ScottinSoCal 🇺🇦 🕊 🏳‍🌈 @ScottSoCal@computerfairi.es

Please allow me to introduce myself. #Moby-Dick is the novelistic soundtrack of my life. The rest is #Dylan. #Dogs, #coffee, #books (especially #19th-century US lit) make me very happy. I write, think, and talk a lot about dementia, most recently a book with Dr. Bruce Miller of UCSF, Finding the Right Words: A Story of Literature, Grief, and the Brain (Johns Hopkins, 2021).

Some people believe there's no purpose to "liking" something on Mastodon since it doesn't affect any algorithm.

Not the case.

It does something incredibly valuable: it acknowledges people.

Which is incredibly powerful, and is all the more important *because* it's not connected to gaming any algorithm.

By liking something on Mastodon, you are doing it honestly -- without any agenda at play other than that you like it.

So go ahead. Click that like button for its own sake.

“"In Germany, teaching the Holocaust is mandatory. It includes visits to concentration camp, museums, etc. They don’t shy away from their own ugly history. Yet the kids aren’t damaged; they’re strengthened, matured, humbled. US needs to do same re slavery. Not that complicated.”
Siggy Rose.

in america, we no longer say “the french”, but “people with mental illnesses”, and i think that’s beautiful

Are we ready to talk about how police dressing in riot gear and acting, well, like cops, makes crowds more likely to riot? No? OK then. Proceed.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/06/01/why-so-many-police-are-handling-the-protests-wrong

Air alarm. I'm going to pick up Seva from school. The day started like this. Anxiously

@eesger @georgetakei
Let me google that for you:

```The young Federal Republic of Germany adopted the stricter version of Section
175 of the Criminal Code (StGB), as amended by the National Socialists. As a
consequence, many of the homosexual men liberated from concentration camps
after the war were returned to prison in order to serve out the rest of their
sentences. The repression of these men continued unchanged until the former
Section 175 was relaxed in 1969. ```

https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/SharedDocs/downloads/EN/publikationen/legal_opinion_paragraph_175.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3

Things aren't always what we first assume!

Years ago, I went out to dinner with a coworker and his very new girlfriend.

We started with edamame as an appetizer for the table and, after about ten minutes, I looked over and noticed that his girlfriend was eating her edamame from what I can only refer to as the "community discard bowl" where you throw the edamame shells after you've sucked out the beans.

It had been far too long and was way too awkward, so I didn't say a word and just watched in horror until she finally decided she’d had enough.

They broke up shortly after and I often wonder if the “edamame incident” had anything to do with it.

Just received news that a former student passed away. Gone way too soon.

Life is fleeting. Make sure to tell the people you love how much you cherish them…better yet, show them.

My dog fell through the ice today on our pond and I had to run out and rescue her in bare feet. At least my day wasn’t boring.

Now you’ve probably noticed my now that I’m a minority in here and not at all a techie (I’d need the Enigma machine to decipher some of the toots I see).
However, I like this #MammothApp #mammoth

I could have done with a little tour to show me the bits’n’bobs but it’s the best so far.

LAPD is asking citizens to "please be on the lookout" for people who hold specific political beliefs.

What does an "ANTIFA member" look like? If you think you've spotted an "ANTIFA member", or even if you're just curious about what to look for and need guidance, you can call the LAPD phone numbers listed in this bulletin and ask them for help identifying ANTIFA members.

No libs were actually owned by this display of complete ineptitude and disrespect towards a steak. Hope you didn’t break a tooth 🤞 😂

From the bird site. I take such inspiration from this. Thank goodness for the courage of educators like Dr. Edwards. Let’s all try to follow her moral example and lift each other up in the struggle to preserve the history and dignity of all. #history #blackhistory #histed #histodons

#BabynYar was a big part of the Holocaust stories I grew up with, as we lost family there.

Watching a Jewish president (grandson of Partisans), fighting for his people - visiting on #HolocaustRemembranceDay 80 years later is quite a lot 😥

#NeverAgain

I don't know who needs to hear this, but certain units are equipped almost exclusively with stuff volunteers (or families) buy. Because the army has grown significantly, because of the losses, and because Ukraine's economy is barely holding on. We don't have oil to sell to China.

Historically, women legislators have been the champions for paid leave, child care, and other policies that support working families. It's time for Dads to do our part.

Glad to be a founding member of the Dads Caucus and looking forward to the work (and parenting tips) ahead.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2023/01/26/congress-dad-caucus/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=twitter

Comet ZTF: Orbital Plane Crossing

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230127.html