Raven Onthill
@ravenonthill.bsky.social
Just a dilettante amateur political science bird who lives in the US Pacific Northwest. If you want to know what I think, try my blogs at adviceunasked.blogspot.com and shinycroak.blogspot.com.
Pinned
Reposted by Raven Onthill
you can really blow some minds with “actually there was an entire library and research institute for queer / trans history, science and medicine founded by a Jewish sexologist but the Nazis destroyed it in the hopes of exactly this outcome, ie future generations not believing trans people are real”
every time someone says something like "there weren't trans people when I was a kid" or some shit about trans people being a new thing because WOKE all I can think is "motherfucker Dog Day Afternoon was made in 1975"
February 17, 2026 at 3:36 AM
you can really blow some minds with “actually there was an entire library and research institute for queer / trans history, science and medicine founded by a Jewish sexologist but the Nazis destroyed it in the hopes of exactly this outcome, ie future generations not believing trans people are real”
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Reposted by Raven Onthill
If tech co’s don’t want people to be skeptics of AI, not skeptics that AI tools work at all or have some use in society but rather that these companies themselves can be trusted with the responsible deployment of AI, they have to actually lead with a demonstrated level of care that they can do so.
February 17, 2026 at 7:16 AM
If tech co’s don’t want people to be skeptics of AI, not skeptics that AI tools work at all or have some use in society but rather that these companies themselves can be trusted with the responsible deployment of AI, they have to actually lead with a demonstrated level of care that they can do so.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Heard an interview today where a guy said (and I'm paraphrasing) "LLMs have had years to train on every aspect of chess, read every book and article about it, review every match, but when they play, they STILL makes illegal moves. That tells you everything."
And.
Yup.
And.
Yup.
February 17, 2026 at 6:26 AM
Heard an interview today where a guy said (and I'm paraphrasing) "LLMs have had years to train on every aspect of chess, read every book and article about it, review every match, but when they play, they STILL makes illegal moves. That tells you everything."
And.
Yup.
And.
Yup.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Thinking about when my family got an iMac in the early '00s and the setup manual had just seven steps, and how now even with a search function I cannot find the Sleep settings in my System Preferences
February 17, 2026 at 7:09 AM
Thinking about when my family got an iMac in the early '00s and the setup manual had just seven steps, and how now even with a search function I cannot find the Sleep settings in my System Preferences
@l1vy.bsky.social aaagh!
boy, looking at the AI boyfriend subreddit freaking out over the model change, and it really was a grossly irresponsible act to create a technology for lonely and suffering people to project onto without supervision or control.
www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfrien...
www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfrien...
From the MyBoyfriendIsAI community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the MyBoyfriendIsAI community
www.reddit.com
February 17, 2026 at 7:11 AM
@l1vy.bsky.social aaagh!
“I never discuss economic policy with Germans, because for them it’s not about economics, it’s religion.”— Senior Eurozone official
Der Ordoliberalismus wird weitergehen, bis sich die Moral verbessert 🇩🇪
Die Wirtschaftskrise hinterlässt Spuren, vor allem in der Autobranche. Dieses Jahr dürfte der Stellenabbau in der Industrie weitergehen, so eine Studie.
February 17, 2026 at 7:09 AM
“I never discuss economic policy with Germans, because for them it’s not about economics, it’s religion.”— Senior Eurozone official
ICE is not law enforcement; it is an occupation force.
February 17, 2026 at 6:27 AM
ICE is not law enforcement; it is an occupation force.
Please, everyone, do not trust the New York Post; it's been a rag all my life, and now it's a Murdoch rag. While I'm at it, let me remind everyone that Politico and Axios also have a right-wing slant, though a less blatant one than the NYP.
February 17, 2026 at 6:07 AM
Please, everyone, do not trust the New York Post; it's been a rag all my life, and now it's a Murdoch rag. While I'm at it, let me remind everyone that Politico and Axios also have a right-wing slant, though a less blatant one than the NYP.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
I assume the plan is to "analyze" voter files the same way DOGE treated federal grants: prompt an LLM with racist conspiracy theories and cancel everything the machine picks
The DOJ has asked states to agree to sign a secret agreement “in connection w/ handing over their full voter files.” The agreement says that “the DOJ will ‘test, analyze, & assess states’ [voter rolls]’ & send each participating state a list of voters who must be removed within 45 days.” 2/5/26 …1/
“Confidential” Agreements Show Trump Administration’s Plans for States’ Voter Data
At least 10 states have handed over their full voter files to the Justice Department.
www.brennancenter.org
February 17, 2026 at 5:09 AM
I assume the plan is to "analyze" voter files the same way DOGE treated federal grants: prompt an LLM with racist conspiracy theories and cancel everything the machine picks
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Let’s see. Could it be the fact that the euro crisis never ended? Or that capital markets union hasn’t happened. Or that 🇩🇪 insists on running permanent current account surpluses? Or that there’s not remotely enough common eurozone debt? Or that 🇪🇺 private stock & bond markets are too small? Or th- 🤷♂️
February 17, 2026 at 3:51 AM
Let’s see. Could it be the fact that the euro crisis never ended? Or that capital markets union hasn’t happened. Or that 🇩🇪 insists on running permanent current account surpluses? Or that there’s not remotely enough common eurozone debt? Or that 🇪🇺 private stock & bond markets are too small? Or th- 🤷♂️
Reposted by Raven Onthill
there is a subtle yet repugnant hint of ecofascism that unites takes from supposed leftists and liberals like “getting rid of people’s dependency on USAID is worth the human cost” and “air conditioning is a needless luxury, and some people will just have to die of heat to stop climate change.”
a lot of people just don't think it's unjust for people to die in other places to die of preventable illness etc. I swear there's a weird appeal to nature thing going on with it
February 17, 2026 at 2:22 AM
there is a subtle yet repugnant hint of ecofascism that unites takes from supposed leftists and liberals like “getting rid of people’s dependency on USAID is worth the human cost” and “air conditioning is a needless luxury, and some people will just have to die of heat to stop climate change.”
Reposted by Raven Onthill
I propose an international law that once you become personally responsible for the murder of 1,000 people, be it via direct violence or policy, you are declared a dragon and adventurers can form parties to quest against you.
November 4, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I propose an international law that once you become personally responsible for the murder of 1,000 people, be it via direct violence or policy, you are declared a dragon and adventurers can form parties to quest against you.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
I bet you can make a lot of people mad by pointing out that the Ukrainians are fighting a deeply unambiguous anti-colonial war
February 17, 2026 at 1:31 AM
I bet you can make a lot of people mad by pointing out that the Ukrainians are fighting a deeply unambiguous anti-colonial war
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Moral philosopher here: a moral panic is when you act as though something is a danger that must be combated even though it either doesn’t exist or is not actually a danger at all.
The reaction to the Epstein files is an appropriate response to genuine horror.
The reaction to the Epstein files is an appropriate response to genuine horror.
Noah Rothman on the Epstein files: "It is a witch hunt. It‘s a moral panic."
February 17, 2026 at 12:59 AM
Moral philosopher here: a moral panic is when you act as though something is a danger that must be combated even though it either doesn’t exist or is not actually a danger at all.
The reaction to the Epstein files is an appropriate response to genuine horror.
The reaction to the Epstein files is an appropriate response to genuine horror.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
We are experiencing the biggest tax increase in 33 years. Why isn’t that a bigger story?
February 16, 2026 at 11:19 PM
We are experiencing the biggest tax increase in 33 years. Why isn’t that a bigger story?
What ICE intends to do is throw people into those buildings without adequate plumbing, lighting, and so on. Those camps are going to be hellholes. If one actually wants to convert commercial warehouse structures into useful livable spaces it doesn't make a lot of sense.
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
February 16, 2026 at 11:03 PM
What ICE intends to do is throw people into those buildings without adequate plumbing, lighting, and so on. Those camps are going to be hellholes. If one actually wants to convert commercial warehouse structures into useful livable spaces it doesn't make a lot of sense.
Hegseth is such an ass that I'd like to see him lose a war, and he probably would if he got the opportunity, but it would be my country losing the war.
February 16, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Hegseth is such an ass that I'd like to see him lose a war, and he probably would if he got the opportunity, but it would be my country losing the war.
@emilyrandallwa.bsky.social Expel Randy Fine.
Will it be national news? Will it cause performative outrage? Will he be censured?
Nope. Forgotten by tomorrow.
Nope. Forgotten by tomorrow.
February 16, 2026 at 10:29 PM
@emilyrandallwa.bsky.social Expel Randy Fine.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Prof @michaelemann.bsky.social explains how bad actors attack scientists as "political" regardless of the objectivity of their output.
🗣️ "I didn't come to politics. Politics came to me!"
🗣️ "They would much rather have you just be quiet and take it!"
Full chat: youtube.com/watch?v=O4PF...
🧪⚛️
🗣️ "I didn't come to politics. Politics came to me!"
🗣️ "They would much rather have you just be quiet and take it!"
Full chat: youtube.com/watch?v=O4PF...
🧪⚛️
February 16, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Prof @michaelemann.bsky.social explains how bad actors attack scientists as "political" regardless of the objectivity of their output.
🗣️ "I didn't come to politics. Politics came to me!"
🗣️ "They would much rather have you just be quiet and take it!"
Full chat: youtube.com/watch?v=O4PF...
🧪⚛️
🗣️ "I didn't come to politics. Politics came to me!"
🗣️ "They would much rather have you just be quiet and take it!"
Full chat: youtube.com/watch?v=O4PF...
🧪⚛️
And never any sign of remorse. If there were trials for crimes against humanity Senator Cassidy would be in the dock along with RFK Jr.
February 16, 2026 at 6:51 PM
And never any sign of remorse. If there were trials for crimes against humanity Senator Cassidy would be in the dock along with RFK Jr.
Reposted by Raven Onthill
Lincoln 1851
"I am not a Know-Nothing. As a nation, we began by declaring "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics."
"I am not a Know-Nothing. As a nation, we began by declaring "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics."
My English-Scots-Irish ancestors didn't die for multiculturalism; they killed for it. Killed Confederates who said shit exactly like this.
February 16, 2026 at 4:47 AM
Lincoln 1851
"I am not a Know-Nothing. As a nation, we began by declaring "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics."
"I am not a Know-Nothing. As a nation, we began by declaring "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics."
Reposted by Raven Onthill
"AI detectors" are themselves AI, and yet are endlessly trusted by people on here if they say that a newspaper article is AI.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
Just because I keep seeing those "I checked this piece and it's written by AI" - this is an old article of mine, before AI was available. So could we not?
February 16, 2026 at 10:44 AM
"AI detectors" are themselves AI, and yet are endlessly trusted by people on here if they say that a newspaper article is AI.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
Crabby😛
the crabs
the crabs
the crabs
the crabs are in the bucket
the crabs
the crabs
the crabs are in the bucket
February 16, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Crabby😛
Reposted by Raven Onthill
I really am getting the impression that results on the many many UBI studies range from "it doesn't make much difference" to "it's very good", which taken together basically seems like a great advertisement for them. I do think they'd have a wider roll out in a more rationally organised society.
February 16, 2026 at 7:58 AM
I really am getting the impression that results on the many many UBI studies range from "it doesn't make much difference" to "it's very good", which taken together basically seems like a great advertisement for them. I do think they'd have a wider roll out in a more rationally organised society.