Martin Ruskov @mapto@qoto.org

Here’s a sample. Since I was just at an ICML workshop about the importance of fuzzy, context-specific evaluation, I guess I don’t need much convincing on this!

"Earlier this year, in written testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath said Gen Z is less cognitively capable than previous generations, despite its unprecedented access to technology. He said Gen Z is the first generation in modern history to score lower on standardized tests than the previous one."

1/4

https://fortune.com/article/how-did-us-spending-30-billion-dollars-on-laptops-result-in-first-generation-less-cognitively-capable-than-parents/

The Road Home - Shot on the way back to Amarillo, TX on Saturday - eastern Harding County, New Mexico, USA #NewMexico #AmericanWest #spring #nature #landscape #outdoors #road #clouds #cloud #cumulus #Fujifilm #FujifilmXT5 #Tamron #monochrome #blackandwhite

Supercell thunderstorm moving away, showing its full structure. It was raining on me when I shot this, requiring quick attempts at shooting and many wipes of the lens. (June 23, 2026) - Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA #Texas #TexasPanhandle #AmericanWest #GreatPlains #summer #nature #landscape #outdoors #road #clouds #supercell #thunderstorm #stormchasing #monochrome #blackandwhite #Fujifilm #FujifilmXT5 #Tamron

Please savor the irony of this coming from a rider on a team sponsored by a petrostate.

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2026/07/12/pogacar-calls-for-cycling-calendar-overhaul-due-to-extreme-heat_6755414_9.html

Regardless of whether Americans think socialism is bad or good, or how they define it, most embrace socialist policies and programs – as long as no one calls them “socialist”.

Even in a deep red state like North Dakota, which has a state-run bank.
https://theconversation.com/even-in-conservative-north-dakota-some-socialist-institutions-thrive-286627

@resist

“And there is that endless joke: there is one absurd, parody, completely inappropriate candidate – and he is standing against Count Binface. That one is kind of funny.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/11/unstoppable-rise-of-count-binface-clacton-farage

In an era of extreme weather, climate uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and rising fertilizer costs, keeping soil healthy and nurturing the billions of microbes living there is not only necessary but also economically strategic.

https://theconversation.com/fertilizers-carry-a-hidden-cost-for-soils-crucial-microbes-using-less-as-prices-rise-might-pay-off-for-farms-in-unexpected-ways-283123

Verdant Beauty, Wide-Open Spaces, Elegant Architecture: Have a Look at 15 Photos That Show Why Central Park Is the Lifeblood of Manhattan
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/verdant-beauty-wide-open-spaces-elegant-architecture-have-a-look-at-15-photos-that-show-why-central-park-is-the-lifeblood-of-manhattan-180989067/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Travel @travel-Smithsonianmag

Despite the impression many people might get from the news, the U.S. murder rate fell nearly 20% in 2025, likely making it the lowest since reliable national records began in 1960.

Why? A criminologist says the answer isn't any single policy — it's a combination of major social trends (thread) ⬇️

https://theconversation.com/the-us-murder-rate-fell-to-historic-lows-in-2025-heres-why-276826

Young women are much more likely than young men to identify as LGBTQ+, according to new research.

28.5% of Gen Z women identified as LGBTQ+, compared with 10.6% of Gen Z men

Here's what the researchers think is behind the trend: https://theconversation.com/young-women-are-identifying-as-less-straight-young-men-not-so-much-283936

RE: https://mastodon.social/@grimalkina/116875279208507179

Preorder from authors.

I hit a wall using Blender. I was missing a plugin I relied on in After Effects: ToothPaste.

So I built one. Fought AI for months. Got a developer friend involved. Eventually, it worked.
Published it free on Blender Extensions. 2K downloads in a few months.

Pride and imposter syndrome clashed. But I published it anyway.

I guess others needed it too. That's enough of a prize for me.

Have you tried building your own tools?

#todormotion #DreamDesignDeliver #Blender3D #BlenderPlugin

One of the biggest predictors of a female baboon's long-term health isn't strength or speed.

It’s friendship and family.

Strong social bonds lower stress and are linked to longer lives – with striking parallels to humans.

https://theconversation.com/female-baboons-keep-family-bonds-strong-research-reveals-the-benefits-284860

“In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by 2 to 1. Paris, where they now outnumber motorists across the whole city, is catching up with Europe’s traditional bike capitals, Amsterdam & Copenhagen…In Copenhagen, bikes account for almost half of commuter trips to work/school.” @economist.com@bsky.brid.gy

Forget EVs. Cycling is revolut...

An ethicist who teaches about conflict resolution got into a chilly dispute with her neighbor over her dog’s behavior.

Here’s what she learned from the incident about getting along:
https://theconversation.com/civility-requires-the-willingness-to-engage-a-dispute-with-a-neighbor-revealed-how-much-motivation-matters-274359

Do you hope YOUR admin, mods and community managers have filled this out? Forward the link, takes only 5 minutes!

(Boosts for visibility greatly appreciated)

➡️ https://tally.so/r/81MW6k