This Ain’t Michael
@micheil.bsky.social
Digital ecosystems, information systems, physicist, bulldog dad since 1996.
Chicago. Silicon Valley. Scottsdale. Denver.
Opinions and insights do not reflect any organization I am affiliated with.
Chicago. Silicon Valley. Scottsdale. Denver.
Opinions and insights do not reflect any organization I am affiliated with.
Pinned
This Ain’t Michael
@micheil.bsky.social
· Jun 22
Mr Wrinkles is always down for a photo op. Or two.
Hope everyone is staying cool! 🥵
Hope everyone is staying cool! 🥵
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
That's a wrap for the 2025 Allstate CTA Holiday Fleet 🎁
Every year, Santa and his elves join us in bringing joy to thousands of riders and delivering food baskets to charitable agencies throughout the city.
Every year, Santa and his elves join us in bringing joy to thousands of riders and delivering food baskets to charitable agencies throughout the city.
December 23, 2025 at 11:02 PM
That's a wrap for the 2025 Allstate CTA Holiday Fleet 🎁
Every year, Santa and his elves join us in bringing joy to thousands of riders and delivering food baskets to charitable agencies throughout the city.
Every year, Santa and his elves join us in bringing joy to thousands of riders and delivering food baskets to charitable agencies throughout the city.
When software devs and tech bros call themselves "engineers" or "architects", I point to the rigor of ACTUAL engineering professions.
🤷🏽♂️
🤷🏽♂️
A USC architecture student has reportedly become the first nationwide to complete all six ARE exams before graduating. The student must, however, still finish his degree, log experience, and pass a CA exam to be licensed. #ArchitectureAcademia
archinect.com/news/article...
archinect.com/news/article...
USC student becomes first to complete ARE before Bachelors graduation
A student in the Bachelor of Architecture program at the University of Southern California has become the first nationwide to complete all architecture licensing exams before graduation. Aaron Chang h...
archinect.com
December 26, 2025 at 6:07 PM
When software devs and tech bros call themselves "engineers" or "architects", I point to the rigor of ACTUAL engineering professions.
🤷🏽♂️
🤷🏽♂️
Exactly this.
If you want to have a shitty app or website, sure, maybe the whole go fast and break things will get you by. But software infrastructure, enterprise systems, mission critical systems? Not so much.
It's VC bullshit.
If you want to have a shitty app or website, sure, maybe the whole go fast and break things will get you by. But software infrastructure, enterprise systems, mission critical systems? Not so much.
It's VC bullshit.
Can't wait for the loosened up, non-perfect, but quickly shipped AI-enhanced updates to hit my banking and insurance services next year.
Im sure there will be no issues there at all.
Im sure there will be no issues there at all.
December 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Exactly this.
If you want to have a shitty app or website, sure, maybe the whole go fast and break things will get you by. But software infrastructure, enterprise systems, mission critical systems? Not so much.
It's VC bullshit.
If you want to have a shitty app or website, sure, maybe the whole go fast and break things will get you by. But software infrastructure, enterprise systems, mission critical systems? Not so much.
It's VC bullshit.
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
No one says to legit business owners, "hey I see there's an underground market selling toxic knock-offs of your product: how will you incorporate the toxic product AND protect your customers against its harms?" But apparently it's fine to make this suggestion to educators with respect to AI.
December 24, 2025 at 7:56 PM
No one says to legit business owners, "hey I see there's an underground market selling toxic knock-offs of your product: how will you incorporate the toxic product AND protect your customers against its harms?" But apparently it's fine to make this suggestion to educators with respect to AI.
Soon coming to the US.
DOGE; The Tech Force; unseemly if not corrupt alliances between tech bros, media co's and MAGA: they're building the infrastructure as we speak.
Remember how MAGA punished anyone posting criticism about Charlie Kirk? Yeah. Things will get worse.
DOGE; The Tech Force; unseemly if not corrupt alliances between tech bros, media co's and MAGA: they're building the infrastructure as we speak.
Remember how MAGA punished anyone posting criticism about Charlie Kirk? Yeah. Things will get worse.
"We’re monitoring what you do online. Disseminating, writing, or publishing inciting content online is considered a terrorist crime in every sense and may lead to arrest or imprisonment. We have warned you."
Israel warns Palestinians that posting about their suffering will be considered terrorism.
Israel warns Palestinians that posting about their suffering will be considered terrorism.
December 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Soon coming to the US.
DOGE; The Tech Force; unseemly if not corrupt alliances between tech bros, media co's and MAGA: they're building the infrastructure as we speak.
Remember how MAGA punished anyone posting criticism about Charlie Kirk? Yeah. Things will get worse.
DOGE; The Tech Force; unseemly if not corrupt alliances between tech bros, media co's and MAGA: they're building the infrastructure as we speak.
Remember how MAGA punished anyone posting criticism about Charlie Kirk? Yeah. Things will get worse.
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
You will be visited by three spirits.
December 25, 2025 at 5:19 PM
You will be visited by three spirits.
What you want, and what you need, are not the same
🫠
🫠
December 23, 2025 at 1:43 PM
What you want, and what you need, are not the same
🫠
🫠
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
WINTER SOLSTICE
December 21, 2025 at 4:04 PM
WINTER SOLSTICE
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
Give the gift of The Onion. https://membership.theonion.com/gifts
December 17, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Give the gift of The Onion. https://membership.theonion.com/gifts
Our political reality is now worse than Idiocracy ever could have imagined.
Per @garretthaake.bsky.social, the extremely tacky "presidential wall of fame" that lines the colonnade to the West Wing now has obviously-Trump-penned plaques insulting or praising the presidents.
December 17, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Our political reality is now worse than Idiocracy ever could have imagined.
Influencers DO NOT influence us. Social media algorithms DO.
The "influencer" is the ALGORITHM, not the influencer.
In a sane world, social media would promote trustworthy information. But they made a conscious decision not to.
Instead, you get Joe Rogan, Charlie Kirk, etc.
It's the algorithm.
The "influencer" is the ALGORITHM, not the influencer.
In a sane world, social media would promote trustworthy information. But they made a conscious decision not to.
Instead, you get Joe Rogan, Charlie Kirk, etc.
It's the algorithm.
EXCLUSIVE
New research shows for first time the impact influencers have on politics. Key findings:
• Creators are more impactful than traditional media
• Apolitical influencers have more impact than political ones
• Regular social media use pushes users to the right
www.wired.com/story/the-mo...
New research shows for first time the impact influencers have on politics. Key findings:
• Creators are more impactful than traditional media
• Apolitical influencers have more impact than political ones
• Regular social media use pushes users to the right
www.wired.com/story/the-mo...
The Most Powerful Politics Influencers Barely Post About Politics
New research shows that social media creators have enormous influence over their audiences' politics—especially those who don't normally share political content.
www.wired.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Influencers DO NOT influence us. Social media algorithms DO.
The "influencer" is the ALGORITHM, not the influencer.
In a sane world, social media would promote trustworthy information. But they made a conscious decision not to.
Instead, you get Joe Rogan, Charlie Kirk, etc.
It's the algorithm.
The "influencer" is the ALGORITHM, not the influencer.
In a sane world, social media would promote trustworthy information. But they made a conscious decision not to.
Instead, you get Joe Rogan, Charlie Kirk, etc.
It's the algorithm.
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
Opinion | Trump’s crude remarks about Rob Reiner are unbecoming of a FIFA Peace Prize winner.
December 16, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Opinion | Trump’s crude remarks about Rob Reiner are unbecoming of a FIFA Peace Prize winner.
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
This is Mr. Paworotti. His favorite Christmas song is Howl-lelujah. If you'll excuse him, his solo is coming up. 13/10 (TT: therealpaworotti)
December 2, 2025 at 11:36 PM
This is Mr. Paworotti. His favorite Christmas song is Howl-lelujah. If you'll excuse him, his solo is coming up. 13/10 (TT: therealpaworotti)
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
This is Oakley. He has an injury that requires physical therapy and at-home massages. Luckily, his cat sibling River has been training his whole life for this. 14/10 for both
November 10, 2025 at 11:58 PM
This is Oakley. He has an injury that requires physical therapy and at-home massages. Luckily, his cat sibling River has been training his whole life for this. 14/10 for both
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
Atlas x Escher (Code)
Atlas sculpture, New York City, by sculptor Lee Lawrie + M.C. Escher, Waterfall & Castle in the Air
Atlas sculpture, New York City, by sculptor Lee Lawrie + M.C. Escher, Waterfall & Castle in the Air
October 23, 2023 at 1:07 AM
Atlas x Escher (Code)
Atlas sculpture, New York City, by sculptor Lee Lawrie + M.C. Escher, Waterfall & Castle in the Air
Atlas sculpture, New York City, by sculptor Lee Lawrie + M.C. Escher, Waterfall & Castle in the Air
Alex Karp (CEO Palantir) basically subscribes to this. Hire kids out of high school.
December 15, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Alex Karp (CEO Palantir) basically subscribes to this. Hire kids out of high school.
Merriam Webster nailed it.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Merriam Webster nailed it.
Amazon and WaPo must be using the same LLM
December 12, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Amazon and WaPo must be using the same LLM
Why? Why do artistic institutions freely sign up to have the plagiarism machines into the fold?
The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the OpenAI Foundation as part of a multimillion dollar disbursement to hundreds of nonprofits across the country.
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra to use $40,000 OpenAI grant for trainings, development of AI policy
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra Executive Director Christina Salerno said there are no plans to use AI in its live performances.
trib.al
December 12, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Why? Why do artistic institutions freely sign up to have the plagiarism machines into the fold?
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
This seems to indicate Disney's deal with OpenAI allows OpenAI distribution rights.
Will distribution convey to OpenAI customers? What is that license???
Wait until Disney realizes OpenAI can't reliably guardrail Sora!
Will distribution convey to OpenAI customers? What is that license???
Wait until Disney realizes OpenAI can't reliably guardrail Sora!
Disney is accusing the tech giant of unauthorized distribution of its copyrighted characters without permission via Gemini AI.
Disney hits Google with cease-and-desist claiming 'massive' copyright infringement | TechCrunch
Disney is accusing the tech giant of unauthorized distribution of its copyrighted characters without permission via Gemini AI.
techcrunch.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM
This seems to indicate Disney's deal with OpenAI allows OpenAI distribution rights.
Will distribution convey to OpenAI customers? What is that license???
Wait until Disney realizes OpenAI can't reliably guardrail Sora!
Will distribution convey to OpenAI customers? What is that license???
Wait until Disney realizes OpenAI can't reliably guardrail Sora!
Sora is the MOST unprofitable part of OpenAI's portfolio.
Basically, OpenAI just said, "YES! LET'S DO MORE OF THE MOST UNPROFITABLE AND MOST COSTLY PART OF OUR BUSINESS THAT CANNOT BE MONETIZED!"
🤡
Basically, OpenAI just said, "YES! LET'S DO MORE OF THE MOST UNPROFITABLE AND MOST COSTLY PART OF OUR BUSINESS THAT CANNOT BE MONETIZED!"
🤡
OpenAI’s billion-dollar Disney deal puts Mickey Mouse and Marvel in Sora
OpenAI’s billion-dollar Disney deal puts Mickey Mouse and Marvel in Sora
Next year you’ll see AI videos on Disney Plus.
buff.ly
December 11, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Sora is the MOST unprofitable part of OpenAI's portfolio.
Basically, OpenAI just said, "YES! LET'S DO MORE OF THE MOST UNPROFITABLE AND MOST COSTLY PART OF OUR BUSINESS THAT CANNOT BE MONETIZED!"
🤡
Basically, OpenAI just said, "YES! LET'S DO MORE OF THE MOST UNPROFITABLE AND MOST COSTLY PART OF OUR BUSINESS THAT CANNOT BE MONETIZED!"
🤡
Reposted by This Ain’t Michael
Our archivist found this real, paid-for, pretty rad Mr. Beef ad in the April 2004 edition of The Onion.
December 10, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Our archivist found this real, paid-for, pretty rad Mr. Beef ad in the April 2004 edition of The Onion.