Scott Johnston
@sejwords.bsky.social
Californian/Minnesotan with an all seasons place in Wisconsin. Computer scientist awed by nature. Acapella singer working hard to repurpose those neurons to my hands and feet. https://thatisagoodquestion.buzzsprout.com
Reposted by Scott Johnston
WHO GIVES A DAMN?
It’s a public service, right there in the name. It exists as a public good for all the people in this country. It’s not supposed to turn a profit, you dolts.
Go audit the Pentagon and see what kind of return on investment we’re getting there.
It’s a public service, right there in the name. It exists as a public good for all the people in this country. It’s not supposed to turn a profit, you dolts.
Go audit the Pentagon and see what kind of return on investment we’re getting there.
The USPS faces a tight squeeze. With fewer people using the mail, it’s lost more and more money: $9 billion in the 12 months ending in September alone.
https://cnn.it/4qkeNoF
https://cnn.it/4qkeNoF
December 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
WHO GIVES A DAMN?
It’s a public service, right there in the name. It exists as a public good for all the people in this country. It’s not supposed to turn a profit, you dolts.
Go audit the Pentagon and see what kind of return on investment we’re getting there.
It’s a public service, right there in the name. It exists as a public good for all the people in this country. It’s not supposed to turn a profit, you dolts.
Go audit the Pentagon and see what kind of return on investment we’re getting there.
Do I think Larry Ellison and son will commit to further trickery with their media properties? Yes I do. I recall when the America's Cup was in San Francisco, and Ellison's boat was about to be eliminated, and all of a sudden its fortunes were drastically reversed as they won every other race...
December 24, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Do I think Larry Ellison and son will commit to further trickery with their media properties? Yes I do. I recall when the America's Cup was in San Francisco, and Ellison's boat was about to be eliminated, and all of a sudden its fortunes were drastically reversed as they won every other race...
I love Moises, it is the Swiss Army knife for musicians learning and practicing new songs. And I hope they someday fix a glaring UI bug on the phone/pad version, where you can't accurately pause the play of a song in its current location (when playing along to the chord diagram).
December 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I love Moises, it is the Swiss Army knife for musicians learning and practicing new songs. And I hope they someday fix a glaring UI bug on the phone/pad version, where you can't accurately pause the play of a song in its current location (when playing along to the chord diagram).
Ha ha!! CBS just stupidly made the CECOT story the most famous one ever put out by 60 Minutes, after broadcasting it only in Canada which led to a Youtube copy www.youtube.com/live/2E4kZka...
BREAKING: The 60 Minutes CECOT Segment the WH Doesn’t Want You To See
YouTube video by The Mayday Network
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Ha ha!! CBS just stupidly made the CECOT story the most famous one ever put out by 60 Minutes, after broadcasting it only in Canada which led to a Youtube copy www.youtube.com/live/2E4kZka...
Still a lot of stoplights not working near the San Francisco Civic Center on Sunday evening , and wisely, not a Waymo on the road.
December 22, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Still a lot of stoplights not working near the San Francisco Civic Center on Sunday evening , and wisely, not a Waymo on the road.
The fact ICE needs to do their work while masked like a thug or burglar will not be looked back on with pride by anyone normal. Of course there are those incredibly proud of their ancestors' involvement in the KKK, but I still don't think that normal.
December 21, 2025 at 7:36 PM
The fact ICE needs to do their work while masked like a thug or burglar will not be looked back on with pride by anyone normal. Of course there are those incredibly proud of their ancestors' involvement in the KKK, but I still don't think that normal.
Why does buying one thing from an on-line retailer default to you receiving a life-time supply of weekly if not daily e-mails begging you to buy more? I don't want to block you, but you waste my time. A once-a-year reminder might be better, like a holiday card.
December 21, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Why does buying one thing from an on-line retailer default to you receiving a life-time supply of weekly if not daily e-mails begging you to buy more? I don't want to block you, but you waste my time. A once-a-year reminder might be better, like a holiday card.
Reposted by Scott Johnston
Waymo has halted service in San Francisco after numerous videos & images showed its autonomous cars snarling traffic during the blackout.
With traffic lights down, Waymos across the city stopped dead in their tracks at intersections.
missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-w...
With traffic lights down, Waymos across the city stopped dead in their tracks at intersections.
missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-w...
Waymo halts service during massive S.F. blackout after causing traffic jams
Waymo stopped its service across San Francisco on Saturday after numerous autonomous vehicles caused traffic jams in the city.
missionlocal.org
December 21, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Waymo has halted service in San Francisco after numerous videos & images showed its autonomous cars snarling traffic during the blackout.
With traffic lights down, Waymos across the city stopped dead in their tracks at intersections.
missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-w...
With traffic lights down, Waymos across the city stopped dead in their tracks at intersections.
missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-w...
Reactions to current AI technologies seem to fall into two extreme camps, one that ignores its usefulness to an average person in searching for solutions to their problem, and one that overstates and exaggerates its usefulness. This middle of the road take on AI should receive no likes because…
December 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reactions to current AI technologies seem to fall into two extreme camps, one that ignores its usefulness to an average person in searching for solutions to their problem, and one that overstates and exaggerates its usefulness. This middle of the road take on AI should receive no likes because…
This combines two of my latest obsessions, Umphrey's McGee and Lonely Island. Sheesh they did this live two weeks after the Digital Short was broadcast. Over the holidays. youtu.be/OSsrZunDcLs?...
Umphrey's McGee - Dick in a Box - 12/31/2006
YouTube video by Umphrey's McGee
youtu.be
December 11, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This combines two of my latest obsessions, Umphrey's McGee and Lonely Island. Sheesh they did this live two weeks after the Digital Short was broadcast. Over the holidays. youtu.be/OSsrZunDcLs?...
As a TA my son has been trained to treat ICE like an active school shooter, barring the classroom doors until campus police can show up with a warrant that has been presented to them. That’s a lot to ask of a non-law-enforcement part time employee, now that it risks abduction by the feds.
December 11, 2025 at 2:47 PM
As a TA my son has been trained to treat ICE like an active school shooter, barring the classroom doors until campus police can show up with a warrant that has been presented to them. That’s a lot to ask of a non-law-enforcement part time employee, now that it risks abduction by the feds.
Reposted by Scott Johnston
I'll say it again -- I'm on my firm's AI committee: every canned demo has had brutal, malpractice-level errors, and every live trial has required more time and care to vet the output than to just do it, like working with an unteachably incompetent associate you'd need to sit down for a Hard Talk.
Loving that AI productivity boost!
"the more artificial intelligence is used within a law firm, the more lawyers are needed to vet the technology’s outputs."
www.afr.com/companies/pr...
"the more artificial intelligence is used within a law firm, the more lawyers are needed to vet the technology’s outputs."
www.afr.com/companies/pr...
Use of AI ‘tech stacks’ driving demand for lawyers
The more artificial intelligence is used within a law firm, the more professionals are needed to vet the technology’s outputs.
www.afr.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:28 AM
I'll say it again -- I'm on my firm's AI committee: every canned demo has had brutal, malpractice-level errors, and every live trial has required more time and care to vet the output than to just do it, like working with an unteachably incompetent associate you'd need to sit down for a Hard Talk.
Reposted by Scott Johnston
Why is it up to Putin? Why isn't it up to Ukraine, it's allies, and the rule of international law? In this @nytimes.com article reprinted in the @startribune.com, it asks the wrong question, as it so often does these days.
replica.startribune.com/infinity/art...
replica.startribune.com/infinity/art...
The key question on Ukraine: What terms will Putin accept?
The key question on Ukraine: What terms will Putin accept?
replica.startribune.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Why is it up to Putin? Why isn't it up to Ukraine, it's allies, and the rule of international law? In this @nytimes.com article reprinted in the @startribune.com, it asks the wrong question, as it so often does these days.
replica.startribune.com/infinity/art...
replica.startribune.com/infinity/art...
Why would I upgrade to a new version of a companies product after they deliberately stopped supporting their previous version of that product. Looking at you Nest thermostats.
November 27, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Why would I upgrade to a new version of a companies product after they deliberately stopped supporting their previous version of that product. Looking at you Nest thermostats.
I'm annoyed by the notifications that pop up on my Apple Watch from an app I don't recognize, show me a picture I can't figure out, and then disappear, with no discernible way to reproduce what that photo was or what the app was. The disappearing of momentarily viewed notifications is a bummer.
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I'm annoyed by the notifications that pop up on my Apple Watch from an app I don't recognize, show me a picture I can't figure out, and then disappear, with no discernible way to reproduce what that photo was or what the app was. The disappearing of momentarily viewed notifications is a bummer.
I think having the military with the longest history of swearing allegiance to the law instead of allegiance to a human leader is a comfort in these times.
November 24, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I think having the military with the longest history of swearing allegiance to the law instead of allegiance to a human leader is a comfort in these times.
Fighting Trump is a civil war, but the dumbest of civil wars. Still with a lot of damage caused.
November 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Fighting Trump is a civil war, but the dumbest of civil wars. Still with a lot of damage caused.
So finally they can’t look away from
Epstein crimes.
Epstein crimes.
November 20, 2025 at 5:24 PM
So finally they can’t look away from
Epstein crimes.
Epstein crimes.
Reposted by Scott Johnston
people hate the tariffs, the ICE raids, the troop occupations. all trump had to do to have a not-catastrophic presidency was ... not do those things!
but the thing they all have in common is that they are exercises in attempted dominance and he can't imagine any other way to relate to the world.
but the thing they all have in common is that they are exercises in attempted dominance and he can't imagine any other way to relate to the world.
November 15, 2025 at 4:14 PM
people hate the tariffs, the ICE raids, the troop occupations. all trump had to do to have a not-catastrophic presidency was ... not do those things!
but the thing they all have in common is that they are exercises in attempted dominance and he can't imagine any other way to relate to the world.
but the thing they all have in common is that they are exercises in attempted dominance and he can't imagine any other way to relate to the world.
Reposted by Scott Johnston
On this date in 1975, Brian Eno - 'Another Green World' was released.
📈 #3 for 1975, #189 overall
rateyourmusic.com/release/albu...
📈 #3 for 1975, #189 overall
rateyourmusic.com/release/albu...
November 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
On this date in 1975, Brian Eno - 'Another Green World' was released.
📈 #3 for 1975, #189 overall
rateyourmusic.com/release/albu...
📈 #3 for 1975, #189 overall
rateyourmusic.com/release/albu...
Just figured out that emotions can linger in a person after they take offense at someone, even after they learn they were completely mistaken. Have felt this on both ends.
November 13, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Just figured out that emotions can linger in a person after they take offense at someone, even after they learn they were completely mistaken. Have felt this on both ends.
Reposted by Scott Johnston
that's right
ironically i've said this since the beginning bc my early career was 100% consulting and
THIS IS HOW MOST LARGE COMPANIES USE CONSULTANTS
if you are at *all* savvy, you will realize that many so-called engagements are using you as a handy, deniable loincloth to cover their ass
ironically i've said this since the beginning bc my early career was 100% consulting and
THIS IS HOW MOST LARGE COMPANIES USE CONSULTANTS
if you are at *all* savvy, you will realize that many so-called engagements are using you as a handy, deniable loincloth to cover their ass
The entire point of AI is to have that magic mystery black box as origin point: unquestionable and impervious. A puppet god that tech companies control but are never responsible for.
Its not at all surprising though. Once stuff goes into the black box suddenly no one is accountable or responsible for the results! The best in corporate handwashing.
With an added bonus runaround of "only the vendor can fix it" trying to exhaust the customer so they give up.
With an added bonus runaround of "only the vendor can fix it" trying to exhaust the customer so they give up.
November 10, 2025 at 8:38 PM
that's right
ironically i've said this since the beginning bc my early career was 100% consulting and
THIS IS HOW MOST LARGE COMPANIES USE CONSULTANTS
if you are at *all* savvy, you will realize that many so-called engagements are using you as a handy, deniable loincloth to cover their ass
ironically i've said this since the beginning bc my early career was 100% consulting and
THIS IS HOW MOST LARGE COMPANIES USE CONSULTANTS
if you are at *all* savvy, you will realize that many so-called engagements are using you as a handy, deniable loincloth to cover their ass
Not quite sure why I've lately become interested in browsing nextdoor discussion threads. Perhaps after someone explained it as the human equivalent of barking dogs that notice something happened and want to see if anybody else noticed.
November 9, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Not quite sure why I've lately become interested in browsing nextdoor discussion threads. Perhaps after someone explained it as the human equivalent of barking dogs that notice something happened and want to see if anybody else noticed.
I've got this idea for a global network of natural brains, each running exponentially more efficient than the behemoth coal burning AI's of the 2020's, each trained to perform far better in their specialized area of knowledge than any global AI, available on some sort of subscription basis.
November 7, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I've got this idea for a global network of natural brains, each running exponentially more efficient than the behemoth coal burning AI's of the 2020's, each trained to perform far better in their specialized area of knowledge than any global AI, available on some sort of subscription basis.