Eric_the_Cerise's recent activity
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Comment on European Commission will maintain its ban on new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, despite fierce pressure from oil-rich Norway to drop the ban in ~enviro
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Comment on What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear? in ~life.style
Eric_the_Cerise LinkIt's not any kind of record, it seems, but I have a Cabela's button-down shirt made of a magical synthetic wool material called worsterlon. It is approximately 22 years old, and I not only wear...It's not any kind of record, it seems, but I have a Cabela's button-down shirt made of a magical synthetic wool material called worsterlon. It is approximately 22 years old, and I not only wear it, but for most of the past 22 years, I have worn it almost daily for 2 1/2 seasons of every year (fall thru spring, except warm days). I am looking at it now.
Amazingly warm, durable, and quick-drying (it practically comes out of the clothes washer dry). About 5 years ago, I had a tailor do some basic reinforcement work on it, securing buttons better, refurbishing the collars, etc.
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentIf you don't already know about Hogzilla, there's a fun rabbit hole to go down.If you don't already know about Hogzilla, there's a fun rabbit hole to go down.
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentJust anecdotal ... I broadly agree about cryptids; as I said, there are still some big mysteries out there. But I took a tracking course waaay back in the day, back in the '80s. A week long, 24/7...Just anecdotal ... I broadly agree about cryptids; as I said, there are still some big mysteries out there.
But I took a tracking course waaay back in the day, back in the '80s. A week long, 24/7 retreat in the wilderness, serious course. And just in passing, the guy teaching the course noted that there was no such thing as Bigfoot. He spent a lot of time living in, and exploring the Pacific Northwest wilderness, and he said he never saw a single real footprint (fake footprints are obvious to anyone who tracks), nor fur nor scat nor any other sign that he couldn't firmly ID as bear or moose or etc.
This was decades before everyone older than 5 had a camera in their pocket. His comments about it always stuck with me. Anything that large, requiring a large enough population to maintain the gene pool, no matter how reclusive they are, they gotta leave all kinds of signs and traces of their existence, that anyone who is trained to spot such things, it would be clear that they inhabit a region.
Because of that offhand comment from him, I still believe there are many real cryptids out there, waiting to be identified ... but Bigfoot is not among them.
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Comment on Meet the first new cat species discovered in 100 years in ~enviro
Eric_the_Cerise (edited )LinkSo, regarding the word "discovered" ... is this a case of, IDK, let's call it scientific hubris. Like Columbus "discovered" the Americas, and never mind the millions of people already there. If...So, regarding the word "discovered" ... is this a case of, IDK, let's call it scientific hubris. Like Columbus "discovered" the Americas, and never mind the millions of people already there. If "the locals" have known about this cat well enough to have a distinct common name for it, for generations....
OTOH, we're talking about genetic discovery. Many cases where "it looks different and people have a name for it" means just a different coloration and it's still the same species as "X" ... not even getting into cryptids and folklore and such.
At the least, this is validating that something is a previously undocumented species of feline, and that's cool. Gives me hope for the cryptids. The world still holds big mysteries.
But something about the use of that word, "discovered" rubs me the wrong way. Thoughts?
Addendum: The Guardian does it better -- New cat species identified for first time in more than a century in Bolivia (although the subheading also goes with "discovered").
Their opening sentence also qualifies this better, I think, w/o getting into complicated parsing of what, actually, "discovered" might mean...
A diminutive wild cat that inhabits Bolivia’s cloud forest has been identified as a previously unknown species, marking the first time a new living feline species has been formally named and described in more than a century. [emphasis added]
Further on in the article...
...the study describing the newly identified species...
I mean, if The Guardian article had been the first one I read, I feel like I wouldn't even have noticed any editorial effort to come up with alternatives to saying "discovered" ... it just reads better.
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Comment on Marginalia Search is an independent, open source, keyword-based Internet search engine with its own crawler operating out of Sweden in ~tech
Eric_the_Cerise LinkFWIW, there's a whole world of alternate search engines out there, that build their own indices, use their own crawlers or otherwise don't rely on the commercial engines. Granted, Marginalia is...FWIW, there's a whole world of alternate search engines out there, that build their own indices, use their own crawlers or otherwise don't rely on the commercial engines.
Granted, Marginalia is among the best, most stable, and most long-lived ... but there are many others to explore.
This list is somewhat outdated (made in 2021, last updated in 2025), but it is still the most complete list I've found. Seirdy has published several other posts about alternate search, as well, worth looking thru their history.
https://seirdy.one/posts/2021/03/10/search-engines-with-own-indexes/
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Comment on UN says world will miss its climate target, warming must be reversed in ~enviro
Eric_the_Cerise LinkOne quick thought ... methane. Methane is 80 times more potent than CO2, and it degrades out of the atmosphere in <30 years. And half the methane we put into the atmosphere comes from (relatively)...- Exemplary
One quick thought ... methane.
Methane is 80 times more potent than CO2, and it degrades out of the atmosphere in <30 years.
And half the methane we put into the atmosphere comes from (relatively) cheap-and-easy-to-fix leaks in fossil fuel production.
If we fixed those, global warming would almost flatline for 30 years, as the atmospheric methane breaks down almost as fast as the CO2 we keep emitting adds to the problem.
Bonus ... If y'all could just quit eating cows, that's where the other half of our methane comes from.
It's not a solution, but it is an easy quick-fix to buy us a couple more decades.
E.g. ‘Breakthrough’ as Turkmenistan starts fixing ‘mindboggling’ methane mega-leaks
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Comment on UN says world will miss its climate target, warming must be reversed in ~enviro
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentFWIW, Biden actually got the ball rolling with the biggest "Green New Deal" the US has ever enacted ... he just called it an intrastructure & jobs act. There's a lesson to be learned there. If the...FWIW, Biden actually got the ball rolling with the biggest "Green New Deal" the US has ever enacted ... he just called it an intrastructure & jobs act. There's a lesson to be learned there. If the Dems had won in 2024, the US would be well on track right now.
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Comment on German company launches rocket as Europe enters satellite race in ~space
Eric_the_Cerise LinkHere's a nice, comprehensive write-up about the launch, the company, history, impact on the EU, the other primary EU startups jockeying to establish themselves, etc.Here's a nice, comprehensive write-up about the launch, the company, history, impact on the EU, the other primary EU startups jockeying to establish themselves, etc.
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Comment on What's a show you love that's from before your time? in ~tv
Eric_the_Cerise (edited )LinkMost of the shows that others are mentioning were not before my time. Most were right in the middle of my time, the stuff I grew up on. Soap -- On the cusp for me. My parents occasionally let me...Most of the shows that others are mentioning were not before my time. Most were right in the middle of my time, the stuff I grew up on.
Soap -- On the cusp for me. My parents occasionally let me watch it, even though I was too young to really get all the dirty jokes and stuff. Truly ahead of its time.
Also, going waaaay back, Burns and Allen -- they started out doing Vaudeville together for a decade, then graduated to radio for another decade, then helped to invent the "TV sitcom" ... After Gracie died, George Burns continued to make hit movies (and do pretty decent stand-up) for another 30 years, before passing away at 100.
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Comment on What are your "how on earth did I not learn this sooner" tech moments? in ~tech
Eric_the_Cerise LinkMine would be the (fairly recent) realization that, when people (think they) are debating the pros and cons of Linux distros ... very often, without realizing it, they're actually debating the...Mine would be the (fairly recent) realization that, when people (think they) are debating the pros and cons of Linux distros ... very often, without realizing it, they're actually debating the pros and cons of the DEs they used to try out those distros.
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Comment on Are there any witches on Tildes? in ~hobbies
Eric_the_Cerise (edited )LinkI was a practicing Wiccan for about a decade, mostly in the '90s, before my readings and beliefs led me into Eastern religions/philosophies. Today, I am low-key religious, somewhere in the haze...I was a practicing Wiccan for about a decade, mostly in the '90s, before my readings and beliefs led me into Eastern religions/philosophies. Today, I am low-key religious, somewhere in the haze between Taoist and Buddhist -- but not in any strict, formal sense, and mostly just philosophically speaking.
The first and foremost (unspoken) rule of Wicca is, kinda, there aren't any rules. Everyone is different, everyone finds their own path, there are no Gatekeepers deciding who gets to be what, etc. So, to a very large degree, anything I say about "this is how Wicca works" ... actually means, "this is how it worked for me, but YMMV".
The first "official" rule is the Wiccan Rede, "An it harm none, do as ye will". And it's worth noting that "none" does not just mean human beings ... and "will" does not just mean "want", but is more of a formal declaration and recognition of the power of Will ... the things you focus your energy on, and put out into the world, have an effect, often more than you realize, and so, choose carefully what those things are.
The second "official" rule is the Threefold Law, which is basically the Pagan version of karma ... your actions, the things you do in the world, reverberate back on you, threefold.
Beyond that, yeah ... read, find like-minded folk, figure it out, make it up when you need to.
Personally, I've always felt that Tarot -- and all such divinatory objects -- are purely tools. In my mind, when you say you were surprised that the cards worked well ... the cards aren't doing anything. You are good at divination, and you have found a tool that helps you focus your ability.
Also, feel free to DM me if you want to chat privately or have more specific questions or whatever.
Edit to add: The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, and Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler were the two books I held closest during my Wiccan Era ... not Bibles, exactly, but close. In fact, my other common online nickname is still "spiraldancing".
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Comment on Russian sanctions are fueling a Canadian car theft epidemic in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise LinkSomebody send this to Brovdi. New target for Ukrainian drones....Somebody send this to Brovdi. New target for Ukrainian drones....
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Comment on Dolly Parton’s other legacy: a fortune given away, dollar by dollar in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise (edited )LinkCan't see the original article, so maybe it covers this, but from the excerpts, sounds like it didn't. The Sevier Co. graduation scholarship thing was explicitly a "bring a friend" ... If you both...Can't see the original article, so maybe it covers this, but from the excerpts, sounds like it didn't.
The Sevier Co. graduation scholarship thing was explicitly a "bring a friend" ... If you both graduated, you both got the scholarship; if either one of you did not graduate, neither of you got it.
Personally, I believe that was the "hook" that made it so successful, rather than the "cold hard cash" part.
Addendum ... Honestly, it seems like she had a real knack for coming up with winning strategies. The Imagination Library thing wasn't just "books for kids", it was a book a month sent from Dolly, right to each kid, personally, because Dolly thought that kid was awesome and deserved books ... I mean, you know, that's how it's presented. And as much as the books themselves, that Mr. Rogers-y "you are awesome just because you're you" messaging has to be a big part of the success.
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Comment on Dolly Parton, country music legend, dies at 80 in ~music
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentFWIW, I love Whitney's version ... but I prefer Dolly's version. Whitney's version is technically amazing to listen to, sends chills down my spine ... but compared to Dolly's version, it almost...FWIW, I love Whitney's version ... but I prefer Dolly's version.
Whitney's version is technically amazing to listen to, sends chills down my spine ... but compared to Dolly's version, it almost feels like Whitney was just showing off.
Dolly's version is intimate, and that song needs to be intimate.
Addendum: Apparently, Dolly spent years trying to get Patti LaBelle to cover that song ... and then, after Whitney's version dropped, Patti regretted not taking Dolly up on it, when she had the chance.
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Comment on Dolly Parton, country music legend, dies at 80 in ~music
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentI watched this on YouTube ... they're sharing it there temporarily ... it is very well done, not made as a tribute video, just a well-researched documentary, but it holds up very well as a eulogy.I watched this on YouTube ... they're sharing it there temporarily ... it is very well done, not made as a tribute video, just a well-researched documentary, but it holds up very well as a eulogy.
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Comment on Can we talk about Dolly? in ~music
Eric_the_Cerise (edited )LinkI'm with Lily Tomlin ... I still can't really find the words. I'm actually a bit surprised how much it's hit me; she was always just there in the background of my life. But it's a very short list...I'm with Lily Tomlin ... I still can't really find the words. I'm actually a bit surprised how much it's hit me; she was always just there in the background of my life. But it's a very short list of people, "count-on-one-hand-and-don't-need-my-thumb" kinda list, who I didn't actually know in person, whose death really hit me.
The video I linked is actually a Nebula TV spot that they just released temporarily on YouTube, when the news hit. It is, effectively, an hour-long documentary about her that was not made as a post-mortem tribute, but which holds up pretty well for that.
It leans pretty strongly to the Left (nothing i disagreed with personally, but consider yourself warned) ... but also, it really looks at the singular universality of her appeal.
I mean, I defy you to name another celebrity that both the far-Left and far-Right would get into flame wars defending ... where Trump says "lower every flag to half-mast for a week" and every Democrat in the country is like "good move, Donald".
Beyond the general "she was awesome and we're gonna miss her" nature of the news, I feel like there really was something unique about her, or at least really close to it, about the way she was just about the last person in America that everyone loved, regardless of their politics. And I feel like there should be some kind of lesson or strategy or something that we should be able to take from it.
...and yeah, I'm just rambling. No words.
And Meta addendum ... kinda seemed weird to me that there was nothing posted on Tildes about Dolly Parton passing, which is why I posted this to get the conversation started ... and just now, I found the Dolly megathread that--for some reason--is not showing up for me, even in the "unfiltered" list. The only way I can find it is by explicitly searching for "Dolly" in the Tildes search form.
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Can we talk about Dolly?
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Comment on Book banning: Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise LinkReminder that the Books Unbanned project exists.Reminder that the Books Unbanned project exists.
A Books Unbanned library card gives teens across the United States free digital access to ebooks and digital resources, including banned and challenged books—no matter where they live. Books Unbanned helps ensure teens can read what they like, explore new ideas and form their own opinions.
This is a free digital library card for U.S. teens, created to protect the freedom to read in the face of growing book censorship.
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Comment on Ukraine planned to swarm Moscow airports with AI-guided drones in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link Parent"Well why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?" "No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks." -- Michael Bolton"Well why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?"
"No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks."
-- Michael Bolton
It may be worth noting that this remains a non-binding policy ... as Norway was quick to point out--
So, okay, I suppose it's nice that they aren't dropping the entirely-voluntary philosophical opposition to developing new fossil fuel sources ... but it really doesn't seem all that significant.