Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
@experimentego.bsky.social
Anglophonic Tsinoy | He/They | Twitch @ experimentego
Just a cat in a human suit. The death of print magazines put me on retirement. Sometimes I still get to write words.
"Aren't you, *the* Matthew Arcilla?" "I used to be."
Just a cat in a human suit. The death of print magazines put me on retirement. Sometimes I still get to write words.
"Aren't you, *the* Matthew Arcilla?" "I used to be."
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
In this in-depth interview Billie Jean Sweeney — a former editor at The New York Times — details how the paper shifted towards openly promoting anti-trans hatred, why this was directed from the very top, how some staff pushed back and the immense damage done by the NYT legitimizing bigotry.
'A directive from above': Former NYT editor lays out how the paper pushes anti-trans bigotry
In this in-depth interview, former New York Times editor Billie Jean Sweeney details how the paper shifted towards openly promoting anti-trans hatred, how some staff tried to stop it, how it's directe...
transnews.network
January 1, 2026 at 6:32 PM
In this in-depth interview Billie Jean Sweeney — a former editor at The New York Times — details how the paper shifted towards openly promoting anti-trans hatred, why this was directed from the very top, how some staff pushed back and the immense damage done by the NYT legitimizing bigotry.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
There will be a Kickstarter project this year whose selling point is "Expedition 33 for 5E". It will make $10 million. Nobody will ever play it.
January 1, 2026 at 4:47 PM
There will be a Kickstarter project this year whose selling point is "Expedition 33 for 5E". It will make $10 million. Nobody will ever play it.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Needed this reminder today.
July 3, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Needed this reminder today.
"I promise to be good in 2026."
January 1, 2026 at 8:12 AM
"I promise to be good in 2026."
If Marvel had any stones and wasn't owned by Disney, they could have made posts across their social media featuring Tony Stark saying "Listen, I'm not perfect but this guy fucking sucks ass, please never compare him to me again"
Elon Musk promised a lot of things by 2025
- colonists arriving on Mars
- xAI achieving AGI
- Tesla robotaxis serving half the U.S.
- completely driverless robotaxis
- a Tesla Roadster demo
- DOGE cutting trillions
none of them happened
mashable.com/article/elon-mus...
- colonists arriving on Mars
- xAI achieving AGI
- Tesla robotaxis serving half the U.S.
- completely driverless robotaxis
- a Tesla Roadster demo
- DOGE cutting trillions
none of them happened
mashable.com/article/elon-mus...
Everything Elon Musk promised in 2025, but didn't deliver
Musk is now infamous for his false promises, but even this is excessive.
mashable.com
January 1, 2026 at 8:01 AM
If Marvel had any stones and wasn't owned by Disney, they could have made posts across their social media featuring Tony Stark saying "Listen, I'm not perfect but this guy fucking sucks ass, please never compare him to me again"
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Out of curiosity, I just ran a few paragraphs from The Butchering Art through an AI checker and it got flagged: 88% AI. This book was released in 2017, and AI machines were subsequently trained off it. How many writers are getting flagged for AI because of the literal theft of their work(s)? Insane.
OMG - f*ck AI for ruining the em-dash for writers. I use them all the time. Of course, what a shock that AI uses them since they were trained off my voice and other authors' voices.
I'm a writer who has specifically been directed *not* to use em-dashes because "they mean it was written by AI." I can detect AI writing, but it is not simply a matter of the punctuation used.
December 30, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Out of curiosity, I just ran a few paragraphs from The Butchering Art through an AI checker and it got flagged: 88% AI. This book was released in 2017, and AI machines were subsequently trained off it. How many writers are getting flagged for AI because of the literal theft of their work(s)? Insane.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Today is the last day that you can repost this image
December 31, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Today is the last day that you can repost this image
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
As it happens, I have experience with high-level government demands to stop an explosive, accurate story from running, and I also have experience with 60 Minutes spiking a story I was involved in, so I have thoughts about the travesty at CBS. If you want some journalism anecdotes, here are a lot:
Watching Bari Weiss Murder Investigative Journalism at CBS
Notes from someone who's withstood White House demands to stop an explosive story—and who once even had a 60 Minutes piece spiked
www.forever-wars.com
December 30, 2025 at 8:06 PM
As it happens, I have experience with high-level government demands to stop an explosive, accurate story from running, and I also have experience with 60 Minutes spiking a story I was involved in, so I have thoughts about the travesty at CBS. If you want some journalism anecdotes, here are a lot:
This. No tier list exists to objectively rank *how* one obtains information and news. I grew up on dirty newspapers and lived in a three channel city, but I don't think reading print and having consolidated broadcast avenues is better or worse than what we have now. It's just different.
i grew up in a "no TV" household which meant that my parents exclusively got the news from reading the newspaper. when i went to college & moved out, i got my news from reading blogs and watching The Daily Show every night. would we say that what i was doing is "better"? i don't know that it was.
December 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
This. No tier list exists to objectively rank *how* one obtains information and news. I grew up on dirty newspapers and lived in a three channel city, but I don't think reading print and having consolidated broadcast avenues is better or worse than what we have now. It's just different.
What do you mean his name is Bob **PEAK**
December 30, 2025 at 8:27 AM
What do you mean his name is Bob **PEAK**
Trying to negotiate a retaining fee for next year's worth of tech, geek and gaming coverage and the editor asks, "How much do you want for this?" and honesty I hate when they don't just make you an offer. I mean if I were to be honest I'd be like, "How about everything you've got?"
December 30, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Trying to negotiate a retaining fee for next year's worth of tech, geek and gaming coverage and the editor asks, "How much do you want for this?" and honesty I hate when they don't just make you an offer. I mean if I were to be honest I'd be like, "How about everything you've got?"
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
"The existing power structures, which just so happen to benefit me, can not be torn down by force, but by convincing me that they are not good and just and natural, which they clearly are, and not because they happen to benefit me."
December 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
"The existing power structures, which just so happen to benefit me, can not be torn down by force, but by convincing me that they are not good and just and natural, which they clearly are, and not because they happen to benefit me."
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
This is exactly the racist perspective: any awareness of racism is performative shouting, the solution isn’t restructuring institutional power but persuading them, giving them veto over all remedy and casting blame for any failure not their recalcitrance but our insufficient persuasiveness.
December 30, 2025 at 1:05 AM
This is exactly the racist perspective: any awareness of racism is performative shouting, the solution isn’t restructuring institutional power but persuading them, giving them veto over all remedy and casting blame for any failure not their recalcitrance but our insufficient persuasiveness.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
The cohort of pop stars who do (sometimes perplexingly) giant numbers and never go away aren't monoculture pop stars but whoever was big in the early 2010s just before digital downloads died. Millennials's college years, not their childhoods and teens, most of which phased out
December 28, 2025 at 6:45 AM
The cohort of pop stars who do (sometimes perplexingly) giant numbers and never go away aren't monoculture pop stars but whoever was big in the early 2010s just before digital downloads died. Millennials's college years, not their childhoods and teens, most of which phased out
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
the “avatar has no cultural relevance” shit is boring and played out, but so is the backlash “avatar is the savior of the dying hollywood blockbuster” shit. lot of hyperbole in both directions for what’s ultimately mcu movies for cinephiles who are too proud to admit they aren’t above it
December 28, 2025 at 5:26 AM
the “avatar has no cultural relevance” shit is boring and played out, but so is the backlash “avatar is the savior of the dying hollywood blockbuster” shit. lot of hyperbole in both directions for what’s ultimately mcu movies for cinephiles who are too proud to admit they aren’t above it
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
The whole "if you don't buy the game, the studio will close" statement echoes a lot in my head, and even though that statement might be factual given the circumstances, I see it adopted as the solution to the problem instead of what I is, which is treating a symptom.
December 28, 2025 at 2:51 AM
The whole "if you don't buy the game, the studio will close" statement echoes a lot in my head, and even though that statement might be factual given the circumstances, I see it adopted as the solution to the problem instead of what I is, which is treating a symptom.
"One of the great things to pretend is that you're not only alright, you're in great shape. Now to have that come true...
"I've actually gone on stage depressed and that's worked its magic on me, because if I can convince you that I'm alright, then maybe I can convince me."
"I've actually gone on stage depressed and that's worked its magic on me, because if I can convince you that I'm alright, then maybe I can convince me."
December 27, 2025 at 8:40 AM
"One of the great things to pretend is that you're not only alright, you're in great shape. Now to have that come true...
"I've actually gone on stage depressed and that's worked its magic on me, because if I can convince you that I'm alright, then maybe I can convince me."
"I've actually gone on stage depressed and that's worked its magic on me, because if I can convince you that I'm alright, then maybe I can convince me."
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Just gonna say this again for games sphere cus we get the same question:
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Talking to one of these types at a con who asked how I 'got in' with so many 'famous writers' who I'd been talking to and I said "we made friends before anyone knew who we were decades ago by striking up interesting conversations and enjoying each other's company" and he kept re-asking the question.
They have come to the convention hoping to "break in" and then find themselves -- shocker! -- a "nobody in the book world." Yeah no shit! We all are! I have gently told guys like this a million times that it takes most of us *years* of hard work but they do not believe that could be true for them. +
December 27, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Just gonna say this again for games sphere cus we get the same question:
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Networking doesn't mean schmoozing up to famous people, it means making friends with your peers. Then in 10 years, 20, one of you might be famous? And sure you're still helping each other cus well yeah friends.
Make. Friends.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
make a Bond movie academic
Diamonds are Forever: Transnational Mining’s Imperial Stranglehold on Postcolonial Economies
Diamonds are Forever: Transnational Mining’s Imperial Stranglehold on Postcolonial Economies
make a Bond movie academic
License to Kill: How The Constitution Was Never Intended To Protect The Lives Or Dignity of Non-White-People, By Ilan Wurman
License to Kill: How The Constitution Was Never Intended To Protect The Lives Or Dignity of Non-White-People, By Ilan Wurman
make a Bond movie academic
The Spy Who Loved Me: Birthright Citizenship and the Law of Alien Enemies
The Spy Who Loved Me: Birthright Citizenship and the Law of Alien Enemies
December 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
make a Bond movie academic
Diamonds are Forever: Transnational Mining’s Imperial Stranglehold on Postcolonial Economies
Diamonds are Forever: Transnational Mining’s Imperial Stranglehold on Postcolonial Economies
Will stop arguing with strangers on the Internet on Christmas Eve for one billion dollars
If I were a billionaire I simply wouldn’t be fighting with strangers on the internet on Christmas Eve
December 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Will stop arguing with strangers on the Internet on Christmas Eve for one billion dollars
It's like saying that, under specific circumstances, Noah Wyle might be incredibly helpful on a mid-flight medical emergency where no doctor is on board. Like okay, sure, buddy but let's be real, if you could choose a doctor, it wouldn't be an inexpert bullshit robot that has memorized Chicago Hope.
What I constantly hear of is a bunch of theoreticals. Maybe not so much bold, overstated promises -- though there's plenty of that -- but a lot of "what about isms" of specific scenarios where the agentic AI might *specifically* be helpful, but at that point they've engineered a raison d'etre.
December 26, 2025 at 6:21 AM
It's like saying that, under specific circumstances, Noah Wyle might be incredibly helpful on a mid-flight medical emergency where no doctor is on board. Like okay, sure, buddy but let's be real, if you could choose a doctor, it wouldn't be an inexpert bullshit robot that has memorized Chicago Hope.
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
Sure, lots of stories about how much agentic AI sucks, but plenty of cases where it's genuinely saved time and energy. Such as, uh. Well, for example, ahh, hang on
December 26, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Sure, lots of stories about how much agentic AI sucks, but plenty of cases where it's genuinely saved time and energy. Such as, uh. Well, for example, ahh, hang on
Reposted by Matthew Arcilla, editorial mercenary
A frustrated Pedro Pascal asking Neil Druckmann, who was directing Pascal in a Last of Us episode, “do you like art?”
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 26, 2025 at 2:46 AM
A frustrated Pedro Pascal asking Neil Druckmann, who was directing Pascal in a Last of Us episode, “do you like art?”