Rob Lion
@rnlion.bsky.social
Mechanical engineer building particle accelerators, formerly quantum computers. Technology and infrastructure history; reverse engineering. Cats. He/him.
Also @rnlion@Twitter and @[email protected]
Also @rnlion@Twitter and @[email protected]
Reposted by Rob Lion
I need someone to do a tear down of the turd camera to see if it has a chipset you could install open source firmware on.
NEW: Your "end-to-end encrypted" poop pictures taken by this $599 (+ subscription) smart toilet camera are actually not end-to-end encrypted.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
techcrunch.com/2025/12/03/e...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
techcrunch.com/2025/12/03/e...
‘End-to-end encrypted’ smart toilet camera is not actually end-to-end encrypted | TechCrunch
Kohler, the makers of a smart toilet camera, can access customers' data stored on its servers, and can use customers’ bowl pictures to train AI.
techcrunch.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:54 AM
I need someone to do a tear down of the turd camera to see if it has a chipset you could install open source firmware on.
Reposted by Rob Lion
I could not for the life of me remember Unstoppable and had to look it up. I love this bit from Wikipedia:
December 4, 2025 at 5:16 AM
I could not for the life of me remember Unstoppable and had to look it up. I love this bit from Wikipedia:
Reposted by Rob Lion
I’ve sometimes fallen into the trap of thinking that complementing a creative person for their work is less sophisticated or desired than discussion or debate about it but very often the best thing you can say to them is hell yeah and that doesn’t make you dumb it just makes you nice
December 4, 2025 at 3:05 AM
I’ve sometimes fallen into the trap of thinking that complementing a creative person for their work is less sophisticated or desired than discussion or debate about it but very often the best thing you can say to them is hell yeah and that doesn’t make you dumb it just makes you nice
Reposted by Rob Lion
I think "financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion" might be the worst thing I've ever read
the competition is strong but it's a real contender
the competition is strong but it's a real contender
The co-founder of Kalshi says: " The long-term vision is to financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion."
December 3, 2025 at 11:16 PM
I think "financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion" might be the worst thing I've ever read
the competition is strong but it's a real contender
the competition is strong but it's a real contender
Reposted by Rob Lion
Bingo. That's what grinds my gears about making this into an "oh no data centers" problem.
That implies that it's new, & restricted to where there are data centers. Absolutely not the case. This is bog standard for rural areas with a lot of livestock, & has been for decades.
That implies that it's new, & restricted to where there are data centers. Absolutely not the case. This is bog standard for rural areas with a lot of livestock, & has been for decades.
I'm willing to bet every ag heavy state has stories like this, and it never gets the national coverage it should.
Our Dirty Water: Nebraska’s nitrate problem is growing worse. It’s likely harming our kids. - Flatwater Free Press
Nebraska's nitrate level has doubled in the past four decades. Despite this, state and local governments have taken little action to regulate the farming practices that lead to nitrate seeping into ou...
flatwaterfreepress.org
December 4, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Bingo. That's what grinds my gears about making this into an "oh no data centers" problem.
That implies that it's new, & restricted to where there are data centers. Absolutely not the case. This is bog standard for rural areas with a lot of livestock, & has been for decades.
That implies that it's new, & restricted to where there are data centers. Absolutely not the case. This is bog standard for rural areas with a lot of livestock, & has been for decades.
Reposted by Rob Lion
This paragraph was a hell of a ride
October 6, 2023 at 2:22 AM
This paragraph was a hell of a ride
Reposted by Rob Lion
This Pluribus ad on a fridge caused a schizophrenic woman named Carol to be hospitalized.
December 4, 2025 at 3:08 AM
This Pluribus ad on a fridge caused a schizophrenic woman named Carol to be hospitalized.
Reposted by Rob Lion
There's this constant discourse about how "the left" (whoever that is) has to stop being condescending and speak directly to men's issues. But these gurus are, without fail, more condescending to men than any feminist or SJW I've ever met.
December 3, 2025 at 6:12 PM
There's this constant discourse about how "the left" (whoever that is) has to stop being condescending and speak directly to men's issues. But these gurus are, without fail, more condescending to men than any feminist or SJW I've ever met.
Reposted by Rob Lion
Hey folks: this morning we're launching a monthlong fundraiser for @techdirt.com. Over the last year, we've been steadfast in not self-censoring, not capitulating, not sanewashing bullshit. But that's come at a cost. And we need help: rtb.techdirt.com/products/fri...
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Get an Insider Badge on your profile
rtb.techdirt.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Hey folks: this morning we're launching a monthlong fundraiser for @techdirt.com. Over the last year, we've been steadfast in not self-censoring, not capitulating, not sanewashing bullshit. But that's come at a cost. And we need help: rtb.techdirt.com/products/fri...
Reposted by Rob Lion
This man may be the most racist president this country has ever had, and twelve presidents owned slaves
Trump: "It’s a hellhole right now. And those Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her. She’s always talking about the Constitution provides me with – go back to your own country and figure out your constitution."
December 3, 2025 at 10:29 PM
This man may be the most racist president this country has ever had, and twelve presidents owned slaves
Reposted by Rob Lion
This composition had eluded me for nearly a decade, but yesterday I was finally able to capture it. A train rolled through just as the Duquesne Incline was crossing over the tracks in #Pittsburgh, creating a picture perfect winter scene. It was worth the hours and hours I've waited over the years.
December 3, 2025 at 2:06 PM
This composition had eluded me for nearly a decade, but yesterday I was finally able to capture it. A train rolled through just as the Duquesne Incline was crossing over the tracks in #Pittsburgh, creating a picture perfect winter scene. It was worth the hours and hours I've waited over the years.
Reposted by Rob Lion
I really am struck by the juxtaposition of the Ancient and the Very Modern: Kodaks, stenography, telegrams alongside crumbling castles and (accurate!) folk superstition
I would LOVE to know what Stoker would be writing now
I would LOVE to know what Stoker would be writing now
December 2, 2025 at 1:32 AM
I really am struck by the juxtaposition of the Ancient and the Very Modern: Kodaks, stenography, telegrams alongside crumbling castles and (accurate!) folk superstition
I would LOVE to know what Stoker would be writing now
I would LOVE to know what Stoker would be writing now
Reposted by Rob Lion
i blogged about the radio getting stuck last night (and you can download a copy of the tape i made!!) nickyflowers.com/blog/2025/po...
December 3, 2025 at 11:15 PM
i blogged about the radio getting stuck last night (and you can download a copy of the tape i made!!) nickyflowers.com/blog/2025/po...
Reposted by Rob Lion
NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month.
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
December 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month.
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Rob Lion
Reposted by Rob Lion
Everyone is vulnerable to believing that their expertise - writing, tech, engineering, philosophy, whatever - is The Most Important One that’s going to Fix Everything, but there’s something unique about gambling addicts saying “what if we tried gambling our way to the truth?”
December 3, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Everyone is vulnerable to believing that their expertise - writing, tech, engineering, philosophy, whatever - is The Most Important One that’s going to Fix Everything, but there’s something unique about gambling addicts saying “what if we tried gambling our way to the truth?”
Reposted by Rob Lion
Big housing news in San Francisco today: the Board of Supervisors (their equivalent of City Council) votes to upzone the entire western half of the city. Currently much of the westside is houses. Commercial streets get a height boost.
Diagrams & maps below from sfplanning.org/sites/defaul...
Diagrams & maps below from sfplanning.org/sites/defaul...
December 3, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Big housing news in San Francisco today: the Board of Supervisors (their equivalent of City Council) votes to upzone the entire western half of the city. Currently much of the westside is houses. Commercial streets get a height boost.
Diagrams & maps below from sfplanning.org/sites/defaul...
Diagrams & maps below from sfplanning.org/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Rob Lion
Dedham Priest pissing off all the right people by removing Jesus from the church's nativity scene and putting up an ICE WAS HERE sign in His place.
www.boston25news.com/news/local/i...
www.boston25news.com/news/local/i...
‘ICE was here’: Dedham church sparks outrage over nativity scene with political message
A Dedham church is causing controversy over another political statement in their Nativity scene this holiday season.
www.boston25news.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Dedham Priest pissing off all the right people by removing Jesus from the church's nativity scene and putting up an ICE WAS HERE sign in His place.
www.boston25news.com/news/local/i...
www.boston25news.com/news/local/i...
Reposted by Rob Lion
I love seeing BTS like this bc it comes from a piece of art where you're like "How did he do that??" to watching carefully over the process and going "Ooooooh, so that's how he did that" and unlocking some new knowledge for yourself that makes art seem less impossible
Scott Wills paints a background for the first run of Samurai Jack (2001–2004), created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Cartoon Network Studios
December 2, 2025 at 10:03 PM
I love seeing BTS like this bc it comes from a piece of art where you're like "How did he do that??" to watching carefully over the process and going "Ooooooh, so that's how he did that" and unlocking some new knowledge for yourself that makes art seem less impossible
Reposted by Rob Lion
I think the root of the “AI” evil is when AI researchers in the 1960s recognized that they outrageously underestimated the complexity of the human mind.
They became humiliated by their promises that AGI was just a few years away—and then went full goblin mode that’s lasting to this day.
They became humiliated by their promises that AGI was just a few years away—and then went full goblin mode that’s lasting to this day.
July 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I think the root of the “AI” evil is when AI researchers in the 1960s recognized that they outrageously underestimated the complexity of the human mind.
They became humiliated by their promises that AGI was just a few years away—and then went full goblin mode that’s lasting to this day.
They became humiliated by their promises that AGI was just a few years away—and then went full goblin mode that’s lasting to this day.
Reposted by Rob Lion
This fruit is native to most of the tropical region of the Americas & West Africa, where they grow exclusively in swamps.
They tolerate saltwater & both fruit & seeds float for up to a year in water to spread to new locations (hydrochory).
But they're also spread by reptiles (saurochory)!
They tolerate saltwater & both fruit & seeds float for up to a year in water to spread to new locations (hydrochory).
But they're also spread by reptiles (saurochory)!
December 3, 2025 at 1:53 PM
This fruit is native to most of the tropical region of the Americas & West Africa, where they grow exclusively in swamps.
They tolerate saltwater & both fruit & seeds float for up to a year in water to spread to new locations (hydrochory).
But they're also spread by reptiles (saurochory)!
They tolerate saltwater & both fruit & seeds float for up to a year in water to spread to new locations (hydrochory).
But they're also spread by reptiles (saurochory)!
Reposted by Rob Lion
Women on the Internet don’t need me to tell them how bad things are, but men need to see this and know it’s out there.
Incredibly weird behavior from a man who has previously sexually harassed me. AI makes it even easier to spread low-effort misogyny, so I'm not surprised the online right is using it so much that it's melting their brains.
Exhausting, but expected.
Exhausting, but expected.
December 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Women on the Internet don’t need me to tell them how bad things are, but men need to see this and know it’s out there.
Reposted by Rob Lion
There's some very neat physics here in how the cracking process works.
The complexity & randomness mean that every crocodilians face is like a fingerprint: likely never replicated in the history of life on Earth, but still optimized for touch sensitivity.
Annotated paper here:
The complexity & randomness mean that every crocodilians face is like a fingerprint: likely never replicated in the history of life on Earth, but still optimized for touch sensitivity.
Annotated paper here:
Cracking the armor
Amniotes exhibit a keratinized epidermis preventing water loss and skin appendages
www.scienceintheclassroom.org
December 3, 2025 at 2:34 PM
There's some very neat physics here in how the cracking process works.
The complexity & randomness mean that every crocodilians face is like a fingerprint: likely never replicated in the history of life on Earth, but still optimized for touch sensitivity.
Annotated paper here:
The complexity & randomness mean that every crocodilians face is like a fingerprint: likely never replicated in the history of life on Earth, but still optimized for touch sensitivity.
Annotated paper here:
Reposted by Rob Lion
I asked the machine if you had joy 💀
December 2, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I asked the machine if you had joy 💀
Reposted by Rob Lion
just before I left Substack I was hemorrhaging subscribers because when they started "Notes" (their Twitter clone) it would subscribe anyone who followed you to your newsletter. This company does nasty growth hack shit that readers hate but makes writers dependent.
it feels gross that Substack does auto/non-consensual sign-ups. It’s a pretty schlocky growth strategy.
December 3, 2025 at 2:52 PM
just before I left Substack I was hemorrhaging subscribers because when they started "Notes" (their Twitter clone) it would subscribe anyone who followed you to your newsletter. This company does nasty growth hack shit that readers hate but makes writers dependent.