Amanda Bittner
@bittner.bsky.social
I like data, dogs, and my dog named Data. Have I mentioned I like data? I study & teach political science. I live to traipse around the wilds of Newfoundland. www.amandabittner.com
That bugs me so much.
November 23, 2025 at 7:41 PM
That bugs me so much.
Civil servants should be able to provide the policy analysis we need. This is ridiculous.
from government by consultant to government by consultants using generative AI.
decades of degrading government capacity to actually govern has left it open to further degradation through ai hype and perceptions it enables further cost cutting.
decades of degrading government capacity to actually govern has left it open to further degradation through ai hype and perceptions it enables further cost cutting.
Major N.L. healthcare report contains errors likely generated by A.I. β The Independent
$1.6 million Health Human Resources Plan from Deloitte cites research papers that donβt exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months
theindependent.ca
November 23, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Civil servants should be able to provide the policy analysis we need. This is ridiculous.
Next Thursday! Join us for a really fun evening where we talk about the perils and joys of running for politics. There will be snacks! Activities! Incredible panelists! Conversations!
(Free) Registration at this link: www.eventbrite.ca/e/what-did-w...
(Free) Registration at this link: www.eventbrite.ca/e/what-did-w...
November 21, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Next Thursday! Join us for a really fun evening where we talk about the perils and joys of running for politics. There will be snacks! Activities! Incredible panelists! Conversations!
(Free) Registration at this link: www.eventbrite.ca/e/what-did-w...
(Free) Registration at this link: www.eventbrite.ca/e/what-did-w...
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
To βmy students and to anyone who might listen, I say: Donβt surrender to AI your ability to read, write and think when others once risked their lives and died for the freedom to do so.β
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
I Set A Trap To Catch My Students Cheating With AI. The Results Were Shocking.
"Students are not just undermining their ability to learn, but to someday lead."
www.huffpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:22 AM
To βmy students and to anyone who might listen, I say: Donβt surrender to AI your ability to read, write and think when others once risked their lives and died for the freedom to do so.β
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
I donβt think you can understand the dynamics of the Epstein and Trump and how this much corruption gets suppressed in the digital age without reading Robert Entmanβs book, Scandal or Silence, an exploration of the factors that really drive presidential scandal.
robertmentman.com/2012/03/24/s...
robertmentman.com/2012/03/24/s...
Scandal and Silence: Media Responses to Presidential Misconduct
Scandal and Silence challenges the conventional wisdom on media and scandal in the United States. The common view holds that media crave and actively pursue scandals whenever they sense corruption.β¦
robertmentman.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I donβt think you can understand the dynamics of the Epstein and Trump and how this much corruption gets suppressed in the digital age without reading Robert Entmanβs book, Scandal or Silence, an exploration of the factors that really drive presidential scandal.
robertmentman.com/2012/03/24/s...
robertmentman.com/2012/03/24/s...
Wonderful! Congratulations!!
October 27, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Wonderful! Congratulations!!
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
"The Albanese government has ruled out granting tech companies an exemption to copyright laws that ... would have allowed them to mine their content to train artificial intelligence models for free."
Excellent news for all of us whose work is being stolen by AI.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Excellent news for all of us whose work is being stolen by AI.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
βVery clearβ: Labor rules out exemption for AI giants to take content for free
The Albanese government has shot down a proposal from the Productivity Commission, which had tech company backing, that would exempt them from copyright laws.
www.smh.com.au
October 26, 2025 at 11:13 PM
"The Albanese government has ruled out granting tech companies an exemption to copyright laws that ... would have allowed them to mine their content to train artificial intelligence models for free."
Excellent news for all of us whose work is being stolen by AI.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Excellent news for all of us whose work is being stolen by AI.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Justβ¦wow
Seriously, you need to do this. You'll scroll down until you hit the major events timeline, and then you'll scroll to the right. Keep scrolling-- you'll know when you're there. Must be seen to be believed.
I keep thinking that Trump can't get any more ludicrously awful and yet he daily does
I keep thinking that Trump can't get any more ludicrously awful and yet he daily does
Scroll down to the Major Events Timeline, and nothing will prepare you for what you'll see. I cannot believe it is real. www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-wh...
October 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Justβ¦wow
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
Over the past week, the president said the DOJ should pay him a quarter billion dollars, bulldozed half the White House to build himself a gaudy ballroom, bragged about murdering civilians in international waters, pardoned some more criminals, directed federal prosecutors to indict his opponents ...
October 23, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Over the past week, the president said the DOJ should pay him a quarter billion dollars, bulldozed half the White House to build himself a gaudy ballroom, bragged about murdering civilians in international waters, pardoned some more criminals, directed federal prosecutors to indict his opponents ...
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
"But when the team looked at the employeesβ actual work output, they found that the developers had completed tasks 20% slower when using AI than when working without it. Researchers were stunned. βNo one expected that outcome. We didnβt even really consider a slowdown as a possibility.β
πlink
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October 19, 2025 at 10:51 PM
"But when the team looked at the employeesβ actual work output, they found that the developers had completed tasks 20% slower when using AI than when working without it. Researchers were stunned. βNo one expected that outcome. We didnβt even really consider a slowdown as a possibility.β
πlink
πlink
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
I've received an 'exclusive' invite to try Nature's new 'research assistant', which will burn down a forest to provide a 'summary of the paper' I'm reading and I have SUCH exciting news for them, that's called an 'abstract' and the actual authors already wrote it for me, no forest-burning required.
October 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
I've received an 'exclusive' invite to try Nature's new 'research assistant', which will burn down a forest to provide a 'summary of the paper' I'm reading and I have SUCH exciting news for them, that's called an 'abstract' and the actual authors already wrote it for me, no forest-burning required.
Reposted by Amanda Bittner
In about three years the entire university pivot to AI curricula and schools and programs is going to be so deeply embarrassing. We will all pretend it never happened and I will be standing there, looking at people with a mirror in my eyes. This is all so embarrassing.
October 17, 2025 at 12:16 PM
In about three years the entire university pivot to AI curricula and schools and programs is going to be so deeply embarrassing. We will all pretend it never happened and I will be standing there, looking at people with a mirror in my eyes. This is all so embarrassing.
Itβs on election nights especially that I really miss the old good twitter.
a cartoon cat playing a trombone with the words sad trombone above it
ALT: a cartoon cat playing a trombone with the words sad trombone above it
media.tenor.com
October 14, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Itβs on election nights especially that I really miss the old good twitter.
This is so great. I wish we had it at Memorial. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/w...
The Therapist Next Door
www.nytimes.com
October 13, 2025 at 11:44 AM
This is so great. I wish we had it at Memorial. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/w...
LOL
I think Trump is going to do a Michigan Man of the Year and just invent a fictitious peace prize he won.
"I won the Norbiggle Peace Prize, not a lot of people know that. The Norbiggle, people are saying it's even more prestigious than the Nobel, which nobody wants anymore."
"I won the Norbiggle Peace Prize, not a lot of people know that. The Norbiggle, people are saying it's even more prestigious than the Nobel, which nobody wants anymore."
October 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
LOL
What happened to the voters list this year? How many others were dropped off of it and didn't bother to deal with it for all kinds of good reasons?
October 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
What happened to the voters list this year? How many others were dropped off of it and didn't bother to deal with it for all kinds of good reasons?
1. I was not on the voter's list.
2. I called and was told I needed to come in person to register.
3. I went down to register, and then was told to come back when my ballot was ready.
4. The postal strike + work travel meant I could not just vote on election day, and could not mail in my ballot.
2. I called and was told I needed to come in person to register.
3. I went down to register, and then was told to come back when my ballot was ready.
4. The postal strike + work travel meant I could not just vote on election day, and could not mail in my ballot.
October 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
1. I was not on the voter's list.
2. I called and was told I needed to come in person to register.
3. I went down to register, and then was told to come back when my ballot was ready.
4. The postal strike + work travel meant I could not just vote on election day, and could not mail in my ballot.
2. I called and was told I needed to come in person to register.
3. I went down to register, and then was told to come back when my ballot was ready.
4. The postal strike + work travel meant I could not just vote on election day, and could not mail in my ballot.
I needed to take 3 trips to city hall this year in order to vote - I was not on the voters list despite living in the same house for 18 years. The average person would not take these extra steps. Voter turnout is partially a function of electoral management. Let us assess our processes, St John's.
a woman with her eyes closed and the words that seems like quite a lot of work below her
ALT: a woman with her eyes closed and the words that seems like quite a lot of work below her
media.tenor.com
October 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I needed to take 3 trips to city hall this year in order to vote - I was not on the voters list despite living in the same house for 18 years. The average person would not take these extra steps. Voter turnout is partially a function of electoral management. Let us assess our processes, St John's.
You don't say...
October 8, 2025 at 12:42 PM
You don't say...
Also fun fact, searching for βdivorce anthemsβ on spotify leads to all kinds of entertaining playlists including some separated out by moms versus dads! What a genre!
October 8, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Also fun fact, searching for βdivorce anthemsβ on spotify leads to all kinds of entertaining playlists including some separated out by moms versus dads! What a genre!
Wonderful, Gijs! Congratulations.
October 8, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Wonderful, Gijs! Congratulations.
I am impressed, this is a well-developed list!!
October 8, 2025 at 9:08 AM
I am impressed, this is a well-developed list!!