Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
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josephhall.org
Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
@josephhall.org
Astrophysicist turned advocate; guiding the globe to a safer, stronger Internet. Distinguished Technologist @internetsociety.bsky.social https://josephhall.org/
Pinned
connect the unconnected; protect the connected
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
Kitt Peak National Observatory image of Arp 336, also known as NGC 2685.

It was taken with the 4-meter Mayall telescope in 1975. We can clearly see NGC 2685's ring of gas, stars, and dust that orbits perpendicular to the plane of the galaxy.

Credit: NOIRLab, NSF, AURA
Source
December 11, 2025 at 12:31 AM
OH at the Square Diner today in NYC:

"every cloud has a silver lining"
"dude...that's acid rain"
December 30, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Oh yeah, Ini Kamoze FTW: "Hail Me Idren (Live 1986)" youtube.com/watch?v=lSyd...
December 29, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Who ya gonna call?
December 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Frenchette on Church in NYC definitely has the best croissant I've ever had
December 29, 2025 at 4:45 PM
highly recommend @corbinkbarthold ‘s New Year’s Eve message, especially if you’ve bought the dominant “social media is bad, mkay?” narrative: "New Year’s Message / From the Vault: Age Verification" Tech Policy Podcast podcast.techfreedom.org/episodes/new...
New Year’s Message / From the Vault: Age Verification | Tech Policy Podcast
Host Corbin Barthold offers some end-of-year reflections on the moral panic over kids’ use of social media and AI. Then we revisit Episode 405 (“No, Internet Age Verification Has Not Been ‘Solved’,”…
podcast.techfreedom.org
December 29, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
The World Blitz championship is getting underway:

www.youtube.com/live/avxXpxv...

#chess #chesspunks
FIDE World Blitz Championship 2025: Fast Paced Chess & Some Drama! ft. Magnus, Ian, Arjun, Anish
YouTube video by chess24
www.youtube.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
There are tens of thousands of people in Chile who survived being attacked by their own government, or who lost loved ones. President elect Karst is a reminder of right-wing military regimes that waged a series of dirty wars against leftist citizens www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
The Right Wing Rises in Latin America
The new President of Chile joins a new class of leaders trying to seize the future by rewriting the past.
www.newyorker.com
December 29, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
Short and sweet this year, due to my master's dissertation: my roundup of 2025's best reads.
heatherburns.tech/2025/12/29/2...
2025’s best reads – Hi, I'm Heather Burns
heatherburns.tech
December 29, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
What's the latest news on black holes? And, in this weird liminal space between the holidays, what *is* time? Physicist Sean M. Carroll tackles these questions and more. ⚛️
Tangling With Entanglement And Other Big Ideas In Physics
Physicist Sean Carroll takes on back holes, Schrödinger’s cat, and other big physics concepts that had our audience wondering.
buff.ly
December 26, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
2025 Headline of the Year nominee (July)
December 22, 2025 at 11:53 PM
As a lapsed astrophysicist that cherishes communicating about science and technology to people at all levels, I am really enjoying The Biggest Ideas in the Universe series from @seanmcarroll.bsky.social www.preposterousuniverse.com/biggestideas/ Highly recommended!
The Biggest Ideas in the Universe – Sean Carroll
www.preposterousuniverse.com
December 28, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
I cannot emphasize enough how good reviews provide your fave authors with both happiness and algorithmic favor.

Most people find new books via Amazon, and Amazon picks the books they want to show you (in part) from sales velocity and reviews.
"I can't afford to support my favorite author right now, I—"

Reviews.

Reviews are free AND they are a gift to authors that can keep on giving (i.e., exposure, marketing, algo boosts, etc.)

Please, give the gift of reviews to your authors this holiday season. It really can make a difference!
December 28, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
New blog post, by me: "Why I Will Never Write With AI" - A nuanced look at the importance of the journey in writing, and how using AI to generate writing is a cheat code that just cheats everyone. adamcaudill.com/2025/12/27/w...
Why I Will Never Write With AI
Every person has rules that they apply to themself, red lines that they won’t cross. For me, signing my name to anything generated by AI is one of those. I’d like to take a few minutes to talk about…
adamcaudill.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:44 AM
TIL radio cables
December 27, 2025 at 10:33 PM
We have about six inches of snow in 2-3 hours here in New Milford, CT. Fireplace is on fleek
December 27, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
For 20+ years, #mesh #networks were supposed to revolutionize connectivity. They're finally arriving in 2026—but not how anyone expected. Three separate technologies are learning to coexist instead of one winning it all.
Thread 1.4: The End of Walled Gardens in Smart Homes
In 2026, mesh networks are finally working together. Learn how Thread 1.4, Wi-Fi 7, and Matter are creating a new era of connectivity.
spectrum.ieee.org
December 26, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
LINDSEY GRAHAM: I just asked you where you were at on Christmas.

ELENA KAGAN: You know, like all Jews I was probably at a Chinese restaurant.

www.c-span.org/clip/no-cate...
User Clip: Kagan: "Like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant" on Christmas
Kagan: "Like all Jews I was probably at a Chinese restaurant" on Christmas
www.c-span.org
December 25, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
Who is taking the IRS Direct File code, modifying it for 2025, and hosting it as a free, non-profit service?

Bonus points if they are (or are applying to be) an IRS Electronic Return Originator

@alt18f.bsky.social?
December 26, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
The science breakthrough of 2025 is Solar Energy, not because it is new but because of how successful its deployment has been. This year renewable energy surpassed coal as a source of electricity worldwide. Hopeful sign for what’s to come.
www.science.org/content/arti...
December 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
"Yugoslavskiy Groove" (unofficial video) by Soft Blade youtube.com/watch?v=E5ii...
Soft Blade — Yugoslavskiy Groove (unofficial video)
youtube.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:46 AM
nano banana is pretty fucking awesome
December 25, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Reposted by Joseph Lorenzo Hall, PhD
Ai is absolutely destroying the entire legal field and it is putting so much extra work on those of us that don’t take shortcuts

I legit miss the Sov Cits who just made up obvious BS instead of the ChatGPT versions with “cites” that look like they need to be researched🫩
Is it just me or is AI making MORE legal work to respond to AI bad legal advice?
December 24, 2025 at 7:55 PM