Steve Downey
@sdowney.org
It's my fault "throw 💩;" is no longer valid C++. In penance, I worked to make optional<T&> happen.
Parody of a real software engineer and grown up.
Software engineer at Bloomberg LP
Views are my own
he/him
@[email protected]
Parody of a real software engineer and grown up.
Software engineer at Bloomberg LP
Views are my own
he/him
@[email protected]
PSA for non-Americans:
The jazz instrumental Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi is a Christmas Song.
Yes, just because of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.
The jazz instrumental Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi is a Christmas Song.
Yes, just because of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.
November 17, 2025 at 12:07 AM
PSA for non-Americans:
The jazz instrumental Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi is a Christmas Song.
Yes, just because of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.
The jazz instrumental Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi is a Christmas Song.
Yes, just because of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.
Going through puberty with the knowledge that sex will probably kill you horribly, and gay sex definitely will, left a defining mark on GenX.
Small thing: it's the reason condoms are free in the student union and not hidden or illegal.
Small thing: it's the reason condoms are free in the student union and not hidden or illegal.
A few weeks ago I was talking politics with a local, highly straight, bartender.
All the sudden he said: “Well, I think a big part of the problem is that so many of the people who would’ve been our progressive leaders died of AIDS & can’t help us now.”
And I’ve thought about that every day since.
All the sudden he said: “Well, I think a big part of the problem is that so many of the people who would’ve been our progressive leaders died of AIDS & can’t help us now.”
And I’ve thought about that every day since.
November 16, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Going through puberty with the knowledge that sex will probably kill you horribly, and gay sex definitely will, left a defining mark on GenX.
Small thing: it's the reason condoms are free in the student union and not hidden or illegal.
Small thing: it's the reason condoms are free in the student union and not hidden or illegal.
Reposted by Steve Downey
stop hitting yourself
November 15, 2025 at 3:29 PM
stop hitting yourself
Reposted by Steve Downey
Oh shit I forgot John Hurt: www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Bv...
Van Ronk once described him as like seeing God step on stage.
Van Ronk once described him as like seeing God step on stage.
Mississippi John Hurt - You Got To Walk That Lonesome Valley (Live)
YouTube video by JOHNHURTVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Oh shit I forgot John Hurt: www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Bv...
Van Ronk once described him as like seeing God step on stage.
Van Ronk once described him as like seeing God step on stage.
Reposted by Steve Downey
Reposted by Steve Downey
7) Michael Moorcock deserves a statue.
Dude is still alive and writing. Whichever town he's adopted should build a black sword about thirty feet high engraved with runes that casts a shadow like an enormous sundial counting down to the end of days.
Dude is still alive and writing. Whichever town he's adopted should build a black sword about thirty feet high engraved with runes that casts a shadow like an enormous sundial counting down to the end of days.
November 12, 2025 at 2:33 PM
7) Michael Moorcock deserves a statue.
Dude is still alive and writing. Whichever town he's adopted should build a black sword about thirty feet high engraved with runes that casts a shadow like an enormous sundial counting down to the end of days.
Dude is still alive and writing. Whichever town he's adopted should build a black sword about thirty feet high engraved with runes that casts a shadow like an enormous sundial counting down to the end of days.
Don't cross picket lines.
Boycott Starbucks elsewhere.
Per the union.
Boycott isn't always asked for, this time it is.
Boycott Starbucks elsewhere.
Per the union.
Boycott isn't always asked for, this time it is.
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
November 13, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Don't cross picket lines.
Boycott Starbucks elsewhere.
Per the union.
Boycott isn't always asked for, this time it is.
Boycott Starbucks elsewhere.
Per the union.
Boycott isn't always asked for, this time it is.
Reposted by Steve Downey
RE starbucks picket line--the relevant detail is "picket line, do not cross." Pass that along. Proclaiming that you are in no danger of doing so because you are too aesthetically pure to let Starbucks coffee pass your lips is...unhelpful and does not give the impression you perhaps imagine it does.
November 13, 2025 at 1:56 PM
RE starbucks picket line--the relevant detail is "picket line, do not cross." Pass that along. Proclaiming that you are in no danger of doing so because you are too aesthetically pure to let Starbucks coffee pass your lips is...unhelpful and does not give the impression you perhaps imagine it does.
Reposted by Steve Downey
What's from Chicago, hates Illinois Nazis, and is holy as fuck?
It's the Pope in 1982.
It's the Pope in 1982.
November 13, 2025 at 1:37 AM
What's from Chicago, hates Illinois Nazis, and is holy as fuck?
It's the Pope in 1982.
It's the Pope in 1982.
Reposted by Steve Downey
people as things, that’s where it starts
if you really internalize this one it will keep you on the right track
if you really internalize this one it will keep you on the right track
Discworld QOTD, from Carpe Jugulum
November 12, 2025 at 3:36 AM
people as things, that’s where it starts
if you really internalize this one it will keep you on the right track
if you really internalize this one it will keep you on the right track
Reposted by Steve Downey
November 11, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Reposted by Steve Downey
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.
(Here's the opening of "Neptune's Brood".)
(Here's the opening of "Neptune's Brood".)
November 11, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.
(Here's the opening of "Neptune's Brood".)
(Here's the opening of "Neptune's Brood".)
AOL buying Time Warner and then pretending it was the other way around was not a signal of anything at all in 2000.
Japanese giant SoftBank said Tuesday it has sold its entire stake in tech giant Nvidia for $5.83 billion.
Click here to read more: https://cnb.cx/49LCIs8
Click here to read more: https://cnb.cx/49LCIs8
November 11, 2025 at 1:57 PM
AOL buying Time Warner and then pretending it was the other way around was not a signal of anything at all in 2000.
It is here!
Brigands and Breadknives by @travisbaldree.bsky.social on my phone this morning!
Some cozy self care for reading.
Brigands and Breadknives by @travisbaldree.bsky.social on my phone this morning!
Some cozy self care for reading.
November 11, 2025 at 1:39 PM
It is here!
Brigands and Breadknives by @travisbaldree.bsky.social on my phone this morning!
Some cozy self care for reading.
Brigands and Breadknives by @travisbaldree.bsky.social on my phone this morning!
Some cozy self care for reading.
Reposted by Steve Downey
A little bird told me there's a Part 2 to this storyline
Wondermark #1371; The Avian Informant (Part 2 of 2)
↩ Start from Part 1
Wondermark #1371; The Avian Informant (Part 2 of 2)
↩ Start from Part 1
![Apronni speaks further with the little bird, who is perched on his sill.
APRONNI: You’re really THE bird! The little bird who tells people things! WOW! I hear about you all the time! This is incredible!
BIRD (setting a straw hat jauntily upon his little bird head): Yeah, well, I got fifty thousand more tidbits to tell people before 9PM, so…
APRONNI: Is it — JUST you? ALWAYS? There isn’t a little bird corps? You’re THE little bird?
BIRD: I used to have a lizard and a raccoon helping me out too, but it muddled the brand.
[CUT AWAY TO: A new man, Cuthbert, addresses his coworker]
CUTHBERT: ’Morning, Jerbert! A weird raccoon told me your daughter’s about to graduate from kindergarten!
JERBERT: You are never to talk TO or OF my family EVER AGAIN
[BACK TO SCENE]
APRONNI: Sure, I can see that.
APRONNI: But WHY do you go around telling people things? What’s your angle?
BIRD: Right now I’m just building up a dedicated user base. I’ll probably pivot to a freemium model later](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kihgsldesfdvdp7fi65m3m45/bafkreiei3yxkrq2uif26cp6l2yrnmuagbrb3opj2bxkaogxrlnmxlcalye@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
A little bird told me there's a Part 2 to this storyline
Wondermark #1371; The Avian Informant (Part 2 of 2)
↩ Start from Part 1
Wondermark #1371; The Avian Informant (Part 2 of 2)
↩ Start from Part 1
Reposted by Steve Downey
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
If you are not sure if you have an ADHD or Autism spectrum disorder after reading through the DSM and the background research, and explain that all to the neuropsychologist, it turns out the only other checkbox is if all of the things that are "just normal" are affecting everyday activities.
November 8, 2025 at 5:28 AM
If you are not sure if you have an ADHD or Autism spectrum disorder after reading through the DSM and the background research, and explain that all to the neuropsychologist, it turns out the only other checkbox is if all of the things that are "just normal" are affecting everyday activities.
I set out to gamify my work with tools like test driven development and tight feed back loops, and play GitHub instead of Halo.
And have awesome TDD support systems and emacs integrations and gmake to drive the cmake that I almost don't hate, and soon I'll be ready to think about starting work.
And have awesome TDD support systems and emacs integrations and gmake to drive the cmake that I almost don't hate, and soon I'll be ready to think about starting work.
This is not a joke, neurotypical people get dopamine from task completion. Advice for them is all like "split up your to-do list to include some tasks that are more rewarding!"
Bitch please, there is no such thing as an intrinsically rewarding task in this brain
Bitch please, there is no such thing as an intrinsically rewarding task in this brain
November 8, 2025 at 5:11 AM
I set out to gamify my work with tools like test driven development and tight feed back loops, and play GitHub instead of Halo.
And have awesome TDD support systems and emacs integrations and gmake to drive the cmake that I almost don't hate, and soon I'll be ready to think about starting work.
And have awesome TDD support systems and emacs integrations and gmake to drive the cmake that I almost don't hate, and soon I'll be ready to think about starting work.
Bell curve meme:
Frankenstein is the monster
Nooooo, Frankenstein made the monster!!!!
Frankenstein is the monster.
Frankenstein is the monster
Nooooo, Frankenstein made the monster!!!!
Frankenstein is the monster.
I'm losing my mind over how many reviewers are like "GDT's Frankenstein makes you wonder who the real monster is." THAT'S THE STORY! That's the story Shelley wrote!
November 8, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Bell curve meme:
Frankenstein is the monster
Nooooo, Frankenstein made the monster!!!!
Frankenstein is the monster.
Frankenstein is the monster
Nooooo, Frankenstein made the monster!!!!
Frankenstein is the monster.
Reposted by Steve Downey
If you never watched old Italian horror movies, you have no idea just how hard the soundtracks went.
This is a movie about a writer being stalked by a killer. I want you to imagine what the theme is gonna sound like. Got an idea in your head? Imagine it before pressing play.
This is a movie about a writer being stalked by a killer. I want you to imagine what the theme is gonna sound like. Got an idea in your head? Imagine it before pressing play.
Tenebrae
YouTube video by Claudio Simonetti - Topic
www.youtube.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:55 AM
If you never watched old Italian horror movies, you have no idea just how hard the soundtracks went.
This is a movie about a writer being stalked by a killer. I want you to imagine what the theme is gonna sound like. Got an idea in your head? Imagine it before pressing play.
This is a movie about a writer being stalked by a killer. I want you to imagine what the theme is gonna sound like. Got an idea in your head? Imagine it before pressing play.
Reposted by Steve Downey
"She was an equal player."
November 7, 2025 at 9:26 PM
"She was an equal player."
Reposted by Steve Downey
November 7, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Steve Downey
Discworld QOTD, from The Fifth Elephant
"‘I don’t know how to do officering.’
‘No one knows how to do officering, Fred. That’s why they’re officers. If they knew anything, they’d be sergeants.’"
"‘I don’t know how to do officering.’
‘No one knows how to do officering, Fred. That’s why they’re officers. If they knew anything, they’d be sergeants.’"
Discworld QOTD, from Carpe Jugulum
“Am I dyin’?’
YES.
‘Will I die?’
YES.
Granny Weatherwax thought this over. ‘But from your point of view, everyone is dying and everyone will die, right?’
YES.
‘So you aren’t actually bein’ a lot of help, strictly speakin’.’”
“Am I dyin’?’
YES.
‘Will I die?’
YES.
Granny Weatherwax thought this over. ‘But from your point of view, everyone is dying and everyone will die, right?’
YES.
‘So you aren’t actually bein’ a lot of help, strictly speakin’.’”
Discworld QOTD, from Witches Abroad
"‘Will she live happily ever after?’ he said.
NOT FOREVER. BUT PERHAPS FOR LONG ENOUGH."
"‘Will she live happily ever after?’ he said.
NOT FOREVER. BUT PERHAPS FOR LONG ENOUGH."
November 7, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Discworld QOTD, from The Fifth Elephant
"‘I don’t know how to do officering.’
‘No one knows how to do officering, Fred. That’s why they’re officers. If they knew anything, they’d be sergeants.’"
"‘I don’t know how to do officering.’
‘No one knows how to do officering, Fred. That’s why they’re officers. If they knew anything, they’d be sergeants.’"
Reposted by Steve Downey
A bunch of folks at Oxide uncovered a tricky deadlock associated with async Rust (yes, another!), so--of [email protected] and I got the crew together to discuss. If you're writing async Rust, you'll want to know how to avoid and diagnose "Futurelock"
Oxide and Friends 11/3/2025 -- Futurelock
YouTube video by Oxide Computer Company
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:20 PM
A bunch of folks at Oxide uncovered a tricky deadlock associated with async Rust (yes, another!), so--of [email protected] and I got the crew together to discuss. If you're writing async Rust, you'll want to know how to avoid and diagnose "Futurelock"
Reposted by Steve Downey
the thing in medieval confessional manuals about being careful not to accidentally introduce your parishioners to ways of sinning they had never yet considered. like that.
good morning specifically to the FBI agent who introduced Mamdani’s dad to Marx
November 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
the thing in medieval confessional manuals about being careful not to accidentally introduce your parishioners to ways of sinning they had never yet considered. like that.