The moving finger rants

A time of chaos, ruined dreams, this wasted land

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 22:51:20 GMT

To understand who he was you have to go back to another time, when the world was powered by the black fuel and the deserts sprouted great cities of pipe and steel. Gone now. Swept away. Without fuel they were nothing. They had built a house of straw. The thundering machines sputtered and stopped.
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Twenty years ago

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 21:26:18 GMT

I had an exam. It was a resit exam, second year artificial intelligence module 2Bh. I had done no revision, which was pretty common for me at the time. It was twenty years ago. It was a Tuesday. I was twenty-one years old and in some ways very stupid, not least of which was in my assumption that I could wing this one. The exam was at Adam House, a beautiful old Adamist neoclassical hall on the same street as my lab, and scheduled for 2pm. As I walked across the Meadows I listened to music on my Creative NOMAD Jukebox mp3 player, which had the size and form factor of a Sony Discman.

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2021 begins

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 01:29:55 GMT

Here we go then folks. May the new year bring better things to us all, and dreadful karmic destruction to our enemies.

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109 days later

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 05:13:47 GMT

I was in self-imposed isolation when the national lockdown began on 27th March. When I emerged, fourteen days later, blinking into the daylight as might a newborn babe, the world had changed. Edinburgh had become a ghost town. The few people one could see on the streets all looked vaguely shell-shocked. I found it difficult to resist the urge to whistle the soundtrack to 28 DAYS LATER while walking around.

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Pullèd pork margarita nachos

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 20:26:31 GMT

I twitted about this some time ago (I believe with the comment (I am a fucking genius), and there was some online interest in the recipe (paging nanila). At the time, the recipe was get 1CheshireCheese's awesome El Gringo cheese and make nachos with it, but, should you fail to have the necessary resources handy, here's what you gonnae dae:

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Unclean! Unclean!

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:53:34 GMT

Self-isolating. Blue is showing symptoms, probably picked up because she works inna pharmacy, and has been advised to stay home for seven days. I have no symptoms but, because I live with her, as far as I can make sense of current guidelines, the advice for me is to stay home for fourteen days.

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In these dark times

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 20:22:15 GMT

With all of the horrifying shit going on in the world right now, I figured you'd all appreciate a picture of a puffin.

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WWPD?

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 14:12:33 GMT

I grew up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard. As much as one of the most formative experiences of my adulthood was watching Patrick Stewart alongside Ian McKellen in Waiting for Godot^[0], most of the formative experiences of my adolescence were, at least tangentially, related to learning that—to take an example at random—the first duty of any Starfleet officer is to the truth, whether that be scientific truth, or historical truth, or personal truth. It is the guiding principle on which Starfleet is based, and if you can't find it within yourself to stand up and tell the truth about what happened, you don't deserve to wear that uniform.

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Hello folks!

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 23:44:26 GMT

How art?

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Linkdump 07-12-2018

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 09:00:15 GMT

Slash ft.Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators - Blues Jam/Godfather Theme | YouTube
Damn that man has magic fingers.
(tags: music video coolstuff )
weekly_food_challenge | Challenj #63: PIE! Piepiepiepiepiepiepie. When come back bring pie.
via Weekly Food Challenge http://bit.ly/2MEAn8t
(tags: IFTTT weeklyfoodchallenge food recipe )
David Attenborough: collapse of civilisation is on the horizon The Guardian
Not a man known for sensationalism
(tags: doom climate news politics )
Social Networks: What Maslow Misses | Psychology Today
"Needs are not hierarchical. Life is messier than that." Hmm.
(tags: psychology natureoftruth opinion psych mentalhealth wellness )

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Linkdump 29-11-2018

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 09:00:12 GMT

weekly_food_challenge | Challenj #62: Let's go crazy, let's get nuts
via Weekly Food Challenge http://bit.ly/2MEAn8t
(tags: IFTTT weeklyfoodchallenge food recipe )
Smart dress shows how often women are groped at clubs | Quartzy
In which technology, marketing, and surveillance combine to do something right for once
(tags: tech feminism sexism )
On Baby It's Cold Outside | Tumblr
Rehabilitating a classic.
(tags: feminism sexism history music culture )
Why the world needs deep generalists, not specialists | Medium
Specialization is for insects, says Heinlein.
(tags: wellness culture society opinion )
The Rebecca Riots | Flying With Dragons
Never mess with a Welsh farmer with a flaming torch and a pretty floral bonnet.
(tags: history activism britishness capitalism socialism )

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Linkdump 23-11-2018

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 09:00:16 GMT

How Do You Test Out A New Look? Dating Apps! | Application Science
Dude uses A/B testing and Tinder to determine the attractiveness of his beard. With graphs. TLDR: beards are awesome.
(tags: dataisbeautiful nerd tech relationships )
Fake Britain: A Map Of Fictional Locations | Londonist
Includes Leadworth, Scarfolk, Qwghlm, Beanotown, and, of course, Llareggub, but is unaccountably lacking in Little Bazeley and Little-Storping-in-the-Swuff, and I was hoping that it might finally tell me where the Village is.
(tags: maps britishness silly literature incrediblyobscurereference tv natureoftruth )
Are Pop Lyrics Getting More Repetitive? | The Pudding
Pithier. They're getting pithier. This article, while awesome, seems to suffer from the common delusion that repetition in music is somehow undesirable. It's called 'melody' and it's kinda fundamental. Go count the number of times Beethoven said "da da da dum" and then get back to me about repetition in music.
(tags: music dataisbeautiful nerd )
Video Games In East Germany: The Stasi Played Along | ZEIT online
Happy teenage memories of respite from the daily drudgery of life under an autocratic regime. pew pew
(tags: gaming history coldwardinosaur computing tech nerd socialism )
Extinction Rebellion protest: Jim Davidson blasts 'horrid' demonstrators in angry tirade | Evening Standard
Anything that pisses Jim Davidson off is an inherently noble act.
(tags: ecology activism news climate )
Why 536 was ‘the worst year to be alive’ | Science
Unless you were alive during the Younger Dryas impact, or the Toba Catastrophe, or the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
(tags: history archaeology science doom )

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Linkdump 15-11-2018

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 09:00:10 GMT

weekly_food_challenge | Challenj #60: Honey
via Weekly Food Challenge http://bit.ly/2MEAn8t
(tags: IFTTT weeklyfoodchallenge food recipe )
Analysis: From Glasgow to Berlin - how strikes, mutinies and revolutions ended WW1 | Common Space
An underrated, fascinating perspective. States use cenotaphs as shields against criticism; while I was vaguely aware of that before, I always thought it was metaphorical rather than literally as a physical barrier.
(tags: history socialism politics activism pacifism )
The Experiment That Forever Changed How We Think About Reality | Wired
Bell's Theorem, neatly explained. Reality is blurry, and it's probably because of all the quantum.
(tags: natureoftruth science physics incrediblyobscurereference writing )
The Earth is in a death spiral. It will take radical action to save us | George Monbiot | Guardian
Death spiral. Bold choice of words. Think about death spirals for a minute. "Decades of institutional failure ensures that only unrealistic proposals – the repurposing of economic life, with immediate effect – now have a realistic chance of stopping the planetary death spiral." There's that phrase again. Death spiral.
(tags: ecology activism politics economics economy )
The Ecological Crisis is a Political Crisis | MAHB
"To create a sustainable future, we must first learn the lessons of the past, and what archaeological research shows is that throughout history, civilizations that have been captive to the interests of an oligarchic elite have all collapsed. Today’s industrial, capitalist civilization is trapped in this same deadly cycle."
(tags: activism ecology economics politics doom archaeology )

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Linkdump 03-11-2018

Sat, 03 Nov 2018 09:00:19 GMT

‘Oumuamua, Thin Films and Lightsails | Centauri Dreams
"`Oumuamua could be defunct sails floating under the influence of gravity and stellar radiation. Similar to debris from ship wrecks floating in the ocean. The alternative is to imagine that `Oumuamua was on a reconnaissance mission."
(tags: spaaace coolstuff science astronomy news nerd )
Why self-service machines give such awful change | Chalkdust
Because maths.
(tags: maths tech zeitgeisty )
Seagulls were trained to defecate on German U-boat periscopes | Vintage News
Pretty sure the seagulls would do it voluntarily given half a chance
(tags: history sailing )
Jesus would like to connect with you on LinkedIn! Inside the Church of England's digital conversion | WIRED
In which a monolithic institution is traditionally conservative in its adoption of novel paradigms. "Christians habitually fret that every new invention could be “of the devil”, but once that stage is passed they switch to purely trying to use it to “get more bums on seats”."
(tags: religion tech zeitgeisty #getoffmylawn internet )
Hemingway, Hounded by the Feds | The New York Times
A poignant piece. It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.
(tags: writing books mentalhealth coldwardinosaur history )

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Linkdump 31-10-2018

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 09:00:16 GMT

Facts about our ecological crisis are incontrovertible. We must take action | Guardian
"We therefore declare our support for Extinction Rebellion, launching on 31 October 2018"
(tags: ecology activism doom news politics handwringingLeftyGuardianistasFTW )
Rebel – eXtinction Rebellion | Rising Up
"This requires a global effort but we believe it must begin in the UK, today, where the industrial revolution began."
(tags: activism ecology video doom )
Extinction Rebellion – international and unstoppable
"#ExtinctionRebellion is an international movement to use mass civil disobedience to force governments to enter a war-time mobilisation mode, in response to climate breakdown."
(tags: ecology activism doom )

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Linkdump 17-10-2018

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 09:00:20 GMT

Why the North Pond Hermit Hid From People for 27 Years | National Geographic
Perhaps he'd met people.
(tags: interview society narrative )
A Leninist Hero of our Times - In Memory of Valery Sablin: The true story of Red October | Marxist
It's not mutiny, of course. Misconduct by officers would technically be barratry. But I'm not sure how much of a distinction they'd make in the Soviet navy.
(tags: history sailing coldwardinosaur socialism )
On the matter of change and how to react when you lose, despite your best efforts | silveradept
This is a really nice summary of the Exit-Voice-Loyalty model. I've been in places where I've tried all four techniques. Eventually, exit worked.
(tags: work management model blog )

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Linkdump 04-10-2018

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 09:00:15 GMT

Mara Wilson: Matilda and Me at 30 | Vanity Fair
Does this count as authorized fanfic?
(tags: books writing art nostalgia culture )
Facebook caught automatically blocking AP and Guardian stories about their massive data breach | Fight for the Future
grr
(tags: whyfacebooksucks samizdata streisandeffect tech privacy )
Cerys Matthews: 'I don't play public school pop stars on my BBC 6 Music show' | inews
"A ban on public school pop stars could hit Coldplay and Mumford & Sons" SIGN ME UP
(tags: music socialism bloodytories handwringingLeftyGuardianistasFTW )
The Ruin – An Anglo-Saxon Poem of the Past | Eagles and Dragons
Twelve hundred years ago, an unknown scribe lamented the long-departed wonders of five hundred years before that. The translation on Wikipedia preserves the kenning better, but this version had commentary.
(tags: history archaeology wheresmyjetpack poetry narrative )

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Linkdump 28-09-2018

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 09:00:10 GMT

Doctor Who spoiler-free review: The Woman Who Fell To Earth | Den of Geek
I'm liking the way this sounds.
(tags: who tv review sf )
£40k spent hiding how rarely northern powerhouse minister visited north | Guardian
Procrastinate, deflect, then ignore the initial question. Democracy!
(tags: bloodytories fuckwits politics news handwringingLeftyGuardianistasFTW opendata northofwatford streisandeffect )
The abandoned Scottish island where Picts went to heal | The Scotsman
And now you can get a really nice Cheshire cheese from there.
(tags: scotland edinburgh history archaeology )

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Linkdump 15-09-2018

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 09:00:19 GMT

Iridium flares to cease by end of 2018 | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
RIP Iridium. The new constellation won't flare. Time for me to get good at astrophotography very fast, I think.
(tags: spaaace astronomy tech science nerd photography )
The Meteorological Strangeness Of Hurricane Florence | Forbes
"Florence also has the potential to be a life-altering rainfall event."
(tags: meteorology science news nerd doom ecology usa )
How One Tiny Swedish Submarine 'Sunk' a U.S. Aircraft Carrier | The National Interest
"U.S. antisubmarine specialists were 'demoralized' by the experience."
(tags: news ships usa )
How to Survive an Authoritarian Government | Extra Newsfeed
This is just generally good advice even if you don't live inna terrifying Orwellian dystopia.
(tags: listicle politics samizdata solidarity activism dystopia socialism sousveillance )

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Linkdump 14-09-2018

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 09:00:16 GMT

weekly_food_challenge | Challenj #52: Beans
via Weekly Food Challenge http://bit.ly/2MEAn8t
(tags: IFTTT weeklyfoodchallenge food recipe )

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Linkdump 05-09-2018

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 09:00:13 GMT

weekly_food_challenge | Challenj #51: Tofu
via Weekly Food Challenge http://bit.ly/2MEAn8t
(tags: IFTTT weeklyfoodchallenge food recipe )

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Happy birthday, Hugh

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 21:17:19 GMT

Yesterday was machinimaguruhughhancock's 41st birthday. Unfortunately, we've been unable to celebrate properly, since Hugh dropped dead suddenly in early February this year.

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Linkdump 30-08-2018

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 09:00:18 GMT

If you want to save the world, veganism isn’t the answer | Isabella Tree | Guardian
Veganism is rarely the answer unless the question is "how can I be more miserable and sanctimonious".
(tags: food opinion rewilding ecology )
Recent Study Found Plant-Based Diet Decreases Environmental Impact By 42 to 84 Percent! | One Green Planet
And here, should you care for them, are the alternative facts.
(tags: food ecology natureoftruth )
Near Miss: The Solar Superstorm of July 2012 | NASA
TIL the Carrington Event very nearly happened again, but we missed it by a week.
(tags: spaaace doom science astronomy dystopia )

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Linkdump 29-08-2018

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 09:00:19 GMT

weekly_food_challenge | Challenj #50: Something home grown
via Weekly Food Challenge http://bit.ly/2MEAn8t
(tags: IFTTT weeklyfoodchallenge food recipe )

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Linkdump 24-08-2018

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 09:00:11 GMT

EUROPEAN CITIZENS' INITIATIVE | Permanent European Union Citizenship
"Noting the ECJ’s view of Union citizenship as a ‘fundamental status’ of nationals of Member States, and that Brexit will strip millions of EU citizens of this status and their vote in European elections, requests the Commission propose means to avoid risk of collective loss of EU citizenship and rights, and assure all EU citizens that, once attained, such status is permanent and their rights acquired." There's been talk of this before---there being no mechanism to strip a citizen of their rights---but this is, to my knowledge, the first effort to formalize it, and it's worth a shot.
(tags: petition clicktivism europe Brexit )
[ICYMI] On culinary appropriation | gominokouhai
In which there is fucking Jamie, again.
(tags: food fuckwits blog culture britishness bloodytories writing )
For some, experiencing trauma may act as a form of cognitive training that increases their mental control | BPS Research Digest
I still wouldn't recommend it as a self-development mechanism.
(tags: mentalhealth health wellness news psychology science psych )
The Utter Uselessness of Job Interviews | The New York Times
It's okay, HR people. As long as you're aware that your entire profession is based solely on lies and false assumptions, you just go right on doing what you're doing.
(tags: work employment psych psychology society )

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