John Sundman
@jsundman.bsky.social
Biodigital novelist, mover of heavy objects, volunteer firefighter (retired), national treasure.
"Sundman figures it out!" : https://johnsundman.substack.com/
JohnSundman.com
"Sundman figures it out!" : https://johnsundman.substack.com/
JohnSundman.com
Pinned
John Sundman
@jsundman.bsky.social
· Jan 10
A chronicler of biodigital technopotheosis
How I accidentally became a self-publishing cyber-bio-nanopunk novelist
open.substack.com
I write & publish literary fiction for hackers, geeks, and fans of Borges, Lem & Nabokov. I’ve written 4 novel(la)s; another novel in the works. Cyberpunk/biopunk technopothestic biodigital thrillers, some of them metafictional. All concern hacking of both silicon- & carbon-based systems. 💙📚 🪐📚
Reposted by John Sundman
Reposted by John Sundman
Thread. 🫤
Venerable magazine Harper's Bazaar is running its short story contest again, with the winner receiving "the chance" of publication in the magazine. Just one catch: per the wording of the guidelines, _just by entering_ you transfer copyright ownership of your story to Harper's parent, Hearst. 1/3
February 4, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Thread. 🫤
Reposted by John Sundman
The GOP’s new Voter Suppression bill, the so-called “SAVE Act,” would disenfranchise many of the 69 million women who took their husbands’ last names, as explained in my summary.
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
February 4, 2026 at 10:36 PM
The GOP’s new Voter Suppression bill, the so-called “SAVE Act,” would disenfranchise many of the 69 million women who took their husbands’ last names, as explained in my summary.
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
Reposted by John Sundman
Axios had a story today about how hard Minnesota’s economy is being hit and how slow the recovery could be. So, I’m going to take this opportunity to say that if you want to support the Twin Cities, you should plan a visit for this summer, spend some money here, & see how amazing it is for yourself.
February 4, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Axios had a story today about how hard Minnesota’s economy is being hit and how slow the recovery could be. So, I’m going to take this opportunity to say that if you want to support the Twin Cities, you should plan a visit for this summer, spend some money here, & see how amazing it is for yourself.
Reposted by John Sundman
I've read a lot of slanted papers from tech company employees about the 'benefits' of AI, but the fact that Anthropic themselves have put out such a cautious paper should be a big cause for alarm for people who are trading learning for prompting
And it doesn't improve productivity!
And it doesn't improve productivity!
‘Novice workers who rely heavily on AI to complete unfamiliar tasks may compromise their own skill acquisition… We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average.’
arxiv.org/pdf/2601.20245
arxiv.org/pdf/2601.20245
February 4, 2026 at 4:41 PM
I've read a lot of slanted papers from tech company employees about the 'benefits' of AI, but the fact that Anthropic themselves have put out such a cautious paper should be a big cause for alarm for people who are trading learning for prompting
And it doesn't improve productivity!
And it doesn't improve productivity!
Reposted by John Sundman
Reposted by John Sundman
Democrats gonna flip 100 House seats.
Dr Oz on rural healthcare: "There's no question about it, whether you want it or not -- the best way to help some of these communities is gonna be AI-based avatars"
February 3, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Democrats gonna flip 100 House seats.
6:00 AM boat tomorrow. Eye doc for eyeball injection, then visiting my son at rehab/nursing home & signing papers institutionalizing him for the next couple of months. I find it hard to relate to people who are not responsible for the wellbeing of others. We live in such distant worlds.
February 3, 2026 at 1:48 AM
6:00 AM boat tomorrow. Eye doc for eyeball injection, then visiting my son at rehab/nursing home & signing papers institutionalizing him for the next couple of months. I find it hard to relate to people who are not responsible for the wellbeing of others. We live in such distant worlds.
Reposted by John Sundman
Springfield (eating the dogs / cats) Ohio desperately needs your help with ICE.
Ohio Gov Mike DeWine said it will be “the next Minneapolis” as 15,000 Haitians (1/4th of the entire city) will have their TPS status prematurely revoked Weds Feb 4th.
Here are links to donate and volunteer directly: 1/
Ohio Gov Mike DeWine said it will be “the next Minneapolis” as 15,000 Haitians (1/4th of the entire city) will have their TPS status prematurely revoked Weds Feb 4th.
Here are links to donate and volunteer directly: 1/
February 2, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Springfield (eating the dogs / cats) Ohio desperately needs your help with ICE.
Ohio Gov Mike DeWine said it will be “the next Minneapolis” as 15,000 Haitians (1/4th of the entire city) will have their TPS status prematurely revoked Weds Feb 4th.
Here are links to donate and volunteer directly: 1/
Ohio Gov Mike DeWine said it will be “the next Minneapolis” as 15,000 Haitians (1/4th of the entire city) will have their TPS status prematurely revoked Weds Feb 4th.
Here are links to donate and volunteer directly: 1/
Reposted by John Sundman
No masks on cops. No masks on cops. No masks on cops. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Real Reason ICE Agents Wear Masks
Face-coverings may work less to protect federal agents from danger than to make it easier for them to do unconstitutional things.
www.theatlantic.com
February 2, 2026 at 8:41 PM
No masks on cops. No masks on cops. No masks on cops. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Reposted by John Sundman
My grandparents were Holocaust survivors and they were never precious at all about "don't compare anything to the Holocaust!" They taught me about the genocides of Armenians and Cambodians as examples of how it had happened before and could happen again.
February 1, 2026 at 4:41 PM
My grandparents were Holocaust survivors and they were never precious at all about "don't compare anything to the Holocaust!" They taught me about the genocides of Armenians and Cambodians as examples of how it had happened before and could happen again.
Reposted by John Sundman
really the whole attitude of "the Holocaust is something special to be mentioned in hushed tones" is exclusive to bullshit artists trying to make you feel guilty or something. the actual survivors in my family were quite casual about comparing other far-right movements to the Nazis.
February 1, 2026 at 4:41 PM
really the whole attitude of "the Holocaust is something special to be mentioned in hushed tones" is exclusive to bullshit artists trying to make you feel guilty or something. the actual survivors in my family were quite casual about comparing other far-right movements to the Nazis.
Reposted by John Sundman
Counsel for civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong, lead defendant in the St. Paul church protest case, notified the court of the White House’s deepfake image of his client.
It’s evidence the government’s “nakedly obvious bad faith.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
It’s evidence the government’s “nakedly obvious bad faith.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 2, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Counsel for civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong, lead defendant in the St. Paul church protest case, notified the court of the White House’s deepfake image of his client.
It’s evidence the government’s “nakedly obvious bad faith.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
It’s evidence the government’s “nakedly obvious bad faith.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by John Sundman
"Teaching with AI is not without value; it is a case study in how even well-meaning educators operating in good faith can become inadvertent agents of a pedagogical de-skilling and institutional dehumanization."
This scathing book review really is worth reading.
This scathing book review really is worth reading.
One of the best AI critiques I’ve seen read.dukeupress.edu/critical-ai/...
A Pedagogy of the Inevitable
Over the last couple of years, two altogether incompatible discourses of “AI literacy” have emerged. One seeks just enough literacy to support a smooth, perhaps even joyful, integration with new techn...
read.dukeupress.edu
February 2, 2026 at 9:28 AM
"Teaching with AI is not without value; it is a case study in how even well-meaning educators operating in good faith can become inadvertent agents of a pedagogical de-skilling and institutional dehumanization."
This scathing book review really is worth reading.
This scathing book review really is worth reading.
Reposted by John Sundman
If only there were indications that this would be a shitshow 🤦♂️
February 2, 2026 at 2:48 PM
If only there were indications that this would be a shitshow 🤦♂️
Very stressful day today for a bunch of reasons I understand and a bunch more than I can only vaguely perceive. But I just watched that legendary performance of 'To Hell with Poverty' by Gang of Four on Old Grey Whistle Test 1980 and I feel more ready to survive & face a new day tomorrow.
Gang Of Four - To Hell With Poverty (Official Live | 1980)
YouTube video by Gang Of Four
www.youtube.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:28 AM
Very stressful day today for a bunch of reasons I understand and a bunch more than I can only vaguely perceive. But I just watched that legendary performance of 'To Hell with Poverty' by Gang of Four on Old Grey Whistle Test 1980 and I feel more ready to survive & face a new day tomorrow.
Reposted by John Sundman
Liam, 5, has been freed, but four other students from his school district remain detained in Texas. Two boys from his elementary school were taken Thurs
“This isn’t something we are prepared or trained for. We’ve dedicated our lives to protecting + educating children,” school superintendent told me
“This isn’t something we are prepared or trained for. We’ve dedicated our lives to protecting + educating children,” school superintendent told me
ICE detains two more students from Liam Ramos’s school, officials say
The brothers’ mother was taken by ICE and Minnesota educators were forced to bring the children to her
www.theguardian.com
February 1, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Liam, 5, has been freed, but four other students from his school district remain detained in Texas. Two boys from his elementary school were taken Thurs
“This isn’t something we are prepared or trained for. We’ve dedicated our lives to protecting + educating children,” school superintendent told me
“This isn’t something we are prepared or trained for. We’ve dedicated our lives to protecting + educating children,” school superintendent told me
Reposted by John Sundman
Ira and Barry in "City Slickers" (1991) - The Challenge
YouTube video by rejectedburrito
youtu.be
February 2, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Reposted by John Sundman
short answer - because Epstein was running a Russian blackmail ring and he got caught in it with the others.
February 2, 2026 at 12:45 AM
short answer - because Epstein was running a Russian blackmail ring and he got caught in it with the others.
Reposted by John Sundman
Reposted by John Sundman
All he wanted to do was make a nicely lit movie about monsters with a monster.
February 2, 2026 at 12:47 AM
All he wanted to do was make a nicely lit movie about monsters with a monster.
Reposted by John Sundman
Thinking about this in light of a certain person's statements on military aid to Israel today
A Quinnipiac poll that was ran in August of 2025 found that 77% of all Democrats believe Israel has committed genocide and that 75% of all Democrats wanted military assistance that could be used in Gaza to be cut off
February 1, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Thinking about this in light of a certain person's statements on military aid to Israel today
Reposted by John Sundman
death from disease in concentration camps is so widespread and so predictable that it's pretty clearly a feature, not a bug.
ICE now confirming that there is a measles outbreak at the Texas concentration camp where young Liam was held.
February 2, 2026 at 12:35 AM
death from disease in concentration camps is so widespread and so predictable that it's pretty clearly a feature, not a bug.
Reposted by John Sundman
it's times like these i remember anne frank and her sister margot died of typhus in bergen-belsen
ICE now confirming that there is a measles outbreak at the Texas concentration camp where young Liam was held.
February 2, 2026 at 12:41 AM
it's times like these i remember anne frank and her sister margot died of typhus in bergen-belsen
Reposted by John Sundman
Why is this man in Congress, let alone house minority leader
Jeffries: "Why is Donald Trump focused on enriching himself, his family, and his friends as opposed to driving down the high cost of living?"
February 1, 2026 at 11:07 PM
Why is this man in Congress, let alone house minority leader