Roope Kaaronen
@roopekaaronen.net
Forager of information and mushrooms • Cognitive science, cultural evolution, cognitive anthropology • https://roopekaaronen.net • Kayaking, music, nature, photography
Grok, are you alright?
November 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Grok, are you alright?
Everything is entirely sane on X.
November 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Everything is entirely sane on X.
Forget the pomodoro technique.
Enter the trottola-doro.
Twirl a precision-engineered spinning top (copper top with ruby point) and arrange work intervals accordingly.
8 minutes is easy. Still haven't quite reached a 10 minute spin.
Enter the trottola-doro.
Twirl a precision-engineered spinning top (copper top with ruby point) and arrange work intervals accordingly.
8 minutes is easy. Still haven't quite reached a 10 minute spin.
October 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Forget the pomodoro technique.
Enter the trottola-doro.
Twirl a precision-engineered spinning top (copper top with ruby point) and arrange work intervals accordingly.
8 minutes is easy. Still haven't quite reached a 10 minute spin.
Enter the trottola-doro.
Twirl a precision-engineered spinning top (copper top with ruby point) and arrange work intervals accordingly.
8 minutes is easy. Still haven't quite reached a 10 minute spin.
Received my copy of this formidable doorstopper.
A thousand pages on how cultures change.
In Chapter 66, with @twaring.bsky.social and Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, we consider how the science of cultural change can be applied to...
...change culture more, and climate less. Or so we hope.
A thousand pages on how cultures change.
In Chapter 66, with @twaring.bsky.social and Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, we consider how the science of cultural change can be applied to...
...change culture more, and climate less. Or so we hope.
September 19, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Received my copy of this formidable doorstopper.
A thousand pages on how cultures change.
In Chapter 66, with @twaring.bsky.social and Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, we consider how the science of cultural change can be applied to...
...change culture more, and climate less. Or so we hope.
A thousand pages on how cultures change.
In Chapter 66, with @twaring.bsky.social and Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, we consider how the science of cultural change can be applied to...
...change culture more, and climate less. Or so we hope.
Lots of traces of Russian history here, like some P. Shkolnov's engraved name from 1910, and fortifications from the Crimean war which the above incident was of course a part of.
August 11, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Lots of traces of Russian history here, like some P. Shkolnov's engraved name from 1910, and fortifications from the Crimean war which the above incident was of course a part of.
Some all but forgotten local history:
Almost exactly 170 years ago two British frigates and one corvette anchored somewhere in this horizon and opened fire at what would eventually become a part of Helsinki, killing one Ostrobothnian soldier. The soldier's memorial stone is still here today.
Almost exactly 170 years ago two British frigates and one corvette anchored somewhere in this horizon and opened fire at what would eventually become a part of Helsinki, killing one Ostrobothnian soldier. The soldier's memorial stone is still here today.
August 11, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Some all but forgotten local history:
Almost exactly 170 years ago two British frigates and one corvette anchored somewhere in this horizon and opened fire at what would eventually become a part of Helsinki, killing one Ostrobothnian soldier. The soldier's memorial stone is still here today.
Almost exactly 170 years ago two British frigates and one corvette anchored somewhere in this horizon and opened fire at what would eventually become a part of Helsinki, killing one Ostrobothnian soldier. The soldier's memorial stone is still here today.
Bought a new instrument a while ago, since there's lullaby duties ahead.
That's a Finnish 5-string kantele.
Made by Kaustisen soitinverstas.
Only the 9th string instrument in this household.
That's a Finnish 5-string kantele.
Made by Kaustisen soitinverstas.
Only the 9th string instrument in this household.
August 11, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Bought a new instrument a while ago, since there's lullaby duties ahead.
That's a Finnish 5-string kantele.
Made by Kaustisen soitinverstas.
Only the 9th string instrument in this household.
That's a Finnish 5-string kantele.
Made by Kaustisen soitinverstas.
Only the 9th string instrument in this household.
Ukkoseltahan se näyttää.
August 4, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Ukkoseltahan se näyttää.
From the photo archives:
Frog eye selfie.
Frog eye selfie.
August 4, 2025 at 7:22 AM
From the photo archives:
Frog eye selfie.
Frog eye selfie.
They tried to test an Amsterdam-esque "shared space" for a few weeks in Helsinki once and it failed miserably. Which is to be expected, people don't develop those skills/habits of coexisting overnight. This stuff needs long-term commitment.
August 2, 2025 at 7:57 AM
They tried to test an Amsterdam-esque "shared space" for a few weeks in Helsinki once and it failed miserably. Which is to be expected, people don't develop those skills/habits of coexisting overnight. This stuff needs long-term commitment.
(Positiivista kokemuksessa oli toki se, että Wienissä sai yksiön yli 20m2 kattoterassilla keskustan kupeesta n. 800€/kk.)
July 30, 2025 at 6:46 AM
(Positiivista kokemuksessa oli toki se, että Wienissä sai yksiön yli 20m2 kattoterassilla keskustan kupeesta n. 800€/kk.)
E.g., once you settle on kayaking with a double-bladed paddle, there's some design space to be left explored, but due to hydrodynamics the core concept might still be the same for centuries. Until something radically different appears.
Meanwhile languages have leeway for evolving more gradually.
Meanwhile languages have leeway for evolving more gradually.
July 27, 2025 at 7:12 AM
E.g., once you settle on kayaking with a double-bladed paddle, there's some design space to be left explored, but due to hydrodynamics the core concept might still be the same for centuries. Until something radically different appears.
Meanwhile languages have leeway for evolving more gradually.
Meanwhile languages have leeway for evolving more gradually.
They all resolve to a loop of string.
Like the letter O.
How do I know that? Because I twisted each of them from a loop of string. They have to be resolvable to the state they came from.
Mathematicians have ways of figuring out if a knot is an unknot, but it's tricky (the unknotting problem).
Like the letter O.
How do I know that? Because I twisted each of them from a loop of string. They have to be resolvable to the state they came from.
Mathematicians have ways of figuring out if a knot is an unknot, but it's tricky (the unknotting problem).
July 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
They all resolve to a loop of string.
Like the letter O.
How do I know that? Because I twisted each of them from a loop of string. They have to be resolvable to the state they came from.
Mathematicians have ways of figuring out if a knot is an unknot, but it's tricky (the unknotting problem).
Like the letter O.
How do I know that? Because I twisted each of them from a loop of string. They have to be resolvable to the state they came from.
Mathematicians have ways of figuring out if a knot is an unknot, but it's tricky (the unknotting problem).
These are all, mathematically speaking, the simplest possible knot:
They are all unknots, also known as the trivial knot.
They are the least knotted knots of all knots. Not kidding.
They are all unknots, also known as the trivial knot.
They are the least knotted knots of all knots. Not kidding.
July 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
These are all, mathematically speaking, the simplest possible knot:
They are all unknots, also known as the trivial knot.
They are the least knotted knots of all knots. Not kidding.
They are all unknots, also known as the trivial knot.
They are the least knotted knots of all knots. Not kidding.
The reef knot features prominently in, e.g., Greek and Egyptian art. Which is why it's also called the Hercules knot.
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The reef knot features prominently in, e.g., Greek and Egyptian art. Which is why it's also called the Hercules knot.
And there you have it, it's a reef knot.
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
And there you have it, it's a reef knot.
To double-check you can unslip it as before (loose ends towards and through the knot).
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
To double-check you can unslip it as before (loose ends towards and through the knot).
...then proceed as usual (don't alter your habitual technique) with the bunny ears.
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
...then proceed as usual (don't alter your habitual technique) with the bunny ears.
Fortunately, if you tie the knot as above, the fix is trivially simple.
That first overhand knot? Just tie it the other way round! Right string over left string...
That first overhand knot? Just tie it the other way round! Right string over left string...
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Fortunately, if you tie the knot as above, the fix is trivially simple.
That first overhand knot? Just tie it the other way round! Right string over left string...
That first overhand knot? Just tie it the other way round! Right string over left string...
What you'd want instead at the heart of the shoelace knot is the reef knot (or square knot). Indeed, a proper shoelace knot is a doubly slipped reef knot!
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
What you'd want instead at the heart of the shoelace knot is the reef knot (or square knot). Indeed, a proper shoelace knot is a doubly slipped reef knot!
In fact it's so bad that according to one ethnography, the Navajo had placed a taboo on it's use, calling it the "knot of the dead".
The granny knot is not secure. It comes loose very easily, which may also cause the poor resilience of your shoelace knots.
(From doi.org/10.1017/S095...)
The granny knot is not secure. It comes loose very easily, which may also cause the poor resilience of your shoelace knots.
(From doi.org/10.1017/S095...)
![Text: This may also be indicated in some ethnographical descriptions. For instance, Navajo knot-tying traditions even involve a tabooFootnote1 for using the granny knot for anything other than ceremonial purposes (Kluckhohn et al. Reference Kluckhohn, Hill and Kluckhohn1971, 232):
The granny knot … was currently known as the ‘knot of the dead,’ and was avoided except in connection with preparation and dressing of the corpse prior to burial. … ‘This knot should never be found on a living person. … There are really two knots, one for the living [the reef knot] and one for the dead [the granny knot].’](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ev6inhrqmqlij7tor6wppg7u/bafkreiapm5iobw6stkd332afs6cy6mshuhodyavh5vovgu6qasxdv7eduq@jpeg)
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
In fact it's so bad that according to one ethnography, the Navajo had placed a taboo on it's use, calling it the "knot of the dead".
The granny knot is not secure. It comes loose very easily, which may also cause the poor resilience of your shoelace knots.
(From doi.org/10.1017/S095...)
The granny knot is not secure. It comes loose very easily, which may also cause the poor resilience of your shoelace knots.
(From doi.org/10.1017/S095...)
You'll notice there's two identical overhand knots on top of each other.
That's actually called a granny knot (it was a doubly slipped granny knot before).
Despite it's name (grannies tend to be great with string—at least mine was), it's an awful knot with a bad reputation.
That's actually called a granny knot (it was a doubly slipped granny knot before).
Despite it's name (grannies tend to be great with string—at least mine was), it's an awful knot with a bad reputation.
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
You'll notice there's two identical overhand knots on top of each other.
That's actually called a granny knot (it was a doubly slipped granny knot before).
Despite it's name (grannies tend to be great with string—at least mine was), it's an awful knot with a bad reputation.
That's actually called a granny knot (it was a doubly slipped granny knot before).
Despite it's name (grannies tend to be great with string—at least mine was), it's an awful knot with a bad reputation.
But let's unslip that knot to see what lies inside.
Pull the loose ends toward the heart of the knot, all the way through the knot. The slips should resolve and a knot should remain.
Pull the loose ends toward the heart of the knot, all the way through the knot. The slips should resolve and a knot should remain.
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
But let's unslip that knot to see what lies inside.
Pull the loose ends toward the heart of the knot, all the way through the knot. The slips should resolve and a knot should remain.
Pull the loose ends toward the heart of the knot, all the way through the knot. The slips should resolve and a knot should remain.
Then you do whatever is your variation of the bunny ears.
But probably you throw your left bunny ear (or string) initially over the right.
Nothing wrong with that as such. You've created a doubly slipped knot.
But probably you throw your left bunny ear (or string) initially over the right.
Nothing wrong with that as such. You've created a doubly slipped knot.
July 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Then you do whatever is your variation of the bunny ears.
But probably you throw your left bunny ear (or string) initially over the right.
Nothing wrong with that as such. You've created a doubly slipped knot.
But probably you throw your left bunny ear (or string) initially over the right.
Nothing wrong with that as such. You've created a doubly slipped knot.