A new Barnes & Noble opened not far from me, and today I checked it out. The sci-fi/fantsy section was woefully small, but I did find some interesting books in the new noteworthy sections. @wiswell.bsky.social
Dennis M Powers
@dennismpowers.bsky.social
Writer, Technologist, Quirky Old Guy, Sci-Fi Website: https://dennismpowers.com
"researchers at the University of Arizona argue that late-life cognition is a natural phase of human development, one that prioritizes wisdom over details." Still trying to find that wisdom.
Science X / Phys.org@sciencex.bsky.social · 7h agoHealthy aging may shift cognition from preserving every detail toward understanding broader meaning. The brain relies less on the hippocampus and more on the frontal cortex, though the full role of this change remains under study. doi.org/hcjrxj
20 Year old me would be annoyed that all the old people are in control, making the decisions and ignoring him for being so young. Present me wishes he could slap some sense into 20 year old me and tell him to stop being a self-centered, arrogant twit.
ʙᴇᴀᴜx 🕋@obsidian.blacksky.app · 2d agoWould 20 y/o you be impressed or disappointed by you today?
We need more government agencies to act like this.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission@cpsc.gov · yesterdayHappy Baby Safety Month.
While large parts of our government have been coopted by fascist idealogues with the intelligence of a syphilitic rhesus monkey, one department has so far been working, unlike the HHS, to keep us safe with wit, charm and useful information. I highly recommend you give them a follow.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission@cpsc.gov · 2d agoParents - is your college kid living in off-campus housing? Check to make sure there are working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguishers in their home.
First: AI doesn't exist, it's a marketing term for learning algorithms. Second: LLMs (chatbots) hallucinate 22%-94% of the time with the popular ones 82%-94% of the time and can not be trusted to give valid information especially when it is critical. They are less reliable than a broken calculator.
Responsible AI | The 2026 AI Index Report | Stanford HAI
This chapter examines responsible AI across the dimensions of safety, fairness, transparency, and governance, and the measurement gaps that persist.
hai.stanford.edu
Science X / Phys.org@sciencex.bsky.social · 2d agoConversational AI made blatantly inaccurate health claims seem more credible. Verification options increased skepticism only when users actively clicked to check the information.
I am so glad the rooster one street over is as sleep dysfunctional as I am and crows at a reasonable time 11:56 am today.
Dennis M Powers@dennismpowers.bsky.social · 3d ago11:58 am. The rooster one street over is crowing.
This is so oddly specific and yet literally happened. I was playing a Chicago Transit Authority 8-track in my aftermarket 8-track tape player while cruising along I-80 in my van when (as they did) the tape unspooled onto the floor. I pulled over and missed the 20 vehicle accident occurring ahead.
Sophia_Nyx 🐰@sophianyx.bsky.social · 3d agoname a band or song that saved your life. (if applicable.)
Ack! This is embarrassing. I've been working with PC's since their inception. I was a beta tester for OSX and Windows 95 because I ran a multiline BBS (and knew two developers, one from each company), and today I just figured out how to create a Windows keyboard shortcut to activate a program.
More than 1.2 million children have lost SNAP benefits since last July, because of the republican led congress. More than 1.2 million children are going hungry. More than 1.2 million children. Children are going hungry. 1.2 million children. Because of republicans. Vote blue.
PBS News@pbsnews.org · 2d ago"For kids to lose that benefit is really devastating," said Priya Fielding-Singh, director of policy and programs at George Washington University's Global Food Institute. https://to.pbs.org/4dwuKEf
Trying to describe tonight's late-night writing session.
Predator (1987) It had: A body builder: Arnold Schwarzenegger A football Player: Carl Weathers A pro Wrestler: Jesse Ventura
Sophia_Nyx 🐰@sophianyx.bsky.social · 3d agoName your fav film starring a pro wrestler.
I am a one-issue voter: Get Republicans out of office.
There is no moral equivalence between bullies and the bullied, between tyranny and democracy, or between brutality and decency. No individual can be free in a society devoid of justice. There can be no liberty where brutality reigns.
11:58 am. The rooster one street over is crowing.
Dennis M Powers@dennismpowers.bsky.social · 5d agoMy neighbors on the street behind me put in a small chicken coop in their backyard. Fine. It's 5:01 pm, and the rooster is sounding off for the umpteenth time today. Three or four crows, intermittently spaced. Maybe I should buy them an outdoor clock.
Are they telling everyone that AI, which doesn't exist and is a marketing term for machine learning algorithms, should slow down really because it's getting powerful or because IT DOESN'T WORK AS PROMISED? Top 20 models have a 50% - 94% hallucination rate meaning wrong.
Responsible AI | The 2026 AI Index Report | Stanford HAI
This chapter examines responsible AI across the dimensions of safety, fairness, transparency, and governance, and the measurement gaps that persist.
hai.stanford.edu
My neighbors on the street behind me put in a small chicken coop in their backyard. Fine. It's 5:01 pm, and the rooster is sounding off for the umpteenth time today. Three or four crows, intermittently spaced. Maybe I should buy them an outdoor clock.
I replaced my ancient but trustworthy toaster oven, which I cook most things in, with a combination air fryer/toaster oven that has a smaller footprint, and now I am in trouble. I made French fries for lunch, and they turned out great.
25 years ago today America was attacked by zero Afghans, zero Iranians and zero Iraqis.
I was born in New York, 28 miles from the city. It wasn't an abstract place, but a part of my formative years. I moved there in my 20s for a few years before returning to the suburbs. It's a city of contradictions, promise, and despair, like no other in the nation.
Most of my stories involve the protagonist against external forces, not villains. However, in Carter's World, there is a baddie who finally gets what he deserves. I am happy to share it.
Ian Haramaki 🏳️⚧️✨@cometkins.bsky.social · last wk.Share a snippet of a character from your book/WIP getting exactly what they deserve #WritingPrompt
Hit me with the first line of your novel, published/finished or not. "The morning light streamed through pale blue curtains that rippled in a gentle breeze as Devon sat on the edge of the bed, his head hanging, contemplating the unrelenting weight of gravity and time. " - The Last Janitor #WIP
Steph 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ | Editor 🦦✍️@ottersediting.com · last wk.Hit me with the first line of your novel, published/finished or not. Dark Academia WIP: "The world wanted Lila dead." AnimalsWIP: "I hate birthdays."
SEASON'S CHANGING! At 79 years-old, I'm getting my updated Covid and Flu shots! Some of us will be wearing masks this winter, to protect ourselves and others. Masks remind me of this great quote on a t-shirt: "If you don't need a mask because God will protect you, why do you need a gun?" :-)}
This summer, with the window open, I noticed a change in the neighborhood. I've lived here for 40+ years. Missing for so long was the sound of young children playing in backyards, teenagers walking down the street, and music from barbecues and family gatherings. The young have returned. I feel old.
I just noticed this. Is it new, or is this the first time I have been followed by someone who used a starter pack?
