I have a theory that intelligence is a compensatory mechanism for lack of fitness. For instance, whales and dolphins are smarter than fish, because they are not very well adapted to living under water (they can't breathe under water). Humans are pathetically unfit, so our only chance was to be smarter than our predators. Not stronger, nof faster--just smarter. Brain vs. brawn.
At the time I was like "what is this writing? are you kidding me?!" but now... well...
For some reason I'm thinking about how in Mass Effect, it turns out the Quarians were keeping the Geth as a slave race and when the Geth asked for equal treatment the Quarians tried genociding them instead. Then when you find all this out, the Quarians are so put out that unless you have an absolutely incredible reputation with them the Quarians destroy themselves rather than admitting fault and your Quarian companion commits suicide *despite* having a Geth friend and crewmate and being estranged from her people.
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I just saw a video of an AI executive saying that people will connect their brains to the cloud so they can have 1,000 times more thoughts.
Neurotypical people. Please listen to me. I promise you, with all the ADHD in my body-
You really do not want 1,000 more thoughts.
You may think you do, but you extremely do not.
"Software developers are not okay"
https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2026/05-software-developers-are-not-okay/
The software industry is becoming increasingly hostile to those who work in it. The uncertainty is affecting even those who believe in the promises of tech.
Direct link to the essay: https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/2026/05-software-developers-are-not-okay/#software-developers-are-not-doing-well
Breaking things down to these sorts of abstract measurements inevitably winds up as justification for harm rather than aid.
Like sadly, a lot of these discussions go "maybe we shouldn't do animal experimentation because we've observed that they're visibly suffering" and the immediate counterargument is "well this person in a coma doesn't appear to know what's going on, so let's do some human experimentation."
The thing about using sentience as a quantifier for different treatment is that it's trivially easy to use these same arguments to designate some people as not sentient and therefore not deserving of the same rights as others.
The noises raccoons make are so cute. Just the best lil creatures.
This composition positively cried out for a photo. Capturing the dual reflections of the not full but still very bright moon and a few stars was bliss on our first (and only clear) night at Rehoboth Beach, Del. this past week. Taken with a late model iPhone.
I don’t know how to explain to people that just because certain things appear to approximately work doesn’t mean they actually work. This was already horrifically difficult before AI and now it’s damn near impossible to get the point across when literally any trivial example passes muster
The asymmetry between me having to provide a compelling defence that they can actually understand (without the required background knowledge) vs them being able to endlessly generate garbage in seconds is just… exhausting
RE: https://tech.lgbt/@Natasha_Jay/117382397216266564
that’s why #NASA hired teams of #embroidery #knitting #beading #fiberArts experts who all so happened to be not just women but mostly Native American, African American and Latinas. they were nicknamed the Little Old Ladies and without them there would be no Apollo program.
they won't even teach you in school that the LOLs were preceded by women who ―if they wanted a chance to enter college, a privilege only for men― they did so by being computers (mathematicians) for “real” scientists.
🧵…
French comic book artist Chloé Stawski posted this, which got my friends curious about it. Though it's from long ago, so I'm expecting it to be a product of its time, so to speak.
I painted floating rain spirits. medium: Schmincke Horadam gouache #Watercolor #TraditionalArt #AnimeArt #SliceOfLife
One of those days with a 40 degree temperature swing between morning and late afternoon. Desert climates are fun.
I really like baby wombats
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