@polarpandas.bsky.social
Reposted
Insights from Ben Affleck on AI:
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
January 18, 2026 at 5:32 AM
Insights from Ben Affleck on AI:
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
Reposted
When I lecture to students about how the apparently thriving economy of the 1920s was really a house of cards just waiting to be knocked down, one of the points I stress is how much a small number of the very rich were essentially propping up consumer spending in unsustainable ways
The top 10% now account for nearly half of all consumer spending.
January 17, 2026 at 6:50 PM
When I lecture to students about how the apparently thriving economy of the 1920s was really a house of cards just waiting to be knocked down, one of the points I stress is how much a small number of the very rich were essentially propping up consumer spending in unsustainable ways
Reposted
“I spent three nights and three days in federal custody. During that time, I was never told what I was charged with, was not allowed to shower despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray, had no phone call to my family, and no access to an attorney.” - George Retes, U.S. citizen and veteran.
I’m a US citizen and a veteran. ICE arrested me for no reason.
Jailed for three days without an explanation or ability to notify anyone, George Retes argues the only path to healing starts with the government taking accountability for its actions.
newsletter.ofthebrave.org
October 12, 2025 at 12:01 PM
“I spent three nights and three days in federal custody. During that time, I was never told what I was charged with, was not allowed to shower despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray, had no phone call to my family, and no access to an attorney.” - George Retes, U.S. citizen and veteran.
Reposted
America is no longer descending into fascism. We are seconds away from impact
Military occupation has come to DC. If and when military occupation comes to where you are, there are things that you can do. This article outlines some of them
Military occupation has come to DC. If and when military occupation comes to where you are, there are things that you can do. This article outlines some of them
How To Fight A Military Occupation
Friction. Obstruction. Demoralization.
www.bannedinyourstate.com
August 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM
America is no longer descending into fascism. We are seconds away from impact
Military occupation has come to DC. If and when military occupation comes to where you are, there are things that you can do. This article outlines some of them
Military occupation has come to DC. If and when military occupation comes to where you are, there are things that you can do. This article outlines some of them
Reposted
Carl Sagan explains how the ancient Greeks knew the Earth was round and calculated its circumference over 2,000 years ago.
July 29, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Carl Sagan explains how the ancient Greeks knew the Earth was round and calculated its circumference over 2,000 years ago.
Reposted
1/2 Trump cares more about fossil fuel execs than Oregon’s children. There is no question that greenhouse gases are detrimental to human health. As a critical care and lung doctor, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Lungs ravaged by wildfire smoke. Bodies distressed by heat stroke.
Trump's EPA now says greenhouse gases don't endanger people
The Trump administration wants to reverse a 2009 EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger people. The finding is the basis for much of the United States' climate change regulations.
www.npr.org
July 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
1/2 Trump cares more about fossil fuel execs than Oregon’s children. There is no question that greenhouse gases are detrimental to human health. As a critical care and lung doctor, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Lungs ravaged by wildfire smoke. Bodies distressed by heat stroke.
Reposted
Congress eliminated public media funding, and the president signed it into law. At a time of deep division, public media brings us together.
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
July 28, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Congress eliminated public media funding, and the president signed it into law. At a time of deep division, public media brings us together.
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
Reposted
Deported under a little-known wartime law, more than 130 Venezuelans were sent from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Now released, several tell NPR they endured beatings, sexual abuse, and near-total isolation.
'Hell on Earth': Venezuelans deported to El Salvador mega-prison tell of brutal abuse
Deported under a little-known wartime law, more than 130 Venezuelans were sent from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Now released, several tell NPR they endured beatings, sexual abuse, and near-total isolation.
n.pr
July 27, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Deported under a little-known wartime law, more than 130 Venezuelans were sent from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Now released, several tell NPR they endured beatings, sexual abuse, and near-total isolation.
Reposted
Congress eliminated public media funding. At a time of deep division, public media brings us together.
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
July 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Congress eliminated public media funding. At a time of deep division, public media brings us together.
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq
Reposted
US Citizen detained by ICE: Clearly it didn't matter I was a citizen, or a veteran, or that I identified who I was. They ignored everything I said, and they broke my window and they dragged me out. I let them know that I was a veteran and I wasn't doing anything wrong, I'm just trying to get to work
July 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
US Citizen detained by ICE: Clearly it didn't matter I was a citizen, or a veteran, or that I identified who I was. They ignored everything I said, and they broke my window and they dragged me out. I let them know that I was a veteran and I wasn't doing anything wrong, I'm just trying to get to work
Reposted
As generative artificial intelligence tools continue to proliferate, pushback against the technology and its negative impacts grows stronger. www.wired.com/story/genera...
The AI Backlash Keeps Growing Stronger
As generative artificial intelligence tools continue to proliferate, pushback against the technology and its negative impacts grows stronger.
www.wired.com
June 28, 2025 at 10:34 AM
As generative artificial intelligence tools continue to proliferate, pushback against the technology and its negative impacts grows stronger. www.wired.com/story/genera...
Reposted
The Minnesota assassin appears to be a hate-filled right winger. So can we stop walking on eggshells about MAGA's legitimization of political violence?
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
June 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The Minnesota assassin appears to be a hate-filled right winger. So can we stop walking on eggshells about MAGA's legitimization of political violence?
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
Yes, Republicans have also been the target of inexcusable violence, but this isn't a "both sides" issue.
1/ A🧵on the danger.
Reposted
The Energy Department announced on Friday that it was terminating $3.7 billion in Biden-era awards to companies trying to demonstrate technologies that might one day help tackle global warming.
Energy Dept. Cancels $3.7 Billion for New Technologies to Lower Emissions
www.nytimes.com
May 31, 2025 at 12:21 AM
The Energy Department announced on Friday that it was terminating $3.7 billion in Biden-era awards to companies trying to demonstrate technologies that might one day help tackle global warming.
Reposted
New, from me:
The DOGE project was sold as tech disruptors who would revolutionize government. To try to understand why DOGE has failed, I point to lessons that other technologists who worked in government learned, but DOGE ignored. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-doge-...
The DOGE project was sold as tech disruptors who would revolutionize government. To try to understand why DOGE has failed, I point to lessons that other technologists who worked in government learned, but DOGE ignored. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-doge-...
What DOGE gets wrong about tech and government
Lessons learned by civic tech, forgotten by DOGE
donmoynihan.substack.com
May 17, 2025 at 2:14 PM
New, from me:
The DOGE project was sold as tech disruptors who would revolutionize government. To try to understand why DOGE has failed, I point to lessons that other technologists who worked in government learned, but DOGE ignored. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-doge-...
The DOGE project was sold as tech disruptors who would revolutionize government. To try to understand why DOGE has failed, I point to lessons that other technologists who worked in government learned, but DOGE ignored. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-doge-...
Reposted
We made this ad in late September of last year to try to salvage Kamala's econ message. At the time we knew the $50T was outdated since it was from a 2020 report.
Rand Corp updated the study.
It's *$79 trillion* now.
Welp.
www.rand.org/pubs/working...
Rand Corp updated the study.
It's *$79 trillion* now.
Welp.
www.rand.org/pubs/working...
May 16, 2025 at 7:24 PM
We made this ad in late September of last year to try to salvage Kamala's econ message. At the time we knew the $50T was outdated since it was from a 2020 report.
Rand Corp updated the study.
It's *$79 trillion* now.
Welp.
www.rand.org/pubs/working...
Rand Corp updated the study.
It's *$79 trillion* now.
Welp.
www.rand.org/pubs/working...
Reposted
Well, this is definitely not a good sign.
Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
scim.ag
May 9, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Well, this is definitely not a good sign.
Reposted
Pirro is the 23rd former Fox employee Trump has named to his administration.
She's wildly unqualified to be DC's top prosecutor and was been described by her former executive producer as a "reckless lunatic."
Gonna thread some of her lowlights.
She's wildly unqualified to be DC's top prosecutor and was been described by her former executive producer as a "reckless lunatic."
Gonna thread some of her lowlights.
Trump just appointed Fox host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Yes, Jeanine Pirro.
May 8, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Pirro is the 23rd former Fox employee Trump has named to his administration.
She's wildly unqualified to be DC's top prosecutor and was been described by her former executive producer as a "reckless lunatic."
Gonna thread some of her lowlights.
She's wildly unqualified to be DC's top prosecutor and was been described by her former executive producer as a "reckless lunatic."
Gonna thread some of her lowlights.
Reposted
Reposted
When a school shooting happens, Republicans don’t blame the guns — they blame mental health issues.
But now Donald Trump is cutting $1 billion in mental health funding that aimed to stop gun violence in schools.
Make it make sense. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
But now Donald Trump is cutting $1 billion in mental health funding that aimed to stop gun violence in schools.
Make it make sense. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Trump administration cuts school mental health grants created after shootings
The Education Department discontinued more than $1 billion in grant funding created after mass shootings to address mental health resources at K-12 schools.
www.washingtonpost.com
May 2, 2025 at 7:27 PM
When a school shooting happens, Republicans don’t blame the guns — they blame mental health issues.
But now Donald Trump is cutting $1 billion in mental health funding that aimed to stop gun violence in schools.
Make it make sense. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
But now Donald Trump is cutting $1 billion in mental health funding that aimed to stop gun violence in schools.
Make it make sense. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...
Reposted
This is the greatest TikTok I’ve ever seen and honestly that’s saying a lot.
April 26, 2025 at 2:08 AM
This is the greatest TikTok I’ve ever seen and honestly that’s saying a lot.
Reposted
While investigating Nike’s claims about sustainability, I started collecting paystubs from its suppliers. It’s been almost 27 years since Phil Knight acknowledged that Nike products had become synonymous with “slave wages.” I wanted to know what people in Asia earned producing Nike apparel. (thread)
April 25, 2025 at 8:16 PM
While investigating Nike’s claims about sustainability, I started collecting paystubs from its suppliers. It’s been almost 27 years since Phil Knight acknowledged that Nike products had become synonymous with “slave wages.” I wanted to know what people in Asia earned producing Nike apparel. (thread)
Reposted
Abortion bans working as planned.
Women Are Twice As Likely to Die in Pregnancy in States with Abortion Bans
4.23.25
jessica.substack.com
April 24, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Abortion bans working as planned.
Reposted
OMG.
“After DOGE gained access to NLRB’s systems, there was an increase in attempted logins from locations outside the US, including a user with a Russian IP address. The person with the Russian IP address appeared to have a correct username and password, created minutes earlier by DOGE engineers.”
“After DOGE gained access to NLRB’s systems, there was an increase in attempted logins from locations outside the US, including a user with a Russian IP address. The person with the Russian IP address appeared to have a correct username and password, created minutes earlier by DOGE engineers.”
Federal employee alleges DOGE activity resulted in data breach at labor board
In a sworn declaration sent to Congress, the employee said he witnessed several anomalies in DOGE’s handling of security.
www.nbcnews.com
April 18, 2025 at 9:59 PM
OMG.
“After DOGE gained access to NLRB’s systems, there was an increase in attempted logins from locations outside the US, including a user with a Russian IP address. The person with the Russian IP address appeared to have a correct username and password, created minutes earlier by DOGE engineers.”
“After DOGE gained access to NLRB’s systems, there was an increase in attempted logins from locations outside the US, including a user with a Russian IP address. The person with the Russian IP address appeared to have a correct username and password, created minutes earlier by DOGE engineers.”
Reposted
NEW from me: A whistleblower says DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data...and then someone posted a threatening letter to his door.
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
A whistleblower's disclosure details how DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data
A whistleblower tells Congress and NPR that DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data and hid its tracks. "None of that ... information should ever leave the agency," said a former NLRB official.
www.npr.org
April 15, 2025 at 12:07 PM
NEW from me: A whistleblower says DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data...and then someone posted a threatening letter to his door.
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
Reposted
I support the US garment industry. I don't believe in making life harder for immigrants or erecting blanket tariffs. So how can we reshore some of our US garment manufacturing without xenophobia or protectionism? Here's my view. 🧵
April 8, 2025 at 12:14 AM
I support the US garment industry. I don't believe in making life harder for immigrants or erecting blanket tariffs. So how can we reshore some of our US garment manufacturing without xenophobia or protectionism? Here's my view. 🧵