Edmund Schweppe
@edschweppe.bsky.social
Making software better, and making better software. Ex-ET1/SS USN. Beware the puns.
Also, make sure your images have alt text (turn on "require alt text before posting" under Settings/Accessibility); blowing off alt text is a great way to get blocked.
Also, make sure your images have alt text (turn on "require alt text before posting" under Settings/Accessibility); blowing off alt text is a great way to get blocked.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
a cancer nurse in a state I've never been to told messaged me and said that reading out Rice Truck aloud as it happened was the only day in her entire 14 year career on chemo ward that nobody cried and it's probably the best compliment I will ever get in my life
What is the best compliment you ever received? Putting aside whether or not you believed it.
November 27, 2025 at 1:21 PM
a cancer nurse in a state I've never been to told messaged me and said that reading out Rice Truck aloud as it happened was the only day in her entire 14 year career on chemo ward that nobody cried and it's probably the best compliment I will ever get in my life
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are on the Muppet Show tonight
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are on the Muppet Show tonight
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are on the Muppet Show tonight
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are on the Muppet Show tonight
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
AND supporting your local library is super important! If you actually DO want books to be available to everyone, the library *already exists* and is staffed by the people who are deep in the trenches of fighting censorship! Supporting the library is doing actual good for your community!
TAPS SCREEN
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
Just saw someone claim that authors who want to be paid for their work are "class traitors" because we "only let the wealthy" read our books, and I think I need to go into the woods to scream into the night for a bit.
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
November 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
AND supporting your local library is super important! If you actually DO want books to be available to everyone, the library *already exists* and is staffed by the people who are deep in the trenches of fighting censorship! Supporting the library is doing actual good for your community!
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Q: Why did Donald Trump bury Ivana on one of his golf courses?
A: So he could still cheat on her.
A: So he could still cheat on her.
November 26, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Q: Why did Donald Trump bury Ivana on one of his golf courses?
A: So he could still cheat on her.
A: So he could still cheat on her.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
"Let me get this straight. Your lab has bred a dragon?"
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
November 26, 2025 at 2:41 PM
"Let me get this straight. Your lab has bred a dragon?"
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
The United States of America is the richest country in the history of the world. It is time for us to make good on the statement that health care is a basic human right.
We need health care for everyone. I’m staying in that fight all the way.
We need health care for everyone. I’m staying in that fight all the way.
November 26, 2025 at 1:19 AM
The United States of America is the richest country in the history of the world. It is time for us to make good on the statement that health care is a basic human right.
We need health care for everyone. I’m staying in that fight all the way.
We need health care for everyone. I’m staying in that fight all the way.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Machiavelli: It is better to be feared than loved, but you must absolutely avoid being *hated.*
So many forget that last part.
So many forget that last part.
It is a bit alarming, when rereading Machiavelli's The Prince, that it lands as reportage rather than political theory. However, I find great comfort in the fact that they are really effing it up.
November 26, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Machiavelli: It is better to be feared than loved, but you must absolutely avoid being *hated.*
So many forget that last part.
So many forget that last part.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
New story with The Vertigo Project! Advice for Wormhole Travelers: a little help for when you find yourself in another, weirder world! vertigoproject.co.uk/files/2025/1...
vertigoproject.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:20 AM
New story with The Vertigo Project! Advice for Wormhole Travelers: a little help for when you find yourself in another, weirder world! vertigoproject.co.uk/files/2025/1...
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
"What are you working on?"
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
November 23, 2025 at 4:10 PM
"What are you working on?"
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
I put the soldering iron on its stand and inspected my work.
"A time travel receiver. I figured out the machine can't travel in time itself."
"Do you have a transmitter too?"
I plugged the power in. "Not yet."
A newspaper appeared in the machine.
"I will, next year."
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
I paused, out of breath. The Void had taken all my frustrated screaming and absorbed it.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I paused, out of breath. The Void had taken all my frustrated screaming and absorbed it.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You must have heard all this before, countless times."
'only you,' said the Void, 'scream your frustration like you do'
I took a deep breath to resume, then smiled.
"Thanks."
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Someone bought a bunch of the turkeys and hams at our local grocery in town and told the manager to make them available for free to folks that need them. There’s a whole freezer case with a sign on it that just says “If you need one take one, if you don’t then leave it for someone else.”
November 24, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Someone bought a bunch of the turkeys and hams at our local grocery in town and told the manager to make them available for free to folks that need them. There’s a whole freezer case with a sign on it that just says “If you need one take one, if you don’t then leave it for someone else.”
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
In the early days of DOGE I spoke to developers Musk had parachuted into the IRS and the FAA, each telling me they expected to rewrite the core software of both agencies within a year or two.
It would be amusing to speak to them again.
It would be amusing to speak to them again.
DOGE is no more, and in its wake, only chaos
DOGE is no more, and in its wake, only chaos
After Musk was chased out of DC, a power vacuum at the head of DOGE caused chaos and ultimately led to its dissolution.
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 12:59 AM
In the early days of DOGE I spoke to developers Musk had parachuted into the IRS and the FAA, each telling me they expected to rewrite the core software of both agencies within a year or two.
It would be amusing to speak to them again.
It would be amusing to speak to them again.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Here in Boston, we believe in scientific evidence. We are a trustworthy source of public health information, and we will continue to disseminate accurate information to our local communities because that is what they deserve.
Learn more on boston.gov, mass.gov, or aap.org.
Learn more on boston.gov, mass.gov, or aap.org.
November 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Here in Boston, we believe in scientific evidence. We are a trustworthy source of public health information, and we will continue to disseminate accurate information to our local communities because that is what they deserve.
Learn more on boston.gov, mass.gov, or aap.org.
Learn more on boston.gov, mass.gov, or aap.org.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Saw a post where someone pointed out that a judge at Nuremberg rejected “just following orders”
and sentenced people to death by firing squad and that’s just not right.
Most if not all death sentences from Nuremberg trials were hangings.
Because firing squads were for soldiers, not criminals.
and sentenced people to death by firing squad and that’s just not right.
Most if not all death sentences from Nuremberg trials were hangings.
Because firing squads were for soldiers, not criminals.
November 22, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Saw a post where someone pointed out that a judge at Nuremberg rejected “just following orders”
and sentenced people to death by firing squad and that’s just not right.
Most if not all death sentences from Nuremberg trials were hangings.
Because firing squads were for soldiers, not criminals.
and sentenced people to death by firing squad and that’s just not right.
Most if not all death sentences from Nuremberg trials were hangings.
Because firing squads were for soldiers, not criminals.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
I shall be posting this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two posts diverged on my screen, and I—
I took the bait, I hit reply,
And that has made zero difference.
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two posts diverged on my screen, and I—
I took the bait, I hit reply,
And that has made zero difference.
November 20, 2025 at 11:03 PM
I shall be posting this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two posts diverged on my screen, and I—
I took the bait, I hit reply,
And that has made zero difference.
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two posts diverged on my screen, and I—
I took the bait, I hit reply,
And that has made zero difference.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Donald Trump's violent threats toward Democratic members of Congress who served our nation in the military are reprehensible and dangerous.
'HANG THEM': Trump Boosts Message Calling For Executing Democrats In Congress
In a series of unhinged social media posts, he also called it “punishable by DEATH” that lawmakers released a video urging military service members to disobey unlawful orders.
www.huffpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Donald Trump's violent threats toward Democratic members of Congress who served our nation in the military are reprehensible and dangerous.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
In a new phase 3 trial, people randomly assigned to receive a flu shot made with modified mRNA were 34.5% less likely to be diagnosed with an influenza-like illness than people given a standard flu shot made with inactivated virus.
We need to stop the anti-science attacks against mRNA vaccines!
We need to stop the anti-science attacks against mRNA vaccines!
November 20, 2025 at 1:03 AM
In a new phase 3 trial, people randomly assigned to receive a flu shot made with modified mRNA were 34.5% less likely to be diagnosed with an influenza-like illness than people given a standard flu shot made with inactivated virus.
We need to stop the anti-science attacks against mRNA vaccines!
We need to stop the anti-science attacks against mRNA vaccines!
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
If judges understand that shadow docket orders are hardly worth the paper they’re printed on, they can be less constrained by the reckless decision-making of the Supreme Court.
Judges Are Finding Ways to Deal With the Supreme Court’s Disastrous Shadow Docket
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis....
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
If judges understand that shadow docket orders are hardly worth the paper they’re printed on, they can be less constrained by the reckless decision-making of the Supreme Court.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
The witch made him hot chocolate.
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
November 18, 2025 at 7:50 PM
The witch made him hot chocolate.
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
"They say I'm strong," he said. "And I am."
He took a sip.
"They say I can overcome any hardship."
"Mm," said the witch.
"And I can. I do."
The witch said nothing.
"But I shouldn't have to!"
"No."
The witch held the hero as he wept.
"No, you shouldn't."
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Quick cartoon. I was hoping to stay unplugged this week but I saw some news and had to take a break to draw this out. I think we all needed to see it realized.
November 18, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Quick cartoon. I was hoping to stay unplugged this week but I saw some news and had to take a break to draw this out. I think we all needed to see it realized.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
One girl said “it doesn’t matter if you ban a book because everyone can find that information online” and then I blew their minds by talking about how your search history can be monitored and sold to the government without your permission, but your library borrowing history requires a warrant.
November 18, 2025 at 1:26 AM
One girl said “it doesn’t matter if you ban a book because everyone can find that information online” and then I blew their minds by talking about how your search history can be monitored and sold to the government without your permission, but your library borrowing history requires a warrant.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
Less than 24 hours after the shutdown ended, every dollar in SNAP benefits owed to Massachusetts families was loaded onto their EBT cards.
That only happened because of the incredible, around-the-clock work of the DTA team. In Massachusetts, we take care of each other.
That only happened because of the incredible, around-the-clock work of the DTA team. In Massachusetts, we take care of each other.
November 18, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Less than 24 hours after the shutdown ended, every dollar in SNAP benefits owed to Massachusetts families was loaded onto their EBT cards.
That only happened because of the incredible, around-the-clock work of the DTA team. In Massachusetts, we take care of each other.
That only happened because of the incredible, around-the-clock work of the DTA team. In Massachusetts, we take care of each other.
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
"There's... er..." My new assistant bookseller faltered.
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
November 17, 2025 at 5:25 PM
"There's... er..." My new assistant bookseller faltered.
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
Over by the window, an open book hovered. As I looked, a page turned.
I picked up my hag stone and peered through it.
"Just a ghost. That's a relief."
"What else..."
"Imps, devils, people with invisibility spells. The last are worst."
Reposted by Edmund Schweppe
"Public media's been truly innovative in reaching underserved audiences. It was [a] public TV station that first invented closed captioning in the 1970s."
Thanks for the Last Week Tonight shout-out, John Oliver!
Thanks for the Last Week Tonight shout-out, John Oliver!
November 17, 2025 at 5:36 PM
"Public media's been truly innovative in reaching underserved audiences. It was [a] public TV station that first invented closed captioning in the 1970s."
Thanks for the Last Week Tonight shout-out, John Oliver!
Thanks for the Last Week Tonight shout-out, John Oliver!