ersatzGrace
@ersatzgrace.bsky.social
IA/UXer, always thinking, often making. systems delight.
www.lenthic.com
www.smudgingthebinary.com
www.lenthic.com
www.smudgingthebinary.com
She says no to the world this morning.
December 13, 2025 at 1:21 PM
She says no to the world this morning.
how many other people chase learning curves because they want that sweet, sweet systems thinking?
December 13, 2025 at 12:04 PM
how many other people chase learning curves because they want that sweet, sweet systems thinking?
Reposted by ersatzGrace
1. For at least 10 years, Pepsi has conspired with Walmart to force up grocery prices. That’s the shocking evidence made public today in an unsealed FTC lawsuit. The suit was abandoned in May by the Trump FTC just before it was to be un-redacted. We went to court to get it unsealed & won.
December 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
1. For at least 10 years, Pepsi has conspired with Walmart to force up grocery prices. That’s the shocking evidence made public today in an unsealed FTC lawsuit. The suit was abandoned in May by the Trump FTC just before it was to be un-redacted. We went to court to get it unsealed & won.
I dream of a society where we're more likely to decide, "eh, live and let live" for differences instead of trying to make them suffer and/or die.
December 10, 2025 at 12:20 PM
I dream of a society where we're more likely to decide, "eh, live and let live" for differences instead of trying to make them suffer and/or die.
It is somewhat alarming "still need to eat" is becoming so prevalent as the phrase for affordability -- like all the other corners have been cut, this is the next thing to go.
Are we tired of wealth disparity yet?
Are we tired of wealth disparity yet?
December 9, 2025 at 1:52 PM
It is somewhat alarming "still need to eat" is becoming so prevalent as the phrase for affordability -- like all the other corners have been cut, this is the next thing to go.
Are we tired of wealth disparity yet?
Are we tired of wealth disparity yet?
Reposted by ersatzGrace
HOLD UP. Trump wants his business buddies to takeover CNN because he doesn’t like the network’s fact based news coverage? That is some straight up North Korea dictator bullsh*t. We should all be appalled & doing everything we can to stop Trump & the Ellison’s from another state tv takeover.
If you think Paramount is just trying to buy Warner Brothers so Ellison can stop CNN from criticizing Trump… you’re right!
www.wsj.com/business/med...
www.wsj.com/business/med...
December 9, 2025 at 4:50 AM
HOLD UP. Trump wants his business buddies to takeover CNN because he doesn’t like the network’s fact based news coverage? That is some straight up North Korea dictator bullsh*t. We should all be appalled & doing everything we can to stop Trump & the Ellison’s from another state tv takeover.
So let's also work to normalize what we currently think is the status quo:
* survival is not a grudge match
* your actions are the ONLY signal of badness
* you have options even beyond the multiple choice, AND society matters so you can't expect everyone else to do what you say; live and let live
* survival is not a grudge match
* your actions are the ONLY signal of badness
* you have options even beyond the multiple choice, AND society matters so you can't expect everyone else to do what you say; live and let live
What started out as an extreme viewpoint that a relatively small (but vocal) group of people espoused became institutionalized over the course of a couple years. Kids adapt quickly. So, after a few years of it being what was approved in primary/middle school, kids went along with it.
December 9, 2025 at 11:42 AM
So let's also work to normalize what we currently think is the status quo:
* survival is not a grudge match
* your actions are the ONLY signal of badness
* you have options even beyond the multiple choice, AND society matters so you can't expect everyone else to do what you say; live and let live
* survival is not a grudge match
* your actions are the ONLY signal of badness
* you have options even beyond the multiple choice, AND society matters so you can't expect everyone else to do what you say; live and let live
Reposted by ersatzGrace
More than 200 environmental groups want Congress to halt development of new data centers in the U.S., citing energy and water consumption: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
More than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US datacenters
Exclusive: Congress urged to act against energy-hungry facilities blamed for increasing bills and worsening climate crisis
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:53 PM
More than 200 environmental groups want Congress to halt development of new data centers in the U.S., citing energy and water consumption: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
The replacement phrase for "walked uphill! both ways!" just might be "it worked! reliably and repeatedly!"
December 8, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The replacement phrase for "walked uphill! both ways!" just might be "it worked! reliably and repeatedly!"
Wrote my understanding of the floor/ceiling because I want to be able to share and refer to it more easily. 😉
Broadly the same as the post here from a couple days ago.
Broadly the same as the post here from a couple days ago.
Economic floors and ceilings
We need to have both if we intend to have a democracy.
Think about the economy like water: it flows and spreads to fill the nooks.
The below breaks, percents, and distribution is per the 1Q 2025 FRE...
www.smudgingthebinary.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Wrote my understanding of the floor/ceiling because I want to be able to share and refer to it more easily. 😉
Broadly the same as the post here from a couple days ago.
Broadly the same as the post here from a couple days ago.
what if we rebrand genAI/LLM's as 'chaos engines'?
genAI is getting on my nerves*. LLM's are too easy to "oops, meant ML's". And it *is* a chaos engine, shoving data into a black box, shaking it, and releasing whatever statistical thing makes it through, hallucinations and all.
genAI is getting on my nerves*. LLM's are too easy to "oops, meant ML's". And it *is* a chaos engine, shoving data into a black box, shaking it, and releasing whatever statistical thing makes it through, hallucinations and all.
December 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM
what if we rebrand genAI/LLM's as 'chaos engines'?
genAI is getting on my nerves*. LLM's are too easy to "oops, meant ML's". And it *is* a chaos engine, shoving data into a black box, shaking it, and releasing whatever statistical thing makes it through, hallucinations and all.
genAI is getting on my nerves*. LLM's are too easy to "oops, meant ML's". And it *is* a chaos engine, shoving data into a black box, shaking it, and releasing whatever statistical thing makes it through, hallucinations and all.
Been thinking about marketing, and as per my norm brought in my info lens. Turns out it highlights much of what I'm worried about in general with information right now.
Open access on LI (www.linkedin.com/posts/angmad...)
or behind free membership. It's a bit of logic, and I tier for that. 🙃
Open access on LI (www.linkedin.com/posts/angmad...)
or behind free membership. It's a bit of logic, and I tier for that. 🙃
Marketing through the lens of information spread
www.smudgingthebinary.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Been thinking about marketing, and as per my norm brought in my info lens. Turns out it highlights much of what I'm worried about in general with information right now.
Open access on LI (www.linkedin.com/posts/angmad...)
or behind free membership. It's a bit of logic, and I tier for that. 🙃
Open access on LI (www.linkedin.com/posts/angmad...)
or behind free membership. It's a bit of logic, and I tier for that. 🙃
I know I'm late for the whole "floor, ceiling" thing, but seriously: it's the wrong approach. There has to be a ceiling.
Think about the economy like water: it flows and spreads to fill the nooks.
Think about the economy like water: it flows and spreads to fill the nooks.
December 1, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I know I'm late for the whole "floor, ceiling" thing, but seriously: it's the wrong approach. There has to be a ceiling.
Think about the economy like water: it flows and spreads to fill the nooks.
Think about the economy like water: it flows and spreads to fill the nooks.
All the mainstream frameworks failing? Explain what's happening with information (AI, DOGE, social media, restructuring education -- as the top contenders) by evoking the magical thinking already appreciated. 😉
More editorial in the alt text (after the important bit of the text of the image).
More editorial in the alt text (after the important bit of the text of the image).
November 27, 2025 at 12:08 PM
All the mainstream frameworks failing? Explain what's happening with information (AI, DOGE, social media, restructuring education -- as the top contenders) by evoking the magical thinking already appreciated. 😉
More editorial in the alt text (after the important bit of the text of the image).
More editorial in the alt text (after the important bit of the text of the image).
Reposted by ersatzGrace
BBC censors a lecture removing author’s remarks on Trump that refer to him a the most openly corrupt American president.
November 25, 2025 at 1:23 PM
BBC censors a lecture removing author’s remarks on Trump that refer to him a the most openly corrupt American president.
The hope-filled bet is that more of humanity wants function and joy. The status quo heightens to more domination and reduced agency.
Hope isn't a palliative, but a reason to reach and do something.
Hope isn't a palliative, but a reason to reach and do something.
November 25, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The hope-filled bet is that more of humanity wants function and joy. The status quo heightens to more domination and reduced agency.
Hope isn't a palliative, but a reason to reach and do something.
Hope isn't a palliative, but a reason to reach and do something.
Our information is disintegrating. It's been going on for over a decade, it's getting faster, and it has tendrils into everything and everyone I care about. And yet: it's information. Information has always been how I got myself out of pickles.
How do we fix it? First, understand the context.
How do we fix it? First, understand the context.
November 24, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Our information is disintegrating. It's been going on for over a decade, it's getting faster, and it has tendrils into everything and everyone I care about. And yet: it's information. Information has always been how I got myself out of pickles.
How do we fix it? First, understand the context.
How do we fix it? First, understand the context.
* slow down
* remember mechanics
* turn to thinking models
* check trailing info
* thinking > memory
* anger does some shit (avoid the assholes)
* buddy up
www.smudgingthebinary.com/start-here/
* remember mechanics
* turn to thinking models
* check trailing info
* thinking > memory
* anger does some shit (avoid the assholes)
* buddy up
www.smudgingthebinary.com/start-here/
start here
Information
Maybe it's the coolest thing ever.
Then again, it's kinda big, isn't it? Kinda gnarly, in the gnarled-haunted-tree kind of way? Convoluted so badly it's hard to tell backwards from forwa...
www.smudgingthebinary.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:27 AM
* slow down
* remember mechanics
* turn to thinking models
* check trailing info
* thinking > memory
* anger does some shit (avoid the assholes)
* buddy up
www.smudgingthebinary.com/start-here/
* remember mechanics
* turn to thinking models
* check trailing info
* thinking > memory
* anger does some shit (avoid the assholes)
* buddy up
www.smudgingthebinary.com/start-here/
Reposted by ersatzGrace
“LLMs aren’t going away” statements are wishes, not predictions, that they’re trying to make happen. Treat them as advocacy for a specific future, not observations of inevitability
November 20, 2025 at 4:21 PM
“LLMs aren’t going away” statements are wishes, not predictions, that they’re trying to make happen. Treat them as advocacy for a specific future, not observations of inevitability
Every day there's someone, somewhere, who wants to co-opt your brain, your ethics, your identity/self-image, your work. They want to change the information that influences you to be you, so you do what they want.
1) donate to wikipedia, it's one of humanity's best info experiments yet
2)
1) donate to wikipedia, it's one of humanity's best info experiments yet
2)
Garbage in, garbage out
Our ongoing formulation of what-is truth
Truth is hard. It’s ultimately a binary state attributed to a complex compilation and interpretation of a set of data and information. It’s leveraged as a spr...
www.smudgingthebinary.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Every day there's someone, somewhere, who wants to co-opt your brain, your ethics, your identity/self-image, your work. They want to change the information that influences you to be you, so you do what they want.
1) donate to wikipedia, it's one of humanity's best info experiments yet
2)
1) donate to wikipedia, it's one of humanity's best info experiments yet
2)
The conversation should have ended at 'copyright infringement'. But since it hasn't, think about what other process obfuscates where an information trove comes from, and makes it hard to impossible to trace it back while trying to make it look legitimate.
November 19, 2025 at 7:11 PM
The conversation should have ended at 'copyright infringement'. But since it hasn't, think about what other process obfuscates where an information trove comes from, and makes it hard to impossible to trace it back while trying to make it look legitimate.
Fourth concept has been published!
Names are so important, both to identity and culture. And really complex from a data point of view -- there's nigh infinite possible patterns. But still a way through it. 😉
www.smudgingthebinary.com/names-they-a...
Names are so important, both to identity and culture. And really complex from a data point of view -- there's nigh infinite possible patterns. But still a way through it. 😉
www.smudgingthebinary.com/names-they-a...
Names: they are culture and identity maps, not a rose
Big picture goals: remove top-down dictat; enable cultural expression, individual evolution, and long-term pattern emergence.
Remember guideline #2: Don't be the asshole.
"A rose by any other name s...
www.smudgingthebinary.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Fourth concept has been published!
Names are so important, both to identity and culture. And really complex from a data point of view -- there's nigh infinite possible patterns. But still a way through it. 😉
www.smudgingthebinary.com/names-they-a...
Names are so important, both to identity and culture. And really complex from a data point of view -- there's nigh infinite possible patterns. But still a way through it. 😉
www.smudgingthebinary.com/names-they-a...