Mastodawn

Joel VanderWerf 🐧

@joelvanderwerf

466 Followers

686 Following

15.4K Posts

Mathematician. Applying semigroup theory to distributed computing, convergent replication.

Bay Area and SF content: @joelvanderwerf

twitter	AYFKM
my country	America
my hometown	San Francisco
github	https://github.com/vjoel

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

Steve Herman 2d ago

US Embassy Thailand - All who are applying for an F, M or J nonimmigrant visa must adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ for vetting.
https://th.usembassy.gov/visas/

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

inquiline 2d ago

Shared by a colleague: info to help people change immigration hearings to online modality so they're not in danger appearing at courthouse in person ♨️🧊

Edit: there's a Spanish-language one downthread now! Feel free to post on social media or print out and stick up outside

#ICE #Immigration

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

Best of MLTSHP 2d ago

https://mltshp.com/p/1R43U “Hunter S. Thompson one week after 9/11”

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

William Lindsey

"This image of masked men ready to do violence is everywhere now, just as the administration wants. The practical purpose is to remove the possibility of accountability, but there’s another message it sends: Unlike even previous iterations of state violence, this is a form of power with which there is no negotiating."

#Trump #ICE #masks #violence #authoritarianism
/3

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

Secretary of Ignorance

Via Leah McElrath:

The Department of Energy does NOT drill for oil. One would expect its secretary, the White House, and the president to know that.

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

"each individual kid is now hooked into a Nonsense Machine"
Edit: I got those screenshots from imgur. It might be from Xitter, with the account deleted or maybe threads with the account not visible without login? 🤷
2nd Edit: @edgeofeurope found this https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1809325125159825649.html
#school #AI #KI #meme #misinformation #desinformation

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

Tony, Pretty Much 2d ago

This one goes out to the “Democrats don’t do anything” crowd.

Republicans are trying to get the Big Ugly Bill passed with a simple majority through budget reconciliation but they have a load of stuff in there that doesn’t follow the rules and Democrats are knocking it out.

This includes the REINS Act, which is awful, a ban on courts punishing Trump officials, and a few more things and they’re not done yet.

#ThanksDemocrats

Press | U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget:
https://www.budget.senate.gov/ranking-member/newsroom/press/one-big-beautiful-bill-has-more-provisions-that-violate-the-byrd-rule-according-to-senate-parliamentarian

“One Big, Beautiful Bill” Has More Provisions That Violate the Byrd Rule, According to Senate Parliamentarian | U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget

The Official U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

@turgon Roll-over, except it's 999 dogs and cats rolling over at the same time.

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

"You can tell what happened — Google promised iNaturalist free money if they would just do something, anything, that had some generative AI in it. iNaturalist forgot why people contribute at all, and took the cash."

(Original title: Google bribes iNaturalist to use generative AI — volunteers quit in outrage)

https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/06/19/google-bribes-inaturalist-to-use-generative-ai-volunteers-quit-in-outrage/

Google bribes iNaturalist to use generative AI — volunteers quit in outrage

iNaturalist is a website that crowdsources pictures of plants and animals to help identify species. Its tagline is “A Community for Naturalists.” iNaturalist is administered by its own small charit…

Pivot to AI

Joel VanderWerf 🐧2d ago

Going camping with my 999 cats, dogs, and other domestic pets. Lucky I didn't adopt that extra goldfish!

×

Steve Herman 2d ago

US Embassy Thailand - All who are applying for an F, M or J nonimmigrant visa must adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ for vetting.
https://th.usembassy.gov/visas/

Thomas Traynor 2d ago

@w7voa HELL NO!

me_valentijn 2d ago

@w7voa
It took several extra decades, but welcome to 1984 folks ... it's thoughtcrime time! 🤗

FurballsNHairballs 2d ago

@w7voa
I hear whispers of a 21st century version of the Second Chief Directorate getting louder.

PaddyTech 👾2d ago

@w7voa they announced the same in Ireland earlier today, I assume it’s a widespread change.
—
US embassy wants 'every social media username of past five years' on new visa applications https://jrnl.ie/6740830

US embassy wants 'every social media username of past five years' on new visa applications

The move has been heavily criticised by Taoiseach Micheál Martin who described it as “excessive”.

TheJournal.ie

El Duvelle 2d ago

@PaddyTech @w7voa that one (asking for your social media usernames) is not new though, was the same when I applied 2 years ago..
The thing about setting your privacy to public is definitely new! ( and really bad)

PaddyTech 👾2d ago

@elduvelle @w7voa the linked article list changes, it now 5 years not 2 and requires profiles set to public.

Miss Gayle 2d ago

@elduvelle @PaddyTech @w7voa

Everyone's just going to have to have at least two social media accounts - your real one, and the one you post nonsense stuff about your cats and the local sports teams.

@PaddyTech @MissGayle @elduvelle @w7voa right...obviously I'm not the first to think that there are some fairly obvious workarounds....that said, you'd really have to nut to go there in any event...

@PaddyTech
Right, so definitely no trips to the US for me then. I've been twice, beautiful country, many beautiful people. But now, thanks, no thanks!
@w7voa

PaddyTech 👾2d ago

@jarjan @w7voa yeah. I feel the same right now. Worth noting this only applies for longer stay (seems to be student mainly) visas. So the ESTA requirements are different but of course what you get asked by immigration agents is another matter

Ben Aveling 1d ago

First they came for…
@w7voa @PaddyTech @jarjan

Carson Hill 📎2d ago

@jarjan @PaddyTech @w7voa

Random question... as a US person (Pacific Northwest) I have always kinda wondered what the draw was to visit the US from another country. When you visited in the past, where did you go (or want to go) and why?

I'm guessing stuff like Yellowstone, New York city, or Disney World would be attractive to foreigners, but I really have no idea.

I can't honestly recommend my own country these days, but Canada is also nice.

@dicenbuttons
The last visit was to New York, so bullseye with you guess!
The first time was a bit different, we did a road trip in a rented car through the state of Washington, and then we did a 3 (maybe 4) week cycling trip from Seattle to San Francisco. I guess it was seeing and experiencing a different country and culture. Not so much about 'seeing sights'. Does that give you an idea?
@PaddyTech @w7voa

PaddyTech 👾2d ago

@dicenbuttons @jarjan @w7voa so work (over 25 years) had brought me a good number of us cities (10 or so). As a tourist: LA, NYC, SF.
Worth remembering that for a lot of Irish people there are family & friends with connections to all over the US. Irish tourists show up all over the us.

Cyberspice 2d ago

@PaddyTech @w7voa @derickr Fuckem. Don’t go to the US!

RightSprung will not comply 2d ago

@PaddyTech @w7voa

It turns out the best time to delete Meta, Google, Apple, TikTok, LinkedIN and Microsoft accounts was five years ago ....

Mycotropic 2d ago

@rightsprung @PaddyTech @w7voa

Done, moving on!

Mike Morris 1d ago

@mycotropic @rightsprung @PaddyTech @w7voa No social accounts? *Very suspicious!* Entry denied!

Mycotropic 1d ago

@mikro2nd @rightsprung @PaddyTech @w7voa

I'm waiting to be notified that my disgust with trump has gotten me onto a #BlackBall list somewhere. I'm going to frame that notification and wear it as a badge of honor!

@rightsprung @PaddyTech @w7voa You can just say you forgot. They can't prove you didn't.

RightSprung will not comply 1d ago

@Mik3y @PaddyTech @w7voa

That would be my tactic for sure.....

@PaddyTech @w7voa 5 years... It would cover that time I use fedi exclusively...

@madargon @PaddyTech @w7voa More great than most mastodon admins are really good about deletion of data. Cause they don't want To be sent Warrents as much as you do.

Asbestos 2d ago

@w7voa
but in Ireland the people who were rioting against immigrants will get moved to the front of the line

Je suis contente 2d ago

@w7voa
Boy there's an argument to not use social media ever.

Solo El Pueblo Salva Al Pueblo 2d ago

@Pourroy @w7voa

Good thing that we're all pretty antisocial on Fedi.

Kristoffer Lawson 2d ago

@Pourroy @w7voa more like an argument to not travel to the US…

Je suis contente 2d ago

@Setok @w7voa
Yes, that is the better option.

PedestrianError

@Pourroy @w7voa Apparently they've already been denying people entry to the US for that too. Not wanting to support big tech billionaires is "suspicious".

jonathankoren™2d ago

@w7voa this is transparent bullshit

⠠⠵ avuko 2d ago

@w7voa across all countries from my small sample (just changed country codes in the URL)

https://nl.usembassy.gov/visas/

Technical Difficulties

El Duvelle 2d ago

Kevin Russell 2d ago

Stay the - hell - away from the states

Racists on Rampage.

No one is going to USA Olympics, not to compete, not to watch.

No one is going to the World Cup in USA.

#SayNoToRacisn #RedCard #eu #latinx #Olympics #worldCup #boycott #safety #America #racists #crazyRacists #thugs #kidnapping #sport

Kevin Russell 2d ago

Time to start tje campaign world wide to cancel rhe Olympics, Cancel rhe World Cup.

No one playing in Soccer in the world is safe in rhe United States.

No armed guard, no secure buildings will protect players or fans, from American official or unofficial racist harm.

Cancel the Olympics.
Cancel the World Cup.

#cancel #safety #Nazi #fascism #nope #olympics #worldcup #soccer #sport

Steve's Place 2d ago

@w7voa Nazis only like Nazis. It's swell that voters elected one twice.

Phoenix Gee 2d ago

@w7voa "I don't use social media. Way too much of a waste of time." - The end.

@phoenixgee @w7voa

Not eligible to enter US then, This may not be a problem for you, personally, but it will be for some.

Phoenix Gee 2d ago

@glc So now they require people to have a social media account somewhere? @w7voa

Randall Lee 2d ago

@phoenixgee @glc @w7voa That would raise red flags

Jon Roach 2d ago

@w7voa also to attend psychiatric screening because if you're still applying for a visa you need your head examined.

8Petros [$ rm -rv /capitalism/*]2d ago

@w7voa Glad to not be going to US(a)SR in my life.

Nandor 🏳️‍🌈2d ago

@w7voa Just go to Canada instead. Or the EU.

JamesWNeal 2d ago

@w7voa and also so everyone in your home country can see what you've posted, decide if you should be arrested and disappeared . . . but you know that's what you get for telling your online friends how you feel about your friendly neighborhood dictator or cartel boss.

@w7voa Ah, yes, the Thai threat. 🙄 and I'm sure the State Dept is just teeming with Thai linguists. As for identity, doesn't a passport establish that?

cwicseolfor 2d ago

@Nazani @w7voa Looking like this is a widespread policy not limited to any country.

Happy Pride! Happy Summer! 🌈 😎2d ago

Insanity.

Oregon Wine Woman 2d ago

@w7voa
Oh, Eff that 💩!

@w7voa so what is FM or J Visa, and who do they apply to?

Dmian 🇪🇺2d ago

@kcpoole @w7voa F: student visa. J: Exchange visitor, M: Vocational or non academic student visa.
Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_the_United_States
For the record, tourism and business visas are B.

Visa policy of the United States - Wikipedia

@dmian @w7voa cool thanks,
seems aussies do not need a visa so for the moment not an isse.
note i am not going there, but my sister is doing so next year.

PedestrianError

@kcpoole @w7voa Mostly related to students who want to temporarily work while in the US, but once they get this policy in place for one group, they'll keep expanding it. Those with more privilege on "genius" visas for their sports, arts, scientific or business talent really need to speak the fuck up and consider taking their talents away from the US market altogether.

PedestrianError

@w7voa Among so many other problems, this makes it impossible for domestic violence or stalking victims who are likely to be murdered by their abusers if they make their online lives public to apply for US visas.

Now this may be a stupid question, but...

What the hell is wrong with America these days?

Miss Gayle 2d ago

Which of course is nonsense because your social media is not proof of your identity in any way.

🅱️eisbolCards 2d ago

Let me state on this public social media record that they can go fuck themselves.

Hope that's enough vetting for them.

Richard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴‍♂️📷 🗺️2d ago

As if we needed another reason not to go to the United States (except for the international media, we need you there).