Silly Conspiracy Theories

[ethernautrix]

Okay. I have a silly conspiracy theory, and it's sortv related to pens.

For a couple of years, I've noticed the headlines shared in FP fora, and skimmed comments, about the disappearing cursive handwriting, how it is no longer being taught in schools and *clamor, wail, clamor, clamor*.

Maaaaaybe it's cos cursive is too difficult to program into handwriting recognition software. So folks, who have to use e-mail these days, cos come on, really, to communicate with their operativ--errr, I mean, friends can handwrite their missives, scan them as jpg or png or what have you, (save-as Supplies List For Upcoming Camping Trip), then write some innocent e-mail and attaching the jpg. But that "list" is written in cursive! What's an OCR bot to do? (Robot voice, but in a whisper: "Jackson Pollock scan. Ignore.")

And that's why cursive handwriting is being phased out.


Hmm? Hmmmmmmm?

[Dave]

Could be, could be... but there's no time to give to such fancies because we need to take a real close look at the Harry-Markle alliance, which is no doubt part of a long game by the Brits aiming to reclaim the lost colony of the US. Nobody will be too upset by this, I'm sure, as taking the behaviour of people like Bush and McConnell into account is a clear indication that the US has already been invaded by humanoid reptiles from Alpha Draconis. David* Icke warned the world about this a handful of years ago. Did we listen? Well, did we?







No.




*Another Dave!

[ethernautrix]

More Daves!

I have other maybe silly conspiracy theories, but I'm hinting (HA!) at those in the contentious thread. And, actually, singular, not plural.

So... silly conspiracy theories, people don't have them or don't want to share theirs, cool, cool, cool. Just wait... someone's bound to erupt.

Hahaha!


Or not.

It's all good. But keep your cursive skills! Teach them to children you have any influence over! (Or not. Maybe you don't want to join the rebellion.) I don't know what I'm saying. (Quote: scene of Arrested Development, that one episode.)

[dneal]

I love a good conspiracy theory. Unfortunately, most are not very good; like Alex Jones’ FEMA camps or accusations on a Special Forces exercise in the desert southwest. Bill Gates teaming with Monsanto or using “vaccines” to reduce the world’s population is one of the more recent ridiculous ones.

The latest one I thought was pretty clever was one attributed to Trey Gowdy (former Representative from SC). He didn’t really post it, but the theory itself was well conceived and executed.



From Trey Gowdy:

“I’m not saying Covid-19 isn’t rea l… But Pay attention folks, there’s much more going on here than what meets the eye.

Is it a coincidence that just when the economy is booming, the stock market is setting record highs, we are winning the trade wars, school shootings have stopped, our nation is at peace, the Democratic party is a disaster and so is their likely nominee? (Biden). He hasn’t a chance in hell & they’re not about to let an outsider(Bernie) destroy their scheme.

It looks like Trump is a sure bet for reelection after fending off 3 years of investigations and impeachment, then all of a sudden world crisis pandemic. Stock market tumbles, companies are laying off employees, everything is closed and canceled, CEO’s of giant companies are resigning and indictments are coming.

Now they say there are a couple ways a President doesn’t win reelection. Those are an unpopular war or a poor economy.

But there is something larger going on here driving this sudden outbreak right after Trump beats an impeachment. Especially the fact that it (Corona Virus) originated in China who we are in a global trade war with; brought on by Trump. Let’s not forget Biden’s back door deals with CHINA as well.

China doesn’t want 4 more years of Trump either. It all seems rather convenient for the nations and opponents of our current President and economy 5 months before an election. Couldn’t have hit at a more perfect time.

With the Democrats running out of campaign talking points, in light of no school shootings, no migrant caravans at the southern border, fighting in Syria winding down, North Korea not firing missiles and Trump beating a sham impeachment. The Corona Virus gave them one last hail Mary to try and point fingers at Trump with the clock winding down in 2020.

This is almost the perfect fascist playbook. Control the population with fear-mongering and panic, control the media, spread propaganda and the fan-favorite disarm the population. Oh, and did anyone notice that while they are mad as hell at Trump for not sending aid to Ukraine, they THEMSELVES voted AGAINST giving ANY emergency aid to all Americans?

Sorry but I don’t think we are all going to die. Remember when Ebola was what was going to kill us all, and the media kept showing the piles of body bags that were prepared for the fallout. Then a month later it was totally forgotten.

The common flu has killed more people this year already and the media is SILENT!

A handful of deaths out of 320 million Americans and we are in panic tearing down our society and costing our economy billions in the wake. Because the media told you to react in such a way. It all just seems fishy, a little too well-timed if you ask me.”

Trey Gowdy

[Mac in Alberta]

I think that the worst conspiracy is the one to make people stupider by getting them to write with ballpoints.

[calamus]

Then there's that ridiculous theory that the mainstream media spins its stories, sometimes to the point of distortion. And that they have an agenda, and serve that rather than pursue unbiased, objective reporting. Some of the more extreme variants of this nonsensical conspiracy theory actually have it that television is used to brainwash the public.

Luckily, hardly anybody believes anything that absurd.

[Scrawler]

Okay. I have a silly conspiracy theory, and it's sortv related to pens.

For a couple of years, I've noticed the headlines shared in FP fora, and skimmed comments, about the disappearing cursive handwriting, how it is no longer being taught in schools and *clamor, wail, clamor, clamor*.

Maaaaaybe it's cos cursive is too difficult to program into handwriting recognition software. So folks, who have to use e-mail these days, cos come on, really, to communicate with their operativ--errr, I mean, friends can handwrite their missives, scan them as jpg or png or what have you, (save-as Supplies List For Upcoming Camping Trip), then write some innocent e-mail and attaching the jpg. But that "list" is written in cursive! What's an OCR bot to do? (Robot voice, but in a whisper: "Jackson Pollock scan. Ignore.")

And that's why cursive handwriting is being phased out.


Hmm? Hmmmmmmm?

I worked on the first example of a programmed handwriting machine in 1980s. I still have kept examples of the original output. Handwriting is difficult and so is controlling the hand. The biggest problem with handwriting is that in cursive every letter joins to every other slightly differently. It was not practical to store information about every letter for every font. So what we did was to design fonts out of dots. We placed the minimum number of dots to represent each letter of a word into a matrix, then calculated the smoothest possible curve all the way through, calculating one word at a time then outputting it (with a Bic ball point pen). This technique can be used in reverse in OCR equipment. This is not the reason for the end of cursive, it is due to laziness and the fact that people have thumbs to type with. Without practice people write inconsistently and it is that inconsistency that causes recognition problems.