RDS (formerly shawphd)
@rds773.myatproto.social
Former historian, current indexer. She/her, cis. Cats, nature, crafts, sci fi/fantasy. Covid aware. Chicago parent. GenX. West Coast ex-pat. I block & mute freely.
shawrd773@zirk.us
Need an index for your book in the humanities or social sciences? DM me.
shawrd773@zirk.us
Need an index for your book in the humanities or social sciences? DM me.
Pinned
What is common knowledge in your field but shocks outsiders?
More than half the CO₂ emissions of the Industrial Age have been pumped into the atmosphere since 1990.
More than half the CO₂ emissions of the Industrial Age have been pumped into the atmosphere since 1990.
What is common knowledge in your field, but shocks outsiders?
Literally nothing is 'carbon neutral'. It is a physical impossibility. If someone's telling you their product has zero climate impact, they're actively deciding to lie to you.
Literally nothing is 'carbon neutral'. It is a physical impossibility. If someone's telling you their product has zero climate impact, they're actively deciding to lie to you.
What is common knowledge in your field but shocks outsiders?
Indexes in books are written by actual humans and cannot be done automatically by computers
Indexes in books are written by actual humans and cannot be done automatically by computers
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
I know this makes me an extremist but I think our baby concentration camps should be abolished.
‘His life is in danger,’ U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said about newborn Juan Nicolás. The child fell ill after spending almost a month — or half his life — in a San Antonio-area family detention facility.
Two-month-old baby 'choking on his own vomit' while detained in Dilley
'His life is in danger,' U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said about newborn Juan Nicolás. The child fell ill after spending almost a month — or half his life — in a San Antonio-area family detention facility...
www.sacurrent.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:11 AM
I know this makes me an extremist but I think our baby concentration camps should be abolished.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
Roses are redde
Violettes are blue
Sayinge that the adoption of a technologye ys inevitable
Ys a way to trick you
Violettes are blue
Sayinge that the adoption of a technologye ys inevitable
Ys a way to trick you
February 16, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Roses are redde
Violettes are blue
Sayinge that the adoption of a technologye ys inevitable
Ys a way to trick you
Violettes are blue
Sayinge that the adoption of a technologye ys inevitable
Ys a way to trick you
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
It feels like what we are actually speed running with AI is the implosion of bog standard american business mismanagement practices.
February 17, 2026 at 7:02 AM
It feels like what we are actually speed running with AI is the implosion of bog standard american business mismanagement practices.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
Elimination of emissions standards was one of the pretty clear policy stakes of the 2024 election and it received about 1% as much coverage as whether Tim Walz retiring from the national guard after 21 years was cowardly.
“The U.S. no longer has emission standards of any meaning,” said Margo T. Oge, who served as the E.P.A.’s top vehicle emissions regulator under three presidents and has since advised both automakers and environmental groups…
“Nothing. Zero,” she added. “Not many countries have zero.”
“Nothing. Zero,” she added. “Not many countries have zero.”
With Latest Rollback, the U.S. Essentially Has No Clean-Car Rules
www.nytimes.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Elimination of emissions standards was one of the pretty clear policy stakes of the 2024 election and it received about 1% as much coverage as whether Tim Walz retiring from the national guard after 21 years was cowardly.
“For lo, the bear” 🤣
Committee meetings: “we cannot discuss forming another subcommittee for this decision for lo, the bear”
February 17, 2026 at 7:35 AM
“For lo, the bear” 🤣
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
I propose to make universal the old policy of the Blackfriars conference at the American Shakespeare Center:
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
February 16, 2026 at 1:14 AM
I propose to make universal the old policy of the Blackfriars conference at the American Shakespeare Center:
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
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 RDS (formerly shawphd)
I’d love to get every single Democrat on board with “abolish ICE and dismantle DHS” but you’re going to need some votes from folks who don’t want to embrace that particular rhetoric and good news “there’s just too much corruption we’ve got to dismantle it to solve the problem” is sitting right there
gotta do investigations into DHS “waste, fraud and abuse” as pretext for killing the agency
The interior of Kristi Noem’s new billionaire-class luxury jet is complete with two bidets and a wet bar with a wine chiller. It will be purchased on our dime from the slush fund Congress approved in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
open.substack.com/pub/newsnotn...
open.substack.com/pub/newsnotn...
February 17, 2026 at 4:48 AM
I’d love to get every single Democrat on board with “abolish ICE and dismantle DHS” but you’re going to need some votes from folks who don’t want to embrace that particular rhetoric and good news “there’s just too much corruption we’ve got to dismantle it to solve the problem” is sitting right there
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
its insane that drafting as an occupation used to just involve countless huge rooms of dads in shirts and ties, scattered all over the country, leaning over tables with their asses perked up all day as their 9-5 job
February 17, 2026 at 1:31 AM
its insane that drafting as an occupation used to just involve countless huge rooms of dads in shirts and ties, scattered all over the country, leaning over tables with their asses perked up all day as their 9-5 job
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
The left, being actually educated, with enough humanities to have discernment and judgement as well as moral reasoning, is pretty damn good at metabolizing new information. And it sniffed this pile of badly generated shit to discern it’s environmentally & informationally poisonous as hell.
I think this is directionally correct and honestly I'm less concerned about what it means for the left's take on AI than I am for the left's ability to metabolize new information and changing circumstances generally www.transformernews.ai/p/the-left-i...
The left is missing out on AI
As a movement, it has largely refused to engage seriously with AI, ceding debate about a threat and opportunity to the right
www.transformernews.ai
February 17, 2026 at 6:39 AM
The left, being actually educated, with enough humanities to have discernment and judgement as well as moral reasoning, is pretty damn good at metabolizing new information. And it sniffed this pile of badly generated shit to discern it’s environmentally & informationally poisonous as hell.
Yup!
This is true. I block accounts I find being asses on OTHER people’s feeds.
February 17, 2026 at 7:24 AM
Yup!
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
This is the thing I think trolls, etc don't understand: Once I block you I literally never think about you again. Shit, five minutes after I block someone I don't remember who they are or why I blocked them. They simply and literally don't exist for me anymore. If this is a victory for you, fine.
Some of y’all must have a blocking kink. It’s weird — you’re intentionally rude, obstinate or worse — in my replies as it daring me to block you as it gains you something. I won’t remember two minutes from now.
February 17, 2026 at 2:57 AM
This is the thing I think trolls, etc don't understand: Once I block you I literally never think about you again. Shit, five minutes after I block someone I don't remember who they are or why I blocked them. They simply and literally don't exist for me anymore. If this is a victory for you, fine.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
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 RDS (formerly shawphd)
...when trans ppl tell you they won't vote for Newsom, as a Democrat, your first reflex shouldn't be to berate trans ppl. if you think that way, then you are either a transphobe or a BAD COALITION PARTNER. seriously if you want Dems to win, THEN WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO ALIENATE PART OF YOUR COALITION?
February 17, 2026 at 3:57 AM
...when trans ppl tell you they won't vote for Newsom, as a Democrat, your first reflex shouldn't be to berate trans ppl. if you think that way, then you are either a transphobe or a BAD COALITION PARTNER. seriously if you want Dems to win, THEN WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO ALIENATE PART OF YOUR COALITION?
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
I feel like this is pretty key. Newsom is signaling that he wants to throw trans people under every available bus. that is a reason to denounce him, not to preemptively demand that trans people endorse him. 1
it's one thing to say with regards to a general election "vote blue no matter who"
but it's a completely different thing to insist (as *lots* of Dem accounts I've personally seen are saying) that trans ppl *must* vote for Newsom when we're still several years away from presidential primaries!
but it's a completely different thing to insist (as *lots* of Dem accounts I've personally seen are saying) that trans ppl *must* vote for Newsom when we're still several years away from presidential primaries!
February 17, 2026 at 3:55 AM
I feel like this is pretty key. Newsom is signaling that he wants to throw trans people under every available bus. that is a reason to denounce him, not to preemptively demand that trans people endorse him. 1
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
We are, however, on the path to a tower of babel collapse of evidentiary reality singularity at the hands of the most misenchanted people in human history, so, you know, buckle up.
February 17, 2026 at 4:01 AM
We are, however, on the path to a tower of babel collapse of evidentiary reality singularity at the hands of the most misenchanted people in human history, so, you know, buckle up.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
I've been fortunate enough that until our recent medical surprises I've been able to donate $50-100 every month to people/organizations in need. It makes me happy to do that. I like helping people. I've been desperate for money, I know how important it is.
These guys are pathetic scrubs. Just sad.
These guys are pathetic scrubs. Just sad.
Fascinating chart with one outlier: Warren Buffett.
At the low end, giving 0.06% of one's wealth is equivalent to:
Net worth -> Lifetime Giving
50K->$30
100K->$60
500K->$300
$1M->$600
Most folks give far more by % in a *single year*.
www.forbes.com/sites/forbes...
At the low end, giving 0.06% of one's wealth is equivalent to:
Net worth -> Lifetime Giving
50K->$30
100K->$60
500K->$300
$1M->$600
Most folks give far more by % in a *single year*.
www.forbes.com/sites/forbes...
February 17, 2026 at 4:01 AM
I've been fortunate enough that until our recent medical surprises I've been able to donate $50-100 every month to people/organizations in need. It makes me happy to do that. I like helping people. I've been desperate for money, I know how important it is.
These guys are pathetic scrubs. Just sad.
These guys are pathetic scrubs. Just sad.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
OK sounds good to me.
Rep. Mark Alford: "If you tie a judicial warrant to what ICE is doing, it will never happen"
February 17, 2026 at 4:04 AM
OK sounds good to me.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
I love to hear that these Lumps are helping people overcome arachnophobia 🥹
Salticids have been out there doing the lord's work for years, but they don't have to do it alone
Salticids have been out there doing the lord's work for years, but they don't have to do it alone
February 17, 2026 at 4:04 AM
I love to hear that these Lumps are helping people overcome arachnophobia 🥹
Salticids have been out there doing the lord's work for years, but they don't have to do it alone
Salticids have been out there doing the lord's work for years, but they don't have to do it alone
advertise your account with a gif
February 17, 2026 at 4:05 AM
advertise your account with a gif
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
No, centrists, we will not vote against our own humanity. We will not accept fascism-lite so you can get "back to normal". We're not sacrificing human beings on the altar of your comfortable complacency anymore.
February 16, 2026 at 8:30 PM
No, centrists, we will not vote against our own humanity. We will not accept fascism-lite so you can get "back to normal". We're not sacrificing human beings on the altar of your comfortable complacency anymore.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
"Fix your hearts or die" goes for everyone. If your candidate doesn't support human rights for all - Black, trans, unhoused, Gazans, disabled, immigrants et al - without exemption or equivocation, they will lose. We're warning you with plenty of time.
February 16, 2026 at 8:33 PM
"Fix your hearts or die" goes for everyone. If your candidate doesn't support human rights for all - Black, trans, unhoused, Gazans, disabled, immigrants et al - without exemption or equivocation, they will lose. We're warning you with plenty of time.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
REMEMBER: All the "Don't use em-dashes" "don't use rule of three" advice because it makes your writing "look like AI" is because they stole actual writers work, and their "predict the next thing" stuff just simulates what WE FUCKING DO. Keep writing well. Use every style and trick you have. Fuck AI.
July 3, 2025 at 7:43 PM
REMEMBER: All the "Don't use em-dashes" "don't use rule of three" advice because it makes your writing "look like AI" is because they stole actual writers work, and their "predict the next thing" stuff just simulates what WE FUCKING DO. Keep writing well. Use every style and trick you have. Fuck AI.
Reposted by RDS (formerly shawphd)
Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! 🐎
February 17, 2026 at 3:41 AM
Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! 🐎