Sam Backer
@volumecontrol10.bsky.social
History + Music + Capitalism + Computers @ U Maine. Podcasts @ Money 4 Nothing. Writing Various Places. CFO of the Bangor Handball Association. There's more content on Heaven & Earth, Horatio...
Reposted by Sam Backer
Two weeks ago I said that there were likely millions of uninstalled Blackwell GPUs sitting in warehouses as there is neither the data center capacity nor the power to turn them on. Michael Burry is looking into it and it looks like he’s got evidence I’m right.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-g...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-g...
December 7, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Two weeks ago I said that there were likely millions of uninstalled Blackwell GPUs sitting in warehouses as there is neither the data center capacity nor the power to turn them on. Michael Burry is looking into it and it looks like he’s got evidence I’m right.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-g...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-g...
Fascinated by the timeline where like... AI really is remarkable, but it is being pushed by financial scam artists that are (likely) going to crash and burn. I mean...honestly, that's exactly like Railroads, not sure why I'm surprised, but gosh it's weird to really live it, you know?
December 7, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Fascinated by the timeline where like... AI really is remarkable, but it is being pushed by financial scam artists that are (likely) going to crash and burn. I mean...honestly, that's exactly like Railroads, not sure why I'm surprised, but gosh it's weird to really live it, you know?
Reposted by Sam Backer
Just a reminder that Aaron Swartz was threatened with 50 years of jail time for downloading public domain documents and meanwhile AI companies bulk download copyrighted works
December 6, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Just a reminder that Aaron Swartz was threatened with 50 years of jail time for downloading public domain documents and meanwhile AI companies bulk download copyrighted works
Reposted by Sam Backer
Just Six Corporations Remain https://theonion.com/just-six-corporations-remain-1819564741/
December 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Just Six Corporations Remain https://theonion.com/just-six-corporations-remain-1819564741/
Wet Tuna is the funniest band name in Rock, and their new EP is maybe my favorite thing I've heard from them yet? Dubbed out demi-choogle of the highest degree. wettuna.bandcamp.com/album/epic-v...
Epic View EP, by WET TUNA
3 track album
wettuna.bandcamp.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Wet Tuna is the funniest band name in Rock, and their new EP is maybe my favorite thing I've heard from them yet? Dubbed out demi-choogle of the highest degree. wettuna.bandcamp.com/album/epic-v...
A small indignity in a world full of them — Spotify (for all SORTS of ideologically nefarious reasons) still doesn't have release dates for albums. When in the calendar year did X come out (in relation to Y)? no one who uses this platform will ever know.
December 5, 2025 at 4:37 PM
A small indignity in a world full of them — Spotify (for all SORTS of ideologically nefarious reasons) still doesn't have release dates for albums. When in the calendar year did X come out (in relation to Y)? no one who uses this platform will ever know.
Not to be that guy but...just got a chance to look through the final project topics for my 400 level class on "Modern American Capitalism" and there are some absolute BARNBURNERS. The kids are more than alright.
December 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Not to be that guy but...just got a chance to look through the final project topics for my 400 level class on "Modern American Capitalism" and there are some absolute BARNBURNERS. The kids are more than alright.
Rereading Havey's "A Brief History of Neoliberalism" for the first time since like...2012. It's fascinating how, despite a retreat from certain elements of its "high ideology," so much of what he's describing here has just accelerated in the last decade.
November 17, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Rereading Havey's "A Brief History of Neoliberalism" for the first time since like...2012. It's fascinating how, despite a retreat from certain elements of its "high ideology," so much of what he's describing here has just accelerated in the last decade.
"If you can't have peace with yourself, how in the hell are you gonna have peace with somebody else"
Hegseth has no idea what peace means. And no idea what strength means.
He's cosplaying someone being smart and tough.
He's cosplaying someone being smart and tough.
November 16, 2025 at 2:05 AM
"If you can't have peace with yourself, how in the hell are you gonna have peace with somebody else"
Is pissgrave ambient music? And if not...why not?
November 14, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Is pissgrave ambient music? And if not...why not?
King is 81. Bets on him ever running again?
November 10, 2025 at 4:43 AM
King is 81. Bets on him ever running again?
this Cuomo speech is generally shocking -- no real "good job" no "good luck" -- just partisan attacks and self-congratulations. Vs. Sliwa weirdo class-fest.
November 5, 2025 at 3:49 AM
this Cuomo speech is generally shocking -- no real "good job" no "good luck" -- just partisan attacks and self-congratulations. Vs. Sliwa weirdo class-fest.
LET'S GO MAINE HECK YEAH
What we know so far, 9:30pm
—Dems flip VA-Gov & VA-LG.
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani up
—Dems seem to flip 2 statewide offices in GA
—JD Vance's half-brother loses in Cincy.
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—PA: Dem justices up big
—Maine anti-mail vote measure down
—Krasner wins
—Dems flip VA-Gov & VA-LG.
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani up
—Dems seem to flip 2 statewide offices in GA
—JD Vance's half-brother loses in Cincy.
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—PA: Dem justices up big
—Maine anti-mail vote measure down
—Krasner wins
November 5, 2025 at 2:45 AM
LET'S GO MAINE HECK YEAH
fascinating...is there really not a map out there of the US banking system characterized by charter type in the mid 19th century? you'd think that would...just exist, but maybe not?
September 9, 2025 at 12:32 PM
fascinating...is there really not a map out there of the US banking system characterized by charter type in the mid 19th century? you'd think that would...just exist, but maybe not?
Insane that Bruce was out here just fully sounding like the Gun Club
Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. (Electric Nebraska - Official Audio)
YouTube video by BruceSpringsteenVEVO
www.youtube.com
September 4, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Insane that Bruce was out here just fully sounding like the Gun Club
today in the "the past is a different country"
September 3, 2025 at 5:09 PM
today in the "the past is a different country"
books -- they used to look cooler.
August 21, 2025 at 9:52 PM
books -- they used to look cooler.
Reposted by Sam Backer
The academic’s mid-summer crisis is a mid-life crisis in miniature:
You realize summer is half gone, & not only that: you see that the longest & least burdened days came early, & they are well past. You compare all you thought you’d do against the days remaining & grieve for what never will be
You realize summer is half gone, & not only that: you see that the longest & least burdened days came early, & they are well past. You compare all you thought you’d do against the days remaining & grieve for what never will be
July 6, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The academic’s mid-summer crisis is a mid-life crisis in miniature:
You realize summer is half gone, & not only that: you see that the longest & least burdened days came early, & they are well past. You compare all you thought you’d do against the days remaining & grieve for what never will be
You realize summer is half gone, & not only that: you see that the longest & least burdened days came early, & they are well past. You compare all you thought you’d do against the days remaining & grieve for what never will be
the assault continues -- federal and state. bloomingtonian.com/2025/06/30/i...
Indiana University Bloomington to Eliminate or Suspend Over 100 Academic Programs in Sweeping Restructuring - The Bloomingtonian
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University Bloomington is suspending or eliminating more than 100 academic programs across a wide range of disciplines ahead of the 2026-27 academic year. The programs are ...
bloomingtonian.com
July 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
the assault continues -- federal and state. bloomingtonian.com/2025/06/30/i...
lol -- forgot that Dylan 100% ripped off his friend on this song, while producing a clearly better version. open.spotify.com/track/3q1Bx4...
Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons
Paul Clayton · Paul Clayton Sings Home Made Songs And Ballads · Song · 1960
open.spotify.com
June 30, 2025 at 4:51 PM
lol -- forgot that Dylan 100% ripped off his friend on this song, while producing a clearly better version. open.spotify.com/track/3q1Bx4...
Reposted by Sam Backer
this is the level of funding where all the possibilities for American politics that have been described as hyperbolic over the past decades - the comparisons to Nazi Germany and other nightmares of the 20th century - become logistically possible and politically likely
If the GOP reconciliation bill passes, ICE gets through FY2029:
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
‼️‼️
June 29, 2025 at 10:54 AM
this is the level of funding where all the possibilities for American politics that have been described as hyperbolic over the past decades - the comparisons to Nazi Germany and other nightmares of the 20th century - become logistically possible and politically likely
brad landers position right now is a fascinating new result of ranked choice — he didn’t win, but his team did, and he’s clearly going to get some political juice out of his role.
June 25, 2025 at 3:35 AM
brad landers position right now is a fascinating new result of ranked choice — he didn’t win, but his team did, and he’s clearly going to get some political juice out of his role.
you truly love to see it
JUST IN:
"Tonight was not our night," Cuomo says before adding that he has called Mamdani to congratulate him.
"Tonight was not our night," Cuomo says before adding that he has called Mamdani to congratulate him.
June 25, 2025 at 2:30 AM
you truly love to see it
The federal govt. deciding who can write and research history is definitely a good step towards a society built on "free speech"
June 24, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The federal govt. deciding who can write and research history is definitely a good step towards a society built on "free speech"