Seth Stafford
@sethts.bsky.social
Deep Learning practitioner, enterprise software, math PhD, piano enthusiast, omnivorous reader
Reposted by Seth Stafford
I am invoking Brandolini's Law until further notice.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
January 10, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I am invoking Brandolini's Law until further notice.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
I can relate ... "The Network State" is appalling Ayn Rand fan-fic ... but it deeply influences the T/V admin now siccing Sulla/Musk/DOGE on us.
If you can't take Balaji's semi-psychotic confabulations, you can get the main ideas from @gilduran.com
Start here: www.thenerdreich.com/reboot-elon-...
If you can't take Balaji's semi-psychotic confabulations, you can get the main ideas from @gilduran.com
Start here: www.thenerdreich.com/reboot-elon-...
February 10, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I can relate ... "The Network State" is appalling Ayn Rand fan-fic ... but it deeply influences the T/V admin now siccing Sulla/Musk/DOGE on us.
If you can't take Balaji's semi-psychotic confabulations, you can get the main ideas from @gilduran.com
Start here: www.thenerdreich.com/reboot-elon-...
If you can't take Balaji's semi-psychotic confabulations, you can get the main ideas from @gilduran.com
Start here: www.thenerdreich.com/reboot-elon-...
Reposted by Seth Stafford
"The press's failure to connect these dots isn't just a journalistic oversight — it's a critical missed warning about the systematic dismantling of democratic governance." 👏 👏 👏
In 2022, Peter Thiel's "house philosopher" envisioned a second Trump administration led by a "CEO" who would be tasked with destroying the government.
He wrote down a blueprint. Welcome to the New Reality.
www.thenerdreich.com/reboot-elon-...
He wrote down a blueprint. Welcome to the New Reality.
www.thenerdreich.com/reboot-elon-...
'Reboot' Revealed: Elon Musk's CEO-Dictator Playbook
In 2022, one of Peter Thiel's favorite thinkers envisioned a second Trump Administration in which the federal government would be run by a “CEO”
www.thenerdreich.com
February 6, 2025 at 1:30 AM
"The press's failure to connect these dots isn't just a journalistic oversight — it's a critical missed warning about the systematic dismantling of democratic governance." 👏 👏 👏
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Yeah so the Constitution isn’t really in effect right now
Opinion | There Is No Going Back
The president’s opponents, whoever they are, cannot expect a return to the Constitution as it was.
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Yeah so the Constitution isn’t really in effect right now
Reposted by Seth Stafford
i have long felt that self-described "constitutional conservatives" were just subjects looking for a tyrant and they found him
If you, a “constitutional conservative,” are spending your time doing this right now, I never want to hear about the separation of powers from you again.
February 5, 2025 at 6:47 PM
i have long felt that self-described "constitutional conservatives" were just subjects looking for a tyrant and they found him
Reposted by Seth Stafford
new video up on the youtube page (adapting my column last week) www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgPh...
President Trump and the Power of the Purse
YouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2025 at 6:56 PM
new video up on the youtube page (adapting my column last week) www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgPh...
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Snipping one part of this to again note: it seems very few members of Congress realize what their lives are going to be like in the near future when Trump/Musk rip out some of these gears that run the America machine. They will face angry mobs everywhere they go, including their homes.
February 4, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Snipping one part of this to again note: it seems very few members of Congress realize what their lives are going to be like in the near future when Trump/Musk rip out some of these gears that run the America machine. They will face angry mobs everywhere they go, including their homes.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
When I was a Hill staffer in 2009, a Dem trifecta was trying to pass universal healthcare. In response, Senate GOP released a memo detailing all of the tactics they in the minority could use to delay the effort as much as possible. I'm recirculating that 2009 GOP memo here. Take inspiration from it.
February 2, 2025 at 5:33 PM
When I was a Hill staffer in 2009, a Dem trifecta was trying to pass universal healthcare. In response, Senate GOP released a memo detailing all of the tactics they in the minority could use to delay the effort as much as possible. I'm recirculating that 2009 GOP memo here. Take inspiration from it.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Thread: Tariffs are useful to protect strategic industries like steel, semiconductor, aluminum from unfair foreign competition. But Trump is imposing these on nondurable goods (cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados) and on allies making Americans pay more for groceries. Some questions:
February 2, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Thread: Tariffs are useful to protect strategic industries like steel, semiconductor, aluminum from unfair foreign competition. But Trump is imposing these on nondurable goods (cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados) and on allies making Americans pay more for groceries. Some questions:
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Super smart analysis of Trump's approach to foreign policy by historian @jenmittelstadt.bsky.social. Trump is not a dovish isolationist. He's carrying forward a 100+ year tradition of US "sovereignty politics" that is often quite belligerent vis a vis other nations.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...
Opinion | The Lost Tradition That Explains Trump’s Obsession With the Panama Canal
Inside the lost tradition in American foregin policy that explains the president’s overseas obsessions.
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Super smart analysis of Trump's approach to foreign policy by historian @jenmittelstadt.bsky.social. Trump is not a dovish isolationist. He's carrying forward a 100+ year tradition of US "sovereignty politics" that is often quite belligerent vis a vis other nations.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Frustrated there's not more I can do directly, but for now I can just try to document reality. Elon is bringing his Twitter destruction playbook to the US government, and it's impossible to explain just how serious and bad this is.
www.techdirt.com/2025/01/31/e...
www.techdirt.com/2025/01/31/e...
Elon’s Twitter Destruction Playbook Hits The US Government, And It’s Even More Dangerous
Remember how Elon Musk destroyed Twitter by ripping apart its infrastructure without understanding it? Now imagine that same playbook applied to the federal government. It’s happening, and th…
www.techdirt.com
February 1, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Frustrated there's not more I can do directly, but for now I can just try to document reality. Elon is bringing his Twitter destruction playbook to the US government, and it's impossible to explain just how serious and bad this is.
www.techdirt.com/2025/01/31/e...
www.techdirt.com/2025/01/31/e...
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Yeah, how about not dissolving the air safety advisory commission at the FAA. As your team did last week.
January 30, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Yeah, how about not dissolving the air safety advisory commission at the FAA. As your team did last week.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
We've agreed that this will henceforth be known in popular discourse and technical literature as the Magic Carpet fallacy. It needs a name on an emergency basis because of the growing threat this specific fallacy poses in American political discourse.
December 6, 2024 at 6:01 PM
We've agreed that this will henceforth be known in popular discourse and technical literature as the Magic Carpet fallacy. It needs a name on an emergency basis because of the growing threat this specific fallacy poses in American political discourse.
Tsai Ing-wen understands the value of allies and team work. That understanding is in short supply in "the West" these days.
A lot of wisdom here. The U.S. has gotten a reputation for quitting when the going gets tough. Our adversaries see this. Demonstrating the opposite would have power.
⚡️Taiwan’s former president urges US to prioritize aiding Ukraine over Taiwan, Politico reports.
"A Ukrainian victory will serve as the most effective deterrent to future aggression," former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said during the Halifax International Security Forum.
"A Ukrainian victory will serve as the most effective deterrent to future aggression," former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said during the Halifax International Security Forum.
November 25, 2024 at 2:26 AM
Tsai Ing-wen understands the value of allies and team work. That understanding is in short supply in "the West" these days.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
A lot of wisdom here. The U.S. has gotten a reputation for quitting when the going gets tough. Our adversaries see this. Demonstrating the opposite would have power.
⚡️Taiwan’s former president urges US to prioritize aiding Ukraine over Taiwan, Politico reports.
"A Ukrainian victory will serve as the most effective deterrent to future aggression," former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said during the Halifax International Security Forum.
"A Ukrainian victory will serve as the most effective deterrent to future aggression," former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said during the Halifax International Security Forum.
Taiwan’s former president urges US to prioritize aiding Ukraine over Taiwan, Politico reports
"A Ukrainian victory will serve as the most effective deterrent to future aggression," former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said during the Halifax International Security Forum on Nov. 23.
kyivindependent.com
November 24, 2024 at 9:52 AM
A lot of wisdom here. The U.S. has gotten a reputation for quitting when the going gets tough. Our adversaries see this. Demonstrating the opposite would have power.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
trump is not invulnerable.
BREAKING: Gaetz withdraws from consideration for attorney general.
November 21, 2024 at 5:30 PM
trump is not invulnerable.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
The calm tone in which talking heads mildly fret over Trump's "excesses" & predict that some ragged form of norms will, in the end, prevail is, in fact, a form of hysteria. Hysterical norming. The ghouls won't be confirmed. The generals will take a stand. The people have spoken. Hysterical norming.
November 20, 2024 at 5:32 AM
The calm tone in which talking heads mildly fret over Trump's "excesses" & predict that some ragged form of norms will, in the end, prevail is, in fact, a form of hysteria. Hysterical norming. The ghouls won't be confirmed. The generals will take a stand. The people have spoken. Hysterical norming.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Patrick O'Brian is a great conservative writer. Taking advantage of the Ganesh brouhaha to write a post that I have been wanting to write for at least a decade, if Sam Goldman didn't get there first and do it better www.programmablemutter.com/p/patrick-ob...
Patrick O'Brian is a Great Conservative Writer
His concern is the problem of right authority
www.programmablemutter.com
September 7, 2024 at 4:07 PM
Patrick O'Brian is a great conservative writer. Taking advantage of the Ganesh brouhaha to write a post that I have been wanting to write for at least a decade, if Sam Goldman didn't get there first and do it better www.programmablemutter.com/p/patrick-ob...
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Fascism and Fear and the Media. “The Biden administration is being held to standards, while the previous Trump administration is not; and Biden personally is being held to standards, while Trump as a person is not. This helps to generate a fascist aura.” [kottke.org]
Fascism and Fear and the Media
Historian and scholar Timothy Snyder, who wrote On Tyranny and this amazing piece about the fascism of Trump and the conservative movement, wrote about a crucial difference in how the media are covering Biden versus ho
kottke.org
July 8, 2024 at 6:12 PM
Fascism and Fear and the Media. “The Biden administration is being held to standards, while the previous Trump administration is not; and Biden personally is being held to standards, while Trump as a person is not. This helps to generate a fascist aura.” [kottke.org]
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Reposted by Seth Stafford
The States Project is one of the best bang-for-your-buck options for your campaign donations.
Even beyond it, though, state legislatures deserve your attention. Next time you're tempted to send money to whoever's going to lose to MTG, send it instead to a contested state leg seat.
Even beyond it, though, state legislatures deserve your attention. Next time you're tempted to send money to whoever's going to lose to MTG, send it instead to a contested state leg seat.
Looking for one person to join me today in donating to flipping both statehouses in Arizona to create a new trifecta for democracy. This is the smartest political donation we can make this year.
Flipping Arizona | The States Project
Learn more about Flipping Arizona such as its mission, community impact, and how you can join or make a one-time online donation.
www.grapevine.org
July 2, 2024 at 1:12 PM
The States Project is one of the best bang-for-your-buck options for your campaign donations.
Even beyond it, though, state legislatures deserve your attention. Next time you're tempted to send money to whoever's going to lose to MTG, send it instead to a contested state leg seat.
Even beyond it, though, state legislatures deserve your attention. Next time you're tempted to send money to whoever's going to lose to MTG, send it instead to a contested state leg seat.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Reposted by Seth Stafford
Last month I gave an Insight Lecture at Rockefeller University, my third visit there. My topic: using science & modeling to help repair democracy.
I showed three pivot points for making change in 2024: redistricting, ranked-choice voting, & redirecting No Labels. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw2a...
I showed three pivot points for making change in 2024: redistricting, ranked-choice voting, & redirecting No Labels. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw2a...
March 27, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Last month I gave an Insight Lecture at Rockefeller University, my third visit there. My topic: using science & modeling to help repair democracy.
I showed three pivot points for making change in 2024: redistricting, ranked-choice voting, & redirecting No Labels. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw2a...
I showed three pivot points for making change in 2024: redistricting, ranked-choice voting, & redirecting No Labels. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw2a...
Reposted by Seth Stafford
I need everyone to take a good look at this photo. Yes, the deep red states are governed by absolute idiots. That doesn't mean the people that live here are all reflect their heartless "leadership".
I promise you, there are more people fighting for change than you realize.
I promise you, there are more people fighting for change than you realize.
From a vigil in Tulsa last night for Nex Benedict
February 26, 2024 at 2:11 PM
I need everyone to take a good look at this photo. Yes, the deep red states are governed by absolute idiots. That doesn't mean the people that live here are all reflect their heartless "leadership".
I promise you, there are more people fighting for change than you realize.
I promise you, there are more people fighting for change than you realize.
Reposted by Seth Stafford
You have to respect that the Supreme Court majority features every kind of Stupid Smart Guy that our culture is capable of producing, from Resentful Bribe Guys to Normal-Passing Opus Dei Kooks to Unbearable Adult Libertarians. Kavanaugh represents the vital Ivy League Guy Who Can't Read tranche.
kavanaugh pretending like the word 'insurrection' is inscrutable really gives the game away
February 8, 2024 at 4:51 PM
You have to respect that the Supreme Court majority features every kind of Stupid Smart Guy that our culture is capable of producing, from Resentful Bribe Guys to Normal-Passing Opus Dei Kooks to Unbearable Adult Libertarians. Kavanaugh represents the vital Ivy League Guy Who Can't Read tranche.