Hippasus500 aka jwn2

Husband
Father (“Papa” to the grandkids)
Hacker (rusty, working on that)
Lover of philosophy (deontology, noetics)
Apple Fanboy
Outlander Fanboy
Atheist
One-time actor
Foundational books: The Bible (I wasn’t always an atheist); Mythology (Hamilton); The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings; Future Shock; Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; Gödel, Escher, Bach, Doubt, A History; Good Without God; What We Owe To Each Other. There are many more. But who am I, how I think derives from these.

Still Reading: It’s an ever growing list. It may eclipse the list of Books Finished
Current Book (The one I’m mostly reading): The Second Estate (Madoff)
Last Book Finished: Arcadia (Tom Stoppard) also Fleming’s companion to the play
Next Book: Enshittification(Doctorow)

Public Key

npub1nr6nldv3c7ct86vgdy3730su8d3yn2kkcuwj09l2lmxnn4y5vzuqkus6yw

NIP-05 Address

hippasus500_at_federate.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsf3aflkkgu0v9naxyxjglghcwrkcjf4ttvw8f8jl40anfe6j2xpwqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsps7n7j

Publishing to

yabu.me

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1nr6nldv3c7ct86vgdy3730su8d3yn2kkcuwj09l2lmxnn4y5vzuqkus6yw

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Last Notes

2026-01-03 16:29:52 UTC

I’m sorry, #youngpups. My apologies to the #OldGal. I don’t think I can play today.

2025-09-23 19:04:18 UTC

#Wordle 1,557 3/6*
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I broke one of my rules today #youngpups. My guess on 2 previously solved the puzzle. But having drawn nothing but grey on 1, I decided I’d better try to eliminate as many as possible with 2. Luckily for me, it led to the answer. More importantly, since restarting my counters, I finally gained a win over the Bot and a tie with the #OldGal!

2025-09-17 19:37:30 UTC

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Thank you! I’m putting 2600+ miles between me and them as of tomorrow. We’ll be in Hawaii for a week. I’ll be posting even later than is my typical habit.
I won’t be able to escape the problems here completely, sadly. I will have to have a couple of (hopefully brief) meetings to make sure the work is going according to plan.

2025-09-04 08:21:03 UTC

#ScribesAndWriters
1) I’m reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures”. It’s delightful, although sometimes I think Shelby Van Pelt, the author (it’s her first novel), is trying too hard to follow the advice of her creative writing professor. But it is a heart-warming story filled with engaging, flawed, creatures, bright with promise, determined to make the most of their time on earth.

2025-09-03 21:16:39 UTC

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Brin is an interesting character. His PhD is in physics and astrophysics. He wrote a prescient nonfiction book, “The Transparent Society” in 1998. It’s still relevant.

2025-09-03 18:51:04 UTC

#ScribesAndMakers Sept 3. Create a mutiple choice (not “pick one”) poll listing three speculative fiction books you've read, with a fourth choice for none of them. Ask people to pick all that they have read too.

2025-08-28 16:16:57 UTC

#Wordle 1,531 2/6* mean: 3.79+ winning: 98.1000% streak(C/M): 125/165 std dev: 0.99- W/L/T: JvB: 11/6/6 JvOG: 7/6/6
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Well, that’s an unexpected, unpleasant kick in the tuckus, #youngpups! Having found the long time ago uncompleted puzzle, the NYT Bot recalculated my completed games and came across a fail I hadn’t accounted for. Rats!
At least I had the satisfaction of stomping the Bot’s butt today.
No word on the #OldGal. She gets a pass from me today.

2025-08-27 22:07:20 UTC

#Wordle 1,530 4/6* mean: 3.79+ winning: 98.1964% streak(C/M): 124/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 10/6/6 JvOG: 7/6/6
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A split decision today, #youngpups. A victory over the Bot, but a loss to the #OldGal.
A long time ago* in a galaxy far, far away** …
I didn’t complete a puzzle. My games finished differed by 1 from NYT stats. I fixed that today. In 2 days I will have played Wordle 1000 times.
* 1 & 1/2 yrs
** this one, it was ~5B km further from Andromeda than today

2025-08-15 16:25:48 UTC

#Wordle 1,518 2/6* mean: 3.79+ winning: 98.1726% streak(C/M): 112/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 3/3/4 JvOG: 4/2/3
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Hoo boy, #youngpups! Two days straight, victory over both the Bot and the #OldGal! I’m on some kinda hot streak. You might not wanna come too close as I won’t be changing my underwear for a while…
I am going flat-out 90! There are no bumps in my road!

2025-07-22 18:27:49 UTC

#Wordle 1,494 4/6* mean: 3.80+ winning: 98.1269% streak(C/M): 88/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 46/53/70 JvOG: 75/39/52
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After nearly going down in flames yesterday, #youngpups, I’m still feeling a bit singed. The #OldGal is definitely on fire, no win there for me. I’ll settle for the tie with the Bot.
I chuckled when I saw the golds on 3. I was warm. So I turned up the gas and the pot boiled over on 4.

2025-07-21 16:01:57 UTC

#Wordle 1,493 6/6* mean: 3.80+ winning: 98.1250% streak(C/M): 87/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 46/53/69 JvOG: 75/38/52
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My head was spinning, #youngpups, when I realized after 4, three words remained with only 2 chances. After 5, placing hands firmly on each side of my wobbly noggin, and using my nose, I tapped out my last try.
Streak preserved, I will take my loss to the Bot and #OldGal with grace, humility, and a sigh of relief.

2025-07-19 19:21:52 UTC

#Wordle 1,491 3/6* mean: 3.80+ winning: 98.1211% streak(C/M): 84/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 45/52/69 JvOG: 74/37/52
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An auspicious day, #youngpups! Not only victories over both the Bot and the #OldGal, but I’ve surpassed my current mini-goal, and my birdies outnumber my pars (a bit surprised at that).
I feel like young Henry V, on the field of Agincourt with weapon raised rallying his outnumbered army to glory. <grin>

2025-07-18 17:10:31 UTC

#Wordle 1,490 5/6* mean: 3.80+ winning: 98.1191% streak(C/M): 84/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 44/52/69 JvOG: 73/37/52
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I wouldn’t say I was monkeying around, #youngpups. Primarily, I failed to mate my two greens on 2 with the only possible solution until, barely hanging on with my fingers and toes, I found the answer in 5.
I had no chance against the Bot. I can imagine the #OldGal hooting with joy watching me flail. I’m definitely the chump today.
Sail on…

2025-07-14 00:47:24 UTC

#Wordle 1,485 3/6* mean: 3.80+ winning: 98.1092% streak(C/M): 79/165 std dev: 0.98- W/L/T: JvB: 43/50/69 JvOG: 72/36/52
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The Bot may not have thought much of my 2nd guess, #youngpups, but it gave me all I needed to finish in 3. Since both the Bot and the #OldGal were on their games, though, I have to settle for ties all around.

2025-05-20 21:54:46 UTC

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It’s been a tough week! I came back from Europe with 4 or 5 unfinished pieces that I haven’t been able to work on. One has me kind of stuck, and it’s gumming up all the works. <grin>

2025-05-20 20:24:11 UTC

#Wordle 1,431 6/6* mean: 3.83- winning: 97.9956% streak(C/M): 25/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 24/38/46 JvOG: 44/30/34
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Bumbling, stumbling, scuffling, #youngpups. Yesterday I managed a 4. Today, I barely managed to keep my streak going. Two days to 98%.
I was throwing darts blindfolded. I could hear pints of beer shattering on the barroom floor as spectators scattered in terror.
Lately, I haven’t been much of a match either for the Bot or the #OldGal!

2025-05-10 22:19:48 UTC

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I link my keyboard and trackpad to my iPad so I can do iPadish things on it, and MacOSish things on the big display. It’s a different style than either of you. But it works for me.
I also rely on the Dock. (I used to use DragThing — it was wonderful, but they couldn’t keep up with MacOS changes). The iPad is both logically and physically below my big display. To facilitate this, I moved the dock to the left edge (where I liked the DragThing dock).

2025-05-03 06:54:44 UTC

More and more, #youngpups, I’m inclined to think the Bot is jealous when my guesses are more efficient than its choices. When have a better score, and one of my guesses reduce the possible solutions more than its corresponding choice, mine is described as lucky. It sounds like sour grapes to me.
Meanwhile, I’m eager to see if I’ve at least kept pace with the #OldGal today.

2025-04-03 04:21:59 UTC

#Wordle 1,383 3/6* mean: 3.83+ winning: 97.88% streak(C/M): 64/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 13/21/27 JvOG: 25/17/19
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!@#$%#!, #youngpups! No better than a tie with the Bot and the #OldGal today! There is no verse to describe my 2nd guess, and only an imprecation for the 3rd.
I’m off to a well-known Southern Californian theme park tomorrow. I’ll do my best to keep my streak alive until Sunday. I may not post here after tomorrow. Kids and grandkids, galore!

2025-04-02 16:25:43 UTC

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The description of how LLMs process text is correct. I agree with your summary, Hanno.
The fact remains, though, that LLMs are often successful at mimicking human language. That is at the crux of why LLMs are perceived as “intelligent”.
<aside> It’s also fodder for science fiction when characters are puzzled by whether some other entity is intelligent. </aside>
Intelligence requires self-awareness, a quality LLMs surely do not possess.

2025-03-23 22:03:01 UTC

#Wordle 1,373 3/6* mean: 3.84- winning: 97.86% streak(C/M): 54/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 11/20/20 JvOG: 20/17/14
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Doin’ my Snoopy imitation, #youngpups! I claim victory over the #OldGal, too!
Only a tie with the Bot. My pattern is prettier, though.
Yanno, sometimes I think the Wordle editor stacks the deck to choose the word for the puzzle. Today seemed just a too little on the nose, culturally speaking.

2025-03-21 14:45:17 UTC

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Not even a “Who’s a good boy?”! I’m shocked!

2025-03-21 14:38:55 UTC

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Curious minds have to know: Did this earn you the extra doggy treat while the rest of the pack goes begging? <wink>

2025-03-09 19:01:43 UTC

No word from the #OldGal @npub17kf…g2jf?

2025-03-08 17:35:14 UTC

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I share some of that cynicism. Ex-Presidents are no less a political creature than any other. Furthermore, there is no doubt politics today is dominated by dark money provided by the super-rich. So surely that affects their calculus.
But I continue to believe the members of the ex-President’s club have a higher obligation to the nation. It is disappointing.

2025-03-08 16:35:43 UTC

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It is perplexing. Why do those who, in the past, have displayed deep respect for the office, have so little to say about a man, who disrespects the office and the values of the nation that office is sworn to protect?
It is disheartening. At the same time, it makes me all the more determined to join other ordinary citizens to fight for what we hold most dear.

2025-03-02 21:53:25 UTC

Wordle 1,352 2/6* mean: 3.85- winning: 97.80% streak(C/M): 33/165 std dev: 0.98- W/L/T: JvB: 6/17/7 JvOG: 12/12/6
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Like the #6 guy overdue for a hit, #youngpups, I finally scored a long-awaited deuce. <smile>
After 1, I had an intuition for 5, and that didn’t leave many choices for gold. I pushed all my chips on the table, the wheel spun, and the croupier looked on forlornly as the white ball slipped neatly into the slot.
I’m cashing out with wins over the Bot and the #OldGal!

2025-02-21 17:40:39 UTC

#Wordle 1,343 3/6* mean: 3.84+ winning: 97.78% streak(C/M): 24/165 std dev: 0.98+ W/L/T: JvB: 4/12/5 JvOG: 9/7/5
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It was nice to score a 3 today, #youngpups, even though there was no win over the #OldGal. For one breathless second, I thought I was going to get a deuce! My face fell when that grey block snuck into the picture. It fell further when I discovered the Bot had it in 2. Still, the fog I was lost in is reduced to wisps.
The team still scored a win. Go #youngpups!

2025-02-13 17:51:06 UTC

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The only part I disagree with is that he has dementia.
Trump is weak, stupid, vain and a bully. He’s a con man, vulgar, cheat, and a convicted felon. He is depraved, immoral, racist, and a bigot.
I wish dementia was his problem. Then we might be able to remove him from office for cause. But sadly, he is also the culmination of everything wrong with American politics at least since Reconstruction.
#uspolitics

2025-02-12 17:19:58 UTC

#Wordle 1,334 3/6* mean: 3.84+ winning: 97.76% streak(C/M): 15/165 std dev: 0.98- W/L/T: JvB: 3/4/5 JvOG: 7/3/2
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I was Speedy Gonzalez today, #youngpups! After 2, two choices remained. I swiftly decided swapping the golds was the right thing to do. Legs churning, arms pumping, I threw down the answer, racing across the finish line in 3.
I couldn’t best the Bot, but the #OldGal was Sylvester to my “fastest mouse in all Mexico”!

2025-02-11 20:10:43 UTC

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Oh, that hurts. But 528? Ye gods! These days, I do a little jig if I make it past 30.

2025-02-09 17:11:05 UTC

#Wordle 1,331 5/6* mean: 3.84+ winning: 97.75% streak(C/M): 12/165 std dev: 0.97+ W/L/T: JvB: 2/3/4 JvOG: 4/3/2
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Lurching, bumbling, and stumbling, I found my way, #youngpups I was no match for the Bot and the #OldGal today!
I’m lost in a fog. I just now discovered that yesterday I did all my usual Wordle stuff except post my results. <rolls eyes> Eek!
I snorted my coffee after my 4th guess. Derisively, WordleBot sniffed, “That can never be an answer!”

2025-02-08 14:54:28 UTC

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Well done! The best I could do was match the #OldGal.
I can hear you chortling into your coffee from here!

2025-02-02 22:04:14 UTC

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Oh, I doubt I’ll ever be what anyone considers “normal”. But I try to keep the oscillations around the mean to a minimum.
Lately, I’ve been well removed from that. But I seem to be improving. <wink>

2025-02-02 18:26:08 UTC

#Wordle 1,324 3/6* mean: 3.84+ winning: 97.73% streak(C/M): 5/165 std dev: 0.97+ W/L/T: JvB: 1/0/1 JvOG: 2/0/0
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The answer came quickly today, #youngpups. The last letter was green, which is much easier than when it’s gold (so I claim). Dunno what inspired my 2nd try, but it left only one choice for 3.
It’s a tie with the Bot but a win over the #OldGal!

2025-01-17 15:50:36 UTC

#Wordle 1,308 3/6* mean: 3.84+ winning: 97.70% streak(C/M): 81/165 std dev: 0.97+ W/L/T: JvB: 27/31/50 JvOG: 47/21/39
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I’m in early, and out, too, #youngpups. Dunno how I compare to the #OldGal. Scott’s gonna be tough to beat, though.
We’re heading out for the weekend. I’ll keep my streak alive (I hope!), but probably ignore my one and only social medium until we return.

2025-01-17 15:35:48 UTC

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Impressive. I needed more. <smile>

2024-12-07 18:26:58 UTC

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Implicit: implied but not plainly expressed. That is precisely the word I mean.
This isn’t simply wordplay. I’m asking you to carefully ask yourself what you’re intending to say. All we have here are words. Precision and logic are crucial.
A brilliant piece by @npub1wkr…yvj6 speaks to why I’m being so fussy:
https://www.joanwestenberg.com/how-to-destroy-a-generation/

2024-12-07 17:11:41 UTC

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The implicit assumption in both these arguments is that the raw number of viewers is the sole determinant whether Mastodon has utility for journalism.
I’m not rejecting the metric out of hand. I’m merely saying it is not sufficient for the conclusion.
It’s easy to fall into the trap, “Because I can measure x, x must explain y.”
Maybe it does. Perhaps not.
Robert Pirsig’s concept of Quality comes to mind.

2024-11-25 01:33:54 UTC

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Maybe the one with the most user accounts? (I haven’t checked lately)
I like Mastodon.social. It’s bigly…
I “live” on federate.social. Mastodon.social is to federate.social as Tokyo is to Madison WI. If that’s your taste, go for it. The zd.net writer compares #Mastodon instances as if they were HOAs (always a positive comparison…). My metaphor is an instance is more like a village with its own peculiarities (My village idiot is crazier than yours). YMMV
#bluesky #threads

2024-11-22 17:19:41 UTC

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Brilliant.
In a nutshell: “It's not outside capital that leads to enshittification, it's leverage that enshittifies a service.”
It’s leverage that enshittifies ^anything^.
A wrestling match is about finding leverage to defeat your opponent. Giving anyone, anything, leverage over your conscience, over your principles, opens an expressway to losing them, and everything else you value.

2024-11-18 21:12:56 UTC

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3/2 (eek)
My conclusion is I can’t agree that Populism equates to Fascism.
But you’re not wrong that a fascist easily wraps themselves in the flag of populism. It’s how they gain favor, and ultimately power with the gullible.

2024-11-18 20:09:07 UTC

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Thanks! I’ll have a look at the long version.

2024-11-18 19:54:11 UTC

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Ok, I’m curious. <smile> How do arrive at the idea that populism is necessarily anti-democratic?

2024-11-18 19:38:29 UTC

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I agree they aren’t contradictory. But they aren’t the same thing.
What is certainly true is that fascists often adopt the guise and language of populists as a means of currying favor with a gullible public. Fascists are manipulative and deceitful. Less often are they clowns like our current wannabe dictator President-elect.
Populism isn’t necessarily authoritarian and nationalistic. Fascism is extremely authoritarian and nationalistic.

2024-11-15 18:37:40 UTC

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From Gessen’s column:
Balint Magyar has a useful formulation. “Liberal democracy,” he says, “offers moral constraints without problem-solving” — a lot of rules, not a lot of change — while “populism offers problem-solving without moral constraints.” Magyar, a scholar of autocracy, isn’t interested in calling Donald Trump a fascist. He sees the president-elect’s appeal in terms of something more primal: “Trump promises that you don’t have to think about other people.”