Rob Tow
@robtow.bsky.social
Ex Xerox PARC scientist and part-time New Mexico desert rat.
Sadly, the Bluesky margin was too small for my proof.*
*Fermat. For reasons.
*Fermat. For reasons.
December 14, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Sadly, the Bluesky margin was too small for my proof.*
*Fermat. For reasons.
*Fermat. For reasons.
I have never understood why people think Chomsky's comments on politics are reasonable BECAUSE he is the author of a (discredited) linguistic theory.
December 12, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I have never understood why people think Chomsky's comments on politics are reasonable BECAUSE he is the author of a (discredited) linguistic theory.
Ground state…
…not when the vial hits the floor!
That… Would Be Bad.
…not when the vial hits the floor!
That… Would Be Bad.
December 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Ground state…
…not when the vial hits the floor!
That… Would Be Bad.
…not when the vial hits the floor!
That… Would Be Bad.
I've seen M31 - back in the 1970s when I had young eyes. I never succeeded with M33. The latter is the farthest object visible unaided; but requires absolute dark skies and complete dark adaptation - and is only visible 10 degree off axis from foveal vision. Andromeda is possible in Big Sky country.
December 11, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I've seen M31 - back in the 1970s when I had young eyes. I never succeeded with M33. The latter is the farthest object visible unaided; but requires absolute dark skies and complete dark adaptation - and is only visible 10 degree off axis from foveal vision. Andromeda is possible in Big Sky country.
The abolishment of kerning is next - it "adjusts" between letters, depending on such things as "optical density", and is a clear contraction of White Space.
December 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
The abolishment of kerning is next - it "adjusts" between letters, depending on such things as "optical density", and is a clear contraction of White Space.
Your remark makes me think of the Monty Hall problem - and how difficult people find it to be "rational" in that particular case.
December 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Your remark makes me think of the Monty Hall problem - and how difficult people find it to be "rational" in that particular case.
All actions in polis are "political".
December 6, 2025 at 1:14 AM
All actions in polis are "political".
Let's not neglect the importance of the race to achieve the Journey to the Center of the Earth - we must be the first to place a man in the center.
For reasons.
For reasons.
December 4, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Let's not neglect the importance of the race to achieve the Journey to the Center of the Earth - we must be the first to place a man in the center.
For reasons.
For reasons.
There may be friction.
December 3, 2025 at 11:59 PM
There may be friction.
The presence of Finnish snipers definitely proves it.
December 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The presence of Finnish snipers definitely proves it.
This sort of thing is why I run my own Linux email server, under my own domain.
Since 1989.
Since 1989.
November 21, 2025 at 8:54 PM
This sort of thing is why I run my own Linux email server, under my own domain.
Since 1989.
Since 1989.
Let’s not neglect application of the Maillard reaction.
November 21, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Let’s not neglect application of the Maillard reaction.
Don't forget the hair.
November 19, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Don't forget the hair.
Clearly this is a "sincerely held religious belief", and therefore must be deferred to. Despite evidence.
November 19, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Clearly this is a "sincerely held religious belief", and therefore must be deferred to. Despite evidence.
Have you considered emigrating to Solaria?
November 14, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Have you considered emigrating to Solaria?
I encountered RFK Jr - in an unpleasant way - back around the millennium, in a discussion on The Hacker's List about North Korea and why they would want BOTH U235 enrichment AND plutonium (Hint: think W54 design). Once he sensed he was technically wrong he went into innuendo and character attacks.
October 31, 2025 at 5:57 PM
I encountered RFK Jr - in an unpleasant way - back around the millennium, in a discussion on The Hacker's List about North Korea and why they would want BOTH U235 enrichment AND plutonium (Hint: think W54 design). Once he sensed he was technically wrong he went into innuendo and character attacks.
Now I smile with memories from my days of clearance at Northrop.
October 30, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Now I smile with memories from my days of clearance at Northrop.
Like Casaba Cannon devices?
October 30, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Like Casaba Cannon devices?
I use BBEdit on my MacBook. But I mostly work with flavors of Linux, some embedded and sparse. Are you familiar with BusyBox?
...
BBEdit is a nice tool :-)
...
BBEdit is a nice tool :-)
October 25, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I use BBEdit on my MacBook. But I mostly work with flavors of Linux, some embedded and sparse. Are you familiar with BusyBox?
...
BBEdit is a nice tool :-)
...
BBEdit is a nice tool :-)
I prefer vi to emacs. I started terminal editing with ed.
...and I started my career as a computer scientist/engineer with punched cards :-)
Later I was in the SmallTalk-80 group, at PARC.
Now I'm "old as dirt".
...and I started my career as a computer scientist/engineer with punched cards :-)
Later I was in the SmallTalk-80 group, at PARC.
Now I'm "old as dirt".
October 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
I prefer vi to emacs. I started terminal editing with ed.
...and I started my career as a computer scientist/engineer with punched cards :-)
Later I was in the SmallTalk-80 group, at PARC.
Now I'm "old as dirt".
...and I started my career as a computer scientist/engineer with punched cards :-)
Later I was in the SmallTalk-80 group, at PARC.
Now I'm "old as dirt".
Perhaps you might try Emacs.
...joke.
...joke.
October 22, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Perhaps you might try Emacs.
...joke.
...joke.