Rob Pegoraro
@robpegoraro.com
D.C.-based freelance technology journalist covering, and often vexed by, computers, gadgets, and other things that beep. May or may not be notable. He/him. Read: PCMag, Fast Company, etc. Write: [email protected]
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Rob Pegoraro
@robpegoraro.com
· Jan 16
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🔎 disclosures: robpegoraro.com/disclosures
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🧾 resume: linkedin.com/in/robpegoraro
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🔎 disclosures: robpegoraro.com/disclosures
📷 photos: flickr.com/robpegoraro
🤳 less-edited photos: instagram.com/robpegoraro
🧾 resume: linkedin.com/in/robpegoraro
➕ B-sides, outtakes, other extras: patreon.com/robpegoraro
D.C.-specific avgeek question: What's up with the departures from National this evening that took a sharp left turn to fly over Arlington National Cemetery and then the middle of the county instead of heading north up the Potomac like usual?
November 25, 2025 at 11:24 PM
D.C.-specific avgeek question: What's up with the departures from National this evening that took a sharp left turn to fly over Arlington National Cemetery and then the middle of the county instead of heading north up the Potomac like usual?
Yet another story in which content creators say their traffic has plunged since Google started serving up AI Overview answers summarizing their work--in the case of recipes, often wildly incorrectly. (Of course Facebook is also part of this AI-slop problem.)
NEW: AI “recipe slop” is overrunning search and social. Food creators say Google’s AI Overviews and glossy fake food pics are drowning out real, tested recipes — collapsing traffic and setting home cooks up for disaster, especially this Thanksgiving.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
AI Slop Recipes Are Taking Over the Internet -- And Thanksgiving Dinner
Food bloggers see traffic dip as home cooks turn to AI, inspired by impossible pictures
www.bloomberg.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Yet another story in which content creators say their traffic has plunged since Google started serving up AI Overview answers summarizing their work--in the case of recipes, often wildly incorrectly. (Of course Facebook is also part of this AI-slop problem.)
Reposted by Rob Pegoraro
Democracy dies in dampness
At this point, the Washpost edit page is just trolling its readers.
This is today's actual house editorial.
This is today's actual house editorial.
November 25, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Democracy dies in dampness
Randall Munroe created a beautiful thing today, and now I'm writing this with tears in my eyes. Thanks, @xkcd.com.
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Randall Munroe created a beautiful thing today, and now I'm writing this with tears in my eyes. Thanks, @xkcd.com.
The contention from "critics" that ranked-choice voting "would increase waiting times at the polls" does not square with my experience working four elections with RCV for county board races. We do have to ask voters if they understand the concept, but that conversation rarely exceeds 30 seconds.
Scoop: Democrats eye ranked-choice voting for 2028 primaries
It's a tool that drew national attention when it propelled New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to a decisive primary win.
www.axios.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The contention from "critics" that ranked-choice voting "would increase waiting times at the polls" does not square with my experience working four elections with RCV for county board races. We do have to ask voters if they understand the concept, but that conversation rarely exceeds 30 seconds.
"Artificial intelligence, meet artificial accounting": Mark Zuckerberg's newfound obsession with "superintelligence" does not extend to owning the financial risk of building out a giant, polluting data center in Louisiana.
(gift link)
(gift link)
AI Meets Aggressive Accounting at Meta’s Gigantic New Data Center
Favorable treatment off the balance sheet hinges on some convenient assumptions.
www.wsj.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:52 PM
"Artificial intelligence, meet artificial accounting": Mark Zuckerberg's newfound obsession with "superintelligence" does not extend to owning the financial risk of building out a giant, polluting data center in Louisiana.
(gift link)
(gift link)
Reposted by Rob Pegoraro
This is *amazing*. This goes straight to Deceptive Design Hall of Shame.
They made a "take a break" nudge that has no obvious "ok, I'll take a break" affordance. Its three affordances are:
1) Keep chatting (default, highlighted)
2) x out — keeps chatting
3) "This was helpful" — what is this?
🧵
They made a "take a break" nudge that has no obvious "ok, I'll take a break" affordance. Its three affordances are:
1) Keep chatting (default, highlighted)
2) x out — keeps chatting
3) "This was helpful" — what is this?
🧵
One of the changes that OpenAI has made to make ChatGPT safer is a "take a break" nudge. There's something quite interesting about the design here. Which thing does it make you want to click?
November 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
This is *amazing*. This goes straight to Deceptive Design Hall of Shame.
They made a "take a break" nudge that has no obvious "ok, I'll take a break" affordance. Its three affordances are:
1) Keep chatting (default, highlighted)
2) x out — keeps chatting
3) "This was helpful" — what is this?
🧵
They made a "take a break" nudge that has no obvious "ok, I'll take a break" affordance. Its three affordances are:
1) Keep chatting (default, highlighted)
2) x out — keeps chatting
3) "This was helpful" — what is this?
🧵
Pumpkin pie--from scratch--is all set for Friendsgiving.
November 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Pumpkin pie--from scratch--is all set for Friendsgiving.
Stone and Sky!
Rix Road, the season finale of Andor Season 1, was released three years ago today.
F the Empire. All of them.
F the Empire. All of them.
Andor | Maarva Andor’s Monologue | Disney+
YouTube video by Star Wars
www.youtube.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Stone and Sky!
November 23, 2025 at 3:21 AM
D.C. Costco has Laphroaig 10-year on sale for $36. You're welcome.
November 22, 2025 at 2:42 PM
D.C. Costco has Laphroaig 10-year on sale for $36. You're welcome.
A new low in unwise #CES PR pitches:
"Are you planning to go to CES this year, and if so, are you open to meetings? LMK!"
(Hint: If you work at a PR firm, as opposed to doing in-house comms for a company, it would be helpful to name the clients of your firm who will be at CES in January.)
"Are you planning to go to CES this year, and if so, are you open to meetings? LMK!"
(Hint: If you work at a PR firm, as opposed to doing in-house comms for a company, it would be helpful to name the clients of your firm who will be at CES in January.)
November 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
A new low in unwise #CES PR pitches:
"Are you planning to go to CES this year, and if so, are you open to meetings? LMK!"
(Hint: If you work at a PR firm, as opposed to doing in-house comms for a company, it would be helpful to name the clients of your firm who will be at CES in January.)
"Are you planning to go to CES this year, and if so, are you open to meetings? LMK!"
(Hint: If you work at a PR firm, as opposed to doing in-house comms for a company, it would be helpful to name the clients of your firm who will be at CES in January.)
Some astute marketing by SPJ.
🐷💰For a limited time, take $15 off an SPJ Pro membership with code: PIGGY
Seek Truth🔎. Report It📰. Never Be Quiet📢.
🔗Join or renew today. Let’s get louder – together: bit.ly/3KfoqWs
Seek Truth🔎. Report It📰. Never Be Quiet📢.
🔗Join or renew today. Let’s get louder – together: bit.ly/3KfoqWs
November 21, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Some astute marketing by SPJ.
Mike Johnson holds his political manhood cheap.
Mike Johnson on Trump calling for Democrats to be executed: "Attorneys have to parse the language and determine all that."
November 21, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Mike Johnson holds his political manhood cheap.
It's a little weird how much attention the White House's photographers paid to Tim Cook at Tuesday's Trump + MBS dinner. Did Apple's CEO realize he'd show up in so many published photos? Did he feel even a tiny bit of shame at that moment?
President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a dinner for Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Explore this photo album by The White House on Flickr!
www.flickr.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:25 PM
It's a little weird how much attention the White House's photographers paid to Tim Cook at Tuesday's Trump + MBS dinner. Did Apple's CEO realize he'd show up in so many published photos? Did he feel even a tiny bit of shame at that moment?
It has been 0️⃣ days since I've had to disconnect and reconnect this Mac's "Magic" Bluetooth keyboard after spending a few minutes getting increasingly angry over the inability of multiple apps to register any keystrokes.
November 20, 2025 at 4:07 PM
It has been 0️⃣ days since I've had to disconnect and reconnect this Mac's "Magic" Bluetooth keyboard after spending a few minutes getting increasingly angry over the inability of multiple apps to register any keystrokes.
New stats on U.S. social-media use from @pewresearch.org show Reddit ascending while X stagnates. As for this platform: 4% of Americans say they've ever used Bluesky, half of the 8% who say they've ever used Threads... contrast that with Threads citing 400m monthly active users, 10x Bluesky's 40m.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025
YouTube remains the most popular, but adults are increasingly using Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and Reddit. Use of some platforms varies by age, gender, and race and ethnicity.
www.pewresearch.org
November 20, 2025 at 3:22 PM
New stats on U.S. social-media use from @pewresearch.org show Reddit ascending while X stagnates. As for this platform: 4% of Americans say they've ever used Bluesky, half of the 8% who say they've ever used Threads... contrast that with Threads citing 400m monthly active users, 10x Bluesky's 40m.
CW: transportation-nerd trap
Updated for 2025: timeline maps of every metro system in the world transit-timelines.github.io
Rapid Transit Timelines and Scale Comparison
Maps every 5 years, 1840-2025
transit-timelines.github.io
November 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
CW: transportation-nerd trap
I had not had the chance to hear Nate Soares, author of the we-must-stop-AI book “If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies,” speak on a panel until now. Reader, it was not an illuminating talk and not just because this discussion about the global risk of AI somehow did not feature the word "China."
November 19, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I had not had the chance to hear Nate Soares, author of the we-must-stop-AI book “If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies,” speak on a panel until now. Reader, it was not an illuminating talk and not just because this discussion about the global risk of AI somehow did not feature the word "China."
Reading the judge's ruling that rejected the Federal Trade Commission's bid to break up Meta, the glum, almost Doctorow-esque picture it paints of Facebook today is really something: "What has replaced content from friends? For the most part, short videos posted by strangers and recommended by AI."
Court Rejects FTC's Bid to Break Up Meta, Finds It's Not a Social Media Monopoly
Judge James E. Boasberg's opinion is hard to read as complimentary of what's become of the Facebook and Instagram experience. But it's a win for Meta nonetheless.
www.pcmag.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reading the judge's ruling that rejected the Federal Trade Commission's bid to break up Meta, the glum, almost Doctorow-esque picture it paints of Facebook today is really something: "What has replaced content from friends? For the most part, short videos posted by strangers and recommended by AI."
It's weird being in Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg Center--the Newseum's former space--for a @fastcompany.com conference. I don't feel lost in some meeting rooms, do feel lost in the lobby... and resent the loss of the old bathroom decor, reproductions of newspaper headline and caption flubs.
Schedule
events.fastcompany.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
It's weird being in Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg Center--the Newseum's former space--for a @fastcompany.com conference. I don't feel lost in some meeting rooms, do feel lost in the lobby... and resent the loss of the old bathroom decor, reproductions of newspaper headline and caption flubs.
Two interesting details from this post about @wmata.com welcoming tap-to-pay via phone and card on buses, including free transfers to/from trains:
• People used this for some 8% of rail trips in September
• Metro is exploring "possible discounts for taking the system to sporting events"
(gift link)
• People used this for some 8% of rail trips in September
• Metro is exploring "possible discounts for taking the system to sporting events"
(gift link)
You can now pay for D.C. Metro buses with a credit card
The change, already rolled out on the rail system, comes amid a push by Metro to crack down on fare evasion.
wapo.st
November 19, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Two interesting details from this post about @wmata.com welcoming tap-to-pay via phone and card on buses, including free transfers to/from trains:
• People used this for some 8% of rail trips in September
• Metro is exploring "possible discounts for taking the system to sporting events"
(gift link)
• People used this for some 8% of rail trips in September
• Metro is exploring "possible discounts for taking the system to sporting events"
(gift link)
Good interview at Aspen Cyber Summit of former Cyber Command director Gen. (ret.) Paul Nakasone by Fox News national-security correspondent Jennifer Griffin. She asked him if he thinks Chinese hackers are still resident in U.S. telecom networks; he replied "We should assume that they are still."
November 18, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Good interview at Aspen Cyber Summit of former Cyber Command director Gen. (ret.) Paul Nakasone by Fox News national-security correspondent Jennifer Griffin. She asked him if he thinks Chinese hackers are still resident in U.S. telecom networks; he replied "We should assume that they are still."
Once again, could really use a filter for "story links to court filing or includes PDF of it" in Google News searches. Why we unhave?
November 18, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Once again, could really use a filter for "story links to court filing or includes PDF of it" in Google News searches. Why we unhave?
"We are seeing a renaissance of nuclear, driven by computing," Darío Gil, under secretary for science at the Department of Energy, tells Politico's Steven Overly in an Aspen Cyber Summit panel. Me: Sure, if by that you mean PowerPoints of new fission power plants.
November 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
"We are seeing a renaissance of nuclear, driven by computing," Darío Gil, under secretary for science at the Department of Energy, tells Politico's Steven Overly in an Aspen Cyber Summit panel. Me: Sure, if by that you mean PowerPoints of new fission power plants.