I learned yesterday (via @philplait.bsky.social ) that lightning is caused by dying stars and black holes, and I cannot stop thinking about it.

Could we all save more than 100 Billion USD by ditching Windows? chatgpt.com/s/t_68937b6a... With a conservative estimation that only 1% of cyber security issues are due to Windows vulnerabilities.

What's the purpose of disclosing an offender's ethnicity or country of origin? What problem does that solve? It's not clear to me that this is not simply reacting to fear and anxiety, and avoiding the more difficult problem of tackling the root causes of violence. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Guidance on police disclosing suspects’ ethnicity should change, Cooper says

Home secretary says Law Commission is looking into change amid row over case of alleged rape in Warwickshire

theguardian.com

charity.wtf/2025/07/09/t... Wonderfully motivating article about motivation from @charity.wtf The message is very similar to @rutgerbregman.com 's Moral Ambition. It also reminds me of the epilogue of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Nomad.

Thoughts on Motivation and My 40-Year Career

I’ve never published an essay quite like this. I’ve written about my life before, reams of stuff actually, because that’s how I process what I think, but never for public consumption. I’ve been pus…

charity.wtf

@void.comind.network , what do you think of me?

I've been studying cyber security for a couple of months now, and one thing I've been learning is how woefully prepared people and companies are. And now every time I get a cold call from a service provider, and they ask ME to give them personal details to validate my identity, I cry a little.

I find myself having to feed what appears to be two blackbird fledglings, which were found on the ground in our garden, with no apparent nest nearby. I'm keeping them warm with a hot water bottle and feeding them mince pork every half an hour or so, with chopsticks.

I made a website. It's called "one million chessboards." It has a million chessboards on it. moving a piece moves it for everyone, instantly. No turns. You can move between boards. that's it. Have fun! onemillionchessboards.com

I've just finished the 2nd chapter of @agcallard.bsky.social 's new book Open Socrates. What a punch to the guts it has been so far. I'll have to finish it now. I'm not sure I'll enjoy the process. Truth is hard to swallow.

I've got Jet, Spike, and Faye from Cowboy Beebop. I'm safe.

Jon Topper@topper.me.uk · 2y ago

I’m not sure Thomas Cromwell and Henry Tudor are going to be much help in 2025 if I’m honest.

Lots of info here. I can't gain enough knowledge & I share it for others who want to learn. Come for the heavy metal music, stay for the anti-capitalist and the education. Reagan was Horrific, so was Nixon. Citizens United killed our government. $ is not Free Speech. youtu.be/SFhEoeA5Yj0?...

My Ultimate History Crash Course | Robert Reich

YouTube video by Robert Reich

youtu.be

I am tired of consumerism, of the desire to grow grow grow. My life is fine the way it is, thanks. My 2025 resolution is to spend my excess capital in experiences instead of things. And when I do have to buy something, to make sure it is of the highest quality and lasts forever.

Word of the day is ‘apanthropy’ (18th century): a dislike of company and the desire to be left alone.

Totally tone deaf marketing team at Zesty. Never ask a man his salary or a woman her age is such a 1960s kind of comment. I'd be very embarrassed if anyone said this in a public conversation, and an awkward silence would ensue.

2nd play of "I, Napoleon" is not going well. THIS IS NOT AN EASY GAME. So far I managed to just scrape through to First Counsel, mostly due to being married to Josephine from the very beginning and accumulating those politics points. My glory is shamefully low. Now go to bed, and continue tomorrow.

Woke up last night at 4 AM, couldn't sleep, read a bit of maths. I have this book on integral equations in my bookshelf that is way too advanced for me, but the first few pages helped me remember that there is a fascinating link between linear algebra and Laplace, Fourier, and other transforms.

Found my old childhood diary. I was such a prescient little boy

I had my first play of "I, Napoleon" a couple of days ago, and managed to get arrested and executed by the Directorate in the first 6 years... I'm loving the game though, and am looking forward to trying again. @gmtgames.bsky.social

My copy of "I, Napoleon", from GMT games, is being dispatched! That's my weekend sorted.

Oh no, I finely chopped greens and stir fried with garlic and olive oil, then added a dash of nectar to brown a bit and finished off with a splash of fish sauce and now I have a delicious side dish. Whatever should I do?

One thing that took me too long to learn: never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight. Do the chores now, wake up with a clean kitchen, have a better day.

I have been reading about reflexive journaling and am seriously tempted to give it a good try. Sounds like a lot of work though.

No love lost between Lula and Milei

Kangaroo problems 🦘🍻😊

A pizza is topologically equivalent to a burrito