Ian McLean
@mrthewalrus.bsky.social
Fond of real science and imaginary worlds, cursed with a knowledge of software engineering.
Staff Engineer for state government.
Might have coined the term 'Dire Millennial'. He/him.
Staff Engineer for state government.
Might have coined the term 'Dire Millennial'. He/him.
gosh, who could have predicted this
Three years into the generative-AI wave, demand for the technology seems surprisingly flimsy
Investors expect AI use to soar. That’s not happening
Recent surveys point to flatlining business adoption
econ.st
December 1, 2025 at 5:58 PM
gosh, who could have predicted this
I have experienced what passes for ‘holiday advertising’ these days.
Have we tried turning capitalism off and back on?
Have we tried turning capitalism off and back on?
November 29, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I have experienced what passes for ‘holiday advertising’ these days.
Have we tried turning capitalism off and back on?
Have we tried turning capitalism off and back on?
Reposted by Ian McLean
Let me put this more productively: there was considerable public fury toward previous Republicans for lies, crimes, misbegotten wars, etc. But it ran up against the *enormous, extremely powerful* forces defending elite impunity. And the latter forces won, decisively. It was barely a fight.
November 28, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Let me put this more productively: there was considerable public fury toward previous Republicans for lies, crimes, misbegotten wars, etc. But it ran up against the *enormous, extremely powerful* forces defending elite impunity. And the latter forces won, decisively. It was barely a fight.
Just about every company would be better off if they banned their executives from making public statements.
While work-life balance may give you a sense of happiness and fulfillment, it isn’t always realistic, says Walmart executive vice president and chief people officer Donna Morris.
Walmart exec: ‘I’ve never believed in the term work-life balance’—this is the mantra that made her highly successful instead
Many professionals see work-life balance as a non-negotiable. Walmart CPO Donna Morris says people should practice work-life integration instead. Here's why.
cnb.cx
November 27, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Just about every company would be better off if they banned their executives from making public statements.
Reposted by Ian McLean
The problem with ICE is not that it's targeting people who aren't criminals. The problem with ICE is that it's an unaccountable secret deportation police. It cannot be reformed under a better president. It can be made less terrible, but the instrument of repression remains for the next tyrant.
November 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The problem with ICE is not that it's targeting people who aren't criminals. The problem with ICE is that it's an unaccountable secret deportation police. It cannot be reformed under a better president. It can be made less terrible, but the instrument of repression remains for the next tyrant.
Reposted by Ian McLean
Nvidia’s ‘I’m Not Enron’ memo has people asking a lot of questions already answered by that memo
Nvidia’s ‘I’m Not Enron’ memo has people asking a lot of questions already answered by that memo
The Streisand Effect strikes again
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Nvidia’s ‘I’m Not Enron’ memo has people asking a lot of questions already answered by that memo
Reposted by Ian McLean
Voting should not be something you have register to do. Voting should be something you’re legally required to do. It should be incredibly easy to vote and against the law to not do so. It should also be constitutionally protected; no disenfranchisement under any circumstance.
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 14, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Voting should not be something you have register to do. Voting should be something you’re legally required to do. It should be incredibly easy to vote and against the law to not do so. It should also be constitutionally protected; no disenfranchisement under any circumstance.
Reposted by Ian McLean
There is no opposition party too evil for moderate democrats to find common ground with
November 10, 2025 at 1:58 AM
There is no opposition party too evil for moderate democrats to find common ground with
Reposted by Ian McLean
File under: things you usually don’t have to say if it’s true
NEW: Border Patrol boss Gregory Bovino tells agents in LA, "It’s our f–king city" in newly released video. blockclubchi.co/4oU0lTF
November 8, 2025 at 1:42 AM
File under: things you usually don’t have to say if it’s true
Simultaneously winning the Best Chart and Dumbest Chart categories for the day.
AI could end scarcity, end humanity - or boost trend growth by 0.2 percentage points
November 7, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Simultaneously winning the Best Chart and Dumbest Chart categories for the day.
Reposted by Ian McLean
The key thing to watch here: they fired a Wired political reporter. That’s the title doing the most effective, pointed work. Teen Vogue’s stuff was culturally impactful, but less focused on investigating the administration. Within the Condé portfolio, Wired and the New Yorker are the canaries.
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
November 6, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The key thing to watch here: they fired a Wired political reporter. That’s the title doing the most effective, pointed work. Teen Vogue’s stuff was culturally impactful, but less focused on investigating the administration. Within the Condé portfolio, Wired and the New Yorker are the canaries.
Biden may have been old but he never needed a sign to find his office.
November 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Biden may have been old but he never needed a sign to find his office.
Reposted by Ian McLean
the entire twitter and group chat poisoned elite of American society who decided Trump winning an election by 1.5% heralded a thousand year reich may have miscalculated a bit
November 5, 2025 at 3:50 AM
the entire twitter and group chat poisoned elite of American society who decided Trump winning an election by 1.5% heralded a thousand year reich may have miscalculated a bit
Reposted by Ian McLean
Zohran is cool and awesome and I’m thrilled for him and all of us
but at my core this is who I am: the Jewish guy who shows up to be a world class hater in support of his friend
but at my core this is who I am: the Jewish guy who shows up to be a world class hater in support of his friend
Brad Lander is at the victory party and, folks, he has the custom one-of-one “GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE” shirt.
November 5, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Zohran is cool and awesome and I’m thrilled for him and all of us
but at my core this is who I am: the Jewish guy who shows up to be a world class hater in support of his friend
but at my core this is who I am: the Jewish guy who shows up to be a world class hater in support of his friend
Reposted by Ian McLean
Reposted by Ian McLean
did he lie about the onions and mustard?! my faith in law enforcement is shattered, I don’t know how I can recover from this
The defense team presses Lairmore on whether the sandwich really 'exploded.' They return to the photo of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
November 4, 2025 at 4:43 PM
did he lie about the onions and mustard?! my faith in law enforcement is shattered, I don’t know how I can recover from this
Reposted by Ian McLean
Lettuce pray for him
Border Patrol agent Lairmore testifies that he was not injured by the sandwich, but he felt the impact through his ballistic vest.
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
November 4, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Lettuce pray for him
Reposted by Ian McLean
Big day at U.S. District Court in D.C. where Sean Dunn, the D.C. Sandwich Guy, is on trial for misdemeanor assault of a federal officer.
Border Patrol agent Gregory Lairmore is on the stand narrating surveillance video of the sammie toss.
'Now he’s struck me with the sandwich,' Lairmore says.
Border Patrol agent Gregory Lairmore is on the stand narrating surveillance video of the sammie toss.
'Now he’s struck me with the sandwich,' Lairmore says.
November 4, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Big day at U.S. District Court in D.C. where Sean Dunn, the D.C. Sandwich Guy, is on trial for misdemeanor assault of a federal officer.
Border Patrol agent Gregory Lairmore is on the stand narrating surveillance video of the sammie toss.
'Now he’s struck me with the sandwich,' Lairmore says.
Border Patrol agent Gregory Lairmore is on the stand narrating surveillance video of the sammie toss.
'Now he’s struck me with the sandwich,' Lairmore says.
Reposted by Ian McLean
it's kinda funny how we've reinvented INTERCAL, down to having to say PLEASE DO
Somebody posted this prompt, which attempts to make ChatGPT responses less friendly and more critical.
Feels like a rich document for a science-and-technology-studies analysis.
Feels like a rich document for a science-and-technology-studies analysis.
November 3, 2025 at 8:13 PM
it's kinda funny how we've reinvented INTERCAL, down to having to say PLEASE DO
Reposted by Ian McLean
On DHS’s unauthorized use of Norman Rockwell’s paintings across social media, an op-ed from our family today in @usatoday.com www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
We're Norman Rockwell's family. Trump's DHS has shamefully misused his work. | Opinion
As Norman Rockwell's family, we know he'd be devastated to see the Department of Homeland Security's unauthorized misuse of his work.
www.usatoday.com
November 2, 2025 at 1:03 PM
On DHS’s unauthorized use of Norman Rockwell’s paintings across social media, an op-ed from our family today in @usatoday.com www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
not really how that works
Israel's military said the ceasefire in Gaza resumed after it carried out heavy airstrikes overnight that killed 104 people, including 46 children, according to local health officials. n.pr/48SFSKo
Israel says it's resuming the ceasefire after its strikes in Gaza kill over 100 people
Israel's military said the ceasefire in Gaza resumed after it carried out heavy airstrikes overnight that killed 104 people, including 46 children, according to local health officials.
n.pr
October 29, 2025 at 2:40 PM
not really how that works
Imagine a country so invested in racism that it’ll put up a statue of a guy no one liked, just because he fought (badly) against human rights. Twice.
It's relevant that Pike was a really shitty general.
Was a pain in everybody's ass, was prominently involved in the Confedrrate debacle at Pea Ridge, was later jailed for insubordination and treason (to the Confederacy), just sucked.
Then, after the war, he was prominently involved w/ the KKK.
Was a pain in everybody's ass, was prominently involved in the Confedrrate debacle at Pea Ridge, was later jailed for insubordination and treason (to the Confederacy), just sucked.
Then, after the war, he was prominently involved w/ the KKK.
A statue of Confederate general Albert Pike, which had been pulled down during the Black Lives Matter movement, has been put back up in Washington, D.C.'s Judiciary Square. n.pr/49pygiD
October 27, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Imagine a country so invested in racism that it’ll put up a statue of a guy no one liked, just because he fought (badly) against human rights. Twice.
Reposted by Ian McLean
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
Yeah. It would raise a lot of money that could be used to do good things, but that’s a side effect. The primary benefit is not having individual assholes who are rich enough to ruin everything.
Tax billionaires into millionaires
we have a way for guys like this to fund the military
it’s called “taxes” and clearly they should go up
it’s called “taxes” and clearly they should go up
October 25, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Yeah. It would raise a lot of money that could be used to do good things, but that’s a side effect. The primary benefit is not having individual assholes who are rich enough to ruin everything.
Reposted by Ian McLean
These are not my peers
October 24, 2025 at 4:44 PM
These are not my peers