Ari Ofsevit
@ofsevit.bsky.social
When your "analysis" is discredited by the headline directly below.
February 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM
When your "analysis" is discredited by the headline directly below.
UPS: Our AI agents can help you with [lists a bunch of simple tasks you can do on your own on their website].
Me: You delivered my package to the wrong address.
UPSAI: Do you have your package?
Me: Uhhhh. No.
UPSAI: Yeah you need to talk to a person.
Me: You delivered my package to the wrong address.
UPSAI: Do you have your package?
Me: Uhhhh. No.
UPSAI: Yeah you need to talk to a person.
February 12, 2026 at 3:05 AM
UPS: Our AI agents can help you with [lists a bunch of simple tasks you can do on your own on their website].
Me: You delivered my package to the wrong address.
UPSAI: Do you have your package?
Me: Uhhhh. No.
UPSAI: Yeah you need to talk to a person.
Me: You delivered my package to the wrong address.
UPSAI: Do you have your package?
Me: Uhhhh. No.
UPSAI: Yeah you need to talk to a person.
After all this, my package was delivered to the wrong street.
February 11, 2026 at 7:31 PM
After all this, my package was delivered to the wrong street.
The T's banner page is a D40LF (2006-7, retired several years ago) running the SL5 route in a snowstorm, probably also several years ago.
February 10, 2026 at 3:22 PM
The T's banner page is a D40LF (2006-7, retired several years ago) running the SL5 route in a snowstorm, probably also several years ago.
And then back to Boston landing on this 8-car set of bilevels. A bit of overkill for the two of us who got on at Farms.
February 10, 2026 at 4:17 AM
And then back to Boston landing on this 8-car set of bilevels. A bit of overkill for the two of us who got on at Farms.
I set down my ski bag, put on my skis, and was off. I did stop to drop my backpack in the ski center (mostly so my phone would stay warm and not die).
I skied all the trails they had to ski.
I skied all the trails they had to ski.
February 10, 2026 at 4:17 AM
I set down my ski bag, put on my skis, and was off. I did stop to drop my backpack in the ski center (mostly so my phone would stay warm and not die).
I skied all the trails they had to ski.
I skied all the trails they had to ski.
From Wellesley hills, where the original station has been stripped down and is now a bike shelter, I walked about 0.4 miles to the end of a small road and then a path between two houses to the Weston Ski Track!
February 10, 2026 at 12:42 AM
From Wellesley hills, where the original station has been stripped down and is now a bike shelter, I walked about 0.4 miles to the end of a small road and then a path between two houses to the Weston Ski Track!
Only two crew so our stops are long if only there was some level boarding technology!
Anyway who has two thumbs and is skeeting instead of sitting in traffic? This guy. (Traffic isn’t too bad today.)
Anyway who has two thumbs and is skeeting instead of sitting in traffic? This guy. (Traffic isn’t too bad today.)
February 9, 2026 at 10:20 PM
Only two crew so our stops are long if only there was some level boarding technology!
Anyway who has two thumbs and is skeeting instead of sitting in traffic? This guy. (Traffic isn’t too bad today.)
Anyway who has two thumbs and is skeeting instead of sitting in traffic? This guy. (Traffic isn’t too bad today.)
Come with me as I take the train to go cross country skiing.
I think there is only one place you can do this in the US (to groomed trails less than 10 mins from a station, not counting long distance service).
4:55 local train to Framingham.
I think there is only one place you can do this in the US (to groomed trails less than 10 mins from a station, not counting long distance service).
4:55 local train to Framingham.
February 9, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Come with me as I take the train to go cross country skiing.
I think there is only one place you can do this in the US (to groomed trails less than 10 mins from a station, not counting long distance service).
4:55 local train to Framingham.
I think there is only one place you can do this in the US (to groomed trails less than 10 mins from a station, not counting long distance service).
4:55 local train to Framingham.
Battery trains will require at least as much infrastructure because once again
*Batteries only solve the distribution part of electrification but still need transmission and substations*
*Batteries only solve the distribution part of electrification but still need transmission and substations*
February 9, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Battery trains will require at least as much infrastructure because once again
*Batteries only solve the distribution part of electrification but still need transmission and substations*
*Batteries only solve the distribution part of electrification but still need transmission and substations*
Current ISO-NE status: $230/MW, except in Maine ($-23/MW, even more negative for the interconnects).
Meaning that grid-solar and wind have been taken *offline* in Maine in the past hour.
Seems like we need more capacity from Maine to Mass!
Meaning that grid-solar and wind have been taken *offline* in Maine in the past hour.
Seems like we need more capacity from Maine to Mass!
February 9, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Current ISO-NE status: $230/MW, except in Maine ($-23/MW, even more negative for the interconnects).
Meaning that grid-solar and wind have been taken *offline* in Maine in the past hour.
Seems like we need more capacity from Maine to Mass!
Meaning that grid-solar and wind have been taken *offline* in Maine in the past hour.
Seems like we need more capacity from Maine to Mass!
UPS doing god's work
February 8, 2026 at 12:59 AM
UPS doing god's work
It might not be a lot of snow where you are but the greater Salem-Beverly-Marblehead micropolitan French Toast Area has already seen a foot of snow. @universalhub.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:11 PM
It might not be a lot of snow where you are but the greater Salem-Beverly-Marblehead micropolitan French Toast Area has already seen a foot of snow. @universalhub.com
A lot of this energy in this thread
February 6, 2026 at 2:06 PM
A lot of this energy in this thread
February 6, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Great Lakes are still ahead.
February 6, 2026 at 1:51 AM
Great Lakes are still ahead.
If you’re playing keno on your phone then you by definition have a gambling problem.
February 5, 2026 at 10:01 PM
If you’re playing keno on your phone then you by definition have a gambling problem.
Make these permanent like in Fulton. (Maybe someone in Mpls knows the history of these, and why they only exist here and in Como.)
February 5, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Make these permanent like in Fulton. (Maybe someone in Mpls knows the history of these, and why they only exist here and in Como.)
Currently ISO-NE is importing 1100MW of power from HQ via the NECEC for $75 less than the LMP.
That saves ratepayers $82,500 per hour, or about $2 million per day. And that's all hydro which would instead be gas or oil.
(Does this actually work this way?)
That saves ratepayers $82,500 per hour, or about $2 million per day. And that's all hydro which would instead be gas or oil.
(Does this actually work this way?)
February 5, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Currently ISO-NE is importing 1100MW of power from HQ via the NECEC for $75 less than the LMP.
That saves ratepayers $82,500 per hour, or about $2 million per day. And that's all hydro which would instead be gas or oil.
(Does this actually work this way?)
That saves ratepayers $82,500 per hour, or about $2 million per day. And that's all hydro which would instead be gas or oil.
(Does this actually work this way?)
The Red Line is arriving in geometric sequence today.
February 5, 2026 at 1:34 PM
The Red Line is arriving in geometric sequence today.
Went for a walk at lunch to enjoy a “warm” day on the frozen tundra of the Charles.
February 4, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Went for a walk at lunch to enjoy a “warm” day on the frozen tundra of the Charles.
Interesting the dispersal of the most dense street railroad networks by state (people per km, using 1920 census):
CA 507
CT 531
UT 541
MA 589
IN 615
DC 637
OR 644
WA 691
Aside from the Southeast.
(Chart is sqrt because of the outliers and what I could do quick-and-dirty in Google Docs.)
CA 507
CT 531
UT 541
MA 589
IN 615
DC 637
OR 644
WA 691
Aside from the Southeast.
(Chart is sqrt because of the outliers and what I could do quick-and-dirty in Google Docs.)
February 3, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Interesting the dispersal of the most dense street railroad networks by state (people per km, using 1920 census):
CA 507
CT 531
UT 541
MA 589
IN 615
DC 637
OR 644
WA 691
Aside from the Southeast.
(Chart is sqrt because of the outliers and what I could do quick-and-dirty in Google Docs.)
CA 507
CT 531
UT 541
MA 589
IN 615
DC 637
OR 644
WA 691
Aside from the Southeast.
(Chart is sqrt because of the outliers and what I could do quick-and-dirty in Google Docs.)
I have it on reasonably good authority that Alan Garber did not, in fact, have a strong desire to cut a deal.
February 3, 2026 at 2:55 AM
I have it on reasonably good authority that Alan Garber did not, in fact, have a strong desire to cut a deal.