David Dvorkin @DavidDvorkin@qoto.org
- Website
- http://www.dvorkin.com/
Writer, former software developer, tech writer, aerospace engineer (Apollo, Viking Mars lander). Atheist and anti-theist; I try not to go on too much about that and frequetnly fail. Mostly fairly leftwing except on certain subjects; ditto about going on too much about it. Come to think of it, that bit about going on too much about stuff applies to all of the above.
Joined Nov 2022
David Dvorkin
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It's that time of the year where I teach our 1st year #DataScience students about data *in the wild*
David Dvorkin
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I'm too tired to come up with any witty commentary about this. Just sad and disgusted.
Brief summary: paleontologist Robert #DePalma, who shares his cousin Brian's cinematic instincts, made a big spash a few years ago with the discovery of the "Tanis" site, which appears to preserve the day of the #Chicxulub impact. Since then he's milked it in the media for all it's worth. Well, as much as most scientists dislike that kind of behavior, it's how you keep the grant money rolling in. #Dinosaurs are maybe more popular than ever, but they're lousy at paying their own bills.
He's made many dubious claims before about the site, many carefully hedged so he could retract them later. It's a dangerous game. This time, it very much looks like he's done something much worse.
#Tanis is real, and it's a remarkable discovery. DePalma's inability to distinguish between flashy PR and outright fraud will accomplish nothing but tarnishing all the real #paleontology work done at the site, by anyone, for years to come. Good scientists like #During will suffer the consequences.
Yeah. Don't do that.
David Dvorkin
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@luckytran
I no longer care what anyone thinks about me answering my door masked, or pumping gas masked, or anything else. I know I'm an "at risk" person, but as an old RN, I believe pretty much everyone is 'at risk' in this pandemic. I know many who've had Covid at least twice, young folks w/long Covid - all vaxxed/boosted/cautious. This should have been a global public health emergency; mandatory masking in public should have been the rule from the start.
David Dvorkin
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If you see this toot (yeah this one right here), can you boost it for me? It will help my new server federate with the wider Mastodon network. 🚀 🙏
Thanks to anyone who can do this. It is really appreciated! This server is small but will be hosting several #peace #SocialJustice and #Humanistic groups, so it is for a good cause.
And like magic, America's brief fascination with soccer vanishes again. If only its obsession with American football, the most boring team sport on the planet, would do the same.
David Dvorkin
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Some webcam girls have started following me on Twitter. I'm delighted that, when they're not busy chatting with and etceteraing for their customers, they like to read pithily phrased, witty, trenchant observations about life, literature, politics, and so on.
The layout of the calendar repeats over time. You don't have to buy a new calendar every year. For example, for 2023, you can reuse the calendar for 2017. Big Calendar does not want you to know this! Wake up, sheeple!
(Yes, I know that most of us receive so many calendars in the mail that we never actually buy new ones. Don't stop me. I'm on a roll.)
I was interviewed this morning on the Chicago Jewish Cafe program about my book ONCE A JEW, ALWAYS A JEW? Here's the video link:
David Dvorkin
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RT @HowardA_AtLaw@twitter.com
Sigh: Yes, AR-15 stands for Armalite Rifle, but when your child is rendered so unrecognizable from dozens of bullets in her tiny body that only her sneakers can ID her, you don't care what it stands for, you care that no civilian needs or should have one.
🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/HowardA_AtLaw/status/1597591003195928582
"Please don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
"Bruce, no one likes you now."
So far, 520 people, and counting, are running for mayor of Denver. I don't know anything about any of them, but judging from the e-mails they're sending me, each one is absolutely terrific. The choice will be difficult.
David Dvorkin
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The best things you can do for an #independent #author:
1 - Buy and read their #book.
2 - Review it! This is a huge help in beating the #algorithms and getting seen. At least give it a star #review.
3 - Buy more copies of their book for #gifts at #birthdays and #holidays.
4 - Tell people about it when you are discussing #reading. Mass #market #books get plenty of #publicity. #Indie #writers depend largely on #self-promotion (which many of us cringe at) and word of mouth.
David Dvorkin
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Behold the Cucumber God.
He is surrounded by His adoring worshippers. The crowd is so dense that some of those in it must stand upon others so that they can be bathed in the effulgence of His divine stupendiferousness as he spews his seeds (of wisdom). Sadly, there seem to be some doubters among the tomatoes.
You might notice that the god is made up of two conjoined aspects. How can this be? How can He be both one and two?
This is a deep mystery that can be understood, to the extent mortal mind can understand it, only by those who have studied deeply the ancient writings, the Cuke Canon, and the centuries of exegisis performed thereon and extrapolation derived therefrom by generations of cucologians, cranky fellows crammed together in stinky little rooms, performing their sacred labor while their wives and children labored to provide food and shelter for their families.
For us ordinary mortals, it is sufficient to know that He is the bigod. When a person thinks he is saying "By God!" he is in truth offering a prayer to the only true god, the bigod. Or should that be the bigods? It is a bit confusing.
David Dvorkin
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adulthood means hurting your back when you relax incorrectly
'Tis the season when the coronavirus feels very, very thankful.
181,000 words, and still a long way to go. That may not sound like much to those who have written long books, but it's humongous by my standards. I wonder how long it will be when it's done. I wonder when it will be done. I'm trying not to wonder whether it will be done.
#writing #ScienceFiction #WritingCommunity
David Dvorkin
boosted
- Website
- http://www.dvorkin.com/
Writer, former software developer, tech writer, aerospace engineer (Apollo, Viking Mars lander). Atheist and anti-theist; I try not to go on too much about that and frequetnly fail. Mostly fairly leftwing except on certain subjects; ditto about going on too much about it. Come to think of it, that bit about going on too much about stuff applies to all of the above.
Joined Nov 2022
