Michael Ekstrand
@md.ekstrandom.net
Info sci prof @ Drexel, trying to keep the machines (esp. RecSys & IR) from learning bigotry and discrimination. ADHDS9. Usually self-propelled. Opinions those of the Vulcan Science Academy. 🐰x2.
🏡 https://md.ekstrandom.net
🧪 https://inertial.science
🏡 https://md.ekstrandom.net
🧪 https://inertial.science
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Not exactly the same, but related: a FAccT research community starter pack:
go.bsky.app/EQF5Ne1
go.bsky.app/EQF5Ne1
January 12, 2026 at 1:07 AM
Not exactly the same, but related: a FAccT research community starter pack:
go.bsky.app/EQF5Ne1
go.bsky.app/EQF5Ne1
starting the new D20 season and I love that the apocalypse was caused by “number go up”.
January 12, 2026 at 12:06 AM
starting the new D20 season and I love that the apocalypse was caused by “number go up”.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Strongly Worded Email Against the Machine
Slightly diminish a band:
Jefferson Kite
Jefferson Kite
Slightly diminish a band:
They Might Be Unusually Large
They Might Be Unusually Large
January 11, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Strongly Worded Email Against the Machine
now have the first session on the calendar to bring this character to life, looking forward to it.
“Appears athletic and capable, but also like they have never been in a fight without a referee.”
“Appears athletic and capable, but also like they have never been in a fight without a referee.”
I will neither confirm nor deny drafting a cyberpunk character sheet for Violent "Vi" Faygo McDonald, child of wannabe Juggalos, collegiate chess-boxer, and academic nepo-baby PhD student, who is completely unprepared for the reality of the adventure that awaits.
January 11, 2026 at 3:03 AM
now have the first session on the calendar to bring this character to life, looking forward to it.
“Appears athletic and capable, but also like they have never been in a fight without a referee.”
“Appears athletic and capable, but also like they have never been in a fight without a referee.”
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Slightly diminish a band:
Stone Chapel Pilots
Stone Chapel Pilots
Slightly diminish a band:
The Foo Negotiators
The Foo Negotiators
Slightly diminish a band:
The Melee
The Melee
January 11, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Slightly diminish a band:
Stone Chapel Pilots
Stone Chapel Pilots
Slightly diminish a band:
Jefferson Kite
Jefferson Kite
Slightly diminish a band:
They Might Be Unusually Large
They Might Be Unusually Large
Slightly diminish a band
Something Something
Something Something
January 11, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Slightly diminish a band:
Jefferson Kite
Jefferson Kite
slightly diminish a band
Sleep Cab for Cutie
Sleep Cab for Cutie
slightly diminish a band
Mild chilli peppers
Mild chilli peppers
slightly diminish a band
my life with the interested harm cult
my life with the interested harm cult
January 10, 2026 at 7:15 PM
slightly diminish a band
Sleep Cab for Cutie
Sleep Cab for Cutie
well this is interesting. pypi as a distribution for more things smells a little funny but is really convenient. github.com/denoland/den...
verify pypi distribution of deno · Issue #31254 · denoland/deno
https://pypi.org/project/deno/ https://github.com/manzt/denop deno is being distributed on pypi for use in python projects. i think this is a really amazing thing that allows deno to be used in mor...
github.com
January 10, 2026 at 1:20 AM
well this is interesting. pypi as a distribution for more things smells a little funny but is really convenient. github.com/denoland/den...
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
In America you drop your kid off at school, get your brains blown out on the ride home, then the Vice President drops everything for a week to call you a terrorist, to slander your family, to protect the circumstances that led to your death so they can do it again. It is government by Alex Jones.
January 9, 2026 at 7:24 PM
In America you drop your kid off at school, get your brains blown out on the ride home, then the Vice President drops everything for a week to call you a terrorist, to slander your family, to protect the circumstances that led to your death so they can do it again. It is government by Alex Jones.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Vic and Brennan talk about birds would definitely be on my bingo card if I had made one for the season.
January 9, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Vic and Brennan talk about birds would definitely be on my bingo card if I had made one for the season.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
As I stare blankly at numerous conference deadlines, I renew my hot take that academic associations should only hold conferences every-other-year. This would reduce the ridiculous publicaion cycle pressure, ease the reviewer crisis, increase overall affordability, and reduce environmental impact.
January 9, 2026 at 1:26 PM
As I stare blankly at numerous conference deadlines, I renew my hot take that academic associations should only hold conferences every-other-year. This would reduce the ridiculous publicaion cycle pressure, ease the reviewer crisis, increase overall affordability, and reduce environmental impact.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Honestly still confused by people bullying someone for discussing what the post-DHS plan is, including how we are gonna deal with all the people who have been integrated into this terrible system.
I think we should talk about the future! Let's plan like there will be one!
I think we should talk about the future! Let's plan like there will be one!
January 9, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Honestly still confused by people bullying someone for discussing what the post-DHS plan is, including how we are gonna deal with all the people who have been integrated into this terrible system.
I think we should talk about the future! Let's plan like there will be one!
I think we should talk about the future! Let's plan like there will be one!
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Remembering today that having your heart broken is a necessary step on the path to becoming fully human. Whichever heartbreak is your first, it’s probably critical that a state break your heart so that you can develop a political imagination. If this is your first, I’m sorry and also welcome.
January 8, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Remembering today that having your heart broken is a necessary step on the path to becoming fully human. Whichever heartbreak is your first, it’s probably critical that a state break your heart so that you can develop a political imagination. If this is your first, I’m sorry and also welcome.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
✨spicy hay✨
January 9, 2026 at 8:52 AM
✨spicy hay✨
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
He has sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people
He has kept among us Standing Armies without Consent of our legislatures
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For protecting them from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States
He has kept among us Standing Armies without Consent of our legislatures
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For protecting them from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States
January 9, 2026 at 11:40 AM
He has sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people
He has kept among us Standing Armies without Consent of our legislatures
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For protecting them from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States
He has kept among us Standing Armies without Consent of our legislatures
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
For protecting them from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Renee Nicole Good's murder by federal agents is the only homicide in Minneapolis this year.
www.minneapolismn.gov/government/g...
www.minneapolismn.gov/government/g...
January 8, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Renee Nicole Good's murder by federal agents is the only homicide in Minneapolis this year.
www.minneapolismn.gov/government/g...
www.minneapolismn.gov/government/g...
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Just FYI, I absolutely started a giant thread about things we're excited about because I saw so many friends feeling like the vibes were bad and everyone is fighting.
One of my 2026 goals is to continue to be a chaos agent for joy, and get my earnest excitement all over y'all like glitter.
One of my 2026 goals is to continue to be a chaos agent for joy, and get my earnest excitement all over y'all like glitter.
January 6, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Just FYI, I absolutely started a giant thread about things we're excited about because I saw so many friends feeling like the vibes were bad and everyone is fighting.
One of my 2026 goals is to continue to be a chaos agent for joy, and get my earnest excitement all over y'all like glitter.
One of my 2026 goals is to continue to be a chaos agent for joy, and get my earnest excitement all over y'all like glitter.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Not great: "Many of the most talented, thoughtful and experienced people in the industry are feeling worried, confused, and ungrounded ... Companies have abandoned the basic principle of making technology that actually works."
The number one thing I've been hearing from people in tech lately is, basically, "How the hell am I supposed to work in this industry anymore?" Though most folks are kind of afraid to say it out loud. So I wrote about how to think about it: www.anildash.com/2026/01/05/a...
How the hell are you supposed to have a career in tech in 2026? - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
www.anildash.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:42 AM
Not great: "Many of the most talented, thoughtful and experienced people in the industry are feeling worried, confused, and ungrounded ... Companies have abandoned the basic principle of making technology that actually works."
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
January 6, 2026 at 2:00 AM
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
and to many who don't!
Copy Editing Matters, from HHS's release on the new childhood vaccine schedule: All the diseases will still be available to anyone who wants them
January 6, 2026 at 1:36 AM
and to many who don't!
This sounds fun!
The #ttrpg that's been at the top of my wish list for years is about to finally release, so I wanted to give a brief plug for "Stonetop" so other people who find it as exciting as I do can get in on what might be a limited print run. 1/
January 5, 2026 at 11:33 PM
This sounds fun!
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
Sorry to harp on this but what drives me completely bonkers about this is the Gemini thing was a direct result of people at Google trying to prevent harmful usage of their product whereas the Grok thing is a direct result of people at X and xAI trying to promote harmful usage of their product
Again I find it baffling to compare the coverage to when Gemini generated implausibly many Black hockey players etc. That was apparently a societal emergency. But the mass harassment campaign taking place in public barely warrants a mention.
January 4, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Sorry to harp on this but what drives me completely bonkers about this is the Gemini thing was a direct result of people at Google trying to prevent harmful usage of their product whereas the Grok thing is a direct result of people at X and xAI trying to promote harmful usage of their product
put on an Alestorm concert vid while I work on lecture slides and oh my. I'd seen Zombies Ate My Pirate Ship, but the whole show aesthetic is something else. Giant ducks? Bright green guitar? Keytar? Silly hats?
Big vibe of guys who just want to have a great time w/ a festival full of new friends.
Big vibe of guys who just want to have a great time w/ a festival full of new friends.
January 5, 2026 at 8:25 PM
put on an Alestorm concert vid while I work on lecture slides and oh my. I'd seen Zombies Ate My Pirate Ship, but the whole show aesthetic is something else. Giant ducks? Bright green guitar? Keytar? Silly hats?
Big vibe of guys who just want to have a great time w/ a festival full of new friends.
Big vibe of guys who just want to have a great time w/ a festival full of new friends.
Reposted by Michael Ekstrand
