Nick 𐃥
@adjectivalnoun.bsky.social
(He/Any)
General engineer. No, more general than that. Angry we aren’t caring for each other more, trying to fix it.
General engineer. No, more general than that. Angry we aren’t caring for each other more, trying to fix it.
Pinned
Nick 𐃥
@adjectivalnoun.bsky.social
· Oct 26
Things to know about getting from one place to another outside of a car in America:
1. You have no right to do that.
2. If you do it anyway, your fellow citizens will remind you of (1) by helpfully threatening to kill you.
1. You have no right to do that.
2. If you do it anyway, your fellow citizens will remind you of (1) by helpfully threatening to kill you.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
It seems Not Great that the bureaucracies in charge of California’s streets at ~every level of government are lawless rogue agencies that are not subject to any real public oversight.
LA quietly stopped repaving all streets last July to avoid fulfilling its ADA obligations. The federal govt says when you repave a street, you have to update all the curb ramps. LA has tons of out of date curb ramps, so the rule makes repaving much more expensive. The city's solution: stop repaving!
LA has stopped repaving our streets
The reason why is probably illegal
futureis.la
December 9, 2025 at 8:36 PM
It seems Not Great that the bureaucracies in charge of California’s streets at ~every level of government are lawless rogue agencies that are not subject to any real public oversight.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
whyyy is it being left up to the patient community to do this? You cannot defeat antivax bias if you don't help people. This is on top of every public health department letting its pro vax posts get taken over with antivax comments & not moderating them. So dept of health digital teams are hurting
December 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
whyyy is it being left up to the patient community to do this? You cannot defeat antivax bias if you don't help people. This is on top of every public health department letting its pro vax posts get taken over with antivax comments & not moderating them. So dept of health digital teams are hurting
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
All over my FB people talking about their bad experiences with shingles vax and dissuading each other from getting it! We need to give people real info on how to mitigate the symtoms caused by vaccines because vaccines are always better than meeting a virus unprepared. Yet drs aren't coaching ppl
December 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
All over my FB people talking about their bad experiences with shingles vax and dissuading each other from getting it! We need to give people real info on how to mitigate the symtoms caused by vaccines because vaccines are always better than meeting a virus unprepared. Yet drs aren't coaching ppl
A hot take I’ve recently developed is that K-12 educators maintaining for 20 years that Wikipedia is not a legitimate resource tool paved the way for it being hard to convince people not to trust statements generated by LLMs.
So, when a critic says, “Ah hah! That app makes shit up!” A lot of people will nod politely. And then they will think to themselves, “Well, so does the newspaper, and so does Facebook, and so do politicians, and none of those help me do this task or say nice things to me when I ask them questions.”
December 9, 2025 at 8:48 PM
A hot take I’ve recently developed is that K-12 educators maintaining for 20 years that Wikipedia is not a legitimate resource tool paved the way for it being hard to convince people not to trust statements generated by LLMs.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
Rebrand "Area Studies" as "Area Market Research" and I think we just saved the Humanities?
December 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Rebrand "Area Studies" as "Area Market Research" and I think we just saved the Humanities?
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot
December 8, 2025 at 9:29 AM
can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
So I guess Im pessimistic too but as Rebecca Solnit says: the pain we feel is because of what we love and “that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything, and everything we can save is worth saving.”
December 8, 2025 at 8:22 AM
So I guess Im pessimistic too but as Rebecca Solnit says: the pain we feel is because of what we love and “that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything, and everything we can save is worth saving.”
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
The relative contribution of close-proximity contacts, shared classroom exposure and indoor air quality to respiratory virus transmission in schools - Nature Communications
The relative importance of close-proximity interactions, shared space and air quality to the transmission of respiratory viruses is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate this question by ...
www.nature.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
🤯
The dude that built our cabinet was telling me that he didn’t teach his son “lefty loosey, righty tighty”. He taught him that the left liberates and the right oppresses. 😂😂😂
December 8, 2025 at 5:08 AM
🤯
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
December 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
Having done a lot of work integrating the tech industry, I genuinely remember the week they all came back possessed with this kind of vitriol. It was post-Clubhouse implosions. You could actually tell they all had some kind of conversation/retreat or something and came back executing a plan.
The tech oligarchs are the most organised, determined anti democratic force we’ve seen this side of World War II
For way too long this has been ignored, elided and under estimated
What someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time
For way too long this has been ignored, elided and under estimated
What someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time
A Palantir billionaire just called for public hangings.
“It's time to bring back masculine leadership to protect our most vulnerable,” writes Joe Lonsdale.
This is where Silicon Valley authoritarianism is heading:
www.thenerdreich.com/joe-lonsdale...
“It's time to bring back masculine leadership to protect our most vulnerable,” writes Joe Lonsdale.
This is where Silicon Valley authoritarianism is heading:
www.thenerdreich.com/joe-lonsdale...
December 7, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Having done a lot of work integrating the tech industry, I genuinely remember the week they all came back possessed with this kind of vitriol. It was post-Clubhouse implosions. You could actually tell they all had some kind of conversation/retreat or something and came back executing a plan.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
Pretty sure you can wring a YIMBYish angle from this: if you were living in a boarding house with pleasant amenities in walking distance you wouldn't pickle in quite this fetid way. These perpetual boys in their parents' basements go rotten with no places or spaces to call their own
December 6, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Pretty sure you can wring a YIMBYish angle from this: if you were living in a boarding house with pleasant amenities in walking distance you wouldn't pickle in quite this fetid way. These perpetual boys in their parents' basements go rotten with no places or spaces to call their own
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
IRW — a Pulitzer-winning nonprofit newsroom at American — and @thebarbedwire.com traced the history of anti-trans legislation. Houston conservatives realized homophobia didn’t fly anymore, weaponized girls’ safety, and parroted segregationist language. It worked.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
Where Did Anti-Trans Laws Start? How a Forgotten Houston Ordinance Turned Into a Massive, Nationwide Culture War
In fighting for bathroom bills in Houston, Texas conservatives provided a blueprint for the rest of the country.
thebarbedwire.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:47 PM
IRW — a Pulitzer-winning nonprofit newsroom at American — and @thebarbedwire.com traced the history of anti-trans legislation. Houston conservatives realized homophobia didn’t fly anymore, weaponized girls’ safety, and parroted segregationist language. It worked.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
In case you are wondering why I know this, I wrote a history of psyops in the United States, called "Stories Are Weapons". It makes a depressing holiday gift. wwnorton.com/books/978039...
Stories Are Weapons
A <em> Book Riot </em> Best Book of 2024 <br /> One of <em>Publishers Weekly</em>'s Top 10 Politics/Current Events books of Spring 2024 <br /><br /> A sharp and timely exploration of the dark art o...
wwnorton.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:01 PM
In case you are wondering why I know this, I wrote a history of psyops in the United States, called "Stories Are Weapons". It makes a depressing holiday gift. wwnorton.com/books/978039...
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
Two independent studies found that AI chatbots were better at persuading voters than political ads. The most persuasive bots also lied the most. This is something that humans working in psyops have known for decades. AI is psyops at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1...
December 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Two independent studies found that AI chatbots were better at persuading voters than political ads. The most persuasive bots also lied the most. This is something that humans working in psyops have known for decades. AI is psyops at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1...
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
(living an unexamined life) yaaaaaay haha yay wheeeeee
December 4, 2025 at 1:44 AM
(living an unexamined life) yaaaaaay haha yay wheeeeee
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
so another thing that Serpico captures really well is that people with the kind of integrity and stubbornness needed to be dissidents or idealists in corrupt institutions are often kind of hard to get along with.
December 5, 2025 at 4:53 AM
so another thing that Serpico captures really well is that people with the kind of integrity and stubbornness needed to be dissidents or idealists in corrupt institutions are often kind of hard to get along with.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
I do a weekly volunteer shift reading to kids with special needs and it genuinely amazes me how many of the "cool" kids make a point of being unironically friendly to them, saying hi, giving them high fives etc.
This was... not the case when I was a kid.
This was... not the case when I was a kid.
December 4, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I do a weekly volunteer shift reading to kids with special needs and it genuinely amazes me how many of the "cool" kids make a point of being unironically friendly to them, saying hi, giving them high fives etc.
This was... not the case when I was a kid.
This was... not the case when I was a kid.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
Because we passed a law requiring equal treatment which led to inclusion policy. I substitute teach at all levels. It is rare to have a class without SPED kids mixed in with GENED. They grow up together and become friends. It’s all about not othering other people but loving them for who they are.
December 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Because we passed a law requiring equal treatment which led to inclusion policy. I substitute teach at all levels. It is rare to have a class without SPED kids mixed in with GENED. They grow up together and become friends. It’s all about not othering other people but loving them for who they are.
The stakes are low here, but I think it should be prohibited to make a claim top center on your product packaging with an asterisk footnote saying “actually it isn‘t”.
December 5, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The stakes are low here, but I think it should be prohibited to make a claim top center on your product packaging with an asterisk footnote saying “actually it isn‘t”.
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
This is a good read about San Francisco's downzoning of 1978. Check out this clip: people were concerned about SHADOWS and PARKING and HOME VALUES, while knowing this would make housing more unaffordable.
47 years later - same arguments!
www.fastcompany.com/90242388/the...
47 years later - same arguments!
www.fastcompany.com/90242388/the...
December 4, 2025 at 5:35 PM
This is a good read about San Francisco's downzoning of 1978. Check out this clip: people were concerned about SHADOWS and PARKING and HOME VALUES, while knowing this would make housing more unaffordable.
47 years later - same arguments!
www.fastcompany.com/90242388/the...
47 years later - same arguments!
www.fastcompany.com/90242388/the...
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
Six-week study of 67 students in four classes, 1047 saliva samples ->
"Prolonged exposure in shared, poorly ventilated spaces, which potentially includes several infectious sources, drives respiratory virus transmission more than close contact."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
HT: Emily Martin
"Prolonged exposure in shared, poorly ventilated spaces, which potentially includes several infectious sources, drives respiratory virus transmission more than close contact."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
HT: Emily Martin
The relative contribution of close-proximity contacts, shared classroom exposure and indoor air quality to respiratory virus transmission in schools - Nature Communications
The relative importance of close-proximity interactions, shared space and air quality to the transmission of respiratory viruses is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate this question by ...
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Six-week study of 67 students in four classes, 1047 saliva samples ->
"Prolonged exposure in shared, poorly ventilated spaces, which potentially includes several infectious sources, drives respiratory virus transmission more than close contact."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
HT: Emily Martin
"Prolonged exposure in shared, poorly ventilated spaces, which potentially includes several infectious sources, drives respiratory virus transmission more than close contact."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
HT: Emily Martin
Reposted by Nick 𐃥
I've been researching the idea of Unconditional Universal Basic Income since 2013. Here's a collection of findings I've compiled from various UBI experiments and studies of cash transfer programs around the world.
This will be a VERY LONG and ongoing thread focused entirely on empirical evidence. 🧵
This will be a VERY LONG and ongoing thread focused entirely on empirical evidence. 🧵
December 5, 2024 at 3:47 PM
I've been researching the idea of Unconditional Universal Basic Income since 2013. Here's a collection of findings I've compiled from various UBI experiments and studies of cash transfer programs around the world.
This will be a VERY LONG and ongoing thread focused entirely on empirical evidence. 🧵
This will be a VERY LONG and ongoing thread focused entirely on empirical evidence. 🧵
Grok being made to say Elon is Jesus and Superman etc was an important proof of concept - it means LLMs can be made to do product placement.
OpenAI's CEO is reportedly pushing for improvements to ChatGPT and delaying plans to integrate ads on its platform, after Google’s strong showing with Gemini 3.
Altman ‘Code Red’ Memo Urges ChatGPT Improvements Amid Growing Threat From Google, Reports Say
OpenAI's CEO is reportedly pushing for improvements to ChatGPT and delaying plans to integrate ads on its platform, after Google’s strong showing with Gemini 3.
www.forbes.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Grok being made to say Elon is Jesus and Superman etc was an important proof of concept - it means LLMs can be made to do product placement.