Reposted by Sean Boots
I sat in a fucking court room and heard Apple imply that a naked cartoon banana was somehow inappropriate but somehow Grok non consensually undressing women and children is ok?? www.theverge.com/policy/85990...
Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards
Once you’ve traded your principles for proximity to power, do you even run your own company?
www.theverge.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:30 PM
I sat in a fucking court room and heard Apple imply that a naked cartoon banana was somehow inappropriate but somehow Grok non consensually undressing women and children is ok?? www.theverge.com/policy/85990...
Reposted by Sean Boots
Reposted by Sean Boots
New from me: Of all the footage from Renee Good's killing, the Trump admin has seized upon the grainiest clip that looks like it went through a meme deep fryer to support its case. Who needs AI manipulations when your preferred angle will do the job well enough?
www.theverge.com/tech/858710/...
www.theverge.com/tech/858710/...
MAGA wants you to believe there’s only one angle
The clip of the shooting MAGA wants you to see
www.theverge.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:03 PM
New from me: Of all the footage from Renee Good's killing, the Trump admin has seized upon the grainiest clip that looks like it went through a meme deep fryer to support its case. Who needs AI manipulations when your preferred angle will do the job well enough?
www.theverge.com/tech/858710/...
www.theverge.com/tech/858710/...
Reposted by Sean Boots
Comments on this story devolving into whether The Verge is allowed to write about politics….
January 8, 2026 at 11:13 PM
Comments on this story devolving into whether The Verge is allowed to write about politics….
Reposted by Sean Boots
I think one reason we haven't seen local or state police told to arrest ICE (et al) agents on charges of murder or attempted murder is because it's not clear whether police would comply. Political leaders may or may not actually be in charge of law enforcement; they don't want to test it.
January 9, 2026 at 2:26 AM
I think one reason we haven't seen local or state police told to arrest ICE (et al) agents on charges of murder or attempted murder is because it's not clear whether police would comply. Political leaders may or may not actually be in charge of law enforcement; they don't want to test it.
Reposted by Sean Boots
solidarity as always to everyone struggling in the us <3
January 9, 2026 at 4:26 PM
solidarity as always to everyone struggling in the us <3
Reposted by Sean Boots
There’s more. The end of it was cut off on my post. I didn’t even know there was more.
bsky.app/profile/mkdd...
bsky.app/profile/mkdd...
This is the last part of it. It was separated in her post.
January 9, 2026 at 4:28 AM
There’s more. The end of it was cut off on my post. I didn’t even know there was more.
bsky.app/profile/mkdd...
bsky.app/profile/mkdd...
Reposted by Sean Boots
Amanda Gorman wrote this poem for Renee Good and that’s it for me tonight.
January 9, 2026 at 2:54 AM
Amanda Gorman wrote this poem for Renee Good and that’s it for me tonight.
Reposted by Sean Boots
Today I urged my department to delete their X account for this very reason
Alberta senator Paula Simons is urging the federal government to take some action regarding the X/Grok situation. X Corp's generative AI, Grok, has been producing and distributing non-consensual pornographic images of women—and even child sex abuse material—for months.
A proliferation of sexual deepfakes on X has prompted other countries to investigate Grok, the platform’s AI software, but, so far, Ottawa remains silent.
www.hilltimes.com/story/2026/0...
www.hilltimes.com/story/2026/0...
January 9, 2026 at 4:29 AM
Today I urged my department to delete their X account for this very reason
Reposted by Sean Boots
Evidence shows higher defence spending only gives a small, temporary boost to developed economies. Growth can actually turn negative if defence is financed by tax increases
The only part of defence spending with a significant or lasting economic effect is R&D
www.cgdev.org/blog/peace-d...
The only part of defence spending with a significant or lasting economic effect is R&D
www.cgdev.org/blog/peace-d...
From Peace Dividend to Defense Buildup: Fiscal Implications of Rising Military Spending
Military spending has surged worldwide in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and growing tensions in Asia and the Middle East. This resurgence comes just as global public debt has climbe...
www.cgdev.org
January 9, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Evidence shows higher defence spending only gives a small, temporary boost to developed economies. Growth can actually turn negative if defence is financed by tax increases
The only part of defence spending with a significant or lasting economic effect is R&D
www.cgdev.org/blog/peace-d...
The only part of defence spending with a significant or lasting economic effect is R&D
www.cgdev.org/blog/peace-d...
Reposted by Sean Boots
This has only gotten worse and exacerbated by return to office policies, mass layoffs and corporate adoption of AI tools.
the last three years have repeatedly taught me how little room there is for declines in productivity — due to overwhelming grief and sadness over several different kinds of atrocities and mass casualties — in capitalist societies
January 9, 2026 at 3:43 PM
This has only gotten worse and exacerbated by return to office policies, mass layoffs and corporate adoption of AI tools.
Reposted by Sean Boots
“Copenhagen reported that 62% of its residents are now commuting to work or school by bike — an increase from 52% in 2015 & 36% in 2012, when the City Council launched a 14-year-plan to improve the quality, safety & comfort of cycling.”
#Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.
#Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.
Copenhagen has taken bicycle commuting to a whole new level
Cycling has been a part of that good life in Copenhagen for decades. In recent years, it has enjoyed yet another unfathomable surge in popularity — taken to the next level thanks to constantly improvi...
www.latimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 4:10 PM
“Copenhagen reported that 62% of its residents are now commuting to work or school by bike — an increase from 52% in 2015 & 36% in 2012, when the City Council launched a 14-year-plan to improve the quality, safety & comfort of cycling.”
#Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.
#Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.
Reposted by Sean Boots
Somewhere in me there is a piece about perfect circle Venn diagram of devaluing of public sector jobs/leadership, McKinseyification of policy advice cycles (based on belief private capital knows everything about everything) and insistence on digital-by-default/tech-obsession replacing stewardship.
the discourse on what jobs are acceptable to replace with generative AI reveals a lot about what we think of other people's jobs
January 9, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Somewhere in me there is a piece about perfect circle Venn diagram of devaluing of public sector jobs/leadership, McKinseyification of policy advice cycles (based on belief private capital knows everything about everything) and insistence on digital-by-default/tech-obsession replacing stewardship.
Reposted by Sean Boots
After the US admin cancelled the $B Climate + Weather Disaster dataset, @climatecentral.org hired the scientists who ran it and set it back up.
Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes.
More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes.
More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
January 8, 2026 at 5:33 PM
After the US admin cancelled the $B Climate + Weather Disaster dataset, @climatecentral.org hired the scientists who ran it and set it back up.
Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes.
More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes.
More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
Reposted by Sean Boots
"I’m going to pause here just to review: an institution that purports to be a university has told a philosophy professor he is forbidden from teaching Plato."
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
Texas A&M Bans Plato - Daily Nous
Drop the race and gender material from your course and the Plato readings, or teach a different course. You have a day to decide. That's a paraphrase of what Martin Peterson, professor of philosophy a...
dailynous.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:36 AM
"I’m going to pause here just to review: an institution that purports to be a university has told a philosophy professor he is forbidden from teaching Plato."
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
Reposted by Sean Boots
Nobody has been at the heart of British foreign policy like John Bew. A fascinating interview from @samfr.bsky.social, and I wish we saw more thoughtful, open discussions like this about how decisions get made inside the machine
samf.substack.com/p/interview-...
samf.substack.com/p/interview-...
Interview with John Bew - adviser to four Prime Ministers
On Whitehall, Ukraine, Trump and the global challenges facing Britain
samf.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Nobody has been at the heart of British foreign policy like John Bew. A fascinating interview from @samfr.bsky.social, and I wish we saw more thoughtful, open discussions like this about how decisions get made inside the machine
samf.substack.com/p/interview-...
samf.substack.com/p/interview-...
Reposted by Sean Boots
As the new year has already rushed through its first week, I’m thinking (again) a lot about @aworkinglibrary.com’s idea of re-entry: everythingchanges.us/blog/reentry/
Reentry | everything changes
The difficult and sometimes magical time of returning to work.
everythingchanges.us
January 8, 2026 at 12:38 AM
As the new year has already rushed through its first week, I’m thinking (again) a lot about @aworkinglibrary.com’s idea of re-entry: everythingchanges.us/blog/reentry/
Reposted by Sean Boots
"semi-adversarial workarounds for a handful of big platforms" feels like it describes most saas startups/companies, too
It feels like a lot of modern software/technology problems eventually boil down to having to implement semi-adversarial workarounds for a handful of big platforms.
January 8, 2026 at 4:57 AM
"semi-adversarial workarounds for a handful of big platforms" feels like it describes most saas startups/companies, too
Reposted by Sean Boots
It feels like a lot of modern software/technology problems eventually boil down to having to implement semi-adversarial workarounds for a handful of big platforms.
January 8, 2026 at 4:55 AM
It feels like a lot of modern software/technology problems eventually boil down to having to implement semi-adversarial workarounds for a handful of big platforms.
Reposted by Sean Boots
We are revisiting design critiques in our first design team meeting of the year.
We are discussing @borism.bsky.social’s 2022 article → borism.medium.com/design-criti..., bits from the book ‘Discussing design’ by Adam Connor and Aaron Irzarry, and GDS’s tips posters:
github.com/alphagov/gov...
We are discussing @borism.bsky.social’s 2022 article → borism.medium.com/design-criti..., bits from the book ‘Discussing design’ by Adam Connor and Aaron Irzarry, and GDS’s tips posters:
github.com/alphagov/gov...
January 8, 2026 at 10:36 AM
We are revisiting design critiques in our first design team meeting of the year.
We are discussing @borism.bsky.social’s 2022 article → borism.medium.com/design-criti..., bits from the book ‘Discussing design’ by Adam Connor and Aaron Irzarry, and GDS’s tips posters:
github.com/alphagov/gov...
We are discussing @borism.bsky.social’s 2022 article → borism.medium.com/design-criti..., bits from the book ‘Discussing design’ by Adam Connor and Aaron Irzarry, and GDS’s tips posters:
github.com/alphagov/gov...
Reposted by Sean Boots
Lots of great links this week!
RDM Weekly is back with Issue 27! 📬
➡️ Can a CC License Constrain Fair Use or Other Copyright Limitations or Exemptions @scholarlykitchen.bsky.social
➡️ Notion for Academic Research @rmkubinec.bsky.social
➡️ FAIR RDM Tutorial @lmu-osc.bsky.social
and more!
rdmweekly.substack.com/p/rdm-weekly...
➡️ Can a CC License Constrain Fair Use or Other Copyright Limitations or Exemptions @scholarlykitchen.bsky.social
➡️ Notion for Academic Research @rmkubinec.bsky.social
➡️ FAIR RDM Tutorial @lmu-osc.bsky.social
and more!
rdmweekly.substack.com/p/rdm-weekly...
RDM Weekly - Issue 027
A weekly roundup of Research Data Management resources.
rdmweekly.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Lots of great links this week!
Reposted by Sean Boots
The path we’re on instead is techno-solutionism: the cheapest, straightest line governments can choose towards efficiency and savings, and the most impoverished innovation strategy possible for a young country with every opportunity to do differently.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
A digital infrastructure plan - CCPA
Asserting digital sovereignty means mapping out the real world of digital infrastructure and understanding which parts are for public intervention
www.policyalternatives.ca
January 6, 2026 at 2:20 PM
The path we’re on instead is techno-solutionism: the cheapest, straightest line governments can choose towards efficiency and savings, and the most impoverished innovation strategy possible for a young country with every opportunity to do differently.
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
Reposted by Sean Boots
grief and fear often manifest as tough guy which keeps the urge to violence cycle going
January 6, 2026 at 2:31 PM
grief and fear often manifest as tough guy which keeps the urge to violence cycle going
Reposted by Sean Boots
... organized around the concept of Care Blocks, organized in relation to deep knowledge of each neighbourhood.
January 6, 2026 at 5:29 PM
... organized around the concept of Care Blocks, organized in relation to deep knowledge of each neighbourhood.
Reposted by Sean Boots
This is fantastic, super interesting. Well worth a listen. Actual creative and pragmatic and effective management of core, complex services.
I'm quite sure that we in Toronto could learn from this.
I'm quite sure that we in Toronto could learn from this.
January 6, 2026 at 5:22 PM
This is fantastic, super interesting. Well worth a listen. Actual creative and pragmatic and effective management of core, complex services.
I'm quite sure that we in Toronto could learn from this.
I'm quite sure that we in Toronto could learn from this.