Ern
@lenstalesiam.bsky.social
Bibliophile. Photographer. Foodie. Public health. Epidemiologist.
Reposted by Ern
will also add - yes, this is my personal crusade - that turning podcasts into videos implicitly asks women to once again make more effort than men, as the bar for "camera-ready" for one gender is obviously higher than for the other
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
From Joe Marler’s visual-only stunts to the incomprehensible shuffling sounds Steven Bartlett recently subjected headphone users to, dodgy audio experiences are on the rise
www.theguardian.com
December 27, 2025 at 10:20 AM
will also add - yes, this is my personal crusade - that turning podcasts into videos implicitly asks women to once again make more effort than men, as the bar for "camera-ready" for one gender is obviously higher than for the other
Reposted by Ern
Increase in productivity since 1979: 87%
Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 32%
Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%.
As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power.
Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 32%
Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%.
As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power.
December 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Increase in productivity since 1979: 87%
Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 32%
Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%.
As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power.
Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 32%
Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%.
As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power.
Reposted by Ern
A big part of being a historian is being a detective! Who did this? Why? Where? Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things? You have to learn how to probe, how to uncover, how to read against the grain, how to find unusual sources, how to interpret those sources. How to piece together a puzzle
It also robs students of learning *how* to research.
December 21, 2025 at 2:01 PM
A big part of being a historian is being a detective! Who did this? Why? Where? Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things? You have to learn how to probe, how to uncover, how to read against the grain, how to find unusual sources, how to interpret those sources. How to piece together a puzzle
Reposted by Ern
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Seems like it's worth posting this one again.
Why Do Historians Still Have To Go To Archives?
Why do historians go to archives? Hasn’t everything already been digitized?
contingentmagazine.org
December 22, 2025 at 1:40 AM
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Reposted by Ern
the slow death of legitimate, verifiable, reliable knowledge systems
I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.
December 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
the slow death of legitimate, verifiable, reliable knowledge systems
Reposted by Ern
Frikkin amazing stuff.
November 26, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Frikkin amazing stuff.
Reposted by Ern
we've finally actually hit the curing cancer stage of technological development & we're going to shit it all away for rotbrain political ideologies and to give LLMs a fucking crack at it
November 27, 2025 at 4:43 AM
we've finally actually hit the curing cancer stage of technological development & we're going to shit it all away for rotbrain political ideologies and to give LLMs a fucking crack at it
Reposted by Ern
THE HISTORY OF HIV | Explore four decades of the HIV story, from the first cases to breakthroughs in prevention, science, and South Africa’s fight against the virus: www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/11/25/a...
TIMELINE | The journey of HIV through science, struggle, activism, and hope
From the first reported cases of HIV in 1981 to the latest breakthroughs in long-acting prevention, this Spotlight timeline traces key moments in the global and South African response to the virus. It...
www.spotlightnsp.co.za
November 25, 2025 at 6:26 AM
THE HISTORY OF HIV | Explore four decades of the HIV story, from the first cases to breakthroughs in prevention, science, and South Africa’s fight against the virus: www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/11/25/a...
Reposted by Ern
What I've been noticing lately in convos with students is that they *despise* the AI-slopification of everything as much or even more than I do. And yet our universities & their admin seem to believe that students for some reason want it integrated into everything. THEY DON'T.
November 20, 2025 at 2:38 PM
What I've been noticing lately in convos with students is that they *despise* the AI-slopification of everything as much or even more than I do. And yet our universities & their admin seem to believe that students for some reason want it integrated into everything. THEY DON'T.
Reposted by Ern
It’s like how Facebook gobbled up our phone numbers and Cambridge Analytica swallowed our data through our friend connections even if we never enabled or interacted with the options. As this shit proliferates, our agency to opt out is stolen by “helpful” settings.
Physician who was no longer at the hospital but was on the email list had Otter ai installed and his bot “attended” the meeting, generated a transcript, and sent it to all 65 people on the email list, 12 of whom also no longer worked at the hospital.
AI bot recorded doctors’ meeting, sent patient info to current and former hospital staff, watchdog says
The transcription tool recorded the meeting on behalf of a physician who no longer worked at the hospital
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:31 PM
It’s like how Facebook gobbled up our phone numbers and Cambridge Analytica swallowed our data through our friend connections even if we never enabled or interacted with the options. As this shit proliferates, our agency to opt out is stolen by “helpful” settings.
Reposted by Ern
there was an amazing article about exactly this somewhere
in the old days where everyone was paid well and was unionized, this chart was reversed, living expenses were cheap but luxuries like TVs and whatnot were what you had to save up for. You could live a comfortable life if you were frugal
in the old days where everyone was paid well and was unionized, this chart was reversed, living expenses were cheap but luxuries like TVs and whatnot were what you had to save up for. You could live a comfortable life if you were frugal
Pretty much all affordability discourse could benefit from just posting this chart.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
November 18, 2025 at 7:12 AM
there was an amazing article about exactly this somewhere
in the old days where everyone was paid well and was unionized, this chart was reversed, living expenses were cheap but luxuries like TVs and whatnot were what you had to save up for. You could live a comfortable life if you were frugal
in the old days where everyone was paid well and was unionized, this chart was reversed, living expenses were cheap but luxuries like TVs and whatnot were what you had to save up for. You could live a comfortable life if you were frugal
Reposted by Ern
There is a severe shortage of rental stock for local residents in Cape Town’s inner city, and what is available is priced beyond the reach of the majority of Capetonians.
Read groundup.org.za/article/inne... by Steve Kretzmann
Read groundup.org.za/article/inne... by Steve Kretzmann
Inner city Cape Town: no room for locals
Short-term letting through various platforms, including Airbnb, locks up 70% of residential units in the central city
groundup.org.za
November 18, 2025 at 7:31 AM
There is a severe shortage of rental stock for local residents in Cape Town’s inner city, and what is available is priced beyond the reach of the majority of Capetonians.
Read groundup.org.za/article/inne... by Steve Kretzmann
Read groundup.org.za/article/inne... by Steve Kretzmann
Reposted by Ern
We bought into the "post scarcity" narrative because digital tech feels so magic and ethereal but we need to get back to an understanding of the material costs and effects of those systems. They are not very post-scarce in reality.
November 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
We bought into the "post scarcity" narrative because digital tech feels so magic and ethereal but we need to get back to an understanding of the material costs and effects of those systems. They are not very post-scarce in reality.
Reposted by Ern
"Our actions are working, and they are not enough.
Nothing we do is sufficient, and everything we do matters.
We must be strategic, and we must operate on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Time is of the essence, and we have to act for the long haul.
This is how change happens." Dan Berger
Nothing we do is sufficient, and everything we do matters.
We must be strategic, and we must operate on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Time is of the essence, and we have to act for the long haul.
This is how change happens." Dan Berger
November 14, 2025 at 10:45 PM
"Our actions are working, and they are not enough.
Nothing we do is sufficient, and everything we do matters.
We must be strategic, and we must operate on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Time is of the essence, and we have to act for the long haul.
This is how change happens." Dan Berger
Nothing we do is sufficient, and everything we do matters.
We must be strategic, and we must operate on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Time is of the essence, and we have to act for the long haul.
This is how change happens." Dan Berger
“I think most people recognise that as a dystopian nightmare. That’s why it’s taking so much money and manipulation to shove it down our throats, to convince us it’s the only way.“
www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...
via @dailymaverick.co.za
www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...
via @dailymaverick.co.za
AI and tech bros don’t get to decide our future
We’re allowed to resist AI – even if we’re told there’s nothing we can do about it.
www.dailymaverick.co.za
November 15, 2025 at 9:10 AM
“I think most people recognise that as a dystopian nightmare. That’s why it’s taking so much money and manipulation to shove it down our throats, to convince us it’s the only way.“
www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...
via @dailymaverick.co.za
www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...
via @dailymaverick.co.za
Reposted by Ern
Hey so “underage girls” are…children. The word you’re looking for is children. They’re not like, women-in-waiting or women-lite or whatever. They’re children. I think some of you are very uncomfortable with what that means for you but it is still true.
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Hey so “underage girls” are…children. The word you’re looking for is children. They’re not like, women-in-waiting or women-lite or whatever. They’re children. I think some of you are very uncomfortable with what that means for you but it is still true.
Reposted by Ern
My takeaway from every new Epstein revelation is that some powerful people victimized many powerless young women, many more knew, some actively enabled it--and we're still being told that MeToo and accountability for sexual violence have gone too far
November 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
My takeaway from every new Epstein revelation is that some powerful people victimized many powerless young women, many more knew, some actively enabled it--and we're still being told that MeToo and accountability for sexual violence have gone too far
Reposted by Ern
I got this useful bon mot from a middle school teacher recently.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
November 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM
I got this useful bon mot from a middle school teacher recently.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
Reposted by Ern
I think that superhero movies have done a number of human beings conditioning some people to believe that extraordinary actions are what matter. And if one can't be a superhero, then simple, ordinary efforts aren't worth doing.
November 9, 2025 at 3:47 AM
I think that superhero movies have done a number of human beings conditioning some people to believe that extraordinary actions are what matter. And if one can't be a superhero, then simple, ordinary efforts aren't worth doing.
Reposted by Ern
I am a f*ing health economist and I approve this message.
I have a f*ing doctorate in epidemiology and I’m still so confused about how to pick a health insurance plan. Open enrollment should not be this hard!
November 9, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I am a f*ing health economist and I approve this message.
Reposted by Ern
Studio Ghibli, Bandai Namco, Square Enix demand OpenAI stop using their content to train AI
Studio Ghibli, Bandai Namco, Square Enix demand OpenAI stop using their content to train AI
No more Spirited Away and Demon Slayer in Sora 2.
buff.ly
November 3, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Studio Ghibli, Bandai Namco, Square Enix demand OpenAI stop using their content to train AI
Reposted by Ern
If you just banked that coffee money every week and denied yourself every other instance of life’s gastronomic pleasures, however small and ordinary, you could save enough to make the down payment on that starter house in [checks notes] five hundred and seventy three years
“At the same time, more than half of Gen Z members say they are struggling to make ends meet, yet a majority buy themselves a small treat, such as a pastry, coffee, or sweet, at least once a week. That can lead to overspending…”
archive.ph/2TI8J
archive.ph/2TI8J
October 31, 2025 at 6:25 PM
If you just banked that coffee money every week and denied yourself every other instance of life’s gastronomic pleasures, however small and ordinary, you could save enough to make the down payment on that starter house in [checks notes] five hundred and seventy three years
Reposted by Ern
👇🏻 our new paper on updated evidence for respiratory virus vaccines
Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
October 30, 2025 at 5:04 AM
👇🏻 our new paper on updated evidence for respiratory virus vaccines
Reposted by Ern
honestly the only piece worth reading on the platner situation. @tressiemcphd.bsky.social is absolutely cooking here. (gift link)
Opinion | A Nazi Tattoo Exposes Democrats’ Greatest Weakness
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:36 PM
honestly the only piece worth reading on the platner situation. @tressiemcphd.bsky.social is absolutely cooking here. (gift link)