Alex Witkowski
@alexincommunity.bsky.social
I help build communities because I believe deeply in communities.
Posting about that + tech, education, music, film, art, and...unfortunately...the Brooklyn Nets.
Posting about that + tech, education, music, film, art, and...unfortunately...the Brooklyn Nets.
When you compliment someone, how do you hope they react?
November 30, 2025 at 9:43 AM
When you compliment someone, how do you hope they react?
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
Jeff de Boer has made an entire career out of crafting tiny plate armor. He's compelled by the idea of the underdog finding an edge; something so small being so well-protected. n.pr/48jQyzx
This artist designs intricate suits of armor. The intended wearer? A humble mouse
Jeff de Boer has made an entire career out of crafting tiny plate armor. He's compelled by the idea of the underdog finding an edge; something so small being so well-protected.
n.pr
November 27, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Jeff de Boer has made an entire career out of crafting tiny plate armor. He's compelled by the idea of the underdog finding an edge; something so small being so well-protected. n.pr/48jQyzx
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
Mushroom spore landing in my lungs: I eat?
My immune system: no not right now he’s still alive
Mushroom spore: ok i wait
My immune system: no not right now he’s still alive
Mushroom spore: ok i wait
December 28, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Mushroom spore landing in my lungs: I eat?
My immune system: no not right now he’s still alive
Mushroom spore: ok i wait
My immune system: no not right now he’s still alive
Mushroom spore: ok i wait
I've been a devoted On Cinema fan since Day 1, have watched the series through 10+ times, and still catch new things.
It never occurred to me that the "movie" Tim works on becomes a TV show that he and Gregg spend multiple seasons working on without ever acknowledging that it's a TV show.
It never occurred to me that the "movie" Tim works on becomes a TV show that he and Gregg spend multiple seasons working on without ever acknowledging that it's a TV show.
November 26, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I've been a devoted On Cinema fan since Day 1, have watched the series through 10+ times, and still catch new things.
It never occurred to me that the "movie" Tim works on becomes a TV show that he and Gregg spend multiple seasons working on without ever acknowledging that it's a TV show.
It never occurred to me that the "movie" Tim works on becomes a TV show that he and Gregg spend multiple seasons working on without ever acknowledging that it's a TV show.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
gonna pin my little blog where i trawl library digital collections and traipse around with a camera to compare postcards (aspirational, semi-real) with the visible present
www.postcard-past.com
www.postcard-past.com
Postcard Past / Present Photo
Exploring power, culture, & the history of cities through present-day photo recreations of old postcards.
www.postcard-past.com
November 12, 2024 at 11:41 PM
gonna pin my little blog where i trawl library digital collections and traipse around with a camera to compare postcards (aspirational, semi-real) with the visible present
www.postcard-past.com
www.postcard-past.com
To all my friends who listened to The Sundays and never said a word to me about them: You're cut off.
This chorus is an all-timer. THOSE HORNS!
This chorus is an all-timer. THOSE HORNS!
The Sundays - Summertime
YouTube video by TheSundaysVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:31 PM
To all my friends who listened to The Sundays and never said a word to me about them: You're cut off.
This chorus is an all-timer. THOSE HORNS!
This chorus is an all-timer. THOSE HORNS!
I've never found the start-stop-continue framework useful. It feels wildly oversimplified to the point of meaninglessness.
November 26, 2025 at 9:24 PM
I've never found the start-stop-continue framework useful. It feels wildly oversimplified to the point of meaninglessness.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
Lots of thoughts about this but I think an important part of the conversation is: Why? Why do we care to answer this?
Okay, I hestitate to even share this link, because while I like NYMag I do not want to send this journalist in particular clicks, b ut:
If your framing is that an academic is the "dominant voice" and the underdogs are OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, maybe a fact check in is order??
>>
If your framing is that an academic is the "dominant voice" and the underdogs are OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, maybe a fact check in is order??
>>
Is ChatGPT Conscious?
Many users feel they’re talking to a real person. Scientists say it’s time to consider whether they’re onto something.
nymag.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Lots of thoughts about this but I think an important part of the conversation is: Why? Why do we care to answer this?
Obviously correlation is not causation and I have to read up on this study more to understand if it's specifically SFV or just that social media increasingly aspires to influence addictive behavior, but I will say that increased SFV was the beginning of the end of my honeymoon with these platforms.
Short-Form Video Linked to Worse Cognitive and Mental Health
Social media’s increasing use of algorithm-driven content that lasts only seconds may be worsening attention, inhibition, stress, and anxiety.
By Peter Simons
www.madinamerica.com/2025/11/shor...
Social media’s increasing use of algorithm-driven content that lasts only seconds may be worsening attention, inhibition, stress, and anxiety.
By Peter Simons
www.madinamerica.com/2025/11/shor...
Short-Form Video Linked to Worse Cognitive and Mental Health
Social media’s increasing use of algorithm-driven content that lasts only seconds may be worsening attention, inhibition, stress, and anxiety
www.madinamerica.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Obviously correlation is not causation and I have to read up on this study more to understand if it's specifically SFV or just that social media increasingly aspires to influence addictive behavior, but I will say that increased SFV was the beginning of the end of my honeymoon with these platforms.
Just learned that Joe Johnson never once averaged more than 17 PPG for the Nets and now I feel lost.
November 24, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Just learned that Joe Johnson never once averaged more than 17 PPG for the Nets and now I feel lost.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
One of my favorite things is getting to tell friends who are new to NYC that the subway "stand clear of the closing doors please" voice is a trans woman named Bernie Wagenblast and she's amazing.
November 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
One of my favorite things is getting to tell friends who are new to NYC that the subway "stand clear of the closing doors please" voice is a trans woman named Bernie Wagenblast and she's amazing.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
I dread the "is there anything AI can do to help here?" question, but now I dig it as a transference opportunity. My go-to is "I'm willing to try and not be responsible for the outcome." I'll try, but I will not be held responsible for AI "acting as" me. You own the experiment and your faith.
November 24, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I dread the "is there anything AI can do to help here?" question, but now I dig it as a transference opportunity. My go-to is "I'm willing to try and not be responsible for the outcome." I'll try, but I will not be held responsible for AI "acting as" me. You own the experiment and your faith.
I didn't realize that the WNBA lottery odds are based on the cumulative record across the past two seasons which seems like an incredibly smart way of doing things.
November 24, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I didn't realize that the WNBA lottery odds are based on the cumulative record across the past two seasons which seems like an incredibly smart way of doing things.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
From: The Demon (1972), dir. Kihachiro Kawamoto
November 23, 2025 at 2:59 AM
From: The Demon (1972), dir. Kihachiro Kawamoto
What if we reframed "Speed. Cost. Quality. Pick two." as "Speed. Cost. Quality. Sacrifice one." I suspect we'd be having much more honest conversations.
November 23, 2025 at 9:42 AM
What if we reframed "Speed. Cost. Quality. Pick two." as "Speed. Cost. Quality. Sacrifice one." I suspect we'd be having much more honest conversations.
This. Is. Sick.
My new poster artwork just dropped over @codacurates.com - in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary this week of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’
Grab as a screenprint here: www.codacurates.com/collections/...
Grab as a screenprint here: www.codacurates.com/collections/...
November 21, 2025 at 8:41 PM
This. Is. Sick.
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
"Can places like KXLU survive, when the tech pull [is] squarely in the opposite direction? 'One administrator can kill a college 📻station,” @katejewell.bsky.social said, while adding that she feels the health of such stations is strong [bc] DIY camaraderie + community feel so urgent..."
College Radio Keeps Its Cool
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
"Can places like KXLU survive, when the tech pull [is] squarely in the opposite direction? 'One administrator can kill a college 📻station,” @katejewell.bsky.social said, while adding that she feels the health of such stations is strong [bc] DIY camaraderie + community feel so urgent..."
Adopting a new strategy around the endless fundraising text messages I receive: Hoping we run out of phone numbers before I depart this mortal coil.
November 20, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Adopting a new strategy around the endless fundraising text messages I receive: Hoping we run out of phone numbers before I depart this mortal coil.
Wish I recorded a reaction video of me reading the manual for my turntable and discovering that I should have been replacing my cartridge every 400 listening hours
November 20, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Wish I recorded a reaction video of me reading the manual for my turntable and discovering that I should have been replacing my cartridge every 400 listening hours
Reposted by Alex Witkowski
Solange Knowles’ Saint Heron has launched a free digital archival library of literature by Black and brown authors, poets, and artists. Readers can borrow rare and out-of-print books for up to 45 days
Solange Opens Free Digital Library Of Rare Black Books
Solange has launched a digital library archive of Black and brown authors where readers can borrow books at no cost.
peopleofcolorintech.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Solange Knowles’ Saint Heron has launched a free digital archival library of literature by Black and brown authors, poets, and artists. Readers can borrow rare and out-of-print books for up to 45 days
My neighborhood used to have all of these charming hand-drawn flyers for garage sales and services and now 75% of them are that bulbous AI-generated comic style and regardless of your feelings on the future of (with?) AI, I'm not sure how to spin this flattening of expression as a positive thing.
is there a term we've all agreed on for the uncanny valley experience of reading something written by AI
November 17, 2025 at 7:51 PM
My neighborhood used to have all of these charming hand-drawn flyers for garage sales and services and now 75% of them are that bulbous AI-generated comic style and regardless of your feelings on the future of (with?) AI, I'm not sure how to spin this flattening of expression as a positive thing.
Will continue my journey as a world-class MPJ-hater unabated. He can average 50-20-20 for the rest of the season. He can lead the Nets to a championship. Doesn't matter to me. I can't bring even one cell in my body to root for this guy.
November 17, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Will continue my journey as a world-class MPJ-hater unabated. He can average 50-20-20 for the rest of the season. He can lead the Nets to a championship. Doesn't matter to me. I can't bring even one cell in my body to root for this guy.
I know the internet as a permanently free library of content and information was always a bit of a doomed promise, but it seems bonkers to me that it's okay for the very first result of a search to be an ad that has absolutely nothing to do with your search. That just feels wrong.
November 16, 2025 at 9:22 AM
I know the internet as a permanently free library of content and information was always a bit of a doomed promise, but it seems bonkers to me that it's okay for the very first result of a search to be an ad that has absolutely nothing to do with your search. That just feels wrong.