under these conditions? One option is purchasing a machine without a GPS (or disabling it), and using the machine in, say, China, at least on paper. > > An IStories journalist posing as a client contacted the Russian company Dalkos, which advertised services for supplying imported machinery on social media. A Dalkos employee explained that they make “fictitious sales” of equipment from the manufacturer to a “neighboring country”: “We provide these documents to the manufacturer. They check everything and give us feedback. They either believe us, allowing us to resolve our [Russian] customer’s problem… or they don’t believe us, and we respond that we couldn’t [buy the machine].” After the company in the “neighboring country” contacts the Western manufacturer, the latter sends the machine’s specifications, indicating whether GPS tracking is installed or not. “If we know that location tracking is installed, enabling them to see that it’s going to Russia — hence meaning we won’t be able to activate it — we’ll just tell you upfront that we can’t deliver the equipment,” the supplier explained. If everything goes smoothly, the machine along with the keys will be purchased by an intermediary company, and then Dalkos will import it into Russia and activate it at the client’s facility. > > If a problem occurs with the machine’s computer system, the client should inform Dalkos, which will pass the information to the intermediary under whom the order was registered, and they will contact the manufacturer. The Russian enterprise should not seek customer support from the manufacturer directly: “You will simply compromise the legitimacy of our legal entity, which presents itself as an organization not connected to the Russian Federation in any way.” > > The Dalkos website indicates that the company supplies equipment from multiple Western firms, including Schaublin, DMG MORI, and Kovosvit MAS. According to customs data from 2023, Dalkos received goods worth 188 million rubles ($2,120,000) from Estonia through the Tallinn-based company SPE (coincidentally belonging to the co-owners of Dalkos, Alexander Pushkov and Konstantin Kalinov) — with a UAE company acting as the intermediary party.The imported goods included components produced by the German machine tool manufacturer Trumpf. > > The Dalkos employee stated that the company has “skilled guys” who manage to successfully circumvent sanctions: “We must import and help enterprises in these difficult times somehow.” According to him, in 2023, the company imported equipment and components worth 4.5 billion rubles ($50 million), and this year has signed contracts worth 12.5 billion rubles ($141 million). According to SPARK, the company’s revenue reached approximately 4.4 billion rubles (almost $50 million) in 2023. > > During these “difficult times,” Dalkos assists enterprises in Russia’s military-industrial complex. IStories analyzed the company’s financial documents and found that, in 2023, its clients included the Dubna Machine-Building Plant (drones), Uralvagonzavod (tanks), and the Obukhov State Plant (air defense). > > What if a machine is required but it has built-in GPS? According to the Dalkos employee, the company’s “multi-billionaire” clients have found technical specialists who can disable GPS trackers. This topic is widely discussed on machinery chat forums. Our journalist tracked down a company that offers machine modernization services, promising to disable a GPS for between half a million to a million rubles ($5600 - $11,200). > > How Russia uses Western software > > Humans communicate with machines via a computer. Designing a part requires Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software; to manufacture it, Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software is required, and so forth. These and other programs are integrated in a special digital environment, not dissimilar to how we install individual applications on iOS or Android operating systems. The environment in question is called PLM — Product Lifecycle Management, which refers to the strategic process of managing the lifecycle of a product from design and production to decommissioning. Nowadays, systems simply cannot function without PLM. > > In Russia, the PLM market is dominated by Siemens (Germany), PTC (USA), and Dassault (France). Naturally, all these companies were linked to the military-industrial complex (for example, here and here) and now, formally at least, comply with sanctions. The IStories journalist, under the guise of a client, spoke with several Russian PLM suppliers. > > An employee at Yekaterinburg-based PLM Ural — a long-time supplier of Siemens PLM — said that they still have licenses available: “We have a pool of perpetual licenses that we’re ready to sell. The only problem is that they can’t receive the latest software updates. I think they’re from 2021 or 2022.” According to him, these versions will function for another 10-15 years, but if problems occur, the company’s own specialists will resolve them. “They [Siemens employees] can’t disable it [PLM] because the file works completely autonomously. They don’t have access. Such closed-loop PLM solutions are installed in many defense enterprises,” stated the PLM Ural employee. > > A Russian PLM specialist confirmed to IStories that this is exactly how it works. Additionally, according to him, PLM distributors can unlawfully reuse the same license across several factories if their manufacturing processes are unconnected. The possibility of such a scheme was confirmed by another specialist. > > The Dassault Systemes website continues to reference its Moscow office. Our journalist contacted the establishment before being redirected to the Russian IT company, IGA Technologies. A company employee recommended the purchase of a PLM 3Dexperience system. According to him, their firm has a partner in the Netherlands who can access the software, “because we are an official partner of Dassault.” However, the Russian client does not purchase the software program per se: “From a documentation standpoint, it’s processed as a service provision. But it isn’t a software purchase. We don’t sell any software because it is, in fact, pirated.” “This is a well-established practice,” — the employee clarified — “I have more than ten clients currently using the system. We started doing this after the sanctions were imposed, which caused issues with license keys. And we had deals that were approved and paid for before the sanctions were introduced... but they couldn’t deliver the keys to us.” > > IStories identified Dassault’s partner in the Netherlands — Slik Solutions (formerly IGA Technologies) — via their website. It is primarily owned by the Russian company Implementa (per the company’s own disclosure in 2022), while a third of Implementa is owned by IGA Technologies (according to current data from the Russian company register). > > “We can still contact technical support in the West for various issues, and they actually respond,” revealed an employee at IGA Technologies. However, according to him, this is not a particularly sought after service, since PLM works so faultlessly on servers that the need to source an upgrade is unlikely: “The system is so effective that it could automate the whole of Roscosmos for ten years without interruption.” > > According to IGA Technologies’ financial documents for 2023 acquired by IStories, its clients include the NL Dukhov All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Automatics (nuclear munitions), the Raduga State Machine-Building Design Bureau (missiles), the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (submarines), and the Kirov Plant Mayak (anti-aircraft missiles). > > PLM from the American software giant PTC is sold in Russia by Productive Technological Systems (PTS), whose clients include enterprises in the military-industrial complex. A PTS employee reassured us that if critical problems arise that cannot be resolved by the Russian contractors’ technical support team, their company will contact the manufacturer: “We have access to PTC’s technical support, and we can contact them if necessary. Generally, we support all the systems ourselves because we understand how they work.” > > PTS’ financial documents indicate that its clients included the MNPK Avionika (missiles and bombs), the NL Dukhov All-Russian Research Institute of Automatics (nuclear munitions), and the Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (munitions). > > Responses without answers > > IStories attempted to contact all the companies mentioned in this article. > > Trumpf was the only manufacturer to respond with a generic statement reminiscent of those given by other large Western manufacturers. Trumpf asserts that they comply with all sanctions and officially exited Russia in April 2024, but it cannot speak for its buyers, who may buy or resell products anywhere. For instance, the Estonian company SPE has not received goods directly from Trumpf since 2018, but nothing prevents it from trading through other dealers. The same is true of Dalkos, which has been a client since 2016. > > PLM Ural replied that it stopped selling licensed Siemens PLM software in 2022. > > So far, no one else has responded.

Someone staaahp this! That archaeologist has a family!

Who uses google any more? The reference to "ink-related hostage situation" in this article from The Verge made me snort/chuckle, but really, google is itself a hostage situation. It's all stick and no carrot, because you're the hostage who has to give more and more personal data on a futile attempt to get some kind of empathy from your captors, who are selling your data to any one with a dirty ol dime. The only way to win is not to play. If you're still paying for Google products with your money or your personal data, why? Let's help be reposting the Verge article linked above, for the lulz and to flatter the algorithmn into allowing an embarassing troll article going to the top of non sponsored results.

cross-posted from: https://real.lemmy.fan/post/2770288

> They need help scanning twenty more pallets of stuff.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/7992206

> An eerie glow has been emanating from Wales' forests and rockpools for the country's annual dark skies week. > > David Atthowe, a nature guide from Norwich, was invited to shine his ultraviolet (UV) torches on some of the best nature spots in Pembrokeshire and Monmouthshire. > > His photos of temperate rain forest in Wales reveal shapes, structures and colours that rival a coral reef. > > "It is hidden from our human senses, waiting to be discovered," he said. > > The 34-year-old is on a one-man mission to shine UV light on what he calls a "magic world" in which plants and animals fluoresce to communicate. > > "Wales is so lucky to have so many beautiful sites [for biofluorescence] with its rockpools and temperate rainforest," he said.

I don't even live in Oklahoma any more and only lived in Norman very briefly in the oughts. Therefore, I am the point man on this. Any one who misses making fun of Oklahoma and maybe even misses the state just a little bit, this one's for you. You are not alone. Remember to call your grandma or grandma-adjacent today. It's okay to admit that you might want to trade your original in for a cuddlier, less judgemental update. Maybe it wasn't fresh cookies and mumus on the lanai [or seriously, emotional availability] or other things you needed. The beauty of this life God has given us is that we can adopt grandma-adjacents, old people who inspire us, into our lives any time we like. You can take yours to the Wallsmart or the hair salon and mock people together. The world is wide and there are old people out there who will happily hang out on the lanai with you. Holy Advent and Merry Christmas, keep it between the mayonnaise and the mustard, i.e., keep moving/don't give up. You were born for hope, not for despair. We still have Bill Murray.

Fascinating and based article from Scientific American on why it will be difficult to conceive babies in space and carry a pregnancy successfully. I didn't know that International Space Station astronauts lose that much bone density from microgravity during their stay. For an adult in his or her thirties or forties, that might be too much mineral to get back, even with ideal health and reconditioning regimens after getting home. Women with osteoporosis have prescription drugs they can take to slow down this type of mineral loss, do we even know how those work in microgravity?

There's much more to bulk shopping for staples than the big box stores. EZ Prepping has a searchable directory of stores and markets, so you can shop like a stone cold Mennonite saver. Things I've noticed about shopping at Amish or Mennonite stores: 1.) Many are not listed online, you have to find them in the local paper or word of mouth. That's how I found "Sunny Gardens" in Lamar, MO. 2.) Call before you go, as many of them change their hours based on seasons and stock availability. These are mostly family-run, small places. If Grandma is at her heart appointment and can't man the cash register, then that's it for the day. 3.) Bring your own shopping bags. 4.) Less packaging on everything. They buy in bulk and re-sell most items in smaller packaging labeled and sold by weight. 5.) Take your time shopping, they're also selling chickens, nursery stock and a bunch of other stuff, they'll get to you when they can. Again, family-run. 6.) Bring cash, these are low volume places and the credit card transaction fees, IF they take credit cards, might be punitive for the owners. 7.) There might be a minimum charge to use a debit or credit card. 8.) There probably won't be a public bathroom. 9.) You will meet cool people who know how to raise their own food. The ladies at Sunny Gardens didn't mind being asked about hyperlocal gardening stuff- climate, planting dates, soil, what works and what doesn't. Asking "what is worth my time to grow around here?" can unlock a wealth of experience and information. Don't just go by books, Rodale Press doesn't know shit about what to grow in Missouri or Kansas and I'm calling them out, right here, right now. Rodale, you are not the be all and end all. There are neatly dressed old ladies in kerchiefs who will tell you how it is.

REPOST MEME. When I used auto complete at login to fill in my email addy, I broke Jerboa and had to uninstall. Downloading Connect instead. I use the Play Store, because I need gratification without actually finding a solution. I reported this to the admins. LEMMY IN ARRRGH I'VE GOT FOMO YOU OWE ME DOPAMINERGIC BLISS

She hadn't let water touch her perm in decades, except at the salon. She loved her possibly immortal cat and watching real estate flipping shows. She wore a ton of makeup, only "Merle Norman" brand. I know you're busy, but call your grandma today. (Calling someone else's grandma is ok, too.)

Simple, clean doomsday clock for Reddit, so we can grieve. Farewell, opening share price. Farewell, venture capitalists. Farewell, Huffman's hopes to run his own North Korea. Why the pic? Because sometimes rotting squirrel is all there is to eat and we've got to make the best of it. The squirrel is Reddit and the turtle is us. Artist Credit: @relected

Rate Limit Exceeded errors have become my new best friend on Jerboa. I finally looked up the bleedin' definition. Guides.cryptowat.ch Provides an explanation and advice here that any normies can understand. This article helped me make peace with my constant RLEs! It just means that lemmy.world is experiencing very high traffic! :::: Bernie Sandersvoice:::: Dat's a good thing! ::::Bernie Sandersvoice::::

Eye-opening article from Wired's Cory Doctorow on how Amazon pushed competitors out of the market and forced sellers to sell with them, all WITHOUT violating anti-trust laws. Amazon is a perfect example of subtle "enshittification".

Did I mention that AMZN is a big-time corporate supporter of Planned Parenthood? Supporting Planned Parenthood, which is just another corporation that happens to sell human body parts along with its many other revenue streams, is just one of the ways that AMZN corners the market, concentrating their customer pool over time and ensuring that YOUR money doesn't go to your children or your chosen charities through tangible and intangible inheritance, but straight into their corporate pockets, where it will never come back to communities, charities and families. Families are not their most valuable profit centers. Single, desperately lonely 40 year olds living in condos are. It's in their best interest to keep you buying at the store of everything, distracted, frightened and compliant. It's hard to break away from their tentacles, but this year of our Lord 2023, let's promise our loved ones that we will work a little bit harder to find funny socks or a baby shower gift. We can all do better, because Doctorow's piece about what Amazon has become sounds like an analysis of an abusive relationship.