David Dvorkin @DavidDvorkin@qoto.org

When I was a boy, I watched all kinds of science fiction the science in which would make me cringe now. (Not to mention writing, acting, special effects ... ) Bad science alone pulls me out of the story and annoys me now. But I sure did enjoy sf on the screen a lot more then. I miss that boyish purity of escape.

MTG's Great Divorce reminded me of an essay I wrote some years ago, also advocating such a divorce, but in a rather different manner.

http://dvorkin.com/essays/finalconq.html

The "National Day of Hate" seems to be a flop, at least so far, judging by what I can find online -- just warnings, no news items about actual deeds.

That's a relief, of course, but it's also encouraging. Perhaps it will turn out to be as laughable and mocked as the giant rallies and marches planned by the rightwing wackos that end up being a just a small bunch of pitiful loons.

If I were designing an interstellar ship with super-duper advanced technology, I would include lots of robotics, AI, redundant systems, and self-healing everything, there would be no dangling structures outside, and there would be a super-tough shell around the whole thing so that everything that could possibly ever require human attention would be safely reachable from inside.

A summary of American domestic policy: Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the White House. Ronald Reagan removed them.

If aliens are spying on us with gadgets that we can fairly easily detect and shoot down, then I'm very disappointed in aliens. I would expect much better from them.

Imagine if someone misunderstood Russell’s teapot as a revelation and founded the Church of the Teapot, with Russell as the messianic figure. It would be utterly laughable, of course, but perhaps their sacraments would include serving really good cups of tea. It could be a good place to drop in while out and about for a good cuppa. I’d have no problem saying “Praise Russell.”

Many cultures preach respect for the elders, by which they usually mean not just politeness but deference and even reverence. And who preaches this value to the young? Why, the elders, of course.

I dunno. I think there's something fishy about this story.

I hope the fish don't get together and scale up this activity. Or start buying more upscale items.

In Japan, pet fish playing Nintendo Switch run up bill on owner's credit card
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/28/asia/nintendo-switch-pet-fish-credit-card-intl-hnk

... why the word "webinar" ...

I wish I could edit my toots. No matter how often I proofread before hitting the TOOT! button, I still miss errors.

I don't know why the "webinar" annoys me so much, but it really, really does.

PBS Masterpiece has announced an upcoming adaptation of Tom Jones, which it describes as a "romcom". Oh, well. If that's what's required to draw an audience in these evil and declining days, then so be it.

It’s far more comforting to be an atheist than to turn for comfort to an imaginary being who, if he existed, would be the source of all the evil that befalls us. #atheism #atheist

I exercise a lot and eat healthily, but the roll around my middle remains. I call it the unbudging pudge, and I don't mean that affectionately.

Here are just a few of the things that happened on January 2, 2023:

137 million tonnes (CO2 equivalent) of greenhouse gases were emitted worldwide.

Three people were killed by police in the US.

A football player suffered cardiac arrest during a game.

Which of these received the most press coverage? Which is the most important for today and the future?

#DamarHamlin

Theists, heirs to a system of belief that has afflicted humanity with endless bloodshed and repression, have the nerve to ask atheists, smugly, how, without the Bible, they can have any kind of morality. #atheism

Aah! December 26. I can listen to the radio again.