Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 2h

Columbo?

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Ralph Snyder @ralphsnyder.bsky.social · 4h

The vacuum is decaying

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 7h

The universe is more complex than people tend to think, and its complexity is fascinating. People are more diverse and intriguing than most people tend to think. There is fun in finding out the many ways assumptions are incorrect. /2

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 7h

For me, I have a high degree of self mistrust, so I can posit various ideas and in most cases I am happy to discover they are wrong. Ideas are almost always in error in revelatory and often fun fashions. /1

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 7h

The universe is more complex than people tend to think, and its complexity is fascinating. People are more diverse and intriguing than most people tend to think. There is fun in finding out the many ways assumptions are incorrect. /2

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 7h

For me, I have a high degree of self mistrust, so I can posit various ideas and in most cases I am happy to discover they are wrong. Ideas are almost always in error in revelatory and often fun fashions. /1

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 8h

I don't think that's true in all cases. My atheism is based on there being no reason to posit a god. But I don't center anything on belief. There are clearly atheists who do and for them your argument makes sense.
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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 8h

My view of gods is that they are mental tools and ways that work for a lot of people. They don't happen to work for me but I can make use of them in fiction and can understand how they benefit others, but I never expect anyone to share the ways I think. /2

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 7h

I've been a Jewish atheist all my life. it provides a pretty good set of tools for studying religions and building worlds. I always look for the consequences and interactions of what's being posited, as well as the underlying assumptions and the consequences of the consequences and assumptions.

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 7h

I've been a Jewish atheist all my life. it provides a pretty good set of tools for studying religions and building worlds. I always look for the consequences and interactions of what's being posited, as well as the underlying assumptions and the consequences of the consequences and assumptions.

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 8h

My view of gods is that they are mental tools and ways that work for a lot of people. They don't happen to work for me but I can make use of them in fiction and can understand how they benefit others, but I never expect anyone to share the ways I think. /2

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 8h

I don't think that's true in all cases. My atheism is based on there being no reason to posit a god. But I don't center anything on belief. There are clearly atheists who do and for them your argument makes sense.
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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 8h

Computers: It's an undocumented feature.

Math: The proof is trivial.

Writing: Rewrite in first person.

Shammai @shammaiintl.bsky.social · 10h

In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

"Yirmeya raises a dilemma:"

פינחס יוסף מונד @pymundgenealogy.com · 11h

"by Joseph Kohen-Zedek"

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 8h

Computers: It's an undocumented feature.

Math: The proof is trivial.

Writing: Rewrite in first person.

Shammai @shammaiintl.bsky.social · 10h

In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

"Yirmeya raises a dilemma:"

פינחס יוסף מונד @pymundgenealogy.com · 11h

"by Joseph Kohen-Zedek"

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

That's one of the problems for many ex Christian atheists. They come from a discourse tradition of assertion, command and obedience.

Most of us Jewish atheists were brought up on questioning, arguing, and wrestling.

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

Jesus used to show up in Marvel unnamed. This was usually in Damien Hellstrom, Son of Satan or Ghost Rider, when Satan was an actual Marvel character (rather than Mephisto). Jesus showed up at least once in hippie clothes with long hair and a beard and told Satan off thus saving the hero.

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

The problem with proselytizing is that it consists entirely of harmful methods and attitudes justified by the claim that it is being done for the good of the target or the good of everyone. In either view it is a social license to harm. /2

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

Proselytizing is a pattern of thought and interaction. It is used in many forms of advertising and fandoms. It's also used to spread fashions in everything from clothes to diets.

The argument about whether atheism is a religion is a distraction from whether proselytizing is jerky (it is). /1

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

The problem with proselytizing is that it consists entirely of harmful methods and attitudes justified by the claim that it is being done for the good of the target or the good of everyone. In either view it is a social license to harm. /2

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

That is a job with an unlimited opportunity for practical jokes. And some angels are kind of meh on humanity to begin with. So, it could be kind of a work to rule thing, where the angel would like to be transferred to a less human facing job. So, you swap a few souls around, eh.

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

Proselytizing is a pattern of thought and interaction. It is used in many forms of advertising and fandoms. It's also used to spread fashions in everything from clothes to diets.

The argument about whether atheism is a religion is a distraction from whether proselytizing is jerky (it is). /1

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Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 15h

That is a job with an unlimited opportunity for practical jokes. And some angels are kind of meh on humanity to begin with. So, it could be kind of a work to rule thing, where the angel would like to be transferred to a less human facing job. So, you swap a few souls around, eh.

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 23h

Butter a non stick bundt pan. Pour in the batter. Smooth it out. Bake until a tester comes out dry.

Cool and remove from the pan. I used a plastic knife to loosen the cake from the inner and outer edges of the pan.

I glazed the cake with a simple mixture of confectioners sugar, vanilla and cream.

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 23h

Mix together 1 cup of almond flour and 1 cup cocoa. I used 1/2 a cup dutch cocoa and 1/2 cup black cocoa powder.

Whisk 4 eggs.
Whisk in 1/2 cup sugar.
Slowly whisk in the ganache
Whisk in the almond flour and cocoa mix.

That's the batter. /2

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Reposted by Richard Garfinkle

Richard Garfinkle @rgarfinklesff.bsky.social · 23h

Flourless chocolate cake.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Make a ganache of
12 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup cream
1 stick of unsalted butter.
I do this in a microwave, putting all of the ingredients in a bowl microwaving for 3 minutes, then stirring together until it's a smooth mixture.
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