Garrett Wollman
@gwollman.bsky.social
@garrett_wollman from the Bad Place
@[email protected]
I make the network go, and stop, and go again at @csail.mit.edu. Usually located somewhere in eastern Massachusetts.
Not actually a colander full of beans. He/him (or they/them).
@[email protected]
I make the network go, and stop, and go again at @csail.mit.edu. Usually located somewhere in eastern Massachusetts.
Not actually a colander full of beans. He/him (or they/them).
Pinned
Ok, with only one #gpfigure event left to go in the season, time to remind folks of my "All ISU figure" feed tracking all of the major competitions from JGP to Euros to Worlds. bsky.app/profile/did:...
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
Opposition to Garadasil was always predicated on the notion that sex should always be unhealthy, dangerous, and possibly fatal. Eliminating the risks of sex eliminates the fear-based incentives that enforce a conservative point of view.
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
November 27, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Opposition to Garadasil was always predicated on the notion that sex should always be unhealthy, dangerous, and possibly fatal. Eliminating the risks of sex eliminates the fear-based incentives that enforce a conservative point of view.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
"You have a professional and personal obligation to ask: what do you know, what should you know, and how big the gap is between them before embarking on creating an IT system."
"The opaqueness of AI-driven systems makes it harder to challenge them."
spectrum.ieee.org/it-managemen...
"The opaqueness of AI-driven systems makes it harder to challenge them."
spectrum.ieee.org/it-managemen...
Trillions Spent and Big Software Projects Are Still Failing
Why do software failures persist despite soaring IT budgets? Dive into the complexities that keep success elusive.
spectrum.ieee.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
"You have a professional and personal obligation to ask: what do you know, what should you know, and how big the gap is between them before embarking on creating an IT system."
"The opaqueness of AI-driven systems makes it harder to challenge them."
spectrum.ieee.org/it-managemen...
"The opaqueness of AI-driven systems makes it harder to challenge them."
spectrum.ieee.org/it-managemen...
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
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 Garrett Wollman
And this price hike is coming at a time when NPS visits have declined because of a decline in visits overall from overseas - nobody wants to come here and risk being detained. Fascism isn't a selling point for tourism
Utah national parks and their gateway towns are feeling a summer tourism slump
Visitation is down at all of Utah’s parks, driven by a decline in international visitors. Economic uncertainty and political rhetoric may be keeping them away, with big implications for local economie...
www.kuer.org
November 26, 2025 at 2:32 PM
And this price hike is coming at a time when NPS visits have declined because of a decline in visits overall from overseas - nobody wants to come here and risk being detained. Fascism isn't a selling point for tourism
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
Books don't sell nearly as many copies as you think they do. Every sale has significance. This is especially true of preorders and first week of publication orders. These move mountains for authors.
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 26, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Books don't sell nearly as many copies as you think they do. Every sale has significance. This is especially true of preorders and first week of publication orders. These move mountains for authors.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
A mayoral candidate is repeatedly asked to condemn Hamas and denounce anti-Semitism simply because he's Muslim.
A sitting president who promotes white nationalism, employs gutter racists and dines with literal Nazis is given a free pass.
A sitting president who promotes white nationalism, employs gutter racists and dines with literal Nazis is given a free pass.
A mayoral candidate saying maybe the city should cover the cost of bus rides gets the full socialism panic treatment before he even tries it.
A sitting president taking billions of dollars worth of shares in private companies gets “I must say, a tad unusual” after it’s been going for nearly a year.
A sitting president taking billions of dollars worth of shares in private companies gets “I must say, a tad unusual” after it’s been going for nearly a year.
November 25, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A mayoral candidate is repeatedly asked to condemn Hamas and denounce anti-Semitism simply because he's Muslim.
A sitting president who promotes white nationalism, employs gutter racists and dines with literal Nazis is given a free pass.
A sitting president who promotes white nationalism, employs gutter racists and dines with literal Nazis is given a free pass.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
There is NO FUCKING EXCUSE for this to be happening.
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
A third infant has died in Kentucky, KYDPH adds:
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
November 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
There is NO FUCKING EXCUSE for this to be happening.
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
This. Political reporters as a group (honorable exceptions, etc.) know nothing about science—how it's done and especially, how to read such results.
They are thus patsies for RFK Jr. & anti-vax grifters more generally.
Used to treating quotes as facts, they become conduits for unexamined bullshit.
They are thus patsies for RFK Jr. & anti-vax grifters more generally.
Used to treating quotes as facts, they become conduits for unexamined bullshit.
I need people who are profiling RFK Jr to not recite, uncritically, the number of studies the man says he has read.
One he lies
Two even if he has read them doesn't mean he understands them
Three it's more useful to take one and explain its problems.
One he lies
Two even if he has read them doesn't mean he understands them
Three it's more useful to take one and explain its problems.
November 25, 2025 at 10:53 PM
This. Political reporters as a group (honorable exceptions, etc.) know nothing about science—how it's done and especially, how to read such results.
They are thus patsies for RFK Jr. & anti-vax grifters more generally.
Used to treating quotes as facts, they become conduits for unexamined bullshit.
They are thus patsies for RFK Jr. & anti-vax grifters more generally.
Used to treating quotes as facts, they become conduits for unexamined bullshit.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
Thread. Auntie fails the test.
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Thread. Auntie fails the test.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
This is true.
To me, refusing to vaccinate kids against wholly vaccine-preventable diseases is a form of child abuse, exposing kids to harm that ranges from simple assault (having the measles, chickenpox or whatever is no fun in itself) to manslaughter.
To me, refusing to vaccinate kids against wholly vaccine-preventable diseases is a form of child abuse, exposing kids to harm that ranges from simple assault (having the measles, chickenpox or whatever is no fun in itself) to manslaughter.
November 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
This is true.
To me, refusing to vaccinate kids against wholly vaccine-preventable diseases is a form of child abuse, exposing kids to harm that ranges from simple assault (having the measles, chickenpox or whatever is no fun in itself) to manslaughter.
To me, refusing to vaccinate kids against wholly vaccine-preventable diseases is a form of child abuse, exposing kids to harm that ranges from simple assault (having the measles, chickenpox or whatever is no fun in itself) to manslaughter.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
Do not steal people's work!
It's not complicated.
It's not complicated.
Just went to that new piracy site (not going to link to it & encourage this shit) & yup, almost all my work's there, including every format of THE NIGHTWARD you could want & every anthology I'm in. 🙄
Anyway, if you'd like to help me eat, please buy my book:
www.harpercollins.com/products/the...
Anyway, if you'd like to help me eat, please buy my book:
www.harpercollins.com/products/the...
The Nightward
Sturgeon, Nebula, Locus, and Ignyte awards finalist R.S.A. Garcia’s scifantasy debut novel—the first in a duology—in which Caribbean mythology meets The Wit...
www.harpercollins.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Do not steal people's work!
It's not complicated.
It's not complicated.
Didn't buy lunch at the airport because I had ordered food for the flight and I'm just ravenous now 2½ hours after lunchtime. Meanwhile, the moving map doesn't seem to have a correct altitude, it thinks we are below 10k when ADS-B says we're at FL350 and climbing.
November 24, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Didn't buy lunch at the airport because I had ordered food for the flight and I'm just ravenous now 2½ hours after lunchtime. Meanwhile, the moving map doesn't seem to have a correct altitude, it thinks we are below 10k when ADS-B says we're at FL350 and climbing.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
In the future, your smart glasses will help "smooth out the variances between people," making your relationships as frictionless as a worn-out Fleshlight. gothamist.com/arts-enterta...
The guy behind those ‘Friend’ ads in the subways is tired of talking to New Yorkers
New Yorkers are taking note and even scribbling their own graffiti on the ads. Avi Schiffmann, 22, says that's the point — but doesn't feel like talking to them.
gothamist.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:15 PM
In the future, your smart glasses will help "smooth out the variances between people," making your relationships as frictionless as a worn-out Fleshlight. gothamist.com/arts-enterta...
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
All of it stolen in one way or another from the victims of his fraud and the American taxpayers. (Remember: bribes are theft. They get things done against the interests of everyone not bribing, AKA you and me.)
The president had a record net worth of $7.3 billion in September.
Trump’s Net Worth Drops $1.1 Billion
The president had a record net worth of $7.3 billion in September.
www.forbes.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
All of it stolen in one way or another from the victims of his fraud and the American taxpayers. (Remember: bribes are theft. They get things done against the interests of everyone not bribing, AKA you and me.)
On DAL0322 just departing KBOS rwy 33L for KATL. It's a B757-200, been quite a while since I've been on one of these.
November 24, 2025 at 6:56 PM
On DAL0322 just departing KBOS rwy 33L for KATL. It's a B757-200, been quite a while since I've been on one of these.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
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."
Well it's not the 1,080 MW of the contract but it's something. Phase 2 is now showing zero power flow (it was back exporting 800 MW yesterday).
November 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Well it's not the 1,080 MW of the contract but it's something. Phase 2 is now showing zero power flow (it was back exporting 800 MW yesterday).
Learned today (by arriving at the airport too early) that even if you pay actual cash money for first class, you can't use the Delta lounges unless you have their credit card.
November 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Learned today (by arriving at the airport too early) that even if you pay actual cash money for first class, you can't use the Delta lounges unless you have their credit card.
In how many languages is the normal name for the US formally singular and how many plural? Are any mixed like in English (lexically plural, formally singular)?
There are some languages where the normal name seems to be some reflex of "America" but I don't know any of them so can't say what number.
There are some languages where the normal name seems to be some reflex of "America" but I don't know any of them so can't say what number.
November 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
In how many languages is the normal name for the US formally singular and how many plural? Are any mixed like in English (lexically plural, formally singular)?
There are some languages where the normal name seems to be some reflex of "America" but I don't know any of them so can't say what number.
There are some languages where the normal name seems to be some reflex of "America" but I don't know any of them so can't say what number.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
You cannot respect artists at a fundamental level and steal their work.
Sorry, but that's why we hate AI.
Sorry, but that's why we hate AI.
November 24, 2025 at 2:02 PM
You cannot respect artists at a fundamental level and steal their work.
Sorry, but that's why we hate AI.
Sorry, but that's why we hate AI.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
Better is possible! Send this to your city / town, mayor, council etc. (or tag them).
Urge them to prioritize — maintain & increase — trees, native vegetation, wetlands, & natural infrastructure in public and private spaces. Good for everyone.
Urge them to prioritize — maintain & increase — trees, native vegetation, wetlands, & natural infrastructure in public and private spaces. Good for everyone.
November 24, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Better is possible! Send this to your city / town, mayor, council etc. (or tag them).
Urge them to prioritize — maintain & increase — trees, native vegetation, wetlands, & natural infrastructure in public and private spaces. Good for everyone.
Urge them to prioritize — maintain & increase — trees, native vegetation, wetlands, & natural infrastructure in public and private spaces. Good for everyone.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
dearest skeeters, a question for a Monday morning: what do you know that's interesting about the (pre) history of digital assistants like Alexa?
November 24, 2025 at 8:42 AM
dearest skeeters, a question for a Monday morning: what do you know that's interesting about the (pre) history of digital assistants like Alexa?
Who here wants to go back to the speech act theory gloss of "performative"?
everything is "performative" because we're in a social media panopticon where everything becomes free content for our tech overlords so they can be rich and we can get a strangely unfulfilling but addictive form of attention
November 24, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Who here wants to go back to the speech act theory gloss of "performative"?
I wish that journalists, like vendors, would recognize that MIT Is A Very Big Place, and it is both inadequate and a strain on credibility to attribute claims to "MIT" as a whole and not the specific organizational unit involved. That's especially bad when no link is provided.
November 24, 2025 at 3:01 AM
I wish that journalists, like vendors, would recognize that MIT Is A Very Big Place, and it is both inadequate and a strain on credibility to attribute claims to "MIT" as a whole and not the specific organizational unit involved. That's especially bad when no link is provided.
Reposted by Garrett Wollman
I'm here and it's mostly smaller startups who do the stuff still here full enthusiasm.
My theory is all mega corps eventually get captured by suburb brain and then insist on building a massive corporate park so they can have a pet municipal government they can control
My theory is all mega corps eventually get captured by suburb brain and then insist on building a massive corporate park so they can have a pet municipal government they can control
November 17, 2025 at 11:14 PM
I'm here and it's mostly smaller startups who do the stuff still here full enthusiasm.
My theory is all mega corps eventually get captured by suburb brain and then insist on building a massive corporate park so they can have a pet municipal government they can control
My theory is all mega corps eventually get captured by suburb brain and then insist on building a massive corporate park so they can have a pet municipal government they can control