Gavin Brown
@gavinbrown.xyz
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Reposted by Gavin Brown
When I’m accused of “technopessimism“ I counter that I’m not “pessimistic about technology“; I am opposed to the economic, political, and social project of upward wealth transfer that “AI” is being leveraged to bring about. If that phrasing is useful to others, then go ahead and use it.
September 30, 2025 at 10:04 PM
When I’m accused of “technopessimism“ I counter that I’m not “pessimistic about technology“; I am opposed to the economic, political, and social project of upward wealth transfer that “AI” is being leveraged to bring about. If that phrasing is useful to others, then go ahead and use it.
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Takes a few seconds and this is definitely needed so please do your bit.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy
We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...
petition.parliament.uk
November 28, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Takes a few seconds and this is definitely needed so please do your bit.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Reposted by Gavin Brown
“6-7” belongs in the dictionary, actually
In defense of @dictionarycom.bsky.social's Word of the Year
Website: linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/67/
Substack: linguisticdiscovery.substack.com/p/67
In defense of @dictionarycom.bsky.social's Word of the Year
Website: linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/67/
Substack: linguisticdiscovery.substack.com/p/67
November 22, 2025 at 8:54 PM
“6-7” belongs in the dictionary, actually
In defense of @dictionarycom.bsky.social's Word of the Year
Website: linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/67/
Substack: linguisticdiscovery.substack.com/p/67
In defense of @dictionarycom.bsky.social's Word of the Year
Website: linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/67/
Substack: linguisticdiscovery.substack.com/p/67
It... wasn't DNS blog.cloudflare.com/18-november-...
Cloudflare outage on November 18, 2025
Cloudflare suffered a service outage on November 18, 2025. The outage was triggered by a bug in generation logic for a Bot Management feature file causing many Cloudflare services to be affected.
blog.cloudflare.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:14 AM
It... wasn't DNS blog.cloudflare.com/18-november-...
Reposted by Gavin Brown
During this cloudflare outage, let me supply you with this wisdom of the ages: “single point of failure” can be sung to the tune of “all the single ladies”
November 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
During this cloudflare outage, let me supply you with this wisdom of the ages: “single point of failure” can be sung to the tune of “all the single ladies”
RDAP.org was supposed to have maintenance today (to switch to a new backend) but it seems like Cloudflare is having a moment, so the maintenance window will be postponed until things settle down...
RDAP.org
November 18, 2025 at 11:48 AM
RDAP.org was supposed to have maintenance today (to switch to a new backend) but it seems like Cloudflare is having a moment, so the maintenance window will be postponed until things settle down...
Reposted by Gavin Brown
London is also diverse. It's hugely multicultural, and it's a largely tolerant and welcoming place.
Sure it has it's problems and the housing crisis is a big one.
But the haters don't hate this city because of that.
They hate it because it stands as living proof that multiculturalism works.
Sure it has it's problems and the housing crisis is a big one.
But the haters don't hate this city because of that.
They hate it because it stands as living proof that multiculturalism works.
November 16, 2025 at 5:31 PM
London is also diverse. It's hugely multicultural, and it's a largely tolerant and welcoming place.
Sure it has it's problems and the housing crisis is a big one.
But the haters don't hate this city because of that.
They hate it because it stands as living proof that multiculturalism works.
Sure it has it's problems and the housing crisis is a big one.
But the haters don't hate this city because of that.
They hate it because it stands as living proof that multiculturalism works.
"It is easier to deceive many than one" - Herodotus, via @fallofcivilizations.com
November 16, 2025 at 2:50 PM
"It is easier to deceive many than one" - Herodotus, via @fallofcivilizations.com
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Oh look. There really are "no go areas" in England.
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
NHS staff who visit patients at home say St George’s flags can mean ‘no-go zones’
Black and Asian staff left feeling ‘deliberately intimidated’, according to chief executive of one NHS trust
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Oh look. There really are "no go areas" in England.
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Gandhi’s Talisman. Unfortunately for too many world leaders their doubts are dissolving in a way Gandhi did not anticipate.
!["I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test.
Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it?
Will it restore him [her to a control over his [her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to Swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?
Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:givg3amslsq46o3f25ga5esh/bafkreihph4ozfme2iadhcvg2jcexzemiif2xgxmhg2jexeknndhuhx2ewy@jpeg)
November 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Gandhi’s Talisman. Unfortunately for too many world leaders their doubts are dissolving in a way Gandhi did not anticipate.
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Reposted by Gavin Brown
If we're starting another quantum hype cycle, I need people to understand that there are pretty much just two practical problems we *know* have an exponential speedup on a quantum computer. These are:
1. Breaking the internet
2. Being quantum
A few other problems have a smaller speedup, or none
1. Breaking the internet
2. Being quantum
A few other problems have a smaller speedup, or none
November 4, 2025 at 7:26 AM
If we're starting another quantum hype cycle, I need people to understand that there are pretty much just two practical problems we *know* have an exponential speedup on a quantum computer. These are:
1. Breaking the internet
2. Being quantum
A few other problems have a smaller speedup, or none
1. Breaking the internet
2. Being quantum
A few other problems have a smaller speedup, or none
Reposted by Gavin Brown
November 3, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Gavin Brown
The options are: broad based tax rises and good public services; no tax rises and acceptance that the state does meaningfully less; or keep promising someone else can pay, failing, and populists winning and making everything much worse.
November 3, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The options are: broad based tax rises and good public services; no tax rises and acceptance that the state does meaningfully less; or keep promising someone else can pay, failing, and populists winning and making everything much worse.
Reposted by Gavin Brown
AI: It’s The Sam Old Story
From the new Private Eye, out now.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
October 30, 2025 at 5:19 PM
AI: It’s The Sam Old Story
From the new Private Eye, out now.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
Reposted by Gavin Brown
This year's Batman annual still remembers who the heroes and villains are, even if everyone else has forgotten
October 30, 2025 at 9:39 AM
This year's Batman annual still remembers who the heroes and villains are, even if everyone else has forgotten
Reposted by Gavin Brown
if your alternative DNS doesn't come from the ICANN region it's not DNS, it's a sparkling hosts file
October 28, 2025 at 8:53 PM
if your alternative DNS doesn't come from the ICANN region it's not DNS, it's a sparkling hosts file
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Long thread here but, honestly, put five minutes into it and it will make you think useful thoughts about what being alive is.
This is a story that requires more than the character limit. But since someone asked, I'm gonna tell it. Please note: your personal difficulty level may vary. None of us are playing the exact same game, here. Thread. 👇
How long did you live in misery before you were able to”choose” happiness?
October 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Long thread here but, honestly, put five minutes into it and it will make you think useful thoughts about what being alive is.
Just play cricket instead. Really.
Completely fix baseball with five words.
October 26, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Just play cricket instead. Really.
Reposted by Gavin Brown
i am so ready for quantum to be the next dumb buzzword the tech industry forces everyone to pretend to care about. "how are you incorporating quantum into your daily work?" i'm not but it's so refreshing you asked me a new and different stupid question
October 13, 2025 at 6:09 PM
i am so ready for quantum to be the next dumb buzzword the tech industry forces everyone to pretend to care about. "how are you incorporating quantum into your daily work?" i'm not but it's so refreshing you asked me a new and different stupid question
Reposted by Gavin Brown
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
October 25, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
Reposted by Gavin Brown
okay i need you to watch this i picked up like 10 separate vocal stims from this one fucking video
October 23, 2025 at 10:06 PM
okay i need you to watch this i picked up like 10 separate vocal stims from this one fucking video
