Post AqF9pPIp5pISFOuCSe by nikatjef@mastodon.acm.org
(DIR) More posts by nikatjef@mastodon.acm.org
(DIR) Post #AqEzNi4UiaFSoAMERE by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:05:40Z
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The robotics team I coach did really well in the competition! I'm so proud of them. It's an all girls team (not by decree) and a very small team as it's a very small school. There were many all boys teams at the competition (also, I hope, not by decree) and we cleaned up. There was one robot better than ours by far however. An impressive design. I took some videos for the girls to study so we can figure out how it did the task so damn fast.We had a great time!
(DIR) Post #AqEzZIiinb37eqhUp6 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:07:47Z
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The school with the better robot has a whole ROOM devoted to the robotics team with neat little bins of parts and 3D printers and laser cutters and wielding and every lovely thing you can imagine (they kicked me out.)*I* am going to talk to the school head! I want a room too!
(DIR) Post #AqEzxo9VaS2W5nupxw by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:12:11Z
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They also opened the competition by having their schools ROTC march out with what I think were fake guns. It was very intimidating! But we were not phased. The marching was very precise and impressive. The angles of the flags were perfect. Perhaps we should have the D&D club prepare something intimidating if we ever host a competition? Although I do not think we have a large enough space for such an event...Still maybe they could come out and cast some spells?
(DIR) Post #AqF0JLmJlHJiSlLBIm by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:16:06Z
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(To stop being silly for a moment.)I am aware that STEM competitions are not taken as seriously by school admins and rolling out all of the "official inter-mural sporting event" ... stuff, is part of a an admiral bid to get our work the attention and funding it deserves. (I had to fight tooth and nail to get my team tee-shirts... when every other school team has multiple uniforms)So, I don't begrudge the ROTC pomp. They did a great job. I just wish there were other ways to pay for college.
(DIR) Post #AqF0gLp7l8rlGPcYee by PizzaDemon@mastodon.online
2025-01-19T13:20:14Z
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@futurebird Do you have an SCA chapter?
(DIR) Post #AqF0wcYhJ4FxnehBdQ by magicalthinking@noauthority.social
2025-01-19T13:23:17Z
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@futurebird Bmx and skaters are intimidating en masse. Roll out, do tricks, scare the squares.
(DIR) Post #AqF133kB95WFqo8UQS by epicdemiologist@wandering.shop
2025-01-19T13:24:16Z
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@futurebird Congratulations to your team! My youngest did robotics in high school and is now a planetary scientist working for NASA! Their team was a "come from behind" public school with limited funding. Great experience. (p.s. do your students know about Hebocon?)
(DIR) Post #AqF1BSG3szzuCH3IJc by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:25:53Z
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@epicdemiologist No, but I will check it out!
(DIR) Post #AqF1OM0SROrUZXu83s by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:28:13Z
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One of my students did whisper "are they going to shoot us?" when it all started which I'm still cracking up about. "No, this is just part of how sports events go, the hosting school gets to show off a little. Shhh."
(DIR) Post #AqF1TS2VRCGIjPIE7s by epicdemiologist@wandering.shop
2025-01-19T13:26:38Z
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@futurebird Preview any videos before sharing w/kids, some of the robots are NSFW!
(DIR) Post #AqF1wKYeKhYnvS6Ak4 by rmflight@mastodon.social
2025-01-19T13:34:20Z
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@futurebird even with the stress of it all, I do miss coaching robotics a bit (FTC level).What felt like one of our biggest challenges is a lack of permanent physical space. They are a homeschool team that uses a public library room for once weekly meetings, with one family caring for the bot, pieces and cart each week.
(DIR) Post #AqF1xTqVHn1r1Nzvvc by catselbow@fosstodon.org
2025-01-19T13:34:30Z
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@futurebird I would *love* to see a school D&D team doing precision synchronized spell-casting.
(DIR) Post #AqF28BEWpLBoTtKyvI by sundew@beige.party
2025-01-19T13:36:28Z
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@futurebird What the heck! Rifles? At a school? (even if they were fake)
(DIR) Post #AqF2D8vMq6s2lek1om by catselbow@fosstodon.org
2025-01-19T13:37:23Z
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@futurebird "Step into my robot room."
(DIR) Post #AqF2FZ4QbFFIRC8NlY by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:37:52Z
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@sundew Yes, ROTC does all kinds of practice drills and marching and stuff. And they have what I think are called "parade rifles" this is pretty standard at larger US public schools. Most students join ROTC to help pay for college.
(DIR) Post #AqF2JBtugZWfjjwf7A by MiriShuli@mstdn.social
2025-01-19T13:38:26Z
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@futurebird I am so happy for you and the girls. And happy you shared the good news and joy. This is,the important news of the day.😊💥
(DIR) Post #AqF2iWyVTBf2KvB0sq by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T13:43:04Z
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@sundew The less grim version of all of this are school marching bands, who also do very interesting formations and moves. See Beyonce's recent half-time show for an example.
(DIR) Post #AqF3xbcmZ4sj3Sle0u by 3x10to8mps@mastodon.social
2025-01-19T13:56:58Z
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@futurebird Fantastic! So glad to hear when scientists devote time to our children 👏👏👏👍👍🫶
(DIR) Post #AqF4cvHQOI5pt8TlQ0 by belehaa@wandering.shop
2025-01-19T14:04:21Z
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@futurebird @sundew A marching band performance at a robotics competition would be fantastic. The precision stepping seems really apt, and now I'm trying to think what songs they could play
(DIR) Post #AqF50LwlPVuhFozHRQ by daliazygas@mastodon.online
2025-01-19T14:08:36Z
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@futurebird I was a high school Science Olympiad coach and had a very successful year. We actually had a "fan bus" as well as hotel accommodations, etc when we qualified for the state tournament. So much fun! It probably helped that IIRC that the wrestling team just had the same perks. #STEM
(DIR) Post #AqF5PpakKR6sR4q0Tw by driftingThoughts@mastodon.online
2025-01-19T14:13:17Z
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@futurebird congratulations to the team and their coach 🎉Any link to videos/articles covering the event? Just want to see awesome things from young minds amidst all the negative news floating around.
(DIR) Post #AqF5dcUxo1Vhsjhxfk by monkeyninja@10base2.dev
2025-01-19T14:15:46Z
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@futurebird That’s amazing. What age group is the team you coach? I’ve wanted to get my kiddo involved in robotics but wasn’t sure if 11 was too young to start.
(DIR) Post #AqF5mi10fCfXbA20Ho by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T14:17:27Z
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@monkeyninja We have a middle school team and also high school. There are competitions at each level and there are two kinds of high school robotics depending on how deep in you want to get.
(DIR) Post #AqF98GajbZBamJiEUq by gizmomathboy@mastodon.xyz
2025-01-19T14:54:50Z
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@futurebird excellent Is this one of the FIRST leagues?
(DIR) Post #AqF9FuMc8BX89mkeIK by nikatjef@mastodon.acm.org
2025-01-19T14:56:17Z
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@futurebirdDon't forget to drag the dragon out of the dungeon under the cafeteria... Dragons beat ROTC every time.
(DIR) Post #AqF9HDbI5wP06lF0uu by APBBlue@thepit.social
2025-01-19T14:56:31Z
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@futurebird That's great! Congrats to them! 😊
(DIR) Post #AqF9pPIp5pISFOuCSe by nikatjef@mastodon.acm.org
2025-01-19T15:02:43Z
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@futurebirdCongratulations to you and the young ladies you coach, but also a HUGE thank you for coaching them. I don't have any kids, but if I did I would push for their schools to have robotics and D&D teams with coaches like yourself.
(DIR) Post #AqFCnVJs3E8MBxBCkq by dave0852@mastodon.social
2025-01-19T15:35:57Z
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@futurebird Hello dear happy new year 2025 will be your best💯🥳 year connect with Mrs William Sarah 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇https://www.facebook.com/Williamsarahfx12You'll definitely* thank me later .
(DIR) Post #AqFG3O2HCQRU66DOcq by Alleyoop@mastodon.social
2025-01-19T16:12:27Z
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@futurebird Congratulations! 🎉
(DIR) Post #AqFKy93JyjM9x11X2O by RufusJCooter@mstdn.social
2025-01-19T17:07:33Z
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@futurebird @sundew Back in the day, the ROTC drill teams in districts near the one I attended (we were too small for a ROTC of our own) used to decorate their parade rifles w/ colorful tape, ribbons, etc., lest they be confused w/ actual firearms, leading to an unfortunate misunderstanding... Do they no longer do that?
(DIR) Post #AqFQ39hfUC0xBi6WMy by econads@mendeddrum.org
2025-01-19T18:04:25Z
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@futurebird @sundew in UK we have "cadets", which is kids playing at army, basically scouts with guns and military uniforms, parade etc. It is army propaganda whatever, but it's also pretty accepted and something for kids to do after school. My cousin's husband runs one. When my German boyfriend found out about it he was.. scandalised doesn't begin to cut it. Kids?? With uniforms and guns?? That's so fucked up! We stopped doing that kind of thing in 1945!
(DIR) Post #AqFQFhbXGhNnnzDbpA by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T18:06:47Z
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@econads @sundew I will never get used to it. And if they want uniforms and drills there is marching band right there. A perfectly wholesome activity. That we twist the arms of mostly minority kids to join by offering college money (not much, it's not as worth it as people think) makes me livid. Children do not belong in the military. Call me a radical.
(DIR) Post #AqFQSpeWelRIWysUUq by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T18:09:10Z
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@econads @sundew All those drills and discipline and pomp are designed to prepare young people to kill and be shot at and die. The structure, the sense of it being organized has little to do with the reality of war. And perhaps most ROTC kids never see combat. But that isn't really the point. IDK. Maybe I am unreasonable.
(DIR) Post #AqFQXkWb9JK84iVxz6 by econads@mendeddrum.org
2025-01-19T18:10:01Z
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@futurebird @sundew Yeah before that conversation I wasn't really behind it at all, but I also hadn't given it much thought. I'm not really army-patriotic at *all* but that conversation made me think.
(DIR) Post #AqFQklfiCD7ROfz8jI by econads@mendeddrum.org
2025-01-19T18:11:49Z
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@futurebird @sundew I don't think so. It's creating conformity isn't it. Little bit authoritarian vibes. The US practice of swearing allegiance to the flag is also kind of weird from the outside as well, I hope you don't mind me saying.
(DIR) Post #AqFQtwjGSF3CIT1VlQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-01-19T18:14:05Z
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@econads @sundew I don't get it if it's not congress or the army or something doing it. I love this country well enough. The flag is fine. But it's like everyone is on a martial footing all the time. It's a nervous scared thing to do so often I think.
(DIR) Post #AqFR5gwCzXyAnQg80m by econads@mendeddrum.org
2025-01-19T18:16:09Z
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@futurebird @sundew US is kind of army centric though isn't it? Thanking military types for their service and all that. I suppose that's just an extension of the general culture of worship/respect of the military?
(DIR) Post #AqFR9QJEl4e8NkEHTc by msbellows@c.im
2025-01-19T18:16:50Z
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@futurebird @econads @sundew Agreed. I mean, I'm glad they're pledging allegiance to the flag and not to an individual leader, which is how it is in some other countries (and probably will be here within 4 years). Similar with how US soldiers and officials take an oath to the Constitution, not to the president.
(DIR) Post #AqFSzDTnns3TbWQpvM by sjuvonen@infosec.exchange
2025-01-19T18:37:24Z
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@futurebird @econads @sundew Not even Finland which is a fairly militarized society for understandable reasons does this. It seems to be something only countries with either imperial memories or aspirations do.
(DIR) Post #AqFTJSyhtFTVSnXjpg by swope@mstdn.plus
2025-01-19T18:41:00Z
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@futurebird Is this FRC, Vex, or what robotics competition?
(DIR) Post #AqFXCKh0hEqBYY7Tbk by eaton@phire.place
2025-01-19T19:24:27Z
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@futurebird ALL BARD STRATEGY
(DIR) Post #AqFYe6DiCMcmjVDfhA by david@fouroclockfarms.club
2025-01-19T19:40:45Z
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@futurebird @econads @sundew You're not.I joined AFROTC for my first two years of uni to help pay for it. I bailed at the last minute because back in the 80s you'd be dishonorably discharged if your sexual orientation wasn't strictly heterosexual. And it's at the two-year mark you have to commit to a four-year gig with the military as a 2nd looey. Only then do you get tuition assistance.I also wanted to go to flight school but my vision disqualified me, so that helped me make that “nope" decision.
(DIR) Post #AqFgIbJEjEIaPt3zBg by elsantonegro@masto.ai
2025-01-19T21:06:35Z
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@futurebird Congrats! 👏🏽🎉
(DIR) Post #AqH2P42FEP7vOaYw4m by FagottBassoon@mastodon.social
2025-01-20T12:48:49Z
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@futurebird @sundew and then there is this creative use of flags, rifles and sabres - https://youtu.be/GHxE3DNv1y8?si=H9lf1j0cmJh5AcPp