Max T. Nix

lost in the catastrophe that is American politics right now is how terrible corporate governance has become. democratic backsliding touches private institutions too, and the people who run some of the biggest orgs in the world have quietly devolved them into regressive fiefdoms.

I stayed on twitter longer than a lot of people, and thought the "nazi website" stuff was hyperbolic; there were a lot more international folks on there, and bluesky wasn't a replacement for that. And then at some point in the last year, it just stopped being hyperbolic. That site is vile.

* repeats for emphasis *

"Neither movement waited for courts to recognize their rights; they interpreted the Constitution for themselves"

or to paraphrase Justice Thurgood Marshall, do what's right and let the law catch up

Welcome to Decoherence Media! We're an independent, journalist-founded nonprofit investigating authoritarian and anti-democratic movements using open-source and data-driven methods.

Welcome to Decoherence Media, an independent nonprofit founded by @jennefer.bsky.social and @tristanl.ee that investigates authoritarian and anti-democratic movements using open-source and data-driven methods.

There are many good science fiction novels. Not a single one that I have read delivers a happy vision of the future in which aged right-wing billionaires control the media.

"You know, Bob, I think people really should learn about their ancestries in the context of world history and the impact of imperialism - but make it sound like a Jeopardy category"

Damn, that's cool!

(But oh boy, that fluff text needs a whole bag of asterisks... "reshaping identities through interaction and exchange"? That sure is one way to put it)

Wenn man weltweit Entwicklungen vergleicht, in denen autokratische oder demokratische Kräfte Aufwind erfahren, spielt das Bildungssystem immer eine wesentliche Rolle. Dabei gilt stets: Viele Ressourcen und hohe Wertschätzung aller Akteur*innen im Bildungssystem dienen Demokratien, und andersherum.

I have a note: Please don’t make AI slop versions of actual signs ppl made by hand.

Oh boy it's really the linux year

plague doctor? no. blight attendant

Really enjoyed & honoured to be part of the Critical AI Literacy Symposium yesterday. Also @lucyavraamidou.bsky.social & @miquelpt.bsky.social (and others) spoke about their wonderful work too. Big thanks to @irisvanrooij.bsky.social, Leo & Barbara for organising. ✨

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxyg...

Es ist alles falsch an diesem Statement und auch, dass Woidke die ganze Zeit nickt.
Wir haben Politiker*innen, die sind so alt, dass es ihnen einfach entgangen ist, in welchem Jahrhundert wir leben. Die ernsthaft glauben, die Welt von gestern, die, in der sie groß geworden sind, in der sie ihre 1/6

What to do in a chemical emergency

I haven't found relevant papers on this just yet, but I did come across this guideline by the UK government that also advises soaking up chemicals if you don't have enough water immediately at hand. So could you say it comes down to how much water you have available right after exposure?

I don't know the first thing about chemistry or medicine, but depending on how long the skin has been exposed, that does sound like a major risk. I'll try and get in contact with the instructor and raise that issue with them, see what they have to say about it.

Yeah, I fully understand now that trying to soak up doesn't do shit for them 😅 The only overlap - and why I was posing the question initially - was the question of oil-based pepper spray, which you pointed isn't particularly common after all.

If it makes any difference: They where referring to oil-based pepper spray and acid specifically as the most common incidents, not all chemical burns in general.

They have worked with several US institutions and hold a Ph.D. In chemistry afaik, so they were speaking with at least some authority.

Makes a lot of sense, thanks! Their logic was that it takes more water than is often immediately available to dilute the acid. 10 L to get 1L from pH 1 to 2, 10^6 L to get to pH 7. If you only have half a litre of water on you, you'll risk just spreading the acid instead. So we should soak it first.

Well, looks like you already have a subtitle for the next book

Good to know, thank you!

Use only water or fresh air on tear gas or pepper spray.

No milk, vinegar, antacids, urine, etc. and especially not in eye.

Thank me later,

An actual expert

Their reasoning was that some pepper sprays are oil-based, so it seemed sensible?

(BTW, I don't know how many times you had to repeat this point, and always someone is giving you shit for it, but I appreciate that you're still putting yourself out there!)

I recently learned from a trainer for first responders that the best response to acid attacks would be to first soak up the liquid with cloth before washing it off/diluting it (so you need less water). They recommended the same for pepper spray. Just out of curiosity, what's your stance on it?

Es ist 2025 und ich benutze im Deutschlandfunk die Formulierung "Wahnwitzige Wurstentscheidung".
Keine Ahnung, alles ist möglich.

fuck everything, we're doing tragedy and farce at the same time

Screen cap of parodic version of William Blake's "The Tyger" that begins: Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright (Not sure if I spelled that right) What immortal hand or eye Could fashion such a stripy guy? What the hammer that hath hewn it Into such a chonky unit? Did who made the lamb make thee, Or an external franchisee?

In honor of National Poetry Day, the greatest parody rewrite of all time:

YouTube video by Reporterfabrik High Noon – Melanie Amann vs Ulf Poschardt

Ich möchte dieses Streitgespräch zwischen Melanie Amann und Ulf Poschardt jedem empfehlen. Wie Amann Poschardts kalkulierte und platte Empörungs- und Verschwörungserzählungen auseinandernimmt, so dass am Ende nur ein Häufchen Elend übrigbleibt, ist großes Fernsehen.
youtu.be/QXH_QM7VHVk?...