Jul 03 2023
Excellent piece re PIV
Well worth the read.
https://francoistremblay.wordpress.com/2014/11/21/why-is-there-no-counter-argument-from-the-pro-piv-side/
Jun 30 2023
Wendy Grossman on AI and ChatGPT
“What we currently call ‘AI’ is basically data and statistics. In providing a response, for example, ChatGPT looks for statistical correlations between the data in its corpus and the prompt you have written. Its answer doesn’t focus on what’s statistically likely to be true, but on using words that are statistically likely to appear near the ones you’ve used. It is profoundly, catastrophically stupid.” Wendy Grossman, “The Skeptic: Beyond the Hype” in The Philosophers’ Magazine 99
Jun 29 2023
It’s not poverty, stupid.
Poverty is not the cause of crime. Because even when men have enough, they steal more, kill for more.
(Think of all those rich white CEOs running our planet, managing the banks, the oil companies, the logging companies …)
(And given that well over 90% of crime is committed by men, well, the cause should be obvious: maleness and/or masculinity.)
Jun 25 2023
Brilliant Sarkeesian
“In the game of patriarchy, women are not the opposing team. They’re the ball.” Anita Sarkeesian
Jun 22 2023
Tim Dorsey, The Pope of Palm Beach
“The sun was going down behind the Big Burger when the alligator came flying in the drive-in window.”
How’s that for an opening line?
And it gets better. (A feat worthy of great admiration, given that it’s his 22nd novel.)
“Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Yes, why?” Said Serge. “Forgot your own name?” p36
“Several years ago the young man had been a wrestler in high school, and now he was the guy who talked about having wrestled in high school.” p120
Oh, and the bit about ‘God helps those who help themselves’ on p294…
Jun 14 2023
Davina Squirrel on needing male allies
“‘But we need male allies’ you cry in defence. Nope! We don’t. … ‘Male allies’ have had six thousand years or longer to get their shit together. They are from the ruling class after all, so have more impact than females. …”
from https://davinasquirrel.wordpress.com/2016/12/07/inclusive-is-bullshit/
Jun 12 2023
Great bit from The Onion
https://www.theonion.com/raid-recalls-entire-line-of-insecticide-after-realizing-1828656335
Jun 08 2023
another good bit from Tim Dorsey
“I can buy a shotgun any time of day without a serious background check, but if I need something for my sniffles, it’s six forms of ID and complete school transcripts.” Shark Skin Suite, p160
fiction
