Ben from New Mexico
@bluefiddleguy.bsky.social
Former Mathematician, Tech worker, Empty nester dad, concerned observer.
The first brilliant insult I think of whenever prompted was Molly Ivins' summary of Newt Gingrich : "A dumb person's idea of a smart person." at least 3 of the next 10 are also Ivins.
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 24, 2025 at 8:06 PM
The first brilliant insult I think of whenever prompted was Molly Ivins' summary of Newt Gingrich : "A dumb person's idea of a smart person." at least 3 of the next 10 are also Ivins.
Walking in downtown Reykjavík on our last day and saw a little jacket wearing dog with a familiar face. I said to my wife, "he looks just like..." and she said "uggi?"
@hildur.bsky.social your pupper is an icon, at least in one American household.
@hildur.bsky.social your pupper is an icon, at least in one American household.
December 22, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Walking in downtown Reykjavík on our last day and saw a little jacket wearing dog with a familiar face. I said to my wife, "he looks just like..." and she said "uggi?"
@hildur.bsky.social your pupper is an icon, at least in one American household.
@hildur.bsky.social your pupper is an icon, at least in one American household.
Me and my wife's langalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangafi, Jòn Vídalìn.
December 19, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Me and my wife's langalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangalangafi, Jòn Vídalìn.
Have to limit myself to two books for myself, fighting my mania to get books abroad, even in languages I can't read. @hildur.bsky.social beat out Ragnar Jónsson for fiction. Did get through the whole transaction in Icelandic, so that's a start.
December 19, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Have to limit myself to two books for myself, fighting my mania to get books abroad, even in languages I can't read. @hildur.bsky.social beat out Ragnar Jónsson for fiction. Did get through the whole transaction in Icelandic, so that's a start.
Last moments of Phil Kline's "unsilent night". Such a beautiful evening! youtu.be/1noaOdl0bT4?....
December 14, 2025
YouTube video by Benjamin Jones
youtu.be
December 16, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Last moments of Phil Kline's "unsilent night". Such a beautiful evening! youtu.be/1noaOdl0bT4?....
Greenwich village unsilent night. Bill is ready.
December 15, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Greenwich village unsilent night. Bill is ready.
NYC touring. Three days to the iceland leg of the trip. Love this metropolis!
December 12, 2025 at 5:52 PM
NYC touring. Three days to the iceland leg of the trip. Love this metropolis!
The two material trades I had any instinct for at all were house painting (or rather, masking and plaster bumping which is what I did for a journeyman housepainter on my only two jobs), and plumbing (installed several toilets by myself once).
Double aside: which trade would you align with if you didn't have a cushy tech job is a great question!
Electrician/networking is too obvious so I disallow that.
I'd either do drywall or framing.
Roofing is out. Not because of fall risk, but because it is so hot up there! Did once. Never again.🙅🏿♂️
Electrician/networking is too obvious so I disallow that.
I'd either do drywall or framing.
Roofing is out. Not because of fall risk, but because it is so hot up there! Did once. Never again.🙅🏿♂️
December 11, 2025 at 4:08 AM
The two material trades I had any instinct for at all were house painting (or rather, masking and plaster bumping which is what I did for a journeyman housepainter on my only two jobs), and plumbing (installed several toilets by myself once).
Can't spell 'caballero' without 'baller'.
December 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Can't spell 'caballero' without 'baller'.
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel.
December 7, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel.
#deepThoughts How did people in pre-16th century Constantinople describe things that were really intricate and over-complicated?
December 7, 2025 at 6:32 PM
#deepThoughts How did people in pre-16th century Constantinople describe things that were really intricate and over-complicated?
Just remember, javascript devs, you make `NaN` of the shots you don't take!
December 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Just remember, javascript devs, you make `NaN` of the shots you don't take!
We should try to learn from _any_ success; at the same time, we can't possibly copy DJT's "efficiencies" and we shouldn't try -- DJT's measures are efficient because the only thing his inner circle cares about is money for _themselves_ and pain on people they hate; we just don't share those goals.
There is such a thirst in some progressive centrist circles that they will look at the Trump administration as a model to get things done. I think its worth addressing the argument. This is from Mark Dunkelman, author of the widely praised "Why Nothing Works."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...
Opinion | What the Left Could Learn From Trump’s Brutal Efficiency
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:00 PM
We should try to learn from _any_ success; at the same time, we can't possibly copy DJT's "efficiencies" and we shouldn't try -- DJT's measures are efficient because the only thing his inner circle cares about is money for _themselves_ and pain on people they hate; we just don't share those goals.
1/ Algebra:
A 60-38 '24 R victory becomes a democratic victory if:
* Around 5% of '24 R voters vote for Behn out of disgust.
* For each 5 24 D voters, one more shows up because the race is close or the stakes high.
* Around 1/6 of R voters don't show up (which is likely).
A 60-38 '24 R victory becomes a democratic victory if:
* Around 5% of '24 R voters vote for Behn out of disgust.
* For each 5 24 D voters, one more shows up because the race is close or the stakes high.
* Around 1/6 of R voters don't show up (which is likely).
December 2, 2025 at 6:03 PM
1/ Algebra:
A 60-38 '24 R victory becomes a democratic victory if:
* Around 5% of '24 R voters vote for Behn out of disgust.
* For each 5 24 D voters, one more shows up because the race is close or the stakes high.
* Around 1/6 of R voters don't show up (which is likely).
A 60-38 '24 R victory becomes a democratic victory if:
* Around 5% of '24 R voters vote for Behn out of disgust.
* For each 5 24 D voters, one more shows up because the race is close or the stakes high.
* Around 1/6 of R voters don't show up (which is likely).
I freely give my opinion because I recognize that having my opinion heard is a human need that I have. I do not believe my opinion has any great value on its own. I recall -- to my great shame -- that I long thought my opinion was magically important, but I can't remember what that _felt_ like.
December 1, 2025 at 7:03 PM
I freely give my opinion because I recognize that having my opinion heard is a human need that I have. I do not believe my opinion has any great value on its own. I recall -- to my great shame -- that I long thought my opinion was magically important, but I can't remember what that _felt_ like.
This is what the abundance sounds like when it gets more specific and less self important. And I'm here for it!
Soon small businesses won’t have to wait for Small Business Saturday to get attention from their Mayor.
Some changes that they can look forward to:
Some changes that they can look forward to:
November 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
This is what the abundance sounds like when it gets more specific and less self important. And I'm here for it!
David Byrne (5 times)
Johnny Clegg and Savuka
Malathini and the Mahotella Queens
Mariza
(60+ times) The Guarineri Quartet
Johnny Clegg and Savuka
Malathini and the Mahotella Queens
Mariza
(60+ times) The Guarineri Quartet
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you have seen
R.E.M.
Sara Bareilles
Pearl Jam
Hall & Oates
Madonna
Sara Bareilles
Pearl Jam
Hall & Oates
Madonna
November 28, 2025 at 7:20 PM
David Byrne (5 times)
Johnny Clegg and Savuka
Malathini and the Mahotella Queens
Mariza
(60+ times) The Guarineri Quartet
Johnny Clegg and Savuka
Malathini and the Mahotella Queens
Mariza
(60+ times) The Guarineri Quartet
The best term for a true Trump Republican came from @joshtpm.bsky.social back in 2017: Wraith.
November 26, 2025 at 3:20 PM
The best term for a true Trump Republican came from @joshtpm.bsky.social back in 2017: Wraith.
Embarrassment:
November 25, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Embarrassment:
One of the very greatest songs from one of the greatest songwriters; may his name be for a blessing, as his songs certainly will. youtu.be/TegLTsuvzXQ?...
Jimmy Cliff performing "Many Rivers To Cross" on KCRW
YouTube video by KCRW
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 2:21 PM
One of the very greatest songs from one of the greatest songwriters; may his name be for a blessing, as his songs certainly will. youtu.be/TegLTsuvzXQ?...
I _do_ like LLMs and I use them both on my own time and as a core part of my job.
Also, my time with LLMs has shown that @astrokatie.com is 100% correct that "trusted answer machine" is a useless and harmful role for LLM bots, but that "AI" companies push that use mode anyway.
Also, my time with LLMs has shown that @astrokatie.com is 100% correct that "trusted answer machine" is a useless and harmful role for LLM bots, but that "AI" companies push that use mode anyway.
For lots of reasons, I don’t like LLMs and I don’t use them, but I know there are serious people working on ways to meaningfully incorporate them into education and I don’t doubt there are ways to do that productively. It’s probably obvious that “Have the LLM tell you the answer” isn’t one of them.
November 24, 2025 at 5:53 AM
I _do_ like LLMs and I use them both on my own time and as a core part of my job.
Also, my time with LLMs has shown that @astrokatie.com is 100% correct that "trusted answer machine" is a useless and harmful role for LLM bots, but that "AI" companies push that use mode anyway.
Also, my time with LLMs has shown that @astrokatie.com is 100% correct that "trusted answer machine" is a useless and harmful role for LLM bots, but that "AI" companies push that use mode anyway.
Reposted by Ben from New Mexico
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
November 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
Tariff plan from chat GPT
Diplomacy plan from chat GRU
Diplomacy plan from chat GRU
Reuters has confirmed that President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and his special envoy Steve Witkoff held a private meeting in Miami with a sanctioned Kremlin proxy to help shape the new "peace plan" for Ukraine. www.reuters.com/world/europe...
www.reuters.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Tariff plan from chat GPT
Diplomacy plan from chat GRU
Diplomacy plan from chat GRU
Second official game at the Bridge club. Finally took this joke picture that I've wanted to set up for a long time. Bridge nerds will know what I'm talking about.
November 23, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Second official game at the Bridge club. Finally took this joke picture that I've wanted to set up for a long time. Bridge nerds will know what I'm talking about.
