Thanks to Elder KM for her suggestion: we investigate AI’s take on Ukrainian fun. Let’s start with Elder G‘s assessment: Elder KM has opened a magnificent can of worms. Or perhaps a barrel of fermented cabbage. I think the trick is to imagine an AI that has absorbed the entirety of Ukrainian history, geography, folklore, […]
This weekend the WLBOTT Argentinian ambassador, Elder M, stopped by WLBOTT HQ with her son Elder W. We had a great visit, but we suspect Elder M‘s motivation for her US visit was to try the new Oreos flavors. Elder M also provided a cash infusion, emptying her wallet of Argentinian currency to help offset […]
First Fruits Farm, in Freeland, northern Baltimore County, was founded in 1998 by the Bernstein family. It began when Rick and Carol Bernstein started growing produce for charity. Today it has 281 acres, and 100% of what it grows is donated, rather than sold. Elder JimZim and his buddy, Elder Grønk recently volunteered picking peppers […]
The WLBOTT Thin Books With Pictures Society recently discussed Andy Weir‘s short story, The Egg. The Egg is a very though-provoking, humorous, and poignant story. Weir published the story on galactanet.com, and you can read it for free in any of 32 languages. As we look into the story, there will be spoilers, so if […]
part 2 of 27 We continue with the misfiring of creaky neurons: Pigeon head-bobbing → motion parallax → astronomical parallax → distances to nearby stars → calibration of Cepheid variable stars → distances to nearby galaxies → compare galaxy distance with spectral redshift → Hubble–Lemaître law → Hubble constant. Today, let’s talk parallax. As a […]
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin WLBOTT, razor-focused on shareholder value, has decided to pursue a fashion line based on the headwear of our Olmec ancestors. Again, our unpaid marketing interns were eager and started the advertising campaign before getting approval or even a budget, […]
While looking into the history of Mexico, leading up to the birth of Elder MJ’s mother, we found a delightful rabbit hold: The Olmec. This civilization flourished around 1500-400 BCE in what is now southeastern Mexico. Although the Olmec thrived near what is now Veracruz, 1,750km from Chihuahua, they played an important role in the […]
One of our Elders, Elder MJ, has a fascinating family tree. We’re going to focus on Elder MJ‘s mother, Lupita, born in the Mexican state of Chihuahua in 1913. Today we’ll start with the big picture and drill down a bit. 1913 – The Drill-Down The Universe On January 1, 1913, the universe was approximately […]
In Scandinavia, singing together is part of civic life. A choir is an interestingly democratic activity: nobody has to be a virtuoso, but everybody has to listen to everybody else. Elder G:In places like Iceland, Sweden, and Norway, choral singing isn’t just a hobby; it’s a cornerstone of civic life and cultural identity. The long, […]
“You say Tomato, I say Tomato” – Elder JimZim Two items of interest to our WLBOTT agricultural committee occurred recently. First… Elder JimZim and Grønk I had a good time gleaning. There were eight volunteers, 250 lbs in 1.5 hours. Many varieties of small tomatoes- different colors, etc. The farmer worked along side us. It […]