Joined April 2015
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6,135 Photos and videos
2011 Arab Spring Vibes
Jan 9
It looks like Starmer is seriously considering a ban on X.
I will protest against this on the streets of London. I hope you will all join me.
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AI is capable of blowing smoke on levels never before thought possible.
Be careful out there.
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Wait until you find out that the Ars Memoriae or 'Art of Memory' was highly developed and taught as a liberal art well into the 17th century, often integrated into the Trivium.
It's a shame we don't read Latin anymore, as it grants access to our rich intellectual patrimony.
Jun 8
Dave Asprey claims you can boost your IQ by around 12 points in a month with one specific brain training method.
On The Iced Coffee Hour, he described dual n-back training: a frustrating grid game where you track both the position and the symbol from several moves back. Just 20 minutes a day. Most people quit, but sticking with it for ~20 sessions can dramatically improve working memory (e.g., going from remembering 7–8 items to 16).
Dual n-back training reliably improves performance on the trained task and can enhance working memory capacity. Some studies show modest transfer to fluid intelligence (problem-solving aspect of IQ), but results are mixed, meta-analyses find small average gains (often 2–5 points) that are stronger in lower-quality studies and don’t always hold up in well-controlled trials.
The idea that you can deliberately train a core cognitive skill like working memory is intriguing, even if the IQ boost isn’t guaranteed to be that large.
In a world full of distractions that shrink our attention, a simple daily practice that strengthens your brain’s ability to hold and manipulate information could be genuinely useful.
Would you commit to 20 minutes of frustrating brain training every day for a month if it could meaningfully improve your focus and memory?
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When you read and complain about 7 different translations of the Odyssey instead of using the time to learn Greek yourself.
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People are commenting on this guy's "poor" form. Remember that he's in a competition, and he wants to maximize the cut radius of every swing. Hence the odd posture. A normal working posture is more vertical, with the blade angle adjusted accordingly, and a smaller radius.
May 6
No gas, no noise, just pure efficiency.
This man and his scythe are unstoppable.
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The oft-repeated "absolute power corrupts absolutely" rattled off here at the end is one of the most politically subversive midwit takes ever disseminated among the general population.
Power does not corrupt.
Power reveals the character of the one who wields it.
Comedian Ari Shaffir discusses his recent trip to El Salvador, describing the massive gap between mainstream media headlines and the actual vibe in the country. 🇸🇻
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Radical Catholic ✠ retweeted
2 Jul 2020
"Do you FINALLY understand the consequences of that idiotic Enlightenment fable of the 'noble savage', Bob? Huh? Do you?"
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The numerals we today call "Arabic" were once thought to be corrupt forms of Greek minuscules.
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22 Mar 2020
Reminder that bird watching is both wholesome and highly entertaining.
These are the sorts which frequent my feeders. I've optimized the feed for each over the last few weeks, so my garden is prime bird territory. They visit all throughout the day, sometimes a dozen at a time.
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10 May 2025
Newest friend (who is very interested in the dead tree on the other side of the river):
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Three new friends this season. The last one makes for particularly enjoyable watching, as he readily hangs himself upside down to get at the feeder due to his being about three times the size of the regular visitors.
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This is called a mangle board (mangelplank, mangletre). In some Northern European countries, leaving one you carved on a girl's doorstep was the sign that you wanted to court her hand. If she took it inside her house, she was interested.
Apr 22
A traditional ironing technique using a ridged board and rolling pin to remove wrinkles without heat.
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Random fact: The Old English word for mathematics and other numbers-based knowledge was 'rimcræft', i.e., 'the art of numbers'.
Mar 28
Prime example of "You can just do things". One guy, born a bastard, in 1548 in Bruges changed the Dutch languages forever from all its peers through his linguistic purism, inventing Germanic words for all sciences that use the Latin word in any other Germanic language.
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The solution here is simple:
Start another Academy.
Trying to retake cultural institutions which have been lost through subversion is a waste of energy. Instead, start new ones to replace them.
Mar 19
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences implemented a new set rules that would automatically disqualify any movie--domestic or international--from Best Picture category if it doesn't implement "inclusion standards."
This especially affects Japanese and South Korean productions.
•Standard A (On-Screen Representation): A lead or significant supporting actor is from an underrepresented group (Black, Hispanic, etc.), or at least 30% of the ensemble cast is from underrepresented groups (women, LGBTQ , people with disabilities, or underrepresented ethnic groups).
•Standard B (Creative Team): Key creative leadership or crew positions (directors, cinematographers, etc.) are filled by underrepresented groups.
•Standard C (Industry Access): The production company offers paid internships/apprenticeships to underrepresented groups.
•Standard D (Marketing): The film has diverse marketing, publicity, or distribution teams.
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I asked Grok to check an accent in Attic Greek and it had to think for over three minutes.
It also felt the need to check the Wal-Mart webpage.
As one does when checking Greek orthography.
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I once shipped a box of rather rare books from the US to Europe. Before it left US customs, it was sliced open, and apparently thoroughly examined. Several books never made it back into the box, and those which did were all severely damaged/cut/torn.
I'll never do that again.
Feb 26
My Tsukhime Trial Edition (月姫 体験版) finally arrived, one of only 50 copies in the world. Only to discover that US Customs had removed all the bubble wrap and physically destroyed the floppy disk. Will file a report but literally crying right now😭
#TYPEMOON #Tsukihime #月姫
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It's hard to stick a monastery, scriptorium, cathedral or university in the Louvre.
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Remember that you're looking at a photo originally taken in 1921 at the Royal Palace Hotel in London. Most of the people shown were born into generational wealth, and the class consciousness of the times valued pedigree over appearances.
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31 Dec 2025
It should be titled "Liber Brevior".
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29 Dec 2025
"I don't even understand where they're coming from."
This is something I genuinely hate about US politicians, especially those on the Right. He knows damn well what they're doing and why, but instead pulls the old, "Shucks, it's a real headscratcher" routine.
It's insulting.
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