Way back when I was on that other service, I had a pinned tweet for a time that concluded with something like the following line:
... when they're handing out "make your own internet policy at home" kits, they should some with a label saying "Adult supervision required."
In a post commemorating Ross Anderson on her blog, Heather Burns (@webdevlaw somewhere, I'm sure) quoted him regarding the same concern. However, compared to my snark, his phrasing is sublime, maybe even divine:
The idea that complex social problems are amenable to cheap technical solutions is the siren song of the software salesman and has lured many a gullible government department on to the rocks.
There is no "easy fix" for online toxicity. Anything that will be effective will be very difficult to put in place and will likely be the result of millions of hours of combined thought, analysis, experimentation and disputation on the part of thousands of experts in the fields being considered.
Something I would say infrequently and irregularly on the only other social service I've ever used, and will translate to the #Fediverse:
All boosts, re-toots or re-posts (or whatever they're called) from this account are to be considered endorsements. If I don't endorse the post, I will either not boost, re-toot or re-post it, *or* it will be clear in my comment accompanying the boost, re-toot or re-post.
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Irish house prices continue to rise at annual rate of 10%
Inflation in Ireland for October 2024 is 0.7%/year. In 2024, inflation didn't exceed 6%/year.
If house prices are increasing at 10%/year, then buying a house gets harder and harder and harder. *This* is a major, major contributor to homelessness.
Yet, #FiannaFail and #FineGael will tell us that house prices increasing like this is a great thing for the economy and all of us, and they'll take credit; we need to tell them it must mean they want to increase homelessness, too.
Irish house prices continue to rise at annual rate of 10%
Latest official figures indicate that property prices in Dublin rose at an annual rate of 10.8 per cent in year to SeptemberEoin Burke-Kennedy (The Irish Times)
A neighbourhood has three cafes: Threads cafe, BlueSky cafe and Mastodon cafe.
Some people prefer one, while others go from one to another to say hello.
A few like all three.
All good: no reason for there just to be one.
But we all avoid the once-popular place that went bad under new management.
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Reading now. Character Limit by Conger & Mac #books #popculture
I don't know if this is a good idea or not but my number came up on the library hold list.
Self-Hosting Guide to Alternatives: Feedly, Inoreader
An excellent run-down of the alternative, self-hostable RSS/Feed readers. I'm a big fan of commafeed.
Academic Papers Yanked After Authors Found To Have Used Unlicensed Software - Slashdot
Y'know, it's much easier these days to use #copyright to suppress information than it is to promote its dissemination.
Fuck #copyright.
Academic Papers Yanked After Authors Found To Have Used Unlicensed Software science.slashdot.org/story/24/…Academic Papers Yanked After Authors Found To Have Used Unlicensed Software - Slashdot
An academic journal has retracted two papers because it determined their authors used unlicensed software.science.slashdot.org
Democratic Party can win in 2028 if it accepts three difficult truths
The summary of this article, by the chief US political commentator for the Financial Times, is that if the Democrats don't out-Republicans the Republicans, then they'll never succeed again.
I don't like this analysis, in part because I think it's wrong. But that's probably my confirmation bias.
The other part of why I don't like the analysis is that he seems to say that all vulnerable people must be abandoned by the Democrats in the same way the Republicans have, and protecting Democracy should not be part of their platform.
That's just horrific, and can only be understood as support for majoritarian, anti-democratic policies. I.e. fascism.
Democratic Party can win in 2028 if it accepts three difficult truths
Bidenomics policies must be curbed, the party has to be anti-woke, and it must accept that voters don’t care about democracyJanan Ganesh (The Irish Times)
psst c’mere a sec
stop calling Musk “Elonia”
it disrespects a real name, something transphobes do
it perpetuates that it’s funny for a perceived cis man to be associated with femininity, something transphobes do
Musk is a horrid transphobe, you are helping him and hurting US
please stop
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Family of Tyrone man concerned over his detention in UAE
State-sanctioned cowardice in action.
[13:13] Co Tyrone man detained in Dubai over online reviewNorthern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill has been urged to intervene after a Co Tyrone man was arrested in the UAE over an online review he posted.
rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/1113/…
#NorthernIreland's #First #MichelleO'Neill #CoTyrone #UAE
Family of Tyrone man concerned over his detention in UAE
The family of a Co Tyrone man have expressed concern after he was detained in Dubai for leaving a negative online review of a dog grooming service he had once worked for.Conor Macauley (RTÉ)
Eoin O'Beara likes this.
Irish woman in line for top White House role under Donald Trump
Cue all the public numpties in Ireland saying isn't it great that there's an Irish woman high up in the administration.
Remember who else they lionised? Sean Spicer, a guy who was literally paid to lie for Donald Trump multiple times per day, and John Brennan, chief implementer and apologist for George W. Bush's illegal torture programmes.
Irish woman in line for top White House role under Donald Trump
Gail Slater, originally from Dalkey in south Co Dublin, is frontrunner to lead the US Federal Trade Commission under Donald TrumpEoin Burke-Kennedy (The Irish Times)
Trump stuns the Pentagon by picking Fox News host as defence secretary
This is oddly comforting.
It means "his team" this time 'round isn't much more in control of his impulses as they were the last time. They had 4 or more years to prepare, and they still can't stop him from making the most ludicrously self-destructive, ego-driven, decisions.
Trump stuns the Pentagon by picking Fox News host as defence secretary
Trump said in a statement: “With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice.”TheJournal.ie
If they're the only candidates fighting for the last seat, it won't matter if you don't give them preferences. If they're fighting with a Fine Gaeler for the last seat, however, if your ballot can't be transferred to the gaeler, then it could help one of the others to get elected.
In the end, it boils down to whether your ballot can help someone get elected, or help prevent someone from being elected. You cannot predict with certainty who's going to vie for the last seat, but if your ballot still has power at that point, it will be used against those you reject, or -- even better -- for those you support.
In the OG I said that I know it's hard. So, if someone just can't give preferences to those candidates, it doesn't change the validity of the ballot, and I will always wish well on its journey from pile to pile.
Google Research Chief Says Learning To Code 'as Important as Ever' - Slashdot
If this is true, why is Google and all its peers in the tech monopolisation industry so keen on removing skilled coders and replacing them with artificial parrots?
Google Research Chief Says Learning To Code 'as Important as Ever' developers.slashdot.org/story/…Google Research Chief Says Learning To Code 'as Important as Ever' - Slashdot
Google's head of research Yossi Matias maintains that learning to code remains "as important as ever" despite AI's growing role in software development.developers.slashdot.org
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Forty-Three Monkeys Escape From US Research Lab - Slashdot
Ah lads! It was only supposed to have been 12!
Forty-Three Monkeys Escape From US Research Lab news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/…Forty-Three Monkeys Escape From US Research Lab - Slashdot
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: Police are on the hunt for 43 monkeys who escaped from a research facility in South Carolina, after a keeper left their pen open.news.slashdot.org
Eoin O'Beara likes this.
Simon: Good afternoon, a Uachtarán.
Michael D: Good afternoon, a Thaoisigh.
Simon: I've come to exercise my constitutional prerogative; to formally request that you dissolve the Dáil.
Michael D: I see. You know that I have a constitutional prerogative to decline your request?
Simon: I am aware, a Uachtarán.
Michael D: I hear they call you the Tiktok Taoiseach.
Simon: They do. It's not something I cultivate, *he says, with false humility, falsely.*
*Michael D takes his 'phone out of his pocket, fires up Tiktok to record and points it at Simon*
Michael D: Grand. Let me see you Floss.
Samhain Healy-Rae-Nua likes this.
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General elections
Who can run for office in a general election? How do you vote? What are the rules around campaigning and election posters? This document explains how general elections work in Ireland.Citizensinformation.ie
Patrick O'Beirne likes this.
So. As I think about #GE2024 #GeneralElection2024 in Ireland, I wonder if anyone know the answers to these:
- What is the closing date/time for registering candidatures?
- Will the candidate lists be published on some official list? or will I need to depend on the diligence of a news outlet like the Irish Times or RTÉ for the detail?
adriankavanaghelections.org/20…
Candidates for the 2024 General Election by Dáil constituency
Adrian Kavanagh, First Posted – 10th July 2024, Most Recent Update – Thursday 7th November 2024 We are now in the run in to the next general election, which in theory could have taken p…Irish Elections: Geography, Facts and Analyses
Ireland will join South Africa case against Israel by 'end of year'
My prediction: "Oh! No! They won't!"
This is the crowd who offered lots of public support for the people of #Gaza while secretly telling Israel that they'll block the Occupied Territories Bill, and while ignoring illegal transportation of armaments to Israel, to be used in the currently-ongoing genocide in Gaza, through Irish airspace.
This is one of those things whereby I will believe those sniveling cowards only when I fucking-well see it.
Ireland will join South Africa case against Israel by 'end of year'
During the debate TDs strongly criticised the Government’s failure to enact the Occupied Territories Bill ahead of the dissolution of the Dáil tomorrow.TheJournal.ie
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So. I get up this morning to see loads of alerts on my Android 'phone from the #Nextcloud app, advising me of the 100s of files that have been synced to my phone, and of the 100s more that failed to sync. Alongside those alerts were alerts of how my phone is running out of storage and how I've vastly exceeded my bandwidth limits.
Turns out, a new update to the Nextcloud app was installed from F-Droid with a feature I wasn't aware of: Internal two way sync.
Sounds interesting. But it was deployed to my 'phone turned on. I.e. as soon as the installation completed, it seems, nextcloud -- without letting me know -- started to sync 100s of GiB of files to my 'phone.
Seriously, @Nextcloud 📱☁️💻? Seriously not cool.
I now need to clear out my phone storage, and before I do I need to figure out how to do that without deleting the files on my nextcloud server! I also now need to contact my provider to see how much overage money I owe them and to agree a payment plan.
FFS, lads.
Jesus.
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. Good luck with limiting the damage.
Politicians who claim to represent me are falling over themselves to congratulate Donald Trump on his re-election. Some are running for election in Ireland in 3.5 weeks' time. Some of them will be asking for my vote. Here's what I will be saying to them.
Letting my election candidates know where I think they should stand
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This is a powerful call to action by Heather Burns
Mná na hÉireann
map data witch ⛧🗺️ 🌒🌕🌘🌳 likes this.
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I've seen a few messages this morning recommending people switch to #Signal to protect themselves.
I would recommend an alternative: Switch to #Matrix (at matrix.org), and join its foundation.
It doesn't have the same reach as Signal (and some would say it's not as mature, but I would debate that!), but it does one thing that Signal doesn't: you can join a Matrix node (i.e. "Homeserver") that is independent of all other Matrix nodes, and still be a part of the greater Matrix federation.
It's possible to spin up a Signal server, but -- as far as I understand it -- you can't use it to communicate with others on the centralised Signal server.
Matrix needs support. If federation is important to you, please consider supporting this alternative to Signal.
Oh! and you can use your independent Matrix homeserver to communicate with people on the Signal network, because bridging between the two networks is part of the Matrix architecture and there's an excellent matrix-signal bridge already.
Eoin O'Beara likes this.
if we are talking about Matrix and Signal in this specific context, it should also be mentioned that the bridge you mentioned is breaking end2end encryption and is processing plaintext messages on the matrix server.
Possibly not necessarily the best thing to do under current circumstances.
Looking back at the 20th century, I don't know of any country that went full-on fascist and emerged from it peacefully following a normal political process. Either fascism was removed at the end of a brutal, devastating, horrific war that killed millions of people, or it ended after decades of a brutal reign of terror by the fascist dictator who couldn't continue the terror owing to, y'know, having died.
People who think 2028/9 will see normality returning to the U.S. with a peaceful transfer of power are probably deluding themselves.
Hank G ☑️ likes this.
Harris and Martin block Green proposals for €2bn Climate and Nature fund
The Green Party should recognise this for what it is: Fianna Fáil's and Fine Gael's rejection of them as potential partners in the next government. The GP should bring the Dáil down now, just to piss Harris off.
Harris and Martin block Green proposals for €2bn Climate and Nature fund
Coalition partners say it was premature for Minister of the Environment to earmark money to specific areas without consultationHarry McGee (The Irish Times)
Gerard Hynes likes this.
Tulsa Race Massacre Survivor, 109, Casts Her Vote For Kamala
crooksandliars.com/2024/11/tul…
Tulsa Race Massacre Survivor, 109, Casts Her Vote For Kamala
Randle was born in 1914, and women didn’t gain the right to vote in Oklahoma until 1918.Susie Madrak (Crooks and Liars)
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The Ditch is going to court
Good on them!
GadgetGav
in reply to d a t green • • •d a t green
in reply to GadgetGav • • •Alenka Unk
in reply to d a t green • • •Andrew Girdwood
in reply to d a t green • • •d a t green
in reply to Andrew Girdwood • • •Dan Morris
in reply to d a t green • • •Threads and Bluesky are not much different than twitter when you look at where the $$ goes.
Facebook basically created Trump with all the custom targeted adds they gave him in 2015-16. Bluesky is now domainated by a bunch of Elon-esque crypto bros with billions, and the main goal is to use the people's personal information.
Meanwhile sfba.social is run aby a few local people in their spare time. People who just want to have a community.
d a t green
in reply to Dan Morris • • •David S
in reply to d a t green • • •Louise Locock
in reply to d a t green • • •d a t green
in reply to Louise Locock • • •@ProfLouiseL
I wouldn’t want to automatically cross-post, even if I were able to do so.
Sometimes I want to post on one, sometimes on more. My choice each time, depending on the post and the audience.
Doing it manually is just fine.
Jan Niklas Fingerle
in reply to d a t green • • •We've got Starbucks, McCafé and that artisan coffee place where every Cappuccino is created individually by pouring their hearts out.
And then there's the former café that closed down and was replaced by a dumpster on fire.
Declan
in reply to d a t green • • •d a t green
in reply to Declan • • •@True_Heresy
Because most people are more concerned with coffee and the atmosphere and the space, rather than sitting there just staring at the manager with a scowl.
Declan
in reply to d a t green • • •I understand.
I think I’m overly cautious after the place I’d loved for years was ruined so fully & so quickly.
The idea of setting up somewhere that has all the same management & infrastructure weaknesses - sometimes literally the same people who’ve destroyed other places - is more off putting than good vibes can make up for.
For now, at least, I’m happy to pass by and look in the window.
I’m happy my table is reserved here.
(strained metaphor klaxon)
Simon Wood
in reply to d a t green • • •