Jonathan Mertzig
@mertzigzag.bsky.social
Madison, WI. - Professional destroyer of software. Sewer Socialist. Queer geek. Wannabe polyglot. Car avoider/Walker/Cyclist/Transit Enthusiast. 🦩🍻 same handle on Fedi @urbanists.social and (formerly) Xitter...
Pinned
Jonathan Mertzig
@mertzigzag.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Wow! Lots of new followers here today. Here’s what you can expect from me:
1) rants about transit & municipal gov (not just in Madison!)
2) poorly informed takes on soccer and sometimes hockey
3) occasional random attempts at arty photography
4) sometimes: beer, tech, Euro and Canadian politics
1) rants about transit & municipal gov (not just in Madison!)
2) poorly informed takes on soccer and sometimes hockey
3) occasional random attempts at arty photography
4) sometimes: beer, tech, Euro and Canadian politics
Everyone's favorite Madison census tract gets a nod... 🏗️
February 14, 2026 at 3:18 AM
Everyone's favorite Madison census tract gets a nod... 🏗️
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
@wisdot.bsky.social We won't be needing the I90 expansion after all. You can stop now
The bill calls for state-/local-level planning (not funding) for eventual hourly trains from Chicago to:
🚆 Milwaukee
🚆 Madison and St Paul
🚆 Rockford
🚆 St Louis
🚆 Champaign
🚆 Louisville
🚆 Cincinnati
🚆 Columbus
🚆 Detroit
🚆 Moline (every 2 hours)
🚆 Peoria (every 2 hours)
🚆 Galesburg (every 4 hours)
🚆 Milwaukee
🚆 Madison and St Paul
🚆 Rockford
🚆 St Louis
🚆 Champaign
🚆 Louisville
🚆 Cincinnati
🚆 Columbus
🚆 Detroit
🚆 Moline (every 2 hours)
🚆 Peoria (every 2 hours)
🚆 Galesburg (every 4 hours)
February 13, 2026 at 6:21 PM
@wisdot.bsky.social We won't be needing the I90 expansion after all. You can stop now
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
This is just unconscionable man
February 13, 2026 at 1:43 AM
This is just unconscionable man
Fidesz-on-Mendota trying to cram in one last illiberalism before fair maps kick in… 🙄
NEW from @millbot.bsky.social at The Recombobulation Area: Bills being proposed in the Wisconsin State Legislature would have far-reaching implications on free speech that should "chill us to the bone."
Let's recombobulate:
www.therecombobulationarea.news/p/attacks-on...
Let's recombobulate:
www.therecombobulationarea.news/p/attacks-on...
Attacks on free speech are escalating in Wisconsin
Bills being proposed in the Wisconsin State Legislature would have far-reaching impact on the right to free speech in the state.
www.therecombobulationarea.news
February 13, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Fidesz-on-Mendota trying to cram in one last illiberalism before fair maps kick in… 🙄
Over on Twitter, I was called an “elitist gentrifier” who “hates working-class POC” for….
Saying Moynihan Train Hall should have more seating. 🤷♂️
Asked the person to explain. They said it should be “self-evident” and I needed to “educate myself”—about the Acela Lounge? They got blocked fast. 🚄
Saying Moynihan Train Hall should have more seating. 🤷♂️
Asked the person to explain. They said it should be “self-evident” and I needed to “educate myself”—about the Acela Lounge? They got blocked fast. 🚄
What’s everyone’s favorite cultural artifact from Peak Woke? Mine is the CIA assassin license you have to fill out in that Call of Duty game which has options for non-binary pronouns and is signed by noted pronoun respecter Ronald Reagan.
February 13, 2026 at 1:20 AM
Over on Twitter, I was called an “elitist gentrifier” who “hates working-class POC” for….
Saying Moynihan Train Hall should have more seating. 🤷♂️
Asked the person to explain. They said it should be “self-evident” and I needed to “educate myself”—about the Acela Lounge? They got blocked fast. 🚄
Saying Moynihan Train Hall should have more seating. 🤷♂️
Asked the person to explain. They said it should be “self-evident” and I needed to “educate myself”—about the Acela Lounge? They got blocked fast. 🚄
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
Anthropic head of AI safety quits, warning of "world in peril" & announces plan to study creative writing, as my college charges ahead in deal with Anthropic, which trained its tech on at least 25 books taken without permission from our Creative Writing faculty. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Anthropic AI safety researcher quits with 'world in peril' warning
It comes in the same week an OpenAI researcher resigned amid concerns about its decision to start testing ChatGPT ads.
www.bbc.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Anthropic head of AI safety quits, warning of "world in peril" & announces plan to study creative writing, as my college charges ahead in deal with Anthropic, which trained its tech on at least 25 books taken without permission from our Creative Writing faculty. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
how it feels to thank the GO rider that's helping me track the bus i'm waiting for 🥰
February 12, 2026 at 10:04 PM
how it feels to thank the GO rider that's helping me track the bus i'm waiting for 🥰
Ron Johnson once again being a disgusting disgrace to the state of Wisconsin.
Ron Johnson to Keith Ellison: "Two people are dead because you encouraged them to put themselves into harm's way! And now you are exploiting those two martyrs. You ought to feel damn guilty about it. Yeah, sit there and smirk. Smirk. It's sick! It's despicable. You disgust me."
February 12, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Ron Johnson once again being a disgusting disgrace to the state of Wisconsin.
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
Choosing to believe that the "AI" behind this tool is just a single decent GeoGuessr player
New from 404 Media: we've confirmed cops are buying access to GeoSpy, an AI that can geolocate photos in seconds. Doesn't use metadata, but clues in the photo like soil, architecture, to pinpoint where social media photos taken. Being used in investigations www.404media.co/cops-are-buy...
Cops Are Buying ‘GeoSpy’, an AI That Geolocates Photos in Seconds
404 Media has obtained a cache of internal police emails showing at least two agencies have bought access to GeoSpy, an AI tool that analyzes architecture, soil, and other features to near instantly g...
www.404media.co
February 12, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Choosing to believe that the "AI" behind this tool is just a single decent GeoGuessr player
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
as someone who has been on the left for awhile now, it took a lot of effort but I finally learned to spell bourgeuise
February 11, 2026 at 4:03 PM
as someone who has been on the left for awhile now, it took a lot of effort but I finally learned to spell bourgeuise
Birmingham is unexpectedly ticking a few urbanist boxes for me: namely, walkable transit-oriented Waffle House. 🍳🧇🚌
February 12, 2026 at 2:06 AM
Birmingham is unexpectedly ticking a few urbanist boxes for me: namely, walkable transit-oriented Waffle House. 🍳🧇🚌
Regional Burger Chain time: Milo’s!
Sauce gives Salisbury Steak vibes. Blaze orange fry salt is mildly alarming but tasty. Peach pie is super delicious. Comes with an industrial tanker of sweet tea.
Sauce gives Salisbury Steak vibes. Blaze orange fry salt is mildly alarming but tasty. Peach pie is super delicious. Comes with an industrial tanker of sweet tea.
February 11, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Regional Burger Chain time: Milo’s!
Sauce gives Salisbury Steak vibes. Blaze orange fry salt is mildly alarming but tasty. Peach pie is super delicious. Comes with an industrial tanker of sweet tea.
Sauce gives Salisbury Steak vibes. Blaze orange fry salt is mildly alarming but tasty. Peach pie is super delicious. Comes with an industrial tanker of sweet tea.
Post a banger but not in English…
youtu.be/BW64piiktAY
A real ripper of Polish by-way-of Norwegian New Wave… 🇵🇱🇳🇴🎸
youtu.be/BW64piiktAY
A real ripper of Polish by-way-of Norwegian New Wave… 🇵🇱🇳🇴🎸
February 10, 2026 at 4:57 AM
Post a banger but not in English…
youtu.be/BW64piiktAY
A real ripper of Polish by-way-of Norwegian New Wave… 🇵🇱🇳🇴🎸
youtu.be/BW64piiktAY
A real ripper of Polish by-way-of Norwegian New Wave… 🇵🇱🇳🇴🎸
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
Post a banger not in English (IYKYK) www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMHL...
NENA | Irgendwie · Irgendwo · Irgendwann [1984] [Offizielles HD Musikvideo]
YouTube video by NENA
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:15 AM
Post a banger not in English (IYKYK) www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMHL...
A BBQ vending machine in Arrivals. Birmingham is committed to the bit. 🐷
February 10, 2026 at 3:54 AM
A BBQ vending machine in Arrivals. Birmingham is committed to the bit. 🐷
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
new nightmare unlocked
When AI was added to a tool for sinus surgery: “Cerebrospinal fluid leaked from one patient’s nose. In another… a surgeon mistakenly punctured the base of a patient’s skull. In two other cases, patients suffered strokes after a major artery was accidentally injured”
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
As AI enters the operating room, reports arise of botched surgeries and misidentified body parts
Medical device makers have been rushing to add AI to their products. While proponents say the new technology will revolutionize medicine, regulators are receiving a rising number of claims of patient ...
www.reuters.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:12 AM
new nightmare unlocked
I normally don’t like Peet’s coffee, but whatever they do at Roast in ATL concourse B magically turns it into the best airport espresso I’ve found anywhere. Friendly staff too! ☕️
February 10, 2026 at 1:17 AM
I normally don’t like Peet’s coffee, but whatever they do at Roast in ATL concourse B magically turns it into the best airport espresso I’ve found anywhere. Friendly staff too! ☕️
First time I’ve seen the Forward merch front and center at the airport shops. You love to see it. 🦩
February 9, 2026 at 10:04 PM
First time I’ve seen the Forward merch front and center at the airport shops. You love to see it. 🦩
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
2. I can't believe a municipality official signing an NDA is legal. Like, elected officials doing public business are covered under Wisconsin's open records law. You shouldn't be able to sign an NDA that conflicts with the law as a public official.
February 9, 2026 at 8:12 PM
2. I can't believe a municipality official signing an NDA is legal. Like, elected officials doing public business are covered under Wisconsin's open records law. You shouldn't be able to sign an NDA that conflicts with the law as a public official.
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
"No child should be killed crossing the street to catch the school bus."
February 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
"No child should be killed crossing the street to catch the school bus."
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
U.K. might lose a prime minister because a guy who worked for him knew another guy who hung out with Epstein. Meanwhile the U.S. opposition party is telling our President, who was Epstein's best friend, that his secret police should get better training so their public street murders look less messy.
February 9, 2026 at 4:07 PM
U.K. might lose a prime minister because a guy who worked for him knew another guy who hung out with Epstein. Meanwhile the U.S. opposition party is telling our President, who was Epstein's best friend, that his secret police should get better training so their public street murders look less messy.
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
It would be hard to summarize what has happened to the GOP this last decade more succinctly than this pic.
This woman is in charge of the US Agency for Global Media, which is supposed to serve and represent the best American values
February 9, 2026 at 4:10 PM
It would be hard to summarize what has happened to the GOP this last decade more succinctly than this pic.
Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig
They should start showing cut scenes of Santa Clara. Give us a dilapidated 1970s strip mall and an 8 lane arterial road. Show us how many restaurants are already closed even though it's only 5:30.
February 9, 2026 at 1:44 AM
They should start showing cut scenes of Santa Clara. Give us a dilapidated 1970s strip mall and an 8 lane arterial road. Show us how many restaurants are already closed even though it's only 5:30.
See, this is how I know all these "AI Data Centers" are bullshit, because *this* is what the AI computers are supposed to look like. 😏
I spent a couple of hours today at The Interim Computer Museum (icm.museum) going “oooooh”.
Walking into the room holding the Thinking Machines CM-2 supercomputer stopped me in my tracks. The lights are simulated right now but restoration is underway!
Walking into the room holding the Thinking Machines CM-2 supercomputer stopped me in my tracks. The lights are simulated right now but restoration is underway!
February 9, 2026 at 12:48 AM
See, this is how I know all these "AI Data Centers" are bullshit, because *this* is what the AI computers are supposed to look like. 😏
Taking the latest Catalina update… (a phrase I didn’t think I’d ever utter again.) At least this won’t have Liquid Glass. 😂
February 8, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Taking the latest Catalina update… (a phrase I didn’t think I’d ever utter again.) At least this won’t have Liquid Glass. 😂