Ben Breen
@benbreen.net
Co-founder & CTO at Nestegg.ai · Builder of software, seeker of balance. Four decades in code, still learning to see. Drawn to systems thinking, MMT, Tai Chi, and loose leaf tea. Exploring better ways to build - for people and planet.
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The UK can’t run out of pounds any more than it can run out of inches or centimetres. In this response to Gary Stevenson, I explain why money is a public good, created by the state, and why it’s wrong to claim the government is broke.
youtu.be/2aaKGm9zZlU?...
youtu.be/2aaKGm9zZlU?...
Why the UK can’t go broke – and why Gary Stevenson shouldn't imply it could
YouTube video by Richard J Murphy
youtu.be
August 8, 2025 at 8:11 PM
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Reposted by Ben Breen
What we should really tax if we want the rich to pay more youtu.be/Y6dzBpfIli8?... Taxing the wealthy sounds easy. But what happens when we don’t actually know what they own or what it’s worth?
What we should really tax if we want the rich to pay more
YouTube video by Richard J Murphy
youtu.be
July 21, 2025 at 6:56 AM
What we should really tax if we want the rich to pay more youtu.be/Y6dzBpfIli8?... Taxing the wealthy sounds easy. But what happens when we don’t actually know what they own or what it’s worth?
Confirms what I'm sure a lot of us have suspected.
MIT brain scans suggest that using GenAI tools reduces cognitive activity
– AI users displayed shorter memory and significantly fewer connections between regions of the brain
www.techspot.com/news/108386-...
– AI users displayed shorter memory and significantly fewer connections between regions of the brain
www.techspot.com/news/108386-...
June 20, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Confirms what I'm sure a lot of us have suspected.
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Why temporary EFTA membership is the UK’s quickest and best route back to the single market and rejoining the EU.
Fast track back to the EU?
Why temporary EFTA membership is the UK’s quickest and best route back to the single market and rejoining the EU
northwestbylines.co.uk
May 31, 2025 at 6:09 PM
💯
Reposted by Ben Breen
An anniversary worth marking.
I'm sure we're going to see the very people who have trashed its legacy seek to appropriate WW2 today - so let's remember what was really fought for: peace, a more united Europe, a land fit for heroes (mark 2) and the defeat of fascism.
I'm sure we're going to see the very people who have trashed its legacy seek to appropriate WW2 today - so let's remember what was really fought for: peace, a more united Europe, a land fit for heroes (mark 2) and the defeat of fascism.
May 8, 2025 at 6:44 AM
An anniversary worth marking.
I'm sure we're going to see the very people who have trashed its legacy seek to appropriate WW2 today - so let's remember what was really fought for: peace, a more united Europe, a land fit for heroes (mark 2) and the defeat of fascism.
I'm sure we're going to see the very people who have trashed its legacy seek to appropriate WW2 today - so let's remember what was really fought for: peace, a more united Europe, a land fit for heroes (mark 2) and the defeat of fascism.
Reposted by Ben Breen
Twitter’s dominance ‘over’ as Bluesky becomes new hub for research.
Data indicates more scholars turning to alternative social media site to post about their work after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/xs-domi...
Data indicates more scholars turning to alternative social media site to post about their work after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/xs-domi...
X’s dominance ‘over’ as Bluesky becomes new hub for research
Data indicates more scholars turning to alternative social media site to post about their work after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
www.timeshighereducation.com
April 12, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Twitter’s dominance ‘over’ as Bluesky becomes new hub for research.
Data indicates more scholars turning to alternative social media site to post about their work after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/xs-domi...
Data indicates more scholars turning to alternative social media site to post about their work after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/xs-domi...
Reposted by Ben Breen
Meanwhile, in Canada…
May 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Meanwhile, in Canada…
Reposted by Ben Breen
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗟𝗦, 𝗦𝗦𝗟, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗧𝗧𝗣𝗦
When you visit some websites, the browser will display a security warning without HTTPS because your connection is unencrypted. Anyone monitoring the network can see your data, including passwords and personal information.
🧵
#programming #webdevelopment #security
When you visit some websites, the browser will display a security warning without HTTPS because your connection is unencrypted. Anyone monitoring the network can see your data, including passwords and personal information.
🧵
#programming #webdevelopment #security
April 21, 2025 at 7:19 AM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗟𝗦, 𝗦𝗦𝗟, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗧𝗧𝗣𝗦
When you visit some websites, the browser will display a security warning without HTTPS because your connection is unencrypted. Anyone monitoring the network can see your data, including passwords and personal information.
🧵
#programming #webdevelopment #security
When you visit some websites, the browser will display a security warning without HTTPS because your connection is unencrypted. Anyone monitoring the network can see your data, including passwords and personal information.
🧵
#programming #webdevelopment #security
Reposted by Ben Breen
Rip Chief Pontiac, Odawa leader, died this day 1769.
"They came with a Bible and their religion, stole our land, and crushed our spirit, and now tell us we should be thankful to the Lord for being saved."
"They came with a Bible and their religion, stole our land, and crushed our spirit, and now tell us we should be thankful to the Lord for being saved."
April 20, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Rip Chief Pontiac, Odawa leader, died this day 1769.
"They came with a Bible and their religion, stole our land, and crushed our spirit, and now tell us we should be thankful to the Lord for being saved."
"They came with a Bible and their religion, stole our land, and crushed our spirit, and now tell us we should be thankful to the Lord for being saved."
Reposted by Ben Breen
UK-US trade deal is a joke: minimal US concessions, whilst U.K. will be forced to shrink food standards, product rules, and digital services.
Frontier Economics shows
US tariffs = -0.7% GDP
EU deal = +1.5% GDP
Kiss Trump’s arse or rebuild prosperity with Europe?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Frontier Economics shows
US tariffs = -0.7% GDP
EU deal = +1.5% GDP
Kiss Trump’s arse or rebuild prosperity with Europe?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Donald Trump is now badly wounded. Europe can seize an advantage | Will Hutton
It’s time to fashion a new global trade order without the US
www.theguardian.com
April 13, 2025 at 6:35 AM
UK-US trade deal is a joke: minimal US concessions, whilst U.K. will be forced to shrink food standards, product rules, and digital services.
Frontier Economics shows
US tariffs = -0.7% GDP
EU deal = +1.5% GDP
Kiss Trump’s arse or rebuild prosperity with Europe?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Frontier Economics shows
US tariffs = -0.7% GDP
EU deal = +1.5% GDP
Kiss Trump’s arse or rebuild prosperity with Europe?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Ben Breen
🦀 Hello World!
The Rust project now has an official presence on Bluesky! ✨
We'll be posting the same on our Mastodon and Bluesky accounts, so you won't miss anything on either platform.
The Rust project now has an official presence on Bluesky! ✨
We'll be posting the same on our Mastodon and Bluesky accounts, so you won't miss anything on either platform.
April 5, 2025 at 10:51 AM
🦀 Hello World!
The Rust project now has an official presence on Bluesky! ✨
We'll be posting the same on our Mastodon and Bluesky accounts, so you won't miss anything on either platform.
The Rust project now has an official presence on Bluesky! ✨
We'll be posting the same on our Mastodon and Bluesky accounts, so you won't miss anything on either platform.
Reposted by Ben Breen
The suffering that will be unleashed on Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos is horrific. And that's not because they have "raped" America. It's because they're poor, they can't afford many US goods but they can become wealthier by exporting to rich countries.
April 3, 2025 at 11:27 AM
The suffering that will be unleashed on Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos is horrific. And that's not because they have "raped" America. It's because they're poor, they can't afford many US goods but they can become wealthier by exporting to rich countries.
Reposted by Ben Breen
Happy rewilding news. Captive bred haggis released to bolster wild population.
April 1, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Happy rewilding news. Captive bred haggis released to bolster wild population.
Reposted by Ben Breen
So, the DOGE kids intend to rewrite the social-security administration's COBOL code-base!
and they want to do it ...
... in *a few months*
I did a huge dive into COBOL a few years ago (www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca/magazi...) ...
... so let me explain why DOGE is *way* over its skis here
1/9
and they want to do it ...
... in *a few months*
I did a huge dive into COBOL a few years ago (www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca/magazi...) ...
... so let me explain why DOGE is *way* over its skis here
1/9
browse by category
www.wealthsimple.com
March 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
So, the DOGE kids intend to rewrite the social-security administration's COBOL code-base!
and they want to do it ...
... in *a few months*
I did a huge dive into COBOL a few years ago (www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca/magazi...) ...
... so let me explain why DOGE is *way* over its skis here
1/9
and they want to do it ...
... in *a few months*
I did a huge dive into COBOL a few years ago (www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca/magazi...) ...
... so let me explain why DOGE is *way* over its skis here
1/9
Reposted by Ben Breen
In June 2017 a-ha recorded a live acoustic album during two performances in Giske, Norway. A couple of hundred people were lucky enough to be present on those special nights…
March 23, 2025 at 2:51 AM
In June 2017 a-ha recorded a live acoustic album during two performances in Giske, Norway. A couple of hundred people were lucky enough to be present on those special nights…
Reposted by Ben Breen
These are the same people who lost the Civil War, whose belief system lost in World War 2, who lost colonial wars that came after, who lost in apartheid. These people are losers, and they’re dreadfully afraid they are losing again. And they should be, because they’re going to keep losing.
March 22, 2025 at 1:21 AM
These are the same people who lost the Civil War, whose belief system lost in World War 2, who lost colonial wars that came after, who lost in apartheid. These people are losers, and they’re dreadfully afraid they are losing again. And they should be, because they’re going to keep losing.
Nice
A young computer scientist and two colleagues show that searches within data structures called hash tables can be much faster than previously deemed possible.
Undergraduate Upends a 40-Year-Old Data Science Conjecture
A young computer scientist and two colleagues show that searches within data structures called hash tables can be much faster than previously deemed possible.
wrd.cm
March 16, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Nice
Reposted by Ben Breen
If Trump was President in 1940
March 3, 2025 at 12:45 PM
If Trump was President in 1940
Reposted by Ben Breen
Winston Churchill visiting the WH in 1942. Not wearing a suit
February 28, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Winston Churchill visiting the WH in 1942. Not wearing a suit
"oppose NHS privatisation"? 💯
Hello! Where are all of the awesome people on BlueSky who oppose NHS privatisation? I need to know who to follow next (it’ll be you!). Please repost this and follow me, and I’ll follow you back! 💙🌟
February 17, 2025 at 6:36 PM
"oppose NHS privatisation"? 💯
Reposted by Ben Breen
In 2025, NestEgg & its partner lenders are set to prevent £250 million of financial harm across the UK.
This is made possible thanks to our participation at FinTech Scotland’s Consumer Duty Challenge! 🏆🎉
Learn more 👉 nestegg.ai/improving-ou...
#FinancialInclusion #ConsumerDuty #FintechScotland
This is made possible thanks to our participation at FinTech Scotland’s Consumer Duty Challenge! 🏆🎉
Learn more 👉 nestegg.ai/improving-ou...
#FinancialInclusion #ConsumerDuty #FintechScotland
Improving outcomes for vulnerable borrowers
NestEgg's participation in FinTech Scotland's Consumer Duty Challenge accelerates Machine Learning to improve vulnerable borrowers outcomes
nestegg.ai
February 15, 2025 at 3:15 PM
In 2025, NestEgg & its partner lenders are set to prevent £250 million of financial harm across the UK.
This is made possible thanks to our participation at FinTech Scotland’s Consumer Duty Challenge! 🏆🎉
Learn more 👉 nestegg.ai/improving-ou...
#FinancialInclusion #ConsumerDuty #FintechScotland
This is made possible thanks to our participation at FinTech Scotland’s Consumer Duty Challenge! 🏆🎉
Learn more 👉 nestegg.ai/improving-ou...
#FinancialInclusion #ConsumerDuty #FintechScotland
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Yes. But they are missing that much of this has to be performative. That’s what Trump is great at and Dems are awful at.
You can’t just tell voters , you have to know how to sell voters.
Trump gives sales pitches, Dems show charts. One goes viral. The other is ignored and forgotten
You can’t just tell voters , you have to know how to sell voters.
Trump gives sales pitches, Dems show charts. One goes viral. The other is ignored and forgotten
This was the way.
February 14, 2025 at 6:06 PM
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Wow
I'm hearing now that *every* technologist CFPB hired to investigate Big Tech was fired this evening. That's somewhere between 70-100 people.
wired.com/story/dozens-of-cfpb-workers-terminated-in-after-hours-firing-blitz/
wired.com/story/dozens-of-cfpb-workers-terminated-in-after-hours-firing-blitz/
Dozens of CFPB Workers Fired in After-Hours Blitz
Some affected employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau were notified with an email that addressed them as [EmployeeFirstName][EmployeeLastName], [Job Title], [Division].
wired.com
February 14, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Wow
The kitchen is often annoyingly low on food on a Sunday evening.
I've found ChatGPT to be great for suggesting a recipe based on a handful of ingredients I do have in.
Tonight it was a lovely soup based on celeriac and red lentils. And adjusted for the number of people and the metric system. 👨🍳
I've found ChatGPT to be great for suggesting a recipe based on a handful of ingredients I do have in.
Tonight it was a lovely soup based on celeriac and red lentils. And adjusted for the number of people and the metric system. 👨🍳
February 9, 2025 at 10:22 PM
The kitchen is often annoyingly low on food on a Sunday evening.
I've found ChatGPT to be great for suggesting a recipe based on a handful of ingredients I do have in.
Tonight it was a lovely soup based on celeriac and red lentils. And adjusted for the number of people and the metric system. 👨🍳
I've found ChatGPT to be great for suggesting a recipe based on a handful of ingredients I do have in.
Tonight it was a lovely soup based on celeriac and red lentils. And adjusted for the number of people and the metric system. 👨🍳