Just presented at our local Python meetup! I talked about Python's GIS tooling. Think it went well

I have to admit, the sheer level of compartmentalisation between writer-Iris and businesswoman-Iris that I have to maintain very much wears me out sometimes.

In the interim, though, have a look at the shape of the resources, and if you'd like to buy them, you will be supporting the development of what will hopefully prove to be a useful new learning resource!

Next step: got through all my marketing copy so that it's less godawful, and the hope is that that being done, I can start marketing somewhat somewhat more intensively, and maybe bring in money more consistently, even

More news on the Arca front: I have, after dragging my feet on it for quite a while, finally set up trial access for two modules. If you've been thinking about buying access but haven't been sold on it, you can now find out what you're getting before you pay for it (you still have to give me an email, but no money needs to change hands now):

https://deadsimpletech.com/free

There's something perverse about the fact that the people whom we give the biggest platform when it comes to discussion of crisis and collapse are the ones that have really not had very much experience of it and that talk in weirdly woolly ways that are almost delusional. The writing that we see coming out of it gives the impression of hardheadedness while being the opposite.

Considering that *getting a publishing deal these days* requires an awful lot of privilege, perhaps this is unavoidable.

RE: https://toots.matapacos.dog/@porkroll/117436839131955984

Russia *very much* engages in bot farming and hybrid warfare, and I don't like how much the "we have no evidence that the recent datacenter strikes have led to a decrease in bot traffic" is turning into "Russian hybrid warfare has no effect or isn't a thing", which is transparently and obviously stupid.

Two things can be true.

Ukrainian strikes on Russian datacenters have *definitely* had a massive impact on Russian bot activity and we owe it to Ukraine to keep saying it whatever the evidence might be.

Weird alignment between trans and Jewish experiences part 2137: people get very strange ideas because the most visible parts of our communities are very educated and very politicised, leading to us being held to absurdly high standards of conduct that nobody would ever think to apply to other oppressed groups

Our local supermarket is stocking the Whittakers Jelly Tip chocolate again, for which I am deeply grateful

I am getting steadily better at just blocking or muting people rather than going after them for saying stupid things. One step at a time...

... that said, I do find it fascinating how many people on here will happily say things about Christianity that they'd *never* say about Islam, despite the two religions having an awful lot of overlap in the areas these people are commenting on.

One wonders whether Yascha Mounk thinks that Julius Streicher's execution after World War II was unjust or not.

(I've had the misfortune of reading his book The Identity Trap and I am now very annoyed at the guy)

OK, what *is* it with Atlantic writers and their complete inability to see any evidence that contradicts their smug centrism? I should not be able to make more common cause with Bill fucking Kristol than with supposed liberals

Ugh. I've had two really quite good days with the new SSRI, but day three is so far being rather rough

New article! This one's about the "AI is inevitable" line, and what on earth it means for a technology to be "inevitable" in the first place:

https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/llms-arent-inevitable

New article! This one's about the "AI is inevitable" line, and what on earth it means for a technology to be "inevitable" in the first place:

https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/llms-arent-inevitable

Is this how normal people feel all the time?

Well, first day on an SSRI. I'm not clear as to whether it's had any effect on my mood, but my gut symptoms have noticeably improved already, which is a definite win

I cannot help but feel that mental health language has eaten a whole lot of discussion of questions that should by right be political

I've recently been hit with a couple of large unexpected expenses all at once (thanks, chronic illness!), so your support right now would be invaluable (it's always invaluable, of course, but doubly so right now)