Area Man
@brianmcgovney.bsky.social
Spent a year seeing if Mastodon would fill the hole left by the murder of Twitter. It didn't. Seems like there are more people here.
Pinned
Area Man
@brianmcgovney.bsky.social
· Nov 26
I'm an avid reader, former homebrewer, and professional managing editor. I'm here mostly to keep up with film and book culture, keep tabs on companies and organizations I'm following, and occasionally gasp in horror at what's happening to my country's government.
Reposted by Area Man
Bari Weiss is the logical endpoint of corporate media. This is what happens when people who hate journalism are in charge of it. The only way journalism works is when it’s independent from the power it’s supposed to hold to account, which means ownership can’t have anything to do with those in power
December 22, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Bari Weiss is the logical endpoint of corporate media. This is what happens when people who hate journalism are in charge of it. The only way journalism works is when it’s independent from the power it’s supposed to hold to account, which means ownership can’t have anything to do with those in power
Reposted by Area Man
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
Reposted by Area Man
One of the central tenets of AI artists is that their refining prompts makes them equal (or even superior) to any artist, analog or digital.
They are so, so close to a breakthrough but they always U-turn just in time to avoid it.
They are so, so close to a breakthrough but they always U-turn just in time to avoid it.
December 21, 2025 at 7:47 PM
One of the central tenets of AI artists is that their refining prompts makes them equal (or even superior) to any artist, analog or digital.
They are so, so close to a breakthrough but they always U-turn just in time to avoid it.
They are so, so close to a breakthrough but they always U-turn just in time to avoid it.
Reposted by Area Man
Creative solidarity means:
If you're a writer, do not use AI "art" or AI "voiceover"
If you're an artist, do not use AI "writing" or AI "references"
If you're a streamer/actor, do not use AI for backdrops, thumbnails, etc.
Never help AI steal another medium
No excuses, no shortcuts, no surrender.
If you're a writer, do not use AI "art" or AI "voiceover"
If you're an artist, do not use AI "writing" or AI "references"
If you're a streamer/actor, do not use AI for backdrops, thumbnails, etc.
Never help AI steal another medium
No excuses, no shortcuts, no surrender.
December 16, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Creative solidarity means:
If you're a writer, do not use AI "art" or AI "voiceover"
If you're an artist, do not use AI "writing" or AI "references"
If you're a streamer/actor, do not use AI for backdrops, thumbnails, etc.
Never help AI steal another medium
No excuses, no shortcuts, no surrender.
If you're a writer, do not use AI "art" or AI "voiceover"
If you're an artist, do not use AI "writing" or AI "references"
If you're a streamer/actor, do not use AI for backdrops, thumbnails, etc.
Never help AI steal another medium
No excuses, no shortcuts, no surrender.
Reposted by Area Man
“Why are folks getting dumber?” Because they don’t read. “Why aren’t men as romantic & poetic as they used to be?” Because they don’t read. “Why are people so vulnerable to propaganda?” “Why is everyone a conspiracy theorist?” Because they don’t read. Because they don’t read.
December 8, 2025 at 11:49 PM
“Why are folks getting dumber?” Because they don’t read. “Why aren’t men as romantic & poetic as they used to be?” Because they don’t read. “Why are people so vulnerable to propaganda?” “Why is everyone a conspiracy theorist?” Because they don’t read. Because they don’t read.
“McNamara says this is in the bag, a McDonalds will be in Hanoi by early 1967! He told me why, and I can’t tell you, but just trust me it’s happening. A god amongst men.”
Outstanding reporting today from the New Media at the Pentagon.
December 4, 2025 at 3:42 AM
“McNamara says this is in the bag, a McDonalds will be in Hanoi by early 1967! He told me why, and I can’t tell you, but just trust me it’s happening. A god amongst men.”
Reposted by Area Man
It was way too difficult to find a well-reviewed gooseneck kettle that does not have a goddamned internet connection and an app. It’s a kettle. It does not need an app. This is hell we’re in hell.
December 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
It was way too difficult to find a well-reviewed gooseneck kettle that does not have a goddamned internet connection and an app. It’s a kettle. It does not need an app. This is hell we’re in hell.
Reposted by Area Man
i’m setting you free. i’m releasing you from the discourse
December 2, 2025 at 1:39 AM
i’m setting you free. i’m releasing you from the discourse
Reposted by Area Man
This piece is fantastic (as is everything Kat writes) but I don't know how to make the studios and the PR groups that represent them understand that their reliance on Twitter and unspoken "requirement" for entertainment journos & critics to use X makes "being harassed" part of our job description.
It has now been a year since I stopped posting on X. For @spitfirenews.com, I wrote about watching the platform I loved become a conduit for the worst extremism I've ever witnessed. I don't regret leaving. In fact, I wish I'd left even earlier.
spitfirenews.com/p/x-bluesky-...
spitfirenews.com/p/x-bluesky-...
I'm glad I stopped posting on X
A year ago, I abandoned my account. It was the right thing to do.
spitfirenews.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:44 PM
This piece is fantastic (as is everything Kat writes) but I don't know how to make the studios and the PR groups that represent them understand that their reliance on Twitter and unspoken "requirement" for entertainment journos & critics to use X makes "being harassed" part of our job description.
Reposted by Area Man
It's an easy commitment to make. One, it supports individual humans with money. Two, the work is better because there's an actual brain behind it that understands the context of the thing it's working on. Three, me making it a contract point makes it easier for other authors/writers to do the same.
I’m truly delighted to hear that it is part of your contract that all work on your books (art, editing, translation, etc.) must be done by humans. I greatly admire this commitment
November 25, 2025 at 7:50 PM
It's an easy commitment to make. One, it supports individual humans with money. Two, the work is better because there's an actual brain behind it that understands the context of the thing it's working on. Three, me making it a contract point makes it easier for other authors/writers to do the same.
Reposted by Area Man
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Reposted by Area Man
A depraved and decadent Trump WH dinner for MBS was a stunning low for an American ruling class that's stopped pretending to carry a moral compass
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
The night America’s doomed ruling class gorged on lamb, blood, and oil
For America’s deeply corrupt billionaires, time heals all wounds — even from a murderous Saudi prince’s bone saw.
www.inquirer.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:10 PM
A depraved and decadent Trump WH dinner for MBS was a stunning low for an American ruling class that's stopped pretending to carry a moral compass
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
It was really a celebration of death - of democracy, of an overheating planet, and ultimately themselves. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/ceos...
Reposted by Area Man
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
Patricia Highsmith once dated Stan Lee.
Man, everything is so bleak, anyone got a fun fact or little bit of trivia they want to share
November 21, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Patricia Highsmith once dated Stan Lee.
Reposted by Area Man
Reposted by Area Man
look I know being an engaged citizen IS the work of democracy but it is also the work of elected officials not to create situations where everyone has to be mobilized all the time to prevent them from allowing some kind of Dickensian horror on a Sunday night while you're in between loads of laundry
November 9, 2025 at 11:37 PM
look I know being an engaged citizen IS the work of democracy but it is also the work of elected officials not to create situations where everyone has to be mobilized all the time to prevent them from allowing some kind of Dickensian horror on a Sunday night while you're in between loads of laundry
Reposted by Area Man
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
November 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
Reposted by Area Man
Our political system is fundamentally broken. It was not designed to represent the will of the people and it is incapable of doing so today.
The people don't want a king. The people don't want Democrats to surrender. The people don't want only two parties.
The people don't want any of this.
The people don't want a king. The people don't want Democrats to surrender. The people don't want only two parties.
The people don't want any of this.
November 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Our political system is fundamentally broken. It was not designed to represent the will of the people and it is incapable of doing so today.
The people don't want a king. The people don't want Democrats to surrender. The people don't want only two parties.
The people don't want any of this.
The people don't want a king. The people don't want Democrats to surrender. The people don't want only two parties.
The people don't want any of this.
Reposted by Area Man
Tonight was a very bad night.
November 10, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Tonight was a very bad night.
November 8, 2025 at 2:02 AM
I’ve seen both of these movies many times, but I love them so I don’t mind!
#TheLastDriveIn
#MutantFam
#TheLastDriveIn
#MutantFam
November 8, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I’ve seen both of these movies many times, but I love them so I don’t mind!
#TheLastDriveIn
#MutantFam
#TheLastDriveIn
#MutantFam
Reposted by Area Man
This account will be equal parts hopeful and gloating for the rest of the evening. To that end: Pour one out for the pile of NYC billionaire money that was utterly incinerated tonight!
November 5, 2025 at 2:40 AM
This account will be equal parts hopeful and gloating for the rest of the evening. To that end: Pour one out for the pile of NYC billionaire money that was utterly incinerated tonight!
Oh no. And I was JUST saying that, as opposed to the world of tea, the world of coffee is mostly free of this nonsense.
Something weird is happening in specialty coffee.
At this year’s World Barista Championship, several competitors talked about “energized water,” “molecular vibration,” and “re-informed liquids.”
The winner even used a device claiming to change the structure of water.
At this year’s World Barista Championship, several competitors talked about “energized water,” “molecular vibration,” and “re-informed liquids.”
The winner even used a device claiming to change the structure of water.
October 29, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Oh no. And I was JUST saying that, as opposed to the world of tea, the world of coffee is mostly free of this nonsense.
Reposted by Area Man
This announcer realising he's just worked 2 games but still getting paid only for one is the most relatable guy in America tonight
October 28, 2025 at 6:44 AM
This announcer realising he's just worked 2 games but still getting paid only for one is the most relatable guy in America tonight
Reposted by Area Man
My moka pot has more genuine passion than most pitch decks.
October 28, 2025 at 1:38 AM
My moka pot has more genuine passion than most pitch decks.