Ben McCarthy
@benricem.bsky.social
Irish, non-binary, maker of apps, taker of photos.
benricemccarthy.com / obscura.camera / croissantapp.com/
weirder here than everywhere else.
they / them
🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🇮🇪
benricemccarthy.com / obscura.camera / croissantapp.com/
weirder here than everywhere else.
they / them
🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈🇮🇪
Pinned
Ben McCarthy
@benricem.bsky.social
· Nov 15
I’m Ben 👋
I’m a non-binary designer and developer of apps, most notably Obscura, Croissant, and Ketchup
I’m a huge fan of Lego, video games, coffee, photography, and plenty more
I live in Dublin with my partner Sara, and our two cats, Goose and Zero
#introduction
I’m a non-binary designer and developer of apps, most notably Obscura, Croissant, and Ketchup
I’m a huge fan of Lego, video games, coffee, photography, and plenty more
I live in Dublin with my partner Sara, and our two cats, Goose and Zero
#introduction
My mother yelled at Tom Cruise while pregnant with me. Shortly afterward Nicole Kidman told her she looked glowing
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 30, 2025 at 11:34 AM
My mother yelled at Tom Cruise while pregnant with me. Shortly afterward Nicole Kidman told her she looked glowing
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
2026 is the year we end 'relatable comedy' that's 99.9% relatable and 0% comedy. we don't need to relate to comedy. it's a joke not your cousin
December 26, 2025 at 5:18 PM
2026 is the year we end 'relatable comedy' that's 99.9% relatable and 0% comedy. we don't need to relate to comedy. it's a joke not your cousin
🍷 Cranberry Sorbet & Prosecco
🥩 Steak
🥔 Potatoes (cooked in goose fat)
🍠 Purple Sweet Potato Chips
🥕 Baby Carrots (Honey glazed)
🌱 Leeks (cooked in clarified butter)
🥬 Salad (with an original Lemon Threeway Dressing)
🧄🥖 Roast-Garlic Ciabatta
🥩 Steak
🥔 Potatoes (cooked in goose fat)
🍠 Purple Sweet Potato Chips
🥕 Baby Carrots (Honey glazed)
🌱 Leeks (cooked in clarified butter)
🥬 Salad (with an original Lemon Threeway Dressing)
🧄🥖 Roast-Garlic Ciabatta
December 24, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🍷 Cranberry Sorbet & Prosecco
🥩 Steak
🥔 Potatoes (cooked in goose fat)
🍠 Purple Sweet Potato Chips
🥕 Baby Carrots (Honey glazed)
🌱 Leeks (cooked in clarified butter)
🥬 Salad (with an original Lemon Threeway Dressing)
🧄🥖 Roast-Garlic Ciabatta
🥩 Steak
🥔 Potatoes (cooked in goose fat)
🍠 Purple Sweet Potato Chips
🥕 Baby Carrots (Honey glazed)
🌱 Leeks (cooked in clarified butter)
🥬 Salad (with an original Lemon Threeway Dressing)
🧄🥖 Roast-Garlic Ciabatta
December 21, 2025 at 8:55 PM
December 17, 2025 at 7:19 PM
LARIAN IPSUM
If they'd like to hire me as a consultant I can introduce them to Lorem Ipsum and save them thousands
sigh
December 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM
LARIAN IPSUM
While I fully understand that the glasses have speakers in them, this gives me the vibes of:
mastodon.social/@Sarahp/11573...
mastodon.social/@Sarahp/11573...
December 16, 2025 at 10:52 PM
While I fully understand that the glasses have speakers in them, this gives me the vibes of:
mastodon.social/@Sarahp/11573...
mastodon.social/@Sarahp/11573...
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
Plus if you’re *pushing* your team to use AI and not seeing productivity gains or real impact, that just means you DO NOT NEED IT and could stop using it at any time. You’re just choosing to feed the machine that makes the world worse because fuck everyone else I guess?
December 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Plus if you’re *pushing* your team to use AI and not seeing productivity gains or real impact, that just means you DO NOT NEED IT and could stop using it at any time. You’re just choosing to feed the machine that makes the world worse because fuck everyone else I guess?
I watched Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (no valid excuse, sorry), wrote this review and then immediately watched I Saw The TV Glow and well…
December 16, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I watched Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (no valid excuse, sorry), wrote this review and then immediately watched I Saw The TV Glow and well…
If they'd like to hire me as a consultant I can introduce them to Lorem Ipsum and save them thousands
sigh
December 16, 2025 at 5:41 PM
If they'd like to hire me as a consultant I can introduce them to Lorem Ipsum and save them thousands
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
🚨 The UK government just published a breakdown of the responses to its consultation on AI & copyright:
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
December 15, 2025 at 11:22 AM
🚨 The UK government just published a breakdown of the responses to its consultation on AI & copyright:
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
Hollow Pirate: Silkshanty youtu.be/qDFEeeLy6ws?si=kF58S...
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow Teaser
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow is coming in 2026!
Voyage across and beneath the salt-stricken seas in this thrilling expansion, free for all players.
youtu.be
December 16, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Hollow Pirate: Silkshanty youtu.be/qDFEeeLy6ws?si=kF58S...
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
We’re running out of new ideas so we propose we use the ideas regurgitator. No we do not see the irony.
America, you have spoken loud and clear: You do not like AI. But what if AI is the way to restart the world’s idea machine?
We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.
What if the best use of AI is restarting the world’s idea machine?
www.vox.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:44 AM
We’re running out of new ideas so we propose we use the ideas regurgitator. No we do not see the irony.
Who ordered the heavy-handed metaphor?
WATCH: Replica of the Statue of Liberty topples due to strong winds in Guaíba, Brazil
December 15, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Who ordered the heavy-handed metaphor?
This is the only time you can make a "to the moon" stocks joke
December 15, 2025 at 10:11 PM
This is the only time you can make a "to the moon" stocks joke
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
I am totally serious about this: file articles of impeachment over this specifically
December 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I am totally serious about this: file articles of impeachment over this specifically
I was remiss in not posting a photo of my sandwich yesterday so here's take two
- Ciabatta
- Chipotle Mayo
- Steak
- Pickled Onions
- Baby Gem Lettuce
- A drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar
- Ciabatta
- Chipotle Mayo
- Steak
- Pickled Onions
- Baby Gem Lettuce
- A drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar
December 15, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I was remiss in not posting a photo of my sandwich yesterday so here's take two
- Ciabatta
- Chipotle Mayo
- Steak
- Pickled Onions
- Baby Gem Lettuce
- A drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar
- Ciabatta
- Chipotle Mayo
- Steak
- Pickled Onions
- Baby Gem Lettuce
- A drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar
A lot of cities have a big arch, it's cliché at this point. What would be really cool is two arches. And make them gold since that's trump's favourite colour. And you could sell hamburgers at the base because he loves them too.
"Amid concerns that he has failed to address a worsening affordability crisis....Donald Trump revealed on Sunday that his domestic policy chief’s main priority is building a triumphal arch for Washington DC." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump says building DC triumphal arch is domestic policy chief’s ‘primary thing’
Trump praises Vince Haley, his ex-speechwriter tasked with creating Arc de Triomphe knockoff amid affordability crisis
www.theguardian.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:41 PM
A lot of cities have a big arch, it's cliché at this point. What would be really cool is two arches. And make them gold since that's trump's favourite colour. And you could sell hamburgers at the base because he loves them too.
I just cooked a beautiful steak and turned it into an incredible sandwich 😌
December 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
I just cooked a beautiful steak and turned it into an incredible sandwich 😌
This is fucking terrifying.
It's not a new concern, but good to be reminded that your entire digital life can be annihilated in an instant with no recourse
cloudisland.nz/@parisba/11571...
It's not a new concern, but good to be reminded that your entire digital life can be annihilated in an instant with no recourse
cloudisland.nz/@parisba/11571...
December 13, 2025 at 9:39 AM
This is fucking terrifying.
It's not a new concern, but good to be reminded that your entire digital life can be annihilated in an instant with no recourse
cloudisland.nz/@parisba/11571...
It's not a new concern, but good to be reminded that your entire digital life can be annihilated in an instant with no recourse
cloudisland.nz/@parisba/11571...
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
i think a lot of car discourse boils down to whether you think a car is a horse or a gun.
December 12, 2025 at 9:52 PM
i think a lot of car discourse boils down to whether you think a car is a horse or a gun.
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
Epic pays for licensing fees for the games they give away for free as promotions. Which means even if YOU aren't paying for it, you're giving money to JK Rowling to harm transgender people AND elevating her stature by giving her franchise higher numbers.
NO TERF WIZARD GAME. NO TERF WIZARD SHOW.
NO TERF WIZARD GAME. NO TERF WIZARD SHOW.
Hogwarts Legacy is free on Epic Games Store. Mystery game is the next title buff.ly/HE94Ti2
December 12, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Epic pays for licensing fees for the games they give away for free as promotions. Which means even if YOU aren't paying for it, you're giving money to JK Rowling to harm transgender people AND elevating her stature by giving her franchise higher numbers.
NO TERF WIZARD GAME. NO TERF WIZARD SHOW.
NO TERF WIZARD GAME. NO TERF WIZARD SHOW.
@unburntwitch.com maybe Geoff just had like a friend's birthday he really doesn't want to go to this time of year
December 11, 2025 at 10:13 PM
@unburntwitch.com maybe Geoff just had like a friend's birthday he really doesn't want to go to this time of year
Reposted by Ben McCarthy
The best games of 2025 give a glimpse into a better world — where artists can invite audiences into their memoirs, where AAAs are thematically ambitious and small teams can sculpt epics.
This is also my 100th(!!) proper video on YouTube, a milestone seven years in the making
youtu.be/tJ4X6FsLn6Y
This is also my 100th(!!) proper video on YouTube, a milestone seven years in the making
youtu.be/tJ4X6FsLn6Y
December 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM
The best games of 2025 give a glimpse into a better world — where artists can invite audiences into their memoirs, where AAAs are thematically ambitious and small teams can sculpt epics.
This is also my 100th(!!) proper video on YouTube, a milestone seven years in the making
youtu.be/tJ4X6FsLn6Y
This is also my 100th(!!) proper video on YouTube, a milestone seven years in the making
youtu.be/tJ4X6FsLn6Y
beware the marketplace of ides
December 9, 2025 at 5:41 PM
beware the marketplace of ides