Tafaner66
@tafaner.bsky.social
Recovering cyberutopian.
LIKES: MUSIC (I play flutes, 7-string nylon guitar, and sing dreadfully); also LANGUAGES (En, Fr, Cat, Es) and the Great Outdoors - as long as it's not raining.
DISLIKES: Mud
LIKES: MUSIC (I play flutes, 7-string nylon guitar, and sing dreadfully); also LANGUAGES (En, Fr, Cat, Es) and the Great Outdoors - as long as it's not raining.
DISLIKES: Mud
A reassuring read if you're doom-scrolling through the Epstein files story.
I’m traveling today, so in a brief piece I address two questions I’ve seen a lot in the past 24 hours: 1) What if Trump blocks the files from being released by claiming there’s a new federal investigation of Democrats, & 2) Couldn’t they just tamper with the evidence and erase his name? Link below.
November 19, 2025 at 5:59 PM
A reassuring read if you're doom-scrolling through the Epstein files story.
Autumn in the Pays Catalan doesn't have the riotous colours of New England. Leaving aside the planes and the vines, many trees are either evergreen or shed their leaves late - some even in February. But it's still a pleasant time of year, with the crushing Summer heat replaced by soft sunshine.
November 19, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Autumn in the Pays Catalan doesn't have the riotous colours of New England. Leaving aside the planes and the vines, many trees are either evergreen or shed their leaves late - some even in February. But it's still a pleasant time of year, with the crushing Summer heat replaced by soft sunshine.
Catalunya is one of the loveliest places on earth, so why do they have so many words for "unfortunately" ? malauradament / desgraciadament / desafortunadament / dissortadament ... ?
November 18, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Catalunya is one of the loveliest places on earth, so why do they have so many words for "unfortunately" ? malauradament / desgraciadament / desafortunadament / dissortadament ... ?
I get such odd requests for 3D modelling and printing. How stupid is this one ? A SINK PLUG that you might find in your corner shop - except the dimensions would be wrong. This way, you get the right size, even of the quality is worse. Modelled in OpenSCAD & printed in TPU with 15% gyroidic infill.
November 17, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I get such odd requests for 3D modelling and printing. How stupid is this one ? A SINK PLUG that you might find in your corner shop - except the dimensions would be wrong. This way, you get the right size, even of the quality is worse. Modelled in OpenSCAD & printed in TPU with 15% gyroidic infill.
Catalan has 3 different words for True(/Real): 'Vertader', 'Veritable' and (less common) 'ver'. This might seems excessive, but true / real / very / veritable overlap heavily in English as well! Shakespeare wrote "the VERY rats instinctively have quit it". I would have preferred 'veritable' 🤔
November 17, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Catalan has 3 different words for True(/Real): 'Vertader', 'Veritable' and (less common) 'ver'. This might seems excessive, but true / real / very / veritable overlap heavily in English as well! Shakespeare wrote "the VERY rats instinctively have quit it". I would have preferred 'veritable' 🤔
Yes, you're right. The nazis extracting dental gold from their victims is not the same thing at all. Not remotely 🤔
November 17, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Yes, you're right. The nazis extracting dental gold from their victims is not the same thing at all. Not remotely 🤔
Actually, John Cage already did this. Plagiarism ? 🤔
November 17, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Actually, John Cage already did this. Plagiarism ? 🤔
I see that both Albania and Aberzijahn are playing tonight (in different matches) thanks presumably to Trump having ended the war between them. Credit where it's due 🤔
November 16, 2025 at 5:11 PM
I see that both Albania and Aberzijahn are playing tonight (in different matches) thanks presumably to Trump having ended the war between them. Credit where it's due 🤔
Reposted by Tafaner66
If your old hi-fi dies, it's probably the electrolytic capacitors. These are needed to get big capacitance in small volumes, but their lifetimes (esp at high temperatures) are shockingly low, sometimes only 1000 hours! Aluminium Polymer seems to be one answer. I just needed one - but had to buy 50🙁
November 14, 2025 at 9:19 AM
If your old hi-fi dies, it's probably the electrolytic capacitors. These are needed to get big capacitance in small volumes, but their lifetimes (esp at high temperatures) are shockingly low, sometimes only 1000 hours! Aluminium Polymer seems to be one answer. I just needed one - but had to buy 50🙁
A tiny Catalan grammar thing. This Manuel de Pedrolo short story has lots of examples of LLUR, the possessive "their", which in modern Catalan has largely given way to SEU.
But LLUR is still popular in the North, because it matches the French LEUR and the Occitan LOR.
(OK, I'll see myself out🙁)
But LLUR is still popular in the North, because it matches the French LEUR and the Occitan LOR.
(OK, I'll see myself out🙁)
November 14, 2025 at 8:40 AM
A tiny Catalan grammar thing. This Manuel de Pedrolo short story has lots of examples of LLUR, the possessive "their", which in modern Catalan has largely given way to SEU.
But LLUR is still popular in the North, because it matches the French LEUR and the Occitan LOR.
(OK, I'll see myself out🙁)
But LLUR is still popular in the North, because it matches the French LEUR and the Occitan LOR.
(OK, I'll see myself out🙁)
This might be another of those big differences between UK and USA ("2 countries divided by a common language"). In UK, AIUI, your pension is safe almost regardless of what you do - protected against creditors, governments and adverse court judgements. It's deferred income - and it's your by right.
Transgender members of the US Air Force are now SUING Trump and Hegseth for unlawfully revoking their retirement pensions and benefits.
Transgender veterans sue military for denying retirement benefits
Air Force and Space Force service members claim the military is revoking the pensions and health care previously granted to them.
www.msnbc.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This might be another of those big differences between UK and USA ("2 countries divided by a common language"). In UK, AIUI, your pension is safe almost regardless of what you do - protected against creditors, governments and adverse court judgements. It's deferred income - and it's your by right.
Actually, I've always been shocked by Bitcoin costs. The "proof of work" idea, although clever in its day, is energy expensive. A next block clearance can cost you ... an entire US dollar 🤔
Eric Trump: "You can send $500 million worth of bitcoin on a Sunday night at 11pm while having a glass of wine with your wife for virtually zero fees."
November 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Actually, I've always been shocked by Bitcoin costs. The "proof of work" idea, although clever in its day, is energy expensive. A next block clearance can cost you ... an entire US dollar 🤔
Is this normal? By the time you've carried the baguette back home, it's significantly shorter? 🤔
November 13, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Is this normal? By the time you've carried the baguette back home, it's significantly shorter? 🤔
Aurora Borealis over Gavatxia tonight ? 🙂
Probablement no li interessarà a ningú, però ahir hi va haver una tempesta solar molt forta, o sigui que aquest vespre és possible que es vegin aurores boreals tipus SAR a latituds baixes, com a Catalunya.
Si teniu poca contaminació lumínica i un cel net, aprofiteu. Mireu cap al nord.
Si teniu poca contaminació lumínica i un cel net, aprofiteu. Mireu cap al nord.
November 12, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Aurora Borealis over Gavatxia tonight ? 🙂
La Jonquera is a strange town. Right on the French border, it attracts hoards of shoppers by day - and 'supermarket brothel' customers by night. But behind the brash strap mall, the Wild West, there's a quiet little village with kids playing in the river - and gems like this museum. Una preciositat.
The excellent Museu del Exili to the Republican exile in La Jonquera near French border is the only museum I know with a motto. From King Leah “Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here” which via Catalan into more modern English could be "When freedom is far from here. That is exile"
November 12, 2025 at 2:41 PM
La Jonquera is a strange town. Right on the French border, it attracts hoards of shoppers by day - and 'supermarket brothel' customers by night. But behind the brash strap mall, the Wild West, there's a quiet little village with kids playing in the river - and gems like this museum. Una preciositat.
"..the only man to be posthumously hanged, drawn and quartered".
OK, maybe so, but I fancy Pope Formosus comes a close 2nd? Already dead and buried, he had the indignity of his body being dug up, put on trial, convicted, buried again, then dug up again and thrown into the River Tiber. Harsh 🤔
OK, maybe so, but I fancy Pope Formosus comes a close 2nd? Already dead and buried, he had the indignity of his body being dug up, put on trial, convicted, buried again, then dug up again and thrown into the River Tiber. Harsh 🤔
November 12, 2025 at 11:45 AM
"..the only man to be posthumously hanged, drawn and quartered".
OK, maybe so, but I fancy Pope Formosus comes a close 2nd? Already dead and buried, he had the indignity of his body being dug up, put on trial, convicted, buried again, then dug up again and thrown into the River Tiber. Harsh 🤔
OK, maybe so, but I fancy Pope Formosus comes a close 2nd? Already dead and buried, he had the indignity of his body being dug up, put on trial, convicted, buried again, then dug up again and thrown into the River Tiber. Harsh 🤔
Reposted by Tafaner66
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
November 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
I have a cunning plan for returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece. A plan that doesn't require UK government approval 🤔
Ancient Roman-era marble statues taken in audacious museum theft
Ancient Roman-era marble statues taken in audacious museum theft
Ancient Roman-era marble statues taken in audacious museum theft
www.independent.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I have a cunning plan for returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece. A plan that doesn't require UK government approval 🤔
We have a cracked sewage line and tree roots have got in. It's under a public roadway, so I can't repair it myself and Veolia won't fix it - just clear it whenever we report it blocked. So I dose it with copper sulphate every 4 months, at night for dramatic effect (and cos toilets/sinks are quiet) 🙄
November 11, 2025 at 7:53 AM
We have a cracked sewage line and tree roots have got in. It's under a public roadway, so I can't repair it myself and Veolia won't fix it - just clear it whenever we report it blocked. So I dose it with copper sulphate every 4 months, at night for dramatic effect (and cos toilets/sinks are quiet) 🙄
Reposted by Tafaner66
The first step towards saving our precious BBC: remove Robbie Gibb from the board | Ed Davey
The first step towards saving our precious BBC: remove Robbie Gibb from the board | Ed Davey
The BBC belongs to all of us, and it is under attack as never before. The government must defend it from its enemies, within and without, says Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The first step towards saving our precious BBC: remove Robbie Gibb from the board | Ed Davey
Why is everyone so hard on our Donald dozing off in public? The way I see it, when he's asleep, all his key attributes (intelligence, awareness, sensitivity, likeability..) actually improve. Shouldn't we encourage this, not criticise it ? 🤔
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Why is everyone so hard on our Donald dozing off in public? The way I see it, when he's asleep, all his key attributes (intelligence, awareness, sensitivity, likeability..) actually improve. Shouldn't we encourage this, not criticise it ? 🤔
BBC politics has been skewed for years by authoritarian conservatism at the top (Tim Davie, Richard Sharp, Robbie Gibb). "Question Time" stinks of false balance and Nigel Farage is everywhere. So how weird that Tim Davie gets ousted for not being conservative enough! Serendipity? 🤔
Tim Davie resigns as BBC director general after accusations of ‘serious and systemic’ bias in coverage
Tim Davie resigns as BBC director general after accusations of ‘serious and systemic’ bias in coverage
Davie tells staff departure was “my own decision” but it comes with the BBC preparing to apologise for the way it edited a Trump speech
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and the head of BBC News have resigned after a former adviser to the corporation accused it of “serious and systemic” bias in its coverage of issues including Donald Trump, Gaza and trans rights.
In a shock move, Davie said his depature was his own, but comes with the BBC preparing to apologise for the way the broadcaster edited a Donald Trump speech. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:41 AM
BBC politics has been skewed for years by authoritarian conservatism at the top (Tim Davie, Richard Sharp, Robbie Gibb). "Question Time" stinks of false balance and Nigel Farage is everywhere. So how weird that Tim Davie gets ousted for not being conservative enough! Serendipity? 🤔
As the only one in our area with a 3D printer and modelling capability, I get some very strange requests. This one is for a children's kitchen! The battery-powered tap is a standard unit, but comes without a surface-mount fitting. So I modelled and printed a friction-fit base for it in flexible TPU.
November 9, 2025 at 12:11 PM
As the only one in our area with a 3D printer and modelling capability, I get some very strange requests. This one is for a children's kitchen! The battery-powered tap is a standard unit, but comes without a surface-mount fitting. So I modelled and printed a friction-fit base for it in flexible TPU.
Reposted by Tafaner66
