Posted by Greg Ross

https://www.futilitycloset.com/2025/06/26/the-studious-bather/

https://www.futilitycloset.com/?p=71054

A puzzle from Chris Maslanka’s The Pyrgic Puzzler, 1987:

A bathtub will fill in 3 minutes if the plug is in and the cold tap only is turned on full. It will fill in 4 minutes if the plug is in and the hot tap only is turned on full. With the plug out and both taps off, a full tub will drain in 2 minutes. How long will it take to fill the empty tub if the plug is out and both taps are turned on full?

https://www.futilitycloset.com/2025/06/26/the-studious-bather/

https://www.futilitycloset.com/?p=71054

Posted by Marc Abrahams

https://improbable.com/2025/06/26/mini-air-country-singer-subglottal-glimpse-and-more/

https://improbable.com/?p=110718

The June issue of mini-AIR just went out. It includes a glimpse at this study: “Estimated Subglottal Pressure in Six Professional Country Singers,” Thomas F. Cleveland, R.E. (Ed) Stone, Jr., Johan Sundberg, and Jenny Iwarsson, Journal of Voice, vol. 11, no. 4, 1997, pp. 403-9. What is mini-AIR? mini-AIR is our monthly wee, free email […]

https://improbable.com/2025/06/26/mini-air-country-singer-subglottal-glimpse-and-more/

https://improbable.com/?p=110718

Posted by Victor Mair

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=69701&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=animal-calls-are-not-comparable-to-human-speech

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=69701

But can they still tell us something useful about language?  Here are two new papers that address that question:

I.

"What the Hidden Rhythms of Orangutan Calls Can Tell Us about Language – New Research." De Gregorio, Chiara. The Conversation, May 27, 2025.

In the dense forests of Indonesia, you can hear strange and haunting sounds. At first, these calls may seem like a random collection of noises – but my rhythmic analyses reveal a different story.

Those noises are the calls of Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii), used to warn others about the presence of predators. Orangutans belong to our animal family – we’re both great apes. That means we share a common ancestor – a species that lived millions of years ago, from which we both evolved.

Like us, orangutans have hands that can grasp, they use tools and can learn new things. We share about 97% of our DNA with orangutans, which means many parts of our bodies and brains work in similar ways.

That’s why studying orangutans can also help us understand more about how humans evolved, especially when it comes to things like communication, intelligence and the roots of language and rhythm.

Research on orangutan communication conducted by evolutionary psychologist Adriano Lameira and colleagues in 2024 focused on a different species of orangutan, the wild Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). They looked at a type of vocalisation made only by males, known as the long call, and found that long calls are organised into two levels of rhythmic hierarchy.

This was a groundbreaking discovery, showing that orangutan rhythms are structured in a recursive way. Human language is deeply recursive.

Recursion is when something is built from smaller parts that follow the same pattern. For example, in language, a sentence can contain another sentence inside it. In music, a rhythm can be made of smaller rhythms nested within each other. It’s a way of organising information in layers, where the same structure repeats at different levels.

Has wonderful videos.  The orangutans sound like they're saying something.  Listen.

Discussing "Third-Order Self-Embedded Vocal Motifs in Wild Orangutans, and the Selective Evolution of Recursion." De Gregorio, Chiara et al. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (May 16, 2.

Abstract

Recursion, the neuro-computational operation of nesting a signal or pattern within itself, lies at the structural basis of language. Classically considered absent in the vocal repertoires of nonhuman animals, whether recursion evolved step-by-step or saltationally in humans is among the most fervent debates in cognitive science since Chomsky's seminal work on syntax in the 1950s. The recent discovery of self-embedded vocal motifs in wild (nonhuman) great apes—Bornean male orangutans’ long calls—lends initial but important support to the notion that recursion, or at least temporal recursion, is not uniquely human among hominids and that its evolution was based on shared ancestry. Building on these findings, we test four necessary predictions for a gradual evolutionary scenario in wild Sumatran female orangutans’ alarm calls, the longest known combinations of consonant-like and vowel-like calls among great apes (excepting humans). From the data, we propose third-order self-embedded isochrony: three hierarchical levels of nested isochronous combinatoric units, with each level exhibiting unique variation dynamics and information content relative to context. Our findings confirm that recursive operations underpin great ape call combinatorics, operations that likely evolved gradually in the human lineage as vocal sequences became longer and more intricate.

II.

"Animals Can't Talk like Humans Do – Here's Why the Hunt for Their Languages Has Left Us Empty-Handed." Jon-And, Anna et al. The Conversation, June 9, 2025.

Why do humans have language and other animals apparently don’t? It’s one of the most enduring questions in the study of mind and communication. Across all cultures, humans use richly expressive languages built on complex structures, which let us talk about the past, the future, imaginary worlds, moral dilemmas and mathematical truths. No other species does this.

Yet we are fascinated by the idea that animals might be more similar to us than it seems. We delight in the possibility that dolphins tell stories or that apes can ponder the future. We are social and thinking creatures, and we love to see our reflection in others. That deep desire may have influenced the study of animal cognition.

Over the past two decades, studies of thinking and language in animals, especially those highlighting similarities with human abilities, have flourished in academia and attracted extensive media coverage. A wave of recent studies reflects a growing momentum.

Two recent papers, both in top-tier journals, focus on our closest relatives: chimpanzees and bonobos. They claim these apes combine vocalisations in ways that suggest a capacity for compositionality, a key feature of human language.

In simple terms, compositionality is the capacity to combine words and phrases into complex expressions, where the overall meaning derives from the meanings of the parts and their order. It is what allows a finite set of words to generate an infinite range of meanings. The idea that great apes might do something similar has been presented as a potential breakthrough, hinting that the roots of language may lie deeper in our evolutionary past than we thought.

But there is a catch: combining elements is not enough. A fundamental aspect of compositionality in human language is that it is productive. We do not just reuse a fixed set of combinations; we generate new ones, effortlessly. A child who learns the word “wug” can instantly say “wugs” without having heard it before, applying rules to unfamiliar elements.

That flexible creativity gives language its vast expressive power. Yet while animal calls can be combined, nobody has observed animals doing this to create new meanings in an open-ended productive manner. They don’t scale into the layered meanings that human language achieves. In short: there are no wugs in the wild.

Significant progress in the conceptualization of what is humanlike about animal calls:  recursion, compositionality.

 

Selected readings

• "Archive for Animal communication"
• "Archive for Animal communication", part. 2
• "The implications of chimpanzee call combinations for the origins of language" (5/29/25)
• "'Chimps have tons to say but can't say it'" (1/11/10)
• "Nim: the unproject" (8/16/11)
• "Seidenberg on Singer and Nim" *8/27/11)
• "Annals of animal communication" (10/20/10)
• "Chicken or egg; grammar or language" (1/16/25)

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=69701&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=animal-calls-are-not-comparable-to-human-speech

https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=69701

Today is mostly sunny and sweltering.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

i am alive. i have been writing. we're working on a longfic of which the first draft seven years ago was 25k, the current draft is 149k, and my math estimates that if we start the finale right now we might come in under 190k if we don't add any more subplots.

we have, sort of, an outline for how the finale will go. the story is a fusion universe canon divergence au of "star wars: the force awakens" and star wars legendsverse, both of them slow roasted for juicy bits, with a heavy focus on x-wing pilots. the premise is... well, honestly i think the summary i've written for it works well:

"Cadet officer Poe Dameron went missing, presumed dead, before his graduation from the New Republic Flight Academy. Years later, the rising First Order sends a mysterious lone X-wing pilot to raid unaligned planets. Resistance General Leia Organa recruits General Wedge Antilles and Colonel Wes Janson to investigate."

we recapture poe and the second half of the story is basically him slowly relearning how to be a person. there's torture, there's found family, there's regular family (fuck you disney kes dameron is a good dad and we're stealing him), han and leia didn't get divorced, luke disappeared without a word as he does after his jedi academy experiment went wrong so now nobody's entirely sure if it was him or his nephew or both who went darkside and carved up all the other students... we're actually not resolving that part in this one, we have plans for a whole-ass sequel, but that's later.

in order to figure out who does what where when in "the force awakens", i had to rewatch the whole movie very slowly and pause to take a bunch of notes. i hadn't watched it since "the last jedi" came out because the fan behavior around that movie soured me on everything new canon so badly. tfa is a solid standalone movie, excellent nostalgia bait, it's just... covered in the fucking ooze, as the tumblr post says.

zero technobabble though. just making things happen because they look cool and who cares if they'll make sense later. which means i had to make up all the technobabble about starkiller base from scratch. mostly based on a childhood astronomy hyperfixation from the '90s in which most of my books were from the '50s and '60s. maybe it'll feel more authentically star wars or something. (i'm being self-deprecating, i actually am a bit proud of what i came up with, even though i have no idea how much is gonna make it into the briefing because nobody on this cast is a damn engineer.)

anyway we do have an outline but then we wrote six thousand words that weren't strictly in the outline and now we need to write people quarrelling over theories of the force so who knows when we'll actually get to the finale. i think i'm having fun though?

Posted by Gwyn Conaway

https://galacticjourney.org/june-26-1970-hard-hats-flower-power-collide/

https://galacticjourney.org/?p=42033

by Gwyn Conaway “Flowers are better than bullets.” This has been said upon occasion, especially over the last decade, but in bygone eras as well. War-weary Americans and English poets alike have waxed poetic over the familiar adage. These days, however, the sentiment is laced with gunpowder. Jan Rose Kasmir put flowers in guns pointed … Continue reading [June 26, 1970] Hard Hats & Flower Power Collide →

The post [June 26, 1970] Hard Hats & Flower Power Collide appeared first on Galactic Journey.

https://galacticjourney.org/june-26-1970-hard-hats-flower-power-collide/

https://galacticjourney.org/?p=42033

People adopt very different strategies when it comes to making up for mistakes.

Five SFF Stories About Making Amends

Still not doing much, but last week:

Played some What Remains of Edith Finch, on switch. What a cool and pretty game! I am not very far into it.

Read several people are typing by Calvin Kasulke, been wanting to read this for ages, because it takes place in slack, and I have slack nostalgia, but I was expecting a "workplace lulz about capitalism gone awry" kind of book - which it definitely is! But it's also very Weird Existential Horror. LOL. I had no idea that was coming, but I enjoyed it a lot. The end is kind of abrupt & easy, but I still rec it. Very weird book & a very quick read (bc slack chat format). (I need more Lydia!!)

Didn't write anything!!

Still reading a ton of fic, mostly rereads but some new.

I think that's it, tbh.

updated to add:



Iphoto tells me it's a northern pearly eye. I WAS VERY BRAVE!

What could possibly go wrong with a little harmless Satanism between friends?

Golem100 by Alfred Bester

Fandom: Star Trek: Reboot
Characters/Pairings: James Kirk/Leonard 'Bones' McCoy
Rating: G
Length: n/a
Creator Links: storietellers on AO3
Themes: Female relationships, Domestic, Femslash

Summary: "Having fun, Bones?"
"Just working out the tension. You really keep it all in your wrists. Keep reading, darlin'. I wanna know what happens next."

Reccer's Notes:
The 'Everything is Femslash' exchange has just revealed creators, and this is a gorgeous artwork of Rule 63 (always a girl) Kirk and McCoy chilling out. The lighting is warm and their likenesses are really well done. It's relaxing just to look at.

Fanwork Links: Relaxing

I got into a Zinefest in town - that only uses instagram and facebook for advertising, so I'm sort of SOL when it comes to like, connecting to them in any way but I'll save that for feedback, I guess.

I've got a short comics collection of HamsterBandit Industry pages, a short story about Snow White's ghost, and two very small squares of an old story idea project I did and a series of ghost story drabbles. I'm planning on making another set of two square zines and also printing a 16 page Batman and Columbo comic. I've gotten lucky on the last part that my dad's agreed to let me use his printer instead of me having to use Staples. It has so little colour in the actual comic that it felt physically painful to pay the price at Staples to double-side print so many pages.

Meanwhile, I'm watching Murdoch Mysteries and 3 thoughts:

1) The genre of 'if you have any hobby at all, you will be murdered' is alive and well.
2) You can really tell that this show was cast around Murdoch actor's (lack of) height.
3) By season 13, they have run out of short actors in Toronto.

You can see the opposite effect in Father Brown, where Brown's actor is a goddamn giant. The actors, including the women, were all cast tall so they fit in the shot with him I think. Bunty was 5'11-6'. The 'tiny' Mrs. McCarthy is, according to my searches... 5'8.

My gf is 5'8, I'm 5'3. She is like a giant to me. It's awesome.

It's Thursday, and I am currently trying to figure out how I'm going to get everything done before we leave tomorrow. I should have packed last ngiht, but we need to do laundry. Ugh. I'm going to be scrambling. As soon as Jess gets up, I'll start packing some stuff to go. We don't need a whole lot, just enough for Friday to Sunday. Only about 48hrs. I'm planning on at least three outfits. I'm planning to go looking like a schlub, then possibly change when we get to our hotel room to go see the BIL the night before the funeral. Then, I'll dress for the funeral. Then, probably we'll go out to dinner after the excessively long visitation/viewing. Depending on where we're going, I might change clothes then as well. Then, back in the schlub clothes for the flight back.

I might pack what I can this morning, and get some of it done. Unfortunately, we need to wash both my and Jess' fancy clothes for the funeral.

I've gone on a bit of a girly binge. I got two palettes of eyeshadows to experiment with. I love them both. The one from Ulta, called Morphe is very sparkly and light colored. Perfect for highlights and to give things a bit of pop. The other, called the "smoke sessions is all purples and blues. I'm absolutely in love with this one. It's so very pretty. I did a test for the funeral and found a color combo that will work.

It's going to be weird to be stuffing everything into the quart bag. I've got lotion, foundation, color corrector and of course color safe shampoo and conditioner, plus a tub of hair goo.

Then, I have a whole bag of cosmetics. It's strange, but I'm enjoying it.

Yesterday was busy! First we drove down to Washington DC for Jess' top surgery consult. I swear to god, I hate DC driving. I missed the exit on no less than 2 roundabouts. It sucked. We left at 6:15, made no stops, and got there around 8:30am. Traffic was horrible. But we made it in plenty of time for our appointment!

Jess' surgeon was a little ball of sunshine. She went through the process, did their exam and then she and Jess firmed up what they wanted their new chest to look like. They're going for the full masculinization, and the doctor confirmed her understanding. The coordinator will call Jess on Friday or early next week to work out a surgery date.

On the way home, we stopped at LaMadeline for some excellent lunch. Then it was home to eat said lunch and relax for a few minutes before game.

Game was awesome, and I really enjoyed it. I brought in my final player's backstory, and now everyone is traumatized. I love it.

Then, we had some time, so I went and got my emissions done. My car is 100% up to date. Yay! I need to call at some point, because it hasn't updated, but that may be a Monday thing.

We have game tonight, so I don't have long this evening to pack. Maybe I'll do some during lunchtime. It's a lot to get done. Tomorrow, we're going to need to leave no later than 6:15am, which is going to mean a 4am wakeup. Ugh.

But for today, work. Everyone have an amazing Thursday, or as we call it, Friday Eve!

Posted by Marc Abrahams

https://improbable.com/2025/06/26/boredom-and-the-best-evidence-pertaining-thereto-maybe/

https://improbable.com/?p=107431

“Undoubtedly, one of the most important social issues is the discussion of boredom and disillusionment, which is currently observable in many societies, and perhaps many individuals, as well as our loved ones, have encountered it and are seeking treatment to be relieved of it and resolve the crisis. The issue of boredom is a perennial […]

https://improbable.com/2025/06/26/boredom-and-the-best-evidence-pertaining-thereto-maybe/

https://improbable.com/?p=107431

Title: Accepted
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Teal’c, Daniel Jackson.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 200
Spoilers/Setting: Forever in a Day.
Summary: Teal'c knows he did the right thing, but regrets the pain it will cause Daniel.
Content Notes: None needed.
Written For: Challenge 483: Amnesty 80, using Challenge 468: Sorry.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Stargate SG-1, or the characters.
A/N: Double drabble.

Posted by Greg Ross

https://www.futilitycloset.com/2025/06/26/dry-pants-eat-no-fish/

https://www.futilitycloset.com/?p=71052

Bulgarian proverbs:

• Hunger sees nothing but bread.
• In every village is the grave of Christ.
• The clean gets dirty more easily.
• The devil knows everything except where women sharpen their knives.
• Forests have eyes, meadows ears.
• God’s feet are of wool; his hands are of iron.
• One guest hates the other, and the host both.
• Do not lie for lack of news.
• The oversaintly saint is not pleasing even unto God.
• Man is ever self-forgiving.
• God does not shave — why should I?
• A long dark night — the year.
• Do not salt other people’s food.
• Become a sheep and you will see the wolf.
• The smaller saints will be the ruin of God.
• Where there is union a bullet can swim.
• The wife carries her husband on her face; the husband carries his wife on his linen.
• When a wool merchant speaks of sheep he means cloth.

And “God is not sinless. He created the world.”

https://www.futilitycloset.com/2025/06/26/dry-pants-eat-no-fish/

https://www.futilitycloset.com/?p=71052

Posted by Mike Glyer

https://file770.com/victor-hugo-writer-artist-and-ocean-man/

https://file770.com/?p=123437

By Arendse Lund: In 1885, over two million people lined the cobblestone streets of Paris for Victor Hugo’s funeral procession. The man was a beloved author, poet, and politician; what most of the mourners didn’t know was that he was … Continue reading →

https://file770.com/victor-hugo-writer-artist-and-ocean-man/

https://file770.com/?p=123437

I mentioned in my last post here that I had repainted the face on one of my doll's house dolls, and I thought people might like to see some before/after photos. Here are the weird/scary faces the dolls came with.

Prospective Sherlock Holmes


Dr Watson 'before'


Under the cut for the repaints.

Today while I was out, a food bank truck at a church was bringing down a pallet that had stacks of large boxes of avocados, maybe 30 or more, and somehow the boxes tipped over sideways. Some hit the street and sent individual avocados flying out across Caldwell and Eliot Avenues. Some boxes fell on top of other boxes and smushed them. In 95F heat and sun. I was so tempted to take a photo, but I figured this guy was already having the worst workday of his life without him seeing me documenting it and knowing I'd show it to other people. (I also feel bad for the people who would've eaten those avocados if not for this accident.)

I wonder how many avocados were salvageable.

Probably not the one that rolled several hundred feet and into the crosswalk at the intersection.

I can only hope someone got the idea to make guacamole out of the wreckage so they're not totally wasted.