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Michael Engard

@engard.me

560 followers 350 following 2.4K posts

Writer and web developer. Rochester, NY. Of late: WordPress, TTRPGs, the open web. You may never read my book but at least I’m writing it.

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Michael Engard @engard.me · 6h

What would you suggest?

Michael Engard @engard.me · 16h

*shaking Democrats by the shoulders* There are only two possible outcomes! Either it’s good for Fox and they’ll air it, or it’s good for you AND THEY WON’T AIR IT.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 1d

This was the latest of several big Bluesky blowups that included people I like and follow (such as you!) on both sides. More than anything I just hope the long arc of social media bends toward us all being fundamentally on the same side in opposition to the genuinely malicious.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 1d

A screenshot of a scene from the movie Home Alone, directed by Christopher Columbus (not that one). A tarantula is walking across the face of Daniel Stern, who is screaming in terror.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 3d

They can't look at Obergefell and confront the magnitude of the grassroots sociocultural sea change that made it possible. They only see their Good True America suffering an inconceivable invasion of the mind.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 3d

I think this is true, and it's partially because (and we do this too) they can't imagine people coming by liberal/leftist beliefs sincerely and honestly. It only makes sense to them as the product of conspiracy.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 3d

Easier to list the issues that this *isn’t* the ultimate, obvious response to.

Anna Holmes @annabookwriter.bsky.social · 3d

Just be cool, man. Don’t know why folks are so fussed about how others feel and live and ARE.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 3d

I remember this one vividly. That person is the patron saint of the confidently wrong.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 3d

This is enabled in large part by our having normalized posting video on social media with no source or attribution.

Reposted by Michael Engard

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 5d

I write because I love writing. I love writing even when I'm struggling with a writing problem that is killing me. Finding a way through that problem is both intensely rewarding and also helps me become a better writer. There is no reason for me to ever outsource that.

Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 5d

there’s this weird idea a lot of people seem to have about how all of us writers and artists must secretly want to use AI and are merely resisting temptation for ethical reasons, and like, no, it’s not hard for me to resist drinking the bowl of Piss With Glass In It actually

Michael Engard @engard.me · 4d

A meme template, based on a screenshot of Keanu Reeves from one of the Matrix movies. He's wearing a disheveled white shirt and loosened tie, drinking liquor from a green bottle, and smoking a cigarette. The caption reads "No, no. What you've been is not on boats."

Michael Engard @engard.me · 4d

This also spotlights the difference between “use good power to stop bad power” vs. “fix the system to prevent abuse of power.” Neither would be easy, but it’s unnerving how many nominally liberal/leftist voices are essentially demanding Democrats raise up a benevolent dictatorship.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 4d

I adore that they not only had a “Cheats” page on the official website, but it was placed prominently in the main menu.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 5d

Whao.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 5d

I am in awe. I thought *I* was a professional procrastinator but this is the stuff of legend.

Reposted by Michael Engard

Hazel Weakly @hazelweakly.me · 5d

I once started writing an assignment in high school *during* the class it was due. Five pages. Cranked out in ten minutes.

Then I printed it to the class printer mid sentence from the teacher. The entire room froze as the phantom fuckin printer started shitting paper…

Alex Hanna-ween @alexhanna.bsky.social · 6d

As an instructor, I'd rather see your fever dream, No Doze-fueled 4AM essays written at an IHOP rather than anything generated by an LLM.

Hope this helps

Dane 🔜 NYCC AA L-34 @monkeyminion.com · 6d

I wrote a 15 page report on heraldic symbolism in medieval armor and weapon design for my art history class the night before it was due (8am class). Made up 90% of it (only found one book for reference) and got an A. GenAI could fucking never.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 6d

I can tell.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 6d

On the contrary, I can’t think of a better time to send a loud and clear signal to anyone considering a run in 2028 that compromising on human rights would be political suicide.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 6d

I heard a rumor that the next presidential election is still over 3 years away and we have plenty of time to nominate someone who is both electable and not an opportunistic bigot.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 6d

I think more than anything he was just the absolute king of Unfortunate Implications. It’s like yes, eugenics are deep in the marrow of Arda and that sucks, but he also recoiled at any suggestion that it constitutes a statement about our world. No, dammit, it’s literally about the Big Shiny Trees!

Michael Engard @engard.me · 7d

You gotta log off man. This isn’t good for you. Get some fresh air and talk to someone.

Michael Engard @engard.me · 7d

Any chance you could try actually talking to real people who have actually been through the experiences you’re dismissing? We’re on Bluesky, there’s a lot of them around!

Michael Engard @engard.me · 7d

Sorry, so this “Iran-style” totalitarian regime pushing trans ideology that you’ve been railing against is based on… your own hazy speculation about a hypothetical teenagers not knowing the difference between dysphoria and adolescence?

Michael Engard @engard.me · 7d

“Or else” what? What do you imagine trans kids are being threatened with to pressure them *into* transitioning?

Reposted by Michael Engard

Karen “the good kind” @kpsinging.bsky.social · 7d

Incredible paragraph
👏🏼

Microsoft mandates return to office — claims Teams and all remote work solutions are inferior
Story by Sean Endicott •

Imagine being on the Teams team and getting a team Teams call that your team needs to work on Teams onsite because working on Teams on Teams isn't a good way to work in teams