Paul Sutton @zleap@qoto.org
Interested in Technology, Science, Chemistry, Education, Fediverse, GNU/Linux and free software.
Joined Mar 2020
Paul Sutton
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This is totally unacceptable, where is our PM when we need him to challenge Trump over this.
Paul Sutton
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"agents forcibly removed all residents from their homes regardless of their legal status"
'It was heartbreaking': Naked zip-tied children dragged from homes in 'surreal' ICE raid - Raw Story
Paul Sutton
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Big Tech is doing a great job of hiding the environmental cost of chatbots
"Given scope of the investments being made now, what will the environmental impacts of AI be moving forward? It’s a question that’s hard to answer because the biggest tech companies are not sharing enough data for us to collectively plan ahead. But one thing is clear: when it comes to clean energy and fresh water, it will demand hard choices between the needs of humanity and those of machines."
https://thewalrus.ca/ai-environmental-cost/
Paul Sutton
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Apple Takes Down ICE Tracking Apps Amid Trump Pressure Campaign
Trump administration officials have issued several legal threats over ICEBlock, a popular app that allows users to alert others to the presence of nearby immigration agents.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...
Apple Takes Down ICE Tracking ...
Paul Sutton
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Old Elephant Bull Paying Respects at a Friend's Gravesite
This moment was among the most profoundly moving and memorable experiences of my life- yet it was so gentle, so quiet, had I been distracted I would have missed it.
The longer tale, if you are so inclined: I spent many days near a single watering hole on Hwange, Zimbabwe, where an elephant skeleton lay nearby. Many young elephant families passed through, without giving the bones much attention. But one day, an older bull elephant, walking slowly, stopped at the bones. His ears lowered and his trunk stooped in solemn reverence. He grazed the bones with his trunk and then massaged the skull for a very long time- elephants who mourn at the bones of their loved ones favour the skull, which I assume is more individual and recognizable. It was extremely hot, and other elephants, mothers with their babies and lone bulls- charged toward the watering hole, eager for a drink and a bath. The bull was surely hot and parched- but unrushed, every part of him connecting with the bones before him.
I asked a local, a former guide, if he knew who the elephant was who died. He was also an old bull, so old his last set of teeth had worn out completely, and he lived at the watering hole, soaking grasses to make them soft enough to eat. He died nearby of natural causes last year. This old bull, the visiting mourner, was very likely a good friend, maybe even a travelling companion.
There are detractors who say we can't know for certain that the behaviour at these boneyards really is mourning behaviour. I can't help but think that such detractors have never witnessed first hand the palpable emotions of a grieving elephant. #elephant #africanelephant #Hwange #Hwangenationalpark #nature #natur #naturephotography #wildlifeprotection #wildlife #wildlifephotography #africa #zimbabwe #wildlifeconservation #nationalgeographic #natgeo #natgeonature #tierwelt #mammals #ethicalnaturephotography #conservation #animalsareamazing
This moment was among the most profoundly moving and memorable experiences of my life- yet it was so gentle, so quiet, had I been distracted I would have missed it.
The longer tale, if you are so inclined: I spent many days near a single watering hole on Hwange, Zimbabwe, where an elephant skeleton lay nearby. Many young elephant families passed through, without giving the bones much attention. But one day, an older bull elephant, walking slowly, stopped at the bones. His ears lowered and his trunk stooped in solemn reverence. He grazed the bones with his trunk and then massaged the skull for a very long time- elephants who mourn at the bones of their loved ones favour the skull, which I assume is more individual and recognizable. It was extremely hot, and other elephants, mothers with their babies and lone bulls- charged toward the watering hole, eager for a drink and a bath. The bull was surely hot and parched- but unrushed, every part of him connecting with the bones before him.
I asked a local, a former guide, if he knew who the elephant was who died. He was also an old bull, so old his last set of teeth had worn out completely, and he lived at the watering hole, soaking grasses to make them soft enough to eat. He died nearby of natural causes last year. This old bull, the visiting mourner, was very likely a good friend, maybe even a travelling companion.
There are detractors who say we can't know for certain that the behaviour at these boneyards really is mourning behaviour. I can't help but think that such detractors have never witnessed first hand the palpable emotions of a grieving elephant. #elephant #africanelephant #Hwange #Hwangenationalpark #nature #natur #naturephotography #wildlifeprotection #wildlife #wildlifephotography #africa #zimbabwe #wildlifeconservation #nationalgeographic #natgeo #natgeonature #tierwelt #mammals #ethicalnaturephotography #conservation #animalsareamazing
I was going to say something very simiar, agree, Humans think they are the only species on Earth that is intelligent or perhaps also sentient, but we are seeing these traits in animals too.
Paul Sutton
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@LauraScrimshaw amazing and beautiful. They're such incredible creatures
Paul Sutton
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The NFL is planning men’s and women’s pro flag football leagues https://twp.ai/9PX791
Paul Sutton
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I'm currently working on my next "What the Internet Was Like in..." post for Cybercultural, this time for the year 2000. Wondering if anyone has specific memories about Flash websites that year? Or blogging, or social news sites like MetaFilter and Kuro5hin. Do let me know what comes to mind for you re the web in 2000...
I have put a link to a video on the History of IRC on my website, I remember using irc back in 2000 (and still do) but not many specifics for that year, however there may be some useful points in the video.
Paul Sutton
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The use of social media peaked in 2022 & has been showing (in the FT's ongoing survey) a slow but steady decline since... except in the USA where usage continue to rise.
Moreover, drive by 'enshitifcation' & the frequent toxicity of the social media environment, people's reasons for using social media have shifted from active engagement (with friends or to to share opinions) to more passive activities (following celebrities, filling in time).
Mastodon remains an oasis, of course.
Paul Sutton
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In their response to the 2.75m people who have already signed the petition "Do not introduce Digital ID cards" the government has now responded and said:
'For clarity, it will not be a criminal offence to not hold a digital ID and police will not be able to demand to see a digital ID as part of a “stop and search.” '
That backpeddling doesn't make clear that without digital ID you will effectively be excluded from access to a wide range of services including jobs and, I suspect, the NHS.
1/2
Paul Sutton
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The new VPN from Tor is pretty interesting.
Still in beta so it may not actually be production ready yet, but its got some very exciting features.
Each app gets its own separate tor circuit, or can be excluded from the VPN.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.torproject.vpn
Paul Sutton
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US Citizen Detained at Work Files Class-Action Suit to Stop Raids https://twp.ai/9PX79L
Paul Sutton
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@zleap There was some fairly serious crime here recently (not on a level of the recent attacks but serious enough) and police stepped up city centre patrols for all of about two or three days. Cancelling leave of officers etc.
Then it’s back to normal where you don’t see any ‘bobbies on the beat’
If they needed to cancel leave just to get a few boots on the ground it shows how short staffed they are due to cuts and austerity. A common theme in the public sector.
Paul Sutton
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Please copy and paste onto the websites of your members of Congress and share with friends:
ICE officers are abusing detainees, Americans, and journalists, and I need your constant pressure on DHS about this.
Officials of this Republican Administration argue that recording law enforcement or ICE officers is a form of violence. I need you to hold hearings on this and bring everyone responsible for perpetuating this view to testify.
In July, Kristi Noem said during a news conference that videotaping ICE agents performing operations is “violence.” Noem lumped video recordings in with other forms of actual violence, like throwing rocks or Molotov cocktails.
In August, Justice Department lawyer Sean Skedzielewski argued during a court hearing that recording is violent because it can reveal officers’ identities, leading to harassment, and can encourage more protesters to join the fray.
Also in August, in a bond hearing before an immigration court in July, the government argued that a reporter's recording and livestreaming of law enforcement “presents a safety threat.”
Recordings of law enforcement officers holds officers accountable for abusing their authority or breaking the law.
Government lawyers have denied in court that DHS officers have pointed weapons at journalists, despite video evidence submitted to the court of them doing exactly that. Lawyers for this Republican Government lying in court is exactly why filming is critical.
Paul Sutton
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ICE is buying a location tracking tool that harvests data from hundreds of millions of phones a day. Protect your location data by updating a few settings on your phone 🧵 (1/4): https://www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-tool-that-tracks-locations-of-hundreds-of-millions-of-phones-every-day/
So following the attack in Manchester on a Synagogue, police are stepping up patrols to keep other Jews safe. If they had regular patrols normally, then perhaps people could go to work in say shops without the fear of people abusing staff, it seems there are always enough officers after any big incident but you never see one normally.
Oh and if there were regular community patrols, it would be a deterrant 365 days of the year.
Does not always need to be Police, you can have PCSOs and special constables on patrol who would be able to call for back up quickly.
Surely EVERYONE has the right to go about their lives in safety.
Interested in Technology, Science, Chemistry, Education, Fediverse, GNU/Linux and free software.
Joined Mar 2020
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