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

relay.nostr.band

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1nr6nldv3c7ct86vgdy3730su8d3yn2kkcuwj09l2lmxnn4y5vzuqkus6yw

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Last Notes

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!

2025-09-03 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>

2025-05-03 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.

2025-02-13 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

2025-02-02 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