Mastodawn

Space is entirely inhospitable. Likewise other planets. Manned space travel is therefore a colossal waste of human and natural resources. Send robots.

Ralph de Rijke 3d ago

Just one more reason why sending people (as opposed to robots) into the horror of space is a complete and utter waste of time and money. https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/expert-warns-artemis-ii-crew-not-to-fart-or-they-could-be-in-danger/

Expert Warns Artemis II Crew Not to Fart or They Could Be in Danger

There's one perhaps unusual problem the crew of NASA's Artemis II has to be mindful of while aboard the spacecraft: their farts.

Mediaite

Ralph de Rijke 4d ago

dch

4d ago

The entire French govt is moving off MS, and this will be very very good for open source and European developers in general.

https://linuxiac.com/france-launches-government-linux-desktop-plan-as-windows-exit-begins/

I expect all European countries will follow suit in the coming years.

Microsoft must be terrified and livid with their administration. What will this cost them?

France Launches Government Linux Desktop Plan as Windows Exit Begins

France is transitioning government desktops to Linux, with each ministry required to formalize its implementation plan by autumn 2026.

Linuxiac

Ralph de Rijke 5d ago

Show thread

Alberto Cottica 5d ago

This treaty is the legal cornerstone of cooperation between the two parties. Its suspension would be a big deal for Israel: the EU is by far its main trading partner, and its universities rely on the Horizon Europe programme for research funding.

Early this year, a group of people launched a European Citizen Initiative (ECI) to demand its suspension:

https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2025/000005_en

Initiative detail | European Citizens' Initiative

European Citizens' Initiative

Ralph de Rijke 6d ago

Show thread

Az Apr 4

50 years on and space travel has become the techno utopia we have always wanted, as summed up in this quote from NASA's Artemis II livestream

Ralph de Rijke 6d ago

mhoye Apr 6

A picture of Margaret Hamilton, programmer for the Apollo space program, standing next to not one single microsoft error message or bluetooth problem.

Ralph de Rijke 6d ago

Davey Apr 6

"I want to talk about an under-represented group on Fedi"

Young people? "No"
Africans? "No"
Less techie folks? "No"
Indigenous folks? "No"
Women? "No"
Non-English/German speakers? "No"
Anyone not white? "No"
South Americans? "No"
Minority religious folks? "No"
People with cognitive differences? "No"
Non-graduates? "No"
Working class folks? "No"
Retired people? "No"
Occupied people? "No"

Emmmm, the Sentinel Island people? "No"

Ok, who?

"Tech journalists who love AI"

Fuck all the way off.

Ralph de Rijke 6d ago

Ketan Joshi 6d ago

The time between fossil fuel crises is just going to keep shrinking, until there's no discrete single "crisis" - just one unbroken prolonged state of global suffering due to fossil fuel unreliability

The best time to ditch fossil fuels was 30 years ago. The second best time is now

Ralph de Rijke Apr 5

Michael Apr 5

Trump has 5 kids with 3 women he cheated on. Musk has 14 kids with 4 women he cheated on. Hegseth has 7 kids with 3 women he cheated on. RFK Jr has 7 kids with 3 women he cheated on. Add to this the Republican Party protects paedophiles and lectures us on family values

https://substack.com/@jameslbruno/note/c-233968334

James L Bruno (@jameslbruno)

Trump has 5 kids with 3 women he cheated on. Elon Musk has 14 kids with 4 women he cheated on. Pete Hegseth has 7 kids with 3 women he cheated on. RFK Jr has 7 kids with 3 women he cheated on. The Republican Party protects pedophiles. So, MAGA, go ahead and lecture us on family values.

Substack

Ralph de Rijke Apr 4

To quote the admirable Skyfisherforskyfish: billionaires should count themselves lucky we want them taxed and not dead.