Nostr notes by myrmepropagandist

OK I've found it. Ant content that's a little too much ...

2026-11-02T00:03:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…gxjq
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OK I've found it. Ant content that's a little too much for me.

Why tests ants for this? Ants would NEVER.

This guy is CANCELED forever! People are so harsh, ONE mistake ...

2026-11-01T16:15:50Z

This guy is CANCELED forever! People are so harsh, ONE mistake and they never forgive you and-

oh he's back

The Mathhouse The mathhouse is a bathhouse, but with a ...

2026-10-31T22:32:55Z

The Mathhouse

The mathhouse is a bathhouse, but with a mathematics library on the top floor. It’s a building designed to improve the mind.

You enter through the baths where you can get steamed, baked and cold plung’d. You can also do yoga and exercise. Only after do you enter the library with its many skylights and vast collection of math books, media and physical puzzles.

Leave with a pleasantly tired mind and body and sleep perfectly.

silly city. ...

2026-10-31T21:47:04Z

silly city.

https://www.amny.com/nyc-transit/mta-halloween-fun-spooky-station-signs-maps/

Happy #caturday to all the fedi from your devoted internet crime ...

2026-10-31T17:15:41Z

Happy #caturday to all the fedi from your devoted internet crime syndicate leader, empress of cuteness and the head of the regime I live under in this small apartment… #PicaTheCat

You can simply turn a computer program off if you are sick of it. ...

2026-10-31T13:55:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…kkku
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You can simply turn a computer program off if you are sick of it. You can erase it or throw it away. Modify it to better fit your needs if you find it useful but not perfect for your task.

Presumably this isn't something you have ever tried to do with a real person. I would hope, although I've seen people try.

If a person can treat a collection of videos generated by a ...

2026-10-31T13:54:11Z

If a person can treat a collection of videos generated by a computer program exactly the same as you might treat a person that might say more about how you treat (and see) other people than it does about your open mindedness or ability to adapt to new technology.

Some reporters have "interviewed" LLMs which just seems like an outrageous exercise in make-believe to try to look at it in the kindest light and dishonest in the extreme at the worst.

"Do you know the name of every ant?" "There are like ...

2026-10-31T13:25:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…5zd7
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"Do you know the name of every ant?"

"There are like 30 thousand species of ants."

"But do you know them all?"

"I don't think anyone, even myrmecologists knows them all!"

I have various high quality ant photos as my computer desktop and ...

2026-10-31T13:24:11Z

I have various high quality ant photos as my computer desktop and there is a random new one each day from a folder with 100s of photos.

This is "The Ant of the Day" and my 5th grade students enjoy trying to guess where each ant comes from and how they live. Some of the ants get a "she's cute" but this one (photo by Alex Wild (npub1ucc…jxn6) ) was a challenge.

"Listen, I know she looks fearsome, but she's a vegetarian. She's a solder too, doing her best to protect her sisters."

https://www.alexanderwild.com/Ants/Taxonomic-List-of-Ant-Genera/Atta/i-KMnP9fd/A

"If the Democratic Socialists take over that is, like, the ...

2026-10-31T10:37:54Z

"If the Democratic Socialists take over that is, like, the end of America."

- Peter Thiel

Essay Prompt: What does this statement suggest about the characteristics Mr. Thiel sees as foundational and essential to "America"?

is there... an ... elegant, slim, mathematically robust HS level ...

2026-10-30T23:08:03Z

is there... an ... elegant, slim, mathematically robust HS level book on statistics?

This will sound a little gauche but most of the books just have way too many words and not enough content.

Growing up did you attend religious services regularly? For ...

2026-10-30T09:13:35Z

Growing up did you attend religious services regularly?

For example going to church on most Sundays, or similar.

The "tea tools" thing is getting out of hand. Now there ...

2026-10-29T00:24:12Z

The "tea tools" thing is getting out of hand.

Now there is a rack. So ... I do know what most of these are.

You have (from left to right)

spout cleaner
cup lifter
squeegee?
tea scoop
tea tongs (to hold lid and many other things)
pot brush

I think the scissors are to open tea packets?

Where are the cake pliers?

#teaculture #tea

tweed gremlin She mumbles little comments and criticism of ...

2026-10-28T09:12:46Z

tweed gremlin

She mumbles little comments and criticism of everything I do. #PicaTheCat

Future archeologists have dubbed us the "glass rounded ...

2026-10-28T08:31:30Z

Future archeologists have dubbed us the "glass rounded rectangle and plastic trash people"

Listen. I know far less about cars than most but even I have some ...

2026-10-27T19:31:48Z

Listen. I know far less about cars than most but even I have some foundational questions about what I am looking at here.

After watching a crow hiding a chicken bone in our garden my ...

2026-10-25T23:19:03Z

After watching a crow hiding a chicken bone in our garden my husband wondered if it was perhaps a bit dark for a bird to eat another bird.

"Not at all, the hawks do it all the time. But, I must admit I was disquieted by the sight of pigeons feasting on fried chicken one day... should they not recognize the plight of their distant cousins in bondage?"

I guess it's fine for the crow since crows are sometimes hunters...

Soylent green, do you think they know?

I just got a letter from my bank saying "do not allow AI ...

2026-10-25T16:25:31Z

I just got a letter from my bank saying "do not allow AI agents to have your payment information for any of your accounts."

Full stop. Just don't use any agents. It's dangerous.

I didn't contain additional language saying they won't protect you if they do, but I wonder if that could be next.

I wonder if other banks are doing the same.

Maybe they will ban them.

It seems reasonable that, if an agent makes a financial transaction, it ought to be identified as such, no?

Do you feel annoyed when someone can't seem to remember your ...

2026-10-25T12:08:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…yugj
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Do you feel annoyed when someone can't seem to remember your name and must ask you?

Do you worry about not knowing names?

2026-10-25T12:07:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…kmah
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Do you worry about not knowing names?

Do you consider yourself "good with names?"

2026-10-25T12:04:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…3w30
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Do you consider yourself "good with names?"

When faced with so many new names do you do anything to help you ...

2026-10-25T12:04:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…mflg
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When faced with so many new names do you do anything to help you remember?

Suppose you join a new club, or start a new job and meet a group ...

2026-10-25T12:02:20Z

Suppose you join a new club, or start a new job and meet a group of 15 to 20 new people all at once. How long would it take you to learn all of their names?

Jerry has a can. He rigs stuff, but worst of all he ...

2026-10-24T21:13:46Z

Jerry has a can. He rigs stuff, but worst of all he "manders."

When you need to multiply 7*6 do you simply have it memorized, or ...

2026-10-24T10:33:46Z

When you need to multiply 7*6 do you simply have it memorized, or do you need to add, subtract or otherwise connect it to another math fact that you know better?

That is do you simply think "56" or are there more thoughts that lead to 56?

"8*7 is 56 because 7-6=1 and 50-1 is 49 and everyone knows 49 ...

2026-10-24T09:40:50Z

"8*7 is 56 because 7-6=1 and 50-1 is 49 and everyone knows 49 is a perfect square, and it must be the square of 7 since 8 is 64 squared and 5 is 25"

I teach my stats students the rules of "tidy data" so ...

2026-10-24T02:46:08Z

I teach my stats students the rules of "tidy data" so when they go out into the world maybe it will be just a little better.

This year they really enjoyed it. I wonder if "tidy tuesday" is still a thing.

https://vita.had.co.nz/papers/tidy-data.html

RE: https://glammr.us/@jessamyn/117487748124291597 Can you ...

2026-10-23T10:00:45Z

RE: https://glammr.us/@jessamyn/117487748124291597

Can you imagine a house that was built to make it hard to move from room to room? Not for any reason of security but because you could collect a little fee from people for going through doors?

The antagonism in some software design disgusts me.

All of the barriers to just getting things done.

quoting
note12r2…gj7m

Drop-In Time is a time where I hang out in a room at the library with a big table and a lot of chairs and help people with their technology problems for two and a half hours. These are their stories. It was cold today so I was warming up some water for tea and by the time I got upstairs at three past the hour there were four people waiting for me. Whoops!

Bob and Kathy had a Medicare prescription drug plan that wasn't going to be around next year so they needed help finding a new one.

What life did you lead? What songs did you help sing? And how did ...

2026-10-22T11:53:09Z

What life did you lead? What songs did you help sing? And how did all end here on these rough streets with even your precious illegal ivory teeth plundered? And me standing by contemplating the possible utility and value of your strings, hammers and wooden bones?

She’s not impressed. ...

2026-10-21T22:46:57Z

She’s not impressed.

What is a delicious way to use three white and purple turnips? I ...

2026-10-21T22:06:12Z

What is a delicious way to use three white and purple turnips?

I don't like cooked veggies as much as fresh? Can I make a pickle or something?

I have some nice fragrant cheese, old bread, a tiny cabbage (it's so small my god) and other basics.

I've never really used a turnip before. I don't know what to do with them.

Every year I have a little crisis mentally thinking they will ...

2026-10-21T11:53:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…72te
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Every year I have a little crisis mentally thinking they will never understand the point of writing proofs, or what they really are. Somehow I forget that the dawn still comes.

The cat is sleeping, purring in time with the hissing of the ...

2026-10-21T11:51:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…mgs9
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The cat is sleeping, purring in time with the hissing of the radiator.

My 9th grade students have at last begun to understand what it means to write a proof.

"Do you mean I could just write it out in words? Just explain why it's true?"

Yes! That is exactly what I mean. Or you could draw a diagram. Or you could sing.

"Oh, Lord, Oh Lord, It's a Beautiful Day..."

There is a spot behind the 30 story apartment towers just outside ...

2026-10-21T11:47:58Z

There is a spot behind the 30 story apartment towers just outside my window where the acoustics are incredible. Someone is singing gospel on this cold early morning causing the pigeons to take flight wheel as one above the NYC skyline.

They fly over the pale yellow and pink clouds intermittently visible through the windows (which have been frosted over with condensation from the heater) And that fiery beast in the basement is also singing and banging.

It's going to be a beautiful day.

Literal living gremlin. Muppet. Creature of mischief. How are ...

2026-10-20T20:30:14Z

Literal living gremlin.
Muppet.
Creature of mischief.

How are cats even real?

I have my students create their own number system. It must be a ...

2026-10-20T10:40:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…uaes
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I have my students create their own number system. It must be a base other than 10. It can use a tally system or it can use place-value... but not both (I had one kid try and it was fascinating and very confusing)

I like to use stamps for their symbols because I think it's a good offline way to understand the immutability and value of characters. But also because deep down I just want to play with cute little stamps.

I love these little button stamps and so do my students for ...

2026-10-20T10:35:24Z

I love these little button stamps and so do my students for projects. They are just fun to use.

But, I don't know how to re-ink them when they start to dry out. Is this possible? Has anyone done it?

I'm thinking of just going at them with an eyedropper and some stamp ink? #crafts #artsAndCrafts

Further "some rich guy shouldn't just be able to use his ...

2026-10-19T10:42:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…qcwk
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Further "some rich guy shouldn't just be able to use his money to control how everyone lives" is a general value that many people across a wide spectrum of political views share.

Sadly too often this view is more like "a rich guy who I don't agree with shouldn't be able to do that... but if he's doing something I like I don't care." but I have bottomless faith in human spirt for some reason. We can rise to this.

We could live in a world that is much much worse. And it is ...

2026-10-19T10:39:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…8ln2
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We could live in a world that is much much worse.

And it is possible to solidify and refortify the boundaries between markets and the government and to reaffirm governments as representative of the wishes of the people in some majority, and of justice in some abstract sense rather than the whims of whoever holds the most stock.

I think that is too cynical. You are correct that there is a ...

2026-10-19T10:30:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…5rwr
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I think that is too cynical. You are correct that there is a parallelism in the outcomes, but we don't live in system where rule is by wealth alone.

In fact, we are far from it in some instances and I think trying to make people feel like it's already so bad we should just give up may further shrink the power of the government and increase the impunity of wealth.

You can't (yet) simply openly pay the police to go away, nor can you purchase a congressional seat. That matters.

There are many places where the person with more money simply ...

2026-10-19T10:21:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…mncj
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There are many places where the person with more money simply wins. A property auction, in markets, should that also be our form of governance?

Or is the function of government to make space for individual representation in contrast to the market? In tension with the market?

In government the side with more people wins.

Should there be a limit to the amount of money one person can ...

2026-10-19T10:18:35Z

Should there be a limit to the amount of money one person can spend to attempt to influence the government?

Is it fine and dandy for a very wealthy person to show up in a tiny town and impose their whims on everyone just by outspending everyone and buying everyone and everything that can be bought?

I've found a really really fun website for tessellation and ...

2026-10-18T14:58:51Z

I've found a really really fun website for tessellation and it's set up so educators can use it without a problem. You can also export what you make and print it, or even send it to a laser cutter.

https://tiled.art/

A Turing machine is the most stripped-down model of a computer, ...

2026-10-18T13:50:52Z

A Turing machine is the most stripped-down model of a computer, that still contains all of the elements of a true computer. It is a device for manipulating boolean(T/F) statements. A program defines states. Depending on the state new symbols may be written or erased and the machine may move to a different location on the tape.

This framework is sufficient to produce every computer program that has **ever** been written.

Every single one.

Last night I was thinking about how powerful cooperation is as a ...

2026-10-18T11:39:43Z

Last night I was thinking about how powerful cooperation is as a strategy from an evolutionary perspective. And I was thinking about how you don't have to be very good at it to benefit from it.

Ants are famous for their cooperation, but they aren't exactly well organized or efficient. They just share a common goal and all move towards it, often they get in each other's way. Too many ants helping with one task and not enough doing another. But they have still taken over the world.

I make fun of #PicaTheCat often, but she has taught me things. ...

2026-10-18T11:33:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…r9qy
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I make fun of #PicaTheCat often, but she has taught me things. For example. If someone loves you don't wonder "why? why would they love me?"

No, think "Of course. Obviously they love me. They are, to put it simply, correct."

It's vexing and yet it is gratifying to be loved by a ...

2026-10-18T11:28:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…w7y4
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It's vexing and yet it is gratifying to be loved by a creature with such bottomless self-regard.

They say you can't really fall in love unless you love yourself. So, what is the love of a cat? A creature that has never once doubted her place in the world, or that you should be just under that place holding her.