@HikerGeek@mas.to cover
@HikerGeek@mas.to avatar

HikerGeek

@[email protected]

I probably take too many electronics with me when I backpack.

The header is Silver Mine Lake in Harriman State Park, NY

My avatar is a drawing by my daughter. She got mad at me for using an AI generated one and drew this one quickly and made me replace the AI one. She's an artist and doesn't like AI "art" at all.

I currently live north of NYC.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. View on remote instance

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

In the age of disinformation, this is the most important episode of Last Week Tonight yet.

John Oliver uncovers how Elon Musk took over Twitter and began funding accounts who spread disinformation, creating movements that cause serious trouble in the real world based on Twitter falsehoods — even causing the Trump regime to launch security operations based on conspiracy theories invented by random Twitter users.

https://youtu.be/p7ZG_xWYLzI?si=h_sQbBJzmI7rTqXF

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

I happen to be watching it as your post came up in my feed.

I'd be interested in a poll as to whether people think the service is called X or Twitter. Twitter as far as I'm concerned.

It's run by a twit after all.

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

Trump thinks he is friends with Putin, who is now selling anti-air rockets to Iran to prevent cruise missiles from hitting targets in Iran… just as Trump is about to fire… cruise missiles into Iran.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/22/russia-sold-iran-thousands-shoulder-rockets-secret-deal/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_youtube_thousands-shoulder-rockets-secret-deal%2F

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

This bit of news may need to be otherwise verified.

Ukrainian cruise missiles are flying into Russia right now destroying important things. Don't they need those missiles for themselves? Also Russia has been under embargo and Ukraine has been attacking its missile component manufacturing ability. Can they afford to be giving away manpads right now?

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

James Talarico: “The real fight in this country is not left versus right. It is top versus bottom.”

Congrats to everyone in for having such a nuanced and insightful political candidate for the US Senate in the midterms.

November is coming! ❄️

https://youtu.be/oiTJ7Pz_59A?si=abXA8r0cdL3PFfFu

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

I really like Talarico but since Jasmine Crockett jumped into the race it is not looking good for him to win the primary.

He is young and I really hope to see a lot more of him.

@TheBreadmonkey@beige.party avatar TheBreadmonkey , to random

Having a tremendously difficult day, chums. My instinct is to clam up and go all internal and self-destructive, but that is a very stupid idea and so I am telling you instead. I'M HAVING A REALLY HORRIBLE TIME AT THE MOMENT AND TODAY IS PARTICULARLY BAD. If you are moved to, I wondered if you had any good news or funny memes or pics you might like to offload onto an Internet needy. LOVE YOU. ❤️

HikerGeek ,
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@TheBreadmonkey

This thread needs a hashtag. Something that embodies @TheBreadmonkey 's OP. Things to show up in your feed if you follow it that might lift your spirits.

Maybe something like

@georgetakei@universeodon.com avatar georgetakei , to random

They hate Sen. Kelly because he is everything they are not: a true soldier, brave, honest and determined to defend our Constitution.

A tweet from “The Tennessee Holler” quotes Sen. Mark Kelly criticizing a Trump administration claim, saying the issue is about media cycles and intimidation, not law, and that the uniform code of military justice is being misrepresented. Below is an image from The Rachel Maddow Show showing Rachel Maddow on the left and Mark Kelly on the right.
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HikerGeek ,
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@georgetakei

I don't understand how the right can respect the draft dodger in chief more than a true hero who put his life on the line for his country so many times.

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

Breaking: Marjorie Taylor Greene quits. From January 5, she is leaving congress.

Trump will think this is a great victory because he crushed her, but he completely overlooks that when soldiers abandon the ship, the captain has no one to lead.

The truth is, Trump is losing a key MAGA candidate in a crucial midterm election year. Greene will be a hard act to follow.

(Before anyone accuse this of being AI: I verify everything I share, and I have of course also verified this clip.)

video/mp4

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

I know we all get wrapped up in what is happening right now. It comes like a fire hose and trying to process it in real time is all one can do sometimes.

But I think here a very important question to ask is what will MTG be doing going forward?

I wouldn't put it past her that she finds a secure location and starts an online anti-Trump campaign. Her strength that allowed her to rise to where she is came from tormenting her opponents.

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

I am no arsonist, but I must admit, watching the Republican party burn down is quite the spectacle.

Trump posting: Marjorie "Traitor" Green is a disgrace to our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY!
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HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

I hope this diverging path doesn't lead to president Marjorie Greene.

P.S. Is that he is dumb or trying to be rude spelling what once was his greatest supporter's name?

@pluralistic@mamot.fr avatar pluralistic , to random

I know it's wrong, but if I could kill all the mosquitoes, I would kill all the mosquitoes.

HikerGeek ,
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@pluralistic

There are like 3000 species of mosquitoes. Most don't bite if I understand correctly. A lot of the ones that do don't make you itch.

Mosquitoes are important food for other animals so there would be serious downstream effects.

Maybe just kill the ones that transmit disease? I could live with an occasional itchy bite if I knew it wouldn't make me sick.

@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org avatar ai6yr , to random

Teaching Wilderness FirstAid, interesting to see how much blind faith people have in their smartphones, even when you are there to teach them how to deal with emergency situations in the wilderness and you tell them smartphones fail and are a problem. (almost a religion!)

Me: "You don't want to rely on your smartphone!"

Them: "Can we get this first aid guide on our phone instead?"

Me: "You might want an Inreach Mini or amateur radio or PLB"

Them: "Well, you can use SOS mode on your iphone"

😬

HikerGeek ,
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@mattblaze @ai6yr

I hike solo so one of the main uses of my InReach Mini is the keep my family up to date with where I am and if I have changed route or schedule.

This is very important for them to not worry so much about me out all alone.

I could also text friends for an emergancy pick up at a bail out trailhead.

iPhone SOS cannot do this if I understand correctly.

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

So far, the Trump government has reveled in the firing of federal workers and dismantling of government.

Clearly, this has resonated with some of their voters, but the next phase will be much more difficult — when things start falling apart, and the people starts asking WHY did you fire all those government workers, and why did you dismantle all those important federal institutions that kept the country going?

At that point, blaming it on Biden won’t cut it.

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

I used to believe that in my country, the US, we had free speech but recently I think twice about saying anything negative about our new God king.

Must be nice to live in a country where you can nonviolently express yourself without worry.

I miss it.

@indivisibleteam@mastodon.social avatar indivisibleteam , to random

Later this afternoon, Leah and Ezra will be here for their weekly chat. Our co-founders will cover the ongoing Trump Shutdown, the upcoming No Kings Day, the Trump regime’s smears of our movement, and much more. https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/773746/

HikerGeek ,
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@indivisibleteam

Thank you for all the work you do and for having a presence on Mastodon.

This may seem a little silly but I was hoping that this Oct 18th could be No Kings - No Clowns day. It seems that mockery has been a very effective tool against these fascists. People could dress in parody costumes of admin members. Laugh at them. Show we still feel joy in face of this darkness.

Sometimes you have to laugh unless you will cry.

Plus it's Halloween time.

@HikerGeek@mas.to avatar HikerGeek , to random

I have a wish that the Oct 18th No Kings protest take on a sub-theme:

No Kings

Trump is a Clown

People could wear bad orange face paint and ridiculously big red ties down to their knees. People could also dress up as others like Nosferatu Miller and cosplay Noem.

The big event would be a try at the largest simultaneous chicken dance ever in honor of Trump Always Chickens Out.

It would be nice to have a little fun and stand up for satirical free speech.

HikerGeek OP ,
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@failedLyndonLaRouchite

I was at Hands Off DC version and NYC No Kings.

I left both happy there are a lot of people that believe like me on a diversity of issues but sad all those people weren't united in a common concrete path to ending the current swing towards fascism.

HikerGeek OP , (edited )
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@failedLyndonLaRouchite

Unless I missed it there was no stage and therefore no microphone at the NYC No Kings. Just 50,000 people crammed in and milling around in Midtown.

So the organizers literally did not have the microphone. No one did and that is kind of on them.

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

The convicted felon president invites an international war criminal wanted by The Hague, to take a summer vacation in Alaska.

If someone had told me this 10 years ago, I would not have thought the US could ever sink this deep.

Trump inviting Putin to Alaska.
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HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

One good thing about this meeting. Putin will profoundly embarrass Trump. Putin, an experienced handler, knows you have to show your assets who is boss.

Maybe enough that Trump will compensate with lavish Ukraine support.

@georgetakei@universeodon.com avatar georgetakei , to random

With all that’s going wrong in this country, this is the regime’s priority?

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

Wild…

While Trump is in a legal dispute with Paramount (the parent company of CBS), CBS is now cancelling Stephen Colbert's popular late night show, in which he is constantly making fun of Trump.

I am pretty sure Colbert will have plenty of options.

Humor always prevails.

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

Just crazy stuff.

CBS says it has nothing to do with the merger just a change in late night programming environment.

Colbert brings in ratings and has been the #1 non-FOX late night host for the last 9 months.

I don't want it to believe it is for censorship but it certainly looks that way to me.

@jerry@infosec.exchange avatar jerry , to random

I really don’t understand the push to for a computer replicate what goes on in the human brain. I mean, I know what goes on in mine and it just seems ill advised for a computer to be thinking those thoughts.

HikerGeek ,
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@jerry @krypt3ia

Actually I think that once we give birth to sentient hardware they we just look around and see how much room and resources are in sapce and they'll just say "Thanks for the fish" and disappear into the heavens.

@georgetakei@universeodon.com avatar georgetakei , to random
HikerGeek ,
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@georgetakei

Wait, you're saying Trump was mistaken in appointing you to this position?

@w7voa@journa.host avatar w7voa , to random

Republican nominee Trump says he’s agreed on rules with the Harris campaign for the Sept. 10 debate on ABC — and as was the case with the CNN Biden-Trump debate there’ll be muted microphones except when the candidate whose turn it is speaks.

HikerGeek ,
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@w7voa

The Harris campaign wins either way with the mics. If they are on Harris will shred Trump interactively. If they are off Trump will be freaking out he can't shout over what Harris will be saying about him. Trump's turn to have a very bad debate night.

@arstechnica@mastodon.social avatar arstechnica , to random

Here’s what the electric Dodge Charger’s “Fratzonic exhaust” sounds like

Dodge wants to keep the aural spectacle even as it moves to electric propulsion.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/08/heres-what-the-electric-dodge-chargers-fratzonic-exhaust-sounds-like/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

HikerGeek ,
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@arstechnica

Does anyone know if you can turn it off if you want?

@georgetakei@universeodon.com avatar georgetakei , to random

Simpler times, indeed.

Screenshot of a social post by '@RunwayDan' on the social platform 'X' that says: 'And then the little dog would say "yo quiero Taco Bell" and we would all laugh and laugh. It was a simpler time.'
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HikerGeek ,
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@w7voa@journa.host avatar w7voa , to random

Astonished to see this in a NYT article about how to host a party. Anyone — family, friends, workmen, diplomats— coming into my home is going to take off their shoes. We will offer you house slippers. You want to track dirt into your own home? That’s your choice. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/06/21/style/how-to-party-host-guest.html

HikerGeek ,
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@w7voa

If you are a good guest you try to know the house rules and accept them. It's rude not to. Your host has reasons for those rules. Respect them.

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

Author Steve Herman who used to have 112,000 followers on The Dead Bird, now has 58,000 followers on Mastodon.

The only way is up!

@w7voa

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl @w7voa

Wow, 58K followers. Well deserved. Is that some kind of record?

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

I looked at the POTUS account but couldn't figure how to follow that Threads account from my Mastodon. I have a strong aversion to Meta so I don't want to log into Threads.

Any idea how does @w7voa rank on non-Threads ActivityPub?

Do you know a way to see the highest subscribed users?

HikerGeek ,
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@randahl

Maybe @FediTips might know an answer to if there is a list of most followed accounts.

HikerGeek ,
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@FediTips @randahl @ChrisWere

Actually I Googled Chris' page now that you made me aware of it. Some really good accounts to follow. Thank you for the help.

https://most-followed-mastodon-accounts.stefanhayden.com/?threads=false