Alex G
@alexiterick.bsky.social
Scientist, board gamer, SFF fan, cyclist, lapsed rower, cryptoclassicist, lingthusiast, fiddle player.
The interesting thing is that a very large number of long-haul truck drivers in the US are Sikhs, whose religion AIUI specifically forbids eating halal meat.
(Many Sikhs are vegetarian but that's for cultural not religious reasons. Not sure how many of those who eat meat care if it's halal)
(Many Sikhs are vegetarian but that's for cultural not religious reasons. Not sure how many of those who eat meat care if it's halal)
November 17, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The interesting thing is that a very large number of long-haul truck drivers in the US are Sikhs, whose religion AIUI specifically forbids eating halal meat.
(Many Sikhs are vegetarian but that's for cultural not religious reasons. Not sure how many of those who eat meat care if it's halal)
(Many Sikhs are vegetarian but that's for cultural not religious reasons. Not sure how many of those who eat meat care if it's halal)
Fairly sure Ireland doesn't have a gendarmerie and Belgium and Greece abolished theirs (for different reasons).
November 17, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Fairly sure Ireland doesn't have a gendarmerie and Belgium and Greece abolished theirs (for different reasons).
When I was a student in the UK in the early to mid 2010s university societies ran on them, as it meant they could require the approval of 2 committee members to spend money.
I'm pretty sure I wrote several times more cheques as a society treasurer/president than I did for myself.
I'm pretty sure I wrote several times more cheques as a society treasurer/president than I did for myself.
November 14, 2025 at 7:55 PM
When I was a student in the UK in the early to mid 2010s university societies ran on them, as it meant they could require the approval of 2 committee members to spend money.
I'm pretty sure I wrote several times more cheques as a society treasurer/president than I did for myself.
I'm pretty sure I wrote several times more cheques as a society treasurer/president than I did for myself.
I've certainly heard Cyril Tawney (died 2005, composed most of his best known songs in the 50s and 60s) described as the last true shantyman, but I agree that Stan Rogers and possibly the Longest Johns and the Dreadnoughts count.
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I've certainly heard Cyril Tawney (died 2005, composed most of his best known songs in the 50s and 60s) described as the last true shantyman, but I agree that Stan Rogers and possibly the Longest Johns and the Dreadnoughts count.
Of course, many Greeks would then say that the West is defined by cultural inheritance/legacy from *Greece* not Rome. But I don't think I necessarily agree with them- if anywhere has Greek but not Roman inheritance, it's certain non-Western Christian communities like Ethiopia.
November 10, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Of course, many Greeks would then say that the West is defined by cultural inheritance/legacy from *Greece* not Rome. But I don't think I necessarily agree with them- if anywhere has Greek but not Roman inheritance, it's certain non-Western Christian communities like Ethiopia.
As a Greek, I would say it's definitely not clear that Greece is always included in "the West". And when Greece has tried to define itself as "more Western" it's been by reference to its pre-Roman, rather than Roman, history (Classical Athens is seen as more Western than Byzantium)
November 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
As a Greek, I would say it's definitely not clear that Greece is always included in "the West". And when Greece has tried to define itself as "more Western" it's been by reference to its pre-Roman, rather than Roman, history (Classical Athens is seen as more Western than Byzantium)
And then there's bear spray- @dankaszeta.bsky.social, do you know if bear spray developed directly out of mail carriers' pepper spray, or if it went through law enforcement or got invented completely separately?
November 10, 2025 at 4:51 PM
And then there's bear spray- @dankaszeta.bsky.social, do you know if bear spray developed directly out of mail carriers' pepper spray, or if it went through law enforcement or got invented completely separately?
Is tear gas any use against animals? This reminds me of the early 20th-century Velo-Dog- a very small revolver designed for cyclists to defend themselves against aggressive/feral dogs. Apparently various less-lethal loads were available, including cayenne pepper...
November 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Is tear gas any use against animals? This reminds me of the early 20th-century Velo-Dog- a very small revolver designed for cyclists to defend themselves against aggressive/feral dogs. Apparently various less-lethal loads were available, including cayenne pepper...
IIRC cystic fibrosis was recently taken off the list of qualifying conditions by the Make-a-Wish foundation, because it's no longer considered life limiting.
November 9, 2025 at 7:56 PM
IIRC cystic fibrosis was recently taken off the list of qualifying conditions by the Make-a-Wish foundation, because it's no longer considered life limiting.
My parents had a 1939 Britannica. The article on psychoanalysis is by Freud, the article on Communism is by Trotsky...
November 8, 2025 at 10:11 PM
My parents had a 1939 Britannica. The article on psychoanalysis is by Freud, the article on Communism is by Trotsky...
I think you would need a baseline of carbon-based biological material harvested from the alien's home world at a known date.
The decay rate would be the same, but maybe a different atmosphere would have a different proportion of carbon 14 in it.
The decay rate would be the same, but maybe a different atmosphere would have a different proportion of carbon 14 in it.
November 6, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I think you would need a baseline of carbon-based biological material harvested from the alien's home world at a known date.
The decay rate would be the same, but maybe a different atmosphere would have a different proportion of carbon 14 in it.
The decay rate would be the same, but maybe a different atmosphere would have a different proportion of carbon 14 in it.
In PA it's legal to enter both primaries. Dugan didn't do that, but Republicans wrote him in in their primary.
November 5, 2025 at 12:54 PM
In PA it's legal to enter both primaries. Dugan didn't do that, but Republicans wrote him in in their primary.
Apparently Zohran voted for the guy named Zohran.
November 5, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Apparently Zohran voted for the guy named Zohran.
In Dutch the link between desire paths and game trails is obvious- the word for a desire path is "olifantenpaadje", or "little elephant path"
November 3, 2025 at 6:27 PM
In Dutch the link between desire paths and game trails is obvious- the word for a desire path is "olifantenpaadje", or "little elephant path"
Another cool bone fact (related to the calcium/phosphate storage point):
10% of bone mass is replaced each year in a healthy adult human (so in the absence of growth or healing injuries). As I used to say in talks when I worked on this, bones are not rocks.
10% of bone mass is replaced each year in a healthy adult human (so in the absence of growth or healing injuries). As I used to say in talks when I worked on this, bones are not rocks.
November 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Another cool bone fact (related to the calcium/phosphate storage point):
10% of bone mass is replaced each year in a healthy adult human (so in the absence of growth or healing injuries). As I used to say in talks when I worked on this, bones are not rocks.
10% of bone mass is replaced each year in a healthy adult human (so in the absence of growth or healing injuries). As I used to say in talks when I worked on this, bones are not rocks.
I think it's interesting that so many cultures have had mandatory religious involvement in the act of killing domestic animals for food- from the requirements for a shochet in modern Judaism, to the fact that the Ancient Greeks would not eat meat from domestic animals that hadn't been sacrificed.
November 3, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I think it's interesting that so many cultures have had mandatory religious involvement in the act of killing domestic animals for food- from the requirements for a shochet in modern Judaism, to the fact that the Ancient Greeks would not eat meat from domestic animals that hadn't been sacrificed.
I wonder if it's by analogy with Scottish or Irish names like McDonald.
Reminds me of how some Flemish names were filtered through French in Belgium, so e.g. van den Rijt (alphabetized under R) became Vandenryt (alphabetized under V)
Reminds me of how some Flemish names were filtered through French in Belgium, so e.g. van den Rijt (alphabetized under R) became Vandenryt (alphabetized under V)
November 3, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I wonder if it's by analogy with Scottish or Irish names like McDonald.
Reminds me of how some Flemish names were filtered through French in Belgium, so e.g. van den Rijt (alphabetized under R) became Vandenryt (alphabetized under V)
Reminds me of how some Flemish names were filtered through French in Belgium, so e.g. van den Rijt (alphabetized under R) became Vandenryt (alphabetized under V)
Greeks might disagree with you on that, though the Colonels' regime was relatively short-lived.
November 3, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Greeks might disagree with you on that, though the Colonels' regime was relatively short-lived.
Mamdani can't become president without a constitutional amendment.
November 1, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Mamdani can't become president without a constitutional amendment.
The only people who say this are misinformed or Jew-haters. I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
The term was coined by 19th century Jew-hater Wilhelm Marr to dress up the old religious hatred of Jews as more "modern, scientific" racism. It has always specifically meant prejudice against Jews.
The term was coined by 19th century Jew-hater Wilhelm Marr to dress up the old religious hatred of Jews as more "modern, scientific" racism. It has always specifically meant prejudice against Jews.
October 31, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The only people who say this are misinformed or Jew-haters. I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
The term was coined by 19th century Jew-hater Wilhelm Marr to dress up the old religious hatred of Jews as more "modern, scientific" racism. It has always specifically meant prejudice against Jews.
The term was coined by 19th century Jew-hater Wilhelm Marr to dress up the old religious hatred of Jews as more "modern, scientific" racism. It has always specifically meant prejudice against Jews.
Not needing a driving licence doesn't mean you no longer have one. I suspect he simply didn't bother to renew it on his 76th birthday when it came up for renewal.
(His mother presumably also had a licence as a princess, though she may have never passed a civilian driving test given her age)
(His mother presumably also had a licence as a princess, though she may have never passed a civilian driving test given her age)
October 30, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Not needing a driving licence doesn't mean you no longer have one. I suspect he simply didn't bother to renew it on his 76th birthday when it came up for renewal.
(His mother presumably also had a licence as a princess, though she may have never passed a civilian driving test given her age)
(His mother presumably also had a licence as a princess, though she may have never passed a civilian driving test given her age)
Probably not within the United States.
I think the Moro Rebellion (against US rule in the Philippines) counted.
I think the Moro Rebellion (against US rule in the Philippines) counted.
October 29, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Probably not within the United States.
I think the Moro Rebellion (against US rule in the Philippines) counted.
I think the Moro Rebellion (against US rule in the Philippines) counted.
We did something like this once when I fenced as a kid.
The club divided into 2 teams, each person had a balloon attached to the front of their jacket and if it popped you were out.
(I was in the UK, so we called it Roundheads and Cavaliers)
The club divided into 2 teams, each person had a balloon attached to the front of their jacket and if it popped you were out.
(I was in the UK, so we called it Roundheads and Cavaliers)
October 29, 2025 at 4:06 PM
We did something like this once when I fenced as a kid.
The club divided into 2 teams, each person had a balloon attached to the front of their jacket and if it popped you were out.
(I was in the UK, so we called it Roundheads and Cavaliers)
The club divided into 2 teams, each person had a balloon attached to the front of their jacket and if it popped you were out.
(I was in the UK, so we called it Roundheads and Cavaliers)
Explosive shells is the famous one- a B-17 landed safely with 11 unexploded shells in the fuel tank.
The shells contained no explosive- one contained a note in Czech reading "this is all we can do for you now".
(Though AIUI there's no proof these saboteurs were Jewish)
The shells contained no explosive- one contained a note in Czech reading "this is all we can do for you now".
(Though AIUI there's no proof these saboteurs were Jewish)
October 28, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Explosive shells is the famous one- a B-17 landed safely with 11 unexploded shells in the fuel tank.
The shells contained no explosive- one contained a note in Czech reading "this is all we can do for you now".
(Though AIUI there's no proof these saboteurs were Jewish)
The shells contained no explosive- one contained a note in Czech reading "this is all we can do for you now".
(Though AIUI there's no proof these saboteurs were Jewish)