Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
@doomedwithbrett.bsky.social
I remember c. 2011 explaining how relational databases can work OK with no indexes when they're small, but when they get big, you have to index them.
The analogy began "You remember uh...phonebooks?" Which always got a laugh. Might well get a blank stare, now.
The analogy began "You remember uh...phonebooks?" Which always got a laugh. Might well get a blank stare, now.
In my experience many youngish people are stunned that there may have been a big (or several big) books delivered to your home which listed your name, address and phone number.
November 14, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I remember c. 2011 explaining how relational databases can work OK with no indexes when they're small, but when they get big, you have to index them.
The analogy began "You remember uh...phonebooks?" Which always got a laugh. Might well get a blank stare, now.
The analogy began "You remember uh...phonebooks?" Which always got a laugh. Might well get a blank stare, now.
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
Everything so stupid but I have faith it can get stupider
November 14, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Everything so stupid but I have faith it can get stupider
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
We've only known that other galaxies exist as entities unto themselves for a century — we used to think they were small and inside our Milky Way! But the obsolete terminology stuck around a long time after we figured that out.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-h...
🧪🔭
www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-h...
🧪🔭
We Had a Name for ‘Galaxies’ before We Knew They Existed
Centuries before other galaxies were known to exist, astronomers called them “spiral nebulas.” Today the defunct term still sparks confusion
www.scientificamerican.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
We've only known that other galaxies exist as entities unto themselves for a century — we used to think they were small and inside our Milky Way! But the obsolete terminology stuck around a long time after we figured that out.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-h...
🧪🔭
www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-h...
🧪🔭
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
i like this article just for the image asset
That old metaphor about the frog and the boiling water isn’t true: If you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly raise the heat, the frog will jump out before it gets boiled to death.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
How news coverage eases us into tyranny
When the media act like things are normal, they don’t reassure us – they gaslight us
www.stopthepresses.news
November 10, 2025 at 10:21 PM
i like this article just for the image asset
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
idk which possibility is more damning for Schumer
either
A) he helped orchestrate the fold
OR
B) he genuinely opposed the fold but was so incompetent that he was unable to stop the splinter group from folding
either
A) he helped orchestrate the fold
OR
B) he genuinely opposed the fold but was so incompetent that he was unable to stop the splinter group from folding
November 10, 2025 at 4:44 AM
idk which possibility is more damning for Schumer
either
A) he helped orchestrate the fold
OR
B) he genuinely opposed the fold but was so incompetent that he was unable to stop the splinter group from folding
either
A) he helped orchestrate the fold
OR
B) he genuinely opposed the fold but was so incompetent that he was unable to stop the splinter group from folding
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
People need to understand that every fifty to a hundred years evil dipshits will build an ideology that valorizes being an evil dipshit and this will need to be beaten back every time.
No country is safe from this. In fact, exceptionalism can make it worse.
No country is safe from this. In fact, exceptionalism can make it worse.
July 19, 2025 at 6:13 PM
People need to understand that every fifty to a hundred years evil dipshits will build an ideology that valorizes being an evil dipshit and this will need to be beaten back every time.
No country is safe from this. In fact, exceptionalism can make it worse.
No country is safe from this. In fact, exceptionalism can make it worse.
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
The fact we have secret police whisking people off the streets doesn’t get enough attention. It ain’t normal and we’re further down the road to authoritarianism than you think.
July 5, 2025 at 2:52 AM
The fact we have secret police whisking people off the streets doesn’t get enough attention. It ain’t normal and we’re further down the road to authoritarianism than you think.
I *really* enjoyed this and recommend it.
John Jeremiah Sullivan on Mark Twain: "...we go on suspecting he hides some meaning, some message that we could probably use, behind the bushy eyebrows and mustache, but are less and less able to name or remember..."
Twain Dreams, by John Jeremiah Sullivan
The enigma of Samuel Clemens
harpers.org
June 28, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I *really* enjoyed this and recommend it.
Man these things were *expensive*. The football game is $32, which is roughly $132 today. However, the replica version (of Football I to be fair) is *$17* today, which was $4.38 in 1980. Computer miniaturization often makes these sorts of inflation-neutral calculations meaningless.
Handheld Electronic Games
1980 JCPenney Christmas Catalog
1980 JCPenney Christmas Catalog
June 28, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Man these things were *expensive*. The football game is $32, which is roughly $132 today. However, the replica version (of Football I to be fair) is *$17* today, which was $4.38 in 1980. Computer miniaturization often makes these sorts of inflation-neutral calculations meaningless.
I remember my father’s mother telling me that I would’ve had a great aunt, except that when my grandmother was something like 9, she brought home smallpox, her little sister caught it, and she died. I can’t imagine how guilty young grandmother must’ve felt for something that wasn’t really her fault.
June 28, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I remember my father’s mother telling me that I would’ve had a great aunt, except that when my grandmother was something like 9, she brought home smallpox, her little sister caught it, and she died. I can’t imagine how guilty young grandmother must’ve felt for something that wasn’t really her fault.
So pleased to see this, and so proud of the brave folks in Budapest! I’ve been shocked and dismayed how quickly gay rights have gone from being solidly established to suddenly under open attack. Glad to see resistance and we need to do the same when the pull this shit in the US.
Absolutely incredible turnout for Budapest Pride! So proud of all the organizers, including some old friends, who estimate hundreds of thousands— major embarrassment to Orban
June 28, 2025 at 6:59 PM
So pleased to see this, and so proud of the brave folks in Budapest! I’ve been shocked and dismayed how quickly gay rights have gone from being solidly established to suddenly under open attack. Glad to see resistance and we need to do the same when the pull this shit in the US.
Went to the Antioch, CA #NoKings protest today! Marched a mile and a half. Lots of nice people with creative props, had a wonderful time. Organizer said she counted as the march passed her and estimated 500 people, which is a lot more than I was expecting. Lots of support from passing drivers, too!
June 14, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Went to the Antioch, CA #NoKings protest today! Marched a mile and a half. Lots of nice people with creative props, had a wonderful time. Organizer said she counted as the march passed her and estimated 500 people, which is a lot more than I was expecting. Lots of support from passing drivers, too!
Why The Steelers finally announced their new QB
Hey gang, take it from a comms professional:
THE TIME TO PUBLISH THAT BAD NEWS IS NOW NOW NOW
THE TIME TO PUBLISH THAT BAD NEWS IS NOW NOW NOW
June 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Why The Steelers finally announced their new QB
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
Elon Musk, the genius visionary who could not predict that the guy who has betrayed every person he has ever met would betray him
June 5, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Elon Musk, the genius visionary who could not predict that the guy who has betrayed every person he has ever met would betray him
Given that I ruefully share a birthday with The Dear Leader, I strongly approve of the branding of “NO KINGS DAY.” I mean Flag Day was fine before but obviously things have changed a bit since I was a kid.
What are you doing on June 14? It's a Saturday
May 26, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Given that I ruefully share a birthday with The Dear Leader, I strongly approve of the branding of “NO KINGS DAY.” I mean Flag Day was fine before but obviously things have changed a bit since I was a kid.
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
Love this analysis from Michael Podhorzer: Swing voters didn’t vote for Trump because they wanted a corrupt autocracy; they voted against Democrats for having no vision or plan and didn’t listen to Trump or believe him. That’s why his polls collapsed when people realized what he was up to.
Are we on the brink of a constitutional crisis? No—we’re already in one, and have been for two decades.
Here, I explain how even progressive legal experts have enabled this coup, and how we can start to reclaim our own power to decide constitutional meaning.
www.weekendreading.net/p/the-courts...
Here, I explain how even progressive legal experts have enabled this coup, and how we can start to reclaim our own power to decide constitutional meaning.
www.weekendreading.net/p/the-courts...
The Courts Will Not Save Us
We must resist the learned helplessness of judicial supremacy.
www.weekendreading.net
May 22, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Love this analysis from Michael Podhorzer: Swing voters didn’t vote for Trump because they wanted a corrupt autocracy; they voted against Democrats for having no vision or plan and didn’t listen to Trump or believe him. That’s why his polls collapsed when people realized what he was up to.
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
When asked if the United States should have a military parade to show off its might, President Eisenhower responded:
“Absolutely not. We are the pre-eminent power on Earth. For us to try and imitate what the Soviets are doing in Red Square would make us look weak.”
“Absolutely not. We are the pre-eminent power on Earth. For us to try and imitate what the Soviets are doing in Red Square would make us look weak.”
May 7, 2025 at 1:05 AM
When asked if the United States should have a military parade to show off its might, President Eisenhower responded:
“Absolutely not. We are the pre-eminent power on Earth. For us to try and imitate what the Soviets are doing in Red Square would make us look weak.”
“Absolutely not. We are the pre-eminent power on Earth. For us to try and imitate what the Soviets are doing in Red Square would make us look weak.”
Reposted by Doomed To Repeat It - With Brett Thomas
I left twitter even though I had over 250,000 followers who cared about the NHS, because it was no longer an effective place to speak to people.
If there’s anyone out there who cares about the NHS-give me a follow. If the local election results have told us anything, we need to get organised!💥
If there’s anyone out there who cares about the NHS-give me a follow. If the local election results have told us anything, we need to get organised!💥
May 6, 2025 at 12:59 PM
I left twitter even though I had over 250,000 followers who cared about the NHS, because it was no longer an effective place to speak to people.
If there’s anyone out there who cares about the NHS-give me a follow. If the local election results have told us anything, we need to get organised!💥
If there’s anyone out there who cares about the NHS-give me a follow. If the local election results have told us anything, we need to get organised!💥
Told you.
Reporter: How did you decide to reopen Alcatraz?
Trump: I was supposed to be a movie maker… Nobody ever escaped. One person almost got there but they found his clothing rather badly ripped up, a lot of shark bites…
Trump: I was supposed to be a movie maker… Nobody ever escaped. One person almost got there but they found his clothing rather badly ripped up, a lot of shark bites…
May 6, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Told you.
Truly a sad day we’ve gotten to where “doing your job under the Constitution as an elected official” truly merits a “Profile in Courage” award for Pence. But it is well-deserved.
apnews.com/article/penc...
apnews.com/article/penc...
Former Vice President Pence defends Constitution after getting Profile in Courage Award
Former Vice President Mike Pence repeatedly defended the Constitution after receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.
apnews.com
May 5, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Truly a sad day we’ve gotten to where “doing your job under the Constitution as an elected official” truly merits a “Profile in Courage” award for Pence. But it is well-deserved.
apnews.com/article/penc...
apnews.com/article/penc...
It turns out that Walz was using a nonstandard Signal client, which was open source. Media got a picture of him running it and people found unencrypted credentials in it — a huge security no-no. Now someone hacked their system and got a bunch of chats: www.404media.co/the-signal-c...
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The Signal Clone the Trump Admin Uses Was Hacked
TeleMessage, a company that makes a modified version of Signal that archives messages for government agencies, was hacked.
www.404media.co
May 5, 2025 at 2:41 AM
It turns out that Walz was using a nonstandard Signal client, which was open source. Media got a picture of him running it and people found unencrypted credentials in it — a huge security no-no. Now someone hacked their system and got a bunch of chats: www.404media.co/the-signal-c...
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My girlfriend’s initial reaction was “What? Why? Does he know it’s a museum?” and my answer was “He knows he saw ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ on TV in the 80s.”
the president wants to reopen alcatraz because he’s an old man with dementia who is mentally frozen in the 1970s and 80s. he’s not trying to distract you, his brain is just full of holes
May 5, 2025 at 2:37 AM
My girlfriend’s initial reaction was “What? Why? Does he know it’s a museum?” and my answer was “He knows he saw ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ on TV in the 80s.”
Wait until we see what it looks like in 2026 after RFK, Jr. makes it impossible to approve a new vaccine in 2025 and the rate goes from 49% to 0%.
There has been a significant reduction in the number of kids getting the flu vaccine over the past 5 years—a drop from 64% to 49%.
Consequently, there have been 216 pediatric flu deaths so far this flu season, the highest number since the swine flu 15 years ago (link below).
Vaccinate.
Consequently, there have been 216 pediatric flu deaths so far this flu season, the highest number since the swine flu 15 years ago (link below).
Vaccinate.
May 3, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Wait until we see what it looks like in 2026 after RFK, Jr. makes it impossible to approve a new vaccine in 2025 and the rate goes from 49% to 0%.
“If goods don’t cross borders, soldiers will.” — Otto T. Mallery (though commonly attributed to Bastiat)
One of the arguments neoliberals made about "free trade" in the late 1990s, was that it would reduce military conflict. I don't think that quite bore out the way they said, but it does strike me as true that destroying the US-China trade relationship WILL make military confrontation much more likely
May 1, 2025 at 7:27 PM
“If goods don’t cross borders, soldiers will.” — Otto T. Mallery (though commonly attributed to Bastiat)