Austin Reid, Ph.D.
@austinreid.bsky.social
Physics (assistant) professor at Tennessee Tech. Origami, magnets, neutrons. Davidson, NCSU (TUNL), PSL (ÉNS), IU (CEEM), Trinity College, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi… I collect higher ed ID cards like Pokémon (my IU one is a shiny) he/him 🌻
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
You’d be p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶i̶e̶r̶ more profitable if you smiled more
"Store employees are now required to smile if they are within 10 feet of a shopper.
They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.
If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."
🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.
If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."
🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
Target is now requiring its employees to smile more
As the holiday season fast approaches, Target is urging its employees to add a little more “jolly” to their work routine.
www.wilx.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
You’d be p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶i̶e̶r̶ more profitable if you smiled more
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
He’s just so stupid, is the thing. So, so stupid. Like, we can comment on the poisonous heart of it in a minute, and how terrible it is that he can spew this stuff in a media environment he can pay to control. But first we have to get past just how clankingly stupid he is. How stupid all of this is.
October 29, 2025 at 3:42 PM
He’s just so stupid, is the thing. So, so stupid. Like, we can comment on the poisonous heart of it in a minute, and how terrible it is that he can spew this stuff in a media environment he can pay to control. But first we have to get past just how clankingly stupid he is. How stupid all of this is.
Would it be an ettobrella in Japanese?
October 27, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Would it be an ettobrella in Japanese?
Halloween costume idea this spoooooky season: a follow-up question from Isaac Chotiner
October 27, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Halloween costume idea this spoooooky season: a follow-up question from Isaac Chotiner
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
A reminder that this is what the path to a full ban on vaccines looks like.
No one is banning vaccines for everyone overnight. Just like with abortion, they will carve off one group at a time and hope the those still eligible respond with gratitude and self-interest instead of anger and solidarity.
No one is banning vaccines for everyone overnight. Just like with abortion, they will carve off one group at a time and hope the those still eligible respond with gratitude and self-interest instead of anger and solidarity.
It's official: Updated COVID vaccines have been approved by the FDA, but with restrictions.
Moderna: 6 months and up if high risk
Pfizer: 5 years and up if high risk
Novavax: 12 years and up if high risk
Anyone 65 years and up is eligible for updated COVID vaccines regardless of risk status.
Moderna: 6 months and up if high risk
Pfizer: 5 years and up if high risk
Novavax: 12 years and up if high risk
Anyone 65 years and up is eligible for updated COVID vaccines regardless of risk status.
August 27, 2025 at 10:42 PM
A reminder that this is what the path to a full ban on vaccines looks like.
No one is banning vaccines for everyone overnight. Just like with abortion, they will carve off one group at a time and hope the those still eligible respond with gratitude and self-interest instead of anger and solidarity.
No one is banning vaccines for everyone overnight. Just like with abortion, they will carve off one group at a time and hope the those still eligible respond with gratitude and self-interest instead of anger and solidarity.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
The heartbreaking thing about this
is that there’s already a proven way
to invest lots of money in a knowledge machine
that produces unforeseeable results
that include fantastically profitable ideas
(and some life-saving ones)
and generally benefit society
and this machine is called
a university
is that there’s already a proven way
to invest lots of money in a knowledge machine
that produces unforeseeable results
that include fantastically profitable ideas
(and some life-saving ones)
and generally benefit society
and this machine is called
a university
From the replies (bsky.app/profile/dasb...) here's Sam Altman doing what the quoted post described. He seems serious about it.
August 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The heartbreaking thing about this
is that there’s already a proven way
to invest lots of money in a knowledge machine
that produces unforeseeable results
that include fantastically profitable ideas
(and some life-saving ones)
and generally benefit society
and this machine is called
a university
is that there’s already a proven way
to invest lots of money in a knowledge machine
that produces unforeseeable results
that include fantastically profitable ideas
(and some life-saving ones)
and generally benefit society
and this machine is called
a university
Credit to @kjhealy.co for the transcript, and to ChatGPT for being a PhD level expert
August 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Credit to @kjhealy.co for the transcript, and to ChatGPT for being a PhD level expert
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
Dogs, surfing.
Photos of surfing dogs hanging ten in annual competition
PACIFICA, Calif. (AP) — The annual World Dog Surfing Championships took place near San Francisco on Saturday.
apnews.com
August 4, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Dogs, surfing.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
On one side are con men, fabulists, fascists, investors, and cultists (or some combination of those descriptors), with no regard for the amount of destruction they create as long as they profit.
This is why there are sides.
This is why there are sides.
Which side are YOU on? (And why are there sides at all?)
The AI Civil War Is Here
The tech industry and its critics occupy parallel universes.
www.theatlantic.com
July 8, 2025 at 7:30 PM
On one side are con men, fabulists, fascists, investors, and cultists (or some combination of those descriptors), with no regard for the amount of destruction they create as long as they profit.
This is why there are sides.
This is why there are sides.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
To be honest, I don't really care what you *say*; I never really do.
But don't write like you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923 unless you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923.
But don't write like you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923 unless you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923.
June 23, 2025 at 1:39 AM
To be honest, I don't really care what you *say*; I never really do.
But don't write like you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923 unless you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923.
But don't write like you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923 unless you run a boardinghouse in Tilling in 1923.
These new mail trucks were designed with consideration of others in mind. Their looking silly follows the shocking regulatory failure that has allowed modern trucks and SUVs
the reason these trucks look “silly” is that they have large windshields and a low hood, which increases visibility and reduces risk to pedestrians.
trucks like this should look normal and F-150s should be the silly ones
trucks like this should look normal and F-150s should be the silly ones
The new EVs have had problems. And they do look very silly.
Selling them off would set USPS back a decade — it’d cost billions of dollars, and the current fleet of gas-guzzlers are frankly dangerous to drive.
Selling them off would set USPS back a decade — it’d cost billions of dollars, and the current fleet of gas-guzzlers are frankly dangerous to drive.
June 21, 2025 at 8:59 PM
These new mail trucks were designed with consideration of others in mind. Their looking silly follows the shocking regulatory failure that has allowed modern trucks and SUVs
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
I *highly* recommend this labeler. It will out people for following Yglesias, Singal, Wu, and now also Vance. It’s a great way to know who you’re engaging with.
bsky.app/profile/for....
bsky.app/profile/for....
bsky.app
June 19, 2025 at 3:36 AM
I *highly* recommend this labeler. It will out people for following Yglesias, Singal, Wu, and now also Vance. It’s a great way to know who you’re engaging with.
bsky.app/profile/for....
bsky.app/profile/for....
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
The morning after the election, I had a panicked thought: “My threat model is wrong.”
I’d been giving privacy advice for years, but my counsel would not protect against an authoritarian president seeking revenge against political enemies.
Tyranny was going to require a new threat model.
I’d been giving privacy advice for years, but my counsel would not protect against an authoritarian president seeking revenge against political enemies.
Tyranny was going to require a new threat model.
April 12, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The morning after the election, I had a panicked thought: “My threat model is wrong.”
I’d been giving privacy advice for years, but my counsel would not protect against an authoritarian president seeking revenge against political enemies.
Tyranny was going to require a new threat model.
I’d been giving privacy advice for years, but my counsel would not protect against an authoritarian president seeking revenge against political enemies.
Tyranny was going to require a new threat model.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
I find “people don’t actually know how things work” has a lot of explanatory power.
I don’t mean this in a holier-than-thou way. I’m only vaguely aware of how my microwave or the car radio work. A lot of modern life is assuming the functioning of complex tech and models.
I don’t mean this in a holier-than-thou way. I’m only vaguely aware of how my microwave or the car radio work. A lot of modern life is assuming the functioning of complex tech and models.
April 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
I find “people don’t actually know how things work” has a lot of explanatory power.
I don’t mean this in a holier-than-thou way. I’m only vaguely aware of how my microwave or the car radio work. A lot of modern life is assuming the functioning of complex tech and models.
I don’t mean this in a holier-than-thou way. I’m only vaguely aware of how my microwave or the car radio work. A lot of modern life is assuming the functioning of complex tech and models.
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
March 25, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
“I have to wonder what you are saying about your life if even you can’t be bothered to think about it…. To farm out this task, of all tasks, to a machine is deeply disheartening…. it’s a broader degradation of our memories and our humanity.” @tmcallister.bsky.social
Opinion | Sorry, Sam Altman, A.I. Is Not Good at Real Writing
When we let computers write our stories, we lose something essential.
www.nytimes.com
March 23, 2025 at 5:27 PM
“I have to wonder what you are saying about your life if even you can’t be bothered to think about it…. To farm out this task, of all tasks, to a machine is deeply disheartening…. it’s a broader degradation of our memories and our humanity.” @tmcallister.bsky.social
Man has long looked up at the stars and wondered: What would it feel like to die up there?
March 21, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Man has long looked up at the stars and wondered: What would it feel like to die up there?
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
Someone needs to take away all the psychedelics from Silicon Valley. It is irresponsible to use them without proper training in the humanities
March 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Someone needs to take away all the psychedelics from Silicon Valley. It is irresponsible to use them without proper training in the humanities
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
This is tragic. Anyone who was familiar with 18F knows those were some of the real heroes of government, who helped make government tech/digital services better for the public.
They were doing real work that DOGE pretends to do, but is too ignorant to know how to do.
They were doing real work that DOGE pretends to do, but is too ignorant to know how to do.
18F, a digital services unit inside the General Services Administration, has been completely laid off, according to an email I’ve seen. The email says that 18F was deemed “non-critical” and the decision was made with the “explicit” direction of the administration and GSA leadership.
March 1, 2025 at 8:07 AM
This is tragic. Anyone who was familiar with 18F knows those were some of the real heroes of government, who helped make government tech/digital services better for the public.
They were doing real work that DOGE pretends to do, but is too ignorant to know how to do.
They were doing real work that DOGE pretends to do, but is too ignorant to know how to do.
Dear Manager, this week:
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
February 23, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Dear Manager, this week:
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
Reposted by Austin Reid, Ph.D.
For decades, the US government has painstakingly kept American science #1 globally—and every facet of American life has improved because of it. The internet? Flu shot? Ozempic? All grew out of federally-funded research. Now all that's being dismantled. 1/ www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/21/1...
The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled
Federal scientists warn that Americans could feel the effects of the new administration's devastating cuts for decades to come
www.technologyreview.com
February 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
For decades, the US government has painstakingly kept American science #1 globally—and every facet of American life has improved because of it. The internet? Flu shot? Ozempic? All grew out of federally-funded research. Now all that's being dismantled. 1/ www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/21/1...