Matthew Appleton
@thetalkingmoose.net
Neurosparkly, geeky, non-normative cis hetero husband, dad, and domesticated weirdo/misanthropic secular humanist. Also fanatical about music, MST3K, Star Trek, SF&F lit, Lego, and the Phillies.
Reposted by Matthew Appleton
today’s affirmation: I am within the acceptable range of deviation. I am a perfectly roasted quail. if I was a car the mechanics would find nothing weird or rodent related in my air filter. I am upright. There are no stones or excess debris in my shoes. I still have all my bones.
December 9, 2025 at 1:44 PM
today’s affirmation: I am within the acceptable range of deviation. I am a perfectly roasted quail. if I was a car the mechanics would find nothing weird or rodent related in my air filter. I am upright. There are no stones or excess debris in my shoes. I still have all my bones.
Reposted by Matthew Appleton
I think about this, also in terms of vaccines, and really struggle with how you have a free society that doesn’t fall into this trap in one way or another. solved problems become invisible and the solutions become the source of conspiracy theories.
This seems logical but Dems solved* the whole problem of old-age health care costs in the mid-1960s and then they lost five of the next six presidential elections because by 1968 it was a solved problem and no one cared about it.
*Yes oversimplifying here and the rest of course.
*Yes oversimplifying here and the rest of course.
i will amend my earlier tweet. whichever party solves the prices of housing *and child care* will rule america for a generation
December 13, 2025 at 2:24 AM
I think about this, also in terms of vaccines, and really struggle with how you have a free society that doesn’t fall into this trap in one way or another. solved problems become invisible and the solutions become the source of conspiracy theories.
Reposted by Matthew Appleton
Oh, no! Just how did countless generations of parents figure out how to raise newborns before Altman and his fellow tech idiots came up with their AI chatbots that in reality get so much information wrong?
I hope his baby survives.
I hope his baby survives.
Jimmy Fallon: "And do you use ChatGPT when raising your baby?"
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
December 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Oh, no! Just how did countless generations of parents figure out how to raise newborns before Altman and his fellow tech idiots came up with their AI chatbots that in reality get so much information wrong?
I hope his baby survives.
I hope his baby survives.
What I desperately wish I could do right now in the hallways of my employer's corporate HQ (which is technically my home work office, even though I work from home 100% of the time.)
a cartoon of a woman in a star trek uniform standing in a doorway
Alt: A clip of Mariner from Star Trek: Lower Decks sarcastically leaving a room (via sliding doors) while sarcastically giving a double-handed Vulcan salute and blowing a raspberry.
media.tenor.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:58 PM
What I desperately wish I could do right now in the hallways of my employer's corporate HQ (which is technically my home work office, even though I work from home 100% of the time.)
Reposted by Matthew Appleton
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Repost with the next recipient of the fifa peace prize.
December 6, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Repost with the next recipient of the fifa peace prize.
It's that time of year again. Don't forget to keep Krampus in Christmas, and don't forget to watch Gremlins on Christmas Eve.
December 5, 2025 at 6:19 PM
It's that time of year again. Don't forget to keep Krampus in Christmas, and don't forget to watch Gremlins on Christmas Eve.
One of the many reasons why I am devotee of owning (whenever possible) the physical media of any TV show or movie I feel as though I will want to rewatch in the future. All the promises of "everything available, all the time" at the start of the Streaming Era turned out to be full of shit.
The other night I was idly watching the sixth episode in a new-to-me TV series on Netflix and about 10 minutes before the end of the episode the playback froze. After trying to restart it for a bit I exited and re-opened Netflix and the entire series had disappeared, apparently deleted from the app.
December 5, 2025 at 3:29 PM
One of the many reasons why I am devotee of owning (whenever possible) the physical media of any TV show or movie I feel as though I will want to rewatch in the future. All the promises of "everything available, all the time" at the start of the Streaming Era turned out to be full of shit.
I love the fact that there's a whole bunch of user data I was able to deny Spotify access to over the past year, as well as the fact I have the ability to create an almost identical report all on my own.
My Year in Music (Frak Spotify Wrapped)
To repeat what I said last year in My Year in Music (My Version of Spotify Wrapped), though I have a Spotify account, the way I use the service – which, not coincidentally, I have just canceled our…
thetalkingmoose.net
December 4, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I love the fact that there's a whole bunch of user data I was able to deny Spotify access to over the past year, as well as the fact I have the ability to create an almost identical report all on my own.
It's incredibly difficult to be an ethical/truly conscientious consumer in 2025 USA, but over the protests of our Gen Z college age children, we just canceled our Spotify family plan.
December 4, 2025 at 1:23 PM
It's incredibly difficult to be an ethical/truly conscientious consumer in 2025 USA, but over the protests of our Gen Z college age children, we just canceled our Spotify family plan.
A couple weeks ago in NYC, I posed for this picture taken by my wife. Not really sure what I was attempting with the face I made, but I am very pleased by the final result. not my all-time favorite photo, but definitely one of the best.
December 3, 2025 at 8:58 PM
A couple weeks ago in NYC, I posed for this picture taken by my wife. Not really sure what I was attempting with the face I made, but I am very pleased by the final result. not my all-time favorite photo, but definitely one of the best.
Reposted by Matthew Appleton
Stupid country founded by religious whackjobs who got kicked out of Europe for trying to tell everyone else what to do.
December 3, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Stupid country founded by religious whackjobs who got kicked out of Europe for trying to tell everyone else what to do.
Damn, I wish I lived close enough to Philly to merely browse through these stacks. [gifted article]
Estate sale at Delancey Street townhouse filled with 100,000 books opens this week
Sales by Helen expects to sell the vast majority of books for flat rates: $3 for paperbacks, $5 for hardbacks, $20 for coffee table.
share.inquirer.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Damn, I wish I lived close enough to Philly to merely browse through these stacks. [gifted article]
Happy Whamhalla Day to all those who, like me, choose to proactively arrive there rather than mindlessly deprive themselves of one of the greatest holiday songs ever. I arrived at 8:40 AM local time.
In case you feel the need and haven't arrived yet, here's a path to get there ASAP.
In case you feel the need and haven't arrived yet, here's a path to get there ASAP.
Wham! - Last Christmas (Official Video)
YouTube video by WhamVEVO
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Happy Whamhalla Day to all those who, like me, choose to proactively arrive there rather than mindlessly deprive themselves of one of the greatest holiday songs ever. I arrived at 8:40 AM local time.
In case you feel the need and haven't arrived yet, here's a path to get there ASAP.
In case you feel the need and haven't arrived yet, here's a path to get there ASAP.
Seriously, LEGO, you couldn't have given him an Enterprise set for portraying one of the characters in the set. Wheaton has every right to go full on supervillain for what you made him do to get one of these sets.
I've been in the lego queue for 19 minutes, and have become a MASTER of the memory match game.
This is my supervillain origin story.
This is my supervillain origin story.
November 28, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Seriously, LEGO, you couldn't have given him an Enterprise set for portraying one of the characters in the set. Wheaton has every right to go full on supervillain for what you made him do to get one of these sets.
JFC. I just found out about the Orwellian term "device hoarding." Holy shit, it's literally impossible for our mainstream news media to whore themselves out any harder to toxic American capitalists.
Go to fucking hell, @cnbc.com, and take one of Musk's underground tunnels there while you're at it.
Go to fucking hell, @cnbc.com, and take one of Musk's underground tunnels there while you're at it.
Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it's costing the economy
Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever before, and while it may be consumer smart, it comes at a cost to work productivity and the U.S. economy.
www.cnbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:48 PM
JFC. I just found out about the Orwellian term "device hoarding." Holy shit, it's literally impossible for our mainstream news media to whore themselves out any harder to toxic American capitalists.
Go to fucking hell, @cnbc.com, and take one of Musk's underground tunnels there while you're at it.
Go to fucking hell, @cnbc.com, and take one of Musk's underground tunnels there while you're at it.
Stating for the public record that after arriving in NYC earlier this week, I pledged my allegiance to our future pigeon overlords. I know they will rule with far more intelligence, common sense, & decency than the political party which currently controls all the branches of the federal government.
November 20, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Stating for the public record that after arriving in NYC earlier this week, I pledged my allegiance to our future pigeon overlords. I know they will rule with far more intelligence, common sense, & decency than the political party which currently controls all the branches of the federal government.
I want to see Musk treated like Emmanuel Goldstein during a Two Minute Hate session just for what he did to the word “grok.” It used to be one of my favorite words — using it when I wanted to imply something much greater than full understanding. I don’t think I will be able to use it *ever* again.
*laughs in historian* “… ranks among the 10 minds in history, rivalling polymaths like da Vinci or Newton…”
November 20, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I want to see Musk treated like Emmanuel Goldstein during a Two Minute Hate session just for what he did to the word “grok.” It used to be one of my favorite words — using it when I wanted to imply something much greater than full understanding. I don’t think I will be able to use it *ever* again.
While getting dressed just now, my wife found something in her dress pocket, and while pulling it out asked aloud, “What’s in my pocket?”
Without skipping a beat, I quipped, “The One Ring!?”
Thank you, our two-person show in New York City lasts till Saturday.
Without skipping a beat, I quipped, “The One Ring!?”
Thank you, our two-person show in New York City lasts till Saturday.
November 19, 2025 at 2:35 PM
While getting dressed just now, my wife found something in her dress pocket, and while pulling it out asked aloud, “What’s in my pocket?”
Without skipping a beat, I quipped, “The One Ring!?”
Thank you, our two-person show in New York City lasts till Saturday.
Without skipping a beat, I quipped, “The One Ring!?”
Thank you, our two-person show in New York City lasts till Saturday.
My 35-year high school class reunion is happening in two weeks, and I'm ready to enter my villain era.
35 Years Later
My 35-year high school class reunion is taking place in two weeks. Amusingly, I’ve been to more of my wife’s reunions than my own. In fact, I’ve only been to one of mine, the 10-y…
thetalkingmoose.net
November 15, 2025 at 3:39 PM
My 35-year high school class reunion is happening in two weeks, and I'm ready to enter my villain era.
Reposted by Matthew Appleton
Can confirm, I did say this, over on Threads. I stand by it here as well. And everywhere else!
“Re ‘There are a lot of people on your side who will be in the Epstein Files too!’: No there aren't, my side is the ‘People Who Don't Fuck Children’ side, anyone not on this side can get all the way into the bin, what side are YOU on, exactly?” — John Scalzi
November 14, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Can confirm, I did say this, over on Threads. I stand by it here as well. And everywhere else!
Leaving for a 5-night stay in NYC on Monday morning. Always excited to go there, because unlike where I currently live -- where my slightly eccentric middle-age style really sticks out -- up there I blend into the background. In NYC, I'm just a domesticated weirdo in the land of feral weirdos.
November 14, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Leaving for a 5-night stay in NYC on Monday morning. Always excited to go there, because unlike where I currently live -- where my slightly eccentric middle-age style really sticks out -- up there I blend into the background. In NYC, I'm just a domesticated weirdo in the land of feral weirdos.
Depressingly, the song is only more relevant and biting than when it was released in 2022.
The Golden Age of Doubling Down (LYRIC VIDEO)
YouTube video by Steven Page
youtu.be
November 14, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Depressingly, the song is only more relevant and biting than when it was released in 2022.