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  2026 in a nutshell: I don't mind having to manually re-set the time on my stove and microwave, because that's a small price to pay for them NOT being connected to the internet. #InternetOfThings #InternetOfShittyThings #enshittification #IoT

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  #WordWeavers July 10: Do you prefer writing characters more like you or vastly different? They both have their charms, although the fact that there's a limit to just how close to me I'll let a character get, coupled with the fact that I don't see any _maximum_ for distance/difference (I have the usual hard SF fan's love for "really *alien* aliens") probably means I should answer that I prefer the different ones a bit more.

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  If I provide an #AltText for you, it's 100% OK to edit your post to put the text in. And if you do, I will happily delete my reply. I'm not looking for credit; it's fine if you and I collaborate to make it look like your image had an alt text all the time. In fact, that's what I want! That's the best place for the text, not in a reply where people have to go hunting for it. So if you reply to my alt text with thanks, be ready to delete your own thanks after I delete my post....

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  Researchers say a fundamental flaw in LLMs makes it easy to trick them into doing things they shouldn’t — like telling you how to sabotage an aircraft’s navigation system. "There’s a real probability that this is going to be a problem that’s fundamentally unsolvable," says one of the paper's coauthors. https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/07/30/1140927/a-fundamental-flaw-leaves-llms-vulnerable-to-attack/ #AI #LLMs #AIResearch #GenerativeAI #security

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  Dear Fedi, I've searched and can't find this. About a month ago, when the news about Mullvad's support for fascism came out, I saw a recommendation for another VPN. I think it might have been made in Finland; it had a name that was about 5 or 6 characters long, and I think was a Sami word? Anyway, I can't find it in my browser history, bookmarks, comment threads, or search engines. Can anyone remember? Thanks. #AskFedi #VPN

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  New Yorkers, if you need a mask because of all the wildfire smoke, you can get one at the library. (Yay, libraries! Increase their funding!) https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-libraries-giving-out-masks-as-wildfire-smoke-sinks-air-quality #NewYork #NYC #WearAMask

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  Because it's late and I've been drinking and am in a fun mood, I'm going through my WIP so far and tallying how many times each character uses the F-word or any variants. I know Jessie will come out way on top, but I want to see how many times anyone else does. (This was spurred by Jessie noting how unusual it was that her mentor, Angel had just used it.) Anyway, I'm barely into the tally and already being more amused than this has any right to make me.

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  OMG, glorious rainbow beside the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower! Edit: Damn, my phone's camera didn't do justice to the colors or the contrast. I'm sorry. #Brooklyn

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  Happy Canada Day to all my many Canadian friends on here, and also to all the other Canadians who I don't know. 🇨🇦🦫🍁🏒🍲🇨🇦 (The penultimate emoji is intended to represent poutine.) #Canada #CanadaDay #HappyCanadaDay

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  Waverly Place, NoHo, Manhattan, off Washington Square.

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  #WritersCoffeeClub day 1: What’s the greatest benefit you’ve taken from the writing community online? Just a sense of community. Of knowing that there are loads of other people out there who are writing, who care about reading and the written word.

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  #ScribesAndMakers May 16: Create a poll with three websites you reference for your creative work and one you don't. Ask people to guess the one you don't. Okay, which of these sites do I NOT use in my writing?

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  If you can, please help me #GetFediHired and escape the US. I'm a front-end web dev with over 20 years of experience. I know React, of course, but I consider my core skills to be: * HTML, CSS, and JS/TypeScript * accessibility * listening to users and caring about them * hence, UI and UX I'll need visa sponsorship. I've been aiming for Ireland, but am open to other EU or Aus/NZ. CV: https://mactane.org/Kagan%20MacTane%20CV.pdf Reply or DM for more info. Boosts welcome. #FediHire...

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  @Rainmaker1973@zpravobot.news Okay, I've been using my card to pay for all kinds of shit, because it's more convenient, but... damn, this is seriously going to move the needle on how much I pay with cash. Like, I will be getting out cash a lot more often now. Thank you... and fuck the bankers!

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  So now companies are trying to use "quiet hiring" to mean the already-abused tactic of "expecting employees to do extra work for no pay". Some claim they'll recognize such extra work with promotions - but not pay-scale bumps to match the new titles. For others, of course, it's just the usual "we expect one person to do the work of 2 or even 3." Don't buy the #quietHiring hype. It's "what we did for y...

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  Reminder: You don't get to claim the title of "ally". It's something bestowed (or not) by the people you are *trying to* ally with. Ally is a verb, not a noun. It's something you *do*, and have to keep repeating, for it to count. And only the people you're trying to help get to decide whether you succeeded. #ally #progressive #lgbtq #lgbtqia #disabled #disability #advocacy #neurodivergent #PoC #minority #feminism

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  @Impossible_PhD Thanks for this information. I hate it, but I'm glad to have it as opposed to remaining ignorant.

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  @Impossible_PhD I cannot tell you in words how thrilled I am that your release is going so well! I've read the intro excerpt on SGW, and will be buying a copy as soon as it's available on a non-Amazon platform. (To be clear: Absolutely no shade to you at all for publishing on the 'Zon first; it's a sensible move. I'm just trying to limit my buying from them as much as possible. And am waiting with bated breath for the Itch site, or whatever other option becomes available whe...

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  @alessandro Looks like it was on the Critical Drinker podcast. In here: https://www.resetera.com/threads/andy-weir-author-of-project-hail-mary-does-interview-with-right-wing-content-creator-shitbag-the-critical-drinker-to-promote-the-film-adaptation.1475038/, hit the "Click to expand" link under "Messageofanego said". There's some stuff in the first 2 grafs, including him using "woke" as a pejorative, and then scroll down to 58:17 for the stuff where he agrees &...

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  RE: https://hachyderm.io/@mekkaokereke/116305793811427182 I'd been thinking about making some time to read _Project Hail Mary_ so I could go see the movie and join the convo about it. And then I read this 👇🏻. Nice to not have to crowbar that into my schedule, but overall? I'd rather Andy Weir had just not been a shitwaffle. Seriously, I am _so sick and tired_ of white-guy SF authors turning out to be right-wing assholes. (Also, the thing about "there's no symbolism or themes i...

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  By some kind of minor miracle, I actually slept okay last night! No bad dreams that I remember, I feel reasonably rested, and was able to wake up at a decent hour to ingest caffeine and get ready for my interview. Got 75 minutes now before the email comes in with the link to the task, and 90 until the interview itself starts. I feel more confident than I was expecting to right now. Now I just need to _not blow it_. 🤞🏻

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  Wow, I'm not sure I've ever had a coding interview go that badly. 😖😰😭💔

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  So, taking stock: * Had bad, stressful dreams last night. Not unexpected; since I'm stressing about the interview, it'd be odd if my dreams _weren't_ stress-filled. * But also, I was too cold, and that leaked into my dreams. * And also, possibly as a result, both my right calf _and_ that muscle in my upper back that's been giving me shit for the last two weeks are trying to cramp. Ugh. Gonna have my tea and give it my all. I can do no better.