Notices by Greg Wilson (gvwilson@mastodon.social), page 5

I am standing for election to the board of the Python Software Foundation - you can read my pitch and those of the other candidates at https://www.python.org/nominations/elections/2024-python-software-foundation-board/nominees/ . Cc @ThePSF

" Ford government closing Ontario Science Centre today after report found roof in danger of collapsing: Friday is the last day of operations for the once-popular tourist attraction that successive Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments have allowed to deteriorate for years." https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ford-government-closing-ontario-science-centre-today-after-report-found-roof-in-danger-of-collapsing/article_3e7a8442-2fd8-11ef-9c00-03276c11fe83.html

Pioneering computer scientist, electrical engineer, and transgender activist Lynn Ann Conway has died at the age of 86. Every modern silicon chip incorporates her ideas, and her courage was an inspiration to many. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Conway Long may she run...

I look forward to the day when American billionaires pumping money into reactionary Canadian front organizations is investigated as "foreign interference".

I think a book comparing Big Tech to drug cartels would be awesome. Both make money from selling addictive products and shrugging off externalities; both needed new offerings to bring in new revenue (AI is to Google what meth was to the Juarez cartel); both regard the legal system as merely an operating cost; and both tend to be run by egomaniacal sociopaths. (I expect Musk and Escobar would have gotten on well.) If I knew enough, I'd start today; if you do, please start tomorrow. 2/2

I _really_ enjoyed Wainwright's "Narconomics", which explores the economics of the illegal drug trade. It turns out that (for example) HR is more of a problem than you'd think: good accountants know they can actually make more money on Wall Street where crime is legal. Marketing, dispute resolution, quality control: it's a very fun read. But it sparked a thought… 1/2

@powersoffour @yabellini the problem I have with worldbuilding is the same problem I have with writing tools for books instead of books themselves: I could spend _forever_ "getting ready" and never get around to what I was supposed to be supporting.

@yabellini I can't think of anything I already know well enough to teach that I haven't taught - if I want to teach something new, I'll have to learn it myself first.

@yabellini like worldbuilding, that's something that other people have written about far better than I could.

@powersoffour If anyone wants to know about world building I'll just point them at @swan_tower 's books and get out of the way...

I've run out of things to teach.

Now Tom said, "Mom, wherever there's a cop beating a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me, Mom, I'll be there"

"Wherever somebody's fighting for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helping hand
Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Look in their eyes, Ma, and you'll see me"

Why is it "the dude abides" but "the dudes abide"? Wouldn't it make more sense if it was "the dude abide" (no 's' on either) and "the dudes abides" (both)? It makes no sense.

@mhoye I've just realized that such a project would inevitably be called Luberon, and, well…

The two hardest problems in computer science are compassion and organizational change. [thanks SL for the correction]

There may not be such a thing as a perfect album, but I believe k.d. lang's "Hymns of the 49th Parallel" comes close.

OH: "Ohmygod Netflix has the Barbie Transformers Lego Star Wars movie!!" A moment later: "Oh. But Ryan Gosling isn't in it. Never mind."

Somebody just explained VS Code to me as "Microsoft engineers trying to build the operating system they wish they had in the first place without the business side realizing it" and it makes a lot of sense.

Huh: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/apr/25/cost-of-developing-new-drugs-may-be-far-lower-than-industry-claims-trial-reveals

Nobody on the Voyager team should have to pay for their own drink ever again.