Joe
@elusivethought.bsky.social
Absurdist and deeply passionate student of the music of life. Fascinated by #deeptime, #mythology, #sciencefiction, #nature, and #craftbeer.
(He/him) | NB Cis Masc | Pagan ΘΔ 🐺🦊
(He/him) | NB Cis Masc | Pagan ΘΔ 🐺🦊
My friend alerted me of this and while I approve of this line of work, I also feel like this particular loophole gets closed in the most humanly catastrophic way possible, i.e. Waymos that automatically close their doors without sensors to check if a passenger is in the way.
February 13, 2026 at 3:58 AM
My friend alerted me of this and while I approve of this line of work, I also feel like this particular loophole gets closed in the most humanly catastrophic way possible, i.e. Waymos that automatically close their doors without sensors to check if a passenger is in the way.
Reposted by Joe
Pam Bondi brought a document to the Judiciary Committee today that had my search history of the Epstein files on it.
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. It’s a disgrace and I won’t stand for it.
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. It’s a disgrace and I won’t stand for it.
February 12, 2026 at 1:14 AM
Pam Bondi brought a document to the Judiciary Committee today that had my search history of the Epstein files on it.
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. It’s a disgrace and I won’t stand for it.
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. It’s a disgrace and I won’t stand for it.
Reposted by Joe
perhaps this is another way Fukuyama will be proved right: you CAN sort of end history if you impoverish and lay off pretty much everyone tasked with both reporting on current events and contextualizing those events into coherent form.
another way uncontrolled LLM use will eat up the seed corn.
another way uncontrolled LLM use will eat up the seed corn.
February 11, 2026 at 8:35 PM
perhaps this is another way Fukuyama will be proved right: you CAN sort of end history if you impoverish and lay off pretty much everyone tasked with both reporting on current events and contextualizing those events into coherent form.
another way uncontrolled LLM use will eat up the seed corn.
another way uncontrolled LLM use will eat up the seed corn.
Reposted by Joe
Microsoft, Google, Meta and Amazon paying influencers $400k-$600k to post months of AI hype content. Absolutely busted, failed industry, embarrassing era
www.cnbc.com/2026/02/06/g...
www.cnbc.com/2026/02/06/g...
Google and Microsoft offer lucrative deals to promote AI, but even $500,000 won't sway some creators
Tech companies including Google and Microsoft are paying influencers hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote AI products.
www.cnbc.com
February 11, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Microsoft, Google, Meta and Amazon paying influencers $400k-$600k to post months of AI hype content. Absolutely busted, failed industry, embarrassing era
www.cnbc.com/2026/02/06/g...
www.cnbc.com/2026/02/06/g...
"Have you eked out some small piece of tangible net worth? How about you trade it off for some speculative digital POGs?"
Just saw a fucking YouTube ad for Horizon, a company that promised to convert your home equity into Bitcoin, which has dropped nearly 50% in value since October. I know the world is crazy fucked but i just cannot believe this shit is legal
February 11, 2026 at 5:53 PM
"Have you eked out some small piece of tangible net worth? How about you trade it off for some speculative digital POGs?"
I would readily vote for the candidate that puts the thumbscrews on every 'fun', 'exciting' form of gambling that are just legalized insider trading and money laundering.
February 11, 2026 at 3:38 PM
I would readily vote for the candidate that puts the thumbscrews on every 'fun', 'exciting' form of gambling that are just legalized insider trading and money laundering.
Reposted by Joe
When a sitting representative refers to the Super Bowl halftime show as “pornography,” people should use that to reflect on how they and other representatives are simultaneously working to ban, censor, and restrict “pornography” and what that actually means
February 10, 2026 at 6:52 PM
When a sitting representative refers to the Super Bowl halftime show as “pornography,” people should use that to reflect on how they and other representatives are simultaneously working to ban, censor, and restrict “pornography” and what that actually means
Reposted by Joe
the actual Republican parents who support the politicians pushing for this think the effort and money they spent parenting are wasted if their kids turn out different from them.
You eliminate that possibility by eliminating the public existence of other kinds of people.
You eliminate that possibility by eliminating the public existence of other kinds of people.
This might be a hot take, but if parents are so concerned about what their kids see online, then they should actually do some damn parenting themselves instead of campaigning for governments to make things worse for everyone.
February 10, 2026 at 9:52 AM
the actual Republican parents who support the politicians pushing for this think the effort and money they spent parenting are wasted if their kids turn out different from them.
You eliminate that possibility by eliminating the public existence of other kinds of people.
You eliminate that possibility by eliminating the public existence of other kinds of people.
I do think the timetable for the primacy of 'age-verification we definitely aren't going to use for data harvesting' is fairly sus given it falls close in with their attempts to launch an IPO.
Every business right now thinks its such an essential part of your life that you'd give them anything to keep using it and brother I am here to tell you I don't need a chat app that bad
Discord will soon require face scans or ID for all users, or restrict access
February 10, 2026 at 4:03 PM
I do think the timetable for the primacy of 'age-verification we definitely aren't going to use for data harvesting' is fairly sus given it falls close in with their attempts to launch an IPO.
XTC - Making Plans For Nigel 1979 (Official Video) ᴴᴰ
YouTube video by MrVideodisasterz
youtu.be
February 9, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Just watched a Clydesdale raise a Bald Eagle in a commercial.
I think I am now vaccinated against the Woke Mind Virus.
I think I am now vaccinated against the Woke Mind Virus.
February 9, 2026 at 2:10 AM
Just watched a Clydesdale raise a Bald Eagle in a commercial.
I think I am now vaccinated against the Woke Mind Virus.
I think I am now vaccinated against the Woke Mind Virus.
Reposted by Joe
This is excellent & draws out something the rest of the media is ignoring: among other things, the Epstein files have made it super, super clear that the entire "anti-woke" cultural hysteria was engineered by powerful men averse to accountability.
I wrote about the Epstein files (gift link) www.theverge.com/tech/874721/...
How the men in the Epstein files defeated #MeToo
The emails show the “anti-woke” crusaders are afraid of accountability.
www.theverge.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:46 PM
This is excellent & draws out something the rest of the media is ignoring: among other things, the Epstein files have made it super, super clear that the entire "anti-woke" cultural hysteria was engineered by powerful men averse to accountability.
The US is a pariah state at present, the world knows, the American people deserve to know, but that's 'politics.'
NBC appears to cut crowd’s booing of JD Vance from Winter Olympics broadcast
JD Vance was greeted by a chorus of boos when he appeared at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday, although American viewers watching NBC’s coverage would have been unaware of the reception.
JD Vance was greeted by a chorus of boos when he appeared at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday, although American viewers watching NBC’s coverage would have been unaware of the reception.
NBC appears to cut crowd’s booing of JD Vance from Winter Olympics broadcast
The US vice-president, JD Vance, was greeted by a chorus of boos during when he appeared at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:28 AM
The US is a pariah state at present, the world knows, the American people deserve to know, but that's 'politics.'
Reposted by Joe
If you're building a startup in 2026, you are expected to work with the world's largest venture capital firm (which is not even really a VC firm), where one partner strangled my neighbor to death for being Black, and another actively sought Jeffrey Epstein's counsel for years. This is *normal*.
February 6, 2026 at 10:44 PM
If you're building a startup in 2026, you are expected to work with the world's largest venture capital firm (which is not even really a VC firm), where one partner strangled my neighbor to death for being Black, and another actively sought Jeffrey Epstein's counsel for years. This is *normal*.
When actively fucking up peoples' lives is a fun little sidequest.
When you hear of a billionaire losing money on a pricey hobby or side business — whether it's a race horse or a newspaper — remember that those losses can actually create huge write-offs that let the ultrarich get away with paying little or no income tax.
(Published 2021)
(Published 2021)
When You’re a Billionaire, Your Hobbies Can Slash Your Tax Bill
Thoroughbred horses, auto racing, massive ranches, luxury hotels. The hobbies and side businesses of the ultrawealthy create huge write-offs that can let them get away with paying little or no income ...
www.propublica.org
February 7, 2026 at 4:08 AM
When actively fucking up peoples' lives is a fun little sidequest.
New philosophy piece on my blog, feel free to read if you so wish.
I wanted to discuss the dangers in substituting intellectual truth for our own emotional biases.
elusivethought.beehiiv.com/p/real-and-i...
#philosophy #morality #ethics
I wanted to discuss the dangers in substituting intellectual truth for our own emotional biases.
elusivethought.beehiiv.com/p/real-and-i...
#philosophy #morality #ethics
February 6, 2026 at 11:31 PM
New philosophy piece on my blog, feel free to read if you so wish.
I wanted to discuss the dangers in substituting intellectual truth for our own emotional biases.
elusivethought.beehiiv.com/p/real-and-i...
#philosophy #morality #ethics
I wanted to discuss the dangers in substituting intellectual truth for our own emotional biases.
elusivethought.beehiiv.com/p/real-and-i...
#philosophy #morality #ethics
Reposted by Joe
Name them
shame them
shame them
February 5, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Name them
shame them
shame them
"Hey ChatGPT, what are ten seemingly effective but meaningless suggestions because I don't think it's politically expedient to just say Abolish ICE?"
SENATE AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE UNITED ON REINING IN THE ABUSES OF ICE
Americans have watched in horror as ICE has terrorized communities across the country
Federal agents can’t continue to cause chaos in our cities while more Americans are killed
We must rein in ICE
Here’s what we're demanding:
Americans have watched in horror as ICE has terrorized communities across the country
Federal agents can’t continue to cause chaos in our cities while more Americans are killed
We must rein in ICE
Here’s what we're demanding:
February 5, 2026 at 6:32 AM
"Hey ChatGPT, what are ten seemingly effective but meaningless suggestions because I don't think it's politically expedient to just say Abolish ICE?"
The dumbest people wrapped in the guise of smart people have found a way to demonstrate they are dumber than you thought.
I've written about Moltbook, and how ridiculous the reaction has been to a group of LLMs sending prompts back and forth.
"This is as interesting and threatening as a bunch of Speak & Spells in an echoey parking lot."
kotaku.com/moltbook-ai-...
"This is as interesting and threatening as a bunch of Speak & Spells in an echoey parking lot."
kotaku.com/moltbook-ai-...
The 'Reddit For AI' Site Is Not A Robot Uprising, It's Nothing At All
Moltbook is a bunch of mindless LLMs sending each prompts, and not the singularity
kotaku.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:33 PM
The dumbest people wrapped in the guise of smart people have found a way to demonstrate they are dumber than you thought.
Not very complicated, no matter how much some people try to obfuscate it.
This country isn’t divided between Democrats and Republicans. It’s divided between wealthy people who think it’s fine to do whatever it takes to amass money and power—including sucking up to known pedophiles for access to the elite— and the rest of us suckers who are not amoral monsters.
February 3, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Not very complicated, no matter how much some people try to obfuscate it.
Reposted by Joe
Definitely seems like they destroyed the country on purpose.
February 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Definitely seems like they destroyed the country on purpose.
It also begs the question of whose decision it was before now that full disclosure on many of these subjects wasn't in the public's best interests.
Because that was clearly a discretion that shielded vile people from repercussions.
Because that was clearly a discretion that shielded vile people from repercussions.
“Shocks the conscience”
At BEST they knew what Epstein was and didn’t care. At worst they participated.
Yet even now speaker Johnson and the gop don’t care.
At BEST they knew what Epstein was and didn’t care. At worst they participated.
Yet even now speaker Johnson and the gop don’t care.
February 2, 2026 at 5:03 PM
It also begs the question of whose decision it was before now that full disclosure on many of these subjects wasn't in the public's best interests.
Because that was clearly a discretion that shielded vile people from repercussions.
Because that was clearly a discretion that shielded vile people from repercussions.
Reposted by Joe
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Google to pay $68 million over allegations its voice assistant eavesdropped on users
Class-action lawsuit alleged that Google's voice assistant illegally recorded and shared private conversations with advertisers.
www.cbsnews.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
The reality of the situation starts to resemble a perverse form of Three Card Monte.
Lie to the investors about gains experienced through AI, cut labor costs based on perception of this lie, even as user experience deteriorates due to objective reality of fewer staff caught up in the same workload.
Lie to the investors about gains experienced through AI, cut labor costs based on perception of this lie, even as user experience deteriorates due to objective reality of fewer staff caught up in the same workload.
motivation for this rebranding of job cuts appears to be investor relations The report notes that attributing staff reductions to AI adoption “conveys a more positive message to investors” than admitting to traditional business failures, such as weak consumer demand or excessive hiring in the past.
January 31, 2026 at 10:45 PM
The reality of the situation starts to resemble a perverse form of Three Card Monte.
Lie to the investors about gains experienced through AI, cut labor costs based on perception of this lie, even as user experience deteriorates due to objective reality of fewer staff caught up in the same workload.
Lie to the investors about gains experienced through AI, cut labor costs based on perception of this lie, even as user experience deteriorates due to objective reality of fewer staff caught up in the same workload.