Kyle N.
@kniedzw.bsky.social
Technical operations guy. Husband. Gamer. Karateka. Aspiring old fart. Opinions here are mine alone. He/him.
Every year on this day, I donate money in honor of my grandfather to a veterans organization like this one. He was a vet who was drafted, was permanently disabled, and got assistance (although not enough). Others are not as lucky. www.swords-to-plowshares.org
Swords to Plowshares
Swords to Plowshares' mission is to support veterans as they navigate the challenges of post-military life, and to prevent and end veteran homelessness through wrap-around care and informed advocacy.
www.swords-to-plowshares.org
November 11, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Every year on this day, I donate money in honor of my grandfather to a veterans organization like this one. He was a vet who was drafted, was permanently disabled, and got assistance (although not enough). Others are not as lucky. www.swords-to-plowshares.org
Reposted by Kyle N.
We're SIX DAYS AWAY from the end of our Kickstarter and 75% FUNDED 🚀✨
Remember, it's YOUR donations keeping us a proudly pro-rate magazine, which financially compensates the skilled authors who bring Apex to life. Help artists thrive in 2026 and donate TODAY 💜👽
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...
Remember, it's YOUR donations keeping us a proudly pro-rate magazine, which financially compensates the skilled authors who bring Apex to life. Help artists thrive in 2026 and donate TODAY 💜👽
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...
October 24, 2025 at 3:28 PM
We're SIX DAYS AWAY from the end of our Kickstarter and 75% FUNDED 🚀✨
Remember, it's YOUR donations keeping us a proudly pro-rate magazine, which financially compensates the skilled authors who bring Apex to life. Help artists thrive in 2026 and donate TODAY 💜👽
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...
Remember, it's YOUR donations keeping us a proudly pro-rate magazine, which financially compensates the skilled authors who bring Apex to life. Help artists thrive in 2026 and donate TODAY 💜👽
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...
For Californians looking for decent, non-partisan reporting on the issues at play in the special election this cycle, CalMatters has an excellent page on Proposition 50. (I am a big fan of CalMatters overall, honestly.) calmatters.org/california-v...
Get ready for California’s 2025 special election
What to know about the Nov. 4 special election on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s congressional redistricting proposal.
calmatters.org
October 6, 2025 at 8:57 PM
For Californians looking for decent, non-partisan reporting on the issues at play in the special election this cycle, CalMatters has an excellent page on Proposition 50. (I am a big fan of CalMatters overall, honestly.) calmatters.org/california-v...
Reposted by Kyle N.
In the spring, Trump cut $500 million from aid to food banks.
But they had already ordered 94 million pounds of food from the program — all abruptly canceled.
People at food banks noticed. The cuts meant less meat and lighter pickups.
We visualized it:
projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...
But they had already ordered 94 million pounds of food from the program — all abruptly canceled.
People at food banks noticed. The cuts meant less meat and lighter pickups.
We visualized it:
projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...
Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.
ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...
projects.propublica.org
October 3, 2025 at 11:32 AM
In the spring, Trump cut $500 million from aid to food banks.
But they had already ordered 94 million pounds of food from the program — all abruptly canceled.
People at food banks noticed. The cuts meant less meat and lighter pickups.
We visualized it:
projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...
But they had already ordered 94 million pounds of food from the program — all abruptly canceled.
People at food banks noticed. The cuts meant less meat and lighter pickups.
We visualized it:
projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...
Reposted by Kyle N.
At Interstellar Flight Mag, R. Thursday interviews Marie Brennan, winner of the first Hugo Award for poetry. magazine.interstella...
September 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
At Interstellar Flight Mag, R. Thursday interviews Marie Brennan, winner of the first Hugo Award for poetry. magazine.interstella...
If FedRamp has taught me one thing, it's....
September 15, 2025 at 6:35 AM
If FedRamp has taught me one thing, it's....
Best cake: devil's food with chocolate icing
Best pie: apple
Best cookie: molasses spice
Best bar: my (grandmother's) brownies
Best donut: beignets from Café du Monde
Best ice cream: Ben and Jerry's Schweddy Balls (disc. 2011)
Best other: stolen crumbs from my grandmother's crumb cake streussel
Best pie: apple
Best cookie: molasses spice
Best bar: my (grandmother's) brownies
Best donut: beignets from Café du Monde
Best ice cream: Ben and Jerry's Schweddy Balls (disc. 2011)
Best other: stolen crumbs from my grandmother's crumb cake streussel
Best cake: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Best pie: strawberry rhubarb
Best cookie: chocolate chip
Best bar: good brownies*
Best donut: apple cider**
Best ice cream: original Crescent Ridge grapenut ice cream
Best other: salted chocolate pudding with whipped sour cream
Best pie: strawberry rhubarb
Best cookie: chocolate chip
Best bar: good brownies*
Best donut: apple cider**
Best ice cream: original Crescent Ridge grapenut ice cream
Best other: salted chocolate pudding with whipped sour cream
Best pie: strawberry
Best ice cream: fig & mascarpone gelato
Best donut: maple glazed
Best bar: extremely spicy brownies (need to make these again)
Best cake: blackberry upside-down
Best cookie: oatmeal raisin with grand marnier-soaked raisins
Best other: rum raisin / cherry mascarpone rice pudding
Best ice cream: fig & mascarpone gelato
Best donut: maple glazed
Best bar: extremely spicy brownies (need to make these again)
Best cake: blackberry upside-down
Best cookie: oatmeal raisin with grand marnier-soaked raisins
Best other: rum raisin / cherry mascarpone rice pudding
September 14, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Best cake: devil's food with chocolate icing
Best pie: apple
Best cookie: molasses spice
Best bar: my (grandmother's) brownies
Best donut: beignets from Café du Monde
Best ice cream: Ben and Jerry's Schweddy Balls (disc. 2011)
Best other: stolen crumbs from my grandmother's crumb cake streussel
Best pie: apple
Best cookie: molasses spice
Best bar: my (grandmother's) brownies
Best donut: beignets from Café du Monde
Best ice cream: Ben and Jerry's Schweddy Balls (disc. 2011)
Best other: stolen crumbs from my grandmother's crumb cake streussel
Reposted by Kyle N.
The submissions for the new Massachusetts seal, flag and motto are up, and my friends, they are a *trip* www.mass.gov/doc/massachu...
August 25, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The submissions for the new Massachusetts seal, flag and motto are up, and my friends, they are a *trip* www.mass.gov/doc/massachu...
@thirdchildart.bsky.social and @swantower.bsky.social fresh off their Hugo wins last night!
August 17, 2025 at 3:10 PM
@thirdchildart.bsky.social and @swantower.bsky.social fresh off their Hugo wins last night!
Reposted by Kyle N.
Best Poem
“A War of Words” by Marie Brennan (Strange Horizons, September 2024)
(Brandon O’Brien, the Con's Poet Laureate who presented this award, wrote a poem just for this based on all the Finalists.)
#HugoAwards
“A War of Words” by Marie Brennan (Strange Horizons, September 2024)
(Brandon O’Brien, the Con's Poet Laureate who presented this award, wrote a poem just for this based on all the Finalists.)
#HugoAwards
August 17, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Best Poem
“A War of Words” by Marie Brennan (Strange Horizons, September 2024)
(Brandon O’Brien, the Con's Poet Laureate who presented this award, wrote a poem just for this based on all the Finalists.)
#HugoAwards
“A War of Words” by Marie Brennan (Strange Horizons, September 2024)
(Brandon O’Brien, the Con's Poet Laureate who presented this award, wrote a poem just for this based on all the Finalists.)
#HugoAwards
Terminal 1 of SFO has an exhibit on women in Afrofuturism, including a prominent section on Octavia Butler (and other authors she inspired). Very cool!
August 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Terminal 1 of SFO has an exhibit on women in Afrofuturism, including a prominent section on Octavia Butler (and other authors she inspired). Very cool!
Reposted by Kyle N.
A tombstone in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, photographed by Andy Darby.
Note the border inscription.
Note the border inscription.
August 9, 2025 at 4:50 PM
A tombstone in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, photographed by Andy Darby.
Note the border inscription.
Note the border inscription.
My time as a (volunteer) editor for Strange Horizons was really rewarding, and if you want your money to be directed more toward paying authors professional rates for quality speculative fiction, poetry, reviews, and articles, there are basically no better places to send your money.
There's only two weeks left in the Strange Horizons Fund Drive to keep us publishing in 2026!
We are at $14k and need to make it to our goal of $20,000. We can only get there with your donations!
And if you already donated, you can still share to help us reach as many people as possible!
We are at $14k and need to make it to our goal of $20,000. We can only get there with your donations!
And if you already donated, you can still share to help us reach as many people as possible!
📢 It's here! The Strange Horizons Fund Drive 2026 has begun! 📢
Help us raise the $20,000 we need to fund our fiction, poetry, and non-fiction for next year! Beyond that are our stretch goals including some compelling special issues!
Donate at the link ⬇️
Help us raise the $20,000 we need to fund our fiction, poetry, and non-fiction for next year! Beyond that are our stretch goals including some compelling special issues!
Donate at the link ⬇️
June 30, 2025 at 3:53 PM
My time as a (volunteer) editor for Strange Horizons was really rewarding, and if you want your money to be directed more toward paying authors professional rates for quality speculative fiction, poetry, reviews, and articles, there are basically no better places to send your money.
File this under, "If I ever got the chance to solve thorny legislative problems, a thought exercise for me."
One thing that has become super apparent for me is that we need Congress to pass a law creating a default enforcement mechanism that would apply to any statute or regulation that mandates or prohibits specific conduct but doesn’t have an explicit enforcement mechanism
June 10, 2025 at 5:51 PM
File this under, "If I ever got the chance to solve thorny legislative problems, a thought exercise for me."
What is literally Orwellian? This and initiatives like it.
“Law enforcement really likes license plate readers because of the lack of restrictions on that data. They don’t feel like they need a warrant. Oftentimes there are no restrictions whatsoever on what they search,” EFF’s @maassive.bsky.social told @404media.co.
ICE Taps into Nationwide AI-Enabled Camera Network, Data Shows
Flock's automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras are in more than 5,000 communities around the U.S. Local police are doing lookups in the nationwide system for ICE.
www.404media.co
May 27, 2025 at 11:24 PM
What is literally Orwellian? This and initiatives like it.
I finally finished @elienyc.bsky.social's Bad Law, and I found that his brand of irreverent outrage, coupled with his contemporary references, helped soften the depressing contemplation of ten specific laws which would, in balance, make life better if they simply ceased to exist. 1/6
May 25, 2025 at 7:12 PM
I finally finished @elienyc.bsky.social's Bad Law, and I found that his brand of irreverent outrage, coupled with his contemporary references, helped soften the depressing contemplation of ten specific laws which would, in balance, make life better if they simply ceased to exist. 1/6
This has interesting implications for two-party consent states: Is AI "awareness" of its surroundings tantamount to recording? (Functionally, in order for it to be useful, it would have to be, I would think.)
Thankfully, I'm in California, which requires my consent. For now.
Thankfully, I'm in California, which requires my consent. For now.
“.. The product will be capable of being fully aware of a user’s surroundings and life, will be unobtrusive, able to rest in one’s pocket or on one’s desk ..”
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/what...
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/what...
May 22, 2025 at 6:05 PM
This has interesting implications for two-party consent states: Is AI "awareness" of its surroundings tantamount to recording? (Functionally, in order for it to be useful, it would have to be, I would think.)
Thankfully, I'm in California, which requires my consent. For now.
Thankfully, I'm in California, which requires my consent. For now.
Seen randomly on the sidewalk.
May 12, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Seen randomly on the sidewalk.
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” -Gustav Mahler
(I feel unaccountably lame for posting a quote here like this, but it's one that really struck me today.)
(I feel unaccountably lame for posting a quote here like this, but it's one that really struck me today.)
April 21, 2025 at 10:26 PM
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” -Gustav Mahler
(I feel unaccountably lame for posting a quote here like this, but it's one that really struck me today.)
(I feel unaccountably lame for posting a quote here like this, but it's one that really struck me today.)
Happy 97th birthday, Tom Lehrer!
April 9, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Happy 97th birthday, Tom Lehrer!
Reposted by Kyle N.
You asked for it! THE MEMOIRS OF LADY TRENT is coming! @swantower.bsky.social's wonderful exploration of the study of dragonkind has deserved one for a long time, in our opinion!
Link in our bio and below!
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Art by @sylvainsarrailh
Link in our bio and below!
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Art by @sylvainsarrailh
April 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
You asked for it! THE MEMOIRS OF LADY TRENT is coming! @swantower.bsky.social's wonderful exploration of the study of dragonkind has deserved one for a long time, in our opinion!
Link in our bio and below!
.
.
.
Art by @sylvainsarrailh
Link in our bio and below!
.
.
.
Art by @sylvainsarrailh
Paying my federal taxes was a lot more palatable when I believed they'd be going at least in part to things that I actually believe in, like health, welfare, science, the rule of law, and international aid.
April 7, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Paying my federal taxes was a lot more palatable when I believed they'd be going at least in part to things that I actually believe in, like health, welfare, science, the rule of law, and international aid.
NATO and the US nuclear umbrella allowed European allies to demilitarize and reduce tensions for eighty years. One of the more pernicious - and hidden - truths is that greater European militarizarion will lead to more armed conflict and suffering in the future. It was a feature, not a bug.
April 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
NATO and the US nuclear umbrella allowed European allies to demilitarize and reduce tensions for eighty years. One of the more pernicious - and hidden - truths is that greater European militarizarion will lead to more armed conflict and suffering in the future. It was a feature, not a bug.
Today is Transgender Day of Visibility. In short: trans people exist, are people, and deserve the same rights as everyone else.
March 31, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Today is Transgender Day of Visibility. In short: trans people exist, are people, and deserve the same rights as everyone else.
Ever wonder what Hubble was looking at on your birthday? science.nasa.gov/mission/hubb...
What Did Hubble See on Your Birthday? - NASA Science
What did Hubble look at on your birthday? Enter the month and date below to find out!
science.nasa.gov
March 27, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Ever wonder what Hubble was looking at on your birthday? science.nasa.gov/mission/hubb...