Mar
@histoftech.bsky.social
Historian of technology, & dad joke aficionado who lives w/a tiny, spotlight-stealing rabbit.
I won’t share AI generated content, except to critique it.
If you see me in person I’ll be wearing a mask. If you care abt me, put one on too.
www.marhicks.com
I won’t share AI generated content, except to critique it.
If you see me in person I’ll be wearing a mask. If you care abt me, put one on too.
www.marhicks.com
Pinned
Mar
@histoftech.bsky.social
· Jan 4
Hey did I tell y’all what my New Year’s resolution is?
1024 x 768
1024 x 768
Thus begins the #dadjoke thread for 2025 bsky.app/profile/hist...
Reposted by Mar
Thinking of making a horror movie about a man who keeps discovering 12-inch rulers in his home. It's a found footage film.
November 24, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Thinking of making a horror movie about a man who keeps discovering 12-inch rulers in his home. It's a found footage film.
Reposted by Mar
Haven't received as many contributions as usual for this year's lists--could be many things, but one aspect is surely that our ability to get this in front of people is much diminished. If you know folks whose stuff should be on here, please suggest it! contingentmagazine.org/yearly-pub-l...
Publications by Non-Tenure-Track Historians
Since we began publishing in 2019, Contingent has published end-of-year lists of books and articles by non-tenure-track historians released in the past calendar year. To submit something for inclusion...
contingentmagazine.org
November 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Haven't received as many contributions as usual for this year's lists--could be many things, but one aspect is surely that our ability to get this in front of people is much diminished. If you know folks whose stuff should be on here, please suggest it! contingentmagazine.org/yearly-pub-l...
Reposted by Mar
Most troops at Fort Benning didn’t know their base honored a man who never served in the U.S. Army and vowed he’d rather see “famine and pestilence” than end slavery.
Brigadier Gen. Ty Seidule (Ret.) explains that history, and the resistance he faced at places like Fort Bragg.
Brigadier Gen. Ty Seidule (Ret.) explains that history, and the resistance he faced at places like Fort Bragg.
November 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Most troops at Fort Benning didn’t know their base honored a man who never served in the U.S. Army and vowed he’d rather see “famine and pestilence” than end slavery.
Brigadier Gen. Ty Seidule (Ret.) explains that history, and the resistance he faced at places like Fort Bragg.
Brigadier Gen. Ty Seidule (Ret.) explains that history, and the resistance he faced at places like Fort Bragg.
“YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety.”
File under feature, not bug.
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
File under feature, not bug.
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
He Hunted Alleged Groomers on Roblox. Then the Company Banned Him
YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety.
www.wired.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:55 PM
“YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety.”
File under feature, not bug.
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
File under feature, not bug.
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
Reposted by Mar
A must-read from @davidgilbert.bsky.social on Roblox and what’s going on with #FreeSchlep.
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
He Hunted Alleged Groomers on Roblox. Then the Company Banned Him
YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety.
www.wired.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:53 PM
A must-read from @davidgilbert.bsky.social on Roblox and what’s going on with #FreeSchlep.
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
Reposted by Mar
Book bans are still happening across the country.
In some ways and places, they continue to worsen.
They can be unconstitutional.
They continue to be incredibly unpopular.
Getting involved locally can help.
Donating to groups fighting them if you can is essential.
In some ways and places, they continue to worsen.
They can be unconstitutional.
They continue to be incredibly unpopular.
Getting involved locally can help.
Donating to groups fighting them if you can is essential.
Tennessee public libraries close for Trump-inspired book purge
One hundred and eighty-one public libraries in Tennessee are reviewing their children’s collections after Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) ordered them to remove books with LGBTQ themes or...
popular.info
November 25, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Book bans are still happening across the country.
In some ways and places, they continue to worsen.
They can be unconstitutional.
They continue to be incredibly unpopular.
Getting involved locally can help.
Donating to groups fighting them if you can is essential.
In some ways and places, they continue to worsen.
They can be unconstitutional.
They continue to be incredibly unpopular.
Getting involved locally can help.
Donating to groups fighting them if you can is essential.
Reposted by Mar
It also misses a HUGE opportunity for dev whimsy.
I remember working on Magic: Duels and badly photoshopping tropical print shirts onto placeholder planeswalkers key art while waiting for the full-res files to come in. Because, y'know, we wanted it to be VERY OBVIOUS it wasn't final
I remember working on Magic: Duels and badly photoshopping tropical print shirts onto placeholder planeswalkers key art while waiting for the full-res files to come in. Because, y'know, we wanted it to be VERY OBVIOUS it wasn't final
Stop using AI for placeholder assets.
Use sketches. Use lorem ipsum. Use bright pink materials. Use programmer art for fucks sake, literally anything else.
If your studio is using AI even for temp, even if they think they've covered their tracks, SPEAK UP because people WILL FIND IT
Use sketches. Use lorem ipsum. Use bright pink materials. Use programmer art for fucks sake, literally anything else.
If your studio is using AI even for temp, even if they think they've covered their tracks, SPEAK UP because people WILL FIND IT
November 25, 2025 at 11:56 AM
It also misses a HUGE opportunity for dev whimsy.
I remember working on Magic: Duels and badly photoshopping tropical print shirts onto placeholder planeswalkers key art while waiting for the full-res files to come in. Because, y'know, we wanted it to be VERY OBVIOUS it wasn't final
I remember working on Magic: Duels and badly photoshopping tropical print shirts onto placeholder planeswalkers key art while waiting for the full-res files to come in. Because, y'know, we wanted it to be VERY OBVIOUS it wasn't final
Reposted by Mar
This is a deeply sexist take, given that ~2/3 of minimum wage workers in the US are women.
November 24, 2025 at 10:24 PM
This is a deeply sexist take, given that ~2/3 of minimum wage workers in the US are women.
Reposted by Mar
Britain is one of the world’s richest countries. Why do a third of children live in poverty?
It is a political choice - years of austerity, real wage cuts, regressive taxation, unchecked profiteering, disappearance of social housing, hijacking of govts by corporations/rich.
It is a political choice - years of austerity, real wage cuts, regressive taxation, unchecked profiteering, disappearance of social housing, hijacking of govts by corporations/rich.
Britain is one of the world’s richest countries. So why do a third of its children live in poverty? | CNN
Child poverty has reached a record high in the United Kingdom as the country’s cost of living soars and its social security safety net falters following years of government austerity.
edition.cnn.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Britain is one of the world’s richest countries. Why do a third of children live in poverty?
It is a political choice - years of austerity, real wage cuts, regressive taxation, unchecked profiteering, disappearance of social housing, hijacking of govts by corporations/rich.
It is a political choice - years of austerity, real wage cuts, regressive taxation, unchecked profiteering, disappearance of social housing, hijacking of govts by corporations/rich.
Reposted by Mar
I'm excited to announce that I have been asked to join the Mamdani Transition Team to work on community safety issues. A New Era for NYC.
November 24, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I'm excited to announce that I have been asked to join the Mamdani Transition Team to work on community safety issues. A New Era for NYC.
Just reading this wikipedia entry for no reason… maybe you should too
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...
United States bear market of 2007–2009 - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_bear_market_of_2007–2009
November 25, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Just reading this wikipedia entry for no reason… maybe you should too
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...
Reposted by Mar
YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety. www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
He Hunted Alleged Groomers on Roblox. Then the Company Banned Him
YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety.
www.wired.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:06 PM
YouTuber “Schlep" built a huge following tracking down alleged child predators on Roblox before being kicked off. The platform is facing multiple lawsuits over child safety. www.wired.com/story/he-hun...
Reposted by Mar
💥 New publication out on the alignment of AI & authoritarianism 💥
We argue that AI is not simply extending, but actively modulating, key dynamics of authoritarianism, and present a flexible analytical framework to account for these changes.
rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We argue that AI is not simply extending, but actively modulating, key dynamics of authoritarianism, and present a flexible analytical framework to account for these changes.
rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
November 24, 2025 at 9:39 AM
💥 New publication out on the alignment of AI & authoritarianism 💥
We argue that AI is not simply extending, but actively modulating, key dynamics of authoritarianism, and present a flexible analytical framework to account for these changes.
rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We argue that AI is not simply extending, but actively modulating, key dynamics of authoritarianism, and present a flexible analytical framework to account for these changes.
rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Mar
That's s strange, I had this exact thought this morning (not about your weird AI video predilictions, but just how there was literally nothing from anyone I know)
November 25, 2025 at 12:07 PM
That's s strange, I had this exact thought this morning (not about your weird AI video predilictions, but just how there was literally nothing from anyone I know)
Reposted by Mar
My Facebook feed no longer has anything from people I know. Instead it's 99% AI slop videos of "trains floating on canal boats having accidents in which someone falls into the water". It's horrible, mainly because I can't stop watching them on repeat and the algorithm knows the darkness of my soul.
November 25, 2025 at 11:20 AM
My Facebook feed no longer has anything from people I know. Instead it's 99% AI slop videos of "trains floating on canal boats having accidents in which someone falls into the water". It's horrible, mainly because I can't stop watching them on repeat and the algorithm knows the darkness of my soul.
Reposted by Mar
So very proud of my Brooklyn College colleague Alex Vitale who is an renown expert in policing with his scholarship and especially his famous book:
November 25, 2025 at 12:14 AM
So very proud of my Brooklyn College colleague Alex Vitale who is an renown expert in policing with his scholarship and especially his famous book:
Reposted by Mar
Resisting GenAI and Big Tech in Higher Education - Tuesday 25th Nov, free registration, great panel, big focus on climate justice. Register here: lmula.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
November 21, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Resisting GenAI and Big Tech in Higher Education - Tuesday 25th Nov, free registration, great panel, big focus on climate justice. Register here: lmula.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by Mar
4pm today UK time
Resisting GenAI and Big Tech in Higher Education - Tuesday 25th Nov, free registration, great panel, big focus on climate justice. Register here: lmula.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
November 25, 2025 at 12:07 PM
4pm today UK time
Reposted by Mar
NEW @crisesnotes.bsky.social PIECE: I finally have written up the extraordinary fact that the @federalreserve.gov has created an entire page specifically devoted to my FOIA requests entitled "Historical Board Documents". Also, my birthday sale is still underway!
www.crisesnotes.com/the-federal-...
www.crisesnotes.com/the-federal-...
The Federal Reserve Has Created an Entire Page Dedicated to My Successful FOIA Requests
Tomorrow is my 34th Birthday and as such this month's "Birthday" sale is still ongoing. Take advantage today!
Birthday Sale!
Longtime Notes on the Crises readers will remember that I hav...
www.crisesnotes.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:48 AM
NEW @crisesnotes.bsky.social PIECE: I finally have written up the extraordinary fact that the @federalreserve.gov has created an entire page specifically devoted to my FOIA requests entitled "Historical Board Documents". Also, my birthday sale is still underway!
www.crisesnotes.com/the-federal-...
www.crisesnotes.com/the-federal-...
Reposted by Mar
EPA Approves New 'Forever Chemical' Pesticides For Use On Food
https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/11/25/0252230/epa-approves-new-forever-chemical-pesticides-for-use-on-food?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
EPA Approves New 'Forever Chemical' Pesticides For Use On Food
The EPA has approved new pesticides that qualify as PFAS "forever chemicals" (paywalled; alternative source), sparking criticism from scientists and environmental groups who warn these decisions could increase Americans' exposure through food and water at a time when many states are moving to restri...
news.slashdot.org
November 25, 2025 at 10:12 AM
EPA Approves New 'Forever Chemical' Pesticides For Use On Food
https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/11/25/0252230/epa-approves-new-forever-chemical-pesticides-for-use-on-food?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
So grim 🫠
One professor at Rutgers University now requires students to attend a play whose ending changes every night, so she knows if they were there. Such retrenchments are likely to keep spreading
AI is accelerating a tech backlash in American classrooms
Handwritten and oral exams are making a comeback
econ.st
November 25, 2025 at 11:11 AM
So grim 🫠
Reposted by Mar
“We are volunteers, you shouldn’t expect much from us, and I’m not providing any new information” isn’t exactly a strong defense of the BOV by one of its own
dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...
dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...
Doug Wetmore: The straight facts about UVa from a board member
Although members of UVa's board are appointed by politicians, my experience is that we are for the most part not ideological.
dailyprogress.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:57 PM
“We are volunteers, you shouldn’t expect much from us, and I’m not providing any new information” isn’t exactly a strong defense of the BOV by one of its own
dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...
dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...
Reposted by Mar
“Mother Fletcher carried 111 years of truth, resilience, and grace and was a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we must still go”
Breaking: Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old
Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died
Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old.
www.whatimreading.net
November 24, 2025 at 9:08 PM
“Mother Fletcher carried 111 years of truth, resilience, and grace and was a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we must still go”
Reposted by Mar
Rest in Power to Mother Viola Ford Fletcher.
111 years, the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre.
She never got the justice she deserved
www.fox23.com/news/mother-...
111 years, the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre.
She never got the justice she deserved
www.fox23.com/news/mother-...
Mother Viola Fletcher passes away at 111 years old
TULSA, Okla. — Mayor Monroe Nichols announced the passing of one of the two last remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Mother Viola Fletcher.
www.fox23.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Rest in Power to Mother Viola Ford Fletcher.
111 years, the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre.
She never got the justice she deserved
www.fox23.com/news/mother-...
111 years, the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre.
She never got the justice she deserved
www.fox23.com/news/mother-...