Just My Stuff

My regular blog where I post things I like... nothin' much else:)

[schadentekkers]

[only-tiktoks]

[bread--quest]

[Video description: The video opens with an older white woman standing on a ladder, and an older white man holding the latter. Text over it says "Did your mom ever tell you?!" The woman says "Hi everybody, it's Babs!", and the man says "And Mr. Babs holding the ladder!" The camera zooms up and in to Babs as she says "Did your mom or dad ever tell you 'you either prepare now or pay later?' You know how to winterize your home? We're here to help." It cuts to Babs still on the ladder, holding a pile of dead leaves in a large spoon, as she says "One, after all the leaves have fallen, clean your gutters. This will prevent water damage to the interior or exterior of your home. And if your gutters are easy to reach and you can do it yourself, just use a spaghetti spoon! It'll collect the leaves and drain the water." It cuts again to Babs outside her house, pointing at the hose attached to the side of the house. She says "Tip number 2: make sure you shut off the main water source to the outside. Once you do that, remove the hose--righty tighty lefty loosey--and then drain any remaining water." She removes the hose and holds her hand under the spigot as she says this, and then it cuts to her standing up with the hose wrapped over her arm as she says "This will prevent a burst pipe and a huge plumbing bill. Hoses inside." It cuts again to Babs standing inside the house holding a large, gray, fuzzy furnace filter as she says "Tip number 3: time to clean or replace those furnace filters. This will prevent super high energy bills. A clean filter will save you 15% on energy cost. Ours definitely needs to be replaced!" It then cuts again to her holding a white, clean furnace filter and saying "This is what the new filter looks like!", and then her sliding it into the furnace as she says "And in she goes, all set for the winter." Finally, it cuts to her standing on a chair and pointing at a smoke detector on the ceiling as she says "And the last tip: Good time to check the batteries on your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors." The video is from @brunchwithbabs. End ID.]

[studentofetherium]

hey not sure if i have any Jewish followers from NJ but FYI. this is really concerning

[saywhat-politics]

[contemplatingoutlander]

Young people need to vote in this election because the future of their ability to live in a democratic republic, to live on a planet that isn’t utterly destroyed by climate catastrophes, to have a right to bodily autonomy, to have a right to not have one group’s religious beliefs imposed on them by the state, to have a right not to go bankrupt with medical bills, to have a right not to fear their children will be killed in school by semiautomatic weapons, and to not spend their old age in poverty depends on it.

Much of the Republican Party wants to turn the U.S. into an an autocratic theocracy where there is one party rule. Many of them have admitted to this--this is NOT fearmongering. 

Get out and vote as if your future depends on it--because it does.

[cordatusvitam]

this is a really heavy topic, but bodycam footage of the night the Little Rock police killed Terence Caffey has been released. it took 9 months before the Caffey family's lawyer, the same man who represented the families of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Alesia Thomas and Michael Brown, could get the footage from LRPD. the footage is cruel. the police held down Terence even as he told them he couldn't breathe, even as he told them he was dying. they ignored him and accused him of being on shrooms and fentanyl, told him if he can talk he can breathe. they left him dying in their squad car. they kneeled on his legs and shoulders, held his back and neck down. he had wounds on his face from the police holding him down onto concrete. even though his death was ruled a homicide no charges have been brought up against the officers responsible. the legal team are trying to pursue a case in civil court, but no one really knows if anything can be done. Ben Crump has said he wants the public to see the footage that LRPD didn't want people to see. as Crump said, "When you hear a man who is unarmed, handcuffed, in a prone position, saying 'I can't breathe', what do you do? You put your knee in his back even further? Why didn't it go to a grand jury?"

[orchidvioletindigo]

It should 100% be illegal for companies to make you give them your payment information when you sign up for a free trial version of their product. It is not necessary and there is no good fucking reason for them to do it. It’s blatantly just so they can steal forgetful customers’ money.

[saint-batrick]

oh hey, thanks for reminding me to cancel a free trial i had going on.

[tattooedzombigirl]

Reblog to save an unnecessary charge cause it also reminded me to cancel a trial lol

[thebelchers]

[eldritchscholar]

So the other night during D&D, I had the sudden thoughts that:

1) Binary files are 1s and 0s

2) Knitting has knit stitches and purl stitches

You could represent binary data in knitting, as a pattern of knits and purls…

You can knit Doom.

However, after crunching some more numbers:

The compressed Doom installer binary is 2.93 MB. Assuming you are using sock weight yarn, with 7 stitches per inch, results in knitted doom being…

3322 square feet

Factoring it out…302 people, each knitting a relatively reasonable 11 square feet, could knit Doom.

[benegesserwitch]

Hi fun fact!!

The idea of a “binary code” was originally developed in the textile industry in pretty much this exact form. Remember punch cards? Probably not! They were a precursor to the floppy disc, and were used to store information in the same sort of binary code that we still use:

Here’s Mary Jackson (c.late 1950s) at a computer. If you look closely in the yellow box, you’ll see a stack of blank punch cards that she will use to store her calculations.

This is what a card might look like once punched. Note that the written numbers on the card are for human reference, and not understood by the computer. 

But what does it have to do with textiles? Almost exactly what OP suggested. Now even though machine knitting is old as balls, I feel that there are few people outside of the industry or craft communities who have ever seen a knitting machine. 

Here’s a flatbed knitting machine (as opposed to a round or tube machine), which honestly looks pretty damn similar to the ones that were first invented in the sixteenth century, and here’s a nice little diagram explaining how it works:

But what if you don’t just want a plain stocking stitch sweater? What if you want a multi-color design, or lace, or the like? You can quite easily add in another color and integrate it into your design, but for, say, a consistent intarsia (two-color repeating pattern), human error is too likely. Plus, it takes too long for a knitter in an industrial setting. This is where the binary comes in!

Here’s an intarsia swatch I made in my knitwear class last year. As you can see, the front of the swatch is the inverse of the back. When knitting this, I put a punch card in the reader,

and as you can see, the holes (or 0′s) told the machine not to knit the ground color (1′s) and the machine was set up in such a way that the second color would come through when the first color was told not to knit.

tl;dr the textiles industry is more important than people give it credit for, and I would suggest using a machine if you were going to try to knit almost 3 megabytes of information.

[darkersolstice]

@we-are-threadmage

[systlin]

Someone port Doom to a blanket

[rolypolywardrobe]

I really love tumblr for this 🙌

[isnerdy-deactivated20190101]

It goes beyond this.  Every computer out there has memory.  The kind of memory you might call RAM.  The earliest kind of memory was magnetic core memory.  It looked like this:

Wires going through magnets.  This is how all of the important early digital computers stored information temporarily.  Each magnetic core could store a single bit - a 0 or a 1.  Here’s a picture of a variation of this, called rope core memory, from one NASA’s Apollo guidance computers:

You may think this looks incredibly handmade, and that’s because it is.  But these are also extreme close-ups.  Here’s the scale of the individual cores:

The only people who had the skills necessary to thread all of these cores precisely enough were textile and garment workers.  Little old ladies would literally thread the wires by hand.

And thanks to them, we were able to land on the moon.  This is also why memory in early computers was so expensive.  It had to be hand-crafted, and took a lot of time.

[dollsahoy]

(little old ladies sewed the space suits, too)

[butts-for-days]

Fun fact: one nickname for it was LOL Memory, for “little old lady memory.”

[costumersupportdept]

I mean let’s also touch on the Jacquard Loom, if you want to get all Textiles In Sciencey. It was officially created in 1801 or 1804 depending on who you ask (although you can see it in proto-form as early as 1725) and used a literal chain of punch cards to tell the loom which warps to raise on hooks before passing the weft through. It replaced the “weaver yelling at Draw Boy” technique, in which the weaver would call to the kid manning the heddles “raise these and these, lower these!” and hope that he got it right. 

With a Jacquard loom instead of painstakingly picking up every little thread by hand to weave in a pattern, which is what folks used to do for brocades in Ye Olde Times, this basically automated that. Essentially all you have to do to weave here is advance the punch cards and throw the shuttle. SO EASY. 

ALSO, it’s not just “little old ladies sewed the first spacesuits,” it’s “the women from the Playtex Corp were the only ones who could sew within the tolerances needed.” Yes, THAT Playtex Corp, the one who makes bras. Bra-makers sent us to the moon. 

And the cool thing with them was that they did it all WITHOUT PINS, WITHOUT SEAM RIPPING and in ONE TRY. You couldn’t use pins or re-sew seams because the spacesuits had to be airtight, so any additional holes in them were NO GOOD. They were also sewing to some STUPID tight tolerances-in our costume shop if you’re within an eighth of an inch of being on the line, you’re usually good. The Playtex ladies were working on tolerances of 1/32nd of an inch. 1/32nd. AND IN 21 LAYERS OF FABRIC. 

The women who made the spacesuits were BADASSES. (and yes, I’ve tried to get Space-X to hire me more than once. They don’t seem interested these days)

[synebluetoo]

This is fascinating. I knew there was a correlation between binary and weaving but this just takes it to a whole nother level. 

[moiraecrochet]

I’m in Venice, Italy several times a year (lucky me!) and last year I went on a private tour of the Luigi Bevilacqua factory. Founded in 1875, they still use their original jacquard looms to hand make velvet. Here are the looms:

Here are the punch cards:

Some of these looms take up to 1600 spools. That is necessary to make their many different patterns.  Here are some patterns:

How many punchcards per pattern?

 This many:

Modern computing owes its very life to textiles - And to women. From antiquity weaving has been the domain of women. Sure, we remember Ada Lovelace and Hedy Lamarr, but while Joseph Marie Jacquard gets all the credit for his loom, the operators and designers were for the most part women.

[the-fibre-stuff]

I’ve seen this cross my dash a few times, but I’ve never watched the video before. Maybe I just didn’t pay attention when I was a kid, but I don’t remember ever seeing just how the Jacquard loom works. I just knew that the punch cards controlled which threads were raised. It’s cool to see the how, not just the what.

[swords-n-spindles]

Don’t hide this in the tags, @drylime :D

[bardqueenofgallifrey]

so a racist got utterly demolished in less than 30 seconds on the New Zealand morning news on Monday and it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen

who knew a white guy could be capable of such an iconic response, he knows what’s up and is having none of that shit, every other white guy take notes tbh

[han-j1]

I love that he said Pakeha

[littlereddove]

Can someone write what its being said in this?

[kc749]

Male co-host: We have had a whole heap of feedback regarding Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis’s proposal to institute a prison run on Māori values into New Zealand. He’s looking at potentially establishing this prison up north. It isn’t Labour policy just yet, it’s just an idea of Kelvin Davis’s. And this has been really really divisive on our Facebook page this morning. (sarcastically) Here I think we have the single greatest email, the single greatest message we have ever had on breakfast.

(clears throat deliberately) “’Janice’ says: Good morning. I’m sick of hearing that Māori need different treatment. If they don’t want to live in our society, then maybe we should put them all on an island and leave them to it.”

Male co-host: “Janice. That is LITERALLY what happened! That is the history of our country. Last I checked, Māori WERE on an island, they were left to it, and then Pākehā (Māori term for white New Zealanders) turned up and look how that worked out. But thank you very much for that brilliant insight. Goodness me. Unbelievable. Unbelievable, they actually-“

Female co-host: “Actually, you can’t even get angry, you just actually need to laugh and then screw it up and put it under the desk. Just when you thought-“

Male co-host: (mimicking letter) “’Put them all on an island, leave them to it.’ Yeah. What a great idea that is Janice.

[dancinbutterfly]

I really need “What a great idea that is, Janice.” to be a meme filled with those stupid complete cognitive dissonance bigoted statements.

[johncribati]

[vbartilucci]

Janice is clearly Karen’s Kiwi Cousin.

[wilwheaton]

(via vtuuhf2mzu481.jpg (1170×2016))

[prismatic-bell]

So boycotting is not something the strikers have requested, but this kind of social attention? IS VERY BAD FOR THE COMPANY. IT’S BAD PUBLICITY.

I would say this is a very good thing, pointing out the unfair terms PUBLICLY.

[direwolfblackrose]

They also did call for a boycott AFTER the mass firing

https://www.nationofchange.org/2021/12/14/striking-kelloggs-workers-vow-to-hold-out-for-better-contract-urge-boycott-of-companys-products/

[prismatic-bell]

Oh shit new information

Never mind, put them on blast and boycott as much as you can.

[everythingfox]

Capybara made his day

(via)

[stannisbaratheon]

[stannisbaratheon]

i posted this old as balls gifset ten years ago today

[soaringsearingphoenix]

Happy anniversary old as balls gifset

[maeglinthebold]

@meme-conservation

[meme-conservation]

We are pleased to note the continued survival of this meme to the point that it, too, is Old As Balls

[somelikeitpop]

happy Labor Day

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - June 20, 2022

🏳️‍🌈 — Happy Pride Month! Let’s start this week with some great news coming from Tokyo.

1. Tokyo Passes Law to Recognize Same-Sex Partnerships

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Wednesday adopted legislation recognizing same-sex partnerships, which will extend some rights that apply to married heterosexual couples.

It also reflects changing attitudes toward the LGBT community. A poll by the Asahi newspaper last year found that 65 percent of voters nationwide supported same-sex marriage, up from 41 percent in 2015.

Japan is the only country in the G7 largest economies not to recognize same-sex marriages.

2. Extinct ‘fantastic giant tortoise’ found alive on the Galápagos Islands

Believed to be extinct for more than a century, a rare species of giant tortoise is in fact still alive.

Scientists assumed that the chelonoidis phantasticus had died out more than a century ago. The only known specimen was discovered in 1906. But in 2019, Princeton researchers discovered a lone female tortoise on the island that hinted that the species might live on. Last week, they finally proved that the two specimens are related.

3. Groundbreaking treatment for HIV/AIDS developed by research team ‘with just a single vaccine dose’

People with AIDS might soon have the option to be treated with just a single vaccine dose, according to a new study from Tel Aviv University that shows the potential impact of a new and unique AIDS/HIV treatment. The peer-reviewed study was led by Dr. Adi Barzel and PhD student Alessio Nehmad.

The goal of the research team was to genetically engineer type B white blood cells inside the body of a person with AIDS. Once modified, the blood cells would be able to secrete neutralizing antibodies against the HIV virus responsible for AIDS, eradicating it from the patient’s body.

4. Rare sun bears rescued from animal traffickers get health checkup

Heartwarming footage shows how two rare bears that were poached as cubs by animal traffickers were given a thorough health checkup.

“Sun Bears Bopha and Jamran are former victims of the illegal wildlife trade, but found their forever homes at Perth Zoo after being rescued by Free the Bears.”

5. The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for free for keeps

The library is giving away 500,000 books for free to kids, teens and families at all of its branch locations in an effort to help folks build their at-home libraries “and strength the city’s ecosystem of learning,”

All you really have to do to get your hands on some copies is to show up at your neighborhood library and use your card — or sign up for one.

6. Alaska Airlines flight attendant proposes to pilot girlfriend on Pride-themed plane

Veronica Rojas, a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, surprised her girlfriend with an unforgettable wedding proposal on a flight to Los Angeles. During the flight, Rojas got down on one knee and in true flight attendant-fashion, used the PA system to propose to Moncayo.

7. Disabled teen completes 84-mile trek of Hadrian’s Wall in wheelchair

Plucky youngster Brynn Hauxwell, 17, who has autism, ADHD, severe asthma, and fixed ankle contractures, took on the historic trail on the border between England and Scotland as part of a charity challenge.

The arduous journey saw Brynn and his team traveling around eight to nine miles a day and at times going as slow as one mile an hour. The resilient teen has raised over $13,000 for Ability Shetland, a charity that supports disabled people to unlock their full potential in all areas of life, and which also provided the mountain trike for the expedition.

. . .

That's it for this week. Until next week, You can follow me on twitter. Also, I have a newsletter :)

Subscribe here to receive a collection of wholesome news every week in your inbox :D

[titkoks]

sesame street tarot

[witchmoonblog-deactivated202207]

This really made me laugh. I want a session with the Sesamero!

[guerrillatech]

[vanquishedvaliant]

This is definitely a plausible Hank moment, but only after a long episode of him misunderstanding and getting it ignorantly (but not maliciously) wrong at first, being distressed and confused about how he’s out of touch with the kids and gender ain’t simple like it used to be

right up until some rude asshole does this in his face and he needs to stand up for his friends / family and suddenly Understands the emotional crux of the issue

[cerayanay]

“And you have all these so called whistleblowers claiming the government is putting chemicals in vaccines and food to make you one of them transgenders or homosexuals. But I’ve never seen a transgender support the government or one of those so-called “gay frogs”, so it makes you wonder what THEYRE really putting in this stuff. All I’m saying is that Chelsea Manning went to prison and Mr. Rogan is a millionaire, and you always gotta follow the money”

[acomedytothosewhothink]

“Tell you what man, talkin’ ‘bout dang ‘ol critical gender theory man, ‘s all a construct, talkin’ ‘bout man’s man and real woman but I tell you what man, talkin’ ‘bout when the lights are off we all just dang ‘ol people man”

[vodka-aunt-m]

"Well I think she’s a real classy lady."

[only-tiktoks]

[earhartsease]

only one in three million tiktoks are this worth watching