Esquiver
@esquiver.bsky.social
IMMIGRANT.
US diplomat (ret); US-German dual citizen; Jew. Enthusiastic Edinburgher. Crumhornist. Journalist, critic, and writer of fiction/plays.
Will not cede em dash to AI.
Mordant, feminist, and generally oblique.
Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut.
US diplomat (ret); US-German dual citizen; Jew. Enthusiastic Edinburgher. Crumhornist. Journalist, critic, and writer of fiction/plays.
Will not cede em dash to AI.
Mordant, feminist, and generally oblique.
Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut.
Pinned
Esquiver
@esquiver.bsky.social
· Apr 17
Here's the pinned thing:
- I prefer to follow people who don't just re-post others.
- I do hope to move from angry politics back to eclectic wonder & whimsy at some point (TBD).
- Why did I follow? Because you said something interesting, used one of my fave obscure words, or we share a hobby.
- I prefer to follow people who don't just re-post others.
- I do hope to move from angry politics back to eclectic wonder & whimsy at some point (TBD).
- Why did I follow? Because you said something interesting, used one of my fave obscure words, or we share a hobby.
The New Yorker made an offhand comment about “Wicked: For Good” as “defying brevity,” and I doff my hat in the presence of greatness.
November 22, 2025 at 1:24 AM
The New Yorker made an offhand comment about “Wicked: For Good” as “defying brevity,” and I doff my hat in the presence of greatness.
Do folks who think that there is, in fact, a Trump/Clinton blowjob photo also think yo mama is actually so fat? 🤔
November 16, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Do folks who think that there is, in fact, a Trump/Clinton blowjob photo also think yo mama is actually so fat? 🤔
My fellow Americans living in Edinburgh: the Supermercado Invicta, on Roslin high street, a local bus ride away, HAS FRITOS.
November 11, 2025 at 6:59 PM
My fellow Americans living in Edinburgh: the Supermercado Invicta, on Roslin high street, a local bus ride away, HAS FRITOS.
Atmospheric ruin outside of St. Monans, Fife. Some aesthetic compensation for the sun being this low at 3:40 pm, sigh.
November 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Atmospheric ruin outside of St. Monans, Fife. Some aesthetic compensation for the sun being this low at 3:40 pm, sigh.
Leaf-peeping in East Lothian.
(Binning Wood, about 25 miles from Edinburgh, and very near an excellent Konditorei in Haddington I hadn’t known about. It was a good day.)
(Binning Wood, about 25 miles from Edinburgh, and very near an excellent Konditorei in Haddington I hadn’t known about. It was a good day.)
November 8, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Leaf-peeping in East Lothian.
(Binning Wood, about 25 miles from Edinburgh, and very near an excellent Konditorei in Haddington I hadn’t known about. It was a good day.)
(Binning Wood, about 25 miles from Edinburgh, and very near an excellent Konditorei in Haddington I hadn’t known about. It was a good day.)
Better Living Through Masonry?
Spotted at Western General Hospital, Crewe Toll, Edinburgh.
Spotted at Western General Hospital, Crewe Toll, Edinburgh.
November 5, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Better Living Through Masonry?
Spotted at Western General Hospital, Crewe Toll, Edinburgh.
Spotted at Western General Hospital, Crewe Toll, Edinburgh.
October 24, 2025 at 2:24 PM
NYT is reporting that the entire East Wing of the White House is to be illegally demolished this weekend, and the top five stories on Bluesky are entertainment. video games, and sports.
Feels like this platform is kinda petering out.
Feels like this platform is kinda petering out.
October 23, 2025 at 8:38 AM
NYT is reporting that the entire East Wing of the White House is to be illegally demolished this weekend, and the top five stories on Bluesky are entertainment. video games, and sports.
Feels like this platform is kinda petering out.
Feels like this platform is kinda petering out.
Just a word of appreciation for the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme website. When you click on the drop-down menu for "category," you get:
- In Person
- Wheelchair Accessibility
- Tuesday
- Active Course
- Monday
- Spanish
As a fellow admirer of Borges, I thoroughly approve.
- In Person
- Wheelchair Accessibility
- Tuesday
- Active Course
- Monday
- Spanish
As a fellow admirer of Borges, I thoroughly approve.
October 15, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Just a word of appreciation for the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme website. When you click on the drop-down menu for "category," you get:
- In Person
- Wheelchair Accessibility
- Tuesday
- Active Course
- Monday
- Spanish
As a fellow admirer of Borges, I thoroughly approve.
- In Person
- Wheelchair Accessibility
- Tuesday
- Active Course
- Monday
- Spanish
As a fellow admirer of Borges, I thoroughly approve.
Reposted by Esquiver
How is AOC mocking Miller with “he’s mad because he”s like 4’10” differ from “because he’s fat” or “because he’s disabled”?
There is SO MUCH to legitimately mock. All this demonstrates is that heightism is one of the last remaining acceptable ways to deny full humanity.
Massive loss of respect.
There is SO MUCH to legitimately mock. All this demonstrates is that heightism is one of the last remaining acceptable ways to deny full humanity.
Massive loss of respect.
October 11, 2025 at 6:44 AM
How is AOC mocking Miller with “he’s mad because he”s like 4’10” differ from “because he’s fat” or “because he’s disabled”?
There is SO MUCH to legitimately mock. All this demonstrates is that heightism is one of the last remaining acceptable ways to deny full humanity.
Massive loss of respect.
There is SO MUCH to legitimately mock. All this demonstrates is that heightism is one of the last remaining acceptable ways to deny full humanity.
Massive loss of respect.
I mean…when you think about it, a JD basically IS an LLM…
(And I’m going for the cheap degree joke there, but, yeah: deeper level, also somewhat manually replicates what a large language model does.)
(And I’m going for the cheap degree joke there, but, yeah: deeper level, also somewhat manually replicates what a large language model does.)
Some people are using ChatGPT to fight their legal battles, instead of lawyers. NBC News' Gadi Schwartz spoke with a woman in Southern California, who managed to get her eviction notice overturned.
October 9, 2025 at 10:17 PM
I mean…when you think about it, a JD basically IS an LLM…
(And I’m going for the cheap degree joke there, but, yeah: deeper level, also somewhat manually replicates what a large language model does.)
(And I’m going for the cheap degree joke there, but, yeah: deeper level, also somewhat manually replicates what a large language model does.)
Aye.
(Alley near the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.)
(Alley near the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.)
October 5, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Aye.
(Alley near the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.)
(Alley near the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.)
Bluesky's fine. But sometimes you just need those higher word counts.
www.facebook.com/ruth.bennett...
www.facebook.com/ruth.bennett...
Ruth Bennett
Thanks, all, for those who reached out after the terrorist attack in Manchester against Jews, on Yom Kippur.
There is a huge problem in the UK -- and beyond, I'm sure, but I can only speak about the....
www.facebook.com
October 5, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Bluesky's fine. But sometimes you just need those higher word counts.
www.facebook.com/ruth.bennett...
www.facebook.com/ruth.bennett...
"This appears to be a long document. Save time by reading a summary."
OMG, unbidden and unwanted AI Assistant, please do. I insist.
OMG, unbidden and unwanted AI Assistant, please do. I insist.
October 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
"This appears to be a long document. Save time by reading a summary."
OMG, unbidden and unwanted AI Assistant, please do. I insist.
OMG, unbidden and unwanted AI Assistant, please do. I insist.
I have, with immediate effect, banned tetrapak juice (we usually get the kind in plastic bottles) from our household. Pre-coffee, it is tragically indistinguishable from milk.
October 3, 2025 at 11:28 AM
I have, with immediate effect, banned tetrapak juice (we usually get the kind in plastic bottles) from our household. Pre-coffee, it is tragically indistinguishable from milk.
Things Are Seldom What They Seem
YouTube video by D'Oyle Carte Opera Company - Topic
www.youtube.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:25 PM
FFS, volunteering is, by definition, voluntary. I do quite a bit, and am happy to do so, as it’s my choice.
But I won’t perform a single minute of mandatory community service, which this is. Legal immigration is not a crime.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
But I won’t perform a single minute of mandatory community service, which this is. Legal immigration is not a crime.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Mahmood demands migrants earn right to settlement in UK - BBC News
New tests will include learning English to a high standard, paying National Insurance and not claiming benefits.
www.bbc.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:56 PM
FFS, volunteering is, by definition, voluntary. I do quite a bit, and am happy to do so, as it’s my choice.
But I won’t perform a single minute of mandatory community service, which this is. Legal immigration is not a crime.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
But I won’t perform a single minute of mandatory community service, which this is. Legal immigration is not a crime.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
It’s clear he actually wants this shutdown. Why, other than an opportunity for more layoffs, is less clear at this point, and that makes me concerned.
September 30, 2025 at 9:20 AM
It’s clear he actually wants this shutdown. Why, other than an opportunity for more layoffs, is less clear at this point, and that makes me concerned.
I left the US before Tangerine Mussolini’s second term, for the UK. Accidentally settled in a Reform stronghold village. Fled there for Scotland. Have been happy here, but appalled by growing support for Reform (and will be deported if Farage wins). Where next?
September 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
I left the US before Tangerine Mussolini’s second term, for the UK. Accidentally settled in a Reform stronghold village. Fled there for Scotland. Have been happy here, but appalled by growing support for Reform (and will be deported if Farage wins). Where next?
The town of Bo’ness, near Edinburgh, is currently experiencing a Dalek warning.
September 26, 2025 at 4:53 PM
The town of Bo’ness, near Edinburgh, is currently experiencing a Dalek warning.
The man in the seat in front of me on the 37 bus is asking Chat GPT, on the phone he’s holding up, to write ripostes to Zia Yusuf (“now make it more posh” “say that his party’s whole purpose is to crash the working class” “add more phlegm”) and I don’t know where this is going but I am here for it.
September 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
The man in the seat in front of me on the 37 bus is asking Chat GPT, on the phone he’s holding up, to write ripostes to Zia Yusuf (“now make it more posh” “say that his party’s whole purpose is to crash the working class” “add more phlegm”) and I don’t know where this is going but I am here for it.
Highlands sanity break.
September 20, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Highlands sanity break.
Gemini has just helpfully informed me — unasked —
that in the UK peanut butter is known as hypogaea emulsion.
that in the UK peanut butter is known as hypogaea emulsion.
September 19, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Gemini has just helpfully informed me — unasked —
that in the UK peanut butter is known as hypogaea emulsion.
that in the UK peanut butter is known as hypogaea emulsion.