Matthew Moynihan
@patternavoider.bsky.social
Massachusetts Mathematician from Minnesota
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
Discworld QOTD, from Guards! Guards!
December 31, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Discworld QOTD, from Guards! Guards!
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
Just had a guy going door to door among the businesses along Minnehaha Avenue drop this off. Hell yeah.
January 10, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Just had a guy going door to door among the businesses along Minnehaha Avenue drop this off. Hell yeah.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
I was just denied access to the ICE processing center at the Whipple Building.
Members of Congress have a legal right and constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight where people are being detained.
The public deserves to know what is taking place in ICE facilities.
Members of Congress have a legal right and constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight where people are being detained.
The public deserves to know what is taking place in ICE facilities.
JUST NOW: Huge mass of agents in a standoff, weapons drawn as Reps. Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison attempt to conduct congressional oversight at the Whipple Building, which has been HQ for thousands of ICE agents.
@zeteo.com
@zeteo.com
January 10, 2026 at 5:17 PM
I was just denied access to the ICE processing center at the Whipple Building.
Members of Congress have a legal right and constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight where people are being detained.
The public deserves to know what is taking place in ICE facilities.
Members of Congress have a legal right and constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight where people are being detained.
The public deserves to know what is taking place in ICE facilities.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
Say her name: Renee Good.
ICE out of Minneapolis and Minnesota now.
ICE out of Minneapolis and Minnesota now.
January 8, 2026 at 12:21 AM
Say her name: Renee Good.
ICE out of Minneapolis and Minnesota now.
ICE out of Minneapolis and Minnesota now.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
As @jbakcoleman.bsky.social and I wrote, “Every time a scientist abdicates their work to an AI tool, that is a tacit admission that the work is not worth being done by the scientist.”
Same goes for instructors.
Same goes for instructors.
You’ll have to read for the what happens next part, but I can tell you what will happen when parents and students realize profs have handed over expertise and teaching to chatbots.
NYU professor tested students with AI oral exams, here's what happened next
When student work looked like McKinsey memos, an NYU business school professor used AI oral exams to test real learning.
www.businessinsider.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:14 PM
As @jbakcoleman.bsky.social and I wrote, “Every time a scientist abdicates their work to an AI tool, that is a tacit admission that the work is not worth being done by the scientist.”
Same goes for instructors.
Same goes for instructors.
Same! I helped set one up for an older (tech savvy) family member. It was a nightmare navigating the “you don’t buy software anymore, you pay subscriptions for the cloud.”
And Adobe appears to have combined the reader and the pro versions so now there are confusing “sign in” and “free trial” traps.
And Adobe appears to have combined the reader and the pro versions so now there are confusing “sign in” and “free trial” traps.
i'm helping someone set up a new windows laptop and wow it's such a hostile experience
(if you're willing to give them your biometric data, let them track everything for advertising, default to their applications, and accept algorithmic bullshit everywhere i guess it could be easy)
(if you're willing to give them your biometric data, let them track everything for advertising, default to their applications, and accept algorithmic bullshit everywhere i guess it could be easy)
January 1, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Same! I helped set one up for an older (tech savvy) family member. It was a nightmare navigating the “you don’t buy software anymore, you pay subscriptions for the cloud.”
And Adobe appears to have combined the reader and the pro versions so now there are confusing “sign in” and “free trial” traps.
And Adobe appears to have combined the reader and the pro versions so now there are confusing “sign in” and “free trial” traps.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
The other thing about normalizing gAI use in higher ed is that we are teaching our students that they cannot trust their own creativity, their own thoughts and brains, their own skills without having it reshaped/shellacked/transmogrified by LLMs. We’re setting them up for failure and dependence.
December 28, 2025 at 12:46 PM
The other thing about normalizing gAI use in higher ed is that we are teaching our students that they cannot trust their own creativity, their own thoughts and brains, their own skills without having it reshaped/shellacked/transmogrified by LLMs. We’re setting them up for failure and dependence.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
My new year's resolution this year, as every year, is to be a more available, supportive friend as well as an increasingly looming, formidable enemy.
December 27, 2025 at 5:13 PM
My new year's resolution this year, as every year, is to be a more available, supportive friend as well as an increasingly looming, formidable enemy.
Make a Bond movie academic:
Committee Royale
Committee Royale
Make a Bond movie academic:
The Broader Impact Is Not Enough
The Broader Impact Is Not Enough
Make a Bond movie academic:
PhD Another Day
PhD Another Day
December 27, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Make a Bond movie academic:
Committee Royale
Committee Royale
Also, if “learn to use AI the right way” is the starting point, then we’ve already failed. That always involves “not trusting the output.”
But verifying GenAI output requires maintaining vast AI-free information ecosystems maintained by “luddites” who are “behind the times.”
But verifying GenAI output requires maintaining vast AI-free information ecosystems maintained by “luddites” who are “behind the times.”
No no no! We keep making the same mistake. Education is not about producing output. Learning requires friction!
We know students, like the rest of the world, are using AI. Teachers need to be equipped to deal w/all the issues AI creates. Our approach starts with maximizing safety & privacy and empowering educators to make educational decisions, so AI tools can benefit not harm www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
December 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Also, if “learn to use AI the right way” is the starting point, then we’ve already failed. That always involves “not trusting the output.”
But verifying GenAI output requires maintaining vast AI-free information ecosystems maintained by “luddites” who are “behind the times.”
But verifying GenAI output requires maintaining vast AI-free information ecosystems maintained by “luddites” who are “behind the times.”
No no no! We keep making the same mistake. Education is not about producing output. Learning requires friction!
We know students, like the rest of the world, are using AI. Teachers need to be equipped to deal w/all the issues AI creates. Our approach starts with maximizing safety & privacy and empowering educators to make educational decisions, so AI tools can benefit not harm www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
AI has become the norm for students. Teachers are playing catch-up.
At a New York City training session, educators explored how artificial intelligence could support teaching while also discussing their concerns around the technology.
www.nbcnews.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:42 PM
No no no! We keep making the same mistake. Education is not about producing output. Learning requires friction!
Katabasis is amazing too!!!
December 17, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Katabasis is amazing too!!!
Welp, looks like I need a new place to stay for visits back home to the land of snow and purple rain.
But I’m proud of the protestors supporting the community. (Which does not include ICE. Hence the need for the hotel.)
Abolish ICE!
But I’m proud of the protestors supporting the community. (Which does not include ICE. Hence the need for the hotel.)
Abolish ICE!
More than 100 people gathered outside the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Edina on Thursday to protest the hotel reportedly hosting ICE agents.
Hotel staff declined to comment.
Hotel staff declined to comment.
December 13, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Welp, looks like I need a new place to stay for visits back home to the land of snow and purple rain.
But I’m proud of the protestors supporting the community. (Which does not include ICE. Hence the need for the hotel.)
Abolish ICE!
But I’m proud of the protestors supporting the community. (Which does not include ICE. Hence the need for the hotel.)
Abolish ICE!
Ugh. Yeah. And then the news can uncritically cover the “some people say” of it all as a valid news story.
December 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Ugh. Yeah. And then the news can uncritically cover the “some people say” of it all as a valid news story.
This huge bin showed up in the Math Department?!?!
In related news, I suddenly need to cancel all my meetings today.
In related news, I suddenly need to cancel all my meetings today.
December 9, 2025 at 6:18 PM
This huge bin showed up in the Math Department?!?!
In related news, I suddenly need to cancel all my meetings today.
In related news, I suddenly need to cancel all my meetings today.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
A night out in Cedar-Riverside
December 6, 2025 at 1:46 AM
A night out in Cedar-Riverside
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
“Critics say” Trump’s remarks on Somalis were bigoted?
JFC what are you doing?
JFC what are you doing?
December 3, 2025 at 3:05 PM
“Critics say” Trump’s remarks on Somalis were bigoted?
JFC what are you doing?
JFC what are you doing?
I put it on the list.
December 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
I put it on the list.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
“The math is brutal and the juxtaposition stark: millions for OpenAI while pink slips go out to longtime lecturers. The CSU isn’t investing in education—it’s outsourcing it, paying premium prices for a chatbot many students were already using for free.“
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself
Students use AI to write papers, professors use AI to grade them, degrees become meaningless, and tech companies make fortunes. Welcome to the death of higher education.
www.currentaffairs.org
December 3, 2025 at 2:58 AM
“The math is brutal and the juxtaposition stark: millions for OpenAI while pink slips go out to longtime lecturers. The CSU isn’t investing in education—it’s outsourcing it, paying premium prices for a chatbot many students were already using for free.“
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
As a fellow Massachusetts math prof, this would help. Placement is so hard and getting harder.
We could all work together! Except then we get into the frenemies of it all.
We could all work together! Except then we get into the frenemies of it all.
December 1, 2025 at 10:54 PM
As a fellow Massachusetts math prof, this would help. Placement is so hard and getting harder.
We could all work together! Except then we get into the frenemies of it all.
We could all work together! Except then we get into the frenemies of it all.
The more I’m exposed to it, the more I love the relegation system of the Premier League (and associated leagues).
November 30, 2025 at 9:53 PM
The more I’m exposed to it, the more I love the relegation system of the Premier League (and associated leagues).
Today’s AI rage caused by…
trying to get a new computer for aging family members.
trying to get a new computer for aging family members.
November 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Today’s AI rage caused by…
trying to get a new computer for aging family members.
trying to get a new computer for aging family members.
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
November 23, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
Reposted by Matthew Moynihan
I think my state-school students deserve to learn how to think and analyze for themselves. Will my administrators agree or just tell students they should let a computer think for them?
November 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I think my state-school students deserve to learn how to think and analyze for themselves. Will my administrators agree or just tell students they should let a computer think for them?
Our students absolutely do! I really hope we don’t get this one wrong.
In case you didn’t see it, this piece does a great job of highlighting how donor-funded interdisciplinary AI institutes evade shared governance.
defector.com/higher-eds-r...
In case you didn’t see it, this piece does a great job of highlighting how donor-funded interdisciplinary AI institutes evade shared governance.
defector.com/higher-eds-r...
Higher Ed’s Rush To Adopt AI Is About So Much More Than AI | Defector
If you don’t work at a university or have college-age kids, you may have missed the flurry of news stories and social media banter about AI adoption in higher ed, stories which have snowballed into th...
defector.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Our students absolutely do! I really hope we don’t get this one wrong.
In case you didn’t see it, this piece does a great job of highlighting how donor-funded interdisciplinary AI institutes evade shared governance.
defector.com/higher-eds-r...
In case you didn’t see it, this piece does a great job of highlighting how donor-funded interdisciplinary AI institutes evade shared governance.
defector.com/higher-eds-r...