@simon_brooke@mastodon.scot2026-08-22 08:58:08
#ScribesAndMakers 8/22: "Fantasy stories are frequently inspired by medieval societies. Why do you think people are fascinated by that time period?"
Elite propaganda.
Medieval knights were a bloodthirsty elite. Armour allowed them to cut down commoners with relative impunity, and they did. The myth of the 'parfait gentil knicht' is entirely propaganda.
@cdarwin@c.im2026-09-20 20:17:33
Two contrasting films,
produced eight years apart,
neatly distill the evolution of John Fetterman,
Pennsylvania’s maverick senator in his journey from progressive icon to a man seemingly more at ease with his nominal Republican opponents than his fellow Democrats.
Fetterman’s evolution has been so stark that some Democrats fear he will go over to the Republicans
– jeopardizing the party’s hopes of regaining control of the Senate
– despite his disavowals of…
@heiseonline@social.heise.de2026-08-14 08:47:03
@sean@scoat.es2026-08-17 19:15:17
I love working with Nick. I've worked with him for a very long time, and couldn't recommend him highly enough.
I would also love to continue working with Nick. If you've got a project for us (or just for him), reach out! https://sloan.host/@nick/117112429900657125
@ErikJonker@mastodon.social2026-08-16 10:09:46
Mensen willen werken, we hebben de werknemers nodig, mooi positief verhaal over asielzoekers.
https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/2238429/in-deze-gemeente-hielp-mieke-130-asielzoekers-aan-een-baan-iedereen-wil-erbij-horen
@Ruhrnalist@mastodon.social2026-08-19 01:31:21
Die Regulierungsbehörde sagte, sie würde es Wasserunternehmen in England und Wales ermöglichen, die Rechnungen zu erhöhen, um 3,4 Milliarden Pfund mehr auszugeben als geplant (für) neue Wohnungen und Rechenzentren
..
Weitere Ausgaben ... um giftige Chemikalien im Wassersystem zu reduzieren und das Trinkwasser zu verbessern. Die Zulage wurde Tage nach der Enthüllung von Regierungsdaten bekannt gegeben, dass jedes englische Gewässer mit giftigen Chemikalien verschmutzt ist.
@markhburton@mstdn.social2026-08-16 15:35:46
I really recommend this interview full of insights into the role of petroleum in modern capitalism, the war in the Middle East, and strategy for ecosocialists.
In Spanish but worth a machine translation.
https://www.eldiario.es/…
@StephenRees@mas.to2026-08-18 04:00:52
Documentary recommendation
PRIME MINISTER
In August 2017, 37-year-old Jacinda Ardern became New Zealand’s opposition leader just weeks before a national election, and then two months later became Prime Minister. Soon after she learned she was pregnant, becoming only the second world leader to give birth while in office. Ardern’s compassionate leadership has drawn global attention, even as she faced skepticism at home and a succession of crises—the Christchurch massacre, pandemic …
@grumpybozo@toad.social2026-07-12 02:50:46
Listening to this week’s Snap Judgment
The main story is about a kid in ND who had his family’s Honda Pilot go crazy on him and drive fast (130mph!) and deep into MN. The only thing that got him stopped was a cop pulling in front of him in a try at braking 2 cars with one set of brakes. Luckily, the Pilot had collision avoidance automatic brakes and they worked.
I highly recommend a listen.
@jonippolito@digipres.club2026-08-18 13:52:36
Generative AI’s per-query footprint can be small compared to flying, eating meat, or even Zoom. Until agents show up and compute goes through the roof.
How I updated my AI footprint calculator accordingly https://jonippolito.substack.com/p/agents-are-where-ais-energy-bil…
