Will Beason
@willbeason.bsky.social
🏳️🌈 Serial Google software developer: Firebase, Cloud, and now Gemini. Advocate for sustainable, robust, and reliable AI. Gay as the sun breaking through rainclouds. I also read, run, cook, game, and make art. Views expressed are my own.
Reposted by Will Beason
One major problem, bluntly, is that lots of folks can't distinguish between good writing and poor writing. This is about education, not intelligence: they could learn the difference, but it's frequently not taught, even in "good" schools. This is ultimately a competitive disadvantage for them.
it's so wild that people conflate quickness with quality so they think chatGPT writing a wall of text in 10 seconds means it's good writing.
December 19, 2025 at 10:14 PM
One major problem, bluntly, is that lots of folks can't distinguish between good writing and poor writing. This is about education, not intelligence: they could learn the difference, but it's frequently not taught, even in "good" schools. This is ultimately a competitive disadvantage for them.
Reposted by Will Beason
1/2 Apropos of nothing in particular, I guarantee I will never write a piece of fiction with the "help" of a large language model because a) I spent too many years developing skills to just fuck off now, b) I don't plagiarize other authors, whether intentionally or by way of statistical matches.
December 19, 2025 at 6:54 PM
1/2 Apropos of nothing in particular, I guarantee I will never write a piece of fiction with the "help" of a large language model because a) I spent too many years developing skills to just fuck off now, b) I don't plagiarize other authors, whether intentionally or by way of statistical matches.
Hard run today! This is the time of year it's actually nice to run in Austin
December 16, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Hard run today! This is the time of year it's actually nice to run in Austin
Reposted by Will Beason
I think the fundamental gap here is that non-creative people think that creative people make things for the end product, when in fact it’s the act of creation and not the end point that makes it worthwhile.
I have grown to believe that excessive wealth does something to your brain that is analogous to a serious head injury
December 15, 2025 at 6:26 AM
I think the fundamental gap here is that non-creative people think that creative people make things for the end product, when in fact it’s the act of creation and not the end point that makes it worthwhile.
Um, hello "Daddy" from Walgreens Pharmacy
December 12, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Um, hello "Daddy" from Walgreens Pharmacy
Reposted by Will Beason
A reminder that we don't have AI-powered features. We have bookseller and user-powered features.
Because y'all are the real readers...and we actually care about your feedback and your privacy ❤️
Because y'all are the real readers...and we actually care about your feedback and your privacy ❤️
December 12, 2025 at 5:33 PM
A reminder that we don't have AI-powered features. We have bookseller and user-powered features.
Because y'all are the real readers...and we actually care about your feedback and your privacy ❤️
Because y'all are the real readers...and we actually care about your feedback and your privacy ❤️
Loved Jade City and had to very quickly follow it up with Jade War. Such good characterization, and just brilliant.
December 6, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Loved Jade City and had to very quickly follow it up with Jade War. Such good characterization, and just brilliant.
Reposted by Will Beason
T-26 Days
Fandom Friday. One of @willbeason.bsky.social's favorite holiday movies is A Muppet Christmas Carol. Tonight, he is going to a showing of it with a live orchestra in Seattle. I look forward to next year when I'll get to join him. 1/2
Fandom Friday. One of @willbeason.bsky.social's favorite holiday movies is A Muppet Christmas Carol. Tonight, he is going to a showing of it with a live orchestra in Seattle. I look forward to next year when I'll get to join him. 1/2
December 6, 2025 at 3:20 AM
T-26 Days
Fandom Friday. One of @willbeason.bsky.social's favorite holiday movies is A Muppet Christmas Carol. Tonight, he is going to a showing of it with a live orchestra in Seattle. I look forward to next year when I'll get to join him. 1/2
Fandom Friday. One of @willbeason.bsky.social's favorite holiday movies is A Muppet Christmas Carol. Tonight, he is going to a showing of it with a live orchestra in Seattle. I look forward to next year when I'll get to join him. 1/2
Reposted by Will Beason
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
November 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
I wasn't intending to break my 5k PR today, but when I realized I was on pace to do so, I figured I might as well.
November 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I wasn't intending to break my 5k PR today, but when I realized I was on pace to do so, I figured I might as well.
While I won't be able to go with @jtinaustin.bsky.social this year, I'm sure in the future I'll get to bring him to the Seattle Symphony's performance of the music for The Muppet Christmas Carol.
November 29, 2025 at 2:38 PM
While I won't be able to go with @jtinaustin.bsky.social this year, I'm sure in the future I'll get to bring him to the Seattle Symphony's performance of the music for The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Reposted by Will Beason
What a great headline
November 28, 2025 at 3:49 PM
What a great headline
Reposted by Will Beason
I've had enough.
November 27, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I've had enough.
Reposted by Will Beason
Over the last ten days, we’ve turned down most national (and international) media requests in order to focus on launching our transition process into government. Our attention is on this city—we were elected to get real results, and that will be our focus for the next four years.
November 25, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Over the last ten days, we’ve turned down most national (and international) media requests in order to focus on launching our transition process into government. Our attention is on this city—we were elected to get real results, and that will be our focus for the next four years.
It's interesting reading while having already read so much; nearly every book I read makes me think of several others. Similar themes, plot elements, characters ... Jade City connects me back to Mistborn and The Poppy War the most so far, but there's elements of others.
November 25, 2025 at 6:40 PM
It's interesting reading while having already read so much; nearly every book I read makes me think of several others. Similar themes, plot elements, characters ... Jade City connects me back to Mistborn and The Poppy War the most so far, but there's elements of others.
Enjoying Jade City so far. Reminds me of the feel of Mistborn.
November 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Enjoying Jade City so far. Reminds me of the feel of Mistborn.
Nice to see my incumbent mayor and Mamdani mentioned in the same breath!
Are Zohran Mamdani and Katie Wilson Democratic Socialists or FDR Democrats? They Are Both
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Nice to see my incumbent mayor and Mamdani mentioned in the same breath!
Really liked Alien Clay. Slower than most of what I've read from Tchaikovsky, and far grimmer. The length of focus on life in an internment camp was a surprise and made it hard to get through, but it is paid off well in the end.
November 23, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Really liked Alien Clay. Slower than most of what I've read from Tchaikovsky, and far grimmer. The length of focus on life in an internment camp was a surprise and made it hard to get through, but it is paid off well in the end.
Woohoo! Three sub-8 minute miles in a row.
November 22, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Woohoo! Three sub-8 minute miles in a row.
Factorio is one of the few games where I've gotten good enough at it that playing the game is more about being able to enter a "flow" state where there's very little barrier between what I'm thinking and what I can make happen in the game.
November 20, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Factorio is one of the few games where I've gotten good enough at it that playing the game is more about being able to enter a "flow" state where there's very little barrier between what I'm thinking and what I can make happen in the game.
Another 100-mile rate milestone passed! 1,300 miles in a year of running and walking! I'm curious as to when the rate will converge to a "normal". If I keep my current pace up, it'll be around 1,800-1,900.
November 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Another 100-mile rate milestone passed! 1,300 miles in a year of running and walking! I'm curious as to when the rate will converge to a "normal". If I keep my current pace up, it'll be around 1,800-1,900.
Reposted by Will Beason
I don't know why the "Piggy" thing is bothering me so much. It's one more unforgivable thing in a list of 20,000 unforgivable things, but I've been mad about it for like 12 straight hours.
November 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
I don't know why the "Piggy" thing is bothering me so much. It's one more unforgivable thing in a list of 20,000 unforgivable things, but I've been mad about it for like 12 straight hours.
I found a CitiBank credit card at the bus stop today. I tried calling CitiBank, and in 20 minutes couldn't get to a person to tell them about the card. Ended up just destroying it and throwing it away.
November 19, 2025 at 12:35 AM
I found a CitiBank credit card at the bus stop today. I tried calling CitiBank, and in 20 minutes couldn't get to a person to tell them about the card. Ended up just destroying it and throwing it away.
Marketing that doesn't work on me: "THESE APPLES BOOST IMMUNE HOMEOPATHY ..."
Marketing that does work on me:
"We put six apples in an unmarked paper bag."
Marketing that does work on me:
"We put six apples in an unmarked paper bag."
November 17, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Marketing that doesn't work on me: "THESE APPLES BOOST IMMUNE HOMEOPATHY ..."
Marketing that does work on me:
"We put six apples in an unmarked paper bag."
Marketing that does work on me:
"We put six apples in an unmarked paper bag."
For when people ask me why I'm fine taking a 3 hour train ride instead of doing the same in a 2-1/2 drive: Well I can't really relax and read half a book as a driver.
November 16, 2025 at 8:27 PM
For when people ask me why I'm fine taking a 3 hour train ride instead of doing the same in a 2-1/2 drive: Well I can't really relax and read half a book as a driver.