Mark
@maetl.bsky.social
Lecturer in Product Design at UCNZ. Tech industry dropout. Narrative systems and geoscience meddler. Old school web sectary. Frankenbike curator. Waste stream wrangler.
Pinned
Mark
@maetl.bsky.social
· Jun 25
I don’t want raytracing or photorealism, I want the lo-fi dwarfs in their fortress to be standing in grid cells backed by a fully simulated carbon cycle, atmospheric fluid flow, insolation, atmospheric chemistry, evapotranspiration, geological strata, ecological systems...
New cryptid just dropped
November 12, 2025 at 9:01 AM
New cryptid just dropped
Reposted by Mark
I am fed up to the back teeth with narrow academic book smart pseudo-intellectual approaches to internet threats. If you are not adopting an adversarial street fighting stance to current trends, you don’t understand the rules of the game
November 12, 2025 at 8:48 AM
I am fed up to the back teeth with narrow academic book smart pseudo-intellectual approaches to internet threats. If you are not adopting an adversarial street fighting stance to current trends, you don’t understand the rules of the game
Good for Iceland to recognise this directly. Ireland asleep at the wheel, and Canada approving giant new fossil gas projects. Come tf on.
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Good for Iceland to recognise this directly. Ireland asleep at the wheel, and Canada approving giant new fossil gas projects. Come tf on.
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Something to consider for New Zealand which spent most of the 20th century trying to create itself as a model version of this forsaken island.
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Something to consider for New Zealand which spent most of the 20th century trying to create itself as a model version of this forsaken island.
Reposted by Mark
A big reason proc gen feels so different to AI in spite of superficial similarities is exactly this!!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
In case anyone ever asks, I *have* written a material generator and a music generator for Eldritch 2, but that's not AI. That's me taking all the things I personally know about those things, and writing my own tools to make the process a little faster and easier for myself. It's still 100% me, baby.
November 12, 2025 at 7:36 AM
A big reason proc gen feels so different to AI in spite of superficial similarities is exactly this!!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
Reposted by Mark
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
Reposted by Mark
We also need to consider the possibility that the barrel is an apple-rotting machine. The structure and history of policing are based on enforcing power structures, so it’s little surprise that individuals within the institution learn to protect and abuse power.
“A few bad apples” is always used to deflect criticism of systemic problems in NZ.
Schopenhauer’s entropy is a more realistic way to think about it: “If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.”
Schopenhauer’s entropy is a more realistic way to think about it: “If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.”
November 11, 2025 at 11:26 PM
We also need to consider the possibility that the barrel is an apple-rotting machine. The structure and history of policing are based on enforcing power structures, so it’s little surprise that individuals within the institution learn to protect and abuse power.
Once they recognised they could get away with presenting ‘multiple hats’ as a way of justifying selective acknowledgement of facts and blocking scrutiny by parliament and media, it was only a matter of time for selective acknowledgement to become a ‘protocol’ in the official communications loop.
Periodic reminder that the role of Secretary (as in a minister's Private Secretary who handles their correspondence) is traditionally to keep secrets FOR the sovereign power (ie the minister), not to keep secrets FROM the sovereign power so they can enjoy plausible deniability when shit blows up
November 11, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Once they recognised they could get away with presenting ‘multiple hats’ as a way of justifying selective acknowledgement of facts and blocking scrutiny by parliament and media, it was only a matter of time for selective acknowledgement to become a ‘protocol’ in the official communications loop.
“A few bad apples” is always used to deflect criticism of systemic problems in NZ.
Schopenhauer’s entropy is a more realistic way to think about it: “If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.”
Schopenhauer’s entropy is a more realistic way to think about it: “If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.”
November 11, 2025 at 10:28 PM
“A few bad apples” is always used to deflect criticism of systemic problems in NZ.
Schopenhauer’s entropy is a more realistic way to think about it: “If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.”
Schopenhauer’s entropy is a more realistic way to think about it: “If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage.”
Reposted by Mark
ok one last post -- oldheads are always going to "why is the web dying.... how can we get the kids invested in the free and open web"
bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
November 11, 2025 at 6:49 PM
ok one last post -- oldheads are always going to "why is the web dying.... how can we get the kids invested in the free and open web"
bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
bro the kids can't read. that's why the web is dying. first things first
Is it also that these tendencies towards organisational self-protection, deference to hierarchy and intolerance towards external criticism apply directly to the government as well?
The fundamental problem this Government has in responding to the McSkimming coverup report is that it's broader law 'n order programme relies on having an enforcement arm that exhibits these sorts of characteristics ... no "soft" policing that second-guesses its actions + does "what is needed".
November 11, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Is it also that these tendencies towards organisational self-protection, deference to hierarchy and intolerance towards external criticism apply directly to the government as well?
Reposted by Mark
we fixed our girl with the power of BUCKET HAT 🪣🎩
a lil' romance option redesign for that game we're making called: 🔍 "ShelfLife: Art School Detective" 🔍
#datingsim #lgbt #indiegamedev #indiegame #gamedev #indiegames
a lil' romance option redesign for that game we're making called: 🔍 "ShelfLife: Art School Detective" 🔍
#datingsim #lgbt #indiegamedev #indiegame #gamedev #indiegames
November 11, 2025 at 6:43 PM
we fixed our girl with the power of BUCKET HAT 🪣🎩
a lil' romance option redesign for that game we're making called: 🔍 "ShelfLife: Art School Detective" 🔍
#datingsim #lgbt #indiegamedev #indiegame #gamedev #indiegames
a lil' romance option redesign for that game we're making called: 🔍 "ShelfLife: Art School Detective" 🔍
#datingsim #lgbt #indiegamedev #indiegame #gamedev #indiegames
Staff at NZ universities will now have to deal with govt mandated free speech complaints process designed to facilitate far right agitprop infiltrating campus spaces and threatening our academic freedom under the guise of protecting it.
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/ensu...
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/ensu...
www.beehive.govt.nz
November 11, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Staff at NZ universities will now have to deal with govt mandated free speech complaints process designed to facilitate far right agitprop infiltrating campus spaces and threatening our academic freedom under the guise of protecting it.
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/ensu...
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/ensu...
Maybe the "mature conversation" NZ needs to have is about the gap between rhetoric and reality with CEO and board appointments.
November 11, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Maybe the "mature conversation" NZ needs to have is about the gap between rhetoric and reality with CEO and board appointments.
Spilled-milk discount deck furniture piss country.
November 11, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Spilled-milk discount deck furniture piss country.
At what point do we publicly accept that NZ is deeply corrupt and the only reason why we don’t have a culture of direct payoffs and bribery (that we cite as the evidence for us not being corrupt) is because it’s not needed? The boys club gets what it wants through people playing their social roles.
November 11, 2025 at 5:06 AM
At what point do we publicly accept that NZ is deeply corrupt and the only reason why we don’t have a culture of direct payoffs and bribery (that we cite as the evidence for us not being corrupt) is because it’s not needed? The boys club gets what it wants through people playing their social roles.
The RNZ MediaWatch attempt to self diagnose the ongoing destruction of NZ media and emergence of a polarised low trust information environment is welcome, but falters for reasons related to the macro problems.
November 11, 2025 at 3:02 AM
The RNZ MediaWatch attempt to self diagnose the ongoing destruction of NZ media and emergence of a polarised low trust information environment is welcome, but falters for reasons related to the macro problems.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a pundit possessing moderate fame must be in want of a deferential, sycophantic social media audience.
the hipsters, they’re ordering double frufru mocha soy frappuccino. doesn’t anybody order a black coffee anymore
November 10, 2025 at 7:20 PM
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a pundit possessing moderate fame must be in want of a deferential, sycophantic social media audience.
Reposted by Mark
Ahead of COP 30 I’ve been thinking about the irony that the critics of our 1.5 IPCC report are many of the people now saying it’s too late to act because we’ve going past 1.5 & we must focus on instead on technological fixes to address overshoot - here’s why I think these arguments are distractions
November 10, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Ahead of COP 30 I’ve been thinking about the irony that the critics of our 1.5 IPCC report are many of the people now saying it’s too late to act because we’ve going past 1.5 & we must focus on instead on technological fixes to address overshoot - here’s why I think these arguments are distractions
"Prominent media figure"
hearing that there's what could be considered a mutual blackmail situation across NZME regarding sexual harassment, assault, drug use etc & I can't help but think that there are powerful people with the details in little black books that are actively utilising that to influence media decision making
November 10, 2025 at 5:22 AM
"Prominent media figure"
Because a bunch of paranoid Facebook-addicted parents are worried about their teens seeing anorexia/sui bait and have no mental model of platform regulation, we're gonna end up with a worse form of internet censorship and digital ID than the cookers were claiming about contact tracing apps.
November 10, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Because a bunch of paranoid Facebook-addicted parents are worried about their teens seeing anorexia/sui bait and have no mental model of platform regulation, we're gonna end up with a worse form of internet censorship and digital ID than the cookers were claiming about contact tracing apps.
Reposted by Mark
every crisis we have in the us is totally fabricated by the politicians except the dire epistomological corruption of 40% of the voting base, which is real
November 10, 2025 at 4:31 AM
every crisis we have in the us is totally fabricated by the politicians except the dire epistomological corruption of 40% of the voting base, which is real
The deployment is already decided. You will have no control over that. Your job is to make it ethical.
Stats NZ is “seeking a forward-thinking AI Privacy Advisor to lead the development and enforcement of privacy frameworks across our AI systems and data-driven operations. This role is critical in ensuring ethical AI deployment,”
jobs.govt.nz/jobtools/jnc...
jobs.govt.nz/jobtools/jnc...
Senior Privacy Advisor | Kaitohutohu Matua Tūmataiti | Wellington | NZ Government Jobs
Senior Privacy Advisor | Kaitohutohu Matua Tūmataiti | Wellington | NZ Government Jobs
jobs.govt.nz
November 10, 2025 at 2:33 AM
The deployment is already decided. You will have no control over that. Your job is to make it ethical.
lol at how reactions to the giant cave spiderweb break down evenly between “horror movie!” and “The Underdark!”
November 10, 2025 at 2:19 AM
lol at how reactions to the giant cave spiderweb break down evenly between “horror movie!” and “The Underdark!”
The MPC *is* going on display!
www.museumswellington.org.nz/based-on-a-t...
www.museumswellington.org.nz/based-on-a-t...
November 9, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The MPC *is* going on display!
www.museumswellington.org.nz/based-on-a-t...
www.museumswellington.org.nz/based-on-a-t...