@CptSuperlative

persistANTS

@catbrainz

It annoyed an ant so much she dragged it from deep in the earth just to get it out of her home. "too sparkly, too red, too hard and in my way!"

That is why they are so nice. LOL.

"For in the parts where they live it is desert on account of the sand; and in this desert and sandy tract are produced ants, which are in size smaller than dogs but larger than foxes,"

- Herodotus

I'm so mad the fox-sized ants weren't real I'll never forgive him for this.

The real story of ant garnets should not be confused with the "Gold-digging ants" that Herodotus went on about these were probably not even ants.

If you give your beloved an ant garnet your love will last 1000 years.

(OK that last bit was made up, but I can't think of a more romantic stone)

Ant Fact of the Day:

"Ant Garnets" are tiny red gems found by ants. I know this sounds made up ... but it's real.

Harvester ants dig deep nests (up to 6m!) and they bring the soil to the surface grain by grain. Sometimes they find garnets, tiny precious red gemstones.

These are waste to the ants: they end up in the spoil heap around the nest. When it rains, the lighter stone washes away, the garnets from deep in the earth remain.

Those in the know can collect them from the surface.

@pthane

I was not kidding in this post. I will never forgive the people who did this.
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https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/113866111349182003

@meuwese @gotofritz

And what is the "benefit" of reducing the human friction in such decisions?

It's easier to kill 1000 people by pushing a button than it is to look in their eyes and do the deed with your own hands.

But the results are the same, and as a war crime the button pusher is just as guilty. (And the people who set up the button, knowing what it could enable are guilty too.)

@gotofritz

How?

@gotofritz

Maybe if more people had to look at the city maps, if they had to read the local papers, and study the site there would have been more objections. Maybe you see a "street view" photo of the cross guard escorting the girls to class. Maybe you notice a paper sign in the window of a shop saying a new toy is in stock.

The target isn't just coordinates, it's a place where people live. People who don't care about international politics any more than the kids playing on your own block.

@gotofritz

But the problem with "serious study" of international politics is that when you learn more about a people, a culture you start to like them. You start to *become* like them.

Any tool that enables killing without such engagement is putting us on a fast track to atrocity.

Punch cards. Such a wonderful technology. (I collect punch cards, have always been fascinated by them). I can also never forget how they provided emotional distance for one of the greatest genocides.

@gotofritz

The impulse to use an LLM, and other shortcuts to make such decisions is indicative of a lack of serious interest in the details of the situation.

A level of study and interest that ought to be present for decisions that kill so many people.

I think that's why it matters.

My disgust for war, for the military, is not the result of being sheltered.

I hate your wars because I know exactly what they are and how when violence occurs it reverberates for generations.

Someone has lost a daughter and with her many of their reasons for living. What grim task will they devote themselves to?

What would you do, Pete, if they killed your family? Do you think you are the only person who loves their children?

I think you must.

The events feel unreal but the deaths are very real. This is not a video game. This is not a text adventure.

Right wing war hawk commentators are saying that hitting a civilian target, a school filled with little girls is "good strategy, actually" we, the soft-handed peace-nicks are simply not smart enough to understand the strategic power of this action.

But, if the Department of war won't say it remains unclear if this atrocity is based on incompetence or dim-witted malice.

update: We can infer that they "missed"
https://shakedown.social/@AAronL1968/116193541496761440

His speeches sound LLM generated because they are filled with so many cliches and empty sentences. And because they sound nothing like they way he speaks extemporaneousnessly. Of course this could just be a bad speech writer. Or it could be that when your ideas are bad no words can fix it.

The Department of War will not even say if they missed or not. Did they *want* to hit that school? If not the school then what?

RE: https://infosec.exchange/@hacks4pancakes/116192434654015384

I have been watching this story simmer for several days. I've been wary of it. It fits too neatly into the criticisms and warnings many of us have been raising. But it's starting to look like, yes, they are using an LLM to make critical decisions.

At the same time I have heard parts of speeches from the US Secretary of War.* I have been dismayed by his shallow thinking. It doesn't help that his speeches also sound like they are also composed by an LLM.

*formerly Defense

@secretsloth

Why don't ya'll ever want to invent anything useful or exciting?

It's just facial recognition for the secret police, sex spy cams, random people looking at your underwear, creepy stuff and never someone showing you how to do a knit and purl correctly, never making going up the stairs easier for people with limited vision, never a damn good idea. I'm doing this again:

https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/116179558386756385

@secretsloth

The glasses could be the same color and have other indications how they are linked. So it's obvious that when you have them on the person helping you could see what you see and talk you through it while showing you exactly how it's done.

It could be a really useful teaching and assistive technology.

@lilithian

I think we know why in some cases. It's a power thing in a way. A kind of exhibitionism.

Also they may save the video for later.