Martin Grasdal 🍁
@mgrasdal.bsky.social
Old IT guy, nearing retirement. Living proof that a degree in Engl. Lit & Philosophy is far from useless. Lover of fiction (including sci-fi & fantasy), history, classics, etc,. Classical music lover.
Big tech enabling a fascist, authoritarian agenda? This should not surprise anyone who is paying attention. Big tech benefits from the massive panopticon state, fueled by AI and surveillance capitalism.
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable group. “Big tech has made their choice.”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable…
www.404media.co
December 29, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Big tech enabling a fascist, authoritarian agenda? This should not surprise anyone who is paying attention. Big tech benefits from the massive panopticon state, fueled by AI and surveillance capitalism.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
With a new year almost upon us, everyone paying attention now understands Danielle Smith is a separatist. albertapolitics.ca/2025/12/with...
With a new year almost upon us, everyone paying attention now understands Danielle Smith is a separatist - Alberta Politics
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is a separatist. Well, not quite universally acknowledged, as we shall see. And only recently. But still, this recognition w...
albertapolitics.ca
December 29, 2025 at 5:20 AM
With a new year almost upon us, everyone paying attention now understands Danielle Smith is a separatist. albertapolitics.ca/2025/12/with...
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
This is not idle speculation. The intercepts of the Witkoff/Kushner/Dmitriev conversations leaked by NATO intel services to various European and US publications show that this is _exactly_ what is going on. It's the most humiliating chapter in the whole history of US diplomacy.
December 28, 2025 at 7:28 PM
This is not idle speculation. The intercepts of the Witkoff/Kushner/Dmitriev conversations leaked by NATO intel services to various European and US publications show that this is _exactly_ what is going on. It's the most humiliating chapter in the whole history of US diplomacy.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
A significant amount of safety research has existed for decades on Human Machine Interfaces proving exactly this. It's exhausting to watch money and effort wasted in a tech hype cycle to constantly undo and redo what we already know in safety engineering.
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its…
wrd.cm
December 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
A significant amount of safety research has existed for decades on Human Machine Interfaces proving exactly this. It's exhausting to watch money and effort wasted in a tech hype cycle to constantly undo and redo what we already know in safety engineering.
Some accurate commentary on the real Wuthering Heights, not the romantic claptrap that many imagine in place of the novel.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/de...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/de...
‘It’s no romcom’: why the real Wuthering Heights is too extreme for the screen
The new film adaptation by Saltburn director Emerald Fennell looks set to be provocative – but nowhere near as shocking as Emily Brontë’s original
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Some accurate commentary on the real Wuthering Heights, not the romantic claptrap that many imagine in place of the novel.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/de...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/de...
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
December 28, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Perfect metaphor for what big tech, driven by oligarch techbros who care only about extracting wealth, is doing to society.
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Perfect metaphor for what big tech, driven by oligarch techbros who care only about extracting wealth, is doing to society.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
I bring you tidings of great joy! Our neighbour to the south is about to reach Peak Trump. albertapolitics.ca/2025/12/i-br... #ableg #abpoli #geopolitics #MerryChristmas
I bring you tidings of great joy! Our neighbour to the south is about to reach Peak Trump - Alberta Politics
Merry Christmas, Dear Readers! I bring you tidings of great joy! Our neighbour to the south is about to reach Peak Trump, if it hasn’t occurred already. It’s all downhill for The Donald from there. F...
albertapolitics.ca
December 25, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I bring you tidings of great joy! Our neighbour to the south is about to reach Peak Trump. albertapolitics.ca/2025/12/i-br... #ableg #abpoli #geopolitics #MerryChristmas
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
Happy 71st birthday to Annie Lennox. A woman who has excelled in music and never been scared to speak out on political and social issues which concern her! www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6644...
Who's That Birthday Girl? We look back at Annie Lennox's Aberdeen links as legend turns 70 today
The singer, musician and activist has never been afraid to speak out, whether against councils, millionaires or governments.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk
December 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Happy 71st birthday to Annie Lennox. A woman who has excelled in music and never been scared to speak out on political and social issues which concern her! www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6644...
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Cardiff couple invited man in for Christmas, he stayed for 45 years
An arrangement Rob and Dianne Parsons thought would last a few days ended up changing their lives.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 25, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Seems significant Hope that X has reached some kind of tipping point.
Total Bluesky follows have spiked by over 30% today. This is not happening the way Elon thinks it's going to go
bsky.app/profile/noka...
bsky.app/profile/noka...
December 25, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Seems significant Hope that X has reached some kind of tipping point.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
this is my last strong tether to twitter/x -- 1000x more people tweeting about Japanese and Korean transit, politics, urbanism, culture, movies, art, history in their native languages than here on Bluesky
I understand why this X user would say this, but I think this wave of mass exodus might have more staying power because many current Bluesky users don't speak Japanese and Korean, meaning the dooming will be contained in the English-language clusters while other users would just go like the art.
December 25, 2025 at 6:27 AM
this is my last strong tether to twitter/x -- 1000x more people tweeting about Japanese and Korean transit, politics, urbanism, culture, movies, art, history in their native languages than here on Bluesky
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
One of the earliest-ever modern portrayals of Santa Claus features him gifting Union soldiers with a jumping-jack doll of Jefferson Davis dangling from a noose - as drawn by political cartoonist Thomas Nast.
www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
![HARPERS WEEKLY.
JOURNAL OF CIVILIZATION
Vor. VII.-No. 314.]
NEW
YORK, SATURDAY, JANUARY
1863.
GELCOM
SANTA CLAUS
SANTA CLAUS IN CAMP.-[SEE PAGE 6]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qiknc4t5rq7yngvz7g4aezq7/bafkreiez4d5lsrpbn3mrwkwrnbrhb3ra7dmvagbxjaz7hg5be7njnsbary@jpeg)
December 25, 2025 at 6:09 AM
One of the earliest-ever modern portrayals of Santa Claus features him gifting Union soldiers with a jumping-jack doll of Jefferson Davis dangling from a noose - as drawn by political cartoonist Thomas Nast.
www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
For the final day, 24, of #ArtAdventCalendar, I present this illustration which I call Exploration of Amalthea. The latter is a very small moon of Jupiter in a very close orbit. Jupiter would fill half the sky seen from here!
#SciArt #spaceart #Blender3d
#SciArt #spaceart #Blender3d
December 24, 2025 at 11:59 AM
For the final day, 24, of #ArtAdventCalendar, I present this illustration which I call Exploration of Amalthea. The latter is a very small moon of Jupiter in a very close orbit. Jupiter would fill half the sky seen from here!
#SciArt #spaceart #Blender3d
#SciArt #spaceart #Blender3d
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
my annual posting of @mariadunnmusic.bsky.social's "God Bless Us Everyone".
Still trying to get this to be a standard carol for everyone, every Christmas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-f...
Still trying to get this to be a standard carol for everyone, every Christmas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-f...
Maria Dunn - God Bless Us Everyone (from The Carol Project)
YouTube video by Maria Dunn Music
www.youtube.com
December 25, 2025 at 12:49 AM
my annual posting of @mariadunnmusic.bsky.social's "God Bless Us Everyone".
Still trying to get this to be a standard carol for everyone, every Christmas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-f...
Still trying to get this to be a standard carol for everyone, every Christmas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-f...
One of the best things about the movie, Elf, is the duet of Baby, It's Cold Outside, performed by Zooey Deschanel, one of the lead actors in the film, and Leon Redbone during the end credits.
The movie is very silly. I watched it on the same day I watched Monkey Man. So, a nice contrast.
The movie is very silly. I watched it on the same day I watched Monkey Man. So, a nice contrast.
December 24, 2025 at 5:01 PM
One of the best things about the movie, Elf, is the duet of Baby, It's Cold Outside, performed by Zooey Deschanel, one of the lead actors in the film, and Leon Redbone during the end credits.
The movie is very silly. I watched it on the same day I watched Monkey Man. So, a nice contrast.
The movie is very silly. I watched it on the same day I watched Monkey Man. So, a nice contrast.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
Canada is one of the eight countries that today expressed its solidarity with the people of Greenland and Denmark in the face of threats to their territorial integrity from Trump and his newly appointed Reichsstatthalter for Greenland, Jeff Landry.
December 24, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Canada is one of the eight countries that today expressed its solidarity with the people of Greenland and Denmark in the face of threats to their territorial integrity from Trump and his newly appointed Reichsstatthalter for Greenland, Jeff Landry.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
December 23, 2025 at 11:49 PM
He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
Here we go: TCM REMEMBERS, 2025 edition. See if you can make it through this without getting something in your eye.
TCM Remembers 2025 | TCM
YouTube video by Turner Classic Movies
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Here we go: TCM REMEMBERS, 2025 edition. See if you can make it through this without getting something in your eye.
I put on a Dave Edmonds CD to listen to while I washed up after dinner, and I swear to gawd I felt like a teenager again for a little while.
December 24, 2025 at 1:43 AM
I put on a Dave Edmonds CD to listen to while I washed up after dinner, and I swear to gawd I felt like a teenager again for a little while.
Reposted by Martin Grasdal 🍁
Trans instructor: “you didn’t do this assignment”
Supervising professor: “she didn’t do the assignment”
Student: “I didn’t do the assignment”
University: “isn’t there someone you forgot to ask”
some days I just want to scream and scream
Supervising professor: “she didn’t do the assignment”
Student: “I didn’t do the assignment”
University: “isn’t there someone you forgot to ask”
some days I just want to scream and scream
Worth noting that the student admits that she just threw the thing together in 30 minutes without reading the paper she was supposed to be responding to.
December 23, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Trans instructor: “you didn’t do this assignment”
Supervising professor: “she didn’t do the assignment”
Student: “I didn’t do the assignment”
University: “isn’t there someone you forgot to ask”
some days I just want to scream and scream
Supervising professor: “she didn’t do the assignment”
Student: “I didn’t do the assignment”
University: “isn’t there someone you forgot to ask”
some days I just want to scream and scream
A little while ago, someone posted a video of Pearl Jam doing a cover with Eddie Vedder and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan of the song, The Long Road. I was reminded of the album, Night Songs, by NFAK and Michael Brook. Here's a track from that great album. Still fresh.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttQm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttQm...
Sweet Pain - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Michael Brook - Night Songs
YouTube video by Sikander Fayyaz
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 1:51 PM
A little while ago, someone posted a video of Pearl Jam doing a cover with Eddie Vedder and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan of the song, The Long Road. I was reminded of the album, Night Songs, by NFAK and Michael Brook. Here's a track from that great album. Still fresh.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttQm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttQm...
Bari Weiss did not pull the CECOT piece from 60 minutes BC it revealed new information. It didn't. She pulled it bc, as incompetent as she apparently is, she recognized it as an excellent piece of journalism that presented a compelling, fact-checked narrative about a young man being brutalized.
December 23, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Bari Weiss did not pull the CECOT piece from 60 minutes BC it revealed new information. It didn't. She pulled it bc, as incompetent as she apparently is, she recognized it as an excellent piece of journalism that presented a compelling, fact-checked narrative about a young man being brutalized.