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Dan Tappan

@dantappan.net
382 followers 762 following 464 posts

Engineer, Songwriter, Musician, Photographer, Music Fan - dantappan.net I block cryto-bros, anti-vaxers, climate change deniers, thread spammers, and Russian trolls.

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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 18/08/2026
LLM generated :-) Prompt: write a note describing the reasons why an LLM is not reliable as an "AI writing detector", and why LLMs should not be used for decision making in general. Be sure to use the word "quiet" or "quietly"
Why LLMs Should Not Be Used as AI Writing Detectors—or as Decision Makers

LLMs are fundamentally unreliable tools for determining whether a piece of writing was produced by AI. An AI-writing detector is itself making a probabilistic judgment based on patterns in language, rather than identifying a definitive marker of authorship. Human writing can be incorrectly classified as AI-generated, while AI-generated writing can be edited or prompted in ways that make it appear human. Changes in writing style, subject matter, length, or the author’s individual voice can also affect the result.

Most importantly, there is no reliable way for an LLM to look at a finished piece of text and know with certainty who—or what—wrote it. A detector may produce a percentage or confidence score, but that number does not transform an uncertain inference into evidence. Treating such a score as proof can therefore lead to false accusations and unfair consequences. An innocent person can be quietly labeled as having used AI simply because their writing happens to resemble patterns the detector associates with AI.

The same fundamental problem applies more broadly to using LLMs for decision making. LLMs generate plausible responses by identifying patterns learned from enormous amounts of data. They do not inherently possess reliable knowledge of the truth, nor do they have a dependable mechanism for distinguishing a well-supported conclusion from a persuasive-sounding mistake. They can confidently produce incorrect information, overlook important context, reflect biases present in their training data, or reach different conclusions when given slightly different inputs.This makes an LLM particularly inappropriate as the sole basis for decisions involving people. Decisions about grades, employment, discipline, admissions, benefits, eligibility, or other significant outcomes require evidence, transparency, accountability, and an opportunity for human review. A model's output can potentially be useful as one input among many, but it should not be treated as an authoritative determination.

The central issue is not that LLMs are always wrong. It is that their errors are difficult to predict, their confidence is not a reliable measure of accuracy, and their conclusions can be difficult to independently justify. When the consequences of being wrong fall on another person, uncertainty should be acknowledged rather than hidden behind an apparently objective AI score.

LLMs can be useful assistants. They should not quietly become the decision maker.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 29/07/2026
Sign on rail fence in front of a field reading "ABOLISH TRUMP'S DEATH SQUADS", white letters on black background with "No ICE" symbol in the corners
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 19/07/2026
The guineas alarmed (sound on) just as I went out this morning. Looks like it charged them but only got a few feathers.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 29/06/2026
Patreon support sends me responses like this, but nothing gets fixed so I'm skeptical that anyone is really working on it. It should not take months to track down a problem like this.
Email from Patreon support regarding the problem:
---
Thank you for your candid feedback and for sharing your frustration regarding the continued issues with your membership access. It is clear that this situation has been challenging, and I appreciate you providing those additional examples to help us investigate further.
 
Our engineering and payments teams are currently working to identify and resolve this technical issue. I have reached out to them for an urgent status update regarding the investigation into your account.
 
I am closely monitoring this case and will notify you as soon as I have more information to share. Please feel free to let me know if you encounter any other changes in the meantime.
----
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 07/06/2026
Guinea Keets
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 12/04/2026
When I see people talk about how great "AI" is at doing a job, I think of this post. If you think "AI" is great at software engineering, see this thread: bsky.app/profile/oliv...
Post by "rodhilton@mastodon.social": "He talked about electric cars. I don't know anything about cars, so when people said he was a genius I figured he must be a genius.

Then he talked about rockets. I don't know anything about rockets, so when people said he was a genius I figured he must be a genius.

Now he talks about software. I happen to know a lot about software & Elon Musk is saying the stupidest shit I've ever heard anyone say, so when people say he's a genius I figure I should stay the hell away from his cars and rockets."
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 20/02/2026
Again?
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 08/02/2026
Photo of Laurene Powell Jobs, publisher of the Atlantic, with Ghislane Maxwell, both wearing bathing suits and laughing
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 04/02/2026
"Make women sad"
image from The Handmaid's Tale TV show
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 15/01/2026
Yes. Looting is a war crime. Why isn't that being noted? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looting
Text from Wikipedia noting that looting is forbidden by the Hague Conventions. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looting
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 14/01/2026
Today is Benedict Arnold's Birthday (Jan 14, 1741), but it's a special one for him since he will no longer go down in History as the greatest Traitor in American History - surpassed by Trump, the entire Republican Party, and the corrupt SCOTUS
A portrait of Benedict Arnold, up until 2025 the worst traitor in American History
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 01/01/2026
Daily aspirin is only recommended for people with EXISTING heart issues or stoke history
https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2022/04/27/20/41/new-uspstf-recommendation-on-aspirin-in-cvd

New USPSTF Recommendation on Aspirin in CVD: No For Primary Prevention, Yes For Secondary Prevention
Apr 27, 2022

New guidance from the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against initiating the use of low-dose aspirin in patients over 60 years of age for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, low-dose aspirin continues to be recommended, including by the ACC, for secondary prevention for patients with ASCVD or who have existing heart problems, including a history of a heart attack or stroke, angioplasty, PCI or CABG, based on the clinician judgment and long-term antiplatelet strategy.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 05/12/2025
Did you see where they were from? bird flu emu land
"Emu with genetic mutation that made them born without feathers. Credit to knucklemumpfarms on instagram"
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 28/11/2025
archive.is/dz9wi
Snapshot of headline of Boston Globe article: "'The government is subsidizing corporate profits’: Who employs the most SNAP recipients in Massachusetts?

The majority of working-age people on food stamps have jobs. But the wages don’t add up, and more attempts to limit eligibility are on the horizon."
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 22/10/2025
if you know where this came from, let me know so I can attribute
an image of the back of a $20 bill with a Trump backhoe destroying the White House
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 22/10/2025
Wow! All this time I've been thinking that the copper ethernet cable from my router connecting to my FIOS Fiber last-mile connection ONT works like a charm! I must be imagining typing this! That you Mr President Sir for setting me straight!
Photo of #47 saying: Buttigieg spent billions fixing the air traffic control. They used copper wire going into glass wire. Any union electrician or any non-union electrician would say you can't hook copper into glass. It doesn't work.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 16/10/2025
Warning: new text scam. This one almost got me (enough to click on the link) but it went to a fake Amazon login at "awaznizon.co" so BitWarden didn't recognize it & refused to fill in the login. That's a major reason to use a good password vault, BTW.
A text message purporting to be about a safety recall on an Amazon order. The short URL doesn't go to a real Amazon site, the order number is bogus. But it looks real enough to have tricked me into clicking the link (despite the fact that Amazon would have emailed about the recall, not texted)
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 29/09/2025
#pumpkins
Pumpkin crop hanging out on stepsPumpkin crop hanging out in a wheelbarrow with some other Cucurbits
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 14/09/2025
Guinea fowl?
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 05/08/2025
Speaking of copy-editors: did they miss this one?
Screenshot from page 32 of "When the Moon Hits Your Eye" that uses both "LeMae" and "LeMay" for a character's name
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 12/06/2025
Guinea keets (8 weeks) #guineakeets
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 07/06/2025
The secret of Area-51 (of course, that's what "they" want you to think :-) ) archive.is/ioVQ6
"The Pentagon Disinformation That Fueled America’s UFO Mythology

U.S. military fabricated evidence of alien technology and allowed rumors to fester to cover up real secret-weapons programs"
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 13/05/2025
The current deadline for entry in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Grassy Hill Emerging Artist showcase is May 20. See falconridgefolk.com/performers/
The GRASSY HILL EMERGING ARTIST SHOWCASE is open to all performers who have not showcased with us in the last 2 years, and will not be appearing in any other capacity including sideperson or special guest in the current year. This is a 2 song or 10 minute spot on our Main Stage on Friday afternoon. We have 15 showcase spots. Deadline to apply is May 20th. See submission LINK below.

There is a $20 Showcase application fee.

Selected showcase artists appear in the program book, are assisted by our excellent stage & sound crew and may have their mailing list and merch in our sales tent. While there is no compensation for this showcase, artists receive full fest admission, on-site camping and meals for the entire festival plus one guest pass per act.

The showcase is not a contest. However, the audience is surveyed as to which THREE showcase artists they wish to see return to the Most Wanted Song Swap (MWSS) at FRFF the following year. Three to four artists are invited to return for this feature spot. The showcase and song swap are an opportunity to be seen and heard in a large amphitheater setting with many folk fans, presenters, agents and media in attendance. A committee of 3 music professionals review submissions and make selections. The only criteria are high quality performances of interesting, well-crafted, acoustic based material. It need not be original.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 17/04/2025
Free "gas"
Electric usage monitor app showing excess solar power going to EV ChargerEV charger plug connected to port on a Kia Niro EV
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 16/04/2025
Guinea Keets!
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 15/04/2025
A What (TF)?
Cryotherapy is apparently a scam that exposes the skin on the entire body to -100 degrees C for a few minutes.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 08/04/2025
eg: the following. "Moved from another platform" seems to be code for "imported a list of accounts to spam" Is there any way to report these newsletters to @substack.bsky.social as spam?
A notice on a Substack newsletter that is spamming me w/o permission:
"America's Undoing recently moved you from another platform to America's Undoing, hosted on Substack"
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 07/04/2025
Boston Common April 5
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 07/04/2025
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 27/03/2025
OMG. Words fail.
FOTUS Babbling: “we’re gonna have tremendous, uh, tremendous goodies in the bag for women too. the women, between the fertilization and all the other things we’re talking about, it's gonna be, it’s gonna be great. we’re uh joined today— heh, fertilization. I’m still very proud of it, I don’t care. I’ll be known as the fertilization president and that’s o— that’s not bad.”
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 07/03/2025
It's Bandcamp Friday - 100% of proceeds for sales today go to the musicians bandcamp.com
Image from the site https://isitbandcampfriday.com/, a purple blotch stating "Bandcamp Friday ends in 15h 38m 2s"
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 05/03/2025
Meme image: "Trump Signs Executive Order to create Strategic Reserve of Magic Beans and Fairy Dust", with unicorns in the background.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 22/01/2025
😂😅😆🤣😅🤣😂😅😆🤣😅🤣😂😅😆🤣😅🤣!! The Idiot-In-Chief threatens RU with tariffs, and doesn't understand that, due to existing sanctions, Russian imports to the US are virtually nil tradingeconomics.com/united-state... (leaving aside the idiocy that tariffs are a tax on the US purchaser, not the seller)
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened massive tariffs and sanctions on Russian products if Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin fails to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

"Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don’t make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, directed at Putin.

"We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better," Trump said.
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 21/01/2025
"Local Policy Violation" - @washingtonpost.com policy is to ignore criticism of their fascist bootlicking.
Mailer response to previous reply to "email@washingtonpost.com". "Local Policy Violation"
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 21/01/2025
@washingtonpost.com
Responding to an email advertisement from The Washington Post offering an " Inauguration sale"

"Fuck off. "Storytelling for all of America" - 🤮. I don't want to read your crap attempts to whitewash corruption, lawlessness and atrocities."
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 19/01/2025
An "Executive Order" cannot override a law. EOs are based on delegation of power in laws. And the current SCOTUS has spent the past few years working their little hearts out to gut the power of EOs; but presumably that only applies when it's a Democratic President issuing the orders.
From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_order:

The United States Constitution does not have a provision that explicitly permits the use of executive orders. Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Constitution simply states: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." Sections 2 and 3 describe the various powers and duties of the president, including "He shall take care that the Laws be faithfully executed".[4]

The U.S. Supreme Court has held[5] that all executive orders from the president of the United States must be supported by the Constitution, whether from a clause granting specific power, or by Congress delegating such to the executive branch.[6] Specifically, such orders must be rooted in Article II of the US Constitution or enacted by the Congress in statutes. Attempts to block such orders have been successful at times, when such orders either exceeded the authority of the president or could be better handled through legislation.[7]
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 16/08/2024
Not to mention: that's a huge plate of fries to go with one small hot dog, and a tiny amount of ketchup for that many fries. via: braddelong.substack.com/p/sundowning... Those lips look oddly pink to me
JV Vance sits at the cash register with a tiny hot dog, a massive plate of fries, and enough ketchup to cover a quarter
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 13/08/2024
A monster :-)
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 01/08/2024
Screenshot of a FB post beginning:
"So there he sat, grumpy and unhappy to be there, knees wide part and soft tiny hands dangling between them, like vines that had yet to sprout fruit; this terrible man, upset with the world to the extent that it was not fully about him, unable to fill the void inside him with the worship of followers, unable to find love despite the existence of children who had been raised to be as venal as himself; unable to find satisfaction despite a store of money that should have paid for any pleasure it ever occurred to him to want. There he sat, in a room full of people who were not fooled by him, who knew exactly what he was and were not interested in flattering him. There he was, falling back on an act that had always worked quite well on those who had drunk deep on his poison, wondering why the interviewer had scorn for him, why the audience appeared to be laughing at him instead of with him, wondering why they didn't see at once why asking him tough ...
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 30/06/2024
For me it picked the three towns because of the word "rotary". It didn't ask me about drive-through liquor stores. Seems like in most cases use of a word will be similar in close cities, so there doesn't seem much point in showing 3.
dialect "heat map" from NYT dialect quiz with the "closest three towns" Boston, Springfield, and Worcester
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 13/05/2024
will you accept photos?
4 goats (Jocelyn, Rosalind, Grace and Tabitha Babbitt) eating broccoli plants
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 30/04/2024
Susan Werner on Instagram - photo of Kristi Noem and new lyrics to her song"You Kissed Your Dog on the Mouth": you shot your dog in the face - so i ran from that place - because for all i knew - you might have shot me too - no i can not unsee how you turned and f*cked up - that pup - when you filled her with lead - and poor Crickets was dead - The End #alternatelyrics
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 09/04/2024
Requisite #eclipse photo
Photo of April 8, 2024 total eclipse, Derby VT
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 03/04/2024
Throwing it into the House more often would definitely be worse. Look at paragraph 3 of the 12th Amendment
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 21/01/2024
Apparently the @bostonglobe.bsky.social censored Doonsbury today. Instead of this one, they ran a repeat of a 2018 Veteran's Day strip (with a distorted aspect ratio)
January 21, 2024 Doonsbury strip - https://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2024/01/21
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 22/11/2023
www.unmc.edu/healthsecuri...
The pathogen is “a funky bacterium,”  said Dr. David Needle, pathology section chief at the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire. “It’s smaller than a normal bacterium in its size and in the size of its genome. Long story short, it’s a weird bacterium that can be tough to find and sequence.”
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Dan Tappan @dantappan.net · 20/10/2023
One might think they would be ashamed to admit that "the most popular Republican in Congress" is so unpopular that he can't win a secret vote among only Republicans I suppose expecting some introspection on that point would be a bridge too far.
Matt Gaetz tweet: "The most popular Republican in Congress was just knifed in an an [sic] anonymous vote in a secret closed door meeting in the basement of the Capitol"
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