W.A. Harnum
@waharnum.bsky.social
i do government digital and technology stuff and i used to do library digital and technology stuff
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
The Prestige (2006)
January 9, 2026 at 2:04 AM
The Prestige (2006)
Prepping for a certification exam and reminded how my least favourite part of any certification exam is being required remembering which branded services do what. Reminds me of this classic Simpsons "school of the future" bit.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxYz...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxYz...
Partial Credit (The Simpsons)
YouTube video by ThingsICantFindOtherwise
www.youtube.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Prepping for a certification exam and reminded how my least favourite part of any certification exam is being required remembering which branded services do what. Reminds me of this classic Simpsons "school of the future" bit.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxYz...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxYz...
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
If the DEA had killed 80 innocent Americans in the course of apprehending one drug dealer, there would be riots. But we are so ghoulishly indifferent to the lives and humanity of people abroad that it's barely even part of the conversation.
A reminder that the US killed 80 people in Venezuela, and it would be nice if the US media cared enough to think that the life of a grandmother in Caracas whose building is destroyed by a US bomb matters as much as the life of a person in the US.
January 5, 2026 at 8:57 PM
If the DEA had killed 80 innocent Americans in the course of apprehending one drug dealer, there would be riots. But we are so ghoulishly indifferent to the lives and humanity of people abroad that it's barely even part of the conversation.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
No need for a futuristic sci-fi take on What It’s Like To Be Grok, whether it can meaningfully apologize, anything like that. X is paying for synthetic revenge porn and CSAM at enormous scale because it amuses its insane king and appeases its sick users. The implementation details are irrelevant.
January 4, 2026 at 11:29 PM
No need for a futuristic sci-fi take on What It’s Like To Be Grok, whether it can meaningfully apologize, anything like that. X is paying for synthetic revenge porn and CSAM at enormous scale because it amuses its insane king and appeases its sick users. The implementation details are irrelevant.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
I think the AI angle of this is obscurant. It doesn’t matter that grok is “an AI” whatever you take that to mean. Suppose X hired a team of guys to photoshop the clothes off of women and children whenever anyone asks. That’s functionally identical what happening here. It’s not complicated.
A functional country would shut Grok down permanently. Like, immediately. Right now. Last week. Whatever. Just flip the switch. Obviously.
January 4, 2026 at 11:25 PM
I think the AI angle of this is obscurant. It doesn’t matter that grok is “an AI” whatever you take that to mean. Suppose X hired a team of guys to photoshop the clothes off of women and children whenever anyone asks. That’s functionally identical what happening here. It’s not complicated.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
Abysmal statement from Canada on the illegal US action in Venezuela.
It doesn’t matter how much you dislike Maduro, that doesn’t justify a violation of international law and the UN Charter. You can’t call on “all parties” to respect international law and not call out US lawlessness.
It doesn’t matter how much you dislike Maduro, that doesn’t justify a violation of international law and the UN Charter. You can’t call on “all parties” to respect international law and not call out US lawlessness.
Please see my statement on the situation in Venezuela:
January 3, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Abysmal statement from Canada on the illegal US action in Venezuela.
It doesn’t matter how much you dislike Maduro, that doesn’t justify a violation of international law and the UN Charter. You can’t call on “all parties” to respect international law and not call out US lawlessness.
It doesn’t matter how much you dislike Maduro, that doesn’t justify a violation of international law and the UN Charter. You can’t call on “all parties” to respect international law and not call out US lawlessness.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
I have been thinking that the major divide in Canadian politics now is really wrestling with Trump’s US or wholly embracing it, and now Pierre Poilievre and Melissa Lantsman are praising Trump’s illegal attack on Venezuela while Danielle Smith pushes separation. It’s a really dangerous time.
January 3, 2026 at 6:12 PM
I have been thinking that the major divide in Canadian politics now is really wrestling with Trump’s US or wholly embracing it, and now Pierre Poilievre and Melissa Lantsman are praising Trump’s illegal attack on Venezuela while Danielle Smith pushes separation. It’s a really dangerous time.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
Gotta say, if I were a Canadian politician, I would be very careful about praising Donald Trump for illegally bombing an oil-rich country and arresting its leader on what are pretty much imaginary allegations of narco trafficking
January 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Gotta say, if I were a Canadian politician, I would be very careful about praising Donald Trump for illegally bombing an oil-rich country and arresting its leader on what are pretty much imaginary allegations of narco trafficking
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
The demonization of Somalis is no different than the demonization of Haitians before the election. It's a political attack and has to be actively fought—not through half-measures or expressions of tepid concern but by demanding decency from society and respect for all of humanity.
January 2, 2026 at 8:24 PM
The demonization of Somalis is no different than the demonization of Haitians before the election. It's a political attack and has to be actively fought—not through half-measures or expressions of tepid concern but by demanding decency from society and respect for all of humanity.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
“The last best hope on earth”
I don’t know how to explain to Americans that we all interpret American exceptionalism as the drumbeat of the imperial war machine, promising emancipation and delivering exploitation. It is disgusting.
This is a threat. We interpret it as such.
I don’t know how to explain to Americans that we all interpret American exceptionalism as the drumbeat of the imperial war machine, promising emancipation and delivering exploitation. It is disgusting.
This is a threat. We interpret it as such.
January 2, 2026 at 9:58 PM
“The last best hope on earth”
I don’t know how to explain to Americans that we all interpret American exceptionalism as the drumbeat of the imperial war machine, promising emancipation and delivering exploitation. It is disgusting.
This is a threat. We interpret it as such.
I don’t know how to explain to Americans that we all interpret American exceptionalism as the drumbeat of the imperial war machine, promising emancipation and delivering exploitation. It is disgusting.
This is a threat. We interpret it as such.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
Ex-Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun has Lunch with the FT and in one of those instances so rare that you know he didn't sign an NDA, says exactly why as.ft.com/r/e503690d-8...
January 2, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Ex-Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun has Lunch with the FT and in one of those instances so rare that you know he didn't sign an NDA, says exactly why as.ft.com/r/e503690d-8...
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
They invariably slide down the radicalization pipeline and end up sounding like this guy; making gutter racist arguments with the polite veneer of a technocrat
January 2, 2026 at 7:09 AM
They invariably slide down the radicalization pipeline and end up sounding like this guy; making gutter racist arguments with the polite veneer of a technocrat
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
The reason that centrist pundits are so enamored with IQ and race science is that acknowledgment of what a disadvantage it is to be marginalized in this country simultaneously invalidates both their own place in society and any solution that isn’t “better social safety net/schools/resources”
I was wondering why their is so much random racist discourse on Somalis on the TL rn but oh it’s election season for governor rn lol
January 2, 2026 at 7:04 AM
The reason that centrist pundits are so enamored with IQ and race science is that acknowledgment of what a disadvantage it is to be marginalized in this country simultaneously invalidates both their own place in society and any solution that isn’t “better social safety net/schools/resources”
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
if you want to understand demographic statistics because you want to solve social problems and improve people’s lives, that’s fine and important work. If you want to track these stats so you can rank which races are better and worse, you are my enemy.
January 2, 2026 at 5:59 AM
if you want to understand demographic statistics because you want to solve social problems and improve people’s lives, that’s fine and important work. If you want to track these stats so you can rank which races are better and worse, you are my enemy.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
They want you to engage them in endless handwringing about statistical outcomes, IQ, crime rates; whatever. Either you can recognize this for what it is or you’re the kind of person who would have ignored the smoke coming out of the crematorium.
January 2, 2026 at 5:57 AM
They want you to engage them in endless handwringing about statistical outcomes, IQ, crime rates; whatever. Either you can recognize this for what it is or you’re the kind of person who would have ignored the smoke coming out of the crematorium.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
You don’t need to know a single fact about Somali Americans to know the campaign against them is morally hideous. Either you can recognize that these campaigns are wrong a priori, or you are in your heart a racist.
I was wondering why their is so much random racist discourse on Somalis on the TL rn but oh it’s election season for governor rn lol
January 2, 2026 at 5:55 AM
You don’t need to know a single fact about Somali Americans to know the campaign against them is morally hideous. Either you can recognize that these campaigns are wrong a priori, or you are in your heart a racist.
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
finally, a solution for the sophisticated warhammer player who wants to spotlight the crown jewel of his fine wine collection
December 18, 2025 at 7:51 PM
finally, a solution for the sophisticated warhammer player who wants to spotlight the crown jewel of his fine wine collection
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
Me: *trying to make small talk* hey, what's good
Everyone in the room shushes me, but it's too late - Jeremy Bentham is already coming this way
Everyone in the room shushes me, but it's too late - Jeremy Bentham is already coming this way
December 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Me: *trying to make small talk* hey, what's good
Everyone in the room shushes me, but it's too late - Jeremy Bentham is already coming this way
Everyone in the room shushes me, but it's too late - Jeremy Bentham is already coming this way
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
Christmas is upon us, and with it comes the BLACK FLAME ebook for only $2.99!
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Black Flame
An instant USA Today bestseller!One woman's deadly obsession with a haunted archival film precipitates her undoing in Black Flame, from the author of Manhunt...
us.macmillan.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Christmas is upon us, and with it comes the BLACK FLAME ebook for only $2.99!
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
Pornhub has released the top most searched terms in the United States and every state searched “industrial crane lifting a dark and dripping shape from an unquiet sea” bc America is going through it,
December 11, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Pornhub has released the top most searched terms in the United States and every state searched “industrial crane lifting a dark and dripping shape from an unquiet sea” bc America is going through it,
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
If you call it a “male immaturity epidemic,” a very different set of phenomena come into focus, as this thread shows
I'm starting to wonder how much "the male loneliness epidemic" is just straight and bisexual women identifying low-effort, mean, and incompetent men and choosing not to date, marry, and tolerate them anymore
December 7, 2025 at 3:45 PM
If you call it a “male immaturity epidemic,” a very different set of phenomena come into focus, as this thread shows
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
guys, these people 100% understand the messaging behind something as hamfisted as Judge Dredd. They just think that the satire should be real
DOJ's newest recruitment ad features Judge Dredd, the comic satire about the dangers of lawless policing and authoritarian power
December 4, 2025 at 10:11 PM
guys, these people 100% understand the messaging behind something as hamfisted as Judge Dredd. They just think that the satire should be real
dare you to drink Christmas straight from the jug
December 4, 2025 at 7:03 PM
dare you to drink Christmas straight from the jug
Reposted by W.A. Harnum
All of the companies that make the software I use are increasing their prices, to account for an "investment" in AI.
I'm sat here imagining how my clients would feel if I added 30% to each invoice, because I "really got into gambling".
I'm sat here imagining how my clients would feel if I added 30% to each invoice, because I "really got into gambling".
December 4, 2025 at 8:41 AM
All of the companies that make the software I use are increasing their prices, to account for an "investment" in AI.
I'm sat here imagining how my clients would feel if I added 30% to each invoice, because I "really got into gambling".
I'm sat here imagining how my clients would feel if I added 30% to each invoice, because I "really got into gambling".