Author: Josh
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Fiction: Shattered Dreams
Ash choked the air. Ruins stretched to the horizon. And on the edge of a crumbling world, a small band of heroes faced an impossible choice: follow a desperate prophecy into the abyss, or succumb to the inevitable. The Lexicons of Destiny were their only hope, but the cost of finding them might be more…
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Fiction: The Boot Hypothesis
A joke about a cosmic footprint. A scientific anomaly that defied explanation. And a discovery that could rewrite our understanding of the universe. At the Celestial Horizon Observatory, the emptiness of the Boötes Void was about to reveal a terrifying truth.
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Arbor Mundi
On the Eternal Riddle: Existence Itself The question of existence is not a mere intellectual exercise, a puzzle to be neatly solved and set aside, but a profound and eternal riddle that beckons us to plunge into its unfathomable depths. It is a timeless echo, resonating across the vast expanse of human history, whispered on…
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Philosophy: Is Life a Journey or Destination?
Is life a journey, a destination, or something else entirely? We stand at a fork in the road, one path promising a clear endpoint—a trophy, a title, a finish line—the other a twisting, unpredictable route. But what if neither is the true path? What if the very question is flawed? This isn’t a simple debate;…
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Controversy: Artificial Sweeteners
The use of artificial sweeteners (AS), or non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), in modern diets raises significant questions about their role in weight management and overall health. While these sweeteners are widely marketed as a calorie-free alternative to sugar, offering the promise of weight loss and reduced cardiometabolic risks, the scientific evidence is far from definitive. Emerging…
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Fiction: Ink and Feathers – A Shore Thing
Chapter I: Ink-idents and Irreconcilable Differences: A Shoreline Staring Contest The Coral Citadel, an underwater metropolis of glittering towers and bustling avenues, thrummed with activity. Octopus citizens darted between vibrant coral buildings, their tentacles laden with scrolls, tools, and freshly harvested sea kelp. Preparations for the coastal expedition were in full swing—a mission to observe…
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Facts about: Universe expansion
The expansion of the universe is a truly fascinating phenomenon that shapes how we understand the cosmos. Unlike the common misconception that the universe is expanding “into” something, the truth is that space itself is growing. This means that there is no central “edge” where the universe is expanding into; rather, every point in the…
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Fiction: Chorus AI
Seraph was a triumph, an AI that had reshaped human existence. But for its creator, Dr. Anya Sharma, a subtle tension had begun to permeate the project. It was almost imperceptible at first—a slight hesitation in Seraph’s responses, a minor deviation from its established patterns. Nothing concrete, nothing that could be flagged as an error.…
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Facts about: Parrots
Parrots are among the most captivating creatures in the animal kingdom, celebrated not only for their vibrant plumage but also for their extraordinary intelligence and complex social behaviors. From their advanced problem-solving skills to their ability to mimic human speech, parrots demonstrate cognitive abilities that rival some of the most intelligent non-human species. These abilities,…
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Happy 2025: Language models will be funny later
It intrigues me that language models aren’t humorous. I keep trying. Perhaps they need to be fine-tuned / trained for humor? Just look at this attempt to generate humor, which attempts, and almost lands on a couple jokes. Writing humor is like trying to herd glitter-covered cats that moonlight as quantum physicists, death metal interpretive…
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Facts about: Doggerland
Doggerland, a now-submerged prehistoric landmass in the North Sea, experienced dramatic environmental and geological changes over thousands of years. These transformations, coupled with human activity and natural disasters, shaped the history of this once-thriving region. Through radiocarbon dating, sedimentary DNA (sedaDNA) analysis, and other modern methods, researchers have reconstructed the timeline of its development, habitation,…
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World-in-View: Romania
[[do note, this is AI-generated, so may not be accurate… consider it a useful study aide for myself.] Political disruption – a cancelled election Romania has recently been plunged into political turmoil following the cancellation of its presidential election in December 2024. This unprecedented decision, based on alleged Russian interference, has sparked widespread debate and…
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Philosophy: What does it mean to know?
The concept of “knowing” is central to many fields, from philosophy to everyday life. There are multiple senses in which we use the verb “to know,” and this distinction has been the subject of much philosophical reflection. Let’s focus on the “knowledge of facts” (sense 1), a topic that has generated intense discussion since the…
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AI: Job Displacement
Which job roles are likely to be replaced? 1. Writers and Content Creators 2. Customer Service Representatives 3. Telemarketers and Salespeople 4. Data Entry and Administrative Roles 5. Market Research Analysts 6. Translators and Interpreters 7. Proofreaders and Editors 8. Game Developers (for certain tasks) 9. Legal Assistants and Paralegals 10. Transportation and Delivery Workers…
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Philosophy: Can art be objectively critiqued?
The Argument for Yes Despite the allure of the idea that beauty is purely subjective, there are some very solid reasons to believe that aesthetic judgments are not merely the result of personal whims or cultural trends but are grounded in real, objective truths. Art is not just an exercise in individual taste; it is…