iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 22/08/2025

Just Go Ahead and Lie (2012). She’s a cog sci major at Franklin & Marshall, the class is Bad Language: Meaning and Use. It’s a 200-level philosophy class, prof Nick Kroll.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 21/08/2025

The small world syndrome strikes again: my daughter will be reading an article by @jennysaul.bsky.social in her Bad Language class.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 01/02/2025

I love this. Contact Amy, or me, if you’re interested in running for public office, especially local office, and would like a mentor, a sounding board, or just want to know more.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 28/01/2025

I awoke today thinking that I had lost my 185-day streak in Connections. Alas, it was just a dream, so I'll have to keep playing.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 16/01/2025

I think you’ve misparsed it. They’re angled like a newf, and perhaps could be angled in other ways.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 14/01/2025

Friends and family have questioned my dogmatic approach to data privacy, but here’s a good example of why. I appreciate this clear example of why regular law-abiding people should be concerned.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 11/01/2025

This is the best 16 minutes of D&D footage ever.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 07/01/2025

Targeted ads aren’t just about ads. It is possible to protect your privacy online to a degree, though it takes some effort. It’s worth the effort, IMHO.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 05/01/2025

Over the break I completed this Ravensburger Butterfly Challenge 1000-piece puzzle with my dad. Perhaps the most challenging jigsaw puzzle I/we have ever done. Out of print, but available if you look around. Recommended for anyone who loves difficult jigsaw puzzles.

Completed Ravensburger Butterfly Challenge jigsaw puzzle

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 25/12/2024

The original Earthrise was captured on this day in 1968 by Bill Anders on Apollo 8. One of the most powerful photos ever. I recommend putting a print of this on your wall someplace where you will see it often!

Earthrise, Bill Anders, Apollo 8, 1968-12-24

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 13/12/2024

If you're here for my fireworks photography, follow @skyfirephotos.com!

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 10/12/2024

Nonsense. We are whelmed all the time, it's just not notable.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 10/12/2024

It's one of the largest board game conferences, right here in Philly the first weekend of December. Mostly board games, also some role playing games and other adjacent activities. But the "regular board games" are mostly more modern and advanced than Scrabble and Scattergories! unplugged.paxsite.com

unplugged.paxsite.com

PAX Unplugged

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 09/12/2024

Also played Quiet House, another collaborative puzzle-solver in which you're not supposed to talk, but signal to other players through gameplay. Again, I'd rather play The Crew.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 09/12/2024

I agree about Fellowship -- my wife said, "I'd have loved this if I hadn't already played The Crew." I think The Crew is a better game in almost every way, except that I like LOTR and The Crew's settings (both of them) are just shoehorned fluff rather than properly integrated.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 09/12/2024

I played Fishing. It's pretty fascinating strategy-wise, but it is *extremely* finicky in the setup -- just getting the game started takes quite a while, especially for a trick-taking game with nothing more than a single deck of cards. Mixed review from me.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 09/12/2024

Some First Look games from #PAX2024 that I liked -- who else has opinions? 1980 Sixtina boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/42... Australis boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41... Rivages boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40... Spectacular boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41... Tower Up boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39...

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 06/12/2024

It’s #FireworksFriday! I’m pulling one photo from the archives each week. Today I’m in a more abstract mood… #fireworks #photography

Golden trails of fireworks rise from bottom to top

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 05/12/2024

I’m not sure if suburban school board members like me are in your target audience, but I would love to discuss why this insulting and mostly false perception exists. (I think I know the answer: see my comment about the role of incentives on your inevitability-of-populism post)

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 30/11/2024

Today is #fireworksfriday. I'll post a photo once a week. #fireworks #photography

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 28/11/2024

Thankful for all the people in my life, especially those who come with me to #fireworks shows. #photography

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 27/11/2024

Here's another #fireworks photo in front a #bluesky. #photography

White fireworks in front a blue sky above a small crowd

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 27/11/2024

It won't be completely invisible, but there is (and presumably will continue to be) a default option. You can already use feeds, block lists, etc. created by other people without really understanding how that works. Mastodon's geekiness is likely to prevent it from ever reaching critical mass, IMHO.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 27/11/2024

That, and Mastodon has a higher barrier to entry: you have to pick a server. The vast majority of people have no idea what that even means.

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 26/11/2024

Feel the heat! This fireball is an estimated 65 feet (20 meters) tall -- those are supports for a batting cage net at lower left. A great addition to any fireworks display! This photo was a test while working on my technique for capturing them. #fireworks #photography

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 26/11/2024

Almost missed my daily post! This is my friend Larry, who is not yet on Bluesky. #fireworks #photography

A pyrotechnician is silhouetted against launching fireworks

A pyrotechnician is silhouetted against smoke lit red by his own flare as he launches fireworks

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 26/11/2024

OMG this would be amazing!

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 25/11/2024

Is there anything better all by itself than a big brocade? #fireworks #photography

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 24/11/2024

It’s not always the same people though. CEOs are just doing what they are hired to do when they maximize short-term profit at the expense of the environment, for example. They’re not the ones who need to change the incentives.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 24/11/2024

That’s exactly what I mean, but 280 characters is a challenge for my preferred level of verbosity. :-)

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 23/11/2024

To Hank’s point, why do lies travel fast on social media? Because they generate dopamine hits for the publishers, just as revenue and reputation drove traditional media. Fix the systems of incentives rather than blaming the people.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 23/11/2024

Following up on @hankgreen.bsky.social's populism vlog: Why do car salespeople make it so painful, why do politicians use doublespeak, why do CEOs focus on profit rather than the greater good? Because our systems incentivize them to behave this way. Blame the systems, not the people.

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 23/11/2024

I love a sky-filling finale! #fireworks #photography

Fireworks and fireballs fill the frame above a large crowd

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 22/11/2024

Perhaps the most significant nugget of brilliance is the brief aside about the role of _incentive_, in this case on the traditional press to be truthful, where that incentive is missing for social media. Incentives drive everything in our society.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 22/11/2024

Hank Green makes the case that populism was inevitable in this moment of a new communications technology (many-to-many social media), and along the way makes observations about the role of trust in a functional society, along with many other nuggets of brilliance. Spend a half hour on it. Trust me.

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 22/11/2024

Sometimes I like to change it up and get a different take on #fireworks #photography.

Close-up of a burst of a red aerial firework

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 21/11/2024

You don't have to participate in Google's search monopoly, even if for some reason you prefer Chrome. Configure your browser, any browser, to use duckduckgo instead.

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 21/11/2024

#fireworks sometimes create interesting shapes. I call this one the Eye of Sauron, captured against a #bluesky. #photography

Fireworks create a shape resembling the Eye of Sauron, against a late evening blue sky above a large crowd

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 20/11/2024

I love when there's still a little #bluesky on the western horizon. #fireworks #photography

A fountain of fireworks rises above a barge at dusk over the Delaware river at New Hope, with a larger aerial burst at the top of the frame.

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Skyfire Photography 📷🎇 @skyfirephotos.com · 19/11/2024

Fireworks under a late evening #bluesky over the Delaware River at New Hope & Lambertville. #fireworks #photography

Fireworks over the Delaware River at New Hope & Lambertville

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 18/11/2024

It's not fireworks season (and there's a burn ban around here anyway due to drought) but I'm going to start posting old favorites from @skyfirephotos.com. Please follow and repost!

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 16/11/2024

That’s a cool approach, effectively applying an ND filter. It’s definitely possible to photograph directly if you know how to use the tools, but I agree it’s tough just pointing and clicking. (This is with an iPhone 15 Pro, heavily cropped.)

Full moon, photographed with an iPhone 15 Pro.

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Seth Abramson @sethabramson.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

I'm going to start working on this, and will add to it as more major media outlets join Bluesky. I expect the pace to pick up very soon and very significantly. Major media has let us down significantly over the last ten years, but it's still vital to know what's being reported. go.bsky.app/2JyEju6

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 12/11/2024

Reposting my first post, now that I know at least a little more about what I'm doing. Blue sky and more over New Hope and Lambertville, 2024-11-07.

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 12/11/2024

I can't find a way to add alt text after the fact, unfortunately. So another thing I need to figure out is how to submit (or boost) a feature request...

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Mark Sirota @mark.sirota.org · 12/11/2024

Thanks, I know I have a lot of learning to do, including both the the culture and the interface!

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