Brian Beach has moved @bwbeach@qoto.org

The New York Times has a profile by Siobhan Roberts on the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, celebrating its 50th anniversary: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/21/science/math-puzzles-integer-sequences.html, https://web.archive.org/web/20230522005810/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/21/science/math-puzzles-integer-sequences.html

Sometimes journalists, newspapers, “influencers,” scientists, politicians & the rest of us get things wrong. But instead of acknowledging our mistakes, too often, pride or social norms get in the way of saying so.

But it’s good to change our minds when we have new evidence or a new perspective or experience that shapes our perceptions.

That’s how we learn. How we grow. And talking about it should be normalized. The expectation rather than the exception.

Are you just catching up on the bonkers story about the lawyer using ChatGPT for federal court filings? This is a thread for you.

Street #art...

I don’t often post media stories about me here, but I’m making an exception because this one is notable for two reasons.
First, this is the first mainstream article I have seen where they have dared to print the truth that while Apple is doing some stunning things with #accessibility, there are serious bugs that continue to pile up and don’t get addressed for a long time.
Second, there’s a very positive reference to mastodon and how inclusive it is of #blind people.
It’s now removed from the paywall so open to all.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/voice-cloning-letting-your-iphone-see-for-you-advocates-verdict-on-apples-new-accessibility-features/Z224DABVCZBZTCMK3BOQ4YTD4I/

An astonishing account of the state of college students, and of extraordinary change between student cohorts now vs the very recent past, by @profmusgrave https://musgrave.substack.com/p/the-post-generation

// others who teach undergrads, does this ring true?

If you don't know what the Human Pangenome is and why it's important, I've reviewed it here
https://erictopol.substack.com/p/pearls-from-the-pangenome

A group of 18 European Parliament Members have issued a statement officially calling for #Degrowth.

Here is part of what they wrote...
______________________________

We believe that the current economic model, based on endless growth, has reached its limits.

Firstly, continuous economic growth, especially based on the consumption of fossil fuels, is leading to catastrophic global warming.

Secondly, the infinite pursuit of growth relies on the depletion of natural resources, the destruction of biodiversity, and the accumulation of waste and pollution. This also poses risks to our health, our economies, and our societies writ large.

Thirdly, the current economic model is contributing to social inequality and exclusion. The emphasis on economic growth has not translated into equal distribution of wealth or opportunities. Instead, it has resulted in a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few leaving many behind.

Fourthly, the current economic model is inherently unstable and prone to crises, as seen, for example, during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pursuit of growth at all costs has created a global economic system that is fragile and vulnerable to shocks.

We need an economic system that prioritises human well-being and ecological sustainability over GDP growth, one that recognises that infinite growth on a finite planet is impossible.

We also believe we need to find new ways of organising our economies without relying on the continuous exploitation of resources and the constant increase in production and consumption.

We call for more pluralism in economic thinking within EU institutions and for its alignment with the scientific evidence of climate, ecological, and social sciences.

We call for economic models and other decision-support tools to be more diverse, more comprehensive, and more readable for citizens.

We call for decision-making processes to be aligned with our common policy objectives rather than on the basis of the variation of GDP figures.
______________________________

FULL STATEMENT -- https://www.euronews.com/2023/05/10/moving-beyond-growth-is-not-only-desirable-it-is-essential

Names of those who signed on as co-authors: Philippe Lamberts (BE), Bas Eickhout (NL), Ville Niinisto (FI), Manuela Ripa (DE), Marie Toussaint (FR), Ernest Urtasun (ES), Kim Van Sparrentak (NL) — Greens/EFA; Manon Aubry (FR), Petros Kokkalis (EL), Marisa Matias (PT), Helmut Scholz (DE) — The Left (GUE/NGL); Pascal Durand (FR), Aurore Lalucq (FR), Pierre Larrouturou (FR) — Socialists & Democrats (S&D); Sirpa Pietikainen (FI), Maria Walsh (IE) — European People’s Party (EPP); Katalin CSEH (HU) — Renew Europe (RE); and Dino GIARRUSSO (IT) — Non-attached (NI).

#Europe #EU #Politics #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Biodiversity #Pollution #Inequality

Here is my article about #Mastodon, the #Fediverse, and federalism for The Atlantic. I did NOT write the headline, which suggests the article is about Ben Franklin (never mentioned in the article) and Bluesky (mentioned a couple of times). LOL but I'm still really excited for you to read this!!! https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/05/social-media-centralism-fediverse/674041/

"In General Electric’s annual report from 1953, the company bragged about how much it paid in taxes and how much it was spending on payroll. It explicitly said that “maximizing employment security is a prime company goal.” The founder of Johnson & Johnson said that the company’s responsibility to its employees was higher than its responsibility to its shareholders. Corporations then had a radically different conception of their role in society compared with corporations today." https://archive.is/66hPb

Everyone got the memo that we're supposed to reduce our emissions by half in 7 years, right?

“There is no joy more intense than that of coming upon a fact that cannot be understood in terms of currently accepted ideas."

Astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was born #OTD in 1900. She used quantum mechanics to decode the spectral lines of stars and deduce their elemental composition, concluding they are mostly H and He, and was the first woman to be made full professor and department chair at Harvard.

Image: Harvard Observatory

Absolutely insane when you consider that Trump presided over a loss of 3 million jobs, while Biden has presided over the addition of more than 12 million. And yes, Covid impacted those numbers, but Trump did a horrendous job managing the pandemic. He's to blame for that.

❝ Reflecting on a trip to a northern California tribe, Wilbur recalled, "I realized if you give us time we will rise. We will resurrect our dreams and will come together. We will rise. It is one thing to talk about hope, another to [realize or live] hope."

Considering her 10 years on the road she found she was most moved by the people she met. "It was the people, their kindness. I learned about the great big love. It was the great big love that carried me through. Why did they share with me? I realized Indian Country was ready to indigenize." ❞

Matika Wilbur launches 'Project 562' book at Swinomish last Tuesday - La Conner Weekly News https://www.laconnerweeklynews.com/story/2023/05/03/a-and-e/matika-wilbur-launches-project-562-book-at-swinomish-last-tuesday/8964.html