@deepcutz.bsky.social
Reposted
“Our agencies are here to provide services. This is what they’re supposed to be doing.”
By treating constituent problems as urgent and solvable, Zohran Mamdani's incoming administration is posing a surprisingly radical question: What if every day, government services actually worked?
By treating constituent problems as urgent and solvable, Zohran Mamdani's incoming administration is posing a surprisingly radical question: What if every day, government services actually worked?
NYC's socialist mayor has a radical proposal: making government do its job
Rent freezes and free buses can come later. But what if landlords obeyed the law and transit ran on time?
www.motherjones.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM
“Our agencies are here to provide services. This is what they’re supposed to be doing.”
By treating constituent problems as urgent and solvable, Zohran Mamdani's incoming administration is posing a surprisingly radical question: What if every day, government services actually worked?
By treating constituent problems as urgent and solvable, Zohran Mamdani's incoming administration is posing a surprisingly radical question: What if every day, government services actually worked?
Reposted
The Nuremberg Laws were passed. Jim Crow laws were passed. South Africa’s apartheid laws were passed.
If that’s all it takes to clear the bar for “liberal democracy,” then “liberal democracy is not good enough.
If that’s all it takes to clear the bar for “liberal democracy,” then “liberal democracy is not good enough.
She helped pass a bill—which is 100% part of liberalism. Maybe you don’t like the bill. Maybe the bill will hurt some people and have bad outcomes. But that’s part of liberal democracy.
December 30, 2025 at 1:31 PM
The Nuremberg Laws were passed. Jim Crow laws were passed. South Africa’s apartheid laws were passed.
If that’s all it takes to clear the bar for “liberal democracy,” then “liberal democracy is not good enough.
If that’s all it takes to clear the bar for “liberal democracy,” then “liberal democracy is not good enough.
Reposted
However, despite the continued slip in diversity behind the camera, the study found that underrepresented storylines – regardless of the lead actor’s gender – increased in 2024.
“Even as diversity drops overall, we find that the stories are still there,”
That's... Not a good thing...
“Even as diversity drops overall, we find that the stories are still there,”
That's... Not a good thing...
December 30, 2025 at 1:44 PM
However, despite the continued slip in diversity behind the camera, the study found that underrepresented storylines – regardless of the lead actor’s gender – increased in 2024.
“Even as diversity drops overall, we find that the stories are still there,”
That's... Not a good thing...
“Even as diversity drops overall, we find that the stories are still there,”
That's... Not a good thing...
Reposted
People 300 years ago thought we'd never live in a world without kings.
well we're never going to live in a world without billionaires so it's probably a good idea to think about actual possible ways to mitigate the damage they can cause
You cannot have witnessed the events of the past two years and still believe "billionaires existing" is compatible with democracy.
December 30, 2025 at 5:43 AM
People 300 years ago thought we'd never live in a world without kings.
Reposted
i may write about this but i feel like the 19th century concept of "social equality" explains quite a bit about reactionary politics today, they're offended by a society that does not recognize their higher status, which is how we get turd coinages like "heritage american" bsky.app/profile/last...
I actually find this reassuring given how low that is, it's less than would have thought tbh. That said the strange group of people given this who are like "nothing personal bruv but you gotta go" to the ethnic-minority good-British-citizens is pretty funny to me.
"More than a third (37%) of Reform UK voters said they would be prouder of Britain if there were fewer people from minority ethnic backgrounds in a decade’s time, and 10% [compared to 3% overall] said it was important to have white skin to be a good British citizen."
December 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
i may write about this but i feel like the 19th century concept of "social equality" explains quite a bit about reactionary politics today, they're offended by a society that does not recognize their higher status, which is how we get turd coinages like "heritage american" bsky.app/profile/last...
Reposted
Reminder that years ago it was found out that the FBI straight up made up a whole bunch of fake forensic sciences, plural. People have gone to jail and been executed due to literally pseudoscience.
Hair forensics, for instance, is totally nonsense.
They admitted it.
slate.com/news-and-pol...
Hair forensics, for instance, is totally nonsense.
They admitted it.
slate.com/news-and-pol...
The FBI Faked an Entire Field of Forensic Science
For more stories like this, like Slate on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
slate.com
December 30, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Reminder that years ago it was found out that the FBI straight up made up a whole bunch of fake forensic sciences, plural. People have gone to jail and been executed due to literally pseudoscience.
Hair forensics, for instance, is totally nonsense.
They admitted it.
slate.com/news-and-pol...
Hair forensics, for instance, is totally nonsense.
They admitted it.
slate.com/news-and-pol...
Reposted
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Pretty much all the pig procedurals you've seen for the last two decades delighted in showing you forensics that are about as real as phrenology.
Millions and millions of jurors persuaded by this deliberate copaganda
Pretty much all the pig procedurals you've seen for the last two decades delighted in showing you forensics that are about as real as phrenology.
Millions and millions of jurors persuaded by this deliberate copaganda
How the junk science of hair analysis keeps people behind bars
The technique, developed before DNA testing, can’t definitively tie suspects to crime scenes. Try explaining that to juries — or some judges.
www.motherjones.com
December 30, 2025 at 12:12 AM
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Pretty much all the pig procedurals you've seen for the last two decades delighted in showing you forensics that are about as real as phrenology.
Millions and millions of jurors persuaded by this deliberate copaganda
Pretty much all the pig procedurals you've seen for the last two decades delighted in showing you forensics that are about as real as phrenology.
Millions and millions of jurors persuaded by this deliberate copaganda
Reposted
You’re right. It’s better to seize all your capital entirely Alexis
very convenient that the rich ruling class techbros solution to income and wealth inequality will be solved by letting them accumulate even more wealth
December 29, 2025 at 11:19 AM
You’re right. It’s better to seize all your capital entirely Alexis
Reposted
In America, where irony is dead, a hotel chain uses a policy denying shelter to local people, for fear of accidentally housing homeless persons…
To deny a reservation to the author of a much-lauded book on how American economic unfairness forces working people into homelessness.
To deny a reservation to the author of a much-lauded book on how American economic unfairness forces working people into homelessness.
A Hampton Inn in Asheville just canceled my family's reservation because our address (incorrectly) showed Asheville—and the hotel bars locals within 50 miles.
When I asked why, they said, "because of our homeless population," adding that most hotels here have similar policies.
This is outrageous.
When I asked why, they said, "because of our homeless population," adding that most hotels here have similar policies.
This is outrageous.
December 29, 2025 at 2:46 AM
In America, where irony is dead, a hotel chain uses a policy denying shelter to local people, for fear of accidentally housing homeless persons…
To deny a reservation to the author of a much-lauded book on how American economic unfairness forces working people into homelessness.
To deny a reservation to the author of a much-lauded book on how American economic unfairness forces working people into homelessness.
Reposted
This piece is a great illustration of how the long-term effect of Trump’s destruction of US institutions won’t be felt in a dramatic market collapse, but rather in permanently worse economic conditions, and lower prosperity.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... So long, American exceptionalism
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... So long, American exceptionalism
So long, American exceptionalism
For the first time, investors are talking about ‘US risk’
giftarticle.ft.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:59 PM
This piece is a great illustration of how the long-term effect of Trump’s destruction of US institutions won’t be felt in a dramatic market collapse, but rather in permanently worse economic conditions, and lower prosperity.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... So long, American exceptionalism
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... So long, American exceptionalism
Reposted
Republicans motivate their core voters to show up every cycle and they do. Democrats just assume their equivalent will do the same and spend the entire cycle pursuing swing voters, meanwhile depressing core turnout. Then they blame those core voters when they lose. The cycle must be broken.
What got us Trump was the GOP being a malevolent force for evil and the Democrats at every turn refusing to fire full blast at the right (including before Trump). It’s obviously not all on Harris but a cycle with Democrats assuming the left would just show up without any motivation is a big reason.
They have a point. “She didn’t earn my vote” got us Trump. Like I think it’s good to push against the party for better policy but when the alternative is Trump, it’s too much.
December 28, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Republicans motivate their core voters to show up every cycle and they do. Democrats just assume their equivalent will do the same and spend the entire cycle pursuing swing voters, meanwhile depressing core turnout. Then they blame those core voters when they lose. The cycle must be broken.
Reposted
I’ve been thinking about the Takis-ification of the American food industry and I think the most ironic aspect of it is that, after decades of spicy food being the domain of non-white cultures, white people have found a way to do spice in the most white people way possible.
Which is to say:
Which is to say:
December 27, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I’ve been thinking about the Takis-ification of the American food industry and I think the most ironic aspect of it is that, after decades of spicy food being the domain of non-white cultures, white people have found a way to do spice in the most white people way possible.
Which is to say:
Which is to say:
Reposted
Just wow. @pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy came out swinging in this article. He's right though and that's the coolest part.
December 26, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Just wow. @pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy came out swinging in this article. He's right though and that's the coolest part.
Reposted
Realized gains on stocks with non transferable voting preferences should be subject to income taxes instead of the lower capital gains rate.
December 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Realized gains on stocks with non transferable voting preferences should be subject to income taxes instead of the lower capital gains rate.
Reposted
The stock structure of Facebook should be illegal.
Realized gains on stocks with non transferable voting preferences should be subject to income taxes instead of the lower capital gains rate.
December 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The stock structure of Facebook should be illegal.
Reposted
Literally one of the reasons I’m skeptical of gAI is because I’m a historian and technology is one of the things I study, but also who looks at the recent history of Silicon Valley and trusts a single word they tell us
Hoverboards are the future, segways are the future, betamax, laser disc, Google glass is the future, 3d tvs are the future, curved screens are the future.
Like do we have to traipse through the whole graveyard of tech to get these people to understand just becauae you say it doesn't make it true.
Like do we have to traipse through the whole graveyard of tech to get these people to understand just becauae you say it doesn't make it true.
December 24, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Literally one of the reasons I’m skeptical of gAI is because I’m a historian and technology is one of the things I study, but also who looks at the recent history of Silicon Valley and trusts a single word they tell us
Reposted
Friction is good and one of the most consequential tasks facing the designers and managers of social-technical systems in the 21st century is putting it back in in the right ways and right places.
I think one of the lessons that the huge success of congestion pricing in NYC is that charging a nominal upfront fee- even one far less the the levellized cost you are paying for elsewhere- is very good at cutting off the bottom 5% of bad behavior that makes things worse for everyone.
December 24, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Friction is good and one of the most consequential tasks facing the designers and managers of social-technical systems in the 21st century is putting it back in in the right ways and right places.
Reposted
The internet is revolutionary to free speech because it empowers individuals and citizens to route around censorship in all its forms—even a captured “free” press.
This is why private platform governance; law on internet access or online content, and anonymity online will always matter.
This is why private platform governance; law on internet access or online content, and anonymity online will always matter.
December 23, 2025 at 9:45 PM
The internet is revolutionary to free speech because it empowers individuals and citizens to route around censorship in all its forms—even a captured “free” press.
This is why private platform governance; law on internet access or online content, and anonymity online will always matter.
This is why private platform governance; law on internet access or online content, and anonymity online will always matter.
Reposted
Love this! I have exactly the same feeling riding over bridges in this city. Each time I do it I take in the view and think about how lucky I am to live here. It's a feeling that's hard to experience any other way other than on the seat of a bicycle.
Rama Duwaji, New York City's next First Lady, on the joys of riding a Citi Bike:
December 23, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Love this! I have exactly the same feeling riding over bridges in this city. Each time I do it I take in the view and think about how lucky I am to live here. It's a feeling that's hard to experience any other way other than on the seat of a bicycle.
Reposted
Another new a16z idea: giving letters of medical necessity to anybody so they can commit tax fraud
Between funding social media bot farms, crypto, and prediction markets, this company represents the new era where tech is mostly just for fraud
Between funding social media bot farms, crypto, and prediction markets, this company represents the new era where tech is mostly just for fraud
December 23, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Another new a16z idea: giving letters of medical necessity to anybody so they can commit tax fraud
Between funding social media bot farms, crypto, and prediction markets, this company represents the new era where tech is mostly just for fraud
Between funding social media bot farms, crypto, and prediction markets, this company represents the new era where tech is mostly just for fraud
Reposted
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
December 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
Reposted
It's funny that everyone who has *ever* programmed, knows how important attention to detail is. Hours wasted because you made a typo, forgot to add a character, etc.
The tiniest thing you literally don't notice is wrong, and your program screams at you and dies.
This is a universal experience.
The tiniest thing you literally don't notice is wrong, and your program screams at you and dies.
This is a universal experience.
December 23, 2025 at 7:16 AM
It's funny that everyone who has *ever* programmed, knows how important attention to detail is. Hours wasted because you made a typo, forgot to add a character, etc.
The tiniest thing you literally don't notice is wrong, and your program screams at you and dies.
This is a universal experience.
The tiniest thing you literally don't notice is wrong, and your program screams at you and dies.
This is a universal experience.
Reposted
For generations, when you learned to program you were constantly being forced to be better at paying attention to the words on the screen. Noticing you'd made a typo, noticing you'd used the wrong argument, noticing shit in general.
Over time, you got better at noticing the words on the screen.
Over time, you got better at noticing the words on the screen.
December 23, 2025 at 7:20 AM
For generations, when you learned to program you were constantly being forced to be better at paying attention to the words on the screen. Noticing you'd made a typo, noticing you'd used the wrong argument, noticing shit in general.
Over time, you got better at noticing the words on the screen.
Over time, you got better at noticing the words on the screen.
Reposted
Learning how to pay attention to small details, how to deliberately strain yourself to notice tiny details that are off, is a skill programmers learn the painful way.
And, using a chatbot deskills you in this very extremely important skill of being able to pay attention to small details.
And, using a chatbot deskills you in this very extremely important skill of being able to pay attention to small details.
December 23, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Learning how to pay attention to small details, how to deliberately strain yourself to notice tiny details that are off, is a skill programmers learn the painful way.
And, using a chatbot deskills you in this very extremely important skill of being able to pay attention to small details.
And, using a chatbot deskills you in this very extremely important skill of being able to pay attention to small details.
Reposted
Great thread about what LLMs are doing to the programming world.
It's funny that everyone who has *ever* programmed, knows how important attention to detail is. Hours wasted because you made a typo, forgot to add a character, etc.
The tiniest thing you literally don't notice is wrong, and your program screams at you and dies.
This is a universal experience.
The tiniest thing you literally don't notice is wrong, and your program screams at you and dies.
This is a universal experience.
December 23, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Great thread about what LLMs are doing to the programming world.