Ariel
@sycoraxpine.bsky.social
Reader, amateur beekeeper, theatregoer, prof, chicken enthusiast, perpetually novice aerialist, feeder of two cats and one small (human) dragon
Reposted by Ariel
This is ridiculous. It was the first TRUMP admin which developed the cases against President Hernandez. His brother Tony Hernandez was indicted in 2018 and convicted in 2019, and key ally Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez was indicted in 2020.
Both were later sentenced to life in prison!
Both were later sentenced to life in prison!
Leavitt: "The people of Honduras have highlighted to him how the former President Hernandez was set up. This was a clear Biden over prosecution."
December 1, 2025 at 7:36 PM
This is ridiculous. It was the first TRUMP admin which developed the cases against President Hernandez. His brother Tony Hernandez was indicted in 2018 and convicted in 2019, and key ally Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez was indicted in 2020.
Both were later sentenced to life in prison!
Both were later sentenced to life in prison!
Reposted by Ariel
"Increasing hate, threats and harassment against female politicians are scaring women away from public life and forcing them to censor themselves, the Swedish government’s equality agency has said, warning that this poses a 'big threat to democracy.'"
Rising levels of hate forcing women out of Swedish public life, says equality agency
Country seen as champion of equal rights faces reckoning after senior politician says she felt compelled to quit
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:21 PM
"Increasing hate, threats and harassment against female politicians are scaring women away from public life and forcing them to censor themselves, the Swedish government’s equality agency has said, warning that this poses a 'big threat to democracy.'"
Reposted by Ariel
A police stop is enough to make someone less likely to vote, recent research has found. "Voting is a reflection of our belief that we’re part of the system, that our voice matters."
A Police Stop Is Enough to Make Someone Less Likely to Vote
New research shows how the communities that are most heavily policed are pushed away from politics and from having a say in changing policy.
boltsmag.org
December 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM
A police stop is enough to make someone less likely to vote, recent research has found. "Voting is a reflection of our belief that we’re part of the system, that our voice matters."
This.
The whole thread is gold.
The whole thread is gold.
I want to go back to this excerpt.
What students learn when we talk about ethics but don’t act on them is that we are hypocrites who actually don’t give a damn— and that they shouldn’t give a damn either but should pretend that they do.
What students learn when we talk about ethics but don’t act on them is that we are hypocrites who actually don’t give a damn— and that they shouldn’t give a damn either but should pretend that they do.
December 1, 2025 at 11:56 AM
This.
The whole thread is gold.
The whole thread is gold.
Reposted by Ariel
So many of these nods to ethics in the AI discourse and AI policies and training in schools and corporations treat ethics like something simply to be mentioned, not to be acted on. Mention it and move on doing whatever you want.
December 1, 2025 at 11:35 AM
So many of these nods to ethics in the AI discourse and AI policies and training in schools and corporations treat ethics like something simply to be mentioned, not to be acted on. Mention it and move on doing whatever you want.
Reposted by Ariel
Fact-checking one of the single most effective convincing-sounding lie generation machines = trying to sweep the ocean back into the sea (or capture emissions after they're released)
We don't solve this without regulating, attacking and delegitimising the slop firehose
We don't solve this without regulating, attacking and delegitimising the slop firehose
Laughing in high school teacher.
“I will allow my son to use ChatGPT and similar tools at some point. But when I do, I plan to show him how to fact-check the sources the A.I. has provided, and make sure he understands that computers often ‘learn‘ the wrong thing from online sources.”
#GiftArticle
“I will allow my son to use ChatGPT and similar tools at some point. But when I do, I plan to show him how to fact-check the sources the A.I. has provided, and make sure he understands that computers often ‘learn‘ the wrong thing from online sources.”
#GiftArticle
Opinion | How to Prepare Your Kids for the A.I. Revolution
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Fact-checking one of the single most effective convincing-sounding lie generation machines = trying to sweep the ocean back into the sea (or capture emissions after they're released)
We don't solve this without regulating, attacking and delegitimising the slop firehose
We don't solve this without regulating, attacking and delegitimising the slop firehose
Reposted by Ariel
My most successful teaching activity last year was a 75 minute in-class essay where I gave them a source and a prompt and they just read and wrote, read and wrote, the best results I have seen in an essay in years. They need undistracted time.
“Today, with digital “heat-seeking missiles” soaking up attention, “maybe the best thing we can do in the classroom is give young people the gift of quiet, undistracted time.”
AI is accelerating a tech backlash in American classrooms
Handwritten and oral exams are making a comeback
www.economist.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
My most successful teaching activity last year was a 75 minute in-class essay where I gave them a source and a prompt and they just read and wrote, read and wrote, the best results I have seen in an essay in years. They need undistracted time.
Shockingly, the people we pay a huge amount of money to manage other people’s productive labour are more willing and likely to take error-riddled, expensive shortcuts to lighten their load than (checks notes) the people doing the actual front-line labour for artificially suppressed salaries.
The numbers in here are hilarious.
Do you use AI on the job?
Execs: 87%
Managers: 57%
Workers: 27%
Planned investment by 2030: $5T
"Necessary" annual revenue to justify that spend: $650B
Current annual revenue: $50B
Do you use AI on the job?
Execs: 87%
Managers: 57%
Workers: 27%
Planned investment by 2030: $5T
"Necessary" annual revenue to justify that spend: $650B
Current annual revenue: $50B
Three years into the generative-AI wave, demand for the technology seems surprisingly flimsy
December 1, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Shockingly, the people we pay a huge amount of money to manage other people’s productive labour are more willing and likely to take error-riddled, expensive shortcuts to lighten their load than (checks notes) the people doing the actual front-line labour for artificially suppressed salaries.
Reposted by Ariel
#WorldAIDSDay this year is a grim one
Stories of the devastating impact of US, British and wider European aid cuts on the fight against HIV – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – continue to mount as 2025 comes to an end…
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Stories of the devastating impact of US, British and wider European aid cuts on the fight against HIV – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – continue to mount as 2025 comes to an end…
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Aid cuts have shaken HIV/Aids care to its core – and will mean millions more infections ahead
Reports highlight devastating impact of slashed funding, especially in parts of Africa, that could lead to 3.3m new HIV infections by 2030
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:15 AM
#WorldAIDSDay this year is a grim one
Stories of the devastating impact of US, British and wider European aid cuts on the fight against HIV – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – continue to mount as 2025 comes to an end…
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Stories of the devastating impact of US, British and wider European aid cuts on the fight against HIV – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – continue to mount as 2025 comes to an end…
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Reposted by Ariel
96% of the highest-paid workers in the US have paid sick days.
Just 38% of the lowest-paid workers get them — including the thousands of retail workers working this holiday weekend.
Only in America do we call working people ‘essential’ but deny them paid sick leave.
Just 38% of the lowest-paid workers get them — including the thousands of retail workers working this holiday weekend.
Only in America do we call working people ‘essential’ but deny them paid sick leave.
The Hidden Costs of Denying Paid Sick Leave
Robert Reich
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:00 AM
96% of the highest-paid workers in the US have paid sick days.
Just 38% of the lowest-paid workers get them — including the thousands of retail workers working this holiday weekend.
Only in America do we call working people ‘essential’ but deny them paid sick leave.
Just 38% of the lowest-paid workers get them — including the thousands of retail workers working this holiday weekend.
Only in America do we call working people ‘essential’ but deny them paid sick leave.
This thread is a theatre-historical hero’s journey!
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
December 1, 2025 at 10:51 AM
This thread is a theatre-historical hero’s journey!
Reposted by Ariel
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
Reposted by Ariel
We can't really say this enough...
> Anastasia Berg [at UCL Irvine] said that new research — and what she's hearing directly from colleagues across various industries — shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate.
www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-are...
> Anastasia Berg [at UCL Irvine] said that new research — and what she's hearing directly from colleagues across various industries — shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate.
www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-are...
AI tools are 'deskilling' workers, philosophy professor says
A philosophy professor warns that AI reliance is weakening workers' judgment, creativity, and problem-solving.
www.businessinsider.com
November 30, 2025 at 6:09 PM
We can't really say this enough...
> Anastasia Berg [at UCL Irvine] said that new research — and what she's hearing directly from colleagues across various industries — shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate.
www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-are...
> Anastasia Berg [at UCL Irvine] said that new research — and what she's hearing directly from colleagues across various industries — shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate.
www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-are...
Reposted by Ariel
“The GHF model is one of the worst ‘aid’ — and I use ‘aid’ in quotes — models that’s been tried in the 21st century, if not longer than that,” said Anastasia Moran, advocacy director at MedGlobal, a Chicago-based medical aid organization that has teams inside Gaza.
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Calls It Quits After Thousands Die Seeking Its Aid
The aid group GHF oversaw relief in Gaza during a period defined by the killings of Palestinians seeking food during famine.
interc.pt
November 30, 2025 at 7:02 PM
“The GHF model is one of the worst ‘aid’ — and I use ‘aid’ in quotes — models that’s been tried in the 21st century, if not longer than that,” said Anastasia Moran, advocacy director at MedGlobal, a Chicago-based medical aid organization that has teams inside Gaza.
Reposted by Ariel
This is as good as this stuff will ever be, this is the phase where we're all supposed to be getting hooked in to this disruptive new thing. Once the free money dries up and they have to turn a profit, it will inevitably get worse and worse
"All of this falls apart if humans don't adopt the tech. This is why you've seen Meta cram its lame chatbots into WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why Notepad and Paint now have useless Copilot buttons on Windows. This is why Google Gemini wants to "help you" read and reply to your emails."
Analysis: OpenAI is a loss-making machine, how can it survive?
Don't call it a bubble! Loss-making monster OpenAI is on the hook for $1.4 trillion (with a T) in compute commitments. How can this go on?
www.windowscentral.com
November 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM
This is as good as this stuff will ever be, this is the phase where we're all supposed to be getting hooked in to this disruptive new thing. Once the free money dries up and they have to turn a profit, it will inevitably get worse and worse
Reposted by Ariel
i was thinking about this again last night. remember when any query had a ton of info behind it? like you could find a shirt you owned in 2003 in minutes
but also like, the user experience everywhere today would shock us in like, 2015
but also like, the user experience everywhere today would shock us in like, 2015
it’s so weird to look around and realize like, tech and media are materially worse than a decade ago
November 30, 2025 at 6:09 PM
i was thinking about this again last night. remember when any query had a ton of info behind it? like you could find a shirt you owned in 2003 in minutes
but also like, the user experience everywhere today would shock us in like, 2015
but also like, the user experience everywhere today would shock us in like, 2015
Reposted by Ariel
The highest calling of journalism isn’t to tell two sides of a story.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
Unfortunately, in US journalism it is considered neutral to spread a lie, but it is considered "biased" to call out a lie. So, there is a structural asymmetry that rewards colorful lies with virality.
November 30, 2025 at 7:49 AM
The highest calling of journalism isn’t to tell two sides of a story.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
Reposted by Ariel
“One of those working most closely with Epstein, up to and including attempting to scrub his public image, was Bannon…Bannon, the man millions of MAGA fans trust to tell it like it is, stands revealed as one of the most cynical liars ever to mar this country.”
www.thebulwark.com/p/steve-bann...
www.thebulwark.com/p/steve-bann...
Steve Bannon Was Epstein’s Comeback Consultant. Where’s the Uproar?
The MAGA architect is escaping opprobrium for his chummy relationship with the notorious pedophile.
www.thebulwark.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
“One of those working most closely with Epstein, up to and including attempting to scrub his public image, was Bannon…Bannon, the man millions of MAGA fans trust to tell it like it is, stands revealed as one of the most cynical liars ever to mar this country.”
www.thebulwark.com/p/steve-bann...
www.thebulwark.com/p/steve-bann...
Reposted by Ariel
$1.6bln: The amount of his fraud scheme
7: Years of his sentence
10,000: Victims of his fraud
1,000: Letters from victims to the court
13: Days he served
1: Pardon from Trump
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/u...
7: Years of his sentence
10,000: Victims of his fraud
1,000: Letters from victims to the court
13: Days he served
1: Pardon from Trump
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/u...
Trump Frees Fraudster Just Days Into Seven-Year Prison Sentence
www.nytimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:54 PM
$1.6bln: The amount of his fraud scheme
7: Years of his sentence
10,000: Victims of his fraud
1,000: Letters from victims to the court
13: Days he served
1: Pardon from Trump
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/u...
7: Years of his sentence
10,000: Victims of his fraud
1,000: Letters from victims to the court
13: Days he served
1: Pardon from Trump
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/u...
Reposted by Ariel
just a reminder that *lots* of countries have universities, and (to my knowledge) none of them but the U.S. treat their universities as largely minor league sports franchises
LSU is paying its previous football coach over $50 million NOT to coach there while likely guaranteeing Kiffin something approaching double that, all while having an academic hiring freeze and budget cuts across the board. What is the purpose of a university (rhetorical)?
SOURCES: Lane Kiffin is expected to accept LSU's offer to become the Tigers next head coach. Kiffin is set to meet with his Ole Miss team this morning at 9 AM CT. As we reported yesterday morning, LSU has been very confident it was going to land Kiffin. www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...
November 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
just a reminder that *lots* of countries have universities, and (to my knowledge) none of them but the U.S. treat their universities as largely minor league sports franchises
The last slide could also read,”governments decide xenophobia is politically profitable, so international students are stopped from coming.”
Reality imitates meme.
(This is superb reporting, making visible the consequences of a failing funding model.)
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
(This is superb reporting, making visible the consequences of a failing funding model.)
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 30, 2025 at 5:48 PM
The last slide could also read,”governments decide xenophobia is politically profitable, so international students are stopped from coming.”
Reposted by Ariel
Neat summary by the journalist, Isabella Ward on the other site. Those graphs 😰
finance.yahoo.com/news/lenders...
finance.yahoo.com/news/lenders...
March 31, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Neat summary by the journalist, Isabella Ward on the other site. Those graphs 😰
finance.yahoo.com/news/lenders...
finance.yahoo.com/news/lenders...
Reposted by Ariel
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 24, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
I wrote my undergraduate thesis on Stoppard, and it’s an ache to know there will be no more new work.
apnews.com/article/stop...
apnews.com/article/stop...
Tom Stoppard, sparkling playwright who won an Oscar for 'Shakespeare In Love,' dies at 88
British playwright Tom Stoppard, who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998’s “Shakespeare In Love” has died. He was 88.
apnews.com
November 30, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I wrote my undergraduate thesis on Stoppard, and it’s an ache to know there will be no more new work.
apnews.com/article/stop...
apnews.com/article/stop...
Reposted by Ariel
There's no one way to be absolutely sure about a video's authenticity, but experts say there are some simple clues that can help. n.pr/3MdlYQQ
AI video slop is everywhere, take our quiz to try and spot it
There's no one way to be absolutely sure about a video's authenticity, but experts say there are some simple clues that can help.
n.pr
November 30, 2025 at 10:09 AM
There's no one way to be absolutely sure about a video's authenticity, but experts say there are some simple clues that can help. n.pr/3MdlYQQ